Chapter42

Yan Songwei probably feared being scolded by Madam Yan, so he didn't come home until after 10 p.m. He sneaked into the bedroom and saw Qi Liangqin lying on the desk reading a book.

"Is my mom asleep?"

Qi Liangqin glanced back, stood up, and said, "Why did you come back so late? You didn't answer my calls. Did you go see Tan Qingqing?"

Yan Songwei shook his head. "I didn't have time to see her."

"You can't keep avoiding her like this. I already promised her that you two would meet. You should see her, or she'll expose our fake marriage."

"She said that to you?"

Qi Liangqin nodded. "You can't really blame her. But you too—if you want to break up, just say it clearly. Why keep hiding from her? What are you trying to do? Honestly, you're being a bit of a scumbag."

Yan Songwei slumped into a chair. "Thinking about this lately just frustrates me. Breaking up with her feels heartless, but staying with her makes me feel suffocated. Every time we meet, we argue. I'm starting to think she's a little neurotic—one minute we fight, the next she's crying and apologizing. Sometimes she kisses me, sometimes she slaps me. I can't take it."

"She's pushing too hard. She's probably feeling insecure. You should still meet her, or things will get out of control."

Yan Songwei nodded. "Alright, I'll go see her tomorrow." Then he suddenly sat up straight and looked at Qi Liangqin. "You don't think she'll tie me up, do you? Like in that movie Addiction?"

Qi Liangqin laughed. "You think this is a movie?"

But he was still a little worried. "How about I go with you?"

"Better not. If she really loses it, it'll be a mess. But seriously, our fake marriage is like a ticking time bomb. We need to defuse it before she uses it against me. Women are such trouble."

"When you were sleeping with her, you didn't think women were trouble. Now that you're done and bored, she's suddenly a burden? Scumbag."

Yan Songwei gave an awkward laugh, then stood up and went to take a shower.

This second son of the Yan family was still immature and irresponsible—just a boy who loved to play around and hadn't grown up.

After his shower, Yan Songwei came out to find that Qi Liangqin had already made his bed on the floor. Drying his hair, he said, "Why don't you sleep on the bed? It's big enough. We slept together in hotels before. I don't mind."

"I mind." Qi Liangqin was kneeling on the floor, spreading his blanket, when Yan Songwei playfully kicked him in the butt, making him fall flat on the ground. Yan Songwei burst into laughter.

Qi Liangqin didn't get angry. He got up and continued making his bed. Yan Songwei sat on the edge of the bed and said, "You've got a great temper."

"When you're under someone's roof, you have to lower your head," Qi Liangqin replied.

Yan Songwei watched him for a moment and asked, "Do you want to keep staying in our family?"

Qi Liangqin glanced at him and plopped down, clapping his hands. "That's not up to me, is it? It's all on you."

"These past few months, the more I look at you, the more pleasing you seem. I think this setup isn't bad—having a wife at home who doesn't control me. Even though we're married, I'm still free to do whatever I want. Isn't this the dream life my buddies always fantasize about?"

"Your friends all seem pretty unreliable."

"You're a man too. How do you not understand a man's heart? A stable home with a wife while having flings outside—that's the dream of so many men. How many men actually want to be tied down by one woman for life? You just don't have the means yet. You're young, and you're also gay, so you don't get it. But you'll understand in the future. All men are the same—there are only two kinds: those who have desires but no ability, so they settle for a stable life, and those who have both desires and ability, so they play around outside. A cat will always steal fish—it's human nature, an animal instinct. It has nothing to do with morality."

"That's too absolute. There must be faithful people in this world. The world is big, and anything is possible!"

Yan Songwei laughed and lay down on the bed. "True, the world is big, and anything is possible. There are probably all kinds of men out there, but there's always a majority and a minority. You seem like the minority. I hope you meet another minority in the future."

Qi Liangqin was slightly shaken by Yan Songwei's words. Not everything he said was nonsense—some things might seem ugly, but they were actually more truthful. Perhaps truly devoted and affectionate men were indeed rare in this world. What he wanted wasn't just an ordinary man who was neither good nor bad; he wanted someone who valued love as much as he did—loyal and deeply affectionate. Such a man was probably one in a million. But people always held on to hope, thinking that while good men might be rare, they could still be the lucky one to find one.

