214: So hurt (bonus chapter)

Lin Wanxing sat alone in a Booth, a glass of wine in front of her, looking a bit lonely.

A man stood by the table, leaning over and talking to her. Lin Wanxing clearly looked impatient and was waving her hand, signaling for him to leave.

Jiang Ye instantly became energized!

Holy moly!

I searched high and low to no avail, but now it's fallen right into my lap!

As expected of the System Mission Exclusive NPC, isn't the plot starting now?

Lin Wanxing must be upset, drinking alone, and got harassed by some blind Perverted Man!

I'll go over now, reveal my “boyfriend” identity, warn him. If he refuses, a small conflict will arise, and then I'll use my superior communication skills and Kingly Aura to resolve the conflict and make him submit... Perfect!

Jiang Ye quickly strode through the crowd, walked up to the small table, reached out, and heavily slapped the man on the shoulder, his voice cold:

"Buddy, what are you doing? This is my girlfriend. Please show some respect."

Hearing the familiar voice, Lin Wanxing looked up in surprise: "Jiang Ye?"

Jiang Ye gave her a gentle smile that said, "Don't worry, I've got this," and spoke in a steady tone:

"Wanxing, don't be afraid. With me here, he won't dare do anything to you."

He turned his head and continued to pressure the "Perverted Man": "I warn you, immediately..."

The man whose shoulder was slapped winced in pain, let out an "Ouch," frowned, and turned around, revealing the item he had been holding in front of him—a tray piled high with watermelon, cantaloupe, and cherry tomatoes.

The dumbfounded Waiter looked innocent and wronged: "Sir, do... do you need a fruit plate? It's 78 yuan. I'm a university student working part-time. Could you support me?"

Jiang Ye: "..."

Lin Wanxing watched his expression instantly freeze, then looked at the fruit plate in the Waiter's hand. She paused for a moment, then realized what happened, and couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"So what if you're a university student? Who the hell isn't a university student?"

Jiang Ye's old face flushed red. He angrily waved his hand at the Waiter: "78 yuan? Why don't you just rob someone?! Get lost!"

The Waiter was inexplicably hit and then inexplicably rejected. He muttered, "If you don't want to buy it, just say so, why hit me..." and reluctantly walked away with the fruit plate.

As soon as the Waiter left, the smile on Lin Wanxing's face quickly faded.

She glanced at Jiang Ye, then looked at her bag on the table. After a moment of hesitation, she ultimately decided not to get up and leave immediately.

Although the incident in the bathroom yesterday was mortifyingly embarrassing, Jiang Ye didn't seem to have done it on purpose. Besides, they lived under the same roof and saw each other constantly; she couldn't hide forever.

"Wanxing, why did you come out to drink by yourself?" Jiang Ye rubbed his nose, trying to break the ice.

Lin Wanxing glanced at him without speaking, took a sip of her drink, and resolved not to talk to him.

"..."

Tsk, looks like she's genuinely angry.

This won't do. There's only one reliable mission NPC... Sigh, I guess I have to coax her.

Jiang Ye looked at her cold demeanor, sighed softly, and began to improvise:

"Wanxing, I know what happened yesterday was my fault. I sincerely apologize again... but I truly didn't mean it, I swear..."

Lin Wanxing bit her straw, still refusing to respond, determined to treat him like air tonight, no matter what he said.

"Is it because... because I saw you naked, and you can't get over it, so you want me to take responsibility, but you also know I have a girlfriend, which leaves you feeling bitter, conflicted, and nowhere to vent, so you hide alone, drinking away your sorrows and licking your wounds?"

Lin Wanxing: "??"

"And here, PP Club, is where our destinies first intertwined..."

Jiang Ye's face was plastered with "I understand your struggle and pain": "Did you choose to come here because you wanted to pursue that initial memory, to see the truth in your heart in a familiar setting?"

"!!!"

Lin Wanxing's breath caught, her eyes widened, and she was completely stunned by this powerful "shameless aura."

Does a person who feels this good about himself truly exist in this world?

This isn't just ordinary narcissism, is it? This is that "Prince Syndrome" where he thinks every woman in the world will fall for him, right?

