Volume One, Chapter 12: If Your Mind is Ill, Seek Healing
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Tang Ruan was awakened by the ring of her phone. She grabbed it and saw it was a call from Luo Yu. Glancing at the time in the upper left corner, her whole body jolted, and she suddenly sat up straight. A sharp pain swept through her neck and down her back, making her grit her teeth. Her neck hurt terribly.
“Hello?”
“Miss Tang, I’m all set and waiting in the lobby on the first floor.”
“Wait a moment, I’ll be down right away.”
After Luo Yu hung up, he hailed a car. Tang Ruan reached the lobby just as the car arrived.
“Miss Tang, I’ll take your luggage,” Luo Yu offered, taking her suitcase and pushing it as they walked out.
The car slowly pulled away from the hotel. Gu Yu emerged from a corner of the lobby and lingered, unwilling to take his eyes off the vehicle until it vanished completely from sight.
“Gu Yu,” Li Song came out.
He was uneasy, fearing Gu Yu might do something to disrupt their plans. But as it turned out, Gu Yu had some self-control.
“Li Song, speed up the progress,” Gu Yu said coldly, his face void of warmth.
Li Song’s expression brightened, replying cheerfully, “Got it!”
He was eager to hasten things.
—
Nancheng Airport
“Ruan Ruan.”
As Tang Ruan stepped out, she heard a familiar voice. Lin Jie stood at the front of the barriers, waving vigorously. “Ruan Ruan, over here~”
Tang Ruan couldn’t help but smile and approached her. “Have you been waiting long?”
“Not too long.”
Lin Jie pressed some breakfast she had prepared into Tang Ruan’s arms. “Have a bite first; we’ll eat something delicious later.”
Recently, Lin Jie had found a newly opened restaurant but had restrained herself from going there until Tang Ruan returned.
Tang Ruan asked the Tang family driver to send Luo Yu home and told her family she and Lin Jie would be eating out and returning later.
“Let’s go. My car is parked over there,” Lin Jie said, pointing to another direction.
They found Lin Jie’s car. Lin Jie headed to the driver’s seat, and Tang Ruan, familiar with the routine, walked to the passenger side and reached out to open the door—
“Tang Ruan!”
Both turned toward the source of the voice. Seeing who it was, Lin Jie rolled her eyes and urged, “Let’s go.”
What a mood killer!
Tang Ruan nodded, opened the door, slid in, and buckled her seatbelt.
Lin Jie started the car, and just as she turned out of the parking spot, she slammed the accelerator down; the car shot forward with a whoosh.
Huo Yanchuan, rushing over, not only failed to catch up but ended up choking on the exhaust fumes.
He couldn’t help but curse.
“Damn it!”
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Fueled by anger, he kicked the nearby pillar—
“Ahhh—!”
A miserable scream echoed through the parking lot.
After a long while, Huo Yanchuan limped back to his parking spot, his foot throbbing painfully.
He regretted parking so far away earlier, worried about alerting others.
If only he’d parked closer, he could have stopped Tang Ruan!
Clenching his teeth, he took out his phone and dialed a number. “Find out where Tang Ruan is!”
He was determined to intercept her.
Huo Yanchuan had never been played like this in his life!
Soon, a location ping came through.
He opened the map, set the navigation, and started his car.
Lin Jie had brought Tang Ruan to a new restaurant called Persimmon & Kitchen. The place specialized in beautifully presented meals; not only was the décor charming, but the dishes looked and smelled delicious, making one’s mouth water.
By the time they arrived, the restaurant was packed, with a crowd waiting outside.
Mostly young people and couples.
Lin Jie had used her connections to reserve a table in advance.
They ordered some signature dishes and waited quietly for the food.
Lin Jie also ordered milk tea. Seeing the notification that it was ready, she stood up. “I’ll go get the drinks.”
Tang Ruan sipped her lemonade and lowered her head to reply to work messages.
“Tang Ruan.”
A voice sounded behind her, catching her completely off guard. Her hand trembled, almost dropping her phone.
