Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“Xiaosi, I broke up.” Nian Junting burped, pulling at his collar with one hand. “This area hurts so much. Why does it hurt so much? Am I sick?”
Xiao Si sighed. Last time he saw Nian Junting so drunk was when his parents had separated. He didn’t act like this, even when he broke up with Leng Shuangwei. It seemed that he was really hurt. After all, he was such a proud and arrogant man. “What on earth happened between you and Luosang? Didn’t your dad threaten her?” Xiao Si asked.
Nian Junting shook his head. He was so drunk, he looked as confused as a kid who had lost his way. “No. She said that I’m narcissistic, bossy, arrogant, and that I’m a freak. Am I not perfect? Doesn’t she love me so much? I didn’t know I had so many problems. She doesn’t like me, she doesn’t like…” While speaking, he began laughing, and his eyes turned red. He turned his face away and waved a hand at the bartender. “Alcohol, give me some alcohol.”
“Stop drinking.” Xiao Si stopped him. “It’s late. Let’s go home.”
“I’m not going. I want to be drunk. I’m sad. I’ll stop being sad when I’m drunk.” Nian Junting refused to leave the bar. Xiao Si had no other choice but to stay with him. The bartender opened another bottle of whiskey. Nian Junting poured himself a full glass, then continued drinking. Xiao Si took a photo of him and sent it to Luosang. He sat there for a while, then called Luosang.
“Si, why are you calling so late?”
“Don’t call me that. I don’t deserve it,” said Xiao Si angrily. “Look at the photo I just sent you on WeChat.”
Luosang opened her WeChat and saw Nian Junting drinking with red cheeks. His coat had been thrown into a corner. He was only wearing a shirt, sleeves rolled up, and the buttons before his chest were undone. She was stunned. Since she had known him, she had hardly seen him in such a miserable state, except for that time when he was back from the border of China and India. He never looked so decadent.
“Do you see that?” Xiao Si said, “I don’t know what exactly happened between you, or why you broke up with him, but I can tell you that I’ve never seen him suffer such pain. Luosang, I admit that he can be narcissistic and mean, and that even as his friend, I sometimes want to punch him in the face. But, he’s been really nice to you. If there’s a problem between you two, you don’t need to break up unfeelingly. Just take some time to make things work. It’s not like he’s unwilling to make changes for you.”
“Luosang,” he continued, “Think about it. Who stood by your side unconditionally when Yi Jingxi and Zhongyi tried to destroy you? You asked him to help your father, and he did it without hesitation. Yi Jingxi hurt you, so he made the Yi Group his enemy. You said that you want to be with Chi Shengxu. Did Chi Shengxu do these things for you?”
“Take good care of him for me. I have made up my mind to break up with him. Bye,” Luosang ended the call. She knew that her breaking up with Nian Junting would make Xiao Si angry. That was unavoidable. It was the only way to make Jiang Qifei believe her.
Xiao Si looked at his phone in surprise. He couldn’t believe it. Why had Luosang become like this? No wonder Nian Junting couldn’t accept it. He couldn’t accept it, either. Had he been wrong about her? Had she been hiding her real face too well? “Stop drinking, I’ll drive you home.” Xiao Si took away the glass in Nian Junting’s hand.
Nian Junting was too drunk to even stand up, so Xiao Si had to help him walk out of the bar. Xiao Si woke him up. He grabbed Xiao Si’s hand, kissed it, and said, “Luo, you’re here for me. I knew you didn’t want to leave me.”