TYMRHBDES Chapter 108

The man approaching was in his early twenties, his dark gray suit crisp and tailored, the top button of his shirt fastened meticulously. His sword-like brows and phoenix-shaped eyes held a cold, powerful aura.

If it were anyone else, Jiang Luoluo would have praised him as a brilliant young talent.

But when he met that handsome, familiar face, Jiang Luoluo felt as if struck by lightning, frozen in place.

Mu Jianian.

President Mu.

How could it be him?

Jiang Luoluo had searched for Mu Jianian for a long, long time—from the day Mu Jianian dropped out of school, through the end of the exams, and even after Jiang Luoluo entered university…

He had visited every one of the top five universities in the country, desperate to find Mu Jianian.

He had even followed the confession walls, official accounts, Weibo pages, and other social media platforms of each school.

Mu Jianian was so outstanding that his mere presence on campus would undoubtedly cause a sensation, drawing all eyes to his dazzling brilliance.

Yet, despite Jiang Luoluo’s efforts, no school had ever revealed a trace of him.

If the System hadn’t shown him Mu Jianian’s favorability rating, frozen at 80, Jiang Luoluo would have suspected that Mu Jianian was nothing more than a figment of his imagination, a dream he had conjured up.

The System repeatedly reassured him: “Don’t worry, it’s just a matter of meeting later. The target will definitely appear!”

He waited and waited, for a long, long time—three years and five months—before Mu Jianian finally reappeared.

Jiang Luoluo froze in place, his eyes brimming with mist.

He dared not blink, fearing that a single blink would release the tears threatening to spill, only to wake up and find it was all a dream.

A dream that would vanish, leaving Mu Jianian gone once more.

Jiang Luoluo parted his lips, about to call out Mu Jianian’s name.

But Mu Jianian merely gave him a cold, indifferent glance. His icy gaze lingered on Jiang Luoluo’s face for a mere second before swiftly turning away.

His eyes were as cold as if he were looking at a complete stranger.

Jiang Luoluo’s half-opened mouth froze.

Had he changed so much? Did Mu Jianian no longer recognize him?

Mu Jianian turned his head and extended a slender finger toward the door. “Baby, come here.”

Jiang Luoluo froze.

The door opened, and a girl in a black skirt and a bow-tie blouse entered. She was bright and beautiful, and she linked arms with Mu Jianian.

Baby…

That familiar term, once his own, now belonged to another…

And Mu Jianian’s expression was as gentle as it had been back then.

He gallantly pulled out a chair and led the girl to sit down.

The room erupted in murmurs of admiration for the handsome man and beautiful woman, with particular respect shown toward the girl.

Tears blurring his vision, Jiang Luoluo lowered his head.

It hurt so much.

His chest felt strange, as if blocked by a wad of soaked cotton. Each breath was a struggle…

So, once missed, it was truly missed.

Mu Jianian wouldn’t wait for him any longer.

Jiang Luoluo clenched his palm, fighting back the tears.

He had a more important task to accomplish at this dinner.

His father was still lying in the hospital, and he had placed so much trust in him. He couldn’t let him down…

The subsequent kidney transplant and postoperative recovery would require a vast sum of money. His parents were getting older, and he needed to start planning for their retirement…

Mu Jianian responded to the warm greetings around him, his gaze subtly fixed on the slender figure across the table.

Why did he lower his head the moment he saw him?

Did he find him so embarrassing, so repulsive?

Or was it the shame of one day realizing that the poor boy he’d once despised had come so far, that he was now forced to seek his help?

The thought made Mu Jianian’s expression grow colder.

The sycophants around him, sensing his shift in mood, followed his gaze and immediately spotted the figure trying desperately to hide himself.

To be honest, Jiang Luoluo, a pampered young master raised in luxury, was completely out of place in this setting.

His beauty was so dazzling it stunned everyone present, yet he was forced to beg for help, utterly defenseless…

It was less like he was attending a dinner party and more like he was the main course—a dish everyone wanted to sample.

Even if it was just a taste.

The man on the right, assuming Mu Jianian had taken an interest in Jiang Luoluo, tactfully steered the conversation toward him.

“Speaking of which, Young General Manager Jiang and President Mu look to be about the same age! It’s truly a case of each generation producing its own talents, with the new waves pushing forward the old!”

Mu Jianian glanced at Jiang Luoluo, a slight curve forming on his lips, but his eyes remained cold, devoid of any warmth.

“How can you compare them?”

Mu Jianian’s voice was light and airy. “Judging by Young General Manager Jiang’s age, he’s probably still a university student.”

“Being an intellectual, how could I, a social loafer, possibly compare…”

Jiang Luoluo looked up at him, her fair face etched with tension.

What did Mu Jianian mean?

Had he dropped out of school back then without taking the exams? Had he never gone to university?

Just as Jiang Luoluo was about to speak, a clear female voice interrupted.

“What does education matter? Brother Jianian will always be the best in my heart~”

Mu Jianian turned to the woman beside him, smiling as he stroked her hair. “Mhm,” he murmured.

His heart clenched.

The pain grew sharper with each beat.

Jiang Luoluo pinched his palm, whispering to the System in his mind, “I don’t think I can win him over anymore…”

“He already has someone he likes…”

The System remained silent for a moment.

[Let’s wait a little longer. After all, we still have 80% favorability.]

