Chapter 343: Green Cloth, Tea Leaves
Yang Haoran left his seat, preparing to retrieve something from his room. Just as he reached the door, he saw the Snake Demon with a charming smile.
Yang Haoran wasn't surprised by the Snake Demon's presence, as he had already sensed someone at the door; he simply hadn't bothered to pay attention.
Although it wasn't exactly a glorious matter, he had long since come to terms with it, so even if others overheard, he wouldn't feel much embarrassment.
"What do you need? Or, should I fetch it for you? " the Snake Demon asked, her face full of smiles.
Yang Haoran hesitated for a moment, then nodded, saying with a smile, "There's a box on my bedside table. I'd appreciate it."
"Hehe, no problem at all. I'll get it for you right away."
The Snake Demon, wearing a smile, headed towards Yang Haoran's bedroom, while Yang Haoran returned to his seat.
"Who were you just talking to? " the Woman asked, looking at Yang Haoran.
"A friend who lives here," Yang Haoran replied with a faint smile after taking a sip of tea, answering her question.
Yang Haoran's brows furrowed slightly, and the smile on his face faded. The Woman's words made him feel rather uncomfortable.
Firstly, the Snake Demon was not his girlfriend. Secondly, the Woman's remark struck him as excessive, especially since the Snake Demon had absolutely nothing to do with their affairs.
Yang Haoran was just about to speak when the Snake Demon's voice drifted in from the doorway.
"Your so-called 'quality' is just a mouth full of shit, isn't it? Look at your heavily made-up face, then look at my bare one. Which of us truly looks more like a whore?"
The Snake Demon, holding a box in her hand, swayed her waist, a smile on her face, and walked into the study as she spoke.
Her appearance instantly startled the Woman, who froze for a moment.
She was too beautiful, too enchanting. This enchantment wasn't feigned; it was an extreme, innate allure that emanated from her very bones, from within.
The Woman considered herself a beauty, a rare one at that, and was full of confidence in her appearance, taking immense pride in it. Yet, in front of the Snake Demon, her proudly flaunted looks and figure were nothing short of a joke.
Though she was unwilling to admit it, it was an undeniable, unchangeable truth, a fact obvious to anyone who looked.
Her momentary daze quickly faded, replaced by surging jealousy in her heart. Her gaze towards the Snake Demon became filled with extreme loathing.
Seeing the Woman's displeased expression, the Snake Demon said nothing more, but the look in her eyes and the smile on her face were brimming with provocation.
The Snake Demon placed the box in front of Yang Haoran, then stood beside him, showing no intention of leaving. Instead, she watched the Woman with undisguised challenge.
Judging by the Snake Demon's demeanor, it seemed she was ready to cheer Yang Haoran on.
Provoked by the Snake Demon, the Woman was furious. She was about to retort with a few sarcastic remarks when Yang Haoran pushed the box in front of her.
"Open it and have a look," Yang Haoran said with a smile.
The Woman was bewildered, unsure what the box contained. But driven by curiosity, she opened it.
Inside the box was a piece of cloth, folded neatly. But this cloth was very green—so green it made one's heart clench with unease.
The Woman frowned and asked Yang Haoran, "What is this trash? It looks quite old. I didn't realize you had a habit of collecting such junk."
"Unfold this cloth and take a look," Yang Haoran said with a smile.
Although she didn't know what Yang Haoran was up to, the Woman still followed his instructions, taking the cloth out of the box and unfolding it.
It was the green cloth that Yang Haoran had once used to separate his bedroom from the convenience store, a sort of makeshift curtain. After the store was redecorated, Yang Haoran had put this green cloth away.
Staring at the green cloth, the Woman's frown deepened. She couldn't recall what this green cloth was at all; she had no memory of it.
"This green cloth has been with me for some years. I've always been reluctant to throw it away. Seeing your reaction now, it seems you have no memory of it at all. But that's alright; today, I'm giving this green cloth to you, or rather, returning it to you."
