Chapter 11: Li Man, You Are a Married Woman

Cheng Yanyu remained silent, his Adam’s apple moving as he held her tightly. “I’ll go out with you. We can stay at a hotel.”

“No, I don’t want to be with you! Cheng Yanyu, don’t you understand? I don’t want to be with you!” Wen Yang pushed him away forcefully, trying to create distance between them. She looked up, her tearful eyes meeting his. Biting her lip, she said, “You haven’t deleted those chat records. Isn’t it because you’re still holding onto her?”

Cheng Yanyu froze, his eyes flickering with pain.

Seeing his silence, Wen Yang struggled desperately, her nails scratching deep marks on his arm. Cheng Yanyu dared not let go, fearing that if he did, she would truly leave.

Wen Yang cried, “I don’t want to be with you anymore. I need to get out of here. I just need to leave.”

She was desperate to escape, to find a place to cool down.

“I’ll go with you,” Cheng Yanyu insisted.

“I said no!” Wen Yang shouted angrily.

Her eyes were brimming with tears, filled with hatred. Cheng Yanyu met her gaze, his heart trembling violently. He gripped her arm tightly. “I’ll book a hotel room for you. I’ll take you there, but I won’t stay.”

Wen Yang pressed her lips together, her resistance slightly easing.

Cheng Yanyu turned around, fetched her clothes, changed himself, and packed her belongings into a suitcase. Wen Yang’s eyes were swollen. She put on a mask and glasses to cover her face.

Cheng Yanyu carried the suitcase and reached for her hand, but Wen Yang avoided him, holding onto her phone instead.

They descended the stairs in silence.

Cheng Yanyu booked a suite at a five-star hotel near COCO and escorted her inside. Wen Yang immediately turned around and shut the door in his face. Left standing in the hallway, his hair disheveled and stubble lining his chin, Cheng Yanyu texted her, asking her to rest well and to give him another chance.

Wen Yang didn’t reply.

Cheng Yanyu went downstairs and made a call to Yu Qing.

Yu Qing had just finished sketching and was about to sleep. Seeing it was Cheng Yanyu, she picked up begrudgingly and snapped, “What do you want at this hour?”

Cheng Yanyu’s voice was hoarse. “Yu Qing, I’m sorry to disturb you so late.”

“At least you know it’s late!” Yu Qing’s attitude toward Cheng Yanyu had drastically shifted since learning what Wen Yang had gone through, and now she regarded him as the enemy.

Cheng Yanyu lowered his gaze. “I’ve just dropped Wen Yang off at the Yinhai Hotel, Room 2803. Can you keep her company tomorrow if you have time?”

Yu Qing, still groggy, was about to ask why he’d taken her to a hotel, but then it dawned on her. She exploded, “You jerk! What the hell is wrong with you—”

Cheng Yanyu frowned but didn’t respond to her outburst.

Yu Qing, teeth clenched, eventually muttered, “Got it,” and hung up abruptly.

Wen Yang sat on the sofa in her hotel room, the floor-to-ceiling curtains framing her. Hugging her knees in the dim light, she seemed to slowly regain some composure. Her phone vibrated. Seeing it was Yu Qing, she answered silently. Both sides remained quiet for a while before Yu Qing cautiously asked, “Is it confirmed?”

Wen Yang nodded before realizing Yu Qing couldn’t see her. “Yes,” she replied.

Yu Qing’s heart sank. “You found it on his phone?”

“Yes.”

For a moment, Yu Qing was at a loss for words. She wanted to curse, but all she could manage was, “To what extent?”

“Everything.”

Yu Qing clenched her teeth so hard they almost cracked. “He’s insane. He’s a lunatic! Cheng Yanyu is such a scumbag! That piece of—”

Silent tears streamed down Wen Yang’s face.

Hearing her sobs, Yu Qing’s heart ached. “I’m coming over. I’ll get dressed and be there in no time.”

Wen Yang said nothing.

She knew Cheng Yanyu must have told Yu Qing where she was. True to her word, Yu Qing arrived about ten minutes later, carrying a bottle of warm milk, her laptop, blueprints, and a change of clothes. She handed Wen Yang the milk, sat beside her on the sofa, and pulled her into a hug. Wen Yang, still crying, leaned against her friend while clutching the milk.

Through broken sobs, she recounted everything she’d seen on that phone.

The more she spoke, the more violently she trembled. Yu Qing hugged her tightly. “Enough, stop talking. I can imagine it. That woman is no innocent victim. She’s been seducing Cheng Yanyu, turning this into her game. Sending him sobering soup? She’s clearly toying with him!”

Wen Yang, teary-eyed, looked at Yu Qing.

Yu Qing wiped her tears. “Isn’t it obvious? Cheng Yanyu drank too much, and yes, he was emotionally unfaithful, but she was the one who pursued him! Who needs sobering soup these days? Just chew a pill! Making a whole pot of soup is just an excuse.”

Wen Yang bit her lip.

“But Cheng Yanyu took the bait,” Yu Qing said, wiping more tears from Wen Yang’s face. “And he fell for her.”

That’s what made it fatal.

Wen Yang’s tears flowed uncontrollably. Yu Qing, her lips pressed together, said, “She even knows about you, which means she doesn’t care.”

Wen Yang whispered, “Cheng Yanyu really likes her.”

“He listens to her every word.”

“That’s what makes her dangerous. Maybe that’s how she managed to marry Fu Xingzhou too,” Yu Qing sneered, shaking her head at the cutthroat world of the elite.

Wen Yang’s mind was in turmoil.

