Chapter 239 - Crack (1)
Han Yifeng’s expression looked increasingly morose. Huang Ziyao and Han Yu had also kept calling to ask about the progress on the whole ordeal, yet he did not know how to answer them.
He studied the phone screen that had already dimmed on his table, his eyes dark. He sat there for a long time without moving until he heard Secretary Wang call out to him, “CEO Han, what do we do? These scandals cannot be suppressed anymore. Yueying is being forced to make Miss Xinyi temporarily leave the company. I heard that CEO Deng even collapsed from being angered by this…”
Secretary Wang looked a little uneasily at Han Yifeng. “The old Chairman and Madam have already called many times to ask about the situation and Xinyi, but your phone has been switched off. They’re very worried.”
Han Yifeng fell silent for a long time before finally answering, “Go home first. I’d like to be alone.”
“CEO Han, but Miss Xinyi… She…”
“You go home first. I’ll call you if I need anything.” Han Yifeng propped his head up with one hand with waning interest. Then, he picked up the remote control and switched the television off. When Secretary Wang saw his boss react that way, he dared not speak further and retreated.
However, Secretary Wang had just walked to the entrance of the villa when he saw Xi Xinyi rushing in.
“Miss Xinyi!” Secretary Wang greeted nervously.
Xi Xinyi rushed up and said anxiously, “Secretary Wang? Where’s Yifeng? Is Yifeng inside?”
“CEO Han is in the living room, Miss Xinyi…”
Before Secretary Wang could finish, Xi Xinyi had already rushed in.
“Yifeng!”
Indeed, she saw Yifeng in the living room, sitting on the sofa looking down. His expression was grim. Xi Xinyi paused, then she walked over with moist eyes. “Are you angry at me? I’ve called you, but your phone was switched off. I…”
“Yifeng…”
Xi Xinyi sat down beside Han Yifeng, her eyes blinking with tears. She reached out to hold Han Yifeng’s arm, her charming face now seeming haggard. She shook Han Yifeng’s arm, but when she saw that Han Yifeng was still frowning, she finally could not help but droop her head down, feeling upset and heartbroken. She started to cry.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry… I didn’t know that things would turn out like this, Yifeng… I really didn’t do it on purpose, Yifeng, I… I just cared for you too much. That’s why I fell so deep into it and couldn’t pull myself out. It makes me really sad that you’d switch off your phone and not pick up my calls… I’ll listen to you and quite the entertainment industry, okay? Yifeng…”
Xi Xinyi choked on her sobs as her tears started to fall, and very soon it soaked her shirt. All of the agony she had endured suddenly erupted. “Yifeng, don’t just keep quiet. Don’t be mad at me! I’ll just change after this, Yifeng…”
Her unbearably vulnerable face entered Han Yifeng’s sight, yet it annoyed him somehow. He did not know how to answer her. In the name of love, she had not spared using so many tricks. He could feel that maybe Xi Xinyi did love him deeply, but could he really just turn a blind eye to all of this?
“I really love you… I really regretted it after that, just so you know. All these years, I’ve been trying to make it up to her. I’ve been working hard and doing my best, but, Yifeng, ever since we returned to the country, you’ve been slowly changing. You haven’t been doting on me as you did. In this house, you treasure everything that she gave you like that bottle of stars by your nightstand… Do you know how it makes me panic?”
Xi Xinyi cried like she had been very wronged. Her initially gentle voice had become raspy from the weeping and her hand that held onto Han Yifeng could not help but tremble.
He stayed silent for some time before Han Yifeng finally took a deep breath, and then an expression of mixed emotions flashed across his face. He turned to Xi Xinyi who was sobbing heartbreakingly and he felt his heart sink. He struggled for a while before answering, “That’s enough, Xinyi. I know how you feel about me, but I didn’t think that you… Since I’ve already chosen you and we’re already engaged, why do you still have to worry? You even didn’t spare getting Yu Lingling to re-open Xiaye’s old scars. You know how it’s Xiaye’s fatal weakness. Xinyi, what do you want me to say? Now, the scandals are the talk of the town. When can you be considerate toward me? I’ve already said that you should retire…”
Han Yifeng had not finished when the phone on his table suddenly vibrated. At one glance, he could tell that, of course, it was Huang Ziyao. He could only massage between his brows. Shooting a look at Xi Xinyi, he saw the shock on Xi Xinyi’s face. He lowered his head sadly, inhaled, and picked up his phone. “Hello? Mother?”
“Yifeng? You’ve finally picked up! How are you? What’s the deal with Xinyi? I’ve called Yueying, but the line’s always busy. I called West Park and no one picked up too. What’s happening? Your grandfather saw the news and almost got a heart attack. You know that your grandfather has always been against Xinyi entering the showbiz, saying that a lot of people are mixed in it and how there’re lots of scandals too. Nevertheless, it was you two who say that it’d be fine, and now that all these scandals have surfaced, how are you going to explain to your grandfather and everyone else?”
Han Yifeng had just picked up the call when Huang Ziyao’s pressing and questioning tone assaulted his ears. Even Xi Xinyi could hear it clearly from the side and her little face instantly stiffened.
“How are you two planning to handle this? The reporters’ calls have already reached the Han family. What’s up with that?”
…
Huang Ziyao’s every word was a like a heavy hammer, viciously knocking onto Xi Xinyi’s heart. Xi Xinyi could not stop herself from trembling. Feeling a deep sorrow, she started to be absent-minded and could not stop choking on her sobs as her eyes turned bloodshot from all the crying.
“Mother! That’s enough. I’ll handle this. Just tell Grandfather that. That’s all for now!” Han Yifeng felt annoyed and then hung up.
“Yifeng…” Xi Xinyi looked sick with worry at Han Yifeng.
“Leave City Z for a while first. Where’s Shanshan? Why haven’t I been seeing her?” Han Yifeng looked puzzledly at Xi Xinyi who was dumbstruck once again.
Should Huang Shanshan not be very worried and be by her side at such a moment? Why did it seem like she had been rarely appearing recently?
Neither had she not seen Huang Shanshan for many days now nor did she pick up her calls. She was not sure whether Huang Shanshan was really busy, but before this, no matter what, she would not ignore her calls, especially at such a crucial time. She would always be the first to appear, but now…
Xi Xinyi did not dare to think about it anymore. She was afraid that…
She hesitated for a moment and finally did not know how to answer. Sniffing, she bit her lip and dropped her head down without answering.