As he spoke, Yang Haoran took a box of tea leaves from a drawer and pushed it towards the Woman as well.
"The packaging on this box of tea leaves is quite good, but the leaves themselves are very dark, and the taste is particularly strong, with a terrible aftertaste. I think this tea relies solely on its packaging; the tea itself is essentially a discarded product, without much value. Of course, it might just be that I have poor taste and can't appreciate such 'fine' tea. But just because I can't enjoy this tea doesn't mean others can't either. I think you, perhaps, might like this kind of tea."
The Woman's brows furrowed. At first, she didn't grasp the meaning behind Yang Haoran's words, but then, as it dawned on her, her face instantly turned ugly.
"You can keep this shabby cloth for yourself. And no, I have no interest in your trashy tea either."
As her words fell, the Woman rose from her seat and headed towards the door, seemingly preparing to leave. But she stopped after only two steps.
"This study of yours is as cold as a crematorium. You have guests, yet you don't even turn on the air conditioning. What, are you worried about a few cents of electricity? Money is earned, not saved. You really are too small-minded; you'll never achieve anything great in life."
Yang Haoran wore a smile, seemingly not taking the Woman's words to heart. Beside him, the Snake Demon was openly amused, looking at the Woman as if she were an idiot.
However, just at that moment, the Woman's phone suddenly rang. She initially didn't want to answer it there, but seeing the caller ID, her expression instantly changed. She quickly picked up, fearing that any delay might displease the caller.
"Hello, hubby, I—"
Before the Woman could finish speaking, a man's roar erupted from the other end of the line.
"Where the hell have you run off to? !"
The Woman glanced at Yang Haoran, then averted her gaze, forcing a trace of a smile onto her face. She replied, "I went back to my hometown to see my parents. Didn't I tell you about this?"
"Yes, you told me, but did I agree, damn it? ! Get your ass back here right now! If I don't see you tonight, you can go lie in the hospital for a few more days!"
The man's voice was filled with rage; his furious roar was not only clearly audible to the Woman but also to Yang Haoran and the Snake Demon, who heard every single word.
The Woman's face was pale, and she was clearly flustered, visibly shaken. She hurriedly left the study, seemingly preparing to rush back immediately. As for her elderly parents back home, it seemed she wouldn't have a chance to visit them.
The Woman left without looking back. This scene was not unfamiliar to Yang Haoran, for it had once played out between him and the Woman as well.
"Aren't you going to see her off? " the Snake Demon asked, looking at Yang Haoran with a smile.
Yang Haoran shook his head with a smile, then asked the Snake Demon, "In my eyes, she's a stranger. Would you see off a stranger?"
The Snake Demon replied with a chuckle, "Of course not. I don't have that much free time."
"If you don't have that much free time, do you think I do? " Yang Haoran asked, smiling.
The Snake Demon didn't answer Yang Haoran's question, because the answer was obvious and didn't require one.
"Heh, looking at how hurriedly she left, her life doesn't seem to be going so well, does it? " the Snake Demon remarked with a chuckle.
Yang Haoran lit a cigarette, took a drag, and said, "The path she chose is her own. Whether it's good or bad, she has to bear it. However, I have a different opinion than you. How is it that I feel she's actually enjoying herself?"
"Who knows? Perhaps she has some unique quirk. I don't particularly like this Woman. I've been tolerating her for a long time outside the door. If it weren't for you, I'd already be digesting her now. How about I go after her and teach her a lesson? " the Snake Demon asked with a smile.
Yang Haoran shook his head. "She's just a passerby. Why waste time on her?"
"You. . . are you still not over her? " the Snake Demon asked.
Yang Haoran chuckled in response, "Perhaps I was a little, once. But now, there's truly nothing to let go of. After all, we're not people from the same world. And besides, just like you, I also intensely dislike the way she is now."
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