Chapter 4

I walked right past them without breaking stride.

Returning to Qianqian's side, she looked up at me slightly, satisfaction lingering in her eyes.

She carried the unmistakable scent of Guangqi's cologne. There was no telling what they had been doing in the few minutes I was away.

None of it mattered anymore.

I glanced down at my phone. It was half an hour before ten.

Qianqian lowered her head, murmuring by my ear, "The wedding will be next month. I looked over a few venues. Once we get home tonight, I'll have my assistant send you the portfolios so you can pick one."

I looked at her squarely. "I told you. Forget about the wedding."

A hint of warning crept into her tone. "Pouting has its limits. I told you, the position of my husband will always belong to you. What more do you want from me? You want me to get down on my knees and beg?"

Impatience bled through her voice; she had written off my detachment as another petty tantrum.

"I don't want anything from you," I said softly. "I'm just not marrying you."

"Enough," she snapped coldly. "Do I really need to have you committed again just to make you see straight? Stop being so ungrateful."

I took a slow, deep breath. "You still think I'm just acting out, don't you?"

"What else would it be?" She scoffed. "Isn't this all because of Guangqi? How many times are you going to throw a fit over this?"

I wanted to tell her that I truly didn't care anymore.

Before the words could leave my mouth, Guangqi stumbled over again.

He was swaying on his feet.

Pretending to be utterly wasted, he collapsed straight against Qianqian.

"My head is spinning so bad..." His head lolled into the crook of Qianqian's neck, his arms wrapping tightly around her waist. "Qianqian, I think I drank way too much."

As he spoke, he cracked one eyelid open to shoot me a glance. Clear-eyed, arrogant, and mocking.

Qianqian's three friends all shifted their gazes toward me, clearly waiting for a dramatic show.

Supporting Guangqi by the waist, Qianqian frowned slightly, but she didn't shove him away. Instead, she looked over at me.

If this were the old me, I would have charged forward in a blind rage and swung my fists.

Yet now, I merely said in a calm, flat voice, "Since Mr. Yu is drunk, you should drive him home."

Qianqian's face turned noticeably sour.

She parted her lips to say something, but Guangqi cut her off whiningly. "Qianqian, take me home, please. My head hurts so bad, I only want you to take me, just like old times, okay?"

After a brief hesitation, Qianqian turned back to me. "Go home and wait for me. Once I drop him off, I'll come straight back to you. Don't be difficult, be good, and wait for me at home."

I smiled and gave a gentle nod. "Okay."

With her arm around Guangqi's waist in an intimate embrace, Qianqian led him away right before everyone's eyes.

Rong walked up, lightly clapping her hands as she looked me up and down. "Damn, Mr. Wei. What kind of miracle-working asylum did you go to?"

"Did you actually change your personality, or are you just saving up for one massive explosion?"

Pan stepped forward as well. "Gotta admit, this stoic act looks way better than your usual kicking and screaming. Maybe Qianqian actually falls for this. Playing hard to get—pretty slick move."

I didn't bother acknowledging them. I turned on my heel and walked straight out the venue doors.

Yingnan's voice drifted from behind me. "You're really going home like a good little boy? Not gonna wait around for Qianqian to come coax you?"

I didn't pause. I didn't look back.

I hailed a cab, stopped by the villa to grab my packed suitcase, and headed straight to the airport.

I boarded the plane and switched my phone to airplane mode.

I slept. It felt like I slept for a very long time.

When I woke up, the plane had already landed.

I turned airplane mode off.

Almost instantaneously, the phone vibrated like mad in my hand.