Chapter 25: Wei Yang, Remember This

Xie Yanli let out a muffled groan of pain, his face darkening with fury, the chill in his eyes intensifying. Instead of letting Wei Yang go, he mimicked her actions, sinking his teeth deeply into her soft, delicate lips.

He then pulled away with a sneer, fixing her with a look of utter derision.

Wei Yang fought desperately to endure the pain, her fingertips digging into her palms and her teeth clamped shut, terrified of showing even a shred of weakness before him. Yet, despite her efforts, the burning tears pooling in her eyes betrayed the composure she was forcing herself to maintain.

"Behave! Don't defy me again; it won't do you any good!"

Xie Yanli raised his hand, his cool fingertips grazing her broken, bleeding lip, whether intentionally or not.

In the next second, he pressed down hard.

Wei Yang bit her lip until it stung, her thumb digging into her index finger joint until it nearly drew blood. Her beautiful, clear eyes brimmed with tears, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.

Suddenly, Xie Yanli’s phone rang. He glanced at it, then held it to his ear, his expression gradually softening.

Wei Yang heard him say, "I understand. I'm on my way now, just wait for me a little longer!"

After ending the call, Xie Yanli stared at her intensely. He gripped her chin and warned her, word by word, "Wei Yang, remember this! You are mine! Forever!"

With that, he climbed into the driver's seat and sped away.

***

The tears that had been welling in her eyes finally spilled over. Wei Yang raised her hand and wiped them away frantically with her sleeve. The more she wiped, the faster they fell.

Only two minutes after Xie Yanli left, her phone rang.

Zhao Yunkai?

After a moment of hesitation, she answered, "Hello?"

"Yangyang, it's me! What are you doing?" The young master Zhao’s cheerful voice sounded in her ear.

Wei Yang let out a silent breath. "I'm not doing anything."

"Want to go out?"

"No," she replied. "I have to work tomorrow."

Seeming to notice the hoarseness in her voice, Zhao Yunkai sounded worried. "Yangyang, what's wrong with your voice? Are you catching a cold? Let me buy some medicine and bring it over. Wait for me at home; I can be there in half an hour."

"There's no need, Zhao Yunkai..."

Before Wei Yang could finish, an anxious Zhao Yunkai had already hung up, leaving nothing but the sharp, piercing sound of a busy signal.

Wei Yang’s expression shifted, and she quickly tried to call him back. But in the blink of an eye, the line was already unreachable.

Hesitating for a moment, she sent a message via WeChat: "Zhao, it's not what you think. I don't have a cold, and I don't need you to bring me any medicine."

She hit send.

***

Wei Yang stared at the phone screen for a moment, then, with a cold expression, typed another message: "Zhao, I'm sorry. I know you've been good to me, and I know your intentions, but I don't like you. I cannot force myself to accept you."

That was blunt enough. As long as Zhao Yunkai wasn't a fool—and as long as he had any shred of self-respect—he wouldn't keep pestering her.

When she arrived home, Wei Yang took a shower and, skipping dinner, collapsed into bed.

When she awoke, the sky was just beginning to turn light. She climbed out of bed efficiently and prepared breakfast; having skipped dinner, she was starving.

Fried eggs, ham, toasted bread, a sandwich, and a glass of milk... Wei Yang’s breakfast was simple.

She finished quickly, tidied herself up, and headed out to catch the subway.

The corner of her lip, bitten by Xie Yanli, had already scabbed over, but no amount of makeup could hide it—in fact, it only made it more noticeable. One look was enough to invite all sorts of wild speculation.