Chapter 44 Love Turns to Hate

Chapter 44: Love Turns to Hatred

Having all been drinking, they called drivers to pick them up. Zhao and Chen lived in a hillside villa, which was out of the way, so Tan Youming rode with Zhuo Zhixuan.

Baoli Avenue glowed like daylight. Tan Youming sat in the back, stretching his long legs, and told the driver to head to Pinghai Campus.

Zhuo Zhixuan rested his elbow on the car window, hesitating before asking, "Have you been staying at the campus all this time? How long has it been since you went home?"

"I don’t know." It wasn't a brush-off; he genuinely couldn’t remember. Zuoshideng Road was likely empty now, as both homeowners had given the same excuse to their housekeepers: peak project period, to cut down on commute time. This had happened before, so it wouldn't raise suspicion at home.

Tan Youming’s face was hidden in the dim light, yet Zhuo Zhixuan could still discern his furrowed brow. "Are you okay?"

"I’m fine." Tan Youming closed his eyes wearily. Zhuo Zhixuan handed him a soft blanket and didn’t disturb him further.

When the car arrived at the campus, the rear window rolled down. The security guard was momentarily startled to see Tan Youming in a hoodie but quickly greeted him and waved them through.

"Let me walk you up." Given Tan Youming's complexion, Zhuo Zhixuan was genuinely concerned.

The night wind was strong. Tan Youming pulled his hood over his head, revealing only half his face. "No need to walk me. It's just a few steps. I'm going."

Two streets away, at Huantu Campus, several floors were still lit despite it being the weekend. Shen Zongnian went straight up to the 32nd floor, bypassing the break area and heading directly to his office.

He turned on the computer and the ventilation system. After just one day off, his inbox was flooded with unread messages.

Shen Zongnian swiftly reviewed each item, his fingers flying across the keyboard, until he clicked on a draft proposal for a stock acquisition. His fingers suddenly froze.

After a long pause, Shen Zongnian wrote in the signature field: "Agree to the preliminary proposal."

A week later, Pinghai held a key project business adjustment meeting, and everyone sensed an unusual undercurrent.

After the meeting, Yang Shiyan informed Tan Youming, "Mr. Zhuang has arrived in the conference room."

"Bring him to my office."

The secretary served Zhuang Wei tea. Tan Youming unbuttoned his suit jacket and stood up, inviting Zhuang Wei to sit on the guest sofa.

Zhuang Wei, Tan Youming’s personal financial advisor, laid out the documents Tan Youming had privately entrusted to him half a month earlier.

"Mr. Tan, we’ve reached a preliminary agreement with the other party. However, this project is being negotiated with Mr. Shen’s personal financial advisor and does not involve the assets of Pinghai or Huantu."

Tan Youming was indifferent, whether Shen Zongnian handled it personally or through his advisor. "Just get it done."

If Shen Zongnian was withdrawing from their joint venture, North Point CEP, then Tan Youming would also divest from other projects where they were deeply personally involved.

He was selling his shares—he was done with this game.

Starting with the Guangxun project, the first gazelle enterprise he invested in during university—though it wasn’t Shen Zongnian’s first. When Shen Zongnian first ventured into investing, he didn’t dare bring Tan Youming along. This small-to-medium enterprise was one he had thoroughly vetted, scouted out, and confirmed was foolproof before teaching Tan Youming to invest.

Guangxun had gone through a rapid growth phase, survived the Valley of Death, and continued to soar in market value through leapfrog development. It held milestone significance for both the budding Shen Zongnian and Tan Youming, sheltered in his ivory tower.

Tan Youming believed in finishing what he started. Where it began was where it would end. He set the price at three times the stock value and refused to accept options.

Zhuang Wei, aware of Tan Youming’s close relationship with Shen Zongnian, offered a risk assessment as a financial officer: "Guangxun’s market value is no longer what it used to be. Without involving Huantu’s capital injection, Mr. Shen would be under significant personal financial strain."

