"I can't." Luo Ning looked at his pitiful appearance and couldn't be bothered to waste words on him again.
It had always been this way, whenever they argued because of Bo Xiangxiang, he would get impatient, claim that he and the other person were just friends, and that she was being petty, unreasonable, and recklessly willful.
Ji Xinghang stood up and looked at her as he said, "If you still want to maintain our relationship, stop making a fuss. Go back to your room, reflect on what you've said today, and post the Weibo as Brother Yan has arranged."
Luo Ning scoffed, "I did nothing wrong, so I can't reflect, and I certainly won't post on Weibo. Therefore, we don't need to continue our relationship."
She raised her head to meet Ji Xinghang's gaze, with utmost seriousness, she said, "The you now don't deserve my affection or indulgence anymore. Let's break up."
They had grown up together since they were kids, even attended school and had meals together.
Whenever she got bullied as a child, he would always protect her and beat up those people, then coax her into a smile with the snacks she liked.
Even though whenever he was kind to her, he did so with an arrogant and disdainful manner, his eyes nonetheless hid concern and indulgence.
That's why she had once liked him, depended on him, and for his sake had skipped grades, learned cooking, moderated her temper, and entered the entertainment circle.
But she never imagined that in the end, she'd meet the same fate as in her previous life.
She was maligned across the internet and driven out of the entertainment circle, bound by the power within the book, she found herself helplessly on top of a building, unable to control herself from wanting to jump. Before she leaped, she called him, but the one who answered was Bo Xiangxiang.
So, in her most desperate and helpless moment, he was accompanying Bo Xiangxiang, who had schemed against her and gotten herself intentionally injured and hospitalized.
Undoubtedly, it must have been a deliberate plot by Yan Qiuping and Bo Xiangxiang, but she could neither forgive nor come to terms with it.
At the moment she jumped, as her body fell and the wind howled by her ears, she had only one thought: if there was a next life, she would definitely not fall for him again.
That book only covered the storyline of her jumping to her death; she didn't know whether the story was left unfinished or whether she just couldn't turn the pages.
So, she had no idea how Ji Xinghang would react to the news of her jumping to her death—whether he'd be heartbroken or indifferent.
Of course, whatever the outcome, it no longer mattered to her.
Ji Xinghang said with disbelief, "Can you stop making a scene, don't you realize that breaking up are not words to be taken lightly?"
They'd had their arguments before, but she had never uttered the words break up.
Luo Ning calmly said, "That's why I'm serious."
Ji Xinghang clenched his fists and glaring at her, asked, "Are you sure you want to break up with me?"
"Of course." Luo Ning looked at him dispassionately, with scarce emotion in her eyes.
Ji Xinghang met her unprecedented cold gaze, and felt inexplicably panicked, "You say you want to be together, we're together, you say you want to break up, we break up—why? I don't agree."
Luo Ning raised an eyebrow, "I'm dumping you unilaterally, do I need your consent?"
Ji Xinghang's face darkened, and through gritted teeth, he said, "Luo Ning, remember you said this, don't regret it later."
Without hesitation, Luo Ning tossed her keys onto the coffee table, "Let's not contact each other again if there's no reason."
Having said that, she didn't look at him again, but turned and went into her own room to start packing.
Standing outside, Ji Xinghang's gaze was heavy, and he smashed his phone onto the ground hard, a clear indicator of his extremely foul mood.
Yan Qiuping hadn't anticipated that Luo Ning would take the initiative to propose a breakup, but it was beneficial.
He had not intended to do anything overt to Luo Ning for Ji Xinghang's sake, but now he had a reason to let her know that he was not an agent to be messed with or offended easily.
He patted Ji Xinghang's shoulder with a hint of helplessness.
"Xinghang, Luo Ning must be using the breakup to throw a tantrum. She'll calm down eventually. Why don't you go and coax her, maybe admit your fault," he said, intending to comfort, but it only fueled the fire.
"I did nothing wrong. Why should I be the one to admit fault first?" Although Ji Xinghang also felt that Luo Ning was playing a strategic retreat, he was just helping a friend. It was nowhere near as bad as she made it seem.
Yet for some reason, he felt incredibly stifled at that moment.
He then said, "Brother Yan, you should head back first."
Yan Qiuping patted him again, "Okay, I'll be off then. I'll ask for a leave from the film crew for you this afternoon."
Ji Xinghang didn't feel like filming at all and nodded, "Okay!"
After Yan Qiuping left, he took out his phone and called Bo Xiangxiang to explain the current situation.
Bo Xiangxiang pondered for a moment before asking, "Did they really break up? Can Luo Ning actually bring herself to do it?"
Yan Qiuping responded, "This time, Luo Ning has been quite tough on both me and Xinghang. I think she might be serious."
He then added uncertainly, "Of course, given how much she cares about Xinghang, it's also possible that this is just a 'playing hard to get' tactic."
"If they've truly broken up, that would be for the best. If it's just a game of 'playing hard to get,' I'll make sure she gets burnt by her own fire," Bo Xiangxiang didn't expect to stir up conflict between them so easily, a sense of superiority rising within her.
Her eyes narrowed as she said, "Luo Ning refuses to admit to what happened last night, but she doesn't have a choice."
This was the trap she had set; Luo Ning would have to take the blame whether she liked it or not.
Yan Qiuping, being clever, guessed her intentions right away, "Alright, I'll contact the media to spread the news."
Bo Xiangxiang's laugh carried a hint of coquettishness, "Thanks, Brother Yan."
Yan Qiuping was already in her grasp; she wasn't worried about him betraying her.
In the apartment, Luo Ning had already packed her luggage. She didn't have much, and it all fit into two large suitcases.
Dragging the suitcase out of the room, Luo Ning saw Ji Xinghang leaning against the cabinet next to the front door with his arms folded.
She quickly looked away and, dragging her suitcase, moved past him to open the door.
Ji Xinghang, seeing her so resolute, felt an even greater heaviness in his heart.
He reached out and grabbed her arm, "This apartment was specially bought for us by my mom. Are you really moving out?"
"Just don't run off and complain, saying I drove you out."
His mother had originally planned to register the apartment in Luo Ning's name, but she had refused.
Without turning her head, Luo Ning wriggled free from his grasp, "Don't worry, I'll talk to your aunt. I won't lay the blame on you."
Despite the breakup, she still held a lot of respect for Ji Xinghang's mother, who had truly loved and cared for her as her own daughter.
"Once you walk out this door, it won't be so easy to come back," Ji Xinghang emphasized with pursed lips.
Luo Ning didn't hesitate. She dragged her suitcase out the door without looking back.
Ji Xinghang watched her resolute departure, feeling an aching void where his heart used to be.
Yet he didn't chase after her. He believed this was just Luo Ning's way of throwing a fit. He thought she would regret making such a big fuss and come back to him on her own after she cooled down.