Throughout the whole incident, JingYuan had been following TianYang and YiHan. After watching YiHan walked into the Bai family home proper, he drove forward and turned around the corner. Chen TianYang's car was parked by the side there. Its owner was leaning against its side with a cigarette in his hands. When TianYang saw JingYuan step out of his car, he stood up straight, extinguish the cigarette in his hands and threw it in a bin.
"Well? How did it go? YiHan looked like he was in a good mood," JingYuan said before TianYang even had a chance to say anything.
The kind and gentle man YiHan saw in TianYang was nowhere to be seen. "It went well. We're going horse riding at Hong Ming next Wednesday. You going?" TianYang blankly stated.
"Of course," JingYuan said with a nod.
JingYuan then turned around back to his car when TianYang spoke up, "JingYuan, XueQing…"
"Relax. I love HanHan and only him," JingYuan looked back at said.
"Then why did you get engaged with XueQing?" TianYang asked, squinting his eyes at the other ma. "Are you playing her for a fool? Using her?"
At that, JingYuan fully turned around to look at TianYang straight in the eyes. "That is just a misunderstanding. It's been resolved. I would never play anyone for a fool for no reason, especially not the Bai family.
"If you really like XueQing, then seize this chance. From what I know, XueQing doesn't like anyone yet. She doesn't think badly of you either. You've got a great starting point. If you can't even win her over with that advantage, no one can help you."
"Of course," TianYang said, a polite smile hanging on his lips. "I don't need anyone's help with what's going on between XueQing and I. Through your fake engagement, I realised something. If I love someone, I have to protect them myself. Leaving them in anyone else's hands is just too unstable. I believe I am the one who loves her the most in this entire world. No one else is a better match for her than I am."
JingYuan paused. He lowered his gaze and pondered on TianYang's words.
"You're right," JingYuan said. "If we love someone, we must protect them ourselves."
He then got in his car and drove back to the Bai family home without another look at TianYang.
***
Located in the outskirts of the city, Hong Ming was a resort with great service and venues for all sorts of entertainment options. It had an equestrian centre, a golf course, a shooting range, swimming pools, snooker rooms, saunas and even karaoke lounges. They have anything and everything one could imagine. It was the best place to relax and enjoy life. Consequently, it was very expensive. Not everyone could afford to go there. However, those fees were just a drop in the bucket to those in the high society. Not only do the young men like to meetup in Hong Ming, plenty of the adults loved to discuss business there.
YiHan often hung out with Feng Qun and the others here. He even bought a horse and stabled it there. His riding skills were average and the horse he chose was also a calm and gentle one. It had a chestnut coat that was particularly reddish, so he named it "Jujube". Hong Ming had treated it so well that it was strong and stocky with a glossy coat. It looked like a ripe and juicy jujube.
YiHan rode Jujube around the field to reacquaint himself with his horse once more. When he rode back to TianYang, he looked like he was in a much better mood. He even smiled at TianYang.
"TianYang, come on," he said.
TianYang swung himself on his horse in one smooth and powerful motion.
"You ride well, YiHan. Your horse is also a good horse," TianYang said with a warm smile.
YiHan let out a chuckle, revealing a pair of prominent dimples. "No, no. I don't really know how to pick horses. I just thought it looked nice, so I bought it," he said.
"A lot of things in this world happen because of destiny. It's best to go with the decision your heart makes," TianYang laughed.
"You're right," YiHan said with another loud chuckle. "Come, let's ride!"
"Okay," TianYang responded with a big, bright smile. "Let's see who's the fastest!"
The two charged ahead at the same time. TianYang was skilled enough to let YiHan get ahead without the other noticing it. TianYang's horse never overtook YiHan's, yet it always stayed close enough that YiHan could feel the thrilling rush of a race. Eventually, YiHan won in a manner that seemed natural enough.