She had called Xuan Yanyu’s spare phone, called him “Xuan Xixi,” said she was hurting so much, wanted to see Xuan Yanyu, and asked him to see her for the sake of what they had — and she even knew Ye Jian’s number. Yan Yunning found it difficult not to suspect that this was Xuan Yanyu’s ex-girlfriend.
“Whose number is this?” Yan Yunning dimmed the screen of Xuan Yanyu’s phone and pointed at the missed calls on Ye Jian’s.
“Spam calls.” Ye Jian wasn’t technically lying — in his mind, Shiyao’s calls were exactly that.
Yan Yunning smiled lightly. “Then why did this spam number call you and get ignored, only to then call Xuan Yanyu’s phone? What a coincidence.”
Ye Jian’s mind raced furiously. After a moment, he replied calmly, “Miss Yan, sometimes things really are just that coincidental. I didn’t expect that Mr. Xuan and I would both be unlucky enough to get the same spam caller.”
“Ha.” Yan Yunning lowered her gaze, her eyes flickering. If it were only an ex-girlfriend, why would Ye Jian go to such lengths to hide it from her? And thinking about how Xuan Yanyu had rushed to marry her, saying he was afraid she wouldn’t want him anymore……
If there ever came a day when she no longer wanted him — that would mean he had gotten involved with another woman……
“Miss Yan, please don’t overthink this.” Noticing Yan Yunning sitting with her head bowed in quiet contemplation, Ye Jian murmured quietly.
And Mr. Xuan hadn’t even brought his phone with him.
How was he supposed to explain that?!
“Tell Xuan Yanyu I’m tired and I’m heading to my brother’s place. I won’t be going to tonight’s gathering.” Yan Yunning stood up, picked up her luggage, and walked toward the door.
She and Xuan Yanyu had just returned to Cha Xi City that day and had not gone to the Xuan family home but rather to Xuan Yanyu’s private villa — their future matrimonial home — which also conveniently spared them from having to explain things to Xuan Yanyu’s uncle and aunt.
Ye Jian rushed to stop her. “Miss Yan, please wait for Mr. Xuan to come back. You skipping tonight’s gathering — how would that look?”
Yan Yunning raised an eyebrow, her voice devoid of emotion. “Can’t you pass that along to him? I’m tired.”
“Miss Yan.” Ye Jian wore an expression of pure distress.
With Ye Jian blocking her path, there was no way she could leave the villa. And she had no desire to argue with him, so Yan Yunning expressionlessly dropped her luggage where it stood and went upstairs to the bedroom, flopping onto the bed with exhaustion.
She hadn’t lied about being tired. She truly had been feeling drained lately, and she simply didn’t have the energy to pick a fight with Xuan Yanyu.
Like right now — lying in bed, she already felt drowsy.
Fifteen minutes later, a soft click sounded as the bedroom door was pushed open. Yan Yunning heard the movement but kept her eyes shut and didn’t open them.
The mattress dipped. Xuan Yanyu, reaching over the thin blanket, wrapped his arms around Yan Yunning’s waist from behind. His large palm closed around the girl’s wrist where it lay exposed outside the covers, and his voice dropped low. “Ningning.”
Yan Yunning said nothing.
Xuan Yanyu rested his chin on the top of the girl’s head, his voice taking on a low, quiet weight. “Ningning, that was an accident.”
Yan Yunning’s breath hitched. She turned over and met the man’s dark, inky eyes, and asked in a daze, “So what exactly is your relationship with that girl? Were you together with her? I want the truth. If you lie to me, I’m calling off this wedding.”
Xuan Yanyu tightened his hold on her, his lashes trembling faintly. “That’s not an option. We’re getting married.”
“Then you have to tell me the truth. Answer my question.”
The man, seeking an escape, spoke in a rush. “We had no relationship and we were never together.”
“Xuan Yanyu, I want the truth.” Yan Yunning pressed impatiently.
“The truth — if you’re lying or hiding something, you’d better hope I never find out. Because if I do, we’re really finished.”
