The golden sunlight gradually tinged with orange, slowly descending behind the western skyscrapers that pierced the clouds.
As the sun set and city lights began to glow, the streets became brilliantly illuminated on both sides.
At the window seat of the coffee shop, a woman sat quietly with half a glass of water remaining in her cup.
Occasionally, waitstaff came over to ask if she needed a refill, to which she gently shook her head.
Until the sky outside turned ink-black, the seat opposite her remained empty.
……
Lu Xiyan’s car had been parked by the roadside for three hours.
Sitting inside, he smoked cigarette after cigarette, staring through the window at the figure by the coffee shop window.
This coffee shop he had chosen was located in the city center with extremely high prices.
He wanted to see whether someone who couldn’t afford 280 yuan could afford coffee far more expensive than that, or even pricier desserts.
Sure enough, throughout the entire afternoon, she hadn’t ordered anything, drinking only half a glass of plain water.
Hah!
An Ning, how pathetic your life must be.
He watched coldly as she waited minute by minute.
No one likes long and endless waiting, himself included.
So An Ning, you should experience it properly too.
……
The stylish wall clock already showed 9:00 PM.
A server came over and politely asked, “Sorry miss, we’ll be closing in fifteen minutes. Do you need anything else?”
The cashier was already counting the day’s revenue. An Ning politely declined, “No, thank you.”
Just as she was about to stand up and leave, she suddenly heard a “Welcome” from the entrance.
She quickly turned to look, meeting a pair of profound, indifferent eyes that were exceptionally cold.
The man was tall and handsome, his face strikingly beautiful yet coldly expressionless.
His black suit enhanced his noble and profound aura.
Standing casually with one hand in his pocket, he was simply too eye-catching.
An Ning’s heart began pounding uncontrollably.
He seemed to have changed so much.
The Lu Xiyan of before always radiated vibrant youthful energy.
Arrogant and full of spirit.
He loved racing freely on the track, charging toward the wind, rushing toward freedom, like an unrestrained young lion.
In the past, his eyes sparkled with starlight.
She loved watching him smile – with features that were naturally cool, yet his smile was sweet.
When he smiled, even the small mole between his eyebrows seemed to come alive.
But now, he was cold, gloomy, and kept everyone at a distance.
Even his handsome features were covered with a layer of cold, hard frost.
An Ning’s throat felt dry. Before she could say anything, he had already walked over and taken the seat opposite her.
His gaze was icy, frosty, and carried an ambiguous scrutiny.
An Ning suppressed her urge to greet him, biting her lip. “Is your phone charged? Bring up your payment code, I’ll transfer the money to you.”
“Hah!” Lu Xiyan stared at her lowered eyes, mocking, “Ms. An, can you afford it today?”
Like a thorn, it pierced An Ning’s heart.
Not because of his mockery, but because of that form of address.
Ms…….
Was he unwilling to even call her by her name?
Indeed, to Lu Xiyan now, she was just one among many women.
Even though they had once loved each other passionately.
Even though they had embraced recklessly, kissed intensely, and shared unforgettable intimate moments.
Though they had made promises before sunrise and exchanged rings beneath fireworks.
Though they had obtained a marriage certificate…
What did it matter now?
Yes, what did it matter?
“Show me your payment code.” Ignoring his mockery, An Ning took out her phone to remind him.
“I believe I must have remembered incorrectly.” Lu Xiyan naturally took a shopping receipt from his wallet and placed it on the table, pushing it toward An Ning with two slender, firm fingertips. “This box of chocolates costs more than two hundred and eighty. I wonder if Ms. An can accept this price.”
His voice was as pleasant as ever, but his tone carried the ease and confidence of negotiation.
An Ning abruptly saw the number on the receipt and raised her voice in surprise, “Two thousand eight hundred?”
When she noticed the chocolate brand, she finally understood why it was so expensive.
A limited edition collaboration from a luxury brand.
Six chocolates for two thousand eight hundred!
If she had known, she would rather have collapsed on the roadside than gotten into Lu Xiyan’s car!
Even if some kind stranger had taken her to the hospital for an IV drip, it wouldn’t have cost two thousand eight hundred!
A flicker of embarrassment crossed her fair and delicate face, all of which was caught by the man sitting opposite her.
“Can’t afford it, Ms. An?” His tone was teasing. “It doesn’t matter if you can’t. This box of chocolates was originally meant as my daily act of kindness, casually given to a beggar in need on the street.”
Staring at her trembling long eyelashes, he added coolly, “If you can’t pay, I’ll just consider it a charitable deed.”
An Ning’s face turned pale. His words were undoubtedly telling her that, to him, she was no different from a beggar on the street.
Her fingertips dug into her palms before she finally relaxed them. She neatly folded the receipt and said softly, “Mr. Lu, I truly can’t afford two thousand eight hundred today, but I am not a beggar on the street.”
She lifted her eyes to meet Lu Xiyan’s indifferent, profound gaze. “I’ll keep the receipt. Consider it a purchase from you. I will definitely repay you the money another day.”
Her eyelids were slightly red, but her tone and expression remained stubbornly resolute.
A sharp pang shot through Lu Xiyan’s chest as he heard her say, “Mr. Lu, regardless, thank you for the umbrella yesterday.”
“No need.” Lu Xiyan didn’t deny that he had bought the umbrella yesterday, replying indifferently and flippantly, “I just wanted to see how people like you, who are utterly destitute, struggle to survive in difficult circumstances.”
His deep, cold gaze fixed on An Ning. “Like ants. Uninteresting.”
An Ning’s shoulders trembled slightly, as if her bones had been pulled out, leaving her entire body feeling hollow.
Yes.
All these years, she had been living like an ant.
Crouching in an unfamiliar, small place, slowly surviving.
She lowered her eyes, her pale lips moving slightly. “Then… I won’t disturb you any further.”
She hurriedly picked up her bag, ready to leave.
Just as she stood up, the man called out to her, “Wait.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust you, Ms. An, but it’s hard to believe someone with a past record. If Ms. An were to disappear without a word one day, who would I ask for my two thousand eight hundred?”
Lu Xiyan took out his phone and casually tossed it onto the table. “Add me. Contact me when you repay the money.”
An Ning looked at the phone on the table—it was his QR code.
Her heart ached as if it had been crushed.
An Ning understood that he was mocking her.
Striking at her fragile self-esteem.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Lu. I wouldn’t run away over this amount of money.”
“Who knows,” Lu Xiyan lifted his gaze, the corners of his eyes tilting upward, his tone laced with sarcasm. “After all, some people would do anything for money, wouldn’t they?”