Tang Mianmian looked up at him with hopeful eyes, as if she had just heard a lifeline. "What do you mean? Tell me."
"Either pay Yan Youlan enough money to shut her up, or marry me," the man suggested evenly.
Of course, the latter option was something he had just added.
With his capabilities, resolving this matter wasn't difficult. The phone call he'd just made had already taken care of most of it. But he wanted this woman to learn a lesson.
Tang Mianmian stared at him as though he were spouting nonsense. "What did you just say?"
"Yan Youlan doesn't need money—after all, she's already married to Su Shijie. So that's not an option. Which leaves only the other choice: marry me, and I'll take care of everything," he said, his tone matter-of-fact.
Tang Mianmian looked at him like he was crazy. "I think the one whose brain is waterlogged is you!"
Who proposes like this?
And was that even a proposal? He said it as casually as if he were asking what to eat for lunch!
Sure, she'd been dumped, but that didn't mean she'd fallen so low as to accept such a ridiculous deal!
"If you have the ability to resolve this on your own, feel free to disregard my suggestion." Long Yejue crossed his arms, his half-lidded eyes concealing any readable emotion.
Tang Mianmian thought to herself, Girl, you're not about to sell yourself for this.
And besides, who was this man anyway? She hadn't even figured out where he came from, so why would she marry him?
"I think I'll just consider going to jail," she said, lying back down nonchalantly.
Long Yejue seemed to have anticipated this answer and didn't press further. Glancing at the clock, he noticed it was already past midnight. He sighed, realizing he'd missed yet another blind date. "Think it over. I'm leaving now. If you need anything, call the nurse."
He picked up his still-damp jacket and prepared to leave.
Tang Mianmian hesitated before calling out, "Um… can I, uh, owe you for the medical bills?"
She recalled spending all her money on the dress and the wedding gift. This hospital room looked far too expensive.
Long Yejue, who had been in a slightly foul mood, saw her cautious expression and felt his irritation dissipate entirely.
She really was an amusing little thing.
"Don't worry about the money. I can cover it."
"You're such a good person," Tang Mianmian said, almost moved to tears.
"Of course, if you don't consider marrying me, I suggest you pay me back quickly," he added, completely unapologetically.
"…"
She had thanked him too soon!
After the door slammed shut, she sighed, staring blankly out the window.
She had come to this city intending to marry Su Shijie. Instead, not only was the wedding off, but she'd ended up in this mess.
What would her parents think? They'd probably be heartbroken. Maybe they'd even scold her—or worse, blame themselves.
"Tang Mianmian, you're such a failure!" she muttered, burying her face in her hands, her voice trembling with emotion. "Why can't you handle even this? Why were you so impulsive? You're so stupid!"
No matter how strong she acted in front of others, beneath the facade, she was just a young woman barely out of school, barely out of her parents' protective embrace.
Jail? That was a terrifyingly distant concept.
How had it ended up being something she might actually face?
The hospital room door suddenly burst open.
"Mianmian!"
Su Shijie's concerned face appeared in the doorway.
As if by reflex, Tang Mianmian wiped away her tears and glared at him coldly. "Why are you here?"
"Mianmian, how could you be so reckless? Yan Youlan is your best friend, and she's pregnant! If anything had happened, it could have been two lives lost!" Su Shijie said gravely, using the same scolding tone he had once used when they were secretly dating.
Hearing this, Tang Mianmian felt her anger surge.
I'm the one lying in a hospital bed, and you're here to reprimand me on behalf of your wife?
Fine.
She sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "What's the matter? Heartbroken?"
"That's not what I—" Su Shijie struggled to find the right words.
"Stop pretending, Su Shijie. I should've seen through you long ago. Look at me now—I have no money, just one life. If you want to sue me, go ahead!"
The more she spoke, the angrier she became. She couldn't understand—what had she done to deserve his blame after all this? What gave him the right?
Seeing her so upset, Su Shijie felt guilty and tried to explain. "That's not what I meant, Mianmian. You know you're the one I truly love. With her, it's just…"
"Just what? Just sleeping together? Just having a baby? Just getting married?" she interrupted coldly, her eyes sharp. "And now you're here to accuse me of being in the wrong?"
"Mianmian, you've misunderstood me. I know you're upset after everything that's happened, but I came to see you because I want to help, not to accuse you."
"Oh? Then tell me, how do you plan to help?" she asked, leaning back against her pillow. Her face was pale as a sheet, but she forced herself to look composed.
