Chapter 131: Chapter 128: I Can Understand
"Why can’t we mention it? Yige, the person Si Nan loves is me, not you. It’s not my fault he chose me in the end, nor is it his fault. Don’t you understand that feelings can’t be forced?" Tang Ruan cried.
Tang Yige stared at her pretentious face, a certain emotion reached its peak, but in the end, it only lightly showed on her face. She looked at Tang Ruan with sympathy, "You’re really ridiculous..."
"The ridiculous one is you!" Before Tang Yige could finish, a cold, tense male voice suddenly came from the doorway.
Jin Jumo was startled, and before she could look towards the door, she saw that Tang Yige’s face had turned pale, layer by layer, uncontrollably.
"...Si Nan, why are you here?" Tang Ruan’s voice was fearful and at a loss, and she quickly looked at Tang Yige, "Yige, I, I didn’t know Si Nan would come, I..."
"Ruan Ruan, why must you come here to ask for trouble." Rong Sinan’s face was cold and tense; he stepped forward, bending down to hold Tang Ruan’s hand, wrapping her protectively in his arms. His elegant, serene face was now as cold as winter frost, "Some people aren’t worth the effort, compromising yourself."
Tang Yige clenched her hands tightly, her face as white as paper. Her charming, captivating eyes fixed straight on Rong Sinan’s face, the longing in her eyes seemed so cautious and extravagant.
Rong Sinan caught the gaze Tang Yige threw at him. His handsome brows knitted with disgust, his jaw tightened, and he coldly stared at Tang Yige, "Tang Yige, you’re still just as selfish and mean. I doubt whether you have any kindness in your heart!"
Tang Yige’s body trembled slightly, her graceful figure now seemed thin and desolate. She didn’t say anything, but her eyes hadn’t left Rong Sinan’s face from the beginning, despite the cold disdain and mockery on his face.
Tang Ruan worriedly glanced at Tang Yige, bit her lip, and lightly gripped Rong Sinan’s hand, her eyes red as she said, "Si Nan, don’t talk about Yige like that. After all, she loves you so much, and saying this will hurt her more than anyone else saying the same thing."
"Love?" Rong Sinan’s handsome face was overtaken with cold anger, veins even bulging on his forehead, staring intently at Tang Yige, "Is she even worthy!"
Tang Ruan glanced at Tang Yige’s pale face, her eyes narrowing, and when she turned to look at Rong Sinan again, she was filled with anxiety and sorrow, "Si Nan, how can you say that about Yige? She’s my sister, and if you say that about her, does that mean I’m not worthy to be with you either?"
Rong Sinan’s tense face shifted as he looked down at Tang Ruan’s tear-streaked face, feeling a pang of pity. He reached out tenderly to wipe the tears from her face, his voice noticeably gentler, "You know that’s not what I mean. Ruan Ruan, I know you’re kind-hearted and soft, but some people are beyond saving, not deserving of your care. Promise me, don’t come here again, okay?"
"Si Nan, Yige and I have been close since we were little, we are real sisters, how can I easily let go, I can’t do it." Tang Ruan cried, her face full of pain.
Rong Sinan felt a painful tug at his heart, reaching out to pull her into his arms, "You’re such a fool!"
"Wuwu..." Tang Ruan couldn’t help but lower her head and sob in Rong Sinan’s arms.
Jin Jumo observed this scene, and a barely noticeable frown appeared as she looked at Tang Yige, who hadn’t said a word since Rong Sinan appeared.
Tang Yige stood alone in front of the two embracing, her pale hands tightly clenched, her figure standing straight, but her eyes never left Rong Sinan.
Jin Jumo sighed inwardly. She didn’t originally want to get involved in these entangled emotions among the three, but she couldn’t bear to let Tang Yige face it alone. She couldn’t help stepping forward a few steps, standing beside Tang Yige, her clear eyes looking at Rong Sinan, "Brother Rong."
"Momo?" Rong Sinan only noticed her presence the moment Jin Jumo spoke, his brows furrowed in surprise, "What are you doing here?"
Jin Jumo raised an eyebrow, smiling lightly, "I’ve been here for a while."
Rong Sinan pursed his lips, glanced at Tang Yige beside her, his brows furrowing deeply, "Are you here alone?"
Jin Jumo was slightly stunned and nodded.
Rong Sinan’s face became slightly serious as he looked at Jin Jumo, "Momo, some people lack good character, and it’s not suitable to associate with them for long, lest you pick up undesirable habits."
Jin Jumo noticed Tang Yige’s body tremble fiercely beside her, squinting slightly, surprisingly finding the usually straightforward and gentle man speaking so directly and sharply, without holding back.
After a brief silence, Jin Jumo smiled and said, "I reserved a spot at a restaurant for six-thirty. It’s about a half-hour drive from here to the restaurant. It’s already almost six now. If Brother Rong and Miss Tang don’t have any other matters, why not join Sister Yi and me for dinner at the restaurant?"
Not expecting Jin Jumo to change the topic directly, Rong Sinan pursed his thin lips, "Momo..."
"Of course, if Brother Rong isn’t available, it’s no problem. I can invite you to dinner another day."
