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Qiao Nuo hailed a taxi and quickly left the place.
"Miss, are you alright?" The driver noticed that Qiao Nuo had started crying as soon as she got in. At first, her sobs were soft, but soon they grew louder and uncontrollable.
The driver now believed that women were made of water.
"I... I'm fine..." Qiao Nuo shook her head, but how could she be fine? Tears streamed down her face, unstoppable.
No matter how brave Qiao Nuo appeared, her strength had always been fragile when it came to Jin Chengyan.
It had been true before, it was true now, and it would surely be true in the future.
Her mind was filled with Jin Chengyan's words—words that made her feel as if she had never truly known him.
The greatest disappointment one can feel towards another is believing that knowing them was the biggest mistake of their life, wishing that everything had never happened.
When they were apart, they always found ways to be together; once together, they always found ways to hurt each other.
Now, they were finally apart.
Wasn't this what Qiao Nuo wanted?
As she cried all the way, she managed to compose herself by the time the car reached the Qiao Family home. She realized she hadn’t brought any money with her. Just as she was about to call the housekeeper to fetch her wallet, she saw Qiao Chen’s car pulling in.
In the passenger seat sat a quiet girl.
Unlike Jin Mengxi's flamboyant and outgoing demeanor, this girl seemed like a pure and elegant daffodil as she approached from a distance.
If she guessed correctly, this was the girl Qiao Chen had mentioned liking.
If he preferred someone like her, then it made sense why Jin Mengxi wasn't his type.
But this only reinforced Qiao Nuo's thoughts: Qiao Chen must have been with Jin Mengxi to get back at the Jin Family.
Jin Mengxi's current state was even worse than before.
Seeing his sister standing outside the car, Qiao Chen turned off the engine, got out, and after understanding the situation, handed some money to the driver.
The girl inside the car also unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out.
"Is this the girl you like?" As the girl walked closer, Qiao Nuo found her somewhat familiar, but she couldn't quite recall where she had seen her before.
"Yes, she is the woman I want to spend my life with." Such grand words were spoken right after he had just abandoned another woman, now declaring his intention to be with this one for a lifetime.
Qiao Nuo's gaze drifted past Qiao Chen, focusing on the girl who was approaching slowly. She seemed a bit reserved and shy.
However, no matter how good she appeared, Qiao Nuo found it hard to like her more. It wasn't that she favored Jin Mengxi; it was just that she felt Jin Mengxi had given too much to Qiao Chen, making her unable to help but feel pity for that girl.
As dusk fell, the three of them stood at the doorway. Qiao Nuo didn't invite the girl inside, and Qiao Chen was also at a standstill with Qiao Nuo. This was a woman he cared about, and Qiao Nuo felt the same way; he couldn't let either of them get hurt.
Just then, a phone rang, breaking the tense silence.
Qiao Nuo turned to answer the call.
Qiao Chen looked apologetically at the woman who had come with him, reaching out to hold her hand as if to say it was okay; his sister was a good person.
The woman nodded back at him, her eyes conveying a reassuring belief.
Qiao Nuo finished the brief call and turned around with a completely cold expression on her face.
"I have something to take care of. I'll step out for a bit." With that, Qiao Nuo got into Qiao Chen's car without even taking the time to drive her own vehicle, and she didn't say another word.
The woman stood frozen in place, tugging at Qiao Chen's sleeve. Taking a deep breath, she asked, "Does your sister not like me?"
Qiao Chen ruffled her hair in comfort and replied, "No way." Yet deep down, he felt uncertain; Qiao Nuo wouldn't treat a girl like this unless… she truly didn’t like her?
“It's okay, even if the whole world opposes us, I will still be with you.”
…
Qiao Nuo drove all the way to the bar, dressed in loungewear. Thinking about it, she felt a bit ridiculous.
As soon as she walked in, a strong smell of alcohol hit her, accompanied by deafening music.
Qiao Nuo had never liked places like this. If it weren't for Ji Xining calling her to say that she had seen Jin Mengxi here, she wouldn't have come at all.
In the dimly lit bar, men and women indulged themselves, shedding the pretense of the day and letting loose.
