Jin Ying stayed with Song Xi all night.
Worried that something might happen to her, as Song Xi said nothing but her emotions were all over her face.
The two women lay on the bed.
Jin Ying suddenly asked, "Did Mr. Lou message you?"
"...No," she replied, her voice muffled.
Jin Ying reached out and patted her back, comforting her. "Someone of his status must be busy. Once he's done, he'll come find you, and he'll sort this out in minutes."
Song Xi remained silent.
Jin Ying deliberately gossiped to distract her. "Honestly, do you like him?"
This question truly stumped Song Xi.
Did she like him?
She hesitated.
Jin Ying changed her question. "What do you like about him? His wealth? His good looks? Or how he treats you?"
Song Xi mentally agreed with the first two, but regarding how he treated her... was it good?
Song Xi didn't answer again.
Jin Ying scoffed, "Every time I ask you about Lou Yu Ming, you go quiet. It's not like I'm going to fight you for him."
Song Xi finally spoke up, "You can have him."
"Really?"
In the darkness, Jin Ying edged closer to Song Xi, trying to see her expression.
"If I really took him, don't give me that sulky face like last time."
"Okay."
The air grew quiet for a few seconds, then Jin Ying grunted and turned to bury her face in the pillow.
"I don't want him. To tell you the truth, I've recently started dating a younger guy."
Whenever Jin Ying remembered the awkward atmosphere in the car last time, her toes curled.
It was like a movie for three, but she couldn't even get a name.
She was too lazy to get involved in such a dramatic situation!
"A younger guy?" Song Xi was taken aback. "Your company allows you to date?"
Jin Ying retorted, "Does yours not allow it? Just date secretly."
...That made sense.
Even now, Taozi didn't know about her relationship with Lou Yu Ming.
"What's his name?"
"Li Lang." Jin Ying picked up her phone and opened a selfie of them.
The glaring white light made Song Xi squint, unable to see clearly. She nodded perfunctorily. "Hmm, he's quite handsome. Is he the male lead?"
"No, male third. He doesn't photograph well. The director kept saying he was too thin during filming. Sigh, even though it's a low-budget drama, I've bagged myself a boyfriend, so it's not a loss."
"You also have your acting fees," Song Xi added silently.
"Exactly!"
*Buzz buzz—*
Her phone vibrated. Song Xi thought it was hers, but it turned out to be Jin Ying's.
In the dark, Jin Ying spoke into her phone in a faltering voice.
"You're not asleep yet either?"
"What are you doing?"
"Me? I'm at a friend's place. Which friend? Hehe, I won't tell you!"
"Oh, that's so cheesy."
"Kiss kiss..."
Suddenly force-fed a flood of affection, Song Xi, who had been hit by a barrage of sweetness, was speechless.
She silently took out her phone and checked her messages.
Not even a new notification from a public account.
Damn it... why did she feel even more miserable?
...
Lou Yu Ming didn't find out about this matter until two days later.
He had been very busy lately. The old lady's seventieth birthday was approaching, and he was responsible for organizing it. There were also several critical projects at the company. Fortunately, Yao Yi Fan handled most of the work, making things relatively easier.
The old lady wanted to take this opportunity to have Zhang Qi return. After all, he had a child over there, and it was time for him to return, register his marriage, and get a household registration.
He was, after all, a descendant of the Zhang family, and it wasn't right to keep him abroad indefinitely. The old lady really wanted to see her grandson.
If Zhang Qi returned, things would become very complicated, so Lou Yu Ming didn't agree, leading to a huge argument between them.
The old lady flew into a rage and threw a cup at Lou Yu Ming, leaving bruises under his shirt. However, Lou Yu Ming remained standing tall.
Seeing his defiance, the old lady became even angrier. Pointing at his nose, she scolded him, "Good for you! You think you're so great now that the entire Zhang family depends on you! Think carefully, who raised you! If that old man were still alive and saw your arrogant self, he'd probably regret picking you up back then! You ungrateful wretch!"
The old lady had never spoken such harsh words.
Gao Lin and Zhang Bowen, standing nearby, exchanged glances.
Lou Yu Ming remained silent. He glanced at the time on the wall, picked up his suit, straightened it, and draped it over his arm. "Please take care of yourself, Mother. I'm leaving now."