Chapter 20#

Zhao Rong did indeed return to the company.

He woke up early in the morning, replied to the pile of messages on his phone, searched for the information he needed, and then continued to ponder how to obtain the inheritance his grandmother left him.

He had probed Lu Xingping a few times. This person was exactly as described in the original novel: seemingly gentle and approachable, yet sharp and straightforward when interacting, without putting pressure on others. However, it wasn’t easy to get close to him; there was always a hidden distance in their polite exchanges.

He had already confirmed that Lu Xingping’s emotional storyline had not deviated from the original. He just needed to find an opportune moment to discuss with Lu Xingping whether he would be willing to enter into a marriage of convenience with him. If Lu Xingping disagreed, then he would have tried, and not getting it would be fate. If Lu Xingping was willing to have a win-win situation, then the property would be split equally, which would be both impersonal and fair.

But this step was the most difficult.

From Zhao Rong’s experience of dealing with all sorts of people over the years, even if he exchanged pleasantries with Lu Xingping a hundred times, their relationship would only be a gentleman’s agreement, as light as water. It could never compare to the bond Lu Xingping had with Qiao Nanqi and Xia Yuantu, who had grown up with him.

If he brought it up rashly, Lu Xingping, who already had someone in his heart, might think he had other intentions, or even side with Qiao Nanqi, and let this matter and half of the Chen family’s property follow the original plot, exposing it to Qiao Nanqi. No one would dare touch Lu Xingping’s half, but his half might not be so safe. Although Qiao Nanqi didn’t seem to be so ruthless now, what if?

Then all his efforts would be in vain.

He still had to take it slow.

After much thought, Lu Xiaoyue seemed to offer a glimmer of hope.

After all, Lu Xingping was famously doting on his younger sister.

At the company.

Lu Xiaoyue was currently interning at Qiao’s main company.

Once Zhao Rong made up his mind, he no longer hesitated. He tidied himself up at home and drove to the company.

But he wasn’t going back to his idle position.

He had legitimate shares in the company.

He was only twenty-six this year, and he had a long life ahead of him, with many things he could and should do. Wasting time with Qiao Nanqi before was his own choice; now, wanting to do something for himself was also his choice.

He returned to the company and went directly to the administrative department.

For more than a year, he had just been coasting at the main company. The company was so large, with so many people coming and going every day, yet only Song Xinxin and her colleagues recognized him. Others had no impression of him at all.

The person handling his request ran back and forth several times, verifying Zhao Rong’s shareholding, and only then did they belatedly understand. But they didn’t immediately arrange anything for him; instead, they asked him to wait, perhaps needing to follow some procedure.

Zhao Rong went to his original desk first to pack his few belongings.

Song Xinxin was very surprised to see him.

“Zhao Rong? What are you packing for? Don’t tell me…”

Zhao Rong smiled: “I’m not fired, I’m just moving to another office later.”

Song Xinxin didn’t know that his “an office” literally meant a private office. She thought he was just moving to another cubicle and didn’t ask further.

“Where have you been this past week?” She still remembered seeing Zhao Rong last time, in the company elevator at night. Zhao Rong came down from the top floor where only Qiao Nanqi’s office was, carrying crumpled clothes in his hand, wearing a slightly oversized black shirt, and looking pale.

She hesitated, looked around to make sure no one was passing by, then whispered, “I wasn’t the only one who saw you that day. You haven’t been back since, and everyone is saying you…”

Zhao Rong’s movements of packing did not stop at all.

He unhurriedly put his small items into a cardboard box, smiling faintly, his peach blossom eyes slightly curved, like unfurling petals, naturally imbued with a hint of lingering spring.

He chuckled, “Saying I was slept by Qiao Nanqi?”

Song Xinxin was caught off guard by his words.

She didn’t know whether to be more surprised that Zhao Rong so unreservedly said he was slept by another man, or that Zhao Rong directly called Qiao Nanqi by his full name.

She widened her eyes and glanced at Zhao Rong, her astonished and confused expression not yet fading, when her peripheral vision caught sight of a figure at the doorway.

At this moment, the entire office fell silent due to the appearance of this figure.

Zhao Rong naturally felt the sudden strangeness in the atmosphere.

His movements paused. He followed Song Xinxin’s gaze and turned his head, just in time to meet the man’s eyes fixed on him.

Clearly, he was here for him.

Zhao Rong was a little surprised—he used to be at the company every day and might not see Qiao Nanqi for days, which was why he had come so boldly today. But he didn’t expect that now that the agreement was over, this person would come himself.

He remembered the message he saw in the morning—was there really something in the agreement that required his cooperation? Or was there something at home he hadn’t handled properly?

Or perhaps it was about his request for an office earlier, maybe the application went to Qiao Nanqi.

He would ask Qiao Nanqi later.

Qiao Nanqi remained silent.

The man just leaned slightly against the door, his well-fitted white shirt outlining the muscles of his body. The top two buttons of his collar were undone, and both sides of the collar were open, making his neck appear even longer.

He stood at the doorway, one hand in his pocket, the other casually twirling his phone, seemingly just passing by, enduring the gazes of all the women in the office who wanted to look but dared not.

Young Master Qiao almost had the words “come here yourself” tattooed on his face.

Qiao Nanqi was always like this.

He was used to people trying hard to get close to him; he didn’t even need to lift a finger, and people would flock to him.

Zhao Rong used to be like those people.

Thinking about it now felt like a dark history—like an idiot.

But he also didn’t want to contend with the male lead on his territory. He sighed silently and walked past the probing, curious, and speculative gazes to stand before Qiao Nanqi.

He looked up slightly, gazing at Qiao Nanqi as calmly as possible: “Is there something?”

