The manager hurriedly stood up, offering to accompany her. Shen Yue refused, not wanting to trouble him, so the manager sat back down.
She was unfamiliar with the KTV and wandered for a long time, unable to find the restroom. All the doors in this KTV looked the same.
That day, it was just a coincidence.
It was as if it were fate.
One of the private room doors was not fully closed. Inside, there seemed to be boisterous cheering, the sounds loud enough for Shen Yue to hear even standing outside.
At first, Shen Yue didn't pay much attention until, in a daze, she thought she heard Sang Fan's name.
Was Sang Fan here too?
Shen Yue glanced inside. The gap in the door was very small, and she couldn't see anything of the scene within.
In the end, Shen Yue didn't go in and continued searching for the restroom, only to find herself back where she started after a long detour.
This time, Shen Yue prepared to ask a staff member for help.
She couldn't find any staff, but as she rounded a corner, Shen Yue spotted a familiar figure, tall and imposing, exceptionally recognizable.
It was Sang Fan.
Sang Fan was smoking, perhaps not in the best mood. There was another man beside him, saying something.
Shen Yue wondered if she should go over and say hello now, or pretend she hadn't seen anything.
She ultimately decided to feign ignorance. Due to the angle, if Shen Yue walked sideways towards the corner, and Sang Fan was facing away from her, there was a high chance of a perfect miss.
She walked close to the wall. Even unintentionally, as she drew closer, she could hear their conversation.
"What's wrong with you? You had such a good opportunity then, why did you go crazy?"
Xiao Yansheng's voice was frantic, helpless, and disappointed, as if he wished he could pry open the other person's skull and see what was inside.
Sang Fan reached out to light a cigarette and slowly exhaled smoke. Through the swirling white mist, he vaguely mumbled, "Mm," clearly trying to brush it off.
But Xiao Yansheng was at his wit's end. He was furious. "Don't play coy with me. Just give me one answer: do you or do you not like Xia Qiong."
Sang Fan fell silent. His features were obscure through the thin wisps of rising smoke.
Xiao Yansheng took a deep breath and abruptly mentioned, "I heard you keep a little plaything at home."
Sang Fan finally looked up.
The look in his eyes made Xiao Yansheng's scalp tingle, and he blurted out, "You know that woman around Xia Qiong is a big gossip. Everyone in the circle knows. I also heard that person looks a lot like Xia Qiong? No way, Sang, what era is this? You're still using a look-alike?"
"Don't mess around. Just do as I say. Wasn't the method I suggested earlier very good? Go seduce that sickly girl from the Shen family. Once you've got her, you can really annoy Jiang Bainian. I know you're having your first crush and don't want to mess around carelessly, but this is just online, nothing substantial will happen. But the one you keep at home, that's different."
Xiao Yansheng's mouth was like a machine gun, spewing words without a breath, as if desperately wanting to shake sense into the person in front of him, though he knew he'd likely be beaten if he tried.
He felt his plan was a double whammy, capable of eliminating Jiang Bainian and thoroughly humiliating him.
"See, you treat what I like like trash, so I'll treat who you like like trash."
How perfect. The self-proclaimed strategist felt deeply satisfied, believing his time reading romance novels had not been in vain.
Xiao Yansheng: This household would fall apart without me.
Shen Yue stood silently, tilting her head to gaze at the hazy, ambiguous lights above. Staring for too long made her feel dizzy.
"I really don't understand what you're thinking. If you really can't do it, just give me your WeChat. I'll communicate with that sickly person for you. I guarantee I'll have her sorted out for you within a week..."
Shen Yue couldn't continue listening, nor did she want to.
She hugged the wall, like a shadow. No wonder she passed by without attracting any attention from the two.
Every minute she walked, she encountered a staff member. Shen Yue asked for the direction to the restroom and, following the staff member's guidance, finally found it.
After using the restroom, Shen Yue quietly washed her hands. As she dried them, her vision suddenly blackened.
She looked up and saw her pale, sickly face in the mirror, her lips slowly losing their color.
Her long, thick eyelashes trembled slightly. She couldn't quite describe the feeling, but she suddenly felt immense sadness.
It was as if she had finally made a friend, only to discover it was merely the prank of a naughty child, and the other person had never intended to be her friend from the start.
She was just a boring toy.
Her heart felt as if it were being tightly gripped by a hand, a familiar dull ache returning. She took a deep breath, clutching her chest, her other hand unconsciously fumbling in her pocket.
Medicine...
The pain was overwhelming, almost unbearable, but she couldn't find it. She was so anxious she was about to cry.
It took her a moment to react.
Oh, the medicine wasn't on her person; it was in her bag.
She hadn't had an episode for a long time, so she had become a bit lax, even putting her usually indispensable medicine in her bag.
Her steps were unsteady as she walked back towards the private rooms.
Her vision continued to darken. As she walked, she tried to find her way.
All the doors looked the same; she couldn't find it.
Whether from anxiety or pain, Shen Yue's vision began to blur. Tears welled up and flowed down her cheeks, feeling cold.
She didn't even notice the hurried footsteps behind her until a hand firmly pressed against her, almost pulling her entire body backward.
She heard the heavy, rapid beating of a heart from the chest pressed against her.
Shen Yue looked up, and Sang Fan's face appeared in her sight. His brows were tightly furrowed, his expression dark, making him appear fierce and unapproachable.
His eyes reflected Shen Yue's pale face and red eyes, looking helpless and pitiful.
"What's wrong?"
"Why are you crying? Who bullied you?"
His tone was rough, almost furious, bordering on rage.
Shen Yue pressed her hand to her chest, silently speaking to her heart.
Don't hurt, don't hurt.
But it wouldn't listen.
Just like the man in front of her, it was because of him that her heart ached.
And now he was asking who had bullied her.
However, the words that came out were not an accusation, but a plea: "Medicine... medicine..."
"What medicine?! Where is the medicine? Shen Yue! Shen Yue!"
"Shen Yue, say something!!!"
It was too loud; her ears hurt.
Shen Yue, with great effort, recalled the private room number and spoke it.
Without a word, Sang Fan scooped up the girl and, practically bulldozing his way, stormed into that private room.
He kicked open all the doors, startling everyone inside.