Sweetie, don't look at him, kiss me.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, then Su Tingwan's overjoyed voice came through: "I'm free! I'm free!"

"Linzhou, you asked me out to dinner? Really?"

"I'll come to the company headquarters to find you right now!"

"it is good."

Ji Linzhou hung up the phone and put it back on the table.

Then he raised his head and looked at Lin Qingmian.

The man's gaze was indifferent, devoid of anger, disappointment, or even any other emotion.

But that look made Lin Qingmian feel more upset than any scolding.

"Is this what you wanted? I'll start now."

His gaze fell on the thermos in her arms, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly, revealing a mocking smile: "Keep this food for yourself."

After saying that, the man turned around and strode towards the office door.

The leather shoes made a crisp sound as they stepped on the floor, each step feeling like a blow to Lin Qingmian's heart.

"Bang--!"

The office door was closed.

Lin Qingmian stood alone in the empty office, holding the still-warm thermos in her arms.

Her heart sank heavily, as if a huge rock was pressing down on it, making it hard for her to breathe.

It was clearly her own request.

But why did she feel so bad when he actually agreed?

She lowered her head and looked at the thermos in her arms.

A drop of clear liquid fell onto the lid of the insulated container, spreading into a small water stain.

She reached out her finger to wipe it off, but found that she couldn't get it clean no matter how hard she tried.

Because new water droplets keep falling, one after another.

Lin Qingmian closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and forced herself to suppress those inappropriate emotions.

She did the right thing.

Between her and Ji Linzhou, it was originally just a contract.

He once said that marriage is a transaction, a business deal.

She shouldn't have any expectations, nor should she have any feelings.

But why...?

Why does my heart hurt so much?

After a long while, Lin Qingmian opened her eyes and wiped away the tears on her face.

She carried the thermos and walked out of Ji Linzhou's office.

The corridor was empty; Bai Cheng was nowhere to be found.

She walked to the elevator and pressed the button.

When the elevator doors opened, she saw her own swollen eyes and pale face inside.

She forced a smile, but it looked worse than crying.

The elevator doors closed, and the numbers gradually decreased.

Lin Qingmian leaned against the elevator wall, hugging the thermos tightly in her arms.

The food has gone cold.

Just like the little bit of warmth that had just begun to rise between her and Ji Linzhou, it has completely cooled down.

When we came out of the Ji Group building, it was already completely dark.

Lin Qingmian didn't take a taxi; instead, she carried the thermos and wandered aimlessly along the street.

The night breeze was cool, making her cheeks sting.

But she felt the wind wasn't cold enough to freeze the stone pressing on her chest and shatter it.

It was already 8 p.m. when I got back to the apartment.

Lin Qingmian changed her shoes, placed the thermos on the dining table, and then slumped onto the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling.

My phone vibrated a few times.

She picked it up and glanced at it. It was a message from Jiang Yao: [Mianmian, are you alright? I saw the news online. That Su Tingwan is shameless; she clearly created this herself!]

Lin Qingmian stared at the screen for a few seconds, then typed: "I'm fine, don't worry."

After sending the message, she tossed her phone aside and closed her eyes.

But the image of Ji Linzhou's departing figure and his words kept replaying in her mind—

"Isn't this exactly what you wanted?"

"I'll start now."

"Keep this food for yourself."

She rolled over and buried her face in the sofa cushions, feeling suffocated.

I don't know how much time passed, but my phone vibrated again.

Lin Qingmian thought it was Jiang Yao, reached out and touched it, taking it without even looking: "I'm really fine, you..."

"Mianmian."

The voice that came from the other end of the phone was not Jiang Yao's.

It was a familiar male voice, tinged with fatigue and hoarseness.

Lin Qingmian's fingers froze.

She took the phone away from her ear and glanced at the screen.

It was an unfamiliar number.

She frowned and put the phone back to her ear: "Ji Xingye?"

"it's me."

The man on the other end of the phone took a deep breath, his voice tinged with caution: "Are you... alright?"

Lin Qingmian was silent for a while, then hung up the phone.

She placed her phone on the coffee table, closed her eyes, and was about to continue resting when her phone vibrated again.

It was still that unfamiliar number.

Lin Qingmian frowned and did not answer.

My phone vibrated for a long time before finally going silent.

But less than ten seconds later, it started shaking again.

Time and time again, relentlessly.

Lin Qingmian took a deep breath, picked up her phone, pressed the answer button, and angrily said, "Ji Xingye, what exactly do you want?"

"Mianmian, Xingqing told me about things at home."

Ji Xingye's voice was somewhat urgent: "They say you're a third party, that you ruined my uncle's relationship with Su Tingwan."

"I can clarify and announce to the public right now that you are my fiancée and my woman."

"That way, no one will misunderstand you anymore."

Lin Qingmian's fingers unconsciously tightened around her phone.

"I will announce it now."

Ji Xingye's voice carried a hint of determination, as if he were about to hang up the phone and issue a statement at any moment.

"You dare!"

Lin Qingmian's voice turned cold: "Ji Xingye, if you still have any feelings for the past, then don't play these tricks."

She took a deep breath, her voice strained: "I'm already married."

"Can't you please not force a married woman to explain this kind of thing to her husband?"

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone before Ji Xingye's hoarse voice finally rang out: "I don't believe it."

The man's voice carried a hint of stubbornness and obstinacy: "Mianmian, you love me so much, there's absolutely no way you could marry someone else."

Lin Qingmian's heart skipped a beat.

I love him so much...

Yes, she used to love him so much.

She loved him so much that she was willing to give up everything for him, and she could endure the beatings and scoldings from the Lin family, just to stay by his side.

Can……

I'm really married.

Lin Qingmian closed her eyes and said calmly, "I can show you our marriage certificate."

"Marriage certificates can also be forged."

Ji Xingye's voice became even more stubborn: "I don't believe photos can be photoshopped."

Lin Qingmian was silent for a moment, then sneered: "Then I'll show it to you personally after you return to China."

There was silence again on the other end of the phone.

After a long silence, Ji Xingye's voice rang out again, slightly hoarse: "Okay."

"Wait for me to return to China."

"Mianmian, you must wait for me."

Lin Qingmian did not answer.

She hung up the phone, tossed it aside, curled up on the sofa, and hugged her knees tightly.