Tan Youming’s expression was cold, and his heart was just as cold. What did it matter to him? Even divorce settlements strip you to the bone. Did Shen Zongnian think he could walk away unscathed from breaking up their partnership? That was naive.

The Guangxun project was only Tan Youming’s first move. He took a sip of tea and said indifferently, "If Mr. Shen is under pressure, we’ll sell to someone else."

Though puzzled, Zhuang Wei remained cautious and said no more. "These are the asset division checklist and operational accounts. Once you’ve reviewed and approved them, I’ll proceed with Mr. Shen’s financial advisor."

Tan Youming scanned the massive transfer fees and licensing costs, feeling a wave of cruel satisfaction. Yet, after signing each page, he was left with endless confusion and emptiness.

Zhuang Wei confirmed the transfer details one last time before leaving with the documents.

Tan Youming remained seated on the sofa, unmoving. The sunlight outside streamed bright and clear, just like the summer when they had ambitiously drafted the Guangxun plan.

Ten years ago, Shen Zongnian had taught him hunting hands-on. Ten years later, Tan Youming was using everything he had learned against him.

After sitting for an unknown length of time, Yang Shiyan called on the intercom to inform him that Mr. Zhuo had arrived.

Tan Youming remembered his appointment with Zhuo Zhixuan to attend Wang Simin’s open-day salon. "Please show him in."

Zhuo Zhixuan arrived wearing a navy blue casual suit, looking dashing and relaxed. "Busy?"

"Same as usual." Tan Youming rubbed his temples, hiding the weariness in his eyes. "Take a seat. I’ll wash my face."

"No rush." Zhuo Zhixuan fiddled with the watch winder on the cabinet and remarked casually, "I ran into Zhuang Wei in the elevator just now. What big move are you making this time? Don’t leave your brother out."

Zhuang Wei was not only Tan Youming’s personal financial advisor but also his business consultant.

"Nothing much," Tan Youming said, drying his face and loosening his tie. "I had him handle the Guangxun matter."

"What about Guangxun?"

"I’m selling it."

"Selling it?" Zhuo Zhixuan’s voice rose in surprise. His impression of Guangxun was still that it was an experimental project Shen Zongnian had given Tan Youming. "Who are you selling it to?"

"Whoever wants it." Tan Youming picked up a watch from the winder but put it back when he realized it was a birthday gift from Shen Zongnian. He tossed it aside and picked another one, a gift from Tan Zhongshan. "Want it? Three times the price, and it’s yours."

"Three times?" Zhuo Zhixuan was shocked and bewildered, quickly catching on. "You’re selling it to Shen Zongnian! Are you insane? Three times? You want to bankrupt him?"

Tan Youming snapped, raising his voice, "Yes, I want him to leave penniless!"

His smile was chillingly unfamiliar. Zhuo Zhixuan frowned deeply. "Tan Youming, are you fucking—"

The words "love turns to hatred" hung on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back. If it was love, what kind of love was it? If it wasn’t, then what was it?

Zhuo Zhixuan felt a chill of fear and spoke without thinking, "Are you fucking—are you out of your mind, Tan Youming?"

"Don’t sell Guangxun. You’ll regret it. You absolutely will regret it!"

Tan Youming remained firm and cold. "I won’t regret it."

"You won't regret it?" Zhuo Zhixuan was furious, his voice trembling. "You used to fret over him getting a cold, and whenever he went to the Shen family, you’d throw an earth-shattering tantrum. Fighting is one thing, making scenes is another, but you have to know your limits! How can you be so ruthless? If he goes bankrupt, I bet you’ll be the first to cry. If he’s badly hurt, you’ll be the one suffering the most."

Struck by the most shameful hidden pain, Tan Youming stared wide-eyed, his suppressed grievances erupting like a dam breaking. "Then what do you think I should do?! Huh? What can I do?" He clenched the birthday watch in his hand and slammed it down, shattering it to pieces. "Am I the one being ruthless?! Zhuo Zhixuan, is it me?!"

"How many times did I fucking reach out to him, begging him to stay? Money, shares, power—I didn’t want anything! Did he even acknowledge me?! Huh?"

