Chu Ning stood in the hospital corridor, clutching a carefully prepared fruit basket and milk for his girlfriend, his mind swirling with confusion.
"How did everyone know about Wanyao's hospitalization before me?"
When he finally located Room 302, he was about to push the door open when he heard an intimate conversation drifting from inside.
"Zhuang-ge, I love it when you're like this~"
"Sweetheart, this is just the beginning."
The voices sent a jolt of ice through Chu Ning's veins.
The woman's voice was unmistakably Qiu Wanyao, his girlfriend of six months—while the man's belonged unmistakably to Zhuang Quande, the customer who had visited the Audi dealership just days ago.
His chest tightened painfully.
Zhuang Quande owned a building materials company. Chu Ning had personally introduced him to Wanyao, hoping to help her meet her sales targets.
Hand trembling, he nudged the door open just a crack.
The sight that greeted him froze his blood.
There was Qiu Wanyao, nestled in Zhuang Quande's arms, wearing a sultry expression she had never once shown him.
Rage exploded in Chu Ning's mind.
With a furious kick, he slammed his foot against the door.
**BANG!**
The heavy thud reverberated through the hospital room.
The door burst open with a thunderous crash, startling the two occupants of the hospital room into scrambling apart.
"You... what are you doing here?" Qiu Wanyao looked up in panic, hastily smoothing her disheveled clothes upon recognizing Chu Ning.
"Cut the act. Guilty conscience?" Chu Ning's voice dripped with icy sarcasm as she took in the scene before her.
"After all this time knowing me, you wouldn't even let me kiss you. Yet here you are, tangled up with Boss Zhuang after just a few days." Chu Ning's jaw clenched, her words seething with fury. "You've got some nerve!"
Despite her sickly pallor, Qiu Wanyao exuded a fragile, pitiable charm. Her initial fluster gradually gave way to calm composure.
"I thought you said you were working late today. What brings you here?" she asked coolly.
"Working late? Ha! Only a fool would believe that excuse every time." Chu Ning let out a bitter laugh, her anger boiling over. "Looking back now, I really was the biggest fool of all."
Zhuang Quande had been momentarily startled by the sudden intrusion. But realizing Chu Ning had come alone, his tension melted into brazen arrogance.
With a dismissive glance at Chu Ning, he resumed his casual stroking of Qiu Wanyao's thigh, as if deliberately flaunting his claim over her.
Chu Ning's eyes blazed with fury at the sight, her teeth grinding audibly. "Zhuang Quande, you despicable snake—how dare you steal my woman!"
He charged toward the hospital bed like an enraged lion, his fist cutting a sharp arc through the air.
But Qiu Wanyao suddenly sprang up from the bed, shielding Zhuang Quande with her body.
"Chu Ning, calm down! What gives you the right to hit someone?"
"I love Boss Zhuang, and I choose him! He can give me the life I want!"
Her words struck Chu Ning like a dagger to the heart.
His fist froze mid-air, his entire body stiffening as if struck by lightning.
He had naively believed she was being threatened or coerced, but reality had slapped him hard across the face.
All those sweet memories—the romantic movie dates, the tender sunrise on the mountaintop, the laughter-filled walks through the streets—now twisted into bitter mockery.
His body trembled violently, his fist still raised, yet powerless to strike.
"Kid, no need for such a temper," Zhuang Quande sneered, casually tossing a bank card onto the floor. "There’s three thousand in there—consider it compensation for your wasted effort."
Chu Ning stared at the card on the ground, his eyes filled with sorrow and scorn.
"Is he really worth it? Worth throwing yourself at him like this?"
Zhuang Quande scoffed. "With a monthly salary of three thousand, how could you ever give Yaoyao the life she deserves?"
Chu Ning smirked coldly, taking in Zhuang’s pockmarked face. *This* was the man Qiu Wanyao had chosen over him?
"Qiu Wanyao," he said, locking his gaze onto her, "don’t you have anything to say? After all the time we spent together?"
She kept her face turned away, unable to meet his eyes.
A flicker of shame still lingered—but not enough to outweigh her hunger for luxury.
"Quit wasting our time. Take the hint and get lost," Zhuang Quande snapped, nudging the card closer with the tip of his shoe. "Or I won’t be so polite next time."