Song Nanxing said excitedly from the side, “How about that? Happy, right? Brother Yan called me today and asked what time we’d be getting off work. He said he was coming to surprise you!”
Qiao Yimian calmly withdrew her gaze and looked at Song Nanxing, whose eyes were sparkling with excitement.
She hadn’t told him that she and Shi Yan had broken up, so she couldn’t blame him for this.
She had originally thought there was no need to tell a colleague about something so personal. Besides, he was still an innocent young man, and she hadn’t even felt the urge to share it with him.
But now, it seemed she should find an opportunity to explain everything clearly, lest he keep trying to play matchmaker between her and Shi Yan.
“Mm. You can head back first.”
“Sure thing!”
Before leaving, Song Nanxing wore the delighted expression of someone who had just witnessed a romantic scene and even waved exaggeratedly at Shi Yan.
Qiao Yimian took a deep breath and walked toward Shi Yan.
She knew his personality all too well. Unless she ended things with him face-to-face, he would never let the matter rest.
She could forget about having any peace for the foreseeable future.
“I already made myself perfectly clear. What are you still doing here?”
“Yimian…”
Shi Yan approached awkwardly. His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked utterly haggard and dejected.
As he drew closer, Qiao Yimian caught a faint smell of alcohol and couldn’t help frowning.
“You’ve been drinking?”
*Drunk driving? Is he trying to get himself killed?*
“Last night!”
Shi Yan hurriedly explained, “After you hung up on me, I felt awful, so I went drinking with some friends…”
Then he sniffed his sleeve again and said awkwardly, “Sorry. I left in such a hurry that I didn’t bring a change of clothes. I woke up late, too, so I came straight here to find you.”
As if remembering something, he quickly opened the rear passenger door and took out a large bouquet of purple hyacinths.
He held them out to Qiao Yimian.
“Yimian, I really was wrong… You don’t have to forgive me, but could you at least give me one chance to make things right?”
Several dewdrops clung to the gorgeous hyacinths, reflecting the intoxicating colors of the sunset.
The flowers symbolized regret and remorse. Only someone truly willing to forgive would accept what such a bouquet meant.
Qiao Yimian curled her lips slightly.
He hadn’t had time to change his clothes, but he’d had time to buy flowers.
He was as romantic as ever.
For some reason, the scene from the engagement banquet suddenly surfaced in her mind—the floor covered in roses, flowers blooming everywhere, happiness filling her field of vision…
That only made the bouquet in front of her seem even more ironic.
But before she could refuse, Shi Yan actually dropped to one knee.
“What are you doing?”
Qiao Yimian frowned and instinctively glanced around.
It was rush hour, and there were plenty of pedestrians around. People were also gradually emerging from the television station building.
His car was already eye-catching enough, and now he was making an even more conspicuous spectacle of himself. Naturally, he attracted plenty of attention.
“Get up!” Qiao Yimian urged him, unable to help herself.
Fortunately, they were in Linchuan, where hardly anyone knew her. Still, being watched by so many strangers was embarrassing.
The Shi Yan she had known before would always have considered her feelings first. He would never have put her in such an awkward position.
But this time, he seemed to have thrown caution to the wind.
Not only did he refuse to get up, he also pulled a small velvet box from his pocket. He opened it with one hand and held it out to Qiao Yimian, his eyes filled with pleading.
“Yimian, marry me!”
Qiao Yimian’s pupils contracted sharply.
Her clenched hands trembled slightly, and she was so furious that her voice rose several notches.
“You just got engaged to another woman, and now you’re proposing to me? Are you out of your mind?”
“That doesn’t count!” Shi Yan’s eyes reddened with panic. “I’ve already told my parents that the engagement is off. You’re the woman I want to marry!”
He carefully brushed the hand holding the ring against hers and pleaded softly, “Yimian, just think of that engagement as a foolish dream I had that day. Now I’ve woken up, and I know I was wrong. Can you give me another chance to dream? From now on, you’ll be the only one in my dreams…”
His voice choked with emotion. It was obvious that he was genuinely terrified.
