Luo Ning looked at the expressionless handsome man in the photo, feeling no more ripples in her heart.
She had chased after him into the entertainment circle, only to end up with such a result; she would not stop for him again in this lifetime. Breaking up was inevitable.
She was now living in Ji Xinghang's apartment, having moved in with him after entering the entertainment circle.
Although they were boyfriend and girlfriend, they lived together but in separate rooms and had never had "that kind" of relationship.
Their breakup was imminent, so naturally, she wouldn't stay there any longer.
She planned to go back, pack her things, and move out directly.
This hotel was quite close to where Ji Xinghang was filming. She had come over yesterday to accommodate him, only for that jerk to stand her up.
Luo Ning made a call to her assistant, talking about the trending topics, Yan Qiuping's mixing with Bo Xiangxiang, and her breakup with Ji Xinghang, and asked her to help rent a place.
Her assistant, Xi Shu, was both her college roommate and best friend. In her past life, Xi Shu had stood by her through thick and thin, a person she deeply trusted.
After leaving the hotel, she drove to Ji Xinghang's apartment.
On the other side of the city, Ji Xinghang had just woken up.
He habitually picked up his phone to check it and was surprised not to see any messages or calls from Luo Ning.
Usually, there would be no fewer than ten messages, and just as many missed calls—it was a bit unusual.
Remembering yesterday's unfulfilled commitment, he held his phone for a moment but decided to call Luo Ning; just then, he heard a knock on the door.
Ji Xinghang got up and opened the door to see Yan Qiuping standing outside.
"Come in."
After sitting down, Yan Qiuping smiled and said, "You just got up?"
It looked like he hadn't yet contacted Luo Ning; Yan Qiuping had arrived just in time.
Ji Xinghang lazily leaned back on the couch, "Got back too late last night."
He had left the police station at past two in the morning, hadn't gone to the hotel to see Luo Ning, returned home only to suffer from insomnia, and that's why he got up late.
"Last night's incident trended. You should take a look," Yan Qiuping said.
Ji Xinghang picked up his phone to browse the trending topics and spoke nonchalantly, "Tell the PR department to get the trends taken down."
Yan Qiuping knew he would say that, "The topic has already hit number one, and a lot of people have seen it, so I was thinking of having Luo Ning be proactive and admit that she was the one with you last night. Since you're both under my wing, the public would accept it."
"Did you tell her?" Ji Xinghang asked.
Yan Qiuping nodded, "I called her before I came here, but she refused."
Ji Xinghang was somewhat surprised; according to Luo Ning's nature, she wouldn't like to see him mired in scandals with other women.
He didn't mind it either, "If she doesn't want to do it, then forget it. Have the company pull the trend. I won't respond; in a few days, this will blow over."
Yan Qiuping knew Ji Xinghang had joined the entertainment circle just for fun; if things got tough or he lost interest, he would just go back to take over the family business, so he never cared about online rumors and gossip.
But that was not why he came.
"I know you don't care, but I feel Luo Ning is angry. I'm afraid she might misunderstand the situation between you and Bo Xiangxiang from yesterday and take it to your aunt."
He looked at Ji Xinghang, sighed with a hint of helplessness and continued, "Or your aunt sees the trending topic herself. If it upsets her, that wouldn't be good."
"I just thought of having Luo Ning come out and admit to the incident, which would also spare the paparazzi and your fans from harping on it. Two birds with one stone."
The aunt he spoke of was Ji Xinghang's mother, who particularly liked and protected Luo Ning.
As expected, Ji Xinghang, who had been appearing indifferent, darkened his face, "I'll call Luo Ning and have her take the initiative to admit it."
A surge of anger and rebelliousness also welled up inside him. The more his family valued his relationship with Luo Ning and constantly pressured him, demanding that he be good to her and be a considerate boyfriend, the more irritated he felt.
Just like when his grandfather insisted that he study economic management and join the family company after graduation, he was so repulsed that he deliberately did the opposite and ran off to the entertainment circle. He hated being arranged.
Yan Qiuping knew how to provoke Ji Xinghang and also knew how much Luo Ning cared about this boyfriend. With his intentions realized, he couldn't help but smile inwardly.
However, his face showed an even deeper sense of helplessness, "Fine, try giving her a call. She's probably just waiting for you to tell her in person."
Sure enough, Ji Xinghang's face looked even worse as he picked up his phone and dialed Luo Ning's number.
At that moment, Luo Ning had already entered her residential complex and was waiting for the elevator. Seeing the incoming call, she didn't hesitate to reject it.
She guessed that Ji Xinghang must have been stirred up by Yan Qiuping to call about that matter.
So she decided to let that scoundrel with a bad temper stew for a bit. After all, it wasn't like he hadn't missed her calls before; now it was his turn to get a taste of his own medicine.
After five consecutive calls were rejected by Luo Ning, Ji Xinghang's expression grew grim, "What does she want, deliberately hanging up on me?"
Yan Qiuping hadn't expected Luo Ning to hang up on purpose either, "Perhaps she is still angry and jealous about you helping Bo Xiangxiang yesterday. Just apologize to her and sweet-talk her a bit, and it'll be fine."
"Me, apologize? Why should I? There's nothing between Bo Xiangxiang and me. It was just a favor, nothing more. What does she have to be angry or jealous about?" Ji Xinghang thought Luo Ning was being too willful.
Yan Qiuping said, "Women, they always like to make a fuss over these little things. Just indulge her a bit."
Ji Xinghang scoffed, "Why do I have to indulge her? I didn't do anything wrong; I won't go and coax her."
Luo Ning, who had just opened the door, heard this and walked in, saying, "I'm not keen on being coaxed by you either."
This remark startled Ji Xinghang and Yan Qiuping in mid-conversation, and they both turned their heads to look at the door.
Neither of them had expected Luo Ning to come back at this time, let alone with such an interruption.
Frowning, Ji Xinghang looked at Luo Ning, "Why didn't you answer my calls just now?"
Luo Ning walked over, looking at him coldly, "If I don't feel like answering, I won't. Do I need a reason?"
Ji Xinghang was taken aback. Looking at the beautiful and indifferent Luo Ning, he felt that there was something different about her today.
He didn't want to argue with her, so he changed the subject, "You've come at the right time. Brother Yan has already talked to me, wanting you to admit to last night's events on Weibo. Post it now."
Luo Ning, with her arms folded, responded with a trace of coldness in her voice, "I won't post it. Why should I take the fall for a mess that Bo Xiangxiang caused?"
Ji Xinghang's frown deepened, "Luo Ning, have you had enough? Bo Xiangxiang and I are in the same show, I couldn't just ignore it when she suddenly had trouble."
Luo Ning sneered, "Are you her boyfriend, or are you her husband? She has agents and assistants; does it have to be you?"
With a hint of impatience in his voice, Ji Xinghang looked at her and said, "It's just that I didn't accompany you for dinner yesterday. I'll be with you tonight, alright?"
Luo Ning shook her head in refusal, "No need, I don't have time to accompany you."
Ji Xinghang took a deep breath.
"I'm going to say this one last time, there's nothing between Bo Xiangxiang and me. We are just friends and colleagues from the same show. Am I supposed to deliberately ignore a friend in trouble?"
"Stop being jealous over such things. It's pointless."
He tugged at his collar, his tone increasingly impatient, "Missing out last night was my fault, but it was not intentional. Can't you be a little more forgiving?"