Chapter 30: Who Do You Choose?
“Ruan Zhimian, you are my fiancé.”
Han He’an gripped the bouquet tightly, his right hand grabbing Ruan Zhimian’s wrist with force, attempting to pull him behind him before Ruan Zhimian could take a step. The expression on his face was completely frozen. He didn’t believe—wouldn’t believe—that Ruan Zhimian would treat him this way.
“I’m proposing to you in public, yet you’re going to leave with another Alpha? What is the meaning of this?”
Ruan Zhimian shook him off heavily, his dark eyes icy and devoid of any warmth.
In Han He’an’s memory, Ruan Zhimian had never looked at him with such a gaze. Ruan Zhimian was always willful, finding all sorts of reasons to want him to stay a bit longer.
In the end, Ruan Zhimian would always stand where he was, watching Han He’an leave.
“You had people secretly film me and track me. What is the meaning of that?”
If Han He’an hadn’t appeared, Ruan Zhimian wouldn’t have thought of him.
However, everything was too coincidental.
In the many years of growing up alone, Ruan Zhimian had experienced malicious extortion and kidnapping. The moment he saw Han He’an appear before him, everything fell into place.
“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
Han He’an smiled, looking like a refined gentleman. “Zhimian, by my side, I will protect you. In the future, I will only like you. We will marry and have a next generation. You don’t need to use another Alpha to make me angry; I don’t buy into that.”
“I’ve doted on you enough, haven’t I?”
“Han He’an, do you think of me as a small pet?”
Ruan Zhimian’s fair, flushed fingers rested on Shi He’s palm. “Stop disgusting me.”
“Shi He, I want to leave this place.”
Upon hearing this, the tall and upright Alpha silently shielded him in his embrace. The distance between them was neither too close nor too far, maintaining the distance of friends, though his fingertips lightly brushed the snowy-white hem of his clothes as they quickly left the scene crowded with more and more people.
Han He’an’s bright red rose bouquet fell to the ground, petals scattering down.
The meticulously prepared proposal ceremony had completely turned into a joke.
Han He’an moved to follow quickly, but Young Master Teng with his red curls blocked his way, offering a cold and mocking retort: “Young Master Han, stop pretending to be devoted. If you have the time, you’d better go coax your lovers; at least they might believe it.”
Han He’an pushed Teng Yu aside, but Ruan Zhimian and Shi He had long since vanished.
Teng Yu snorted, saying only that he deserved it.
“Really thought he was so amazing.”
Han He’an pulled out his phone, doing his best to maintain his last bit of dignity. He only told the people around them that they were having a quarrel and had the staff clean up the scene.
He endured until he was far away before roaring at the lackey on the phone, “Find Ruan Zhimian and Shi He!”
His handmade leather shoe kicked a tree, the skin of a noble gentleman cracking to reveal only a wretched soul. “I only told you to find a few people to scare Ruan Zhimian; what on earth did you do?”
“I didn’t even get to say my comforting words before he got even angrier.”
Han He’an had used such tactics more than once—sometimes to deal with unyielding lovers, and sometimes to make the other party more obedient.
Yet Ruan Zhimian—only Ruan Zhimian, a Beta he looked down upon—actually dared to treat him this way.
His father’s call came through. Han He’an took a deep breath and answered, “Father.”
“How did the proposal go?”
Han He’an lowered his head, his fist clenched. “Ruan Zhimian is still throwing a tantrum. Please help me, you and Mother.”
“Useless thing.”
“Tomorrow I’ll have your mother pick him up to come home for dinner. Even if you have to kneel, you’d better coax him back. Today I had someone find Ruan Jiarong to sign a contract, and I didn’t even see her face.”
“Although Ruan Zhimian is a sickly one, the Ruan family cherishes him deeply.”
Han He’an stood straight. “I know, Father.”
“I will marry Ruan Zhimian.”
No matter what, he would definitely not let Shi He succeed.
…
Behind a large tree at the back gate of the dormitory, Ruan Zhimian leaned over and took a deep breath. He lifted his head, his hair blown messy by the wind looking fluffy. The tip of his nose was red and the corners of his eyes were also red—though from anger.
“Aren’t you tired?”
“I’m alright.”
Even more beautiful.
Having run back all the way, Shi He wasn’t even out of breath. He only reached out to fix his hearing aid and went to the nearby vending machine to buy a bottle of peach juice, looking at the situation opposite through the window.
“The crowd has dispersed. Where are you going?”
“I… didn’t take my laptop. I came back to get my laptop. And you?”
Shi He’s dark, deep phoenix eyes were half-drooped, watching him with a light, calm gaze. His refined, long fingers bent slightly as he unscrewed the cap and handed it to Ruan Zhimian. “Me too.”
Ruan Zhimian responded dejectedly: “What a coincidence.”
It seemed stealing the little dresses out was impossible now.
“I came back to the school this morning. There’s something important on the laptop I forgot to take.”
Ruan Zhimian took a sip of the peach juice and walked into the back door of the dormitory with Shi He.
Shi He had brought his key. Ruan Zhimian’s bag was still in the car. His pure and clear eyes blinked unblinkingly as he watched Shi He walk in, immediately lifting his feet to follow.
Shi He’s laptop was still on the desk. His fingertip pressed the mouse, and the screen lit up instantly. Shi He turned to go to the balcony to collect his clothes.
On the computer screen was the surveillance screenshot of Ruan Zhimian picking up the package.
Ruan Zhimian tiptoed past, his gaze stealing a peek for fear of being discovered that his figure looked very similar to the person in the video.
If he had known, he would have hired someone to pick it up for him back then.
Shi He walked back with his clothes and saw the “scammer’s” puffed-out cheeks. He reached out a finger and poked them “inadvertently.” “What are you thinking about?”
“Was it Han He’an who told you to go over today?”
“No.”
Ruan Zhimian opened a crack in the cabinet and quickly grabbed his laptop bag. “I came back to school to get things. I don’t want any proposal of his.”
Shi He approached. In the interval of a turn, he blocked Ruan Zhimian between the chair and the desk. The chair tilted forward, wedging the position even tighter. “I’ve heard many people say you liked him very much before. Do you not like him anymore?”
Ruan Zhimian could barely move, the chair pressing against his knees and the laptop held in his arms. He lifted his head, his beautiful eyes showing obedience and confusion.
Asking this suddenly sounded a bit strange.
However, there was nothing to hide.
“I don’t like him anymore.”
The Alpha didn’t move. He leaned down, continuing to ask, “Ruan Zhimian, do you have someone you like now?”
Then, he watched as the Ruan Zhimian in his arms hugged the laptop bag tighter and said with soft determination, “No.”
…
Good.
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