After they went to bed, a sudden phone ringing startled them. Qi Liangqin sat up and turned his head to look. Yan Songwei, still lying on the bed, had also woken up and said, "It's my phone. I left my pants in the bathroom when I was showering."

Qi Liangqin went to the bathroom, reached into the pocket of the pants, and took out the phone. He glanced at the screen—it was an unknown number, not a saved contact.

He walked out and handed the phone to Yan Songwei, who frowned. "Who the hell is calling in the middle of the night?"

As soon as he answered, he was surprised to hear that the unfamiliar number belonged to Tan Qingqing.

"I had a dream about you and woke up," Tan Qingqing's voice was languid, tinged with a hint of sadness. "I miss you."

Yan Songwei felt a mix of guilt and unease. He wanted to say, "I miss you too," but in the end, he didn't. Instead, he asked, "Why did you change your number?"

"I got a new number this afternoon. If I didn't, would you have picked up my call?"

Yan Songwei chuckled, glanced at Qi Liangqin, who mouthed, "Tan Qingqing?"

He nodded and said into the phone, "I just got done with work and was about to call you. Let's have lunch together tomorrow... It's too late now, let's talk tomorrow, okay? Be good."

After hanging up, Yan Songwei exhaled deeply and looked at Qi Liangqin.

"'Be good…'" Qi Liangqin mimicked his tone mockingly, making Yan Songwei grab a pillow and throw it at him. Qi Liangqin caught it in his arms and said, "I think you should stay up and figure out how to handle this situation. Women need to be coaxed."

"You say that like you're an expert," Yan Songwei grumbled. "Give me my pillow back."

Qi Liangqin tossed it back to him. Yan Songwei caught it, placed it behind his head, and sighed.

The next morning, Yan Songwei got up early. Qi Liangqin was about to go for a run when he saw Yan Songwei heading out with messy hair and asked, "You're going to work without having breakfast?"

"I'll eat outside. I don't want to deal with Mom's nagging. I'll see her after I sort this out."

Qi Liangqin chuckled and walked out with him, only to run into Yan Bozong. They both greeted him. Yan Bozong asked, "When did you get back last night?"

"Pretty late, hehe."

"From now on, be good to Qi. Stop fooling around with those questionable women."

Yan Songwei gave an awkward laugh. "Big Brother, please put in a good word for me with Mom. Tell her I'll handle this properly."

By "handling it properly," Yan Songwei meant that after a night of thinking, he had decided to break up.

Qi Liangqin didn't know how bad the breakup had been, but when Yan Songwei returned, his face was covered in scratches.

Everyone in the Yan family understood the situation, but at the dining table, they all pretended not to see the multiple bandages on his face. Madam Yan gave him a cold look but didn't scold him.

The whole incident was brushed under the rug as if nothing had happened.

"So what about us? Are we getting a divorce?" Qi Liangqin asked nervously.

"Let's leave things as they are for now. I don't plan on seeing anyone new, and you being here helps cover for me. Besides, my mom is already distant enough. If she finds out this marriage is fake, she'll probably break my legs."

Qi Liangqin secretly rejoiced—this was exactly what he wanted. He needed to stay in the Yan family. If he left now, he would have no ties to them, and it would be nearly impossible to see Yan Bozong again. If he was going to leave, it would have to be after he had built some kind of bond with Yan Bozong. That way, even if he left, he wouldn't have to worry about losing all contact.

"But you have a job to do too. You have to praise me in front of my mom."

Qi Liangqin nodded. "Deal!"

Of course, a man like Yan Songwei, who couldn't go a day without flirting, wasn't actually going to stay single. He just had no plans to remarry yet, but he still wanted to date. His breakup with Tan Qingqing had exhausted him, and Su Ruanyuan took advantage of the situation. When she learned that he had broken up with Tan Qingqing, she launched an aggressive pursuit, which Yan Songwei couldn't resist.

