After Breaking Up, I Married the Dying Tycoon in a Flash-Chapter 371 - 13: Tender Trap (Part 13)

His voice was icy cold, as if steeped in ice water.

An Jiayi was shaken by the chill emanating from him and found herself at a loss for words.

Xie Zhang was usually nonchalant; his loss of composure this time took her by surprise.

"Why aren’t you speaking? Isn’t this what you wanted to hear?" Xie Zhang slightly tugged at the corner of his mouth, his smile edged with coldness: "An Jiayi, I’m not a good person; you’ve known that since day one."

An Jiayi knew, she nodded, looked down, and said softly: "I was presumptuous just now, I’m sorry."

Watching her like this, Xie Zhang found himself unable to remain angry.

His rage dissipated in a flash, he bent down to draw closer and embraced An Jiayi, whispering softly: "Jiayi, don’t bother with those irrelevant people. I thought you’d be happy to see Jiang Yan taught a lesson. If it doesn’t make you happy, I won’t do it again."

With such an offhand remark, he pronounced someone’s fate.

An Jiayi looked out the window, her gaze unfocused, "Xie Zhang, did you like Jiang Yan when you were with her?"

"I’ve forgotten." The man’s voice was cool and thin, "I don’t remember anything that happened between us."

An Jiayi didn’t expect such a response.

She nodded, as if deep in thought, murmured softly: "I understand, you never liked her."

Xie Zhang chuckled, pinching An Jiayi’s nose tip, his voice gentle and slow: "Of course I don’t like her."

An Jiayi thought that perhaps Bian Yue hadn’t lied to her, she truly was the woman Xie Zhang liked the most.

Yet, this answer did not make An Jiayi happy.

She belonged to the same social class as Jiang Yan, Xie Zhang likes her today and puts her on a pedestal, but if one day his feelings changed, what would become of her?

Could she be the next Jiang Yan?

There’s no guarantee in such matters.

An Jiayi wasn’t a naively inexperienced girl; the so-called love often ends in enmity, that was the norm.

Parting on good terms was too difficult.

An Jiayi closed her eyes, in Xie Zhang’s embrace, and quietly said: "If we break up in the future, can you not hate me? Don’t make my life difficult. Don’t retaliate against me."

Xie Zhang stiffened, then he lowered his head, frowning at the woman in his arms.

Her saying this now was somewhat of a buzzkill.

"Jiayi, don’t talk about such things, I don’t like hearing them."

"But I’m afraid, Xie Zhang, that when you no longer love me, I’ll end up like Jiang Yan." An Jiayi raised her gaze, staring unwaveringly at Xie Zhang, "What would you have me do then?"

"There will never be such a day." Xie Zhang’s heart was congested, he could not utter comforting words and, after a pause, said in a taut voice: "What I mean is, no matter what our ending is, you won’t become Jiang Yan."

An Jiayi looked at Xie Zhang’s face, finally reassured. She hugged his waist tightly, closing her eyes in silence.

Xie Zhang could not understand An Jiayi’s excessive worries.

At the Li Family old house, he spoke of this to Li Sihe and Bian Yue.

"That Jiang Yan kept bullying her over and over, it was to vent on her behalf that I meddled, getting Wang Shao to teach Jiang Yan a lesson!" Xie Zhang took a drink, his voice subdued: "I don’t know what she’s upset about, why would she imagine herself in that situation!"

Bian Yue listened to Xie Zhang’s words, blinked her eyes, and said earnestly, "Your behavior is very uncivilized, Jiayi must think you’re extremely vicious."

Beside her, Li Sihe watched the brightness in Bian Yue’s expression as she spoke, a faint smile flickering in his eyes.

Xie Zhang sneered. He slammed his wine glass down abruptly, pointing at himself incredulously, "You say I’m extremely vicious! Bian Yue, one should take responsibility for their words! When have I ever been cruel to her!"

"What’s the difference between being cruel to others and being cruel to her?" Bian Yue frowned, a hint of disgust in her eyes, "Xie Zhang, I don’t know what Jiang Yan did, but no matter what, using this way to punish a woman, you’re lacking in class!"

Xie Zhang originally came here to seek comfort, but instead, he got a tirade of reproach from Bian Yue, making him fume with pent-up anger, "Bian Yue! Why are you turning your back on me!"

"Am I?" Bian Yue’s expression was innocent, "I’m just objectively saying, how does it sound for a bunch of men to force drinks on a woman at the table?"

"I just wanted Wang Shao to teach Jiang Yan a lesson, he chose this method, and I was surprised, too! But what does that have to do with me!" Xie Zhang was frustrated and annoyed, frowning as he said in a deep voice, "Instead of criticizing me here, you might as well help me think of a solution!"

Li Sihe raised an eyebrow, "What kind of solution do you want Yueyue to come up with for you?"

"How to..." Xie Zhang took a deep breath, conceding, his voice suddenly weakened, murmuring, "How to make An Jiayi not be so afraid of me."

Bian Yue feigned ignorance, "Why are you becoming more and more concerned? Xie Zhang, why not think of a way to marry her."

Marry her...

Xie Zhang had never considered this path.

He and An Jiayi were destined not to get married.

But now, his emotions are indeed entangled with her, beyond his control.

Xie Zhang didn’t know before that he could actually fall in love with someone.

That’s quite rare.

Reason told him that he should stay calm.

But still, he rushed back to An Jiayi’s side and stayed with her until she fell asleep.

He held her, saying he wouldn’t let her become like Jiang Yan, would not let her suffer, and even if they parted ways in the future, he would ensure she’d have no worries about food and clothing for the rest of her life.

The light was too dim, and An Jiayi was facing away from him, so Xie Zhang didn’t know what the woman in his arms was really thinking.

He gripped her waist tightly, fingers interlocked and entwined, his voice hoarse and sighing, "Jiayi, I won’t let you suffer, nor will I let others treat you this way. As long as I stand in Xiangjiang for a day, I won’t let others wrong you."

An Jiayi turned her back to Xie Zhang, thoroughly listening to each of his words. After a long while, she finally relaxed and slowly turned around, hugging him.

She said, "Xie Zhang, I believe you."

All the obstacles between them seemed to dissipate at that moment.

In the following six months, if one were to describe it, it was nothing less than intimate.

Xie Zhang gave An Jiayi all he could, as if truly reining in his heart, beginning to turn a blind eye to all other women.

In Xiangjiang, everyone knew that Young Master Xie kept a delicate flower; Bai Garden became their love nest.

Wang Shao put all the premium resources in the company on An Jiayi, and in a short time, An Jiayi became a hot and rising starlet.

Everyone knew An Jiayi was at the height of her fame.

As time passed, complacency is inevitable.

In many moments, An Jiayi even forgot that her relationship with Xie Zhang was illegitimate. Until, Xie Quan sent for Xie Zhang to return home.