Jiang Li looked at the man sitting in the large swivel chair, her chest tightening with each breath. Her voice was hoarse and barely recognizable as her own. "Xiao Yanzhi, you broke your promise."
Hearing this, Xiao Yanzhi finally shifted his gaze from the computer screen to her face. His eyebrows furrowed slightly. "What promise did I break?"
Seeing his act of feigning ignorance, Jiang Li twitched the corner of her lips, finding it utterly ironic.
Even after all that had happened, Jiang Li had always thought that, at least in the past, she had been special to Xiao Yanzhi.
But today, she finally realized that she had merely been a bed partner to him, and once he had grown tired of her, she had been cast aside.
The more glorious she had once been, the more miserable and embarrassed she would become in the future.
"You promised me that you wouldn't tell anyone about my family."
And that he would always protect her pride.
She didn't voice the second part.
She thought it was too sentimental and inappropriate for their current relationship.
Xiao Yanzhi remained silent for a moment before speaking. "So, what exactly are you trying to say?"
Jiang Li closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Just now, Qin Yaoyao said that you told her about me and asked her to organize a donation in the company to help me pay off my debts."
After saying this, she looked up at Xiao Yanzhi steadily, waiting for his response.
Xiao Yanzhi's expression remained unchanged as he casually glanced at her. "Isn't she helping you? Aren't you happy?"
The last glimmer of hope in Jiang Li's eyes faded away, leaving no trace of light.
She admitted that she had still harbored some expectations before asking.
But now, all those expectations had been shattered, turning into a joke.
"Xiao Yanzhi, should I be happy?"
She let out a cold laugh, but the smile was filled with bitterness.
She forced the words out, her expression wooden. "Should I kneel down and kowtow to the two of you to show my gratitude?"
Hearing this, Xiao Yanzhi's heart sank.
"Jiang Li, don't be unreasonable." The man looked down at her. "Yaoyao was indeed out of line in this matter. I'll scold her later and ask her to apologize to you."
His light - hearted mention of scolding and an apology was nothing more than a perfunctory gesture.
But this wasn't what Jiang Li wanted to hear.
Jiang Li looked up, her expression cold. "Xiao Yanzhi, this has nothing to do with Qin Yaoyao. I don't want her apology."
"Then what do you want?" Xiao Yanzhi lost his patience and looked back at the computer screen. "I'll unfreeze Jiang Yi's bank card as compensation for you. Is that enough?"
Hearing this lukewarm "compensation", Jiang Li clenched her fists tightly, her fingernails digging into her palms. She gritted her teeth and said word by word.
"What I want is your apology."
Xiao Yanzhi frowned slightly and then quickly relaxed it. His voice was cold. "Jiang Li, don't push your luck."
However, Jiang Li was trembling all over. She stared at Xiao Yanzhi without blinking, and even her usually calm voice began to shake. "Xiao Yanzhi, apologize to me."
Although she was on the verge of tears, she still gritted her teeth tightly. Her eyes were rimmed with red, but she stubbornly refused to let a single tear fall.
"Your stubbornness hasn't changed at all over the years. Instead, it's gotten worse."
Xiao Yanzhi narrowed his eyes and sneered softly. "Do you think you've won just because I apologize to you?"
"Don't let yourself lose completely." Xiao Yanzhi curled his lips, his tone indifferent. "Jiang Li, besides daring to make demands on me, do you have any other backbone?"
"Being Jiang Yi's cash machine so dutifully all day long, you should have realized earlier that you don't deserve self - esteem at all."
"You made your choice between money and self - esteem four years ago, didn't you?"
...
Jiang Li didn't know how she managed to leave Xiao Yanzhi's office. Her hands and feet were still ice - cold when she returned to the lounge.
She closed her eyes, and the pent - up emotions finally burst out.
For a rare moment, two streams of clear tears slipped from the corners of her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away, leaving no trace.
Although Xiao Yanzhi was cold - hearted, he was right.
This was all her own choice.
After Jiang Li left the office, Qin Yaoyao timidly stepped in front of Xiao Yanzhi.
Her voice was soft and tinged with sadness. "A Yan, did I mess things up with good intentions?"
Xiao Yanzhi rubbed his temples. His tone wasn't gentle, but it definitely wasn't cold. "Why did you tell Jiang Li that I told you about her?"
From beginning to end, Xiao Yanzhi had never initiated a conversation with Qin Yaoyao about Jiang Li.
Let alone her private matters.
Caught off - guard by Xiao Yanzhi's sudden questioning, Qin Yaoyao's face changed slightly, and her tone became cautious. "I thought you had a closer relationship with Sister Jiang Li. I thought she might be more likely to accept it if I said it was your suggestion."
Xiao Yanzhi raised his eyes, and his gaze landed on Qin Yaoyao indifferently.
His eyes were deep and black, making it hard to discern his emotions. Qin Yaoyao felt a bit uncomfortable, as if his gaze could see through her.
She averted her eyes, and her voice became muffled. "I'm sorry, A Yan. I acted on my own in this matter without asking for your opinion in advance."
"I'll be more careful in the future and won't be so impulsive."
Her apology was sincere, filled with guilt in every word. "I should have realized earlier that since Sister Jiang Li is so outstanding, she must be proud. I shouldn't have casually talked about her family matters."
Xiao Yanzhi didn't comfort her. He just lowered his eyes slightly, his voice showing no emotion. "You can go out first."
Sensing Xiao Yanzhi's coldness and distance, Qin Yaoyao panicked. She quickly walked over and grabbed his arm. "A Yan, don't be angry with me, okay?"
She was so anxious that her eyes turned red. She gently shook his arm, biting her lower lip. "I'm just so insecure. I took what Lawyer Song said to heart yesterday. I'm worried that you really haven't let go of Sister Jiang Li."
After Jiang Li had adjusted her emotions, she realized that she might have left her phone in Xiao Yanzhi's office.
She rubbed her temples irritably and got up to retrieve it.
Standing in front of the president's office, Jiang Li placed her hand on the doorknob. Just as she was about to turn it instinctively, she suddenly remembered that Xiao Yanzhi had told her to knock before entering the office.
She paused, and the hand that had been on the doorknob moved to the door. She knocked twice gently before pushing the door open and walking in.
At the same time, the moment he heard the knock on the door, Xiao Yanzhi casually glanced over and noticed the phone on the table.
Finally showing a reaction after being cold and aloof, he let out a cold snort, his voice indifferent. "I've never liked her. What's there to let go of?"