Xiang Yang stood unmoving like Mount Tai, gritting his teeth.
"Are you living with that man now?"
Chen Jiaojiao blinked for two seconds before realizing who he was referring to. She managed an awkward smile.
"Yes, we're living together. He'll be unhappy if I get back too late, so please let go of me quickly."
He'll be unhappy, huh!
Xiang Yang sneered, then suddenly reached out and pinched Chen Jiaojiao's chin. He lowered his head, forcing her to look up, and ground his lips against hers twice.
"Do you care about him that much?"
This kid, he used to be such a sweet puppy, and now he dares to…
Chen Jiaojiao was both embarrassed and furious, struggling to pry his hand off.
"Are you crazy? You don't know who you are after drinking two bottles? Let go of me, don't force me to get angry with you!"
"Go ahead and get angry. You've gotten angry with me before anyway."
"What do you mean? Xiang Yang, are you planning to go crazy all the way today?"
"That's right. I'm so crazy about you that I'm losing my mind. When Sister Man told me you were at the hospital with him, I rushed here without a second thought."
"You were my first love, the first woman I truly gave my heart to, and you treat me like this? Chen Jiaojiao, I'm not reconciled! It's just about money, isn't it? Name your price, and I'll earn it for you. Break up with that person!"
Chen Jiaojiao, "..."
Xiang Yang saying he missed her and rushed here when he heard about her…
She felt truly happy.
To be honest, didn't she miss him too?
She had only been in two relationships so far. The first was with Hu Jiasheng; they spent little time together, and in the end, she was betrayed.
With Xiang Yang, they were the same age, but he doted on her like a younger sister.
Although they were only together for a short half-year, every day was filled with joy.
Chen Jiaojiao had fantasized about continuing like this forever.
The abrupt end to their relationship had caused the greatest pain. She, who never suffered from insomnia, now needed sleeping pills almost every night.
Seeing everyone around her paired up, didn't she also long for a warm embrace?
But the current situation was her own doing.
The position between him and Xiang Yang was too awkward; she didn't know how to proceed.
"It's not about the money, it's that you're too immature and can't bear the responsibilities of an adult man. I don't want to waste my time on you."
Aside from lying and hurting him with cruel words, she had no other way.
When they were together, Chen Jiaojiao had acted as though she adored him, yet she could end things so decisively, dismiss him so easily. Xiang Yang couldn't understand it, nor could he accept it.
"I'm immature? I can't bear responsibility? Then why didn't you think of these things when you chose to be with me? Who is the irresponsible one?"
Chen Jiaojiao admitted that she had turned him from a boy into a man, and then heartlessly abandoned him. She felt guilty.
But now was not the time to discuss this. With people coming and going outside, if they were seen, it would be utterly humiliating.
"I'm sorry, it's all my fault. That's why I realized my mistake in time and let you go in time, which can be considered cutting my losses. Let's not say any more. There are people outside; what if someone hears…"
"I'm not afraid!"
Xiang Yang refused to let her go, giving the impression that if Chen Jiaojiao didn't reconcile with him today, he would never give up.
Chen Jiaojiao lost the battle of wills to him, to an angry man.
But she wouldn't yield verbally. "See, you still won't admit you're immature. You're about to become an idol. If people see this, it will be indelible black mark on your life."
Xiang Yang didn't listen to her at all.
"Stop lecturing me. I didn't come here to listen to your reasoning. If you want to leave, Chen Jiaojiao, I'm giving you two options now."
"One, reconcile with me. From now on, all the money I earn will be yours. Besides me, you're not allowed to speak to any other man."
"Two, spend this last time with me. For the next 11 hours, you belong to me. After 11 hours, we'll never see each other again."
Chen Jiaojiao was almost amused to tears by him.
Why should she choose one of the two paths he offered?
Interactions between men and women are meant to be consensual. If one doesn't want to continue, they just stop. Why should she still be dictated by him?
She would have retorted to anyone else, but it was Xiang Yang. Chen Jiaojiao felt indebted to him, and in her heart, she truly hadn't let go of him. Their last breakup was too messy; this time, it could serve as a perfect conclusion.
"You said it yourself, after tonight, we'll never see each other again."
Xiang Yang said no more. He opened the door, grabbed her wrist, and strode out of the roadside diner.
Since both of them had been drinking, they couldn't drive. Xiang Yang hailed a taxi, found a four-star hotel, checked in, and they went upstairs together.
He began their old routine with practiced ease.
Sister Man waited and waited at the diner for them to return. When they didn't, she called Xiang Yang.
The phone, tossed beside the pillow, buzzed incessantly. Xiang Yang seemed not to hear it. Chen Jiaojiao, disturbed by the noise, picked it up for him.
"You answer it first."
Xiang Yang readily took the phone but deliberately applied pressure while answering.
Chen Jiaojiao hadn't expected him to do this and couldn't help but let out a gasp.
Sister Man on the other end instantly froze.
"You're… you and Chen Jiaojiao… you're with whom… You really are something, Xiang Yang!"
After hanging up, Chen Jiaojiao beat Xiang Yang fiercely, saying he had learned bad habits after spending days in training camp.
Xiang Yang teased her, "Didn't you say he'd be angry if you didn't go home? Why hasn't he called you by now? Does he have more than one girlfriend?"
"That's none of your business, what does it have to do with you?"
Xiang Yang looked at her and sneered, "Chen Jiaojiao, you have no other skill than bullying me. I was foolish before and let you bully me, but now I've indeed learned bad things and am not so foolish anymore."
Xiang Yang's laughter made Chen Jiaojiao's scalp tingle. "What do you want to do?"
"I regret it. I don't want to give you a second option anymore. Since you're so afraid of him getting angry, I'll deliberately provoke him. Whatever you don't like me doing, I'll insist on doing."
"I want to wait for him to come looking for you. I want to see what kind of man can make you, Chen Jiaojiao, bow down and submit."
Chen Jiaojiao was furious and pushed him hard, but she was no match for Xiang Yang.
Her hands, feet, and mouth were soon restrained. The 11 hours were agonizing.
Even so, the next morning, she struggled to get up. "Time's up, you should go back. Let go of me."
Xiang Yang encircled her with his iron arm. "Am I the one with amnesia, or are you? I said I regretted it."
"You regret it just because you say so? Why should I listen to you? We have no legal relationship!"
"You don't like our lack of legal relationship? I can make it happen now."
Was that what she meant?
Chen Jiaojiao gritted her teeth and reached out to hit him.
But she had no strength.
She knew she had provoked Xiang Yang. Young, hot-blooded boys were not to be trifled with. She could only soften her stance.