He'd presumed that Shen Jin Huan would never return... And in the throes of that seething rage and indignation, he'd...
As he approached, Shen Jin Huan didn't even lift her head. She was right in the thick of storming an enemy tower at that moment, with Mi Du's voice filling her ears through the headphones. She was aware of Ji Yan's return, yet on this day, Ji Yan not only lacked that vital energy but also carried a muddled aura about him. How had he managed to become so sullied just when she was on the verge of casting him aside?
Though he hadn't engaged in any amorous dalliances with other women, the scent of them clung to him thickly.
There was no way he could've acquired such a pungent odor without having held those women in his embrace for an hour or two.
The Chen Huan Pearl was highly discerning when it came to humans.
Once the other's aura lost its purity, it signified that he'd forfeited the very thing that had most endeared him to Shen Jin Huan.
Her affection and partiality were doled out with a miserly hand. She could bestow them in their entirety, and likewise, withdraw them without leaving a trace.
Ji Yan seated himself on the sofa beside Shen Jin Huan, waiting for her to finish her game.
His gaze drifted aimlessly, his fingers idly twirling.
As long as, just as long as Shen Jin Huan didn't leave, he could feign that he'd never laid eyes on those pictures.
Three minutes later, victory was hers. She hung up on Mi Du, exited the game interface, and only then did she tilt her head up to look at Ji Yan.
Though he'd had a fair bit to drink that evening, when those women had tried to coax him into staying the night, he'd pushed them away. His heart was set on coming home.
Nevertheless, the moment their eyes met, he still felt utterly abashed, his sense of guilt surging uncontrollably.
It was she who'd erred first, she who'd been in the wrong.
"Ji Yan, let's part ways," she declared. She was one to see things through to the end, and when it came to breaking up, she believed in doing it face to face.
Ji Yan hung his head, not uttering a single word. But upon closer inspection, his body was trembling faintly.
Shen Jin Huan was informing him, not seeking a negotiation.
With that said, she rose and made her way upstairs to pack her belongings.
She took only those items she'd brought with her from the Kunlun Ruins, leaving behind everything else.
Still, having been taken care of by Ji Yan during this time, she left behind a luminous pearl as recompense for her expenses during this period.
Just as she was about to step out the door, Ji Yan slammed it shut with force, his eyes bloodshot.
"Are you that smitten with that man? Haven't I treated you well?" he bellowed, pounding his fist against the door panel with such vigor that the floor seemed to quake beneath the impact, his voice laced with agitation.
"Smitten with whom?" she furrowed her brow ever so slightly.
This man, who'd been cavorting with other women, had the audacity to be angry with her. Shen Jin Huan was determined to leave then and there, for fear that she might otherwise be unable to restrain herself from doing something regrettable to Ji Yan.
His voice quavered violently, his entire being teetering on the brink of collapse. He whipped out his phone, tapped open the photo, and thrust it before her, his voice reaching a fever pitch. "Him! When you were kissing him, did you spare a thought for me? Did you?"
Shen Jin Huan took the phone, and upon seeing the photo, let out a scornful chuckle.
She knew he'd misconstrued the situation, but with the breakup looming, his lack of trust in her was a fatal flaw.
"I'm leaving. Farewell," she offered no explanation. She feared that if she did clarify matters, Ji Yan would only cling on more tenaciously. It was better to leave him in his fury.
"No, no way. I won't allow it. I forbid it!" he flung his arms around Shen Jin Huan, as if unable to fathom how she could treat him thus.
"Ji Yan, be more mature. We're through."
"Huane'er, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Let's start anew, please. As long as you don't leave."
Shen Jin Huan gently pried his arms away, her figure retaining its elegance, yet all the tenderness and vulnerability that had once cloaked her had been tucked away.
With a thud, Ji Yan dropped to his knees, his eyes brimming with tears that spilled over one by one, his voice choked with sobs. "Huane'er, please. Don't go. Please."