Chapter 43: The Incompetent and Malicious Ex-Boyfriend (45)
After entering the residential complex, Shen Ci tossed the medicine in his hand into a trash can.
While in the car, he had turned his phone back on, only to be bombarded by several missed calls and video chat requests from Ye Qi.
Since Ye Qi was at home, what kind of situation would it be if he walked back in carrying that kind of medicine?
Thinking about the red marks on his neck, Shen Ci felt another headache coming on.
How on earth was he supposed to explain this to Ye Qi?
Tell him he had cheated after being drugged?
…
Ultimately, Shen Ci sat down in a chair and let out a long, heavy sigh.
After a moment, he suddenly called out to the System.
“System?”
“What is it, Host?”
“Would it be okay if I took the initiative to break up with Ye Qi now? Even though it’s a bit different from the original plot, it should still work as long as I’m the one dumping him, right?”
The System fell silent for a long moment.
“Theoretically, yes.”
Shen Ci’s eyes lit up, and he felt as if the whole world had suddenly become a brighter place.
“So, that’s a yes?”
“Yes.”
Having received a definitive answer from the System, Shen Ci stopped overthinking it.
As soon as Ye Qi questioned him, he would confess and then break up with him.
Once he waited for Ye Qi to fly into a rage and destroy his company, he would complete his mission and could happily enjoy his one hundred billion in peace.
———
The moment Shen Ci opened the door, he saw Ye Qi sitting on the sofa.
It looked as though Ye Qi had been sitting there for a very long time; his body stiffened for a fraction of a second as he stood up.
The moment Shen Ci entered the room, Ye Qi’s gaze immediately landed on the red marks on Shen Ci’s neck.
They were like plum blossoms scattered across a field of snow, mottled and vivid against Shen Ci’s skin.
They were a blatant declaration to Ye Qi of exactly what Shen Ci had experienced during his night away.
Ye Qi’s hands, hanging at his sides, clenched into tight fists. His nails dug deep into the soft flesh of his palms, the sharp sting of pain being the only thing keeping his mind clear.
Otherwise, he might have rushed forward and demanded to know who the adulterer was.
Ye Qi lost his voice for a moment. His Adam’s apple rolled before he spoke with a forced, stiff tone. “Husband, you’re back?”
Since he had a guilty conscience, Shen Ci felt a flash of unease as he looked at him.
After giving a non-committal grunt, he sat down on the sofa, waiting for Ye Qi’s interrogation.
But after two minutes, Ye Qi still hadn’t spoken again.
Shen Ci furrowed his brows. Is he blind? I’m sitting right here with a neck full of hickeys and he can’t see them?
That shouldn’t be possible!
If the enemy won’t move, I will.
Shen Ci let out a light cough. “Ye Qi, my phone died last night for some reason. Why were you calling me?”
Ye Qi bit the tip of his tongue.
Why was I calling? Shouldn’t he be explaining why he didn’t come home all night?
As expected—
Shen Ci simply didn’t love him.
“It’s nothing. I was just worried when you didn’t come home last night.”
Shen Ci hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Ye Qi, I cheated last night. Let’s break—”
Before the word “up” could leave his mouth, Shen Ci’s voice caught in his throat.
Ye Qi was crying.
He cried silently, tears rolling slowly down his pale cheeks.
For the first time, Shen Ci understood the literal meaning of the phrase “tears like pearls.”
Ye Qi was beautiful when he cried.
His eyes were rimmed with red, and the corners of his eyes looked like crushed begonias. His long lashes were clumped together with tears, making his dark pupils appear even clearer and brighter.
The tip of his nose and his cheeks were also slightly flushed, making him look incredibly piteous.
Shen Ci was momentarily stunned by the sight.
He had never seen a man cry as beautifully as Ye Qi—not even on television.
Ye Qi stood up, walked over to Shen Ci, and knelt down before him.
He lifted his eyes, which were filled with profound sorrow, to look at Shen Ci.
“Husband, it’s my fault. It’s because I haven’t satisfied you that you went looking elsewhere. I don’t blame you…”
After speaking, he took Shen Ci’s hand and placed it against his own cheek.
