Buzz...
A wave crashed over, and Wen Ling's head felt like it exploded.
Old Master Bai spoke into a microphone, addressing a crowd: "Thank you all for your support and attention from the media. Our Bai family is finally celebrating a joyous occasion. My grandson, Bai Haonan, is engaged to Miss Zheng Bifan! As a senior in Haonan's life, I am very happy for him and wish this couple, who love each other, all the best..."
Love each other?
Wen Ling's heart sank.
It was an indescribable feeling, as if countless arrows had shot straight into her heart. That heart was already battered and bleeding.
Zheng Bifan continued to speak, smiling happily. With her meticulous makeup, she looked beautiful, like a princess, stunningly so. "Although Haonan has urgent business and cannot attend our engagement ceremony today, I understand him. I know he loves me very much, and I am very happy. In the future, I will love him well. Haonan said he really likes children, so I might be a happy wife at home, raising kids."
A happy wife?...
Wen Ling's mind immediately conjured an image of Bai Haonan, bare-chested and muscular, with that enchantress Zheng Bifan... Ugh... I feel like throwing up.
Her brain throbbed, spasming painfully.
So that's it!
What Zheng Bifan mentioned about the program at eight tonight... So that's what it was!
Engagement...
When Uncle Hao announced their engagement at the Li family, it suddenly felt like a dream, a child's game.
"Hehe..." Wen Ling let out a strange laugh.
Xiao Chun shivered and looked at Wen Ling's face in horror. "Butterfly! You're crying?"
Crying?
Am I crying?
Wen Ling dazedly wiped her face with her hand and realized it was indeed wet!
Her hands trembled, and she shook all over, saying, "It has nothing to do with me... None of this concerns me... I don't care... I don't like him... I don't like him... I don't care..."
Xiao Chun hugged Wen Ling. "Butterfly! Don't do this, Wen Ling, please..."
Wen Ling shook her head nervously, tears uncontrollably streaming down her face. "I'm fine, I'm really fine... I don't care about him... I don't like him... I don't..."
"Cool boiled water! Cool boiled water! What's wrong with you, Wen Ling?" Xiao Chun screamed, holding Wen Ling. "Xiao Sa! Come quickly! Wen Ling has fainted! Hurry!"
An hour later.
A group of men and women were gathered in a nightclub, the stage lit up with flashing lights, but everyone was silently drinking.
Wen Ling had already downed five small bottles of beer and was still tilting her head back to drink.
Su Liao had drunk even more, probably seven or eight bottles, her head resting on the table as she cursed, "Chen Shimei! You heartless bastard! Playing with us like this? I will never let you go! Just wait, Bai Haonan, I don't care who you are, abandoning our family's Cool Boiled Water is unacceptable!"
Xiao Chun, Xiao Sa, and the others dared not speak, cautiously sipping their drinks while trying to persuade her, "Forget it, don't drink anymore. Let's go home and rest early; we have classes tomorrow."
Wen Ling remained silent, staring at the flashing lights on stage, sniffing as she drank.
It hurt so much...
More painful than the last breakup by countless times!
Upon learning about the engagement, she felt as if all her strength had been drained away, leaving her utterly powerless. She just wanted to forget everything or become a vegetable, anything to avoid living and thinking about this pain.
"Hehe..." A drunken Wen Ling suddenly laughed ghostly, startling the others.
"Liao Liao..." she called out drunkenly.
"Huh? What?" Su Liao raised her head, her eyes rolling around, clearly unfocused.
"Liao Liao... do you have a knife?"
Knife?! Xiao Chun was so scared she dove into Xiao Sa's arms, acting very feminine.
"A knife? Sure... What kind do you want? A fruit knife? An eyebrow knife? A pig-killing knife? Or a surgical knife?"
Su Liao's head swayed back and forth, making one worry it might fall off her neck.
Wen Ling patted her chest. "Come, stab me here. I'm so damn unlucky; this place has been a nuisance, making me very unhappy. Just cut out my heart!"
After saying that, tears streamed down her face.
Su Liao smiled bitterly and moved closer to hug Wen Ling.
Wen Ling leaned on Su Liao's shoulder, bursting into tears.
"Woo woo woo... Why do we have to be poor? Why? Why can't we be born into a noble family?"
Su Liao couldn't say anything, only gently patting Wen Ling's back.
Groups of friends wandered along the road.
Xiao Chun and Xiao Sa helped Wen Ling and Su Liao downstairs before leaving.
"Liao Liao, I'm so sad..."
"Don't cry, don't cry. We don't need that old man anymore; we won't care about him..."
