The man’s familiar scent, tinged with a faint trace of alcohol, enveloped her as he pulled her into his arms.
Qiao Yimian instinctively struggled, but he only held her tighter.
The difference in strength between a man and a woman became painfully obvious in that moment.
Qiao Yimian lost her patience.
“Let go of me!”
She reached out and pinched his arm, but he seemed completely numb to it, remaining unmoved.
“I won’t let you go!” Shi Yan pleaded desperately. “Mianmian, I’ve never begged you for anything before. But this time, I’m begging you—please don’t leave me. I really know I was wrong. How can you be so heartless? Why do you insist on breaking up with me?
“This past year, whenever you worked overtime, I waited for you downstairs at the newspaper office. Whenever you went on business trips, I worried that you wouldn’t eat or sleep well, so I’d order food for you and upgrade your hotel room. When you finally had time to go on a date with me, I was so happy that I’d book out an entire restaurant just so we could have dinner together. Even when you canceled on me because of work, I still prepared everything for you for every holiday…
“Can’t everything I’ve done make up for one moment of foolishness and stupidity? Mianmian, I really do like you. I like you so, so much! Can’t you forgive me just this once?”
By the end, Shi Yan’s voice had become choked with emotion, making the frustration in her heart even heavier. An indescribable feeling rose within her.
How could she not know about all the things he had mentioned?
But there was one thing she had said that was absolutely true.
She was genuinely exhausted.
The engagement banquet that day had merely been the final trigger.
She had wanted to end this relationship, in which they were mismatched in so many ways, for a long time.
Noticing the curious glances coming from people around them, Qiao Yimian’s ears began to burn.
“You’re making it impossible for me to talk. Let go of me first.”
“Then promise me you won’t leave!”
Unable to get an answer from her, Shi Yan reluctantly released her.
Qiao Yimian sighed softly and turned to look into his pitiful eyes.
“I admit that you’ve treated me very well, and I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for me during this time. But the problem between us isn’t just what happened at the engagement banquet.”
She had said this much already, so she no longer intended to hide anything. She might as well lay everything out in the open.
“Our families are too different. Because of that, we have completely different views on money, fame, careers, and our ideals. You don’t approve of my career, and you don’t like me coming home late after starting work early. Your parents don’t accept someone ordinary like me. They think I can’t help your career in the slightest…
“Even if we forced ourselves to keep this relationship going, these hidden problems would eventually explode, and things would get even uglier. You don’t need to worry about any of that because you’re their beloved son, and there’s nothing they can really do to you. But all that pressure would fall on me. I don’t want to accept pressure that I shouldn’t have to bear.
“I only want to find someone who shares my ideals, someone who can accept everything about each other. I don’t want to waste my energy on unnecessary complications. But you can’t be that person. Neither can the Shi family. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with you or your family. We’re simply not on the same path.”
Qiao Yimian had been blunt enough.
Shi Yan looked confused at first, then his face slowly turned pale.
Only after she had finished speaking did he seem to snap out of his daze. He hurriedly explained,
“My mom did say she doesn’t like your profession. She thinks it’s inappropriate for a woman to be running around outside all day and that you’d have no time to take care of the family… She said that as long as you quit your job and come work at our company, as long as you can help me, she’d agree to us being together.
“But I know how much you love working at the newspaper, so I never told you. Mianmian, why don’t you come work at Yingshi? You’re so capable. As long as you accomplish something for the company, they definitely won’t object to us getting married anymore! Why insist on being such a miserable reporter? How much money can you even make?”
Qiao Yimian was utterly speechless.
“If I go work for your company, wouldn’t that mean that not only would you have to be controlled by your parents, but I’d be under their control too? Shi Yan, you’re twenty-five already. How can you still be this immature?”
“I’m not immature!” Shi Yan protested anxiously, clearly stung by her words. “I just don’t have a choice! Mianmian, can’t you put me first for once? I’m a living, breathing person. Can’t I even rank above your job?”
Looking at his anxious expression, Qiao Yimian actually became calmer.
“Let’s take a step back. Suppose I join Yingshi, but your parents still aren’t happy about me working outside. If they eventually ask me to quit my job, stay home to take care of you, be a good wife and raise our children—what would you think?”
Shi Yan paused. His gaze remained stubborn.
“Would that really be so bad? As long as we’re together in the end, isn’t that enough? Making money is a man’s responsibility. I’ll work hard, and I’ll support you for the rest of your life!”
Qiao Yimian slowly let out a breath.
Her patience had finally run out.
A faint mist escaped her lips and drifted into the cold wind, dissolving into nothingness.
“After knowing each other for so long, it seems you really don’t understand me at all.”
Faced with a man whose values were so fundamentally incompatible with hers, Qiao Yimian had completely lost the desire to continue talking.
Shi Yan was about to say something else when a voice suddenly called from behind him.
“Shi Yan?”
The two turned around together.
It was Yu Wan.
She had just finished work. When she saw Shi Yan standing outside the television station, her eyes immediately lit up.
Then she spotted Qiao Yimian and couldn’t help letting out another disdainful snort.
She hurried over and looked Shi Yan up and down, smiling sweetly.
“Long time no see! You’ve gotten even more handsome. I heard you’ve joined Yingshi. Should I be calling you ‘President Shi’ from now on?”
Shi Yan was in a terrible mood and had no interest in her flattery. He merely nodded casually.
“Hello.”
Yu Wan was clearly accustomed to his indifference. Although she was somewhat displeased, she still lingered rather than leaving.
She tilted her head toward Qiao Yimian and asked with a smile,
“You two aren’t fighting, are you? What happened? Did President Shi do something wrong and get caught by Reporter Qiao?”
Qiao Yimian couldn’t be bothered to respond, but Shi Yan frowned and tried to send her away.
“It’s none of your business. Could you stop bothering us?”
The smile at the corners of Yu Wan’s lips stiffened slightly. She was a little embarrassed, but only for an instant. Then her smile deepened.
“Oh? Back when you were pursuing her, you were more than happy to listen to our suggestions! And now that you’ve finally won her over, you’re annoyed by how much I talk?”
Qiao Yimian looked at her suspiciously. She hadn’t expected there to be such a little side story.
Just how much did Yu Wan love this man?
She’d failed to win him over, yet she’d actually helped him pursue someone else?
If there were an award for the ultimate hopeless romantic, Yu Wan would surely win it.
But Shi Yan’s expression became visibly uncomfortable at her words.
He didn’t want to stay any longer. He took Qiao Yimian’s hand and started leading her toward the car.
“Let’s talk in the car.”
Yu Wan’s gaze fell on their intertwined hands, and that long-familiar jealousy surged through her once again.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
Seeing that the opportunity was too good to pass up, she suddenly raised her voice.
“Qiao Yimian, you didn’t happen to find out why Shi Yan pursued you back then, did you?”
Shi Yan’s pupils contracted.
“Yu Wan! Stop talking nonsense!”
Yu Wan immediately covered her mouth, as though she’d just realized she’d said something she shouldn’t have. She gave an awkward laugh.
“Look at me. I get carried away whenever I see an old classmate. I’m really sorry~”
She looked thoughtfully at the two of them, a playful glint flashing through her eyes.
“Well, I won’t disturb you two, then. See you~”
She had casually planted a seed of suspicion, then turned around and walked away as though nothing had happened.
Sure enough, Qiao Yimian immediately caught the strange implication in her words.
Seeing Shi Yan’s shifting gaze and nervous expression, she became even more suspicious.
“What did Yu Wan mean by that? Back then… why did you pursue me?”