Chapter 70: Arrogance
The back gate of A University.
It was winter, and the students coming and going through the gate were all dressed in thick, warm clothing, mostly wrapped in black down jackets and scarves.
Pei Zhouye had been waiting in the car for a long time, yet he still hadn’t seen Wen Yan in the crowd.
He was very patient.
The heater was on in the car, so Pei Zhouye rolled down the window halfway to keep his head from becoming groggy.
The GPS showed that Wen Yan was still on campus. There were five minutes left until the deadline he had given.
[Pei Zhouye: When are you coming out, or should I go in and get you?]
Wen Yan stood up abruptly.
“What’s wrong?” Li Si asked him.
Wen Yan had found Li Si in the afternoon to apologize. Li Si had said it was nothing, but he still couldn’t lift his spirits.
“I have to go home.” Wen Yan cleared the takeout bags from the coffee and his own books off the table. “I’m truly sorry for wasting everyone’s hard work for so long.”
Li Si looked relieved and forced a smile, waving his hand. “I told you I don’t blame you. There was nothing that could be done. You didn’t do anything wrong. The road ahead is long; we’ll just keep working hard together.”
Wen Yan had already apologized many times.
Although they didn’t know exactly what had happened, the group could make an educated guess.
The President Pei of the Pei Group was Wen Yan’s boyfriend. Chen Yuchen had some prior history with the two, and they happened to bump into each other that time.
A conflict between two young masters had collateralized their tiny startup.
Li Si remembered that initially, it was only after Chen Yuchen saw the name “Wen Yan” on the proposal that they secured the subsequent collaboration and investment. At the time, he thought they were just lucky to have met a benefactor. Looking back now, he suspected the investment was probably because of Wen Yan from the start.
Wen Yan was grateful for this group of friends. He checked the time again and left in a hurry, his pace frantic.
Wu Qingqing and Duan Mingtao walked together under the trees on campus. Usually lively, Wu Qingqing was also in low spirits today.
They had witnessed most of what had happened from start to finish—from Wen Yan introducing his boyfriend as Gu Yulan, to them going to the Pei family for an internship together, to Wen Yan disappearing for a while, and then breaking up to be with Pei Zhouye.
“Do you remember in the beginning, Yan-ge said he didn’t want to go to the Pei family for an internship?” Wu Qingqing suddenly spoke.
Duan Mingtao: “Yeah.”
Wu Qingqing: “Do you think Yan-ge and Pei Zhouye are in a normal relationship?”
Duan Mingtao didn’t say anything.
Wu Qingqing hung her head dejectedly.
Wen Yan had disappeared twice, but everyone had received a legitimate explanation, and Wen Yan had personally admitted he was with him voluntarily.
While they were in the studio today, Wen Yan had checked his phone frequently and was very tense. He felt incredibly guilty about the investment being blocked by Pei Zhouye, evidently unaware that it had happened.
“If we hadn’t thought about going to the Pei family for an internship back then…”
She didn’t finish her sentence.
Duan Mingtao stopped and comforted her seriously: “If Wen Yan needs our help, we will do everything we can. I’ll find an opportunity to ask him clearly.”
He added with conviction, “Wen Yan is very smart and has a lot of self-respect. He must have his own reasons for making his decisions.”
Wen Yan might truly have reasons he couldn’t speak of.
He had seen the bracelet Wen Yan was wearing.
When Wen Yan rushed to the back gate, he was still five minutes late.
The car window revealed half of Pei Zhouye’s face. His peach blossom eyes were filled with indifference.
Wen Yan took a deep breath, opened the car door from the other side, and sat inside.
“You were late on purpose,” Pei Zhouye stated with certainty.
Wen Yan was a punctual person. If given a time, he wouldn’t be late.
Being late was entirely a test Wen Yan was conducting on him.
Wen Yan didn’t respond, which served as a tacit admission.
“Why?”
Pei Zhouye’s tone was very calm, as if he were patiently asking for an explanation.
Wen Yan couldn’t maintain the facade of peace. He unconsciously raised his voice, speaking rapidly: “Why did you block Chen Yuchen’s investment? If you have a problem, take it out on me. Why did you involve other people?”
His tone wasn’t fierce; it was filled with incomprehension and anger.
Without waiting for Pei Zhouye to speak, Wen Yan continued: “Pei Zhouye, what I owe you is my own business. I won’t participate in any future work or have contact with Chen Yuchen. That investment was the result of many people’s hard work.”
“They were looking forward to it for so long, and just because of me—just because you’re angry with me—you destroyed their hard work! They truly must have had eight lifetimes of bad luck to meet me…” Wen Yan was too angry to continue. He was stared into silence by Pei Zhouye and turned his head away.
Things had already reached this point; there was no way to win Chen Yuchen back. Even if he were consumed by guilt and anger, there was nothing he could do.
Wen Yan looked out the window, trying to calm himself.
In another half-month, he would leave Pei Zhouye. No matter what method he used or how much time and energy it took, he would secure investment to pay everyone back.
This was what he owed them.
“Isn’t it just an investment of several hundred thousand? Can’t I just double it?” Pei Zhouye’s voice wasn’t loud, as if he were asking a genuine question.
He wouldn’t allow Chen Yuchen any opportunity to contact Wen Yan. Stopping it before it began was the most efficient method, far more convenient than trying to cut ties once their interests were deeply intertwined.
He knew best how to slowly get close to Wen Yan, so he absolutely would not allow any of it to happen.
The atmosphere in the car today didn’t feel like an argument; the two were conversing like they were discussing daily life.
“It’s not necessary.” Wen Yan’s voice was very cold. “I’ll find a way myself.”
Pei Zhouye frowned in dissatisfaction. “Wen Yan, is there anything you need that I can’t give you? Why must you do so many troublesome things when seeking me out is the fastest and most effective way?”
Arrogant, unreasonable, high and mighty, doing whatever he pleased.
Wen Yan didn’t want to speak anymore.
He didn’t have the strength to fight with Pei Zhouye.
He just had to endure. He just had to endure this last half-month.
Wen Yan’s nose turned red, and his heart felt heavy with bitterness.
He didn’t know what he was sad about.
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