Wang Manni Said He Had Run Away

Afterward, Liang Zhengxian lay against the headboard with Wang Manni in his arms.

"Manni."

"Mm?"

He opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Liang Zhengxian swallowed the words. He had truly had enough and did not want to see that nauseating face again.

"Let's buy groceries and cook. I'm a little hungry."

"Sure." Wang Manni sweetly agreed.

They tidied up, bought groceries, and cooked, their affection lingering between them.

This was their last night together, and Liang Zhengxian was especially uninhibited.

The next day, Liang Zhengxian drove the car he had previously given Wang Manni and happily took her to work.

Afterward, he contacted a secondhand-car dealer, intending to sell it. But because he was in a hurry, the price was heavily reduced, which pained him.

Compared with the pride buried deep in his heart, however, he felt losing a little money was preferable.

He returned to Wang Manni's rental, packed a few things, and left without the slightest reluctance.

He bought the earliest ticket to England. He had citizenship there and would feel much freer once he was back.

After a frantic morning, his afternoon flight took off.

Liang Zhengxian was gone, carrying his bone-deep hatred for Wang Yan, uncertainty about the future, and his shattered pride. He left without a word.

He knew Wang Manni would go hysterical and curse him from birth to burial.

But what did it matter? They had only been passing through each other's lives.

Wang Yan was still rather surprised when he received the news.

At first, he had thought that after getting rid of Zhao Jingyu and bringing down the Liang family, Liang Zhengxian's character would make it highly likely that he would marry Wang Manni.

He truly had not expected Liang Zhengxian not to do that—and to be unable to withstand the blow, fleeing under the pressure instead.

Wang Yan could not help reflecting. He had taken too much for granted and overlooked the complexity of human nature.

It was like Chen Yu. Even after being arranged into such a mess, he had still returned to help Zhong Xiaoqin. And Liang Zhengxian, despite being reduced to that state, still had his own pride.

What could he say? That Liang Zhengxian, the bastard who toyed with women, feelings, and human nature, was nevertheless a good man with a conscience and boundaries? That Chen Yu, knowing Zhong Xiaoqin had an unclear relationship with the sunny boy, had still helped her and wanted to reconcile—a devoted, good man?

Wang Yan thought about it. Since Wang Manni had escaped this disaster, he would stop tormenting her. He would count her lucky. After all, they had interacted three times, and he had done a fairly thorough job.

In truth, Wang Yan had only looked down on her a little. If she had not acted like a peacock in front of him, he would not have bothered with her. There were plenty of older women and young girls around him; why would he need to target just Wang Manni? He had only toyed with her casually. If she was useless, so be it. There was no need to deliberately target her.

Liang Zhengxian was different. Wang Yan had disliked him from the start, and he had insisted on showing off in front of them. If Wang Yan did not deal with him, whom would he deal with? Wang Yan had never intended to wipe him out completely—otherwise, would hiding overseas have worked? It would depend on how tough Liang Zhengxian's fate was. If he was tough, he might still rise again. But judging from this escape, his spirit had been thoroughly crushed, and Wang Yan guessed his chances were slim. If he was not tough, then it was what he deserved. Let him fend for himself.

As for Zhong Xiaoqin and Zhong Xiaoyang, there was nothing to say about those two. It still depended on Chen Yu. He had done everything he could; the rest was up to fate.

"What's wrong?" Gu Jia asked curiously after seeing Wang Yan stare at his phone and then zone out.

"Ah, nothing. I just thought of something. It's no big deal. Is everything packed?"

Gu Jia nodded. "Mm, all done."

Wang Yan turned to Xu Ziyan. "Ziyan, have you prepared everything you're taking for the children there?"

"Oh, I finished yesterday. Hurry up, Dad. I've been waiting forever."

"All right, then let's go."

Xu Ziyan hopped along and shouted, "Yay! Let's go! Let's go!"

Then he noticed that Gu Jia had not moved and was not keeping formation, which ruined the mood. He pouted at her. "Mom..."

Xu Ziyan left Gu Jia laughing and crying at once. She helplessly said, "All right, all right. Let's go, let's go."