“Come out.”

Without waiting for Zhao Rong’s reply, he turned and left.

He gave Zhao Rong no room to refuse or even think.

It was no different from every time before—no, there was a difference. If Qiao Nanqi had “actively” come to him like this before, he would have been happy for three days.

In plain sight, if Qiao Nanqi was indeed looking for him to discuss potentially problematic clauses in the marriage agreement, or some unresolved family matters, it would indeed be inappropriate to discuss such domestic affairs in front of everyone.

Zhao Rong followed him out, feeling that his decision to leave Qiao Nanqi was truly wise.

At least he wouldn’t do such humiliating things again, where he would rush over just because someone beckoned.

Qiao Nanqi led him directly to the fire escape on this floor.

Zhao Rong understood—for a discussion, it was better to be quiet.

He followed him in, and as soon as the fire escape door closed, the man in front of him suddenly grabbed his hand and pulled him into his embrace.

There was only a dim fluorescent light in the corridor, emitting a pale and faint glow that obscured Qiao Nanqi’s movements. In a moment of daze, Zhao Rong was already pulled by the man, who held both his wrists with one hand and his shoulder with the other, and kissed his upper lip as if declaring ownership.

The faint scent of sandalwood on the man enveloped him, and the warm sensation spread from his lips to his lower lip in an instant.

Zhao Rong’s mind had been full of company and agreement matters just now. Caught off guard, he hadn’t even reacted before Qiao Nanqi pulled him, making him bump into the man’s chest.

And in front of him, Qiao Nanqi, who had been radiating unhappiness just moments ago, instantly relaxed.

Zhao Rong turned his face away and raised his hand, “You—”

His words stopped short.

Someone seemed to be approaching outside the fire escape door, footsteps growing closer.

Unsure if the person would hear the commotion inside or simply walk in, Zhao Rong fell silent and increased the force in his hands, quickly pushing Qiao Nanqi away.

The man’s expression turned to surprise, and an uncharacteristic astonishment flashed in his eyes.

Zhao Rong didn’t see it.

His attention wasn’t on Qiao Nanqi at all. He held his breath, listening to the footsteps approach and then slowly fade away. After confirming that the person had merely passed by and not entered, he finally let out a sigh of relief.

Qiao Nanqi, who had been watching Zhao Rong the entire time, took in every detail of Zhao Rong’s expression.

Qiao Nanqi had heard the footsteps.

But he didn’t want to let go. When he came to find Zhao Rong, he was thinking that if Zhao Rong was throwing a tantrum because of the Chen family matter, he wasn’t entirely unwilling to be lenient, as long as Zhao Rong was as obedient as before. Hearing someone pass by, he even thought it would be fine if they were seen. Hadn’t Zhao Rong complained to him before about not making their relationship public?

“You don’t want people to see?” After he uttered these words in a low voice, he didn’t even notice the faint, almost fantastical hint of grievance in his tone.

Zhao Rong was amused by his question.

Although he indeed didn’t want others to see what they were doing just now, wasn’t Qiao Nanqi the one who least wanted their relationship to be seen? This was nothing short of a thief crying “stop thief.”

“It’s not good for people to see,” he took a step back, creating a normal stranger’s distance between himself and Qiao Nanqi, then continued, “Our marriage agreement is over, we’ve already broken up. I don’t want to be misunderstood later.”

“You didn’t refuse me just now.”

This was truly unfair.

He hadn’t reacted at all just now, and then someone approached, so he immediately pushed Qiao Nanqi away. What kind of “didn’t refuse”?

But he didn’t want to argue with Qiao Nanqi about such a meaningless and boring topic. He just looked at Qiao Nanqi with a puzzled expression and said directly, “I didn’t not refuse, and besides—not refusing doesn’t mean I’m willing to accept. Wasn’t it… like this before?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Qiao Nanqi stared at him intently, his eyes darkening, his gaze becoming obscure in an instant.

Zhao Rong truly couldn’t understand.

Acceptance and rejection could coexist.

He had learned this truth from Qiao Nanqi himself, so why did this person look as if he had been poked in a sensitive spot?

But these things had nothing to do with him. He was too lazy to delve deeper.

“By the way, after we finish talking, I’ll have to trouble you to clarify as well. It doesn’t matter what you say about the past, but we currently, at this very moment, have no relationship—and that must be made clear.”

He had openly responded in front of Song Xinxin earlier because there was nothing to hide about the facts.

But it was a fact that he and Qiao Nanqi had a relationship before, and it was also a fact that he and Qiao Nanqi had no relationship now. He acknowledged the past, and Qiao Nanqi also needed to clarify the present.

“No relationship?” Qiao Nanqi repeated his words.

Zhao Rong was stunned, wondering what this person didn’t understand.

He had already moved out, and he was willing to cooperate with matters in the agreement and things not clearly explained at home. This could truly be considered a good breakup.

“We have no relationship anymore,” he said. “Didn’t we divorce—or rather, break up?”

Qiao Nanqi looked at Zhao Rong.

Zhao Rong had said he liked him a few days ago.

Today, he said “break up” with firm words and no expression.

This was the third time.

The first was a silent declaration. Zhao Rong said nothing, just suddenly left his home and hadn’t returned since.

The second was that emotionless message—“Not coming back.”

The third was at this very moment, spoken by Zhao Rong, resolute and decisive.

For a moment, his mind was a blank, yet it felt as if countless arrows were raining down, and the world was in chaos.

Qiao Nanqi thought he would be angry, upset, or walk away coldly.

But he just stood there, feeling lost.

This time, he suddenly realized.

Zhao Rong wasn’t arguing with him.

Zhao Rong was breaking up with him.