141 One Weak Momen (1/2)

”I'm sorry, I am only here to deliver the dishes. Since the dishes are here, would the young lady please settle the bill so I can go back and celebrate mid-autumn festival?” Ye Jiayao said emotionlessly.

”Li Yao, don't you also drink with the customers when you are at Heavenly Residence?” Xia Chunyu said with a smile, filling a cup with wine. ”Finish this cup and we will settle the bill.”

”How is a cup enough? Head Chef Li is a famous chef in Jin Ling, it has to be at least three cups. Ying-er, get two more cups, Yan-er retrieve a gold ingot,” Liu Yiyi said gracefully.

Both servants obeyed.

”Head Chef Li, after you drink three cups of wine, this gold ingot is yours,” Liu Yiyi said with false generosity.

Ye Jiayao was fuming. What did she ever do to this pair to deserve this humiliation?

Xia Chunyu slightly raised a brow as if he was waiting for a show.

Ye Jiayao picked up the gold ingot and weighed it in her hand, laughing coldly. ”It is my first time to see a gold ingot. I should thank Jin Ling's top courtesan, or should I thank the many men sending you money? However, I don't care for this kind of treasure. Too dirty.”

Liu Yiyi's face changed, the hand hidden in her sleeve started trembling.

She forced out a smile and said, ”Is that so? Then what should I do? The money I have here are all sent by men. Why don't Head Chef Li treat us to this meal?”

Ye Jiayao's smile did not change. ”The word 'treat' should not be used so casually. I only treat my friends. Both of you are neither kin nor kith to me.”

Ye Jiayao raised her wine cup and stared straight at Xia Chunyu. ”I will treat this meal as if I was feeding the dogs.”

She threw the drink at Xia Chunyu's face and walked out of that horrible place, refusing to look back.

Behind her, Liu Yiyi cried out in shock, ”Heir-Son Lord! Quick, Yin-er, get a handkerchief! The nerve of that man!”

Ye Jiayao kept walking, trying to put as much distance between them as she could.

How could he do this? He'd humiliate her like that just because she went on a river cruise with Little Jing and refused to break off all relations with him?

Why does it always end like this? Just when she finally wanted to pour her heart out, a painful blow would disable her. It happened in the mountains and it was happening now.

She didn't want to cry, didn't want to show how much he hurt her, but the tears wouldn't stop.

The round, silver moon in the sky and the lights from thousands of homes served as a reminder to her of just how alone she was in this world.

No, stop, Ye Jiayao. He's just a man. A bastard at that. Shake it off, rub some dirt on it, and get up. Just because he left, doesn't mean you won't make it.

The words were easy to conjure, but her heart wasn't convinced.

She ran to the river bay, crying out in pain.

She cried and cried, letting out all the anguish and hurt she was feeling because this was her only chance to do so. She would only allow herself to be weak this once.

Xia Chunyu, having already wiped his face dry, sat there drinking wine. Liu Yiyi was dancing to alleviate the tension brought about by Yaoyao's impudence.

The dance was graceful, the music was moving, the food and wine were fragrant, but he couldn't care less about them. Everything had lost its appeal the moment Yaoyao left - from the moment he saw the tears that she was trying to hide.

He was in pain. It felt like someone stabbed his heart with a sharp blade and further twisted it in. He wanted to chase after her, to tell her that he only did those things so she would know how it felt to be betrayed by someone you love.

But he did not move. He was unable to let go of his pride.

Yes, he admits that what he did was cruel. He should've just spoken to her, told her that he was letting go, but he couldn't do it. Just like the many things he couldn't do since he met her.

He used to mock those people who were troubled by love, but he now has become one of them.

Perhaps by doing this, he could allow himself to harden his heart and leave her alone, to wish her and Little Jing all the best.

Xia Chunyu lifted his head as he downed a cup of wine, allowing that spicy liquid to burn in his body, hoping that it could also decimate his sorrow.

When Ye Jiayao's tears dried up, she looked up and gazed at the colored lanterns on the opposite side. She actually forgot that there was a lantern festival tonight.

She wiped her tears away and headed to the festival, determined to push her pain away and have some fun.

She entered a contest of guessing riddles and won a bunch of prizes when she consecutively correctly guessed a handful.

”Li Yao!”

Ye Jiayao turned around and saw Zhao Qixuan and Susu waving at her. It was gratifying to see them finally out in public.