Chapter 13: Confession
Qiyan woke to dim light and a splitting headache.
For a moment, he didn’t know where he was.
His body felt heavy. His temples throbbed.
It wasn’t his first hangover—but it was the worst he could remember.
Slowly, he sat up.
Familiar furniture came into view.
His apartment.
Relief washed over him.
At least he hadn’t been foolish enough to spend the night with a stranger.
Still, drinking himself into unconsciousness wasn’t much better.
Last night, he had gone out deliberately to get drunk.
He knew it was childish.
But alcohol was the only way to dull the pain—even for a while.
He wasn’t sure what he felt anymore.
Anger.
Confusion.
Helplessness.
All tangled together.
No matter how lost he felt, the person who caused it all remained distant and untouchable.
He laughed bitterly.
Zhao Qiyan… you never learn.
Ruan Jing had begun to notice it too.
Their paths were slowly drifting apart.
At sports centers, they would spot each other from afar.
A brief nod.
Then silence.
More than once, she wanted to walk over and say hello.
But the coolness in his eyes always stopped her.
She didn’t want to grow distant from him.
She trusted him.
Respected him.
She had always admired his generosity and grace.
Even though that reckless night at the dock still lingered in her mind, she didn’t want to deny everything he was because of it.
After countless inner struggles, she found herself trapped.
She wanted reconciliation.
But he seemed uninterested.
One afternoon, after finishing a tennis match with Jiang Wei, someone called out nearby.
Ruan Jing recognized the woman.
She was the one she had seen before—dining with Zhao Qiyan at a Japanese restaurant.
So they were all connected.
Only she had been left outside.
The realization left her strangely hollow.
“Hey, Weiwei. What a coincidence.”
Xu Wei smiled meaningfully.
“Indeed.”
“This is Ruan Jing. Xu Wei,” Jiang Wei introduced.
Xu Wei studied her.
“Have we met before?”
“Maybe,” Ruan Jing replied lightly. “N City is small.”
Xu Wei turned to Jiang Wei.
“People say Young Master Jiang is ready to settle down. Seems true.”
Jiang Wei laughed awkwardly.
“And I heard you finally got together with someone special.”
Xu Wei admitted calmly,
“We’re getting along well.”
“Impressive,” Jiang Wei teased.
“Only Zhao Qiyan could win over Lawyer Xu.”
The name struck Ruan Jing unexpectedly.
Her chest tightened.
But she told herself not to overthink.
Someone like him would never lack admirers.
“He’s at the indoor pool,” Xu Wei said.
“Shall we call him? Let’s play together.”
Jiang Wei brightened.
“Really? I’d love that.”
Before Ruan Jing could object, the call had been made.
“He’ll be here soon,” Xu Wei said.
Ruan Jing had little interest.
Yet when Jiang Wei said, “It’s Qiyan. Let’s play,” she couldn’t bring herself to refuse.
When Zhao Qiyan appeared, she stood up instinctively.
He froze.
He hadn’t expected to see her.
Especially not like this—smiling, surrounded by friends.
Inside, emotions surged.
Outside, he remained calm.
Cold.
Xu Wei sensed it immediately.
Regret flooded her.
She had ruined everything.
Qiyan didn’t need excuses to grow distant.
And she had given him the perfect reason.
“Didn’t you say we’re playing?” Qiyan said flatly.
“Let’s start.”
He turned away, closing his eyes briefly to steady himself.
The match began.
No joking.
No mercy.
Ruan Jing played defensively, steady and alert.
Jiang Wei favored powerful smashes.
Xu Wei was distracted.
And Zhao Qiyan—
He was flawless.
Precise.
Agile.
Relentless.
Watching him play seriously for the first time, Ruan Jing felt awed.
Facing him was pure self-destruction.
After twenty minutes, Jiang Wei yelled,
“Qiyan! Can’t you go easy on us?”
Qiyan smirked and gave an obscene thumbs-down.
Ruan Jing stared in shock.
She had never seen this side of him.
During the break, Jiang Wei complained,
“You’re practically professional. This is unfair.”
Qiyan said nothing.
He wiped sweat from his temples.
His damp shirt clung to his body.
Under the sunlight, his bronze skin radiated masculine heat.
Ruan Jing unconsciously stepped back.
He suddenly turned.
Met her gaze.
She smiled awkwardly.
He looked away.
It felt pointless.
To Qiyan, she was his weakness.
His trap.
If he couldn’t escape, he would be imprisoned forever.
In his thirties, yet so helpless in love.
Too cowardly even to be openly angry.
Pathetic.
The second half was no better.
They lost 6–3.
Ruan Jing decided she wouldn’t touch tennis again for a week.
Afterward, Xu Wei and Jiang Wei went to wash up.
Only the two of them remained.
Avoiding each other now felt absurd.
Ruan Jing turned to him.
He was drinking water.
Drops slid from his lips, along his throat, into his collar.
She looked away.
Too late.
He had noticed.
Those deep eyes studied her.
She coughed softly.
“How… have you been?”
He said nothing.
“Your girlfriend is very beautiful.”
Still silence.
“And… you play amazingly well—”
“If you have nothing to say,” he cut in,
“don’t force it.”
She froze.
Before she could react, he pulled her into his arms.
He had lost all restraint.
And she still dared to ask if he was okay?
Was he okay?
Not at all.
He inhaled deeply, reminding himself not to be rough.
But he couldn’t stop.
He needed her.
Needed this embrace to calm his restless heart.
She struggled.
He didn’t budge.
At that moment, Xu Wei walked in.
Jiang Wei stopped abruptly, staring in disbelief.
Ruan Jing sighed inwardly.
This situation…
Was truly a mess.
Thoughts:
This chapter intensifies the emotional tension between Ruan Jing and Zhao Qiyan. Their accidental reunion on the tennis court exposes unresolved jealousy, regret, and longing. Qiyan’s sudden embrace signals his emotional breaking point, pushing their relationship toward inevitable confrontation and transformation.
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