She glanced up from the screen and turned to face Huo Yanchuan’s cold expression.
Her eyes lingered on him for less than a second before quickly looking away.
“Tang Ruan, I’m talking to you!” Huo Yanchuan shouted in displeasure.
In the past, he had treated her like air, but now she was doing the same to him.
His face darkened, and he reached out to grab her cheek.
Tang Ruan sidestepped, avoiding his touch.
“Tang Ruan, enough!” Huo Yanchuan spat through gritted teeth.
From his perspective, coming to find her was an olive branch.
She should take the hint and stop acting difficult.
He could accept a little push and pull, but too much? Don’t blame him for losing face!
Tang Ruan lifted her eyes, ignoring his furious glare, and reminded calmly, “Mr. Huo, touching a woman’s face in public constitutes harassment.”
“Go get your brain checked if you’re sick.”
Harassment?
Sick in the head?
“Tang Ruan, even playing hard to get has limits!”
Seeing no reaction, he took a breath and said reluctantly, “I will cut ties with Xiao Rou completely. The seven-year period is almost over. Tell your parents—we’re getting married.”
Over these past few days, he had come to realize that to secure his position as future head of the Huo family, he needed an alliance with the Tang family.
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He had endured so many years; he wouldn’t give up at the last moment.
If worse came to worst, after fully taking control of the Huo Corporation, he could just cast Tang Ruan aside.
After all, she was an only child with no backing.
Tang Ruan stood and took two steps back, looking Huo Yanchuan in the eye. For the first time, she found him utterly ridiculous.
He had despised her before, avoided her like poison; now that she had agreed to break off the engagement and given him his freedom, he was shamelessly coming back.
Truly pathetic.
Tang Ruan closed her eyes briefly, then reopened them with little emotion. “Huo Yanchuan, let’s keep some dignity for each other.”
“Oh, Xiao Rou, isn’t that your boyfriend, Mr. Huo?” came a slightly doubtful female voice from outside.
Though not loud, the surrounding crowd was quiet, making the voice stand out.
Nearby, two girls flanked Lu Xiaorou, holding waitlist tickets.
In the middle, Lu Xiaorou looked pale and fragile, like a delicate flower swaying in the wind.
She looked at Huo Yanchuan weakly, her eyes red-rimmed.
“Xiaorou…” Huo Yanchuan opened his mouth to explain but found himself speechless.
Sniffling with a trembling voice, Lu Xiaorou said, “Yanchuan, have you fallen for her?”
Seeing Huo Yanchuan silent, her eyes reddened further, tears welling and threatening to fall.
“But you already broke off the engagement with her, completely—”
“Shut up!” Huo Yanchuan interrupted urgently.
Tang Ruan smirked slightly. She had been wondering how to announce the broken engagement, and someone else just did it for her.
What perfect timing.
Not just Huo Yanchuan, even she was a little fond of Lu Xiaorou.
The onlookers were like foxes in a melon patch, devouring juicy gossip one after another.
They finally remembered who these three were!
Those who hadn’t recalled were reminded by others.
The three protagonists who had dominated Nancheng’s headlines recently.
Young Master Huo, Huo Yanchuan; Miss Tang, Tang Ruan; and the common university student, Lu Xiaorou.
Gossip online couldn’t compare to the excitement of witnessing it in person. The crowd leaned in, ears perked, not wanting to miss a single juicy detail.
“Yanchuan, I… I—”
Lu Xiaorou sensed she’d said too much, her lashes trembling as tears instantly spilled over.
She was always the fragile, innocent type; with tears, she was utterly pitiful.
The girl to her left hurriedly pulled out two tissues to wipe her tears, complaining, “Mr. Huo, how can you be so harsh with Xiaorou?”
He had once sweet-talked Lu Xiaorou over the phone, calling her darling so tenderly.
Hearing this, Lu Xiaorou cried even harder.
Tang Ruan clicked her tongue silently.
She picked up her phone and sent a WeChat message to Lin Jie: [Hurry back! The show’s about to get good.]