“Qiao Nuo, over here!” Ji Xining spotted Qiao Nuo and ran over.
“How is Jin Mengxi?” Qiao Nuo asked. Knowing that Jin Mengxi had just had a miscarriage and was out drinking, she was worried about her health and rushed over as soon as she found out.
“She’s over there drinking,” Ji Xining pointed in a direction. Following her gaze, Qiao Nuo indeed saw Jin Mengxi in a corner, wearing thin clothing. Several empty bottles were already in front of her; it was hard to tell how much she had drunk so early in the evening.
Just as Qiao Nuo was about to walk over, she noticed a man approaching Jin Mengxi, placing his hand on her shoulder.
“Miss, drinking alone? Want me to keep you company?” the man said with ill intentions.
Jin Mengxi, who usually had a good tolerance for alcohol, was feeling tipsy due to her bad mood. She frowned at the man's unwelcome touch but couldn’t push him away.
“Get away from me…” she said softly, her vision blurring.
“Don’t be upset; I promise I’ll make you happy later!” The man insisted, trying to pull Jin Mengxi away.
“Didn’t you hear her say to get lost?” Qiao Nuo stepped forward and grabbed the man’s hand. “If you don’t leave now, I’ll make sure you can’t walk.”
The man turned around and saw a woman in loungewear daring to confront him in such a place. He couldn’t help but feel anger rising within him.
“Mind your own business, or else I…”
“I advise you not to stir up trouble.” A deep male voice interjected.
Qiao Nuo turned around and saw a familiar face.
“Ye Yun?” It had been so long since she last saw Ye Yun. Four years ago, he had taken Yan Beiting away, claiming that Yan Beiting didn’t want her to witness his death.
Seeing more and more people gathering, the man decided it was best to leave before things escalated.
Once he was gone, Qiao Nuo quickly stepped forward to support Jin Mengxi’s shoulder.
“Miss Jin, in your current state, you shouldn’t drink. Otherwise, it will be difficult for you to conceive in the future.” Having experienced similar situations before, Qiao Nuo felt a pang of sadness seeing Jin Mengxi like this.
Jin Mengxi shook her head. When she lifted her face, tears streamed down her cheeks, making anyone who looked at her feel heartbroken.
“I… I feel terrible… Drinking will make it better…” As she spoke, Jin Mengxi grabbed the cup on the table and tilted her head back, downing its contents in one go.
Qiao Nuo snatched the cup from her hands and pushed all the alcohol away from the table.
“Xi Ning, help me take Miss Jin outside.” Qiao Nuo called Ji Xining over, not wanting to leave her alone in this state; she had to be sent home safely.
“I’ll handle it.” Ye Yun, being a man, effortlessly lifted the slightly intoxicated Jin Mengxi into his arms.
Jin Mengxi struggled against him, restless in Ye Yun's embrace.
“Let go of me… Where are you taking me?… Let go… I want to stay here… and wait for Q
Hearing that Qiao Nuo was going to take her to find Qiao Chen, Jin Mengxi immediately calmed down and obediently stayed in Ye Yun's embrace.
Once Jin Mengxi settled down, Qiao Nuo let out a sigh of relief and allowed Ye Yun to carry her out.
However, Qiao Nuo suddenly grabbed Ji Xining's hand, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over her, a familiar sensation of insufficient blood flow.
"Qiao Nuo, what's wrong?" Ji Xining asked anxiously, supporting Qiao Nuo. She was the only one who knew about her pregnancy, and even in the dim light, she could see that Qiao Nuo's face looked a bit pale.
"I'm just a little dizzy; it must be... the air isn't good here."
"I told you that your pregnancy is definitely taking a toll on your body. You still insist on carrying it to term. I don't know what you're thinking..."
"Alright, let's go outside." Worried that Ji Xining would say more, Qiao Nuo quickly urged her to leave with her.
Ji Xining said what she had to say but was even more concerned about Qiao Nuo's well-being, so she supported her as they went outside together.
Outside the bar, Qiao Nuo unexpectedly saw that man she had encountered before. He was standing next to Ye Yun—did they know each other?