Wang Yan carried one large suitcase in each hand. Gu Jia carried a slightly smaller one, while Xu Ziyan carried a large bag on his back. The family of three happily embarked on another journey.

Gu Jia had mentioned earlier that she wanted to visit Henglu Village, and Wang Yan had agreed immediately.

There happened to be an influenza outbreak recently. Although Xu Ziyan was healthy, Gu Jia was still uneasy. She requested leave for him and took him along.

They drove the same motorhome as last time—not to see the scenery, since they had seen most of it already, but because it was more convenient and comfortable on the road. They could rest whenever they were tired.

When Wang Manni returned home after work, she did not see Liang Zhengxian anywhere.

While changing her shoes, she noticed that some were missing and felt puzzled. But she did not think much of it. Liang Zhengxian had seemed busy lately.

After walking around the apartment twice, however, she realized something was wrong. Almost everything belonging to Liang Zhengxian was gone.

Wang Manni thought of something and hurriedly pulled out her phone, then called him.

"Sorry, the number you dialed is switched off. Sorry..."

Hearing the recorded message, she hung up and opened WeChat.

Liang Zhengxian was pinned at the top. With trembling fingers, she typed and sent him a message.

The message went through, but after waiting a long time, she received no reply. It disappeared like a stone sinking into the sea.

Liang Zhengxian had destroyed the SIM card when he left and stopped using WeChat. He did not want to contact anyone he had known before. Besides, they looked down on him, and he could no longer reach them anyway.

Unwilling to accept it, Wang Manni called again and again and sent message after message. She even used other numbers to call and text him.

After half a day of frantic effort, she achieved nothing. In the end, it had all been for nothing.

She collapsed onto the floor. The tears she had held back for so long finally spilled, and Wang Manni burst into tears.

They had not had any conflicts recently. Every day had been sweet and loving. She could not understand why Liang Zhengxian had left without saying goodbye. Had he not been fine that morning? How had he suddenly disappeared?

Wang Manni's mind began replaying everything, from their first meeting on the cruise ship to his disappearance now. Scene after scene surfaced in her thoughts.

Her long-held wish waved at her, then vanished in an instant. She wanted to seize it, but did not know where or how.

She was heartbroken, miserable, and hysterical.

She rose and began smashing things, tearing apart whatever was nearby to vent her emotions, crying as she cursed Liang Zhengxian.

Did she feel reluctant to part with him? Of course. Humans were not made of grass or wood; how could they feel nothing? Even losing a cat or dog that had kept them company for years would make someone cry and need time to adjust. Liang Zhengxian had slept beside her every day, after all.

After smashing everything she could, she had nearly ruined the apartment. She was exhausted.

Perhaps the intense exercise had made her thirsty. Wang Manni got up and took a bottle of liquor.

She drank, thought for a while, and then continued crying. At some point, she fell asleep on the floor without realizing it.

The next day, the sun was already high.

Waking from her hangover, Wang Manni felt terrible. She had a fever.

She was heartbroken, had drunk so much, and had slept on the floor all night. Though she had a blanket, she had still fallen ill.

She messaged the store manager and requested several days off. How could she possibly have the heart to work now?

She did not even get out of bed, instead sinking back into a dazed sleep.

Jiang Chen still had feelings for Wang Manni. Since they had met again, he would greet her whenever he had the chance, and she would politely reply. Whether he was a simp or not, receiving a response from the woman he constantly thought about was one of his few recent joys.

As usual, Jiang Chen greeted her that day, but after waiting half the day without a reply, he began worrying that something had happened to her.

She did not answer his calls or reply to his messages.

Unable to stop worrying, Jiang Chen went to Wang Manni's workplace.

"Hello, sir. How can I help you?" the person at the entrance asked politely.

"Oh, sorry. I'm looking for Wang Manni."

"Ah, Sister Manni took the day off." The person forcibly restrained their curiosity and did not ask questions.

"Do you know where she lives?"

"Sorry, I really don't."

"All right. Sorry to bother you. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Take care."

Jiang Chen wandered outside for a while before remembering Zhong Xiaoqin. He had heard that she worked for the property management office there.

