Cry Me a Sad River

Lin Wanning hurried out of the restaurant. [None of the restaurants inside the mall had restrooms.]

Once outside, the blush on her face finally faded slightly.

It seemed that as long as she wasn’t in front of Long Aotian, she wouldn’t blush so easily.

She glanced back discreetly at Long Aotian and noticed he had already started selecting ingredients and was preparing to grill meat for her. The corners of her lips curled up, and her steps became noticeably lighter.

It’s okay if you don’t know how to be in a relationship, Aotian. Wanning can take it slow and accompany you step by step...

As the escalator carried her upward, her eyes landed on a man with a slicked-back middle part.

His hair was meticulously styled, combed into perfect symmetry—especially the exposed scalp line down the middle, which stood out conspicuously.

The escalator continued its ascent, revealing the man in full: his clothes were immaculate, not a single wrinkle out of place, and his lips carried a faint, confident smirk. In his hand, he held a single rose.

He scanned his surroundings as if searching for something, and in the next moment, his eyes lit up.

His smirk deepened. "As expected, it’s all fate. In this crowded place, my eyes found you instantly!"

He instinctively flicked his hair, only to remember it didn’t move. He chuckled at his own foolishness. "Almost forgot—I changed to a trendier hairstyle today."

Holding the rose in one hand and slipping the other into his pocket, he strode toward the figure not far away.

"Wanning!" His deep, slightly raspy voice—tinged with what some might call a "magnetic" quality—drew the attention of those nearby.

Facing the curious gazes, Ye Liangchen maintained his smirk, hands in his pockets, exuding an air of effortless charm as he walked forward.

Hearing her name, Lin Wanning instinctively halted and turned to look.

That fleeting glance, paired with her soft smile, struck Ye Liangchen like a hammer to the chest.

His steps faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered, flicking his hair again—even if it didn’t budge, the gesture was essential for maintaining his cool demeanor.

Lin Wanning frowned slightly, studying the man approaching her with his middle-parted hair, rose in hand, and a smug grin. A brief flicker of confusion crossed her eyes.

She searched her memory, trying to recall if she knew him.

"We meet again." Seeing her seemingly stunned by his handsomeness, Ye Liangchen chuckled like a gentleman and gave her a slight nod.

"Who are you?"

"Your memory’s as bad as ever..."

At those words, Lin Wanning’s frown deepened. Yes, she remembered now.

"Who exactly are you? Do we know each other?" She had no patience for someone who had once tried to lift her pant leg without permission.

Ye Liangchen raised the rose to his nose, took an exaggerated sniff, and smirked. "The moment you asked that, we became acquainted!"

He then offered her the rose.

Lin Wanning’s expression turned icy as she stared at the flower he had just sniffed. "Are you serious?"

"If this is your idea of flirting, I’m not interested." Her tone was cold and detached, leaving no room for misunderstanding.

Without another word, she walked away. The excuse of needing the restroom had been awkward enough, and now this nuisance had ruined her mood. All she wanted was to return to Long Aotian.

"There seems to be some misunderstanding between us. Aren’t you curious how I knew your name?"

Lin Wanning didn’t slow her steps. "Not at all."

Ye Liangchen merely smiled at her rejection. He knew this was just her nature—and where was the fun without a challenge?

A life without obstacles was no life at all. Ye Liangchen thrived on the struggle.

Turning, he watched Lin Wanning re-enter the restaurant before spinning on his heel and taking another dramatic whiff of the rose.

Then, he strode toward the same restaurant.

"You’re back. Try this—I wasn’t sure if you like spicy food, so I kept it mild."

Seeing Lin Wanning return, Long Aotian placed a plate of freshly grilled meat in front of her.

At the sight of the food, her earlier irritation melted away. "Thank you, Aotian."

"Calling me ‘Aotian’ and still saying ‘thank you’?" He chuckled as he continued grilling.

"It’s delicious. You should have some too." Lin Wanning picked up a piece with her chopsticks and placed it on his plate. "Eat more."

"Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like. I’ll grill it for you."

"Okay." She stood up with a soft smile, a stark contrast to her frosty demeanor moments ago.

Ye Liangchen’s grip tightened, snapping the rose in his hand. A wave of sorrow washed over him, and a single tear rolled down his cheek.

"Disgusting... absolutely disgusting..."

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

His body swayed slightly as if he might collapse.

"Are you alright?" A waiter at the entrance noticed the tearful young man and instinctively asked.

Ye Liangchen’s lips curled into a self-mocking smile. "Do you know what it means to drown in sorrow?"

Without waiting for an answer, he continued, "No one could possibly understand how I feel right now. My heart is already shattered. The person standing before you is nothing but an empty shell!"

His fists clenched, his gaze fixed unblinkingly on the pair not far away. Who could comprehend the bitterness in his heart?

He had calculated everything perfectly. He was so close to winning Lin Wanning over...

"Why? Why is this happening? Why is Long Aotian—who should be selling clothes in Haivan City—here, sharing a meal with Lin Wanning?"

Closing his eyes, he forced out his last tear... and then laughed. This time, it was genuine.

"The heavens are unjust, treating all as expendable. My patience with you was met not with understanding, but with your relentless encroachment. Long Aotian, do you truly think I won’t strike back?"

"Fine. You leave me no choice."

With that, Ye Liangchen pulled out his phone and snapped several photos of Long Aotian and Lin Wanning.

"I refuse to believe Hu Yuying and Li Qingxue will stand by once they see how you’ve played with their emotions. They’ll finally see the monster you truly are."

"And I refuse to believe Lin Wanning won’t despise you once she learns you’ve been two-timing them."

"I defeated you once in our past life. In this one, you’ll remain beneath me!"

This time, Ye Liangchen’s fury was real.

He stood at the edge of a cliff, one step away from the abyss...