She relaxed her tense body and lowered her gaze weakly, but her heart only grew heavier.
At this point, saying she didn’t regret anything would be a lie.
Because of Bai Luo, Jiang Yan had broken up with her. Her parents blamed her even more harshly, and her cousin’s ridicule was endless. She used to believe wholeheartedly that Bai Luo was her white moonlight, and that was why she had made all those choices.
But now…
Yu Youwei suddenly felt lost. She couldn’t even tell what she truly wanted anymore.
Almost instinctively, she picked up her phone to call Jiang Yan. She wanted to fix their relationship, to at least talk to him. But when the call connected, Jiang Yan didn’t answer.
She bit her lip and sent him a text instead:
[Can you come and see me?]
Her phone stayed silent. The message sat alone on the screen, unread and unanswered.
Maybe Jiang Yan was truly disappointed in her now.
When her stomach pain flared up yesterday, he had just stood there coldly, watching her collapse.
What should she do…
She bit her lower lip lightly, a wave of bitterness rising inside her like a tide.
They had been together for five years. It might not have been a love filled with passion, but it was real, and she never hated it. Jiang Yan had treated her with genuine care, never letting her suffer even a little.
Their family backgrounds were worlds apart, but Jiang Yan was exceptional—capable enough to be her equal.
If Bai Luo hadn’t returned from abroad… she truly had plans to marry Jiang Yan next year. She was of the right age for it too.
But now, everything was ruined by her own hands.
Tears slid down uncontrollably from her eyes.
She wasn’t a sentimental girl, and she hated crying. Crying only won pity from others—it never solved anything.
In just a few days, she had become the kind of person she despised.
By noon, a familiar voice came from outside. The next second, Bai Luo rushed into the hospital room and grabbed her wrist anxiously.
“Weiwei, are you alright? I came as soon as I heard the news!” he said in panic. “Oh my god, where are you hurt? Who hit you?”
Yu Youwei felt his voice buzzing in her ears, giving her a headache. She frowned and said coldly, “Stop shouting. You’re too loud.”
Bai Luo immediately began massaging her forehead. “Does this feel a bit better?”
Yu Youwei looked at him forcing a flattering smile. For some reason, the sight only made her restless. She should’ve been glad to see him, but something inside her was beginning to feel irritated. This chapter was taken from novelping(.)com without permission.
Still, she couldn’t take it out on him—Bai Luo hadn’t done anything wrong.
“You didn’t go to the company today?” she asked.
Bai Luo’s hands paused, and his expression turned sour. “Don’t even mention it, Weiwei. Your company’s manager is too much. I barely stepped into the elevator before being kicked out.”
“Who dared to throw you out? I told my secretary to expect you this morning.”
“Some woman named Xu something—looked like she was in her forties or fifties. Hmph, an old hag!”
Yu Youwei frowned. “Sister Xu? She’s one of the company’s senior managers. She’s strict, yes, but she’s kind and treats the artists well. She wouldn’t kick someone out without reason.”
Bai Luo’s eyes flickered with guilt, and he quickly changed the subject. “Alright, let’s not talk about that, Weiwei. I’m generous, I won’t hold it against that old woman. By the way, what do you want for lunch? I’ll buy it for you.”
Still preoccupied with her thoughts, Yu Youwei replied absentmindedly, “Anything’s fine. My gastritis’s acting up, so just something light.”
She suddenly craved porridge—the kind Jiang Yan used to make for her.
He’d make it with oatmeal, coix seeds, red dates, goji berries, yam, poria, longan, lily bulbs, lotus seeds, and rock sugar. It was delicious and soothing for the stomach.
His savory porridge was just as good. She always finished every bowl.
But now… she would never taste it again.
The thought made her lips curve downward, and her face dimmed with sadness.
“Alright, I’ll go get it. Wait for me to come back!” Bai Luo said cheerfully before darting out of the ward.
Once outside, however, his pace slowed.
He took out his phone and stared at the screen for a long time.
When he reached the ground floor, his phone rang. He quickly answered.
The voice on the other end was rough and loud, the background full of noise. “It’s done. Pay up!”
“Hehe, thank you, Brother Qiang. You’re fast as always. But I haven’t seen anything online yet. Once the reports spread, I’ll send you the money right away—every last yuan.”
“F*ck!” the man’s voice roared with anger. “You trying to mess with me? The rule’s payment first, work after. I only made an exception because you said you knew the Yu family!”
His tone turned threatening. “Don’t tell me you’re broke, kid. You know what happens if you can’t pay, right?”
Bai Luo’s hands trembled slightly. He lowered his voice, speaking obsequiously, “How could I ever trick you, Brother Qiang? You’re too efficient, that’s all! You’ve always handled things perfectly. We’ve known each other for five years—of course I trust you. I swear, once I see the posts online, I’ll deliver the payment immediately.”
Brother Qiang’s tone finally softened a little. “Fine, I’ll give you this one chance. But if the money isn’t in my account before midnight, you know the consequences.”
“Yes, yes, thank you, Brother Qiang!”
The call ended.
Bai Luo’s expression darkened.
What a scam.
He had only wanted revenge on Qin Shiyu, who had looked down on him, so he’d hired a few local thugs through Brother Qiang to harass her and ruin her reputation.
Yet, for something that small, the man had demanded 200,000 yuan!
He wasn’t even famous yet—where was he supposed to get that kind of money?
By 2 p.m., Bai Luo still hadn’t brought back lunch.
Lying on the hospital bed, Yu Youwei started to wonder. Her IV drip was done, and the pain in her stomach had eased a lot, though she still felt lightheaded from not eating all day.
She picked up her phone and called him.
“Hello, Weiwei,” Bai Luo answered, sounding slightly out of breath.
“Why aren’t you back yet?” she asked.
“Ah… I—I got surrounded by a bunch of strangers,” Bai Luo said, voice shaky.
Yu Youwei sat up slightly, worry flashing across her face. “Are you okay? Should I call the police?”
“No, no need! I learned some martial arts before. Those punks couldn’t handle me. Haha, impressive, right?”
“But…” he hesitated, his tone faltering.
“But what?” Yu Youwei asked, her voice tightening.
“They said someone hired them,” Bai Luo replied casually. “They’ll find tougher guys next time. Just my luck—I don’t even know who’s targeting me. I just got back to the country, who could hate me already?”
Yu Youwei fell silent, suppressing her emotions. “As long as you’re fine. Come back soon. Don’t bother buying food.”
“They ran off already, I’m safe now,” Bai Luo said. “I can still get lunch, but…” He paused again, pretending to sound embarrassed. “They took all my money. They even used my phone to take out a loan in my name. Now I’m broke and saddled with debt—tens of thousands! Ugh…”
The soft sound of his muffled sobs came through the phone, and Yu Youwei’s chest tightened painfully. She couldn’t help but feel her heart ache for him.