Once everyone had arrived, the waiter began serving the dishes.

White wine was poured into glasses, and the clinking of crystal filled the air as the atmosphere gradually warmed.

Jiang Luoluo had come to this dinner with a favor to ask.

The men beside him kept up a stream of flattering words, urging him to drink cup after cup.

President Qian even grabbed Jiang Luoluo’s hand, which was holding his wine glass, and tried to force him to drink.

Mu Jianian’s face darkened considerably as he slammed his glass onto the marble tabletop.

Startled, President Qian quietly withdrew his hand.

Mu Jianian’s voice was cold as he turned to Jiang Luoluo. “Young General Manager Jiang, you look familiar. Where did you go to middle school?”

Jiang Luoluo, unsure of his intentions, obediently answered with the school’s name.

His voice, softened by the alcohol, trailed off at the end of each sentence, sounding almost like a pout.

The older men at the table exchanged suggestive glances.

Mu Jianian tightened his grip on his glass, his knuckles turning white.

“What a coincidence.”

Mu Jianian’s gaze was dark and intense as he stared at Jiang Luoluo. “I went to that school too. Back then, I even had a boyfriend…”

Hearing Mu Jianian reminisce about such a scandalous past, the men at the table chuckled knowingly.

“President Mu was quite the daredevil in his youth, wasn’t he?” someone drunkenly teased. “That boy back then must have been his first love! They say first loves are the hardest to forget. If he ever reappears, President Mu, don’t let yourself be tempted to mend the broken mirror!”

“Shattered mirrors can’t be mended. Once broken, they’re broken,” Mu Jianian sneered. “Besides, men are all the same. Once you’ve played with them, they lose their appeal.”

The group of men around him echoed his sentiment.

Jiang Luoluo, listening to the implications in his words, felt the color drain from his cheeks, which had been flushed with alcohol.

Mu Jianian was humiliating him.

He really had changed.

Tears welled in his eyes, and Jiang Luoluo hastily stood up. “Excuse me, I need to step away for a moment.”

He pushed open the door and ran to the restroom.

The tears finally broke free, rolling down his cheeks.

He splashed water on his face to wash away the traces of his tears and walked inside, pushing open the door to a restroom stall.

The smell of cigarette smoke drifted in from outside, indicating someone had arrived.

He pushed the door open and looked up to see Mu Jianian leaning against a stone pillar in the restroom.

A cigarette was wedged between his fingers, and white smoke curled from his lips, obscuring half his face in a hazy veil.

Mu Jianian stared at him, his eyes dark and unreadable.

He felt both familiar and utterly foreign.

At least in Jiang Luoluo’s eyes, he had never seen Mu Jianian like this before.

Jiang Luoluo curled his fingers, then mustered his courage and walked over to greet him. “Mu Jianian, it’s been a long time.”

Over three years had passed since they last met, and Mu Jianian had grown taller. He must be over 190 centimeters now. Standing before him, Jiang Luoluo felt a subtle sense of pressure.

Mu Jianian lowered his eyes, his sharp jawline etched with a cold curve, his gaze as thin and detached as ice.

He studied Jiang Luoluo for half a second, then raised his chin with the hand holding the cigarette, his gesture flippant. “Oh, yes, it has been a long time.”

The burning cigarette smoke made Jiang Luoluo cough a few times, his face flushing crimson instantly. His eyes welled up, making him look pitiful.

Mu Jianian stared at him intently, then stubbed out his cigarette.

The words that slipped from his thin lips were icy. “How melodramatic.”

Sensing the other man’s aversion and contempt, Jiang Luoluo took a step back, avoiding the disrespectful posture.

But Mu Jianian’s expression instantly darkened. He stepped forward, closing the distance between them. “What? Are you avoiding me?”

Jiang Luoluo shook his head, lifting his eyes to meet Mu Jianian’s gaze. He whispered, “Mu Jianian,” but couldn’t find the words to continue.

The other man had a girlfriend now. They had missed three years.

Everything had changed. It seemed there was no need for further words.

“Why were you smiling so happily at that group of old men, but putting on a chaste and virtuous act for me?”

Mu Jianian’s anger flared as he pinned Jiang Luoluo against the tiled wall.

A chill spread across Jiang Luoluo’s back, causing him to frown slightly. “I didn’t…”

“That’s right. In your eyes, I’ve always been this lowly, haven’t I?”

Mu Jianian’s voice was dark and menacing as he pinched Jiang Luoluo’s face.

The stench of alcohol assaulted Jiang Luoluo’s senses, and he wrinkled his nose uncomfortably. “Let go of me, Mu Jianian…”

Mu Jianian sneered and slammed his lips against Jiang Luoluo’s in a savage kiss.

It reeked of smoke and alcohol.

It was fueled by his simmering resentment and rage.

He bit down on Jiang Luoluo’s lip, as if trying to vent his frustration.

Jiang Luoluo pounded on his chest, but Mu Jianian’s strength was overwhelming. He couldn’t push him away.

This futile struggle only enraged Mu Jianian further. He released Jiang Luoluo, his dark eyes flashing with cold light.

“What? You dare to attend this kind of dinner party, but you’re not prepared to offer yourself?”

Jiang Luoluo was on the verge of tears. He wiped his lips with the back of his hand. “Mu Jianian, what are you talking about?!”

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