Professor Xie, isn't this a case of forcing customers to buy products that don't match the

"So, you've chosen to go back to that scumbag?!"

Shang Song's voice rose in anger, drawing sidelong glances from the guests at the next table.

Realizing his loss of composure, he quickly lowered his voice, but his tone was one of deep anguish: "Going back is like jumping into a fire pit! He treated you like that before, he'll only get worse! Besides, he cheated on you, he controls you, he…"

"No," Shen Yan interrupted him, her tone resolute: "I will not go back, not even if it kills me."

Shang Song was stunned. "Then you..."

"I'm leaving S City," Shen Yan's voice calmed down, as if making this decision had exhausted all his strength. "I'm going to a place... where his reach doesn't extend that far. Maybe a second-tier city, do something else, or... see if there's a smaller game company. I'm not picky, as long as it can support me and my mom."

"But you've only just established yourself here! Your abilities are evident to all..."

"I know. But I have no other choice, Shang Song. If I stay here, Zhou Xu'an won't let me go. He can threaten me with leaking information this time, and he can use something else next time. He wants to drive me to a dead end, to force me to bow my head, to force me to kneel before him and admit that I can't live without him. My only option is to leave. Perhaps... there is still a glimmer of hope."

He lowered his head, unconsciously poking at the rice in his bowl with his chopsticks, his voice even lower, "I've checked. There are a few other cities around S City that he might be able to reach. I need to go further away. As for my mother, I've contacted a relatively inexpensive nursing home. The conditions might not be as good as my current one, but... let's leave it at that for now. It's better than going back to be his dog."

"Isn't there any other way?" Shang Song's voice was hoarse. "Should we call the police? This is harassment! It's a threat! And that leak wasn't you at all! We can..."

"Call the police?" Shen Yan shook his head, the self-deprecating smile on his lips deepening. "Where's the evidence? Harassing messages? He can use all sorts of numbers. Threats? He whispered in my ear, I couldn't even record it. As for... leaking information, Shang Song, do you think he can get Huanren to cooperate in creating evidence pointing against me? With his connections and methods, who will the police believe? Who will Qingguo believe? At that point, it won't be as simple as me leaving S City."

"I might be sued, lose everything, and have a criminal record... What about my mother?"

"I can't afford to gamble, Shang Song. I can't risk my mother's life."

The food had long since gone cold, and the heat had dissipated.

He picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of cooled vegetable leaf, slowly put it in his mouth, chewed, and swallowed.

"Thank you for listening to me, Shang Song." He put down his chopsticks, picked up the tea that had long since gone cold, took a sip, and pulled out a tissue to wipe his mouth. "And thank you... for never looking at me with strange eyes. Qingguo is very good, and you all... are very good too. But... I have to go."

He stood up, picked up the bag from the seat next to him, his movements slow and deliberate, as if he were carrying a heavy burden.

He said, "This meal is on me. Consider it... goodbye."

"No!" Shang Song jumped up abruptly, his movement so sudden that the table rattled and the dishes clattered. He grabbed Shen Yan's hand as she reached for the bill, his voice urgent: "Don't rush into a decision! Don't rush into submitting your resignation! Give me some time! I'll think of a way! There must be a way! You can't just give up like this!"

Shen Yan's hand trembled slightly under Shang Song's hand. He looked at the genuine concern in Shang Song's eyes, a warmth he had never experienced before.

But he ultimately withdrew his hand gently, shook his head, and said softly, "Shang Song, I appreciate your kindness. But... don't trouble yourself with me."

He paused, looked at Shang Song seriously, and reminded her, "You have a bright future ahead of you, don't get involved. Zhou Xu'an... he's the kind of person who has no bottom line. Don't let me affect you."

"No!" Shang Song's tone was stubborn. "You can't just leave like this! There must be another way! If calling the police doesn't work, then... then go to the company! President Wang values ​​you highly, and the company won't let anyone slander its employee! And..."

Shen Yan looked at him, and a kind of compassionate pity that seemed to have seen through the ways of the world suddenly flashed in his eyes.

