Tang Yinyao was utterly despairing. She looked at her father and murmured,
"So... now I've lost my job, and our Tang family is facing bankruptcy for the second time."
Father Tang closed his eyes and said, "Too much cunning in plotting leads to self-destruction."
Yet, a trace of hope still flickered in his eyes as he tentatively suggested,
"Yaoyao, Dad knows you and Du Jiashu are just good friends. But now he's single again. If you could..."
She understood.
Tang Yinyao grasped her father's meaning: to offer herself to Du Jiashu, perhaps to prevent their family's status in this social circle from plummeting further.
Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. Even if the Tang family went bankrupt, their accumulated wealth would still far exceed that of ordinary people.
There was absolutely no need to sell out his daughter for glory, yet Father Tang still suggested it.
Tang Yinyao felt a chill in her heart.
Nevertheless, she said, "I'll consider it."
Du Corporation Building.
Tang Yinyao had waited in the cold wind for over ten minutes. Every call she made to Du Jiashu was rejected.
She wrapped her coat tighter around herself and finally spotted a familiar figure.
Excited, she jogged over.
"Brother Jiashu." Her voice was cheerful, tinged with pleasant surprise.
Du Jiashu had become terribly gaunt. Ever since his divorce from Xia Liuyue, he had been plagued by nightmares every night.
He dreamed of the child they had lost, of how coldly he had treated Xia Liuyue, and of watching helplessly as she left him.
On the night the wedding invitation from Yan Hechuan and Xia Liuyue arrived, he got hopelessly drunk. Waking up the next day, he numbly went to work, and in that moment, he suddenly realized he truly had nothing left.
Hearing Tang Yinyao's voice, his expression grew several degrees colder.
"What do you want?" His tone was detached and distant.
Seeing his coldness, Tang Yinyao forced a smile and said,
"I heard you haven't been doing well lately. I was worried about you. My calls never got through, so I thought I'd come see you in person."
"Thank you, but that's unnecessary."
Du Jiashu started walking away. His suit hung loosely on his emaciated frame, making him look like a walking corpse.
"Wait, Brother Jiashu."
Seeing him leave, Tang Yinyao quickly reached out and grabbed his arm, wearing a shy, bashful smile.
"Brother Jiashu, I have something very important to tell you."
Du Jiashu lowered his gaze numbly. "Go on."
Tang Yinyao also looked down and said softly,
"Brother Jiashu, since being apart from Hechuan, I've gradually come to understand my own feelings. There's actually always been someone in my heart."
"That person grew up with me. I took his kindness for granted, thinking it was just friendship."
"But after you disappeared for a while, I suddenly realized... this isn't dependence, nor is it habit. It's affection."
"Brother Jiashu, I like you. Can we start over?"
She looked up, her eyes filled with anticipation.
Hearing these words, Du Jiashu felt confused.
If she had said this a month ago, he would have been overjoyed.
He would have been eager to divorce Xia Liuyue immediately to be with Yaoyao.
But now, hearing Tang Yinyao say these things, he found it laughable and pitiful.
He said slowly,
"Is it because the Tang family went bankrupt?"
"What?"
"I mean, it's because the Tang family went bankrupt, right? You lost your job too."
Although Du Jiashu didn't want to pay attention to Tang Yinyao's affairs, they shared mutual friends who would occasionally pass on news.
Some with ill intentions even said that since your ex-wife has remarried, you could pursue Tang Yinyao now.
Du Jiashu would always frown upon hearing this, unwilling to respond.
After all, Tang Yinyao was a childhood playmate, a friend who had been by his side for a long time.
He didn't want to destroy the last bit of goodwill between them.
But he never expected Tang Yinyao to seek him out proactively, lowering her stance to confess her feelings. It made all those years of his silent affection seem utterly ridiculous!
So her affection was this cheap, this calculated.
Because she couldn't get the best, she settled for the second best and came to him, is that it?
Having her intentions exposed, Tang Yinyao felt embarrassed and changed the subject:
"Yes, Brother Jiashu, I lost my job. You know it was Xia Liuyue deliberately retaliating against me!"
"As for the Tang family, my dad has been trying hard for a long time, but there's been no improvement. The company just can't be saved."
"Xia Liuyue is behind all of this."
"I'm not angry, and I haven't sought revenge, all out of consideration for you."
Du Jiashu gave a helpless, wry smile.
Not seeking revenge?
Or unable to seek revenge?
With the Yan and Zhao families backing her, who would dare touch Xia Liuyue?
Rumors in their circle said the new young master of the Zhao family was madly pursuing his ex-wife.
"Let it go, Tang Yinyao. Let's both keep some dignity." Du Jiashu pulled his arm free.
Tang Yinyao swore she had never been so humiliated in her entire life.
She had already taken the initiative to show goodwill.
Yet Du Jiashu remained so cold.
"Brother Jiashu, you called me before, repeatedly saying you liked me. What's the matter now?"
"Is your affection that fleeting? Or were you just deceiving me?"
"Tang Yinyao, you're right to criticize me. My affection is indeed that fleeting. Suddenly, I realized I don't seem to like you that much anymore..." Du Jiashu couldn't deny it.
Humans are strange creatures.
The more unattainable something is, the more they crave it.
But faced with Tang Yinyao's goodwill and confession, he found it utterly bland.
"Fine, fine! I see you clearly now!"
Furious, Tang Yinyao turned to leave. But just as she turned her head, she saw a black stretch limousine pull up in front of the Du Corporation building.
The car door slowly opened. The first to step out was Zhao Yunzhou, wearing a black trench coat and a grey tie.
The tails of his peach blossom eyes naturally tilted upwards, carrying a hint of unruly arrogance.
As his leather shoes touched the ground with a tap, he cast a disdainful glance at the two figures tugging at each other not far away.
He remarked teasingly,
"Well, well! How dramatic. What short play are you two performing?"
A pleasant, melodious female voice then came from inside the car.
"Ran into someone you know?"
The previously defiant man seemed to transform in an instant, breaking into an obedient smile. He turned, bent his knee slightly, and extended his hand to help the person out of the car.
"Yes, Jiejie."
"It's that scumbag of an ex-husband and his 'good buddy'~"
Xia Liuyue adjusted her black sunglasses, glanced at Zhao Yunzhou, and then unhurriedly placed her hand in his.
The first to emerge were a pair of exquisite taupe boots, followed by a figure in a beige-grey plaid suit dress, cinched at the waist with a thin white belt.
Jet-black hair cascaded over her shoulders, topped with a small, elegant grey beret.
Her aura was captivating, her beauty radiant.
Finally holding her hand, Zhao Yunzhou couldn't help but let the corners of his lips curl up slightly. Jiejie's hand was very soft, very smooth.
Noticing Tang Yinyao and Du Jiashu in their tug-of-war, Xia Liuyue very amiably raised her hand and waved at them in greeting:
"Long time no see."
"Are you two... dating?"