Jin Jumo said, pulling a bit awkwardly at her lips, "The restaurant is very popular; you usually need to reserve seats in advance, and if we don’t arrive on time, the restaurant will automatically assume we’re not coming and cancel the reservation. The timing is just right now to make it there."
Jin Jumo finished speaking and smiled as she looked at Rong Sinan.
Rong Sinan’s eyes briefly showed a hint of conflict. Clearly, he neither wanted Jin Jumo and Tang Yige to be alone together, considering her "kind of" woman, nor did he sincerely wish to refuse dining with Tang Yige.
Tang Ruan glanced at Jin Jumo, hesitantly saying, "Si Nan, why don’t we..."
"Momo, which restaurant did you book?" Mr. Rong interrupted Tang Ruan, looking at Jin Jumo and asking.
Jin Jumo earnestly spouted nonsense, revealing the name of a restaurant.
Mr. Rong didn’t say anything more. He paused for a moment, coldly glared at Tang Yige, and then led Tang Ruan out of the photo studio.
Watching Mr. Rong and Tang Ruan leave, Jin Jumo looked worriedly at the silent Tang Yige beside her, "Sister Yi, are you okay?"
Tang Yige didn’t speak, her teeth tightly biting her lower lip. Her face gradually turned from pale to flushed, a sign of suppressing extreme emotions.
Jin Jumo watched in shock as veins bulged on her forehead and blood droplets slipped from her teeth. She hurriedly grabbed her arm, stiff as a popsicle, "Sister Yi, Sister Yi, don’t do this, you’re bleeding, quickly let go."
Tang Yige’s eyes were blood-red, her pupils blurred by tears, making her look terrifying.
Jin Jumo took a deep breath, reached out and patted her face, "Sister Yi, Sister Yi, can you hear me? Sister Yi, don’t scare me."
"Ah..." Tang Yige suddenly cried out in pain, tears pouring from her eyes like water columns.
Jin Jumo stood frozen, staring blankly at her face twisted with pain.
"Ah..." Tang Yige clutched her chest, her voice shrill and hoarse. Each groan of unbearable pain roared from her mouth, causing a shiver in one’s heart, as if feeling her inner agony.
Jin Jumo’s eyes reddened involuntarily, she took a fierce breath and embraced her shaking body, her throat aching, "Sister Yi, Sister Yi, don’t torment yourself like this. If it really hurts, let go, okay?"
"Ah..." Tang Yige cried bitterly, as if to howl out all the grievances and pains pent up in her heart.
Jin Jumo wasn’t someone who shed tears easily, nor was she soft-hearted, yet Tang Yige, hunched over and crying on her, made her eyes moisten.
Jin Jumo sat quietly on the sofa, watching Tang Yige, on the other end, smoke frantically after venting her emotions.
The ashtray in front of Tang Yige was full of cigarette butts. She frowned, her charming eyes drooped low, smoking in a hurried and flustered manner, like an addict in need of a fix, her fingers trembling violently as they held the cigarette.
The soft ringtone from Jin Jumo’s bag brought a touch of life to the somber and melancholic studio.
Jin Jumo opened her bag, took out her phone, glanced at the caller ID, and after a slight hesitation, turned to the other side and answered the call, "Mr. Rong, what’s up?"
Upon hearing Jin Jumo say "Mr. Rong," Tang Yige slightly lifted her eyelids to glance at her, as if she suddenly remembered something. The hand holding the cigarette paused, then she frowned and stubbed out the half-cigarette in the ashtray before getting up to search for something in the studio.
Jin Jumo heard the noise, looked back at her, and said, "I’m still at the studio... Haven’t gone to eat... Uh, okay."
After hanging up, Jin Jumo quickly got up and approached Tang Yige, "Sister Yi, what are you looking for?"
Tang Yige didn’t speak, brushed past Jin Jumo, held onto the stairs, and ran upstairs with a thud.
Jin Jumo was bewildered.
After a while, Tang Yige came down, holding something high and spraying it in all corners of the studio.
Smelling the fresh lily scent in the air, Jin Jumo realized she’d been searching for air freshener all along.
Tang Yige threw the air freshener on the sofa and hastily dumped the cigarette butts along with the ashtray into a trash can, tying the black garbage bag in a twist before taking it out of the studio.
Jin Jumo watched Tang Yige’s series of strange actions numbly, with a hint of fear, wondering if she had been driven to madness by the shock.
When Tang Yige returned after disposing of the garbage, she saw Jin Jumo looking at her with wide, complex eyes.
Raising her eyebrows, Tang Yige walked towards her with a sway, her hips moving seductively, red swollen eye corners hanging low, and a hoarse voice, "Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think I’d go insane over something like this? You underestimate me!"
As she spoke, Tang Yige plopped down on the sofa, crossed her legs, and red fingernails picked at the peony flower on her qipao. Besides the pallor and furrowed brows, there was nothing unusual about her.
Jin Jumo chuckled dryly, "Your self-healing ability is impressive."
Unexpectedly mocking her by rubbing salt into her wounds, Tang Yige was stunned for a moment, then chuckled, raised her eyebrows charmingly, and stared at Jin Jumo without speaking.