88: Rescuing the situation (Bonus chapter)

The atmosphere outside GAMA Fitness was super awkward.

Lin Wanxing looked at Zhang Wenhai kneeling on one knee before her, holding roses with a face full of 'deep affection,' then glanced at the growing crowd of onlookers and the members inside the glass walls who had stopped their workouts to curiously watch. Her expression quickly shifted from initial helplessness to icy coldness, finally turning to anger.

She took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and whispered in a volume only the two of them could hear:

"Zhang Wenhai, I made it very clear to you on the phone yesterday! We're not compatible, it's over! Can't you understand human speech?"

Zhang Wenhai forced a bitter smile on his face, his tone pleading:

"Wanxing, I know I was wrong, it's all my fault! But if I had actually done something substantial with someone else, I would never have the nerve to see you again! That night, I really just drank too much, my hand was in the wrong place, I swear..."

"That's just one part of it!"

Lin Wanxing impatiently cut him off, her eyes filled with disappointment and exhaustion:

"The key is what happened afterward! Every piece of nonsense you said, every passive-aggressive WeChat message you sent, every self-righteous 'reconciliation' attempt you made, including now! Using this method to pressure me at my workplace!!"

"Zhang Wenhai, you've made me see you in a new light over and over again! I must have been blind before, never imagining you could be this shameless!"

She pointed at the ground, lowering her voice further: "Get up! Save yourself some last shred of dignity, don't force me to yell at you in front of all these people!"

Zhang Wenhai's face turned pale and then flushed as he was berated, but he remained kneeling, lowering his head slightly and speaking in a tone he thought was deeply sorrowful:

"Wanxing, no matter how you think of me now, no matter how much you look down on me, I just want a chance... a chance to start over. Just take this bouquet, and I'll disappear immediately! Afterward... afterward we can get to know each other again, I can pursue you again, let you see how I've changed..."

Before he could finish his 'heartfelt confession,' the bouquet of roses in his hand suddenly felt lighter, snatched away from the side.

Zhang Wenhai's heart leaped with joy, thinking Lin Wanxing had finally softened, but when he looked up, the one holding the flowers was a somewhat familiar, unfamiliar girl with a mocking expression.

His gaze shifted slightly to the side, and he saw the man next to her, arms crossed with a look of watching a show—wasn't this the bastard who was eating sunflower seeds and 'reverse tailing' at the bar last time?!

Ye Cheng held the bouquet of red roses, pretending to sniff them dramatically, then looked at the uniquely positioned Zhang Wenhai on the ground and said with a smile:

"Hey, this guy looks so familiar? I remember you just wrote a guarantee at the police station last week for tailing this sister, didn't you? What, it's only been three or four days, and you're already daring to harass her again? This counts as repeated offenses, a serious situation!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire crowd collectively gasped.

The onlookers who originally had 'auntie smiles' on their faces instantly froze, quickly turning to shock, disdain, and disgust.

"Wow! I thought it was some romantic proposal, turns out it's a creepy stalker?"

"He looks decent, how could he do such a thing?"

"And kneeling? This is emotional blackmail! So disgusting!"

"Film it, film it! Expose him online!"

"I knew it, no wonder the girl looked so upset!"

Zhang Wenhai's face instantly turned as dark as the bottom of a pot, and he jumped up from the ground, pointing at Ye Cheng and shouting furiously:

"What nonsense are you spouting! Wanxing and I are in a proper boyfriend-girlfriend relationship! What right does an outsider like you have to butt in?"

"Oh? A proper boyfriend-girlfriend relationship?"

Jiang Ye sneered, slowly shaking the phone in his hand, the screen clearly showing a call interface with the contact name—Officer An Xin.

He put the phone to his ear, his tone instantly turning serious:

"Hello, Officer An, you heard everything, right? It's this Zhang Wenhai again, harassing the girl at her workplace, even pulling this kneeling emotional blackmail stunt... Yes, that's right, the location is outside GAMA Fitness at MixC City... What do you think, did I handle it correctly this time? Spotting suspicious activity, intervening promptly, and reporting to you immediately, not giving any criminals a chance! Pretty decent, right?"

Zhang Wenhai stiffened his neck, shouting with false bravado: "Stop trying to scare me! Who are you fooling with a fake phone call? I'm in a normal relationship, what law am I breaking?"

Jiang Ye glanced at him, casually pressing the speakerphone button and saying into the phone: "Officer An, he doesn't believe it, thinks I'm bluffing him. What do you think, maybe you should talk to him yourself?"

There was a two-second silence on the phone, then a slightly helpless male voice came through: "Zhang Wenhai, this is An Zhengjun."

Jiang Ye immediately snorted, raising his chin at Zhang Wenhai: "Hear that? He said his name is An Xin! The one who deals with all kinds of troublemakers in Jinghai!"

The person on the phone clearly sounded exasperated, his voice tinged with annoyance: "Jiang Ye! Are you itching for trouble again? I'll..."

"Hey hey, Brother An, don't scold, don't scold!"

Jiang Ye quickly turned off the speakerphone, putting the phone back to his ear: "I just thought the atmosphere here was too awkward, wanted to lighten the mood a bit... Yeah yeah, I get it, don't worry, if he still refuses to leave, I'll call you right away... Okay, thanks, Brother An, good thing I asked for your number back then... Yeah yeah, say hi to Chief An for me!"

Jiang Ye's playful antics, though a bit absurd, were highly effective.

The originally indignant onlookers couldn't help but chuckle softly, easing the tense and awkward atmosphere considerably.

Even Lin Wanxing, who had been stern-faced and full of irritation, couldn't help but let the corners of her mouth twitch upward slightly, quickly pressing her lips together to suppress the smile.

Zhang Wenhai stood there, his expression now indescribably ugly.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, he couldn't decide whether to leave or stay, completely turned into a clown.

He gritted his teeth, his gaze passing over Jiang Ye and Ye Cheng, looking at Lin Wanxing again, trying one last desperate attempt:

"Wanxing, I know you won't listen to anything I say now... Fine, even if we can't be lovers anymore, can't we at least be friends? We were each other's first love, I don't believe there's not a single trace of this relationship, of me, left in your heart! If you won't even be friends with me, that just proves you haven't let go of this relationship at all!"