Chapter 235: A Green Meadow Overhead

Chapter 235: A Green Prairie Over His Head

Yu Mianyun said calmly, "Youlian, calm down."

Xi Youlian chucked a vase at him, which smashed on the floor with a crash.

"How the hell am I supposed to calm down!"

"You've disappointed me!"

"Get out! Get the hell out!"

"Crash—" Another vase shattered right at Yu Mianyun's feet.

Xi Youlian kept shouting "Get out," her hysterical behavior made Yu Mianyun feel uneasy and worried.

"Fine, I'm leaving. Stop throwing stuff, you'll hurt yourself." Seeing how agitated she was, he decided to leave first. Once outside the door, he called Xi Youlian's best friend to ask if she could come over and calm Xi Youlian down.

Inside the house, worn out from throwing things, Xi Youlian sat on the sofa and wiped the tears off her face. How could her man be a coward in the family power struggle? He wasn't good enough for her. Her dad was right—she deserved better.

After drying her tears, she first pulled up Zhao Maoxi in her contacts and sent him a message, suggesting they take off on a trip that very night.

Zhao Maoxi was a member of the Zhao family, one of the six big families in Y City. The current head of the Zhao family was Zhao Maoxi's grandfather, and he was the eldest grandson with real power. He wasn't much to look at, but he was really capable, making them a better match.

He was also one of Xi Youlian's suitors—and they had a physical relationship.

After getting Zhao Maoxi's yes, Xi Youlian then shot off another message to Yu Mianyun.

"It's J City or me."

Xi Youlian wasn't about to follow him to J City.

On the other end, Yu Mianyun stared at the message for a long time without saying a word.

He was dead set on moving to J City—not just for family and to take care of his parents, but also for his career. Yet, he couldn't stand to leave his girlfriend behind and hoped she would join him.

Seeing how much she was against the move, he planned to talk it over with her a few times to win her over.

During his stay in Nanhe Village, he'd learned that his sister Jiang Yingxue's Xuehe Mall and her employees were anything but ordinary. Even his grandparents seemed to be keeping secrets, giving him a mysterious, deep vibe.

Though they hadn't revealed everything, they'd let a few things slip: there were a lot of extraordinary people in the world, and his family was part of that. If he wanted, he could join them.

At first, he didn't believe it. For over twenty years, he'd believed in science and written off superstition.

But soon, his whole worldview was blown apart. The birds and dogs at his grandma's place could talk! The teachers at Xuehe Academy could fly around on swords!

These crazy things shattered his old beliefs, and he came to accept that there really were things beyond science.

Looking at the message, he decided to talk to her about it the next day, hoping to change her mind.

The next morning, he went to Xi Youlian's place, but she wasn't there. The keypad lock was changed, no one answered the door, and her phone was dead.

He then called her friend Lan Xinyue. "Xinyue, is Youlian with you? Do you know where she is?"

"She's not at home?"

"I'm at her door now. No one answers, and there's no sound inside. She's probably not here. Where could she be this early?" He added, "Is she at your place? Where is she then?"

Lan Xinyue hesitated before answering, "Don't worry, she's fine."

She knew about Xi Youlian's affair with Zhao Maoxi and their trip, but as a friend, she couldn't say anything. Such private matters were best left for the parties involved to discover.

Yu Mianyun pressed, "Where is she now? I need to talk to her."

"She probably doesn't want to see you right now. Let it be. Just know she's fine."

After hanging up, Yu Mianyun tried calling his girlfriend again, but the calls wouldn't go through. He guessed he had been blocked.

Feeling restless, he decided to clear his mind. Where to go? The recently popular Fairy Peak Scenic Area came to mind, so he booked a flight to T City.

The plane soared through the sky like an eagle spreading its wings, leaving a long, white trail of clouds.

After landing, he took a taxi to the foot of Fairy Peak. It was still 4 PM, not too late, and climbing now would let him catch the sunset at the summit.

The air at Fairy Peak was exceptionally fresh, carrying the scent of grass and trees. The mountain path was lined with lush greenery, and birds sang in his ears. Walking along, much of his frustration melted away.

Fairy Peak had become a famous attraction in the past two or three months, home to a Taoist temple called Xianyun Temple. It was said to be especially effective for matters of love.

Half an hour later, Yu Mianyun arrived at Xianyun Temple.

A rich fragrance filled the temple, not overwhelming but refreshing and calming.

The temple was crowded, mostly with young people, and the incense burners were thriving.

Yu Mianyun was about to offer incense when he caught a glimpse of a woman whose profile resembled Xi Youlian's—except this woman had a boyfriend.

The couple before him held hands, their body language like that of lovers in the throes of passion. The man's back also looked familiar.

From behind, it seemed like his girlfriend was with someone he knew.

"Impossible, absolutely impossible! What am I thinking?" He shook his head, trying to dispel the absurd thoughts.

But things took an unexpected turn.

The couple's flirtatious voices reached Yu Mianyun's ears clearly, shattering his composure.

"Youlian, let's pray too," the man said, his voice gentle and indulgent.

"You want to pray for love with me? Then beg me," the woman replied playfully, not rejecting the suggestion.

"Yes, I want to pray for love with you. Youlian, I'm begging you—let's pray for love together."

"Fine, I'll grant you that."

Yu Mianyun was certain: the woman was his girlfriend, Xi Youlian, and the man was Zhao Maoxi, someone from their social circle.

"You've been seeing each other behind my back!" Yu Mianyun felt a green prairie spreading over his head. Though there had been rumors of their affair, he had been confident in himself, dismissing them as attempts to break them up. He never imagined they were true.

He stood frozen, as if struck by lightning, watching the couple pray for love in the temple. Trembling with rage, he stepped behind a tree trunk, covered the phone's microphone, and dialed Zhao Maoxi's number.