Chapter 43

As a nightclub hostess, Tan Qingqing came from an average family background, but she was a beauty with plenty of admirers. When she set her sights on Yan Songwei, it was naturally because he was a wealthy second-generation heir—he had money.

Unlike Qi Liangqin, Tan Qingqing had been through many men. She had wandered through the extravagant world for a long time, had been hurt, and had hurt others. She understood that what she sought was not passionate and pure love but a stable and affluent marriage. But the weakness of women lies in the fact that, no matter how clear their goals are at the start, they always develop feelings over time. Just like Wang Jiazhi in Lust, Caution, where love and desire intertwined—"He didn't just enter my body, he also wanted to enter my heart."

She had more or less anticipated the eventual breakup. In fact, it was precisely because she foresaw it that she was always anxious. That was why, when Madam Yan shut her out, she impulsively and foolishly pushed Qi Liangqin and Yan Songwei into marriage—because she was desperate, because she was afraid. She knew all too well how long Yan Songwei's passion for her would last. She couldn't afford to wait. His enthusiasm would inevitably fade, so she had to marry into the Yan family before his love cooled.

But just like many female celebrities or internet influencers who get involved with rich and powerful men, dating was one thing—marriage was a whole different challenge. She understood this, but her desires clouded her judgment. The Yan family was an aristocratic household. Madam Yan was traditional and domineering. Yan Songwei feared his mother. All of these factors made their breakup inevitable. Even if Qi Liangqin had wanted to help, he couldn't have done anything.

And yet, she still harbored resentment—just as she knew she shouldn't have fallen in love with Yan Songwei, but she did anyway. She understood everything, yet she couldn't help but hate. Perhaps that was just human nature.

Yan Songwei, like a stray dog, trudged back miserably. Qi Liangqin followed behind him, occasionally glancing back. The taxi Tan Qingqing had left in had already disappeared from sight.

"Sorry for dragging you into this mess for nothing," Yan Songwei said.

Qi Liangqin replied, "You're such an idiot. Using me as a shield will only make her hate me even more—not just you, but me too."

"I tried everything to break up with her—soft words, harsh words, nothing worked. In the heat of the moment, I told her I was actually bi, that I'd fallen for you and didn't like her anymore. She actually believed it. She even asked if I had been after you from the start. I said yes, thinking it would finally make her give up, but she still came to cause trouble. Did she hit you?"

As he spoke, Yan Songwei turned to look at him.

Qi Liangqin nodded. "She slapped me. Whatever, some things are beyond explanation. Just consider it paying her back."

Yan Songwei glanced at his face and said, "There's a red mark from the slap."

"What do we do now? Tan Qingqing just blurted everything out—our fake marriage, the million yuan. Yan Bozong knows now."

"Did you admit it?"

Qi Liangqin hesitated. "I was too flustered at the time. My mind went blank with all the awful things she was yelling."

"Then it's fine. Just say she made it all up. Don't admit anything."

Qi Liangqin stopped in his tracks. "Not admit it?"

"The fake marriage can't be exposed, or the whole family will explode. As long as Tan Qingqing doesn't stir things up again, this will blow over. It's all unverifiable anyway—if we stick to our story, nothing will happen."

Qi Liangqin nodded. That was, of course, the best outcome.

If Yan Bozong found out about the fake marriage, it might not be a bad thing. But the million yuan—that was different. If Yan Bozong knew that he had signed the agreement purely for money, that he had essentially sold himself, that would be an incredibly bad, bad thing.

Yan Bozong was still waiting for them, his expression looking rather grim.

A fake marriage, a love triangle, and selling oneself—any one of these alone would be inconceivable for someone like Yan Bozong. He was struggling to process it all.

"You two are really bold," he said. "Is there nothing you want to tell me?"

"Tell you what?" Yan Songwei feigned ignorance.

Yan Bozong said, "Tell me about the fake marriage, the one million, and the messy entanglement between the three of you."

"What fake marriage? What one million?" Yan Songwei sighed. "Who knows what kind of nonsense Tan Qingqing has been spouting. Are you still going to see Aunt Chun? If not, we can have a chat, just the two of us."

With things as they were, there was no way he could go.

Yan Songwei turned to Qi Liangqin and said, "You head back first, I'll talk to my brother."

Qi Liangqin nodded. "Make sure you explain everything clearly to him."

He still had to put on an act of being open and innocent.

The Yan brothers didn't talk for long before Yan Songwei returned.

Qi Liangqin immediately asked, "How did it go? What did you tell him?"

"I told him exactly what we agreed on beforehand."

"Did he believe it?"

"He should have. In matters like this, as long as we don't admit it, who can say for sure whether it's true or not? Besides, my brother is such a straight-laced person. A fake marriage is beyond his comprehension. The term 'contract marriage' probably doesn't even exist in his dictionary. Why do you look a little disappointed?"

"Have you ever considered… maybe we could let him know the truth? I feel like he might actually understand."

"Forget it. The less trouble, the better."

