Chapter 5
1109 Words
Time ticked by, and Fu Yan remained motionless on the sofa, as if frozen in place.
She had no idea how long she had been sitting there when Huo Mingzheng appeared before her, holding a bowl of noodles. Seeing her bewildered expression, he remarked, "Aren't you hungry?"
Fu Yan was taken aback, having assumed he wouldn't stay the night.
Moreover...
Gazing at the aromatic and appetizing noodles, her expression grew even more complex.
Huo Mingzheng glanced at her, seeing through her thoughts, "Cao Fang made it."
Fu Yan nodded silently, knowing that Huo Mingzheng would never cook for her. In her memory, he didn't even know how to cook.
Starving, she lowered her head to eat, while Huo Mingzheng lit a cigarette and went to the balcony.
Feeling somewhat revitalized after eating, Fu Yan looked at the suitcases by the entrance, recalling her mother's parting words before she left the Huo family.
When Huo Mingzheng came in from the balcony, he saw her crouched by the suitcases, packing things she had previously forgotten.
The house still contained many items he had bought for her, but she only packed her own belongings, leaving behind anything of value.
Footsteps approached from behind.
Fu Yan closed the suitcase, her back to Huo Mingzheng, "I don't want to be a mistress."
"Hmm?" Huo Mingzheng seemed not to have heard clearly.
Taking a deep breath, Fu Yan continued, "You're getting married. Keeping me around makes me a mistress, doesn't it?"
She feared he would respond with, "If that's what you think, I can't help it."
But instead, Huo Mingzheng said, "You're overthinking it."
Even worse than what she had feared.
"Overthinking it?" Fu Yan echoed, standing up to face the man she had loved for so many years, fighting back tears.
"Grandfather arranged a marriage for you, didn't he?"
It was the first time she questioned him in such a tone, her voice trembling, barely holding back her emotions.
"Yes."
He didn't deny it.
Her eyes reddened instantly, and she turned away, feeling as if a hand was choking her throat, "Then what am I if not a mistress?"
Huo Mingzheng frowned, "I told you, you're overthinking it. This won't change anything."
How could he say such words so easily?
"That's what you think," Fu Yan gripped the suitcase handle tightly, her voice choked, "Because to you, I'm insignificant."
"Are you trying to make a scene?" He grabbed her arm, his fingers tightening.
She was still upset about what he had said at the family banquet.
Fu Yan held onto the suitcase, feeling a deep sense of sorrow. Even now, he thought she was just making a fuss.
"Huo Mingzheng," she looked up at him, a tear stubbornly clinging to her eye, refusing to fall, "What if I said I don't want you to get married?"
Knowing it was a humiliating plea, she couldn't help but gamble on the slimmest chance.
Huo Mingzheng's expression darkened.
Fu Yan gave a self-deprecating smile, of course.
He grasped her chin, lifting her face, clearly seeing the disappointment in her eyes.
He sneered, "Is it that you don't want me to marry, or you don't want me to marry someone else? Fu Yan, what answer are you looking for? Do you even know?"
His words were like a bucket of cold water, drenching Fu Yan in harsh reality.
Indeed, their relationship was illicit, not much different from being a mistress.
That's why he said his marriage wouldn't change anything between them.
Facing reality, her heart felt like it had been slashed, her face turning pale.
Huo Mingzheng's lips pressed into a thin line.
She murmured, "Two years ago, I was wrong. I shouldn't have gotten involved with you."
He looked down at her, his voice cold as ice, "Regretting it now?"
Overwhelmed with emotion, her eyes welled up, but she refused to bow her head, "Yes, I regret it."
He laughed softly, lifting her face higher, his posture lofty, like a star mocking her from above.
"Regretting it now is a bit late."
The spacious entrance felt stifling, the air thick with tension, making it hard to breathe.
Suddenly, his phone rang, shattering the oppressive silence.
The grip on her chin loosened, and tears fell uncontrollably as Huo Mingzheng answered the call, moving towards the balcony.
A woman's voice faintly echoed from the other end.
Whatever she said, Huo Mingzheng remained silent throughout.
After hanging up, he sat on the sofa for a while, lighting a cigarette, the flame illuminating his cold, chiseled features like a mountain range in the night.
A gust of wind blew out the flame, and he impatiently opened the sliding door.
Pausing by Fu Yan, he said nothing and left.
Outsiders held Huo Mingzheng in high regard. He had taken over the Huo family at a young age, known for his decisive methods. Over the years, he had mastered controlling his emotions, rarely showing any fluctuation.
Was the woman on the phone his fiancée?
Fu Yan felt a sharp pang in her heart, a wave of bitterness washing over her.
Huo Mingzheng likely wouldn't return. Instead of going to her room, she lay on the sofa for the night.
The house was filled with his presence, a constant reminder.
Lying down, her mind couldn't stop replaying memories of Huo Mingzheng, their moments over the past two years, and his impending marriage.
The clearer her thoughts, the more awake she became. Only at dawn did she finally doze off, feeling disoriented.
The ringing of her phone woke her, and she thought she was dreaming.
A call from the deputy director forced her to compose herself for a business trip to a city over 500 kilometers away.
There had been issues with a resort project she was overseeing, and it took three days of negotiations to resolve.
During those three days, Huo Mingzheng didn't contact her, nor did she reach out to him.
However, on the day of her departure, Cao Fang mentioned that Huo Mingzheng had chosen a car for her in the garage.
She went to see it—a modest car worth around three hundred thousand, much lower than the price of any car Huo Mingzheng would typically drive.
But for Fu Yan, it was just right.
Huo Mingzheng had considered her feelings, otherwise, he wouldn't have chosen such a modest car.
She didn't take the car.
Having decided to part ways, how could she accept anything from him?
Returning to the southern city, she planned to get some rest, but a call from Song Qingshuang reminded her of the arranged meeting.
Just as she was about to decline, the doorbell rang.
- Writer