He hurried to find Zhong Xiaoqin, hoping she would know something about Wang Manni.

Zhong Xiaoqin had cleared her name and even brought honor to the company. The company could later use the incident to showcase awards and promote its corporate culture, so she had made a significant contribution.

Thus, when Zhong Xiaoqin returned to work that day, she received flowers and applause, praise and recognition from her colleagues and superiors.

As long as she did not think about the two troublesome men, Zhong Xiaoqin remained in an excellent mood.

She was happily working on a spreadsheet when a colleague told her someone was looking for her.

She walked out in confusion and saw Jiang Chen standing there.

"Ah, you're looking for me? What's the matter?"

When Jiang Chen saw her, he hurried over. "Do you know anything about Manni? I haven't been able to contact her, and I'm worried something happened."

"What? Wait while I call her." Zhong Xiaoqin took out her phone and immediately called and messaged Wang Manni.

The result was the same: the phone was off, and there was no reply.

Zhong Xiaoqin began worrying too. "I know where she lives. Wait while I request leave."

After the supervisor learned the reason, he readily approved it. She had just performed well, so looking after her was normal. Besides, it was only human sympathy, and he understood.

The two of them quickly hailed a car and arrived at Wang Manni's home.

"Bang, bang, bang!" "Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong!"

They repeatedly rang the bell and pounded on the door.

Wang Manni, sleeping inside, finally heard the commotion. She struggled up, opened the door, and let them in.

"Why did you come together?" Seeing Jiang Chen arrive with Zhong Xiaoqin, Wang Manni was baffled.

"I..." Jiang Chen opened his mouth.

Zhong Xiaoqin spoke first. "Jiang Chen was worried about you but couldn't reach you, so he found me. Then we came together."

She looked at Wang Manni and continued, "Manni, what happened? Why do you look so pale? Weren't you fine yesterday? And why is the apartment such a mess?"

Without waiting for an answer, Zhong Xiaoqin reached out and touched her forehead. "Oh! You're burning up. Have you taken any medicine?"

Wang Manni glanced at Jiang Chen and shook her head.

"Go lie down." Zhong Xiaoqin helped Wang Manni back into bed.

Seeing Wang Manni in such a miserable state, Jiang Chen felt awful. He was also frustrated at being interrupted, but could only shake his head helplessly.

He poured a glass of water for Zhong Xiaoqin, then searched for medicine amid the messy room.

"What happened, Manni?" Zhong Xiaoqin asked while handing her the water.

Wang Manni drank a little to moisten her cracked lips and throat. "Liang Zhengxian ran away."

"Ran away? Without saying goodbye?"

Wang Manni nodded.

"Why? Last time you told me about him, you looked so happy. Why did he suddenly leave?"

"I want to know too. He was gone when I came home from work yesterday, and I can't reach him."

"Not even a word?"

"No!"

"Not even a sign?"

"No!"

Zhong Xiaoqin was puzzled too. "Why would he do that?"

Wang Manni gave a self-mocking smile. "Who knows?"

Seeing that she was not in the right state, Zhong Xiaoqin stopped asking. "All right, all right. Jiang Chen, did you find the medicine?"

"I happened to find it. What a coincidence." His clenched fist relaxed. He quickly brought over the medicine and had Wang Manni take it.

Zhong Xiaoqin tucked Wang Manni in and told her to rest.

"You clean up here. I'll buy some groceries. Judging from her condition, she probably hasn't eaten." After saying that, Zhong Xiaoqin left.

Jiang Chen acknowledged her, suppressing his anger at Liang Zhengxian and his concern for Wang Manni as he silently continued cleaning.

He had heard their entire conversation.

The woman he could never forget had been abandoned by someone who had played with her and left without even a word. Who could bear that?

But what could he do? He could only quietly tidy the apartment.

When Zhong Xiaoqin returned with groceries, Jiang Chen had nearly finished cleaning. Together, they cooked several dishes.

They woke the groggy Wang Manni and ate a little together. Given her condition, they made no small talk and quietly finished the meal.

