Chapter 300: Don’t Bring Up the Past

Admittedly, Rong Anyao’s popularity was far beyond what Jiang Fan had imagined.

‘No wonder companies are now abandoning celebrity endorsements in favor of selling products via livestream. The spending power of these fans is just incredible.’

After playing a couple of games with Rong Anyao, Jiang Fan noticed the trolls in the live chat were constantly stirring up drama about him.

To avoid causing any unnecessary trouble for Rong Anyao, Jiang Fan quit the game and sent her a message.

Tossing his phone aside, Jiang Fan stared at the ceiling and let out a long sigh, his heart heavy with complicated emotions.

Just then, his phone rang.

Jiang Fan glanced at the screen. To his surprise, the call was from Yin Ruxue.

His first instinct was to hang up.

But she called back immediately, and this time, Jiang Fan answered.

“President Yin, do you need something?”

“Jiang Fan, can we talk?” Yin Ruxue asked, getting straight to the point.

“What is there to talk about?” Jiang Fan asked.

“Come down. I’m waiting for you downstairs, outside your hotel.”

Jiang Fan was surprised. ‘How did Yin Ruxue find her way here?’

‘Li Muwan must have given her the address.’

After a moment’s hesitation, Jiang Fan replied, “Alright, give me a minute.”

After hanging up, Jiang Fan went to the bathroom to splash some cold water on his face. The alcohol he’d drunk earlier made him look haggard, so he quickly tidied up his hair before heading out.

When he got downstairs, Jiang Fan spotted a brand-new Maybach from a distance.

Yin Ruxue’s Maybach was incredibly conspicuous. But not, of course, as dazzling as Yin Ruxue herself.

At that moment, Yin Ruxue was sitting inside, gazing out the window with her usual cool, aloof expression, her thoughts unreadable.

A luxury sedan and a stunning, ice-cold female CEO—the combination quickly drew the attention of many passersby.

Especially since it was evening, the busiest time for the food street.

Jiang Fan quickly walked over and got into the car.

Yin Ruxue shot him a sidelong glance before starting the car.

“Hey… Where are we going?”

“I thought we were going to talk.”

“Then let’s talk here!”

“It’s too noisy here. Let’s find somewhere else.”

Before Jiang Fan could say another word, Yin Ruxue was already driving extremely fast.

Yin Ruxue’s expression remained icy as she sped the Maybach down the main road.

Jiang Fan couldn’t help but fasten his seatbelt.

The car soon came to a stop on a street lined with bars.

Jiang Fan looked out and saw the street was awash with neon lights. Luxury cars and sports cars were parked haphazardly all along it.

Yin Ruxue parked just as casually, pulling into the first empty spot she found.

Before Jiang Fan could even react, Yin Ruxue was already out of the car. He had no choice but to follow.

Yin Ruxue strode into a nearby bar.

“These are all quiet bars,” Yin Ruxue said over her shoulder. “It’s peaceful here.”

Inside the bar, a Leslie Cheung song was playing softly. It wasn’t loud, and the atmosphere was calm.

Yin Ruxue chose a table by the window, and a waiter immediately came over.

“Two Light Buzzes.”

“President Yin, don’t tell me you brought me here to drink, did you?”

“What’s the matter? You don’t want to?”

“Honestly, the smell of alcohol makes me want to throw up right now.”

“Fine. Two Light Buzzes and a glass of juice.”

The waiter nodded and walked away.

The atmosphere suddenly dropped to a freezing point. They looked at each other, but neither spoke.

Just then, Leslie Cheung’s “When Love Becomes a Past Tense” started playing in the bar.

“Don’t bring up the past again; life has already seen enough storms. Even if memory can’t be erased, love and hate remain in the heart. If we are truly to sever the past and let tomorrow begin anew, then you must not keep desperately asking for news of me…”

As they listened quietly to the moving melody, the two specialty cocktails and a glass of juice arrived at their table.

Yin Ruxue took a delicate sip from her glass and was the first to break the silence.

“I’m sorry, Jiang Fan.”

“Huh…?”

Jiang Fan was taken aback for a moment. Then he suddenly remembered something and asked her, “Are you even able to drink?”

“Don’t worry. It’s just a Light Buzz, the alcohol content is low. I’m much better after taking your medicine. I know my limits.”

“Alright, then,” Jiang Fan said. “But… you have nothing to apologize to me for.”

“I know you were wronged today. I know it wasn’t your fault; Liujiang River was certainly being aggressive. But you have to understand, the Liu Family’s power in Chenel is on par with the Eight Great Clans of Yang City. They aren’t someone Xuerong International can afford to offend.”

“President Yin, is this what you brought me here to talk about?”

Jiang Fan cut her off.

“Don’t be angry. I know that Wan’Er and I went a little too far today…”

“Don’t say any more,” Jiang Fan said, cutting her off with a wave of his hand. “President Yin, to be honest, I don’t blame you. Not one bit.”

He was being completely sincere. His words came straight from the heart.

Unlike with Li Muwan, Jiang Fan could completely understand Yin Ruxue’s position.

After all, for a woman like Yin Ruxue to have grown Xuerong International into such a powerhouse, she naturally had to be shrewd and tactful.

Since Liujiang River had already come knocking, his intentions were obvious. It wouldn’t have been worth it for Yin Ruxue to risk the entire future of Xuerong International for one person—for him.

Jiang Fan understood this point completely.

So he truly didn’t blame Yin Ruxue in the slightest.

He even felt that if he were in her shoes, he would have made the same choice.

“President Yin, let’s let bygones be bygones. I’m grateful for the opportunity you and Li Muwan gave me, but as of now, I’ve already resigned.”

Yin Ruxue took a sip of her drink and lowered her head, silent for a long moment.

After a while, she suddenly pulled a card from her pocket.

“There’s a hundred thousand yuan on here. Take it for now. If it’s not enough, just let me know.”

“There’s no need.”

Jiang Fan pushed the card back toward her.

Yin Ruxue quickly pressed the card back into his hand.

“Don’t worry, you’re not taking this for free. Consider it a gift from me, on Mengmeng’s behalf.”

Hearing the name “Mengmeng,” Jiang Fan’s heart quivered.

“You haven’t been home in two days. Mengmeng has grown quite attached to you. She asks me where you’ve gone every single day.”

“You… How long do you plan on hiding the truth from her?” Jiang Fan asked with a quiet sigh.

Yin Ruxue lowered her head and took an impassive sip of her drink.

“Honestly, at first, I just wanted you to casually pretend to be her father for a bit. But I underestimated how attached she would become to you. Now… I don’t know how to tell her…”

Yin Ruxue looked at Jiang Fan, her expression, for once, was utterly sincere.

“At her age, she would never be able to accept such a cruel truth.”

Jiang Fan looked at her, then pushed the bank card back again.

Yin Ruxue’s expression fell.

But then Jiang Fan spoke. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep helping you—I’ll keep pretending to be Mengmeng’s father. As for the money… I won’t need this much.”