Chapter 68 [VIP] The Best Friend Shield (6)

Chapter 68 [VIP] The Best Friend Shield (6)

“You... what did you say?”

What did he mean by 'end'?

Nanyan stared at the man with a calm face, momentarily thinking she had misheard.

Disbelieving, her tears were about to fall when she quickly raised her hand to wipe them away fiercely. But the tears were endless, and in the end, her face was a blur of tears and smiles.

She lowered her head, thinking hard, and finally came up with a plausible reason, “Tell me, did something happen to Wanrou?”

Nanyan gripped Jiang Shaoyan’s hand tightly, struggling to suppress the emotions welling up inside her, trying to find reasons for his words,

“Was she... bullied? Are you blaming me? Blaming me for being too petty that day, not letting you go see her earlier? If that’s the case, I apologize, I...” But she couldn’t finish her sentence.

With that pause, her tears fell uncontrollably.

Seeing her like this, Jiang Shaoyan also felt a pang of discomfort, as if something was pressing heavily on his heart. Each breath felt like countless needles piercing him, making it hard to breathe.

Jiang Shaoyan exhaled deeply; he did have feelings for Nanyan, but this faint affection was nothing compared to his feelings for Wanrou.

Especially after knowing Wanrou had broken up with Fu Qingzhou. He had never felt so excited; the tension and thrill in his heart seemed to peak in an instant. He knew this was an opportunity, one he couldn't afford to miss.

If he succeeded, Wanrou would be his.

Thus, he had no choice but to... part ways with Nan Yan.

It would be better for both of them if he ended things with her while this faint affection hadn't grown too significant.

Jiang Shaoyan told himself inwardly:

After all, it was Wanru that he loved, only Wanru.

How could he be content, how could he willingly let go of the one he had been drawn to at first sight and had loved for so many years?

With this thought in mind, Jiang Shuyan no longer hesitated. He tightly clenched his palm, forcing down the discomfort that rose from the depths of his heart. His tone was cold and firm as he said, "This has nothing to do with Wanru. She's fine. It's my decision to break up with you."

"From the very beginning, she was the one I liked."

If he had previously entertained a faint hope of continuing with Nanyan, that glimmer might well have vanished now.

Emotionally, compromise becomes settling; without Wanru, he might have been willing to settle once. Yet, fatefully, it was at this moment that Wanru broke up with him.

During the period he was occupied with nurturing his relationship with Nanyan, crucial documents within the Fu Corporation were leaked, and a construction project on a newly acquired urban land plot led to a tragic incident involving the injury and death of over a dozen workers, an issue that lingered unresolved. Additionally, numerous problems emerged within the corporation, with intense power struggles and internal strife among the upper echelons. When accidents occurred, blame was shifted, and due to insurmountable debt issues, the company was forced to declare bankruptcy. Presently, all assets under the Fu Corporation's name have been frozen.

It could be said that Fu Qingzhou now had nothing left, and his engagement with Fang Wanru had been indefinitely postponed. To protect the Su family from any fallout, Father Su strictly forbade Fang Wanru from having any contact with Fu Qingzhou.

Though they severed ties swiftly, the Su family's business still suffered some consequences. The Su Corporation's stock prices were continuously plummeting, and to alleviate their financial strain, Fang Wanru was forced into a strategic marriage...

How could Jiang Shaoyan willingly let go of this?

None of this was known to Nan Yan.

She only knew that after he returned from his trip, he wanted to break up with her.

She didn't even know what she had done wrong.

Suddenly, Nan Yan looked up, tears streaming down her face, and glanced at him with a suppressed expression. Their eyes met directly, unflinchingly, as she asked, "Can I know why?"

Hearing this, Jiang Shaoyan remained silent for a long while, then finally averted her gaze and said calmly, "Wanrou has broken up."

So that was it.

Nan Yan finally understood. She couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh, tears falling one by one, her face twisted in a mocking smile.

Because Su Wanrou had broken up with Fu Qingzhou, he saw his chance to move up, so it was time for her, the inconvenient girlfriend, to be out of the picture.

Nan Yan closed her eyes tightly, then roughly wiped away her tears. When she opened them again, the emotions at the bottom of her heart seemed somewhat calmed. She looked at him and said, "Even so, you can't guarantee Wanrou will be with you. If she liked you, she would've liked you long ago. Was there a need to wait until now?"

"I know, so I need your help."

Jiang Shaoyan's calm voice filled the air.

He looked up at Nan Yan, noticed the band-aid wrapped around her finger, seemed to think of something, his brow furrowing subconsciously, but soon he shifted his gaze and continued, "The current Fu Qingzhou has nothing, just like a dog that has lost its home. But I won't kick someone who's already down."

