Chapter 57: Chapter 57 He no longer needs Wen Li

Ji Tingyang’s figure grew increasingly closer, and Wen Li clenched the hand by her side, growing more nervous under her quickening heartbeat.

Eyes met.

Wen Li’s red lips parted slightly, whispering his name, “Ji Tingyang…”

However, Ji Tingyang seemed as if he hadn’t heard her voice, his gaze indifferently sweeping over her, calm and unrippled.

His figure brushed past hers without any communication, as if they were strangers.

Wen Li’s face turned deathly pale, frozen in place as if deeply struck, almost reflexively, she reached out and grabbed his clothes.

Ji Tingyang stopped in his tracks, his sharp brows furrowed with impatience, as he looked at her silently.

“Can, can I have a word with you alone?” Wen Li looked up at him, her face devoid of color and filled with unease.

“No need, whatever you have to say can be said here.” Ji Tingyang replied with hands in his pockets, looking at her indifferently.

Wen Li felt the gazes from the people around her, many tinged with mockery as if watching a show, those gazes biting into her painfully like silver needles.

She wanted to avoid those looks, but Ji Tingyang showed no intention of helping her, frequently glancing at his watch as if he was in a hurry.

Wen Li bit her lip, fearing he might say “I have things to do” and leave her behind. Not wanting to delay, she apologized in a soft voice.

“I’m sorry. The incident with the drowning last time, I truly didn’t do it on purpose. I was out of my mind then, and I couldn’t understand why I did that.” Her tears spilled over, her eyes brimming with pitiful tears as she spoke.

She seemed to know how to use this to her advantage, stirring pity and tenderness in others, several men nearby even felt compelled to comfort her to stop crying.

“And the documents you stole, was your brain also swollen, your consciousness unclear?” Ji Tingyang said coldly.

From the beginning, Ji Tingyang had considered the possibility that she might be the thief, but he didn’t want to, nor was he willing to suspect Wen Li.

When the butler brought that blank, so-called leaker’s document, combined with Wen Li’s reaction…

Many things were self-explanatory.

If this had happened before Lin Xu appeared, he might have continued to extract the last bit of warmth from her, unwilling to let her go, tormenting each other until the end of time.

But now it was different, his mother had returned, and all the affection he had held for his mother had been withdrawn from Wen Li. Lin Xu also loved him unreservedly, their bond of blood ensuring they would never part.

So, he no longer needed Wen Li.

Because of his past torment of Wen Li, he still harbored a bit of guilt and had decided not to delve deeper into the matters of the leak and the drowning. Each would go their own way from now on.

Hearing Ji Tingyang’s words, Wen Li’s head buzzed—did he already know?

Her lips quivered, wanting to say something, then she heard Ji Tingyang continue, “I have no intention of pursuing this matter; let’s just let it go.”

After speaking, he pulled his clothes from her grasp and turned away heartlessly.

Wen Li watched his departing figure, tears swirling around finally slid silently down her cheeks.

Sidon bystander Xu Wei chuckled out loud, “Ah, what a drama to watch. Some people want to eat their cake and have it too, but sadly, they’re utterly ignored.”

Xu Wei laughed for a while, no longer caring about Wen Li, she left the club arm in arm with a man.

Wen Li hung her head, sobbing softly.

The crowd had dispersed, and the staff, who had been munching on popcorn, finally came back to their senses and remembered their duty, beckoning the non-member Wen Li to leave.

“Wen Li?!”

A deep, surprised voice called her name from behind.

Wen Li’s steps halted as she heard the voice behind her and turned, pausing for a moment when she saw the face that had some resemblance to Ji Tingyang’s.

“Why are you here?” Ji Zeqiu’s face brightened with joy when he realized it was indeed Wen Li, quickly approaching her. But when he saw the tears on her face, he suddenly became worried, “Why are you crying? Did someone bully you?”

He frantically searched his pockets for a tissue, unable to find anything after a long search, then resorted to using his sleeve to wipe her tears away.

Wen Li’s suppressed agony released under Ji Zeqiu’s brief warmth, like a hurt child who cries louder when consoled. She threw herself into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

Ji Zeqiu held her, hand fumbling nervously.

After a while.

In Ji Zeqiu’s car, Wen Li finally stopped crying. She gathered the tissues in her hands and softly said, “Thank you.”

“We don’t need to be so formal with each other,” Ji Zeqiu said, smiling slightly, sounding a bit pleased, “Did you come to see me?”

“I’m here to find Ji Tingyang.” Wen Li’s clear voice still carried a hint of tears.

Upon hearing her words, the smile at the corners of Ji Zeqiu’s mouth stiffened, and the joy in his eyes faded.

He gripped the steering wheel tightly as his fingertips turned white.

He really shouldn’t have harbored any expectations; Wen Li never took the initiative to look for him.

Could it be that in her heart, he would never measure up to Ji Tingyang?

“He… didn’t he leave you for Lin Xu, yet you still look for him, can’t you let him go?” Ji Zeqiu’s voice was slightly bitter.

“No!” Wen Li quickly retorted, not sure to whom she was trying to prove her point, “I just wanted to talk to him about my father’s situation.”

She told Ji Zeqiu about her father being laid off and his troubles with work.

Realizing it was not due to lingering feelings for Ji Tingyang, Ji Zeqiu’s low spirits lifted, exclaiming, “It’s just a job, right? I can help your father find a job that pays no less than his current one.”

Ji Zeqiu was no longer the rookie without any influence. In the past, when Wen Li’s father needed a job, he couldn’t help, allowing Ji Tingyang to jump ahead.

But now, he had accumulated many connections in the entertainment industry over the years and introducing someone to a new job was a piece of cake for him.

Hearing that Ji Zeqiu could help, Wen Li’s face lit up with surprise, “Really, can you do that?”

“Of course, I can arrange it tomorrow,” Ji Zeqiu assured.

With the issue that had troubled her for days resolved, the worry on Wen Li’s face vanished, leaving a bright smile on her lips.

Ji Zeqiu’s smile brightened in response, asking her, “Are you hungry, do you want to eat something?”

Wen Li hesitated for a moment, then shook her head, “Just take me back to school, I have early classes tomorrow.”

“Okay.” Ji Zeqiu, handling the steering wheel, drove back to the school.

Wen Li asked him to stop at the school gate, unbuckling her seatbelt while bidding Ji Zeqiu farewell.

Ji Zeqiu glanced at her several times, hesitant to speak, but finally mustered the courage before she got out of the car, “Wen Li.”

“Hmm?”

“To you, am I forever just Ji Tingyang’s little brother?”

“Of course not!”

The excitement was just about to surface in Ji Zeqiu’s heart when he heard her continue, “You’re also my friend!”