With those parting words, Fang Jinshi had no desire to linger a second longer. He turned and walked straight toward the exit.
He left with an effortless, sweeping grace. Ren Minghui froze for a beat before realizing he needed to catch up, scrambling after him.
Just as Ren Minghui reached the threshold, the massive doors to the office swung open from the outside.
Ren Minghui was slightly caught off guard. “Wow. I didn’t know the service culture here at Eastern Emperor Entertainment was this attentive?” He muttered, amazed that they even had someone waiting to open the doors for departing guests.
But before his astonishment could settle, a highly respectful voice rang out: “President Gu, after you.”
As it turned out, a new visitor had arrived.
Yet, considering there were still guests inside the CEO’s office, this man required no prior announcement, nor did anyone feel the need to steer him away from others. To command such a rare privilege, just what kind of heavyweight had arrived?
Following the sound, Fang Jinshi looked over and saw a tall, imposing man standing just outside the door, his eyes lifting to look straight at him.
Fang Jinshi didn’t shrink away or avert his gaze; he calmly met the man’s eyes.
The man looked to be around thirty years old, his short hair sharply styled. His clean, angular features required absolutely no enhancement to be profoundly striking. He possessed prominent, authoritative brows, deep-set eyes, and a pair of sharply defined lips. Coupled with the subtle, piercing glint in his eyes, he exuded an aura of cold, aristocratic elegance. Even the classic combination of a black suit and a white shirt carried a distinct, magnetic flair when worn by him.
His presence was incredibly powerful—the kind that instinctively made people look away in deference.
Fang Jinshi took only a single glance before shifting his eyes.
He recognized him.
The man was Li Jin’s uncle. His surname was Gu, and his name was Gu Tuo.
Back when Fang Jinshi and Li Jin were dating, he had crossed paths with this uncle a handful of times. It was the kind of relationship where they merely exchanged polite nods and greetings—essentially, they were complete strangers.
Though they weren’t close, running into each other under these exact circumstances was undeniably awkward.
What an absolute mess, Fang Jinshi thought to himself.
A trash boyfriend, a pathetic substitute lover, and him—the freshly minted “ex-boyfriend.” For the messy entanglements of the younger generation to be caught red-handed by the family patriarch, it really was a textbook melodrama.
Not wanting any part of this chaotic theater, Fang Jinshi gave Gu Tuo a polite nod of acknowledgment, intending to pass right through.
Gu Tuo didn’t stop him. Instead, he smoothly stepped aside, clearing the path.
As Fang Jinshi brushed past him, a hint of a crisp, cool fragrance drifted into his senses. It smelled like pine trees blanketed in deep winter snow—subtle yet enduring, understated yet impossible to ignore.
Just as the two bypassed one another, a deep, resonant voice dropped from above Fang Jinshi’s head.
The tone was heavy and laced with sharp reprimand: “Li Jin, this is the CEO’s office of Eastern Emperor Entertainment, not a playground for you to manage your sordid personal affairs!”
Fang Jinshi’s footsteps faltered.
He felt slightly targeted by that remark.
Reflecting on it, it really wasn’t ideal for him to bring his relationship grievances straight to the offices of Eastern Emperor Entertainment. But what was the alternative? Inviting Li Jin out for coffee or a meal?
Forget it. Just looking at the man made him lose his appetite.
Besides, considering it was Li Jin who had crossed every line in this relationship, Fang Jinshi realized he had absolutely nothing to feel guilty about.
Straightening his spine once more, Fang Jinshi resumed his composed, leisurely stride out the main doors.
Behind him, Li Jin’s frantic excuses and Lin Nuo’s meek attempts to chime in dissolved into a chaotic clutter of voices.
Finally, that deep, commanding voice delivered a final, unyielding verdict: “Mr. Lin, please step out.”
Instantly, the office fell dead silent, and the corridor outside returned to a tranquil hush.
Fang Jinshi couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle. For some reason, it felt incredibly satisfying.
That uncle of his was just as direct and uncompromising as always. With Lin Nuo being thrown out so ruthlessly, he was probably on the verge of tears. And what kind of face was Li Jin pulling right now? A man who valued his pride above all else was likely dying of mortification.
Then again, it wasn’t like this was the first or second time Li Jin had been chewed out. Back when Li Jin used to fly to California to visit him, which trip didn’t involve him complaining about how brutally strict his uncle was?
As he walked and reminisced, Fang Jinshi’s footsteps gradually became heavy and sluggish.
Without him even realizing it, Ren Minghui, who had been trailing behind, had managed to get ahead of him.
“Jinshi?”
Ren Minghui turned back to look at him. Noticing the pale, strained look on his face, he anxiously asked if he was feeling unwell anywhere.
Fang Jinshi shook his head gently. “I’m fine, Minghui. My legs just feel a bit heavy, like I can’t move forward.”
“Do you want to sit down and rest for a bit?”
Ren Minghui began scanning the corridor, looking around for a chair to bring over, but Fang Jinshi gently stopped him.
“It’s not that dramatic. Let’s just walk a bit slower. Let me catch my breath. I’ll be fine once I catch my breath.”
Yes. He would be fine once he caught his breath.
Fang Jinshi repeated the mantra to himself. Fourteen years of knowing each other, and it turned out he was just blind. Now, trying to violently gouge someone out of his heart—how could it possibly not hurt?
Yet, no matter how excruciating the pain, Fang Jinshi refused to keep necrotic flesh attached to his body. On this matter, he possessed more than enough pride and absolute decisiveness.
Ren Minghui didn’t catch the underlying metaphor, assuming it was purely a physical ailment. He silently scolded himself for bringing Fang Jinshi out so recklessly today.
Hearing his friend’s quiet self-blame, a flicker of warmth crossed Fang Jinshi’s eyes. “Don’t blame yourself,” he said softly.
“When you fall ill or get hurt, you can’t rush the recovery. It takes time.”
“Fortunately, fortunately, I have all of you by my side.”
With the companionship of his family and friends, he had already conquered a life-threatening illness. He was entirely confident that he could walk out from the shadow of this relationship as well, stepping forward to greet a far more beautiful life.
After all, his future still held infinite possibilities.