"Just put Miss Jin in my car; I'll take her home. Thank you, Ye Yun." Qiao Nuo expressed her gratitude to Ye Yun but couldn't help but keep her gaze on the man beside him. She eventually asked, "Do you two know each other?"
Ye Yun glanced at Yan Beiting, wanting to say something but ultimately saying nothing.
"Yes, I'm Ye Yun's classmate. I didn't expect you two knew each other," Yan Beiting said with a slight smile, pretending not to be Yan Beiting.
"Oh..." Qiao Nuo responded but still felt that this man bore some resemblance to Yan Beiting. Perhaps that was why Ye Yun got along with him so well?
"You don't look so well; are you okay?" The last time he took Qiao Nuo to the hospital and called Ji Xining over before leaving, she didn't know it was Yan Beiting who had taken her there, and Yan Beiting was unaware of her pregnancy.
"I'm fine." Had her poor complexion already been noticed by everyone?
"Take good care of yourself; otherwise, someone will worry." His subtle expression left Qiao Nuo momentarily stunned.
“Ah?” Qiao Nuo thought she shouldn’t be particularly familiar with this man, but the concern in his words left her a bit confused.
He merely glanced at her, a gaze so familiar that Qiao Nuo instinctively grabbed his arm without thinking.
“You…” Qiao Nuo stared at him, those eyes delving deep into her soul, as if they could see her innermost thoughts.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, puzzled, his expression revealing nothing more than curiosity.
It felt as though they were just two strangers who had met briefly.
“I’m sorry, I mistook you for someone else,” Qiao Nuo snapped back to reality and released his arm. “Your eyes are very similar to a friend of mine… someone more important than life itself.”
Qiao Nuo felt a heaviness in her heart; thinking of Yan Beiting brought nothing but pain.
If she could, she would rather not come down from the operating table than let Yan Beiting see her off and ruin his life.
“Qiao Nuo, let’s go,” Ji Xining said as she stepped forward and linked her arm with Qiao Nuo’s. The warmth of Ji Xining’s hand gradually pulled Qiao Nuo back to reality.
“Okay…” Qiao Nuo glanced at him once more. An indescribable feeling washed over her; it was as if seeing him stirred all her emotions, as though they were long-time friends.
However, aside from those eyes, he bore no resemblance to Yan Beiting in any other way, yet he still felt familiar.
After getting into the car, Qiao Nuo looked back at the man standing outside. He was next to Ye Yun, and for a moment, she thought the person beside Ye Yun was Yan Beiting.
It wasn’t until Ji Xining started driving that she saw their figures grow smaller in the rearview mirror until they finally disappeared.
“She just said I’m a friend more important than life itself,” Yan Beiting remarked as he watched the car drive away, his hands tucked into his suit pants, feeling contemplative.
Ye Yun scoffed lightly. “If a man were willing to give up his life for me, I could easily call him a friend more important than life itself—or even a boyfriend!”
Yan Beiting shook his head; Ye Yun’s attitude was too strong and not charming at all.
"But Ye Yun, I really want to see her a few more times. I'm afraid I might never see her again." Fear surged within him; the worst thought was the possibility of losing her forever.
Ye Yun turned around and saw the sadness on Yan Beiting's face.
Four years were merely borrowed time. Yan Beiting, whose health deteriorated day by day, couldn't bring himself to reveal the truth to anyone. He preferred to bear it alone. Call him selfish if you must, but it was indeed selfish.
Yet what he bore was a heavier burden than others. What right did anyone have to blame such a man?
...
"Qiao Nuo, what happened just now? Did that man remind you of someone?" Ji Xining asked, glancing at Qiao Nuo through the rearview mirror. Her complexion was getting worse by the minute.
Qiao Nuo snapped back to reality, still supporting Jin Mengxi beside her.
"Yes, I feel like he resembles Yan Beiting a bit."
"Don't think too much about it. Yan Beiting is gone, and that's that. There are plenty of people in this world who look similar. I could find someone to make them look like Yan Beiting if I wanted! We need to look forward, and you can't let your mood become heavy; it's not good for the baby," Ji Xining advised earnestly.
"The baby..." Jin Mengxi, hearing the word "baby," suddenly burst into tears.
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