He had spent so much time pursuing her and had finally won her heart, only to risk losing such a wonderful woman because of one foolish decision.
For the past two days, every minute had felt like an eternity. He regretted it so deeply that he could have kicked himself.
Qiao Yimian took a deep breath.
It felt as though her chest had been stuffed with water-soaked cotton, heavy and suffocating, making it difficult to breathe.
It would be a lie to say she wasn’t hurting.
After all, they’d known each other for three years, and they’d never once had a real argument during their relationship.
He had spoiled her, loved her, indulged her in every way, and done everything he could to be a good boyfriend.
Every time he looked at her with those clear, innocent eyes, she had softened again and again…
But now, looking into those same eyes filled with affection, her heart could no longer stir even the slightest ripple.
“Shi Yan, I’m tired. I don’t want to keep dragging this out with you anymore. I accept your apology, but that doesn’t mean I can accept you back… Let’s break up. Don’t make this any uglier than it has to be. Let’s at least leave each other some dignity.”
Qiao Yimian took a step back and turned to leave.
A flash of panic crossed Shi Yan’s face. He quickly got to his feet and grabbed her, pulling her tightly into his arms…
At the exit of the underground parking garage, a black Hongqi slowly drove out.
Li Yao was on the phone. His stern face showed no unnecessary emotion, and his voice was equally impassive.
It was rush hour, and the stretch from the garage exit to the main road was heavily congested. The car was barely moving.
Sitting in the front passenger seat, Zhou Heng casually turned his head and happened to notice a flashy sports car parked by the roadside. A handsome man and a beautiful woman stood beside it, making quite a pleasing picture.
He didn’t recognize the man, but he knew the young woman very well.
*Little Reporter Qiao?*
Zhou Heng suddenly remembered the evasive phone call Qiao Yimian had made in the car the day before. It had sounded like she’d had some kind of disagreement with her boyfriend.
Worried that the young woman might feel embarrassed, he had deliberately pretended to watch a video on his phone and put on his earphones.
But now, it seemed her boyfriend had actually come all the way here after her.
He certainly seemed sincere.
Oh? He’d even brought flowers?
Wait—he was proposing on one knee?
Zhou Heng was thoroughly enjoying the spectacle when he suddenly felt the temperature inside the car drop considerably.
He pulled his gaze back and glanced at the central console.
The driver hadn’t lowered the temperature, so why…
Then, belatedly, he realized something and instinctively looked into the rearview mirror.
The usually stern and expressionless governor now looked not only cold but distinctly displeased.
His dark eyes were fixed on the scene outside the window, turbulent emotions churning beneath their surface.
*Oh. Right. I almost forgot. Their governor seems to be a little interested in Little Reporter Qiao…*
Zhou Heng didn’t dare say a word. Inside, however, he was beginning to feel increasingly uneasy.
His gaze returned to the pair outside, and he saw them talking about something.
At that moment, the car began to inch forward.
The young woman hadn’t accepted the ring. Instead, she’d turned around and was about to leave.
Zhou Heng quietly breathed a sigh of relief, though he had no idea why he’d been so nervous in the first place.
But in the very next second, he saw the young man catch up with her and pull her tightly into his arms…
The car gradually moved away from the area, and the embracing couple’s figures slowly receded into the distance.
Zhou Heng instinctively twisted around to look back, eager to know how things would end.
*Looks like Little Reporter Qiao’s boyfriend really knows what he’s doing!*
*He’s handsome, rich, young, romantic—and persistent enough to refuse to let go.*
*Surely the girl will eventually change her mind, right?*
Just as he was wondering whether the governor still had any chance of “stepping in,” a cold, cutting male voice suddenly sounded behind him:
“Had enough yet? Want me to buy you a VIP ticket?”