One second ago, she was determined not to reply, but the next second, she couldn't hold back and glared fiercely at him:

"No! Stop projecting! My mom just called me again, demanding my salary for this month. I thought saving up this year's money for the bride price would be enough, but they expect me to send money home every month AND come up with an extra 200,000 at the end of the year! I came out for a drink because I was upset! It has absolutely nothing to do with you! Thank you!"

Lin Wanxing spoke extremely fast, spilling the words she had bottled up like pouring beans. It was both an explanation and a form of venting.

"Heh..."

Jiang Ye gazed at her with profound eyes, as if bearing endless pain: "Lin Wanxing, you are too selfish."

Lin Wanxing: "??"

She almost thought she was hallucinating: "I'm selfish? Jiang Ye, explain yourself. I'm selfish? Is it because I covered myself with a towel last night?"

"Do you think by saying that, pretending you don't care and that it's all about your family issues, you're completing me and allowing us to move on? That the ultimate love is letting go?"

Jiang Ye sighed with a bitter smile: "Wanxing, you only care about moving yourself, but have you considered my feelings? You are too selfish!"

He pointed to his chest: "What happened last night truly hurt me deeply."

Lin Wanxing opened her mouth, stunned for a good half-minute before finding her voice: "So? Do I need to apologize to you?"

"No need for an apology, that's too formal."

Jiang Ye waved his hand, being incredibly "magnanimous": "I just want you to know that my suffering is no less than yours..."

He took a deep breath, his gaze drifting into the distance, laced with a mix of confusion and sentimentality:

"Even when I was holding Ye Cheng last night, in my mind... the image of you in the bathroom still uncontrollably surfaced. Do you understand that torment and guilt?"

Lin Wanxing's breath hitched again, and her fists instantly clenched: "Should I understand this as... you were holding your girlfriend while fantasizing about me in your head?? Does Miss Ye know about your 'pain'?"

Jiang Ye sighed, his expression becoming even more sorrowful: "Of course she doesn't know. That's the hardest part... I dare not speak your name, and can only endure this heart-gnawing pain alone in the darkness... That's why I wanted to come here, have a drink, and try to numb myself. I never thought..."

"Little Uncle? Little Uncle, why did you run off here?"

"Ahem... I never thought that the guidance of fate would lead me to meet you here."

"Little Uncle! You... Hey! Don't push me!"

"Wanxing..."

Jiang Ye looked affectionately at Lin Wanxing: "This proves that our entanglement is far from over."

"..."

Lin Wanxing watched a young girl constantly approach Jiang Ye, while Jiang Ye, without even glancing sideways, pushed the girl away by pressing her forehead, all while continuing to say these extremely nauseating things to her. She was nearly driven to laughter by the sheer absurdity.

"Jiang Ye, you just said you came here alone to 'drink away your sorrows'? So who is this persistent young lady sticking to you...?"

Jiang Ye's mouth twitched. He turned his head and glared at the relentless Tian Lijuan: "Who are you, Miss? Can't you see a deep emotional conflict is taking place here? Can you be a little more observant?"

Tian Lijuan flinched under his glare, but still didn't walk far, standing nearby with eager eyes.

Lin Wanxing snorted and picked up her bag: "Fine, I won't interrupt you as you continue your 'pain,' continue 'drinking away your sorrows,' and continue dealing with your 'emotional conflict.' I'm going back."

After speaking, she turned to leave.

Jiang Ye was about to say something else when a sudden commotion erupted in the center of the dance floor not far away. It seemed two groups of people had started arguing, and the music volume dipped amidst the pushing and shoving.

Jiang Ye was stunned, and his heart suddenly leaped.

Holy cow! As expected of the mission exclusive NPC! The plot has been triggered!

He quickly grabbed Lin Wanxing's wrist: "Wanxing! No time to explain! The righteous Bystander A needs to make an entrance! Quick, follow me! This is the call of fate!"

Lin Wanxing stumbled from his tug: "What righteous... Hey? Jiang Ye! Where are you dragging me?"

Jiang Ye pulled her toward the conflict on the dance floor without explanation.

After taking two steps, he turned back, saw Tian Lijuan following with a head full of questions and eager eyes, and grabbed her arm too:

"You follow me too! Stop running around aimlessly! I'll take you home once this is over!"