"Are you going to call Tan Qingqing? Do you think she'll take it too hard?"

"No, I know her well enough. Once she finishes crying, she'll call me to ask for money. She loves me, but she's not the type to live in a fantasy. She'll figure things out."

Qi Liangqin said, "If that's the case, I actually admire her."

"You don't look down on her for being materialistic?"

Qi Liangqin shook his head. "I rarely think anyone is entirely worthless. Everyone has their own choices. I think she's pitiful. Losing love is painful, but life goes on. It's not worth it to lose yourself over someone who doesn't love you. I really admire people who love with all their heart, but once they realize there's no future, they can immediately let go and become rational and decisive. That's true intelligence. People like that are more likely to get the happiness they want. I don't think I could do it, so I envy and respect them. I really wish I could be that kind of person."

"You sure have a lot of insight about life. If I didn't know better, I'd think you've dated a lot of people."

"I've just read a lot of novels and figured things out little by little in real life. But honestly, I only talk a good game. When it comes to myself, I often do things I know are wrong anyway. Sigh, sometimes I think I'm really just a hopeless fool."

"I think you have some self-esteem issues," Yan Songwei remarked. "I really don't see what you have to be insecure about."

Qi Liangqin gave an embarrassed laugh. "Maybe because my life used to be so bleak. But there's something I really need to tell you. Your mom once said that emotional debts always have to be repaid. I believe that. If you want to have a better life in the future, you should do fewer things you'll regret. Tan Qingqing may care about your money, but she also genuinely loves you. I know you probably won't change, but if you can't commit, don't go around making marriage promises to women. Feelings are sacred. Taking them seriously is also a way of being responsible for yourself. I think the most precious thing in this world is human emotions."

Yan Songwei sighed, scratched his head, and said, "We'll see."

A lifetime of habits couldn't be changed with just a few words.

"Tan Qingqing is probably going to hate me now. She got the benefits but didn't fulfill her intended role. She'll probably call me a green tea bitch, a high-level white lotus."

"You got the benefits because of me, and it was me who signed the contract with you. You should listen to me. The end of our relationship has nothing to do with you. In fact, if it weren't for you, we would have broken up right after coming back from Bixia Mountain. The reason I avoided her and hesitated back then was because of you—I was thinking about how to deal with things on your side once we broke up. Honestly, she's been clinging to me for a long time, and I'm a bit fed up. Breaking up after a failed relationship is completely normal, especially for someone like me. It's not like we got married and then I abandoned her. If breaking up means I'm a scumbag, then why would anyone ever date? Isn't dating meant to see if two people are compatible? If I don't love her anymore but still marry her, does that make me a good man? I even gave her breakup money. Think about how many people in this world go through breakups—how many of them actually receive compensation?"

Hearing Yan Songwei's reasoning, Qi Liangqin was momentarily speechless. He actually found some logic in it. But after reflecting on it, he thought, "Your real mistake is that you don't take relationships seriously." Still, after considering it further, he decided to let it go and not say anything.

At least it was over now. Getting past Tan Qingqing was a significant step forward.

Even so, Qi Liangqin still went to meet Tan Qingqing.

They met at a café. After her heartbreak, Tan Qingqing hadn't let herself fall apart. Instead, she returned to being the dazzling woman she once was. She took off her sunglasses and said, "Say what you need to say. I have an appointment."

Feeling slightly awkward, Qi Liangqin handed her an envelope.

"What's this?" Tan Qingqing raised an eyebrow as she took the envelope and checked its contents. Her expression quickly became unreadable.

"There's about sixty-three thousand yuan on this card. The password is six sixes. This is all I have right now. Some of it is what's left from buying my apartment, and some of it is pocket money from Madam Yan… I can't give you my house… I know Yan Songwei already gave you a lot, so this might not mean much to you… but, well, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be where I am today. I know I haven't done much to help you—"

Before he could finish, Tan Qingqing simply put the envelope into her bag and asked, "Anything else?"

Qi Liangqin was taken aback. "No."

Hearing that, Tan Qingqing stood up. Qi Liangqin followed, saying, "Yan Songwei is unreliable. Whether you're a man or a woman, you have to be independent. Relying on a man won't work. You have money now—find a good, reliable guy."

Tan Qingqing rolled her eyes. "Nag."

With that, she turned and left, her high heels clicking against the floor. Qi Liangqin sat back down, staring at the untouched coffee in front of him. He reached for it and drank both cups himself.

So bitter.

The bitterness spread in his mouth. He turned to look out the window, seeing his own faint reflection.

He hadn't done all this to prove he was a good person. Maybe, in the end, he was just selfishly seeking peace of mind.

The original Qi Liangqin in the novel was undoubtedly a green tea bitch. As for himself? He wasn't sure. A lot of things were hard to untangle.

But maybe that didn't matter.

Like this coffee—bitter at first, but the longer you savor it, the more you notice other flavors. Good and evil, right and wrong, were much the same. Whether it tasted bitter or pleasant depended on who was drinking it.