After looking after Wang Manni for a while, Zhong Xiaoqin left first.

Her mother had just called and asked her to go to the hospital.

After Zhong Xiaoqin left, Jiang Chen washed and cleaned some more, putting all the kitchenware away.

He entered the bedroom and stared at the sleeping Wang Manni for a long while, his expression complicated.

In the end, he sighed and left.

"Bang."

Hearing the door close, Wang Manni opened her eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling, not knowing what she was thinking.

When Zhong Xiaoqin reached the hospital, the atmosphere in the ward was extremely strange.

Chen Yu lay on the bed in silence, while Chen Xu leaned crookedly against it and stared at the older couple with faint hostility.

The older couple looked at the brothers with exasperation.

As soon as Zhong Xiaoqin entered, four pairs of eyes turned toward her.

Feeling awkward under their stares, Zhong Xiaoqin asked in confusion, "What's wrong? Why are you all looking at me like that?"

Her father spoke first. "This afternoon, when we came back from your second aunt's place, we ran into some neighbors downstairs. They said your personal information had been leaked online some time ago. That you were divorced. Your mother argued fiercely with them and said it couldn't be true, but they produced evidence."

As he spoke, he took out his phone, found the photos, and handed it to Zhong Xiaoqin. "Look at what it says. Your mother nearly had a hypertensive attack. We barely got it under control. She took medicine and came straight here."

"So we need to clear this up today. What exactly happened?"

Zhong Xiaoqin's mother turned to Chen Yu. "Chen Yu, tell me honestly. Is there someone else outside?"

Before Chen Yu could answer, Chen Xu exploded. He sprang up, ready to speak. He knew everything. Besides, his brother's in-laws had always criticized him, and they had plenty of complaints about his mother too. He had tolerated them before, but now he had no intention of indulging them.

"Chen Xu, sit there and behave!" Chen Yu shouted, stopping him.

Chen Xu opened his mouth, but one look from Chen Yu made him quiet down. He snorted indignantly and said nothing more.

The older couple were startled by Chen Xu's excessive reaction. Zhong Xiaoqin's mother was about to criticize him, but her husband, being more rational, held her back. They had come to solve the problem, not create another one.

After seeing that they had calmed down, Chen Yu said, "Mom, it really isn't because of that." Though he was displeased too, he had called them Mom and Dad for years and still showed the elders some respect.

"Then is it because of the child?"

"No."

"Then it's nothing serious. Xiaoqin was spoiled by us and is a little willful. But married couples fight at the head of the bed and make up at the foot. Why couldn't you discuss it? Why take things as far as divorce?"

Zhong Xiaoqin had moved out because she had figured out what she wanted. She said, "Mom, stop asking. Let me tell you."

"We divorced because our personalities were incompatible. I wanted a little romance in my life, but Chen Yu was always as still as a pool of water."

"I wanted a child, but deep down, Chen Yu didn't."

"Chen Yu, when we got married, we did it just for the sake of getting married, right?"

Chen Yu said nothing.

Zhong Xiaoqin continued, "Dad, Mom, I got married back then for your sake, too. Now we're doing this for ourselves. We just want to live our lives well, and we don't want to do things for anyone else anymore."

"So you don't need to try to talk us out of it. There's no turning back now. We're getting divorced."

Zhong Xiaoqin's parents fell silent. Chen Yu looked at Zhong Xiaoqin seriously, while Chen Xu clenched his teeth and struggled to hold back.

After a moment of silence,

"You're grown up now. I can't control you anymore. All right, Chen Yu, focus on recovering. We're leaving," Zhong Xiaoqin's father said.

Then he took Zhong Xiaoqin's mother, who was looking upset, and left.

Zhong Xiaoqin and Chen Yu met each other's eyes. Neither said a word. She turned and followed her parents out.

Once everyone had left, Chen Xu, who had been holding it in all this time, burst out. "Come on, bro, they—"

"Shut up!" Chen Yu shouted, cutting off the words Chen Xu was about to say.

He knew Chen Yu was having a hard time, but keeping it all inside was hard on him, too. He could only grumble and tough it out.

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