Chapter 37: The Confidence Bestowed by His Grandmother

Xiang Yu’s body stiffened, followed immediately by a surge of boundless rage.

In her previous life, she had indeed admired Chen Ze, holding him in her heart as a beautiful, unreachable dream, until they met again after she became an internet celebrity. She still felt that Chen Ze—a handsome, promising graduate of a prestigious university—was worlds apart from her. Yet, he had confessed his deep feelings to her, claiming he had liked her since middle school and had loved her for years, asking for a chance.

He had worn the same gentle, affectionate expression then. She had confided in him about the miserable time she spent working in an electronics factory and the regrettable relationships she had endured. He had remained silent for a moment before saying he didn't mind, as he, too, had once had a girlfriend, and that it meant nothing. She had been deeply moved, believing she had finally met someone who loved her sincerely.

They began dating and eventually married, though their marriage was kept private due to her career. She had once considered retiring from the spotlight to live a quiet, stable life, but Chen Ze persuaded her otherwise, telling her not to care what others thought because he loved watching her dance on screen. He called it art—he said it was beautiful.

"Art," my foot. He simply couldn't bear to lose the fast cash she brought in. What art was there in posing, smiling, and dancing for a crowd of netizens? What artist is forced to perform daily, dancing whatever the audience demands? The money she earned by sacrificing her mental and physical health went toward buying his sister a Maserati, purchasing a luxury mansion for his parents, and funding his own company. His entire family lived like parasites, wearing human masks.

Later, when she felt they were from different worlds, their values misaligned and their hearts disconnected, she became disillusioned and wanted a divorce. He had reverted to extreme gentleness and consideration, and she, a person desperately lacking love and yearning for warmth, had fallen into his trap once more—and became pregnant. She had to keep working, her health failing repeatedly throughout the pregnancy, yet she endured every hardship to give birth to their son. With only two months of rest in total, she was forced back to work, crying as she put on a fake smile under the unrelenting harassment and threats from his mother and her boss.

The more she recalled these memories, the colder she felt, as if her blood had ceased to flow. She could not bear to look at Chen Ze’s nauseating expression for even a second. With icy eyes, she glared at him. "I recall that we’ve already severed ties. Why are you still crawling back to me? Are you a glutton for punishment?"

Chen Ze’s face turned deathly pale. He stared at her intently, but then his demeanor softened, and his gaze turned gentle and affectionate once more. With a wronged tone, he said, "Xiang Yu, I didn't mean to speak up for Ye Nuanxin that day. I thought you still wanted to treat her as a friend. I’m on your side. I always have been."

Watching his transformation, Xiang Yu took in every detail. She finally understood that Chen Ze was a master at manipulating human nature; he must have known she was susceptible to this act since middle school! But now, all she felt toward his compromise, his pandering, and his hypocrisy was profound disgust and heartache. Heartache for having once been so attached to such two-faced tenderness, falling for it time and again. Disgust for Chen Ze’s self-righteous "devotion" and the confidence he seemed to think he was entitled to!

She suppressed her anger, her gaze sharp as a blade as she ruthlessly stripped away his facade. "What right do you have to say such things to me? The only reason I was even slightly familiar with you was because of Ye Nuanxin’s meddling. Now that I’ve broken things off with her, you’d be wise not to hover around me. Seeing either of you makes me sick; I don't see any difference between you."

Chen Ze’s face turned completely black. The two boys nearby, who had been listening intently, also turned pale. As for any trace of a blush? That was nothing but an illusion. They had no interest in such a thorny rose. They only felt fear. If one needed proof, one only had to look at how pathetic and humiliated Chen Ze looked in front of a girl.

Chen Ze clenched his fists and returned to his seat, filled with rage, wishing he could slap Xiang Yu. He wanted to ignore this unreasonable woman forever, but he felt unwilling to let it go—she had clearly liked him before. He decided he should ask Ye Nuanxin why Xiang Yu had changed so much. At the same time, he felt it was time to teach Xiang Yu a lesson. He turned his gaze toward Xie Xuan, who had a secret crush on him.