Zhuo Zhixuan was deeply shaken, speechless.

"Tell me, what gives him the right to treat me this way? Since we were kids, what have I ever done to wrong him? What did I do wrong? Why did he do this to me?"

Tan Youming's eyes burned with resentment: "He didn't spare even a shred of affection, avoiding me like I have the plague. Why should I still play the loyal, generous guy acting like it's an amicable split? Why should I stubbornly treasure something he threw away? Since he shows no kindness, I'll show even less. I, Tan Youming, have never been fucking betrayed like this before."

"I'm telling you, it's not just Guangxun—I'm going to sell off all our jointly held assets!"

He didn’t want to see anything related to Shen Zongnian anymore. The money they earned together, the shares they held together, the projects and companies they invested in together—all of it reminded him every second that he was being distanced, abandoned, and left behind. In the future, none of that would involve him attending meetings, negotiations, or bell-ringing ceremonies with Shen Zongnian.

"This is just the beginning. I’m telling you, since he dared to treat me like this, he’d better be prepared to face the consequences of crossing me."

"I don’t know what I did wrong, Zhuo Zhixuan. Do you know? If you do, tell me."

Zhuo Zhixuan felt his nose sting with emotion. Was this still the Tan Youming he knew—the one who was always radiant, carefree, and full of spirit?

Zhuo Zhixuan had grown up unfavored at home, trailing behind the elite circle since childhood. Among their group, there were motivations driven by the social scene, but there was also genuine affection and sincerity. However, as time passed and circumstances changed, Zhao Shengge grew increasingly aloof, and Shen Zongnian became more and more withdrawn. Only Tan Youming remained the same for ten years—loyal, righteous, emotional, and sincere, with a heart as pure as a child’s.

He stood up for Zhuo Zhixuan when his cousins humiliated him, shouted "Surprise!" on his coming-of-age birthday and gifted him a sports car his parents would never have given him, and was the first to pick Zhuo Zhixuan during club activities—even though no one else would have fought for him.

Too many people had been sheltered and illuminated by Tan Youming. To Zhuo Zhixuan, Tan Youming was the undying sun of their island, and he never doubted it.

But now, that blazing fire was about to be extinguished.

Zhuo Zhixuan found it hard to accept and felt unbearable heartache. He took a deep breath, walked over to pick up the shattered Jaeger-LeCoultre watch, placed a hand on Tan Youming’s shoulder, and after a moment of silence, said softly, "I’m sorry, Tan Youming, I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant at all. I—I misspoke. Don’t take it to heart."

Friends have different levels of closeness. Zhuo Zhixuan couldn’t help but side with him.

"I know you’re hurting, and I don’t think you did anything wrong. I—I was just afraid you hadn’t thought it through, afraid you’d regret it, afraid you’d suffer later. I never meant to blame you."

"It was my fault for not thinking carefully and speaking impulsively. Don’t hold it against me. You know I’ve always been on your side, no matter what happens. Believe me."

His urgency was only out of fear that Tan Youming would hurt himself or others in a moment of impulse. But Tan Youming had clearly already been deeply wounded and was on the verge of collapse.

Zhuo Zhixuan felt uneasy. "You're not feeling well?" He went to pour a glass of warm water and brought it to Tan Youming. "Here, have some water to calm down."

Tan Youming didn’t move. Zhuo Zhixuan held the cup and waited. After a moment, Tan Youming took a deep breath, stood up, and regained his composure. "No need. Let’s go."

Zhuo Zhixuan was still worried. "How about we skip today? Let me stay with you and rest for a day. Do you feel like playing golf or going for a drive to relax—"

"Zhuo Zhixuan," Tan Youming interrupted him, "I’m fine. You don’t need to do this." He had already resolved not to let these trivial matters upset him anymore. "Let’s go. Let's get on with what we need to do. It’s not like I can’t live just because he’s gone, right?"

Zhuo Zhixuan felt even worse and sighed. "Then I’ll drive."