Zhou Che blurted out without thinking,
"Huo... Brother Huo, your company is east, the airport is the other way. It's not on your route."
Jiang Liuyue glanced at him with a knowing, half-smile, saying slowly,
"Oh, so it seems it's not on the way then."
Huo Yaochuan pursed his lips, showing no trace of awkwardness at being exposed.
He continued with a smile,
"Then next time you have a chance to visit City B, I'll host you properly."
"Sounds good, Brother Huo. Bye~"
Jiang Liuyue waved at him through the half-open car window, also catching sight of Feng Xiaoman's jealous, hateful gaze not far behind him.
Ah, what a pity.
She wouldn't get to see the scene of them arguing later.
The car sped away from the hotel like an arrow released from its bow. Huo Yaochuan turned and walked off without a backward glance. Feng Xiaoman, who had been watching from a distance, jogged over to catch up.
"Didn't you say you were going back to the hotel to rest?" Huo Yaochuan's tone was indifferent.
Feng Xiaoman said cautiously, "Yaochuan, if you're working late tonight... can I stay with you?"
She quickly added,
"Don't worry, I'll be good."
"I won't make a sound or cause any trouble. I'll just stay to one side. I just... I just want to be with you."
Huo Yaochuan looked at the girl before him and fell silent.
Reason told him she was his girlfriend, but his heart told him that the "Crescent Moon" he met in person wasn't the person he had grown to like.
Feng Xiaoman forced a faint smile, turned away with a trace of despondency.
"Alright, never mind then."
"Yaochuan, focus on your work. I'm flying back to City S tomorrow too."
"Wait—!" Huo Yaochuan called out to stop her.
Feng Xiaoman turned back, her face lighting up with hope, thinking he was asking her to stay.
Before her joyful expression could fully bloom, his next icy words hit her.
"Xiaoman, let's break up."
"......"
Feng Xiaoman froze, as if she hadn't understood.
She shook her head slightly, her smile strained and bitter.
"Did I... did I hear that wrong?"
"Yaochuan, you focus on your work first. I won't make any unreasonable demands."
She turned to leave again, but Huo Yaochuan reached out and grabbed her arm.
It was the first time he had actively taken hold of her, yet it was to break up.
Large teardrops welled up in Feng Xiaoman's eyes and began to fall. She didn't dare look back.
Huo Yaochuan stated solemnly once more,
"Feng Xiaoman, the feelings between us were founded on deception from the very beginning."
"So, I think it's better to end it."
She let out a scornful laugh.
"What about the game?"
"Are you ending our in-game marriage too?"
Huo Yaochuan nodded slowly.
"I have too much company business lately. I probably won't have time to manage the guild in the future."
"After we dissolve our in-game marriage, I'll likely quit the game too."
"As compensation, if you want it, I can transfer the guild leadership to you."
Feng Xiaoman felt a chill run through her entire body.
Her lips trembled, unable to form a single word.
What she wanted was Yaochuan, her wealthy boyfriend!
Not some damn in-game marriage, or some damn guild leader position?!
Without Yaochuan,
where would her monthly living expenses come from?
Would she have to go find a job again and get yelled at every day by her boss, supervisors, and customers?
Seeing Feng Xiaoman remain silent, Huo Yaochuan added,
"I'll also give you 60,000 as a parting settlement. That should be enough to cover your rent for the rest of the year."
Hearing this, Feng Xiaoman finally reacted.
She turned around, glaring fiercely at the man before her.
Her voice carried a thread of anger as she spat out,
"Who wants your parting money!!!"
"Why are you breaking up with me? Don't give me any high-sounding excuses!"
"You've fallen for Jiang Liuyue, haven't you?"
Her words were sharp, her gaze full of wrath as she stared at him.
Under Feng Xiaoman's stare, Huo Yaochuan calmly nodded.
"Yes."
"Slap—"
Feng Xiaoman raised her hand to strike his face, but Huo Yaochuan anticipated it and dodged. The slap landed weakly on his chest instead.
Finally, her strength drained, she slowly crouched down.
Sobbing and whimpering.
Like the pitiful, wronged heroine of a tragic melodrama.
Huo Yaochuan took a deep breath, still holding onto some past affection as he said,
"Xiaoman, I don't want to assign blame for this, or argue about who's right or wrong."
"But from the moment you sent me Liuyue's photo..."
"...our fate was already sealed."
After saying this, he strode forward without looking back, no matter how heart-wrenchingly Feng Xiaoman cried behind him.
Once in his car,
Huo Yaochuan opened an app and booked the earliest flight to City S for that night.
...
Zhou Che saw her off to the airport, reluctant to let her go.
Jiang Liuyue teased, "What's wrong? Can't bear to see me leave?"
Zhou Che instantly flushed crimson.
But he still nodded his head honestly.
"Che-ge." Her voice was crisp and sweet, like a little hook tickling his ear.
Just that one form of address made Zhou Che feel dizzy and enchanted.
Even Liuyue just breathing seemed angelic to him.
I'm done for!
He was probably beyond saving!
"Why so quiet?" Jiang Liuyue gazed at him with a smiling expression.
Zhou Che knew he must look like a complete fool right now.
He stammered, "Ah... what should I say?"
Jiang Liuyue's lips curved upward. "For example, that you don't want me to go."
She's too good at this!
With just that one sentence,
Zhou Che's cheeks flushed red again.
But it also gave him inspiration. He nodded emphatically and said,
"Yueyue, I don't want you to go."
After saying it, even he felt shameless.
Jiang Liuyue tilted her head, two strands of hair playfully falling beside her ears. Her almond-shaped eyes sparkled like stars.
When she looked at you, it felt like you were the most important person in the world.
"And what else?"
"Besides not wanting me to go, isn't there anything else you want to say?"
Her eyes held a smile.
Seeming to carry a subtle hint of something.
Zhou Che was stunned for a moment, then an incredulous expression appeared on his face. He ventured cautiously,
"I, I..."
He was usually quite articulate.
But facing Jiang Liuyue, he became like a mute with his mouth sealed.
Jiang Liuyue gave him an encouraging slight nod.
Zhou Che mustered all his courage.
"Can I... stay by your side always?"
"To be with you, protect you, share your joys and sorrows."
"I want to become the most important man in your life."
The smile in Jiang Liuyue's eyes deepened.
Her tone was light and playful as she said,
"Is this a confession?"
"But there are no flowers, no surprise."
Zhou Che suddenly thought of something. He picked up his phone and said to her, "Can you open your live stream? Just for two minutes."
Jiang Liuyue agreed and opened her streaming interface.
It was daytime, so there weren't many viewers.
The number of people online in the stream was only in the single digits.
As soon as Zhou Che entered the stream, he started frantically sending virtual roses.
[SleeplessNight sent Roses ×52]
[SleeplessNight sent Roses ×66]
...
[SleeplessNight sent Roses ×999]
On this platform, sending roses in bulk triggers special effects.
52 roses trigger a bouquet effect.
66 and 999 roses fill the entire screen with blossoms.
The gifts weren't expensive.
Even sending that many couldn't compare to the cost of a single "Dragon Rider" or "Carnival" gift.
But looking at the man before her, his eyes filled with sincere adoration,
Jiang Liuyue suddenly felt a twinge of guilt.
Ah, well. Her moral compass wasn't that strong anyway.
Why did she suddenly feel guilty?
The rose special effects were still blooming across the entire livestream screen. Jiang Liuyue stood on her tiptoes, proactively opened her arms, and leaned in to hug Zhou Che.
Zhou Che: "Yueyue, I..."
Jiang Liuyue's voice was laced with a smile: "Hello, boyfriend."