This time, however, he was more cautious. While he was involved with Su Ruanyuan, he never officially defined their relationship. He was secretive about it, keeping it from his family and even Qi Liangqin.

When Qi Liangqin last visited Aunt Chun, neither Yan Bozong nor Yan Songwei went. Yan Bozong wanted his brother to visit, but Yan Songwei refused. "My face is scratched up like this. I don't want to go and become a laughingstock."

"Now you care about embarrassment?" Yan Bozong scoffed. "Everyone at Aunt Chun's place is an old family friend. What's there to be embarrassed about?"

"I just don't want to go. Let Qi go instead. Just tell them I'm busy."

Before Yan Bozong could say anything, Qi Liangqin immediately nodded. "Okay, I'll go."

Yan Bozong glanced at him. Qi Liangqin asked, "What should we bring?"

"I already had everything prepared. It's all in the car."

Qi Liangqin got into Yan Bozong's car. Just as they were driving out of the gate, a woman suddenly ran up. Qi Liangqin was startled—it was none other than Tan Qingqing.

Yan Bozong frowned and stopped the car. Tan Qingqing banged on the window forcefully. "Qi Liangqin! Get out here!"

Qi Liangqin was a little nervous but unbuckled his seatbelt and hesitantly opened the door. Before he could react, Yan Bozong had already gotten out of the car and walked around to the other side.

The moment he appeared, Tan Qingqing slapped Qi Liangqin hard across the face.

Qi Liangqin was stunned. Before he could react, Tan Qingqing raised her hand again, but someone grabbed her wrist—it was Yan Bozong. She struggled, but his grip was too strong. She turned angrily toward him and shouted, "Let go of me!"

"Calm down. If you have something to say, say it properly. There's no need for violence." Yan Bozong said, applying slight pressure, making her step back in pain before he finally released her.

Tan Qingqing pointed at Qi Liangqin and snarled, "Qi Liangqin, do you have no shame?"

Qi Liangqin felt humiliated, especially in front of Yan Bozong. Nothing was worse than being embarrassed in front of the man he loved. Swallowing his pride, he said gently, "Let's talk calmly. Don't be angry."

"Don't act all innocent! I must have been blind back then. Why did I even bring you in? I only wanted to help you make some money! And look at what you did to me—you took the money and still weren't satisfied. You even stole my man! How shameless can you be?!"

Qi Liangqin's face paled. He quickly said, "I didn't steal your man—"

"You didn't?! You really turned him gay! I underestimated you. Do you think just because you got Yan Songwei on your side, he'll protect you? If I tell everyone about your fake marriage, do you think no one will believe me?"

Furious, Tan Qingqing threw her bag at him. Qi Liangqin, feeling guilty, didn't dare fight back but also couldn't run away. Just as the bag was about to hit him, Yan Bozong blocked it.

"Miss, please calm down. If you have something to say, say it properly."

Tan Qingqing yanked her arm away, sneering, "You're Yan Songwei's brother, right? Do you even know that your dear little brother is in a fake marriage? With this guy! You think I'm making trouble? You think he's innocent? Hah! He sold himself for a million—he's nothing but a whore!"

"Tan Qingqing!" Qi Liangqin's face flushed red.

Tan Qingqing let out a cold laugh. "What, did I say something wrong? You're not even as good as a whore. At least whores do it openly, but you? You even deceived your own childhood friend. Men truly are all the same—trash!"

Beside them, Yan Bozong was so shocked that he momentarily forgot to stop Tan Qingqing.

She stepped forward and grabbed Qi Liangqin's chin. "Do you really think that by sowing discord and making Songwei break up with me, he'll actually fall for you? A straight man is a straight man—sleeping with you is just a novelty. How long do you think it'll last? A month, two months, or a year? A million for a year—have you calculated how much you're earning per night? Remember this: no matter what happens, with that million sitting there, you're nothing more than a sellout."

"I have nothing to do with your breakup with Yan Songwei. That's between you two—I never tried to drive a wedge between you. If you don't believe me, I'll call him right now and have him clear things up!" Qi Liangqin's face was flushed red as he immediately dialed Yan Songwei's number.

