Chapter 298: Just a Lover

Jiang Fan sighed, his gaze finally settling on Rong Anyao.

“Yaoyao, this 500,000 investment will be in my name, but I’ll sign a supplementary agreement with you later. In reality, this investment counts as yours. My thinking hasn’t changed—I’m just happy to have a steady meal ticket with Qiang and Old Niu.”

“Okay, I’ll listen to you, Jiang!” Rong Anyao agreed readily.

She knew that if she was too hesitant, Jiang Fan wouldn’t accept her kind gesture.

Just then, Wu Qiang downed a glass of liquor and started sizing up Jiang Fan and Rong Anyao.

“Fan, I’m telling you, you’ve got a bona fide rich girl right here. This girl Yao is loaded, she’s gorgeous, and most importantly, she’s great at games. She’s the total package, the ideal type. What are you waiting for?”

Old Niu also loved to stir the pot.

“Exactly. I think you two, An Yao and Fan, are a perfect match. Fan, my boy, if you let her down, you’d better hope you don’t die a miserable death!”

“Holy shit, don’t get carried away!” Jiang Fan said awkwardly.

“Don’t talk nonsense. I’m just Jiang’s lover!” Rong Anyao said suddenly.

“PFFT!”

The three men spat out their drinks at the same time, but Rong Anyao maintained a perfectly serious expression.

Jiang Fan laughed bitterly to himself. ‘Rong Anyao is great in every way, except she’s just too naive.’

‘In her mind, she probably doesn’t even understand what “lover” really means.’

“Don’t just stand there gawking, drink up! Drink!”

Jiang Fan raised his glass, rushing to change the subject.

They drank toast after toast, and in the blink of an eye, several hours had passed.

As time went on, they somehow ended up drinking from morning until afternoon.

A bottle of Wuliangye was soon empty, but they clearly hadn’t had their fill.

So Old Niu grabbed a few more bottles of Waizui and a case of beer from the restaurant.

The three men drank and chatted excitedly about the future.

Amid the talk and laughter, Jiang Fan gradually lost consciousness.

When Jiang Fan regained consciousness and opened his eyes, he found himself lying on a bed.

Shaking his head, Jiang Fan scanned his surroundings.

Only then did he realize he seemed to be in a hotel room. It was already dark outside, and he could only see the flashing neon lights.

He was lying on one bed, and on the other bed next to him was Rong Anyao, who was sitting up and playing a game. Wu Qiang and Old Niu were nowhere to be seen.

“Jiang, you’re awake?”

Seeing Jiang Fan wake up, Rong Anyao immediately turned off her game, came over, and handed him a thermos.

Jiang Fan rubbed his head and took a sip of water.

“Where am I? And where are Old Niu and Qiang?”

“This is a hotel next to Niu’s restaurant. You guys drank way too much, so I brought you here to rest. Niu and Qiang went to the Red Romance Clubhouse next door!”

“The Red Romance Clubhouse?”

“Mhm… while you were all drinking, you suddenly started yelling about finding some girls. Then Niu said he’d take you guys to the Red Romance Clubhouse next door. I couldn’t stop them, so I just dragged you to the hotel!”

“Ah… this… this is…!”

“Niu seemed a little more sober. He took Qiang to the Red Romance Clubhouse. I didn’t dare follow them inside, so I brought you to this hotel next door instead.”

“You did the right thing, Yaoyao! How could I go to a place like that? And Old Niu and Qiang, really… they drink a little booze and they don’t know which way is up. Looking for girls… they’ve lost their minds!”

“Jiang… Jiang, you were the one who brought up finding girls. You also mentioned Red Romance. You said you saw some good-looking girls at the entrance on your way here, and that’s when Niu and Qiang…”

“Ah… this… this is…”

“Yaoyao, let me tell you, I only said that to test them, to see if they could stick to their principles. Sigh… those two are such sloppy drunks!”

“Oh, maybe so!”

Jiang Fan looked at Rong Anyao, feeling incredibly awkward.

He pulled out his phone and glanced at it. It was already nine o’clock at night. He hadn’t realized he’d been asleep for so long.

But even now, Jiang Fan’s head still felt groggy.

“Jiang, if you’re awake, I should get going. I have to stream tonight. If I don’t stream consistently, the platform won’t promote my channel.”

“Okay!” Jiang Fan answered numbly.

“I already wired the money directly to Qiang. I got his bank account number earlier. You can discuss the rest with him. I don’t know anything about business matters.”

“Okay, Yaoyao. Thank you!”

“Jiang, why are you thanking me? Am I not your lover? This is what I should be doing!”

“Ah…”

“I’m leaving, Jiang. Call me if you need anything!”

“Be careful on your way home, then. Send me a message when you get there!”

“Okay!”

Watching Rong Anyao’s departing figure, Jiang Fan was filled with a thousand emotions.

He suddenly felt he owed Rong Anyao a great deal.

Although he had saved her before, during their time together recently, it had mostly been Rong Anyao helping him.

‘This debt of gratitude,’ Jiang Fan felt, ‘is one I’m afraid I’ll never be able to repay.’

Just as he was thinking this, there was a sudden knock on the door.

Jiang Fan frowned. ‘Yaoyao must have come back.’

“Yaoyao, did you forget something?”

Jiang Fan said as he opened the door.

But to his surprise, when the door opened, the person standing there was Li Muwan.

“What are you doing here?” Jiang Fan asked, surprised.

Without another word, Li Muwan stormed into the room.

She first scanned the hotel room before her gaze finally landed on Jiang Fan.

“You certainly made me work to find you. Hiding out here and fooling around!”

“Fooling around? Li Muwan, can’t you say something that doesn’t sound so nasty?”

“Nasty? Don’t you know what you’ve done?” Li Muwan said coldly. “Jiang Fan, you just turned and walked away today. Did you get my permission?”

“Heh, why would I need your permission? Li Muwan, is this what you tracked me down to say?” Jiang Fan said coldly.

Li Muwan was equally furious.

“Jiang Fan, don’t you forget. You are, in name, my boyfriend. My parents were still there yesterday when you rushed off. Then you spent a full day at Rong Anyao’s house, and today you’ve spent the entire day with her in a hotel. Have you ever once considered my feelings?”

“You’re tracking me?” Jiang Fan frowned.

“Am I wrong? Is what I said not the truth?”

Jiang Fan was getting angry.

“First, let me remind you: I’ve already resigned from Xuerong International. Second, I didn’t take a single extra cent from you, and I have no obligation to keep pretending to be your boyfriend. And another thing—whatever is going on between me and Rong Anyao is my business. It has nothing to do with anyone else. I don’t know why you’re here, and I don’t know what gives you the right to just storm in here and start accusing me!”