Xu Yi still looked directly into her eyes and answered: “After all, I have some wealth. You’re the person I care about most. I’ve always been afraid you might encounter extreme situations. Since you’re unwilling to have bodyguards follow you every day, I installed a tracking software on your phone. When I couldn’t reach you yesterday, I tracked your location. I’m sorry for doing this without your consent.”

Li Weiyi made an “oh” sound, lowered her head and said: “He and I still have some matters to handle. Once we’re done, I’ll come find you.”

“What matter is so urgent? I’ll accompany you.”

His voice was still very calm, but Li Weiyi heard the emotion of an approaching storm. However, her mind was made up. She raised her head, her slender neck held perfectly straight, and said: “It’s not very convenient to say. Later… I’ll explain to you. Please go back first.”

Xu Yi gazed at her.

Originally so angry he was nearly losing his rationality, he had suppressed his fury and jealousy all the way here to find her. Last night in her room, looking at her sleeping face, he had several times wanted to wake her, even thought about possessing her right then and there… but ultimately controlled himself.

Afraid of frightening her, afraid she would feel too guilty, afraid she would hate him, afraid she would… break up with him. The woman he had waited so many years to finally have—he couldn’t give her a chance to leave. They were supposed to be together for life, forever and ever.

So he had done nothing, withdrew from her room, and spent the entire night in the courtyard.

Then came the morning, watching her arrive together with Zhang Jingchan, watching the subtle, restrained intimacy flickering between them, watching her kick his feet under the table, watching her gaze at Zhang Jingchan’s back.

She looked at another man with those eyes.

It was as if a dull knife was slowly cutting inside his body—a raw, clear pain. She was gouging out his bones.

Yet at the same time, Xu Yi had a strange intuition.

The Li Weiyi before his eyes was subtly and strangely different from the woman who had been by his side all these years.

They were equally vivid and lovable. But in the past, when she gazed at him, her eyes always held gentle compassion. Xu Yi knew then that she would never bear to leave him.

However, the person before him now had clear, bright eyes—fearless and without regret. Although her face was flushed and her tone contained guilt, this version of her seemed to have forgotten all the affection between them. If she wanted to leave, she could simply leave.

……

Why?

……

Xu Yi lowered his head with a small laugh, raised his hand to adjust his glasses. Born with a gentle, jade-like temperament, his casual gesture at this moment revealed a somewhat carefree and unrestrained air.

“Li Weiyi, is this how you trample on me?”

Li Weiyi was speechless.

Xu Yi wrapped one arm around her shoulder, grabbed both her hands with his other hand, and forcibly dragged her toward the car. Li Weiyi immediately struggled. Xu Yi lowered his head and kissed her once, his voice hoarse: “Can you not make me feel this miserable? Li Weiyi, where is your heart?”

He spoke with his face pressed against hers. Li Weiyi’s mind went blank, the feeling of heartache impossible to suppress.

A fist swung over from the side. Xu Yi neither dodged nor evaded. With a “bang,” his face was knocked to the side. Li Weiyi’s heart jumped in alarm. She turned her head to see Zhang Jingchan’s ice-cold face. He reached out and yanked Li Weiyi over, pulling her behind himself. Li Weiyi immediately grasped his wrist with both hands, saying: “Zhang Jingchan, don’t hit him!”

Zhang Jingchan didn’t respond.

Xu Yi turned his head back. His nose was bleeding. He slowly straightened up, pulled out a tissue from his pocket, and pressed it to his nose.

The two men finally stopped ignoring each other and faced off directly.

Xu Yi actually laughed: “I’ve wondered for so long who this man could be. I never expected it to be you. Achan, long time no see.”

Zhang Jingchan said coolly: “President Xu is too kind.”

“Li Weiyi is my girlfriend now. We’re all people of standing. This posture of yours doesn’t look good, does it?”

Zhang Jingchan said: “There’s nothing wrong with how it looks. She’s just a girlfriend. Even married couples can divorce, much less just a relationship. If we’re talking about girlfriends, she was mine first, wasn’t she? All the company executives met her. At that time, President Xu, as my assistant, even drove her home for me. How is it you’re now stealing someone else’s girlfriend? That approach of President Xu’s—that’s what doesn’t look good, right?”

This piece of sophistry left both Li Weiyi and Xu Yi silent.

Xu Yi gave a deep laugh and said: “Achan really has grown up. You weren’t this shameless as a child.” His gaze moved to Li Weiyi’s face. He said: “Xiaoyi, I know you’re not that kind of woman. Come home with me.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Li Weiyi felt Zhang Jingchan’s hand grip even tighter. She was silent for a moment, then said: “I really do have important matters to handle. Please go back first.”

Xu Yi stared at her for a while, then suddenly swung his fist at Zhang Jingchan. Zhang Jingchan’s face took a solid punch. He staggered but still kept Li Weiyi protected behind him.

Li Weiyi hurriedly steadied him. Looking at the blood on the corner of his mouth, she stamped her foot: “Why don’t you know how to dodge!” She frantically dug through her pocket for a tissue and handed it to him. He acted as if he didn’t see it and didn’t reach out to take it. Li Weiyi directly pressed it to the corner of his mouth, her movements very gentle. She held back, held back, but really couldn’t hold back anymore. She asked in a low voice: “Does it hurt?”

Only then did Zhang Jingchan take the tissue, wiped away the blood, put it down, and glanced at her. This glance made Li Weiyi’s heart tremble.

Zhang Jingchan said to Xu Yi: “I returned your punch. We’re even. She won’t go with you, and I won’t allow it either.”

Li Weiyi lowered her head, not looking at Xu Yi.

Xu Yi let out a soft breath, looked elsewhere, then turned back. Using the tissue to wipe away a bit of blood on his knuckles, he straightened his coat collar and said: “Xiaoyi, don’t you think all of this is too absurd? We were fine yesterday. What on earth happened?”

Li Weiyi closed her eyes and opened them again, answering: “It is quite absurd. Whether you believe it or not, I never intended to hurt you. But some things are beyond human control. You say I changed in a single day—perhaps in another day, you’ll change too. What exists will no longer exist. What you liked you’ll no longer like. Everything will vanish into thin air. No one will remember.”

Her hand was squeezed hard by Zhang Jingchan. She closed her mouth.

Xu Yi looked at her face, stunned. His expression became both tender and pained. He stepped forward two steps, raised his hand as if wanting to do something, then lowered it again.

He said: “On the first day we got together, you forced me to promise never to change my heart. Someone like me, having made such a vow, how could I change? No matter what happens, our love will never vanish into thin air. If you have difficulties, I’m willing to wait—wait for you to come back and explain. But Li Weiyi, you must remember: no one can separate us. I don’t accept it, and you can’t do this either.”

Xu Yi got in his car alone and left, without looking back even once.

Zhang Jingchan stood silently for a moment, then turned around. But the instant he saw Li Weiyi, his expression was shaken, just like Xu Yi’s had been.

Li Weiyi hadn’t noticed yet. She let out a long breath and said with forced lightness: “He finally left. What kind of situation is this even? Forget it, let’s focus on the main business first. Should we head back to Xiang City now?”