"I'm still sad..."
Su Liao and Wen Ling hugged each other, mumbling as they swayed toward their rented apartment.
Someone patted Su Liao on the shoulder, and she groggily cursed, "Get lost! Stop bothering me!"
Bang!
Suddenly, a fist struck Su Liao's face, and she fell to the ground.
Wen Ling spun around, only to be thrown over a man's shoulder.
"Wow, who dares to hit me? Why can't I see? Why is it raining red? Ah, Cool Boiled Water! Let go of my Cool Boiled Water!"
Su Liao's forehead was bleeding, but she didn't even feel the pain. Seeing a strong man carrying Wen Ling away, she screamed and rushed over.
The other men kicked Su Liao in the stomach a few times.
"Liao Liao... Liao Liao..." Wen Ling, upside down, weakly called out to Su Liao on the ground.
Liao Liao, dear, you got hurt.
I know, during dangerous times, you have always been by my side. Thank you, Liao Liao, for your loyal friendship.
Wen Ling lay on the man's shoulder, tears streaming down her face.
"Cool Boiled Water... let go of my Cool Boiled Water..."
Su Liao lay on her back, unable to get up due to the pain.
Blood flowed from her forehead, making her face look extremely hideous.
Her clothes were dirty, especially around her abdomen, where there were several large footprints.
"Damn it! Who are these bastards!"
Lan Qi cursed, heartbroken as he picked up Su Liao and ran toward the street.
To the hospital.
While calling 120, Lan Qi couldn't help but cry.
"Woo woo, hurry up! Someone has been knocked out... Hurry! My sister has been knocked out..."
Then, holding Su Liao, he stood by the roadside, waiting for the ambulance, like a helpless child. "Woo woo, Su Liao, don't scare me! I'm used to you bullying me; don't scare me like this... Woo woo, if you wake up, I promise to let you bully me forever..."
Wen Ling, feeling dizzy, was shoved into a car.
She shook her head and mumbled, "Liao Liao... Liao Liao..."
Faintly remembering that Su Liao was covered in blood.
Bright red blood.
She wanted to struggle to get up but found she had no strength at all.
Regret filled her; if only she hadn't drunk so much beer.
Her eyes were barely open, and after being jostled in the car for over ten minutes, she finally sluggishly realized, "Hey... who are you... where are you taking me?"
"..." No one answered her.
Wen Ling barely opened her eyes to see the face of the man passing by the streetlights. Wow... he looked like a villain from a movie, his face solemn!
Bai Haonan, who rarely spoke, surprisingly and unusually took the initiative to say to Luo Yuan, "When we get to Venice, let's take some time to stroll around and see if there's anything worth buying."
After all, coming to Venice is a trip abroad, and he should buy something for the woman as a souvenir.
In the past, he spent most of his time flying around the world and never thought about shopping or buying gifts for anyone.
But now... without anyone teaching him, he learned to buy gifts for the woman he loved.
Luo Yuan shifted his surprised gaze from the magazine to Bai Haonan's calm and handsome face, his mouth agape in shock before breaking into a smile. "That's great! Just what I wanted. Let's take a good stroll this time."
Perfect, he could buy something for that trashy girl, who loved quirky items. What should he get her? A watch? Exquisite handmade jewelry? Or...
Luo Yuan's thoughtful expression left Bai Haonan astonished.
What? Little punk Luo Yuan wouldn't actually be serious, would he?
Lian Kang was unusually excited, pacing back and forth in the spacious room as if someone had stepped on his tail.
His subordinates had already called to report that everything was okay; they had successfully captured Wen Ling.
What excited him the most was that, by divine providence, Wen Ling had gotten completely drunk.
Being drunk was good; she wouldn't resist him and wouldn't clearly remember his face. He was still contemplating whether to wear a mask or face her directly.
He wore loose white pajama pants that hung loosely at his waist, exposing his navel, and a large, loose robe that hung open, revealing his strong and muscular chest.
Those shiny pecs indicated that he was also a well-trained man.
He walked back and forth, his light red hair appearing mysterious and imposing under the yellow light.
"Boss, they're back."
After a low voice, the door opened, and several men entered, bowing to Lian Kang.
Lian Kang's eyes widened as he stared intently at the person behind them.
There, a man was carrying a woman on his shoulder, curled up like a pitiful caterpillar.
"Boss..."
Shh... Lian Kang made a gesture for silence with his hand, then pointed to the sofa, signaling them to place Wen Ling there. He waved his hand, eagerly dismissing everyone else.