She cried so hard her body ached, her pale skin turning red from the strain. Seeing her in such a state, Yu Qing warmed a towel for her face, coaxed her into drinking the milk, and gave her ibuprofen to ease her muscle pain.

Sitting beside her, Yu Qing asked gently, “What’s your plan? He seems remorseful.”

Wen Yang covered her face with the towel. “I don’t know. I feel lost.”

Yu Qing’s heart ached. Hugging her, she said, “Then take some time apart. Observe from a distance.”

But Wen Yang couldn’t forget what she’d seen on his phone—Cheng Yanyu’s message to Li Man: “If only I had met you earlier.”

Li Man had replied, “Go to bed early.”

What did Cheng Yanyu mean? Did he wish he’d met Li Man when they were both still single? Wen Yang couldn’t stop thinking about it. Despite everything, she could still feel Cheng Yanyu’s love. Even if that love was shattered, it was still there—a cruel irony.

That night, sleep evaded her completely.

Yu Qing stayed with her but managed only a few hours of rest. Wen Yang stayed awake until morning. Though Yu Qing wanted to stay longer, her work was pressing. Before leaving, she handed Wen Yang the breakfast Cheng Yanyu had sent up, knowing how torn and conflicted she must feel. After all, Cheng Yanyu had always been so perfect—perfect enough for everyone to envy Wen Yang. Letting go wasn’t easy.

She was a person with a black-and-white perspective. If her boyfriend or husband showed even the slightest hint of infidelity, no matter how good he was otherwise, she would decisively cast him aside.

But now, faced with the situation between Wen Yang and Cheng Yanyu, Yu Qing didn’t dare to voice such decisive advice. Ultimately, it had to be Wen Yang’s decision. After all, it was a five-year relationship that everyone had witnessed.

Yu Qing reminded Wen Yang to call her if anything came up, then reluctantly left.

Wen Yang was left alone in the suite. The curtains remained closed, shrouding the room in dimness. She ate breakfast mechanically in the dark and then sat silently, lost in thought.

Her phone was on silent mode, its screen flashing occasionally with messages.

Messages from Cheng Yanyu.

Messages from Yu Qing.

Yu Qing, knowing Wen Yang too well, took time from her busy schedule to send a message with a sense of urgency:

Yu Qing: Don’t hurt yourself over a man, Wen Yang. Step outside. The sun is shining beautifully. Everything is glowing.

Wen Yang stared at the message and glanced at the curtains. The cream-and-gray layered fabric allowed a sliver of light to filter through and fall on the floor, as if trying to break into the room. She could imagine the sunshine outside. After a moment’s hesitation, she got up, changed into a dress, and put on a mask.

She went downstairs.

The moment the elevator doors opened, she was greeted by brilliant sunlight streaming through the hotel lobby windows. The shopping center she often visited was bathed in golden light, and people walked briskly along the streets, all looking vibrant and put-together.

Wen Yang stood in the lobby for a while, catching the faint aroma of coffee.

Since she had been preparing for pregnancy, she hadn’t touched coffee for a long time. Drawn by the scent, she walked into the café. It was bustling with people, the counters lined with customers, and most of the seats occupied.

Everyone seemed busy.

Wen Yang found a seat in a quiet, dimly lit corner and scanned the QR code to order a latte.

The latte here was more fragrant than she remembered, and she cradled the cup, lost in thought.

The café doorbell jingled as two women entered. One wore an almond-colored dress and high heels, holding a leash attached to a snowy-white German Shepherd. Beside her was another woman in a sleeveless halter-neck gown. They walked in, laughing and chatting, bringing with them a faint, distinct fragrance.

Wen Yang recognized that scent—it was a unique perfume she had encountered before. Her head snapped up, and the first thing she noticed was the tall white shepherd dog.

Her heart clenched. She couldn’t look away, and her eyes landed on the back of the woman holding the leash. The woman was chatting with her companion as they ordered at the counter.

Once they finished, they moved to the high stools by the floor-to-ceiling windows. The sunlight illuminated their profiles, and Wen Yang clearly saw her face.

It was her.

Wen Yang’s hands trembled slightly as she gripped her cup.

The woman in the black halter dress took a sip of coffee and said to Li Man, “The exhibition is opening this Saturday. Have your company’s products been arranged?”

Li Man, her hand with perfectly manicured nails gently stroking the dog’s head, replied in a smooth, pleasant voice, “All set. What about you?”

The other woman shrugged. “Still working on it. My company’s been hectic lately, and Feng Tang keeps giving me trouble.”

Li Man smiled faintly, her fox-like eyes sparkling. “Be glad they haven’t sued you for plagiarism.”

“Who plagiarized? Everything I submit is drawn by hand, thank you very much,” the woman retorted, giving Li Man a playful shove. Li Man chuckled softly.

The woman then rested her chin on her hand, watching Li Man play with the dog. “I heard your exhibition setup is unique. Was it organized by Yi Yan Event Planning?”

Li Man nodded slightly.

The woman’s smile turned sly. “Yi Yan Planning isn’t just good at what they do. Their boss is quite the looker, too. Rare to see such a handsome guy. You can tell just by his figure.”

Li Man didn’t respond, her smile remaining enigmatic.

The other woman blinked mischievously, took another sip of coffee, and reached out to pet the shepherd dog. “I saw how that boss treats you. When he held the umbrella for you, his own shoulder got soaked. Li Man, aren’t you married?”

Sansukini: It’s good to have a friend like Yu Qing, especially when you feel broken. Wen Yang has a solid emotional support.

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