"Lanlan said that if you publicly apologize to her, she won't press charges."
Apologize?
Tang Mianmian burst into laughter, her eyes brimming with tears. "Guess what? I won't apologize. Especially not to the woman who stole my boyfriend!"
"Mianmian…" Su Shijie's heart ached at the sight of her like this.
She had once been so cheerful, so pure, a girl he had wanted to protect forever.
But now, it seemed he had not only lost her but also deeply hurt her.
He hated himself for not resisting Yan Youlan's temptation back then.
"Get out!" she snapped. She didn't want to hear another word or see his face, which made her stomach churn. "Sue me, jail me—do whatever you want. Just get out!"
"Mianmian—"
"I said GET OUT!" Tang Mianmian grabbed the glass of water on her bedside table and hurled it at him.
Su Shijie barely dodged it, staring at the woman who had become a stranger to him.
The sweet, gentle Tang Mianmian he remembered was gone.
He sighed heavily. "Take care of yourself. I'll handle things with Lanlan."
"Get lost!"
This time, she threw her pillow at him.
Once the pest was gone, Tang Mianmian felt like she could finally breathe again.
Why hadn't she seen through him sooner?
Not only had he two-timed her, but he'd also had the audacity to dream of keeping both women happy.
To hell with him!
This girl wasn't going to stoop that low.
Before she could catch her breath, the door swung open again. This time, the sound of steady high heels followed.
She sat up straight, her senses immediately on alert.
Her instincts were correct—the visitor was the one person she least wanted to see: Yan Youlan.
Dressed in designer clothes, her makeup flawless, Yan Youlan's smirk ruined any beauty her face might have held.
"Tang Mianmian, I didn't expect you to be so shameless. Trying to kill me at my wedding?"
"Who are you calling shameless?"
"You!"
Tang Mianmian rolled her eyes. How had she ever lost to someone this stupid?
Clearly, the blindness wasn't hers alone—it was Su Shijie's too. And not just blindness—his heart was also rotten.
Yan Youlan, stung by her retort, lashed out, "You're only good at running your mouth, Tang Mianmian!"
Ignoring her, Tang Mianmian closed her eyes, refusing to look at the face she found so repulsive.
Her indifference only fueled Yan Youlan's anger. She had come to flaunt her victory, yet now she felt like the fool.
"Tang Mianmian, as long as you publicly apologize and leave this city—and Su Shijie—I'll forgive you. I won't even ask for compensation."
The words, dripping with condescension, made Tang Mianmian sick. Her eyes snapped open, cold and piercing. "Are you done? If you are, get out. Don't disturb my sleep."
"Tang Mianmian, don't be so ungrateful! If you keep this up, it'll only hurt you!"
"I don't care for your so-called gratitude. Now leave."
Yan Youlan, seething, snapped, "Fine! I was willing to give you a chance for the sake of our old friendship, but clearly I was wasting my time! Expect a lawyer's notice!"
As she turned to leave, Tang Mianmian suddenly spoke.
"Wait!"
She removed her IV and hobbled over, her figure slightly taller than Yan Youlan's even without heels.
Tang Mianmian looked down at her with narrowed eyes, her voice slow and deliberate. "Don't insult the word 'friendship.' You're not worthy of it."
Her gaze dropped to Yan Youlan's high heels, and she smirked. "Should pregnant women be wearing high heels?"
Yan Youlan's expression faltered, and she took two steps back. "Who says I can't? What are you implying? Are you accusing me of faking my pregnancy? Tang Mianmian, you're just trying to get back with Shijie. But it won't work—I won't let you!"
"Oh, did I hit a nerve?" Tang Mianmian's tone was icy, her eyes glinting with amusement as if she had seen through something.
Yan Youlan avoided her gaze and snapped, "I'm not guilty of anything! No matter what, Shijie loves me, pregnant or not!"
"Then what are you afraid of?"
"I'm not afraid! But if you don't apologize and leave, I'll sue you. What will your parents think then?"
Tang Mianmian clenched her fists, her expression growing colder.
Yan Youlan had hit her weak spot.
Tang Mianmian could disregard her own suffering, but not her parents'.
Seeing her reaction, Yan Youlan smirked, satisfied. "I'll give you one night to decide. Think carefully—your pride or your family."
With that, Yan Youlan left, her hurried steps betraying her earlier bravado.
Tang Mianmian's eyes darkened as she stared at the closed door.
She would never let her parents get dragged into this mess.