Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Xixi cupped her hands toward the people staring from the surrounding tables. “Chill out, chill out, everyone! Carry on, we’ve just had a bit too much to drink!” She then hopped down from her seat and sat next to Huang Yuanrui.

“Huang’er, calm down. He’s already cheated once; what’s a second time? I really didn’t expect you to have such a big reaction. I thought you’d accepted this outcome long ago.”

Huang Yuanrui grabbed her bag and stood up. “You two keep playing. I’m going home; I’m not in the mood for this anymore.”

Nian Gao quickly stood up. “Don’t rush off! Don’t go home and mope by yourself…”

Huang Yuanrui had already walked away quickly. Nian Gao couldn’t catch up and returned to her seat with her head down.

Xixi said, “She wanted to leave, so why bother trying to pull her back? Just let her go.”

Nian Gao asked, “Your mind works so fast. How did you come up with all that just now?”

Xixi laughed. “I was just talking nonsense. Making stuff up is easy; I can do it off the top of my head.”

Nian Gao was stunned. “Huh? Why would you talk nonsense? She’s been in a bad mood lately as it is.”

Xixi drained the rest of the alcohol in her glass and slammed it onto the table.

“Nian Xiaoxuan, the three of us have been friends since elementary school. You know what my family situation is like. My dad thinks he can do whatever he wants just because he has a bit of stinking money, fooling around outside with mistresses and concubines… Why do you think my mom got liver cancer? She was literally sickened to death by his behavior.”

Nian Gao stared blankly at Xixi.

A mist clouded Xixi’s eyes. “You both know about my past. I hate women who seduce other people’s husbands. She knows I hate people like that more than anything, yet for the past few years, she’s been throwing herself at a man to be his mistress. Did she ever consider my feelings? Of course, who she dates has nothing to do with me. We’ve been friends for so many years, and I’m not a spoiled brat; I’m not going to cut her off over it. But I’m allowed to be uncomfortable and throw a little shade, aren’t I? I’m just saying some prickly words, but her seducing someone else’s husband is actual physical action!”

Nian Gao whispered, “Alright… I didn’t realize you hated it that much. You’re both my best friends, and I didn’t want things to end up like this.”

Xixi wiped away a tear. “It’s not your fault. You’re the kindest, most good-hearted girl I know; you tolerate everything she does. I’m just narrow-minded. My opinions of her have nothing to do with you.”

***

Huang Yuanrui returned home alone and stepped onto the scale as soon as she entered the house.

She had lost another pound.

From the first day her anxiety started until now, she had suffered from diarrhea almost every day, and she felt full after only five bites of food.

Unable to sleep at night, she would scroll through her phone until the early hours of the morning, only waking up at noon the next day with a splitting headache.

She couldn’t stand the sight of greasy food anymore, ordering only fruit tea and fruit bowls for delivery.

Once, halfway through a fruit bowl, her heart started racing for no reason. She ran to the bathroom and threw up everything she had eaten.

After rinsing her mouth, she brushed her hair in front of the mirror, only to have a clump of hair fall out.

She bought four pregnancy tests. Without exception, they all showed she wasn’t pregnant.

She almost wished it were due to pregnancy. She really didn’t want to admit that she had become so unstable because of a man; she used to despise women like that the most.

Xixi’s words pierced her heart like ice picks, stabbing in and out repeatedly before melting into a pool of freezing water.

Did Qin Song really have someone else on the side?

Maybe it was just Xixi’s speculation. That girl was quirky and incredibly sharp, so it was normal for her to have some unconventional ideas, right?

But Nian Gao was moderate and balanced. Didn’t the answer she gave prove there was a problem?

Then again, Nian Gao’s thoughts only represented herself, not everyone.

That face mask was so disgusting.

Qin Song was so busy; how could he have time to find another woman?

But wasn’t the logical chain of questions she had just run through airtight enough?

Maybe she shouldn’t have broken up with Lao Da, Lao Er, and Lao San so early. Was she just acting out because she had too much free time?

Maybe the problem wasn’t with Qin Song, but with her life suddenly becoming too monotonous.

Why didn’t Qin Song ask her to stay for a few more days? Why was he so quick to send her to the airport?

No, that “Guest Room Manager” was an older woman. She looked like she was nearly forty.

But she wasn’t ugly. Even though she was older, she was quite good-looking.

What was Qin Song doing?

No, Qin Song liked them young and beautiful. She wasn’t his type.

So was she really Hu Heng’s girlfriend?

Did Qin Song disinfect the room?

But why did that woman look so guilty?

***

Amidst a tangled mess of thoughts, Huang Yuanrui collapsed onto the bed and fell into a heavy, groggy sleep.

Midway through, a sudden surge of panic woke her up, and she sat bolt upright.

It was already two in the morning.

Huang Yuanrui sat on the bed, hugging her knees as tears streamed down her face.

She truly couldn’t take these vague suspicions anymore; every day was such an ordeal.

She turned on all the lights and began packing her bags.

She was going to move to City A permanently and live in 302. Her head was about to explode; she couldn’t make sense of these contradictory questions and thoughts anymore. She didn’t care whose girlfriend that Guest Room Manager had been yesterday-starting today and tomorrow, Qin Song would be her boyfriend and hers alone.

She wanted to possess Qin Song completely. She wanted Qin Song to divorce He Qian.

She was going to be Qin Song’s only woman.