Amidst the clutter, a small velvet box lay conspicuously, its glaring presence making his heart skip a beat.
His breath caught in that moment, the surrounding sounds faded away, and the world was left with nothing but a silent hum.
He recognized that box.
Huo Hanshan’s fingers trembled slightly as he reached into the bag and retrieved the box.
With a soft click, the lid sprang open.
Inside was a diamond ring, a design Ming Yan had spent months carefully selecting.
Yet now, it lay there quietly, reflecting a cold, dazzling light.
Meanwhile, Han Jin, having just dismissed the couple, turned around to see Huo Hanshan staring intently at the ring box in his palm, his jawline taut and his eyes swirling with an intensity Han Jin had never seen before.
The ominous feeling in Han Jin’s heart instantly skyrocketed. He hurried forward, lowering his voice, “Old Huo, what… what is this?”
Huo Hanshan’s expression was icy, his voice low. “The engagement ring.”
“Huh?” Han Jin was momentarily stunned.
The engagement ring?
Did Ming Yan even throw away the engagement ring?
Or did she accidentally lose it while moving?
His mind went blank for a moment, struggling to process the situation. He stammered, “What… what is she trying to do? Could it be… she’s serious? Does she really want to…”
Before Han Jin could utter the word “breakup,” Huo Hanshan snapped the ring box shut.
He clenched the box tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force, veins bulging on the back of his hand.
“Impossible,” his voice was as cold and hard as ice, devoid of any warmth. “She’s just still angry with me, angry about the wedding.”
Han Jin’s eyelids twitched involuntarily, feeling that something about this situation was deeply unsettling.
No one understood better than him just how much Ming Yan loved Huo Hanshan.
Yet, he also knew all too well Huo Hanshan’s cold and indifferent nature—those who loved and cared for him often ended up hurt the most.
And Ming Yan was undoubtedly the first to bear the brunt.
“Then why aren’t you hurrying to make it up to her?”
However, the only response was silence.
After a long while, so long that Han Jin thought he wouldn’t speak again, Huo Hanshan finally spoke, his voice icy. “Do you think Ming Yan would break up with me?”
“What kind of joke is that?” Han Jin almost instinctively denied it. “How could that be possible?”
“I think it’s impossible too,” Huo Hanshan slowly lowered his gaze, his eyes fixed on the velvet box in his hand. “She must be trying to provoke me. She’s using this method to show me just how angry she is.”
Han Jin frowned. “Well…”
But before he could speak, Huo Hanshan suddenly asked, “What should I buy?”
“Huh?” The topic shift was too abrupt, and Han Jin didn’t even understand what he meant.
“I mean, if I want to apologize, what gift should I buy to make her stop being angry?”
Han Jin was momentarily speechless.
He looked at Huo Hanshan, feeling that Ming Yan wasn’t just trying to provoke him this time.
He had seen her angry with Huo Hanshan before. Even for the most serious mistakes, at most, she would ignore him for a day. The next day, she would find a way to make peace, as if nothing had happened.
But something like this had never happened before.
Quitting her job…
Selling the house…
Each action was resolute and left no room for doubt.
Han Jin opened his mouth, the words “This really doesn’t seem like a fit of pique” rolling on the tip of his tongue several times before he finally swallowed them back.
He sighed, with a touch of helplessness and concern: “If… if it really is a fit of pique, then Ming Yan’s temper this time is truly formidable. Ordinary things probably won’t do… What did she like most that you gave her before? Or, something she always wanted but you never gave?”
Upon hearing this, Huo Hanshan’s brows knitted tightly together.
What did she like most that he gave?
It seemed… he had never truly put his heart into giving her any proper gifts.
Those things she treasured like precious jewels were merely his unintentional handouts.
Something she always wanted but he never gave?
He couldn’t even recall Ming Yan ever explicitly asking him for anything. She was always like that, quietly staying by his side, carefully hiding all her expectations, yet enthusiastically offering the whole world to him…
Watching Huo Hanshan’s silent and completely clueless expression, Han Jin felt a wave of sorrow for Ming Yan in his heart.
He could only vaguely suggest: “…Cater to her preferences, or, show some genuine sincerity. Just relying on buying things probably won’t…”
Huo Hanshan seemed to take it in, yet also seemed not to at all.
He tightly clenched the ring box, turned, and strode toward the elevator.
“Hey, Old Huo, where are you going?”
“I’m going to find her.”
…
Meanwhile, in the lobby of a high-end hotel in the city center.
Ming Yan had already completed the check-out procedures.
She only carried a simple suitcase. After selling her house and unnecessary belongings, her luggage was so light it seemed as if she were merely on a short trip.
“Lawyer Ming?”
Just as Ming Yan was dragging her suitcase out of the hotel lobby, someone suddenly called her name. “What a coincidence…”
She instinctively turned toward the voice and recognized the other person as a client of Minghan Law Firm, surnamed Wang.
“Mr. Wang, hello.” Ming Yan wore a proper smile on her face, exchanging pleasantries with him.
The two stood chatting for a few moments about trivial recent updates and industry trends. Ming Yan’s attitude was polite, but it was clear her heart wasn’t in it.
Mr. Wang was also sharp. Seeing her dragging a suitcase, he smiled and asked, “Is Lawyer Ming going on a business trip?”
Ming Yan slightly curved her lips, not hiding it either. “I’ve already resigned from Minghan Law Firm and am planning to go out to relax.”
“Oh? Resigned?” Mr. Wang looked slightly surprised but soon smiled. “With Lawyer Ming’s abilities, you must have found a better opportunity, right? Which law firm are you moving to?”
“Not yet, just taking a break for now.” Ming Yan’s tone was calm, unwilling to elaborate further.
Just as the two were exchanging pleasantries, a familiar figure approached from not far away.
It was none other than Qin Wan, who was out shopping hand-in-hand with a friend.
Frowning slightly, she pulled her sunglasses down and looked toward the hotel lobby, where she saw Ming Yan happily conversing with a well-dressed, distinguished middle-aged man.
As if suddenly thinking of something, she quickly pulled her friend to hide behind a nearby flower bed.
“Hey, Wan’er, what are you doing?” Her friend stumbled from the pull, nearly falling.
Qin Wan hurriedly made a shushing gesture. “Shh, keep your voice down. Don’t ruin my chance to catch them in the act!”
“Catch them in the act?” Her friend immediately followed her gaze and soon recognized them too. “That… isn’t that Ming Yan? How… how could she be coming out of a hotel with a man?”
Qin Wan had no time to answer her at the moment. In her mind, she instantly conjured up a dramatic scenario: “Ming Yan, unable to bear the loneliness, sneaked out to check into a hotel with an older man.”
A wave of secret delight washed over her. She quickly took out her phone, found the perfect angle, and snapped several photos in succession, especially capturing moments when Ming Yan smiled and the two appeared close.
Her fingers flew as she sent the photos to Huo Hanshan, accompanied by highly provocative text:
“Hanshan, come to the Hilton hotel lobby right away! I think I saw Ming Yan coming out of the hotel, pulling and tugging with a man. Could she be in trouble? Hurry and save her…”