Into the Night, Jiao Jiao Gets Kissed by a Business Tycoon
Chapter 198: [Side Story] Afraid Someone Will Cry

Chapter 198: Chapter 198: [Side Story] Afraid Someone Will Cry

Zhou Ming’s phone password was very simple—it was just four ones.

Jiang Yurou unlocked the screen and tapped into WeChat, where the name "Meng Xuehua" instantly stabbed her eyes.

Almost trembling, Jiang Yurou opened the chat box and messages popped up:

"Zhou Ming, have you gotten home?"

"How have you thought about the thing I mentioned earlier?"

"What can I do? I miss you so much after just an hour apart."

Jiang Yurou continued to scroll through their past chat history. Initially, it was only Meng Xuehua reaching out to Zhou Ming, with no replies from him.

But later on, Zhou Ming began to respond to Meng Xuehua’s messages, from one or two to three or four, then more and more.

Just a few days ago, they even met up for a meal. Jiang Yurou checked the date, recalling how she had prepared a table full of dishes waiting for Zhou Ming that day, but he had said he was busy with something.

So he was with someone else...

Jiang Yurou gave a bitter laugh, despite the pain in her heart, she didn’t let herself cry.

When Zhou Ming came out of the bathroom, he immediately noticed the lit-up phone on the table.

He paused, then walked toward Jiang Yurou.

"When did you two start?" Jiang Yurou asked, surprisingly calm, her voice steadier than she had expected.

"So you know." Zhou Ming responded indifferently.

Hearing Zhou Ming’s uncaring tone, Jiang Yurou’s eyes finally reddened. She looked up at him and coldly questioned, "So all your recent coldness toward me was because of her?"

"No," Zhou Ming’s voice was colder than ever, "Now that you know, there’s no point in hiding it. She said if I stayed with her, she could gather the money for Lezhi’s medical expenses. I agreed."

Jiang Yurou scoffed, staring into his eyes, "Then what am I?"

Zhou Ming was silent for a moment before saying, "Yurou, let’s break up."

His demeanor was firm; this was not a spur-of-the-moment decision. He truly wanted to break up.

A dull pain throbbed in Jiang Yurou’s chest, as if something was seeping out. She suddenly found it ridiculous. The more Zhou Ming acted like he didn’t care, the more her efforts over this time seemed like a joke.

"Heh," Jiang Yurou sneered self-derisively, "Zhou Ming, you make me feel like a complete failure."

She slowly looked up at the man she had once deeply loved, her eyes flashing with anger and resentment, "I spent every day wondering when you changed, why you were so cold to me. I kept telling myself you were still angry with me over Lezhi’s issue, speaking on your behalf, trying in every way to cheer you up..."

Jiang Yurou clenched her fists, tears welling up in her eyes, "But what about you? How did you treat me? You made me feel like a complete clown. I even began to doubt whether you ever really liked me."

Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

But despite her words, there was not the slightest hint of guilt in Zhou Ming’s eyes; he said, "Actually, there are some things I didn’t intend to tell you. I thought, since we are going to break up, let’s end it in a way that’s pleasant for everyone."

Zhou Ming closed his eyes and then looked at Jiang Yurou, "But since you asked, I’ll tell you. When you were clinging to me at the beginning, I found it quite annoying. Sure, you are pretty, and there was a time I was indeed attracted, but to say I liked you would be an overstatement."

"So if you don’t like me, then why were you with me? Why did you let me be your girlfriend?" Jiang Yurou’s face was pale, her emotions seemingly unstable.

Zhou Ming shrugged, "Because you took the initiative. If free labor comes knocking at my door, why should I refuse?"

"You... you bastard!" Jiang Yurou cursed through clenched teeth.

Zhou Ming did not argue but said, "Well, after you’re done cursing, just leave. Don’t fall for someone recklessly next time; one lesson should be enough."

This was how Jiang Yurou’s first love ended, both absurd and ridiculous.

Just like when she arrived, she didn’t take anything with her.

Jiang Yurou staggered out of the apartment building, looking somewhat dispirited. She looked up at the pitch-black sky and suddenly felt as if something was missing in her life.

Her previous apartment had already been vacated. Where should she go now?

Eventually, Jiang Yurou called Tan Bo, but before she could speak, a voice came from the other end of the line, "Come out, I’m at the entrance of the alley."

Jiang Yurou was stunned and looked toward the alley entrance, and indeed saw the familiar car and figure.

Hadn’t he left after dropping her off?

Why was he here?

Jiang Yurou walked toward him, tears slowly welling in her eyes, her voice gradually breaking with a hint of grievance, "You... weren’t you gone?"

Tan Bo looked down at her for a long moment before slowly saying, "I came back because I was afraid someone would be crying."

Jiang Yurou’s heart fluttered, meeting his gaze. It seemed as if she comprehended something in her daze. She hadn’t cried when Zhou Ming had spoken harshly to her, but now, upon hearing Tan Bo’s words, tears uncontrollably fell.

This was the second time that day Jiang Yurou had cried in front of Tan Bo.

Tan Bo, feeling distressed, pulled her into his embrace, "Cry, my shoulder is always here for you."

Afterward, Jiang Yurou cried unabashedly, soaking Tan Bo’s clothes completely before she gradually calmed down and asked, "Tan Bo, is there a quick way to forget the pain?"

Tan Bo gently rested his chin on Jiang Yurou’s head and after a moment’s thought, he said, "Does it really hurt that much?"

"Yes, it’s very painful. It feels like my heart is about to break."

"Okay, then I’ll take you to forget the pain."

With that, Tan Bo took Jiang Yurou by the hand, got into the car, and took her to a bar he frequently visited, reserving a private booth.

"This is how I usually forget my pain," Tan Bo pointed at the rows of bottles in front of him. "Whenever I get drunk, I forget many troubles."

Jiang Yurou stared at his face for a long time. She knew that at this moment, Tan Bo had laid his heart bare before her.

She didn’t speak; she picked up a glass of red wine from the table and drank more than half in one go.

Jiang Yurou had always been a light drinker, and half a bottle later, she already felt a bit dizzy.

Yet she did not stop; she took the glass, filled it up, and drank one glass after another.

She seldom allowed herself to get drunk, but today, she wanted to be intoxicated.

Towards the end, Jiang Yurou collapsed drunkenly into Tan Bo’s arms, her breath warm on his neck, making it tickle.

He wrapped his arm around her waist, letting her lie more comfortably in the crook of his arm.