Ling Nuan let out a soft scoff.
"Anyone can say I made the wrong choice and that Huo Linsheng is no good, but you, Shen Shaoqing, are the last person with the right to say so," Ling Nuan said.
Hearing this, Shen Shaoqing's face paled considerably.
"Yes, I have no right," Shen Shaoqing admitted. "But Nuan Nuan, I hope you can live a good life."
"I don't see it," Ling Nuan retorted. However, compared to before, her attitude today could be described as friendly.
Shen Shaoqing laughed at himself. "I never thought our relationship would end up like this. It seems... we've become natural adversaries."
Ling Nuan remained silent.
"Sometimes I miss the past. When I wake up, I feel that everything now is just a nightmare and I'm looking forward to waking up from it soon," Shen Shaoqing looked at Ling Nuan. "Nuan Nuan, am I being ridiculous like this?"
Ling Nuan still didn't say a word.
Seeing this, Shen Shaoqing also fell silent.
It seemed that silence had fallen between them, and neither of them spoke again.
Until the notification sound of Shen Shaoqing's phone rang.
It was a video message from Huo Xiao.
Shen Shaoqing clicked it open. The video showed the situation at the annual meeting. Whether it was intentional or a coincidence, Huo Linsheng and Meng Shuluo were also captured in the video.
Ling Nuan heard the voices of the two in the video.
"Not feeling well? Do you want to go back and rest earlier?" Huo Linsheng asked Meng Shuluo.
Meng Shuluo joked with a smile. "If I go back now, who will accompany you? Poor Mr. Huo would be so lonely."
Hearing this conversation, Shen Shaoqing's face suddenly changed. Then he turned off the phone screen and looked up at Ling Nuan with a worried look in his eyes.
Ling Nuan's expression remained calm.
"The acting is too exaggerated," Ling Nuan said.
Shen Shaoqing was taken aback.
"Have you forgotten who you are? If Huo Linsheng really got involved with Meng Shuluo, you should be throwing the evidence in my face now and trying hard to persuade me to break up with Huo Linsheng instead of covering up for them here as if you're afraid I'll be hurt," Ling Nuan sneered.
Shen Shaoqing laughed at himself. "Yes, I can't hide it from you."
"Actually, you really don't have to keep coming to me and saying all these things. From beginning to end, the only person you love is yourself. Whether it's me or Huo Xiao, there's probably nothing you can't give up for your own sake," Ling Nuan said.
Hearing this, Shen Shaoqing retorted, "I don't admit this. It's true that I chose to abandon you before, but it was only after I really lost you that I realized you're the only one I can't give up."
"I hope you'll break up with Huo Linsheng because even though I say I hope you'll be happy, I still secretly hope that you'll come back to me. Nuan Nuan, I can't accept you being with anyone else. This is the truth," Shen Shaoqing said seriously for once.
Ling Nuan met Shen Shaoqing's gaze. It was as if she was burned by the affection in his eyes and she quickly averted her gaze.
As if nervously changing the topic, she said, "What are you and Huo Xiao up to? Sending this video on purpose just to drive a wedge between me and Huo Linsheng?"
"Huo Linsheng went after Qingnuan for your sake. What he did damaged not only my interests but also those of Huo Xiao and her father. Naturally, they don't want this to happen. Since they can't deal with Huo Linsheng, the only way to solve this trouble is to make Huo Linsheng lose the reason to go after Qingnuan," Shen Shaoqing was especially frank on this point.
It was as if he didn't say it before just because Ling Nuan didn't ask.
"Aren't you afraid their plan will fail by telling me their scheme directly?" Ling Nuan asked.
Shen Shaoqing twitched the corner of his mouth and replied, "Don't we all know this in our hearts? Moreover," Shen Shaoqing looked directly into Ling Nuan's eyes. "Compared to other things, I care more about you. I want to protect Qingnuan because it was founded by you and me. There are too many memories of ours there. Even if you left Qingnuan, it's still our child."
He asked her, "Nuan Nuan, do you still remember those days? When we first started our business, we had nothing - no money and no connections. All we had was passion. We hit rock - bottom, but even so, we never gave up."
Those were also very precious memories for Ling Nuan.
She wouldn't deny the past just because Shen Shaoqing was in those memories.
Putting aside the bad relationship between her and Shen Shaoqing, although the startup was tough back then, the belief of a group of like - minded people coming together for the same goal was still something Ling Nuan missed.
"I remember. When we landed our first deal, we could pay off our rent and salaries, and there was still a few hundred yuan left. We used that money to order takeout and buy a bunch of beer. We were so happy then," Shen Shaoqing's face showed a nostalgic look as he recalled the past.
Ling Nuan also seemed to remember the past and was in a daze.
"Nuan Nuan, I have my own selfish motives, but I never wanted to really hurt you," Shen Shaoqing stated again.
Ling Nuan finally seemed to be wavering, but she still harbored grudges against Shen Shaoqing.
"Shen Shaoqing, let's make a deal," Ling Nuan said.
Shen Shaoqing didn't say a word. He just looked at her, waiting for her to continue.
"I don't want to argue with you about our past feelings, whether it's love or hatred. But Huo Xiao is the murderer of my mother. I want her to pay the price," Ling Nuan said.
This was really what she thought. She didn't need to be afraid of Shen Shaoqing's suspicion when saying these words in front of him.
"You chose Huo Xiao not only because she's easy to manipulate. You must have something on her. I want that leverage. In return, I'll make Huo Linsheng stop targeting Qingnuan. At the same time, I can give all the new technologies I took with me when I left for Qingnuan's exclusive use."
"What do you think?" Ling Nuan looked at Shen Shaoqing, waiting for his answer.
Shen Shaoqing wasn't surprised.
"Nuan Nuan, this isn't enough," Shen Shaoqing said. "Huo Xiao has the Huo family behind her. If I help you destroy her, I'll be cutting off my own arm. The conditions you offer aren't enough for me to take such a big risk. Unless you come back to me."
Ling Nuan scoffed. "Shen Shaoqing, don't be too greedy. You have to eat one mouthful at a time. If you want me to come back to you, first of all, I won't be a mistress. So you have to end your marriage with Huo Xiao. Once you divorce, Huo Xiao won't be your ally anymore."
Ling Nuan would never go back to Shen Shaoqing, but she was using this as a bargaining chip now.
Shen Shaoqing also knew that Ling Nuan was deliberately using this as a bait, but it was precisely because Ling Nuan needed something from him that he could be more relaxed.
"You only have this one chance. I still have a long life ahead of me and there will be plenty of opportunities to deal with Huo Xiao. But Shen Shaoqing, you only have this one chance. If you really love me as you said, then show your sincerity," Ling Nuan said.
Shen Shaoqing smiled. "Nuan Nuan, you shouldn't have studied computer science. You should be a negotiator. What you said really tempts me, but we both know that the possibility of you voluntarily coming back to me is basically zero even if you don't take revenge on me. But you're right. If I'm not even brave enough to divorce Huo Xiao, how can I make you believe my sincerity?"
"Here's what we'll do," Shen Shaoqing stood up, walked around the table, and bent down to look at Ling Nuan. "Let's each take a step back. I'll give you the leverage on Huo Xiao. Besides the technology you have, there's one more condition: you divorce Huo Linsheng. It's a fair deal, Nuan Nuan. Are you brave enough?"