Zhan Yangyi looked at the wine glass in his hand, swirled the wine within, his eyes focused and serious. It was becoming difficult to discern whether he was looking at the wine, or through the glass at something else entirely.
"To be frank, I know what you're worried about," Zhan Yangyi said, downing the wine in one gulp. "You didn't tell me the whole truth about what happened before, for that very reason, right?"
Zhan Mohan did not reply. He did have that consideration, but other thoughts were at play too. Logically, the moment he harbored impure intentions towards Chen Yutong, he should have told Zhan Yangyi everything. In fact, if that incident hadn't occurred, the information Jing Yan had leaked to Zhan Yangyi would have been enough for him to figure things out. Yet, Chen Yutong's actions had cleverly obscured the truth.
"That Jing Yan, the family doctor, you arranged for him to come, didn't you?" Zhan Yangyi asked with a half-smile.
Zhan Mohan didn't deny it.
"Actually, after I learned all this, I wasn't without doubts about her. If I had known these things earlier, perhaps I could have let it go. But now, I simply can't let this woman go." Zhan Yangyi's tone held a hint of bitterness. "No matter what the truth is, all I want now is for her to be mine."
Zhan Mohan looked out the window. He understood Zhan Yangyi's complex emotions. "Your suggestion just now was very good. I will discuss this matter with her properly. Whatever the outcome, I won't have any regrets."
Zhan Yangyi said this, set down his glass, and stood up, turning to leave the bar. Zhan Mohan watched his retreating back, feeling a pang in his heart. While his relationship with Zhan Yangyi wasn't that close, perhaps due to their undeniable blood ties, he felt an almost empathetic connection. Fortunately, Wei Yumeng was not that kind of woman.
When Wei Yumeng heard Zhan Mohan's account, her face was filled with worry. "Big Brother has really decided that?"
Zhan Mohan put an arm around Wei Yumeng and nodded. "Do you think Chen Yutong will agree to him?"
Wei Yumeng shook her head. "I don't know. I don't even know if she truly has feelings for you... Of course, I hope not."
Zhan Mohan took a deep breath. "This is not entirely a bad thing for us. Whether all this can end here now depends on Chen Yutong's choice."
Though still a little worried, Wei Yumeng nodded.
Meanwhile, Zhan Yangyi wandered through the streets before arriving at Chen Yutong's residence. He had initially thought a proposal should be well-prepared in advance, but he couldn't wait any longer. He wanted to hear Chen Yutong's answer sooner.
Chen Yutong was already getting ready for bed when she heard a knock. "Who is it?" she asked, her voice tinged with caution. After all, who would be looking for her at this hour?
"Yutong, it's me," came Zhan Yangyi's low, hoarse voice from outside.
Hearing Zhan Yangyi's voice, Chen Yutong remembered they had broken up, and it wasn't appropriate for him to come in now. "I'm sorry, Mr. Zhan, I'm already asleep. We can talk about it tomorrow."
"Yutong, please open the door," Zhan Yangyi's voice was softer than ever, even carrying a hint of pleading. "I have something very important to tell you."
Chen Yutong stood by the door, hesitant. Since she had proposed breaking up with Zhan Yangyi earlier today, she felt a sense of relief, as if a great burden had been lifted from her heart. Her initial intention in getting close to Zhan Yangyi and dating him was to get closer to Zhan Mohan. Now that she no longer needed Zhan Yangyi, she felt no obligation to save his face. Yet, her heart still softened.
"Yutong..." Zhan Yangyi was deeply disappointed, feeling that Chen Yutong might truly not give him another chance. But just then, the door opened. Chen Yutong discovered Zhan Yangyi reeked of alcohol; he had clearly been drinking heavily.
"Why have you been drinking so much?" Chen Yutong found herself helping Zhan Yangyi inside.
From the moment he entered, Zhan Yangyi had been staring at her, making her feel increasingly uncomfortable. "Mr. Zhan, you shouldn't drink so much in the future. It's bad for your health."
Hearing this, unconcealable joy flickered in Zhan Yangyi's eyes. "See, you still care about me."
Chen Yutong coughed awkwardly. "Mr. Zhan, I..."
"Yutong, marry me?" Zhan Yangyi interrupted her directly. "I have always genuinely liked you. You say I don't trust you, but that was only because I loved you too much and was jealous. If you dislike it, I can change. As long as you agree, I will prioritize you from now on and do whatever you say, alright?"
Chen Yutong looked at Zhan Yangyi before her, momentarily lost in thought. In truth, during their time together, she had witnessed Zhan Yangyi's kindness. Sometimes she even thought that if she hadn't met Zhan Mohan before, she would have been completely defenseless against a man like Zhan Yangyi. However, some things had already happened and could not be changed. Her heart had already belonged to Zhan Mohan.
Tears welled up in Chen Yutong's eyes. She began to wonder why the world was so unfair to her. Why did she have to pursue the man she loved with all her might, while the man who loved her so deeply, she simply couldn't accept?
Zhan Yangyi saw Chen Yutong's tears and felt a deep pang of heartache. Forgetting everything else, he pulled Chen Yutong into his arms, offering constant comfort. "Don't cry. I won't let you be sad or hurt anymore, okay?"
"I'm sorry..." Chen Yutong whispered in his embrace.
"What?" Zhan Yangyi didn't hear clearly.
Chen Yutong simply shook her head and said nothing more. Zhan Yangyi took Chen Yutong's attitude as her tacit agreement. "Don't worry, I will marry you with great fanfare and make you the happiest woman in the world."
Zhan Yangyi spent the night at Chen Yutong's place. Looking at his sleeping face, Chen Yutong felt a rare sense of conflict. She had originally intended to refuse Zhan Yangyi, but somehow, looking at him, she couldn't bring herself to say anything. Perhaps this choice wasn't bad. She could only tell herself that by marrying Zhan Yangyi, she would become part of the Zhan family alongside Zhan Mohan, thus increasing her opportunities to approach Zhan Mohan. This was an opportunity she couldn't afford to miss. Yet, as Chen Yutong thought this, a subtle sadness lingered in her heart, though she didn't know why.