Chapter 445: Joy for Some, Misery for Others |
Wang Haoran was no rookie when it came to emotional manipulation. His acting was flawless, his voice tinged with guilt, grief, and just the right amount of self‑hatred to stir sympathy. And just like that, Tantai Yaoyue was fooled.
She stared at him in a daze, unable to react for a long moment.
Things had veered far off from what she originally envisioned. None of this was going according to plan, and now she didn’t know what to do next. Of course, she wasn’t actually going to kill Wang Haoran. But if she just let it go without consequence, what would that make her? She couldn’t stomach the thought of letting this pass so easily.
Caught in indecision, Tantai Yaoyue fell silent.
Seeing her unresponsive after his dramatic performance, Wang Haoran realized he needed to up the stakes. If selling misery wasn’t enough, then it was time for the full self‑sacrificing act. He reached toward the edge of the bed, groping around until his fingers found the light switch. With a soft click, the room flooded with light.
He swept his eyes around the room, and in moments, he spotted a small pair of scissors placed beside the vanity mirror.
Without hesitation, he rushed over, grabbed them, and raised his voice in a near breakdown.
“All of this is your fault! Because of you, I wronged Weiwei… I’ve betrayed the person I respected most!”
It was unclear who exactly he was yelling at, but the scissors were already poised to strike—
Tears streamed down Wang Haoran’s face as he slowly turned to look at her.
“This isn’t all your fault. What’s done is done. Why hurt yourself?” Tantai Yaoyue gritted her teeth, her heart a tangled mess of emotion and confusion.
This kind of desperate, pitiful stunt—wasn’t it supposed to be her role? How had it ended up being him?
“But…” Wang Haoran didn’t lower the scissors. He seemed ready to argue, to plead again.
“No buts. Nothing happened. Understand? Now get out.” Tantai Yaoyue yanked the scissors from his hand and muttered coldly, her voice laced with exhaustion and something unreadable.
Wang Haoran wiped away his tears, pulled a pitiful face, and slunk out of the room.
As soon as he returned to the guest room, the moment the door closed behind him, his entire expression transformed. The grief vanished like fog in sunlight, replaced by a bright grin stretching across his face.
He checked his phone and saw a series of unread messages from Qiu Qianwei:
“I’m in Room 1, don’t mix it up.”
“Miss you~”
“Are you asleep?”
“Hey, hey?”
“??”
“Alright… goodnight.”
Each message was sent at intervals, clearly from someone anxiously waiting for a reply.
Wang Haoran stared at the screen, lips curling into a wider smile. But he didn’t reply right away.
It wasn’t until the next morning that he finally messaged back.
“Ah, drank a little last night. Knocked right out.”
“Sleep well?” she answered instantly.
“Pretty well.”
“I didn’t sleep great.”
“My fault, my fault.”
“No worries. I made breakfast. Come eat.”
“Coming.”
After replying, he got up and washed up briefly. A little while later, all eight of them were seated around the breakfast table.
“Sisters, the stock market looks amazing today. Anyone interested in making money, I’ve got the wealth codes ready to share,” Liu Yue announced while munching on breakfast, her eyes glued to the laptop screen in front of her. She looked completely absorbed in her multitasking.
“Fifth Sister, tell me! What stocks should I buy to make some quick money?” Qiu Qianwei leaned over with a hopeful grin. She wanted to earn a bit of extra cash and maybe buy a gift for her boyfriend.
Liu Yue rotated her laptop and pointed at the screen. “These three. Guaranteed profit.”
She was so confident because she had consulted with “Hubby” about it the night before. And if her husband said the stocks would rise, then they absolutely would.
Qiu Qianwei leaned in and memorized the three stock codes, planning to place her orders the moment the market opens.
“Let me see too,” Ji Shuiyao said casually while sipping her porridge. She wasn’t about to pass up the chance. After all, money could fund her scientific research or buy gifts for someone she liked.
“Which three?” Bu Feiyan asked with clear interest.
She lived by principle—only ever charging one yuan per mission. While noble, it didn’t make her wealthy. After seeing Liu Yue’s confidence, she couldn’t resist the temptation to try her luck with investing.
Seeing their excitement, Luo Qingqian and Bian Suwen also leaned in to join the fun.
Laughter and lively chatter filled the dining room.
Only Tantai Yaoyue sat there with a storm cloud hanging over her head. Her mood was foul, and the noise grated on her nerves.
“Eat quietly,” she said sharply, her voice like an icy blade slicing through the air.
The entire table fell silent. Everyone instinctively sat straighter, picking at their food with obedient restraint. A few pairs of eyes darted toward the eldest sister with quiet curiosity.
Tantai Yaoyue’s flawless face was taut, her striking brows slightly furrowed.
There was no question—she was in a terrible mood.
“Big Sister, what’s wrong? Did you not sleep well in Room 7? If it doesn’t suit you, we can switch back,” Qiu Qianwei asked gently, her eyes full of concern.
Crack.
The chopsticks in Tantai Yaoyue’s hand snapped clean in half.
The question hit a nerve. She tried to suppress the memory, but this reminder only reignited her simmering frustration.
“Here, Big Sister.” Luo Qingqian, ever the proper one with the highest education among them, quickly reached over to hand her a new pair of chopsticks.
“No need. These are fine,” Tantai Yaoyue said coolly. Changing rooms wouldn’t undo what had already happened. What was the point?
“Alright…” Qiu Qianwei nodded softly and fell silent.
In that tense quiet, they finished their breakfast.
“Big Sister, do you still want me to help you with that soft and sweet makeup look from yesterday?” Liu Yue asked as she got ready to head to class, makeup kit in hand.
“No. I thought about what you said yesterday. I’m better off sticking to the cool, untouchable ice‑queen style,” Tantai Yaoyue said with a firm voice. She tried to soften her image, but the results clearly backfired. It was time to be herself again.
“No problem,” Liu Yue said without skipping a beat.
“Weiwei, Sisters, I’m off to class. See ya!” Wang Haoran waved cheerfully, his smile as bright and carefree as a spring breeze.
Tantai Yaoyue narrowed her eyes, watching him leave. An urge to slap him surged through her heart.
Wasn’t this the same guy who was ready to die just last night? How was he now walking around like nothing had happened?
Wang Haoran caught her glare and quickly shot her an innocent puppy‑eyed look in return.
Tantai Yaoyue let out a quiet sigh, her anger fading into resignation. No matter how much he pissed her off, she couldn’t bring herself to actually hurt him. Not a slap, not even a scolding. At most, she could only imagine beating him up in her mind.
Wang Haoran gave a lazy wave and strolled out like he hadn’t just flipped her entire life upside down.
Several days passed in the blink of an eye.
Meanwhile, inside a luxurious mansion, Qin Fan sat staring at a silent landline phone, his face clouded with concern.
After parting ways with Tantai Yaoyue days ago, they exchanged contact information. But unlike most people, Qin Fan didn’t have a mobile phone. He couldn’t afford one. So, he gave her the number for the mansion’s landline.
He waited patiently, full of anticipation, full of hope. But days passed, and the phone did not ring even once.
Not a single call.
Not a single message.
He was confused.
He spoke to her with such sincerity, laid his feelings bare, and explained everything so clearly.
She should have taken the initiative by now.
Why hadn’t she? Why was she still hesitating?
It had already been several days.
Was she still weighing her options?
Qin Fan could hardly take it anymore.