Chapter 60 Choice

Jiang Yao gazed into He Yunqing's eyes, and a sudden pain stabbed through her heart.

"I don't understand," she said coldly.

"Is it that you don't understand, or that you don't want to?" He Yunqing pressed sharply.

"Is there a difference?" Jiang Yao stepped back. "As you said, if someone had once hurt you terribly, could you ever act as if nothing had happened and still be with them? He Yunqing, you've seen it—I’ve suffered enough. Don't come near me with lies anymore."

He Yunqing was a dream—a distant, distant dream, one she could never believe would come true.

His gaze gradually dimmed.

Now that she knew the truth, it wasn't that she didn't understand; she simply could not trust him anymore.

In the distance, a car approached, its engine echoing through the night. Soon, a Lamborghini pulled up beside them.

The window lowered, revealing Cheng Yanchi’s defiant face.

He raised his brows, casting a disdainful glance at He Yunqing before turning to Jiang Yao. "I couldn’t reach you all night. Your boss said you came here. Are you alright?"

"Mm." Jiang Yao nodded gloomily.

"Want to get in?"

Jiang Yao looked at He Yunqing.

"Or do you two want to keep talking?" Cheng Yanchi glanced at He Yunqing again, blunt as ever.

"No need." Jiang Yao turned, opened the car door, and got in without looking back.

The car, much like Cheng Yanchi’s temperament, grunted, spun around, and sped off into the night.

He Yunqing watched as the Lamborghini disappeared into the darkness, standing motionless for a long, long time...

Inside the car, Jiang Yao rested her head against the window, her mind in turmoil.

Even without looking, Cheng Yanchi could sense her mood.

He frowned. "Why are you hanging around with that kind of person again?"

Jiang Yao said nothing, turning her face to the window.

"If I hadn’t cared about your feelings, and had known what he did back then, I’d have beaten him up!" Cheng Yanchi said angrily.

"You already did," Jiang Yao murmured to the passing trees and cars beyond the window.

"Not hard enough—it wasn’t satisfying at all," Cheng Yanchi gritted his teeth. "If not for him, would you have suffered so much?"

Jiang Yao paused, then suddenly turned to him. "You know everything... about me?"

Cheng Yanchi fell silent, eyes fixed on the road ahead, pretending to concentrate on driving.

"Did Ye Yiyi tell you?" Jiang Yao pressed.

Still no answer. He avoided her gaze, and after a while, asked abruptly, "Yao, if one day you had to choose between me and He, who would you pick?"

"What kind of question is that?" Jiang Yao leaned against the window. "Do you two even compare? You’re my friend, and he..."

She stopped, unsure how to continue.

What did He Yunqing count as in her life?

"Come on—who would you choose?" Cheng Yanchi insisted, unwilling to let it go.

"You, you, I’d choose you, alright?" Jiang Yao replied with a helpless smile.

Cheng Yanchi grinned with satisfaction. "Then I invite you to watch me in the finals."

He glanced at the small black bag beside him. "There’s a ticket for you in there—the day after tomorrow, at the City Sports Center. Will you come?"

Jiang Yao found the ticket as he directed, holding it up. "Did you invite Ye Yiyi?"

Cheng Yanchi curled his lips. "She’s too busy to watch my finals—either filming or getting close with that Luo Yixian. So, will you come?"

"Of course, it’s the finals—I wouldn’t miss it."

"Agreed," Cheng Yanchi said with a smile tugging at his lips.

Soon, the day of the finals arrived.

Jiang Yao checked the time on the ticket—seven in the evening—and, worried about traffic, left two hours early.

While waiting for her ride, her phone rang in her pocket.

An unfamiliar number.

Jiang Yao stared at the flashing digits, hesitated, but answered. "What do you want?"

"My little princess, how about we play a game?"

"Sorry, I’m busy and have no time for your pointless games."

"That’s not up to you," came a cold laugh. "My little princess, you’ve grown up, learning to find men. But I don’t like any of the men around you. If you had to choose, which would it be? He or Cheng?"

"None of your business."

"Well, you’d better choose carefully. If you pick wrong, don’t regret it..." The caller let out another chilling laugh.

Jiang Yao couldn’t fathom what Zeng Qiwen meant by these bizarre words, but the laughter sent a shiver down her spine.

She hung up at once and, after a moment’s thought, added the number to her blacklist.

A long list of unknown numbers already lay there.

She couldn’t count how many times she’d blocked Zeng Qiwen’s calls.

Each time, he managed to use a new number.

She put her phone back in her pocket just as her ride pulled up.

Jiang Yao had barely gotten in when her phone rang again.

This time, it was Ye Yiyi.

"Yao, I’ve got some gossip—about He Yunqing. Want to hear it?"

Jiang Yao held her phone, pacing on the sidewalk.

He Yunqing’s affairs—what did they have to do with her?

"No."

"Alright, then."

"Wait," Jiang Yao reconsidered. "Go ahead, tell me."

Ye Yiyi thought for a moment. "I heard that during tonight’s rehearsal, He Yunqing fell from the stage. He’s in the hospital, in critical condition."

"What?" Jiang Yao’s grip tightened, doubting her own ears.

After all, Ye Yiyi’s tone was calm enough.

"Hard to believe, right? The news was blocked immediately—only a few people know."

"Which hospital?"

"Where else? Huai’an." Ye Yiyi paused, then hesitated. "Yao, do you want to go see him?"

"I’m not a doctor, what would I do there?" Jiang Yao bit her lip. "Huai’an Hospital is one of the best—they’ll have the finest doctors treating him."

After hanging up, Jiang Yao stared out at the scenery.

Cars and people seemed suddenly to vanish from her sight.

Her mind was filled with the image of He Yunqing standing amidst swirling peach blossoms that night.

He had looked at her with deep affection and said, "I like you."

Jiang Yao shook her head, trying to banish the man’s shadow from her mind, but the more she tried, the clearer it became.

The driver in the front seat glanced at her through the rearview mirror. "Miss, don’t worry—the road to the City Sports Center is clear, no traffic at all."

Jiang Yao didn’t answer, sighing softly.

Thinking of that pure, spotless He Yunqing now lying in the emergency room, her heart began to ache inexplicably.

She wondered how things were.

Really, even if they weren’t close, he wasn’t exactly an enemy; he had helped her so much, it seemed only right to visit...

"Driver, change of plans. Take me to Huai’an Hospital instead."