His voice grew colder, his tone the epitome of rationality.

"I only need you to get close to him under Wanrou's name, keep an eye on him, and if necessary, do something to ensure he doesn't get close to Wanrou again, nor have any chance of reconciling with her."

At this point, Jiang Shaoyan paused, turned his head, and looked directly into her eyes, "If possible, I hope he falls for someone else."

And who that someone else was, he didn't care.

"In any case, Fu Qingzhou must not get close to Wanrou again."

He didn't want this hard-won opportunity to be jeopardized by lingering feelings between them reigniting. He couldn't afford another failure.

After hearing his words, Nan Yan could hardly believe her ears. She stared wide-eyed, as if she no longer recognized the person before her, surveying him from head to toe, ending in utter disappointment and disbelief.

She had never imagined he could be so ruthless for Fang Wanrou.

Asking her to approach Fu Qingzhou under Wanrou's name.

What was he really thinking?

Uncontrollably, Nan Yan stepped back, shaking her head in extreme disappointment, as if seeing him for the first time, "Do you know... what you're saying?"

Her voice carried a hint of choking sadness.

"I'm fully aware of what I'm saying, and I'm being very rational. I want you to get close to Fu Qingzhou, do whatever it takes, just keep him away from Wanrou."

Jiang Shaoyan spoke with unprecedented calmness. He had been contemplating this since learning of Wanrou's breakup; it was the best solution he could think of.

Hurt by his attitude, Nan Yan suddenly looked up at him coldly, unwilling to be a stepping stone for him and Fang Wanrou, her tone laced with sarcasm.

"What do you think I am? A puppet at your disposal? And why should I help you?"

Jiang Shaoyan was indifferent to her resistance, even dismissive, adopting the same demeanor he used against business rivals, "I recall your brother had a car accident three years ago. The perpetrator fled, and with no one to cover the medical expenses, his treatment wasn't thorough. His leg still isn't functioning properly. If you agree, I'll pay for the best doctors to treat his leg. Wouldn't you want that?"

He spoke the last few words lightly.

But to Nan Yan, they felt immensely heavy, making her body wobble unsteadily. She staggered back, lifting her head in pain, and it dawned on her that she had been manipulated by him from the very start.

He had never cared about her feelings or thoughts, even willing to exploit her completely at this critical juncture.

"In doing so, he not only freed himself from her relentless entanglement but also tied Fu Qingzhou down. Two birds with one stone. Isn't he a natural-born businessman?"

Nan Yan looked up at Jiang Shaoyan, her eyes a mix of suppressed despair and a faint glimmer of hope. Unable to hold back, she finally asked,

"Don't you... even like me a little?"

She refused to believe that the affection they shared in those days was all fake, that his concern for her was just an act, especially when he had already started to accept her...

Jiang Shaoyan subconsciously ignored the slight pang in his heart, turned away, and said with a troubled mind, "No, I've made myself very clear."

Upon hearing this, Nan Yan closed her eyes, wiped away each tear on her face, then opened her eyes and calmly said, "Alright, I agree to your terms."

"But, I have one condition."

Nan Yan's emotions had returned to calm, and she could even rationally make a request, her gaze flat and lifeless.

Jiang Shaoyan was actually relieved to hear her agreement, though he didn't show it outwardly as easily.

He felt a discomfort in his chest, as if something was blocking his breath, but he ignored it and looked at her, "Go ahead."

"I want a sum of money, enough to ensure my family's well-being. Also, I won't bother you anymore, you can rest assured. Consider our relationship settled with this transaction. I will move out as soon as possible."

Having said that, she turned to go pack her things, ready to leave as soon as possible.

But before she could take a step, her wrist was grabbed.

Jiang Shaoyan himself didn't realize how quickly he had moved, his palm gripping her wrist tightly, warm and soft, "There's no need to rush moving out. I'll leave this house to you. I'll have my lawyer handle the transfer tomorrow. And about your request, I agree to all of it. Consider it my compensation to you."

His voice faltered a bit as he spoke the last sentence.

As soon as he finished speaking, Nan Yan gently but firmly pulled her hand free, stepping back to maintain a cautious distance from him.

"Alright, thank you."

Jiang Shaoyan glanced at his empty hand, somewhat unaccustomed to retracting it.

Perhaps it was the first time he had been treated with such cold indifference by her, stirring a strange sensation in his heart.

He hummed lowly, striving to maintain his composure and replied steadily, “You don’t need to thank me; these were always meant for you.”

Nan Yan, having heard this, turned and entered her bedroom.

Without casting him another glance.

Jiang Shaoyan stared at the closed door for a while, his expression complex, lost in thought.

But ultimately, he said nothing and walked away.