Chapter 122: The Last Time

Chapter 122: Chapter 122: The Last Time

He already couldn’t beat Deng Yuyuan in a fight. If his arm was crippled, when his wife wanted to leave in the future, he wouldn’t even be able to hold her back.

He didn’t wait for Deng Yuyuan’s answer. The complex emotions in his eyes gradually subsided, and he asked another question instead, "Are you sick?"

Deng Yuyuan shook her head. "I’m accompanying a little girl from my neighborhood to see a doctor."

Meng Deyin’s eyes softened. He tentatively raised his hand, his fingertips hooking a strand of Deng Yuyuan’s slightly damp hair to help her tidy her appearance.

Deng Yuyuan didn’t dodge, which undoubtedly made him feel even better. It didn’t matter if she didn’t want to say why she came to Beijing. He would stay with her from now on and never let Deng Yuyuan out of his sight again.

"I came to Beijing because I was successfully admitted, but my admission letter was intercepted halfway. So, I am now a student at Jinghua University," Deng Yuyuan told him.

Meng Deyin’s expression went blank for a moment. Surprise and unease appeared on his face simultaneously, contorting his features slightly. "Congratulations."

Those words seemed squeezed through his gritted teeth.

"I need to take my neighbor to her appointment now. Let’s end our catch-up here for today." Deng Yuyuan tilted her head to look at him.

"Wait!" Meng Deyin didn’t want her to leave, blocking her path.

He knew Deng Yuyuan was definitely hiding things from him, but the fact that they could speak amicably was enough for him to turn a blind eye to certain minor details.

"Then what is our relationship now?" He stared intently at Deng Yuyuan, not missing a single one of her reactions.

Deng Yuyuan didn’t hesitate for a second, telling him firmly, "Friends. The one-year agreement is no longer valid. There is no possibility of us being together."

"And if I say no?" Meng Deyin asked her.

"Then we become enemies." Deng Yuyuan answered just as decisively.

Meng Deyin suddenly leaned in. Deng Yuyuan instinctively turned her head, and a cool kiss landed on her cheek.

She shoved him away, umbrella and all, warning him, "After spending two years together, I don’t want us to end up not even being friends."

Pushed away, Meng Deyin let out a scoff. His long, slender fingers unbuttoned the top few buttons of his collar; he was feeling a little hot.

"After today, will you still be friends with me?" As soon as the words left his mouth, Meng Deyin felt a flash of regret.

He shouldn’t have openly torn up all pretenses with Deng Yuyuan. As long as the final veil wasn’t pierced, even if it meant pretending, there was still a possibility they could get along peacefully. He should have kept a closer eye on Deng Yuyuan earlier.

A top student at Jinghua University... He needed to discuss this with his family and put more pressure on Deng Yuyuan.

Deng Yuyuan nodded firmly. "Of course. I rejected you because I have no intention of dating anyone right now. If anyone else said that to me, I’d reject them too."

She wondered if she smashed a rock against Meng Deyin’s head, whether it would trigger a cliché amnesia trope where he conveniently forgot about her.

[Then Meng Deyin would accidentally run into you in Beijing and fall in love with you at first sight again. Amnesia doesn’t mean changing his tastes; he would still like the exact same type.]

Meng Deyin looked at her steadily, finally saying, "I’ll go with you to take care of your neighbor."

"No need."

His tone darkened. "You rejecting me time and time again makes me feel like what you just said was only brushing me off."

"Yeah, and so?" Deng Yuyuan raised an eyebrow. "You can take it as me brushing you off, or you can take it as my honest thoughts. It’s up to you how you choose to see it."

If Meng Deyin still insisted on following her, she didn’t mind tearing up all pretenses right then and there. At worst, she would just borrow the Wei Family’s influence.

Meng Deyin’s eyes suddenly darkened. He let out an extremely faint chuckle—short and icy, dissipating before it even reached his eyes. He already understood the words Deng Yuyuan had left unspoken.

It was strange. He had clearly pondered that dangerous thought a thousand times in his mind, but when truly standing in front of Deng Yuyuan, he was terrified she would look at him with disgust. Even knowing that Deng Yuyuan was saying one thing and meaning another, he still preferred to be strung along by her like a fool... Whatever, he would give her one last chance.

"Alright," Meng Deyin replied softly, placing the umbrella in the palm of her hand before turning to leave first.

Deng Yuyuan’s voice came from behind him. "Go see a doctor again when you get back. Be careful not to let rainwater seep into your wound."

He still felt his whole being jump with joy just because of her few words of care.

With his back to her, Meng Deyin reached up and touched his own lips; the warm, soft sensation seemed to linger even now. He was truly envious and jealous of her ex-husband, who had possessed a treasure yet didn’t know how to cherish it. Unfortunately, this treasure now had a strong sense of self-preservation and wouldn’t easily surrender her affections.

[Why does the player still care about him? To hesitate in cutting ties will only invite disaster.]

Deng Yuyuan rolled her eyes dramatically. "If I don’t string him along with a little sweetness, what if he goes crazy? Don’t make it sound like I don’t want to cut ties; I simply can’t."

The easiest tie to cut had been the young man with glasses from the Knowledge Youth Institute. Thinking back on it now, Deng Yuyuan still felt a bit guilty. Her words to him that day had been too harsh, likely ruining the ending of his first unrequited love.

"Besides, he talks a good game, but the Meng Family will definitely go investigate Wu Ying right now."

At this thought, Deng Yuyuan quickened her pace and headed back to find Wu Ying.

[So, will the player consider being with him?]

"Ask again, and you can marry him."

She wasn’t an idiot. How could someone with a screw loose like Meng Deyin be a good match? His emotions were volatile and extreme; if he truly had an episode, he would likely lose all reason. Deng Yuyuan didn’t want to date someone like that. It would be exhausting to deal with him in the future. Furthermore, he showed a faint aversion towards Tuantuan; he was too petty.

If they actually got together, she’d have to coddle the young one and then coddle the old one. Just thinking about it was terrifying. The Meng Family would also persuade her, saying things like, "Meng Deyin isn’t completely sound of mind, just humor him a bit~"

[Why is the player so experienced?]

"I watched way too many soapy dramas in my past life." Returning to the lobby, Deng Yuyuan paused her idle chatter with the AI customer service and waved in Wu Ying’s direction.

Wu Ying’s eyes lit up when she saw Deng Yuyuan return.

"I’ll take you to see the doctor. The cost includes hospitalization fees, so you’ll have to stay here for a while." Deng Yuyuan picked her up.

Wu Ying was assigned a private ward.

Deng Yuyuan sighed. The Meng Family must have pulled some strings, otherwise they would have ended up in a shared ward.

Wu Ying’s body tensed up. "What’s wrong, Sister Xiao Yuan? Are the medical bills very expensive?"

"No, they aren’t. Just focus on recovering during this time." Deng Yuyuan’s expression was gentle.

She realized a grim reality—even a business genius had to wait until her injuries healed before she could show off her skills. She wasn’t about to use a little patient to make money for herself.