Shen Ci felt a wave of moisture in his palm.
Those were Ye Qi’s tears.
“Husband, I don’t want to break up. I love you. I can’t live without you. Please, I beg you, don’t break up with me.”
Ye Qi’s crying was both pathetic and humble.
Shen Ci froze in place.
He didn’t even dare to make eye contact with Ye Qi.
His mind was filled with the thought that he was an absolute scumbag.
How could he betray a man… er… a person who loved him so much?
He knew he didn’t love Ye Qi.
But seeing Ye Qi looking so miserable, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt.
Before he could figure out what to do, Ye Qi suddenly stood up and pushed Shen Ci down onto the sofa. His entire person—
Shen Ci’s face turned pale with shock!
He tried to push Ye Qi away, but Ye Qi had turned fierce. One of his legs forced its way between Shen Ci’s knees, pinning him to the sofa and leaving him completely unable to move.
The breakup had been the original plan.
Shen Ci sat on the sofa, smoking a cigarette and sighing repeatedly.
How the hell did it turn into this?
Then another thought occurred to him: Have I really turned gay?
The thought was truly terrifying.
After an unknown amount of time, Ye Qi emerged from the bathroom.
He walked over and sat down beside Shen Ci.
Shen Ci’s hand holding the cigarette paused, and his expression became somewhat unnatural. He couldn’t help but scoot slightly to the side.
Ye Qi’s gaze darkened.
But quickly, a forced smile appeared on his face. “Husband, let’s leave the Capital, okay? We can go back to our hometown, or to any other city you like. What do you think?”
There was a hint of pleading in his voice.
Of course it wasn’t okay.
What about the mission?
He admitted that he was often bewitched by Ye Qi’s sweet talk, but he still remembered that his mission was the priority.
Even though he hadn’t broken up with Ye Qi today, he definitely would eventually.
He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray.
“Why the sudden desire to leave the Capital? My house and my company are both here. I can’t just go to another city.”
Ye Qi’s expression dimmed. After a few seconds, he spoke slowly.
“Husband, wait for me a moment.”
With that, Ye Qi stood up and went into the bedroom.
Shen Ci was completely bewildered.
Soon, Ye Qi returned and placed a bank card on the table in front of Shen Ci.
“Husband, there’s eight million yuan in here. I can earn more. Let’s close the company, put the house up for sale, and leave the Capital together, alright?”
Shen Ci: ?
His gaze fell on the card. His mind was filled with one question: Is the protagonist a ‘Dragon Aotian’ [OP protagonist]?
Weren’t you supposed to be broke?
“Ye Qi, where did you get all this money?”
Ye Qi’s expression turned momentarily unnatural. “I took some freelance orders and made some money from the stock market.”
Shen Ci narrowed his eyes.
A stock market genius?
“Ye Qi, I won’t be leaving the Capital. Keep your money. I won’t be a man who lives off his partner.”
“It’s not living off me, Husband. Can’t you just take this money and start a new business somewhere else?”
Of course not. Shen Ci still had a mission to complete; he had to earn one hundred billion before he could quit.
“Let’s not mention this again.”
Hearing Shen Ci’s second refusal, a flash of sinister gloom crossed Ye Qi’s eyes.
Is he still reluctant to leave that adulterer?
But he didn’t dare to ask.
He was afraid Shen Ci would bring up the breakup again.
As long as they didn’t break up, Shen Ci belonged to him, and anyone else would always be nothing more than a mistress.
At that thought, Ye Qi’s gaze couldn’t help but fall on the darkest red mark on Shen Ci’s neck.
The skin around it had already begun to turn a faint shade of purple.
How much force did that person have to use to—
Thinking of this, Ye Qi couldn’t help but curse the “slut” in his heart.
Just wait until I find out who that adulterer is.
I’ll definitely smash his mouth in.
———
Translator’s Note: “Pearls like tears” (眼淚像珍珠) is a classic poetic description in Chinese literature to emphasize how beautiful and precious a character looks while crying. Also, “Eating soft rice” (吃軟飯) is a very common idiom for a man who is supported financially by a woman (or in this case, a male partner).
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