Chapter 4: Six Years Loving the Wrong Man

“But as Qin Sang’s best friend, I can’t just ignore what they said and did.”

“Tangtang was always the one who protected me, always the one who stood up for me.”

“Now I want to do something for her, too.”

“You were together for six years.”

“Even if you’ve broken up, you shouldn’t just stand by while your friends insult and slander her, should you?”

One unexpected thing after another had happened.

The room fell silent again.

Chu Yusen remained quiet for half a minute before looking steadily at Jiang Wutong.

But even as he looked at her, all he could think about was Qin Sang.

If it had been Qin Sang, would she have just thrown a glass of liquor in the other person’s face?

Of course not. She would have made a scene and refused to let it go.

She would have made him admit he was wrong and apologize.

She had always fiercely defended the people she cared about. She was loyal to a fault.

Back then, she’d treated Jiang Wutong so well that Chu Yusen had often been jealous.

Chu Yusen suddenly laughed.

“You said it yourself. We’ve broken up.”

“Once you break up, you’re strangers.”

His voice was cold enough to make people shiver.

Only he knew what was happening inside him.

Deep in his heart, a smoldering fire was burning, threatening to turn him to ash.

“My friends can say what they want about a stranger, Miss Jiang. That’s not something I can control.”

Chu Yusen drew Jiang Chi into his arms again.

“Besides, Jiang Chi is my girlfriend now.”

“Bringing up my ex in front of me will only upset her, Miss Jiang.”

Jiang Wutong said nothing more.

Her expression slowly grew complicated and sorrowful. Her eyes reddened, and for a moment it looked as if tears might fall.

But she fought them back.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have interrupted.”

Just as she was about to leave, someone spoke up.

“Are we really letting her walk out like that?”

“Tingnan, you’re going to let her get away with this?”

Chu Yusen glanced at Lu Tingnan.

“Tingnan, handle it however you want. You don’t have to consider my feelings.”

“Miss Jiang and I aren’t close, anyway.”

Lu Tingnan stood there, his fringe soaked with liquor, looking rather disheveled.

He seemed to grit his teeth, then suddenly waved a hand.

“Let her get out of here. I guess today’s just my unlucky day.”

Chu Yusen was taken aback.

Only after Jiang Wutong had left did he give Lu Tingnan a knowing look.

“Don’t tell me you’ve got your eye on her now?”

He lit a cigarette and gave a derisive laugh.

“I’d advise you to get rid of that idea.”

“She and Qin Sang are the same kind of person.”

“You can spoil them all you want, but they’ll never be grateful. They’re both ungrateful.”

It was the twelfth day since I moved out of Chu Yusen’s house.

My birthday.

At six that evening, I got a call from an unfamiliar number.

It was Chu Yusen’s secretary.

The man who used to speak to me with the utmost respect now sounded distant and cold. He was all business.

“Miss Qin, Mr. Chu had the locks changed.”

“While the staff were clearing out the house, they found a few personal things you left behind. What would you like us to do with them?”

I held the phone between my shoulder and ear. My paint-covered hand paused over the easel.

Then I let out a soft laugh.

“Just throw them away. I don’t need them.”

There was a brief silence at the other end.

“Miss Qin, Mr. Chu had the locks changed…”

“I know. You just told me.”

My answer seemed to leave Secretary Song at a loss for words.

Silence fell again.

“Was there anything else, Secretary Song?”

“I’m busy. If that’s all, I’m going to hang up.”

Was he kidding? A client was already pressing me to finish a painting.

The oil painting was worth two hundred thousand yuan. I didn’t have time to waste on people who no longer mattered.

“Miss Qin, I’m only reminding you for your own good—”

“Thank you, but I don’t need it.”

I didn’t listen to any more of his nonsense. I hung up.

The painting was due in five days.

I was so busy I’d nearly forgotten what day it was.

Then several calls from Beijing came in one after another.

Thinking it might be urgent, I answered as soon as I had a free hand.

The other end was incredibly noisy, with shrill music blaring in the background.

I said hello several times. I was about to hang up when I heard a familiar voice.

“Qin Sang, it’s Lu Tingnan.”

That surprised me a little.

After all, Lu Tingnan and I had always been like oil and water.

He was practically Beijing’s number-one playboy—and exactly the kind of person I hated most.

During the first two years Chu Yusen and I were together, Lu Tingnan and I argued every time we met.

So I truly hadn’t expected him to call me now.

“What do you want?”

“Nothing major.”

For once, Lu Tingnan’s tone with me was unusually mild.

I couldn’t help laughing.

“Then why are you calling?”