Chapter 25: You Like Me? Is Yan Yingdi Joking?

Jiang Chiyu stared at him, stunned, before bursting into a laugh. "Stop joking. While I admire your acting skills, Master Yan, I know my own worth."

At this moment, in Jiang Chiyu’s eyes, such a declaration of affection was simply laughable. Yan Chuanzhou had allowed others to bully her without restraint; was this what he called love? Did he bully her because he loved her? Only a fool would think so, and Jiang Chiyu was not that foolish.

Wei Feng had initially expected a flicker of hesitation in her heart, but it was clear now that was not the case. She had truly let go of Yan Chuanzhou. A triumphant smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he turned to Yan Chuanzhou. "Master Yan, with a beauty already in your arms, you should refrain from saying such things. It only invites misunderstanding and hurts Miss Lin."

"Shut up!"

Yan Chuanzhou felt a sense of urgency. Desperate to hold onto Jiang Chiyu, he finally understood the depth of his feelings for her, and he wanted nothing more than to slap his past self.

"If you knew it would come to this, you shouldn't have done it in the first place. No one forced you to spread those scandals," Wei Feng remarked, relishing the drama and striking directly at Yan Chuanzhou’s conscience.

"Is it only because you can’t have it that you’ve started to cherish it?" Jiang Chiyu asked suddenly. Her eyes were clear and calm, as if she no longer cared about Yan Chuanzhou’s change of heart.

Seeing her reaction, Yan Chuanzhou panicked. The fault was entirely his; he knew he had lost his chance, yet he still craved forgiveness. "Chiyu, that’s not it. I’ve only just realized that you are the only one I truly love." His confession was frantic and clumsy, his hands trembling as he gestured in desperation.

"I don't love you. I am not responsible for your feelings; that is your own concern, and it has nothing to do with me."

Jiang Chiyu was an independent individual, a free soul. Having experienced the thrill of a wild horse running free, she would never willingly submit to the constraints of a bridle.

Yan Chuanzhou stood frozen, not knowing how to respond. He felt like a child who had been denied a piece of candy, utterly at a loss. Once again, he felt that unique, captivating aura about her—the resolute choice of direction, never looking back. She was like a general in full control of the battlefield, launching precise strikes straight into the heart of the enemy’s camp.

Standing to the side, Wei Feng wore a smile of victory. He knew these two were finished. He still had a chance.

"You made your choice when you confronted Lin Qingyue. There is no such thing as a regret pill in this world. Leave now. I will see you at the Civil Affairs Bureau after the next recording session."

Jiang Chiyu issued her final command, intending to say no more to him. The heart that had once been suspended in limbo finally went cold.

Yan Chuanzhou felt utterly hollow. He begged one last time, "Chiyu, can we... not get a divorce yet? I promise I will..."

"Do not make assumptions you cannot guarantee. No one can predict the human heart." Jiang Chiyu severed his last shred of hope.

Knowing that further entanglement would yield the same result, Yan Chuanzhou walked out in a daze and made a phone call.

"A-Yu..." Sensing the heavy atmosphere, Wei Feng called out to her, but the words he wanted to say were stuck in his throat.

Jiang Chiyu guessed what he wanted to say and returned to her usual calm. "I’m fine, just a little tired. Who knew he would pull a stunt like this?" She had to admit, when it came to catching an enemy off guard, Yan Chuanzhou was second to none.

Seeing her fatigue, Wei Feng decided not to linger. "Rest for a while. I’ll call you when it’s time for dinner."

"All right."

After he left and closed the door, Jiang Chiyu collapsed onto the bed and closed her eyes.

Meanwhile, after his phone call, Yan Chuanzhou drove straight to a bar. As he opened the door to their private room, the noise flooded his ears.

"Yo, Brother Yan, you’re finally here! One minute late—the old rules apply: a drink as a penalty." It was Qin Si, a young master of the Qin family, who handed him a glass.

Yan Chuanzhou downed it in one gulp without a word.

"What’s wrong today? You in a bad mood, Brother Yan?" The person who spoke draped an arm over him, feigning a joke. This was Shen Chenglan, who had been brought back into the Shen family three years ago. Though an illegitimate son, he was ruthless and far more capable than the eldest son, having seized power within six months. The three of them were close friends.

"He’s suffering from heartbreak," Qin Si teased, leaning toward Shen Chenglan without regard for Yan Chuanzhou’s face.

Hearing this, Shen Chenglan’s interest was piqued. He leaned in, eager for the gossip. "With Brother Yan’s dashing looks, he’s charmed so many girls in the industry—how did he get dumped? Tell us about it."

"Screw you, who got dumped?" Yan Chuanzhou playfully pushed him away and poured himself another glass.

"No way, it’s actually true? Which girl has such high standards that she’d turn down the eldest master of the Yan family?" Shen Chenglan needled him again.

Qin Si sat to the side, laughing as he finished his own drink. "Who else could it be? The ‘clingy girl’ from the Jiang family, of course."

This answer caught Shen Chenglan off guard. His eyes widened in disbelief. "Doesn't Brother Yan hate Jiang Chiyu? How did your taste change so suddenly that you’re into her now?"

"Uh-huh," Qin Si agreed.

The two exchanged glances and erupted into deafening laughter. Yan Chuanzhou downed drink after drink, sighing helplessly. "I didn't come here to be mocked. Tell me what to do. She’s dead set on divorcing me."

Shen Chenglan couldn't help but ask, "Is she playing hard to get? You know how many tricks Jiang Chiyu used to pull."

"I wish she was still clinging to me like she used to." He finished his drink and poured another.

Seeing him continue to pour, Qin Si held down the bottle. "Stop drinking. You look like a scorned lover drowning his sorrows in a bar."

"Then what do you suggest? She doesn't believe a word I say. Even when I confessed to her, she didn't believe me at all, and to make matters worse, she has that other guy around."

"If it were me, I wouldn't believe it either. You hated her and tried to drive her away, and now you’re suddenly confessing? This plot is too wild even for a novel," Shen Chenglan remarked with surgical precision.

"Then what do I do? That Wei Feng is by her side every day. My chances are even slimmer." At the thought of Wei Feng, Yan Chuanzhou’s anger flared, and he slapped his thigh hard.

A cry of pain came from beside him.

"Ouch, Brother Yan! Can you hit your own leg? Hitting mine doesn't help your frustration!"

Qin Si ignored their bickering, thought for a moment, and said slowly, "Actually, there is one more way."