He asked, "Are you... thinking of asking your really capable boyfriend for help?"

Shang Song was taken aback.

Shen Yan seemed to have gotten the answer from his reaction.

A complex, dark glint flashed across his eyes before he looked away from Shang Song, his tone flat and matter-of-fact: "I saw him last time; he was driving you to work. A very nice car, a grand entrance... You could tell he wasn't an ordinary person."

His gaze returned to Shang Song, his tone carrying the sober wisdom of someone who's been there: "Those rich and powerful people are not from our world. They might be interested in you for a while and be willing to treat you well, but most of them don't have much patience and hate trouble the most."

"Shang Song, focus on your relationship and cherish what you have now. But don't... ask him for resources, especially not for something like this."

Shang Song opened his mouth, wanting to say that Xie Jing wasn't that kind of person, and that they weren't what Shen Yan thought.

But Shen Yan raised his hand to stop him and continued, "I don't know the specifics of your situation, but relying on others, especially those who seem omnipotent, comes at a price. What you think is asking for help, is dependence, but to the people in their circle, it might be greed, taking, or a burden."

"You may not think it's a big deal now, whether it's feelings or his willingness to give, but one day, when he feels it's a burden and asks you to repay him, you might... not be able to."

"I've seen this kind of thing many times."

His words were less a rejection of Shang Song's help and more a self-destructive way of reminding Shang Song to protect himself.

In his limited and painful experience, any seemingly unconditional protection eventually turns into resentment; any unequal relationship eventually leads to imbalance.

He didn't want Shang Song to fall into any potentially unequal situation because of helping him, or even... repeat his own mistakes.

Even if it's just a possibility.

"I didn't..." Shang Song wanted to explain that he didn't depend on Xie Jing, and that the relationship between him and Xie Jing wasn't the unequal one of giving and taking that Shen Yan imagined.

But the words caught in his throat.

Recently, Xie Jing has been picking him up from get off work. No matter how late he works overtime, Xie Jing will be waiting downstairs on time and take him back to the Cloud Top where he can fall asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow.

Although it was a guest room, the comfort level far exceeded that of my own small apartment. The food, the amenities, and the meticulous and thoughtful arrangements were everywhere.

To outsiders, such as Shen Yan, isn't this just a form of dependence?

Shang Song's face slowly turned red.

Seeing Shang Song's reaction, Shen Yan's eyes darkened, as if to say, "Just as I thought."

But he didn't want to be so blunt or say such hurtful things anymore.

"Shang Song," Shen Yan softened his voice, "I truly appreciate your kindness. But let's leave it at that. I'll walk my own path. You should walk yours well too. Don't let me... cause you trouble, or make you incur debts you shouldn't have."

As he spoke, he reached for the bill on the table again.

"No!" Shang Song abruptly grabbed Shen Yan's hand again, his eyes even more resolute. "Shen Yan! I won't look for him!"

"I'll help you in my own way! I'll help you! This has nothing to do with him! It has nothing to do with those costs you mentioned! I'm helping you because I can't stand that scumbag bullying people like that! It's that simple!"

He stared intently at Shen Yan's suddenly raised eyes, and added rapidly, "Give me a few days, just a few days! I don't need Xie Jing's resources! I'll help you in my own way! If... if in the end I still can't do it, if you still decide to leave, I absolutely won't stop you! I'll see you off! Okay?! But now, don't give up so quickly! Just give me a chance to try! And give yourself a chance too!"

Shang Song's chest heaved slightly with excitement, his cheeks flushed, but his eyes shone with an astonishing brightness, burning with an almost naive youthful spirit.

Shen Yan was completely stunned.

He has witnessed too much of the coldness and indifference of human relationships and the fickleness of the world.

He no longer believes in unprovoked kindness, nor in assistance without any cost.

But Shang Song's gaze at this moment was so direct, so intense, without any calculation or weighing of pros and cons, only a single-minded determination—I want to help you, because I feel it shouldn't be like this.

His lips moved, as if he wanted to continue refusing, but in the end, he only uttered three words:

"...Whatever you want."