Yan Songwei answered in a lazy tone, "What is it? Did you forget something?"

"You bastard, Yan Songwei, get out here right now!"

At the root of this love triangle, Yan Songwei was the real instigator.

Wearing slippers, Yan Songwei perked up the moment he saw Tan Qingqing. He immediately broke into a jog and rushed over.

"I told you already, we broke up. Why are you at my doorstep again?"

The moment Tan Qingqing saw him, she lunged at him to hit him again. But Yan Songwei wasn't as easy to bully as Qi Liangqin—he swiftly grabbed her wrist. "Stop making a scene. What exactly do you want?"

Tan Qingqing burst into wailing sobs. "You two heartless bastards! One of you was the man I loved most, the other was my best friend, and both of you betrayed me! I wish I could kill you both!"

"You… You're being ridiculous." Yan Songwei hesitated, afraid he'd say something too harsh. Awkwardly, he pulled her toward the street.

Qi Liangqin tried to follow, but Yan Songwei barked, "Stay here. Don't come!"

But Qi Liangqin didn't listen and kept trailing them. The three of them walked all the way to the main road before Yan Songwei finally let go of Tan Qingqing's wrist. Panting, he said, "Tan Qingqing, this is how relationships work. If you love someone, you stay together. If you don't, you break up. Stop acting like it's life or death."

Tan Qingqing swung her purse at him again, but this time, Yan Songwei didn't resist. She rained down blow after blow until she exhausted herself, then finally threw her purse to the ground and broke into uncontrollable sobs.

"I loved you so much. How could you do this to me? How could you both do this to me?"

"Let's clear things up," Qi Liangqin said coldly. "Yan Songwei, she claims I interfered in your relationship, that I slept with you, that I 'turned' you. What exactly did you tell her?"

A bruise was already forming on Yan Songwei's cheek from the beating. He looked at Tan Qingqing and said, "I told her I turned gay and fell for him. It was a lie—to make you give up. What happened between us has nothing to do with Liangqin. It's me. I don't love you anymore. If you ask me why, I don't know. If you ask if I ever loved you, if I meant everything I said before, yes, I did. I haven't forgotten any of it. But I also don't know why I stopped loving you. Maybe I'm just like this. It's better for you to find out now than after we got married. This is my fault. The only thing I can give you now is money. If you think it's not enough, I'll give you more. Maybe that's all I really have to offer—just a pile of cash. Stop making a scene. There's no going back for us."

Tan Qingqing clenched her fist and gave Yan Songwei one last punch to the shin before crouching on the ground, crying. "It's always like this. Even if you find someone else, one day you'll end up just like us. Can't you just stay with me? You don't love me anymore, but I still love you. Your feelings changed, but mine didn't. You can just walk away, but what am I supposed to do? Just because you don't love me anymore doesn't mean I can stop loving you too. What am I supposed to do? You have no idea how much this hurts."

Yan Songwei looked down at Tan Qingqing, crouched on the ground, and hesitated, reaching out to help her up. But she shoved his hand away.

Wiping her tears, she stood up, though the tears kept falling. "I knew it. I was never meant to have a happy fate. I always knew…"

She bent down to pick up her purse, glancing at Yan Songwei, then at Qi Liangqin, her eyes filled with something indescribable—pain, hatred, or maybe both.

Qi Liangqin was unexpectedly shaken by the sight of Tan Qingqing like this. At this moment, she looked a lot like his past self. The way she said she had always known her fate wouldn't be kind—it was full of bitterness, yet utterly resigned.

Love. Why does it come so suddenly and leave just as abruptly? Why can't a first love be the destined one? Why must we go through so much pain and hardship, wasting so much time and effort? Why do we always end up loving the wrong person? Why does a memory so sweet turn out to be a mistake in the end?

"You just wait," Tan Qingqing said bitterly to Yan Songwei. "What goes around comes around. One day, someone will treat you exactly the way you treated me. The pain I feel now—she'll make sure you feel it too!"