Xuan Yanyu swallowed with difficulty. After a pause, he said, “No relationship. Never together. I never loved her. It was just an accident.”
“What kind of accident?” Yan Yunning pressed further.
Xuan Yanyu pressed his lips together and was silent for a moment before saying, “There was……there was a……a child.”
Yan Yunning’s mind exploded with a thunderous roar. Her fingers curled into fists, her whole body trembling violently.
“Ningning, it was an accident — it was absolutely not something I wanted.” Xuan Yanyu held her tightly, his voice sinking low. “That’s all in the past.”
“The child?” It took Yan Yunning a long, trembling moment to get those three words out.
Xuan Yanyu quickly said, “Gone. She got rid of it herself.”
“Xuan Yanyu, I’m not marrying you.” Yan Yunning’s eyes went red. She tried to push him away, but his powerful arms kept her locked in place.
Xuan Yanyu was genuinely panicking now. The darkness of his eyes was tinged with the faintest red. “That’s not happening. I refuse.”
Yan Yunning’s heart burned with rage, the anger giving her a splitting headache. “Xuan Yanyu, you lied to me. The reason you suddenly wanted to marry me so fast — was it because you were afraid I’d find out? You tricked me into this engagement, tricked me into this marriage. You lied to me.”
“Xuan Yanyu, I want to break off this engagement. I am not marrying you.”
“I won’t allow it. I will not break off our engagement. The wedding will proceed as planned.”
“Get away from me!” Yan Yunning’s tears spilled down her cheeks as she glared at Xuan Yanyu with fury. “I am absolutely calling off this wedding.”
“That was in the past.” The man’s throat ached with a raw pain. “It’s over. Ningning, it was an accident — not something I chose. It was never my choice.”
“It will never be over. Never.” Yan Yunning cried out in a hoarse, ragged voice. Her vision blurred with mist. She wiped her tears. “We’re done. I’m breaking up with you right now.”
“I don’t agree.” Xuan Yanyu seized the hand that was reaching to pull off her ring, his voice reduced to a desperate plea. “Didn’t you say you would never leave me? Please don’t leave me. Please.”
Yan Yunning’s nose stung sharply. She fought to hold back her sobs. “Let go of me.”
The man shook his head. “No.”
“Stay away from me. Stay away from me.” Yan Yunning’s hoarse, tear-choked voice broke.
The sight of the girl’s tear-streaked face sent a stab of pain through Xuan Yanyu’s heart. He released her hand and shifted back slightly, speaking gently. “Don’t cry. I’ll give you space.”
With no more resistance, Yan Yunning pulled the diamond ring from her finger and threw it at Xuan Yanyu. Her eyes burned so much she let out a choked sob. “Call off the engagement.”
“I will not call off the engagement.” Xuan Yanyu drew closer and, ignoring her struggles, gathered her into his arms, tenderly wiping her tears. “I will never call off our engagement. Not ever.”
Yan Yunning bit down savagely on the man’s arm until she tasted blood, and only then did she release him. Her tears fell beyond her control, one drop after another.
In truth, it was perfectly normal for a man to have dated someone before meeting a woman.
An unexpected accident — that wasn’t such a rare thing.
It was just that she couldn’t accept it.
Every time she thought of Xuan Yanyu having been with another girl, her stomach churned and she felt like retching.
And furthermore, based on the girl’s tone, they had still been in contact. If she hadn’t answered the phone by chance, would Xuan Yanyu have gone to meet her?
Ha……
“We’re not separating.” Xuan Yanyu reached out tentatively and took Yan Yunning’s hand, picking up the diamond ring she had flung onto the bed and slipping it back onto her ring finger.
Yan Yunning batted his hand away. She pulled off the ring he had just put back on and threw it aside. As clearly as she could, word by word, she said, “There is no future for us. I will never be with you again.”
“Ningning.” Xuan Yanyu looked completely at a loss, his eyes brimming with hurt. “I really didn’t choose this. I didn’t know — I……”
Yan Yunning cut him off with a sardonic laugh. “You didn’t choose it? Are you saying someone forced you?”