After Zhao Tianhao led Peng Jiahe into the party, many people recognized him, but he ignored them; he wasn't there to discuss work.
Seeing this, no one bothered him. Zhao Tianhao watched Peng Jiahe eat and drink, waiting for the "show" to begin.
Soon, Jiang Haokun arrived with Gan Jing.
After attracting everyone's attention, Jiang Haokun began to speak, first congratulating Gan Jing on the opening of her personal studio. Then he gave Gan Jing information on some partner companies to help boost her studio's performance.
Next, he wished Gan Jing a happy birthday. Zhao Tianhao quietly watched Jiang Haokun's performance from the sidelines.
Actually, Zhao Tianhao had never understood why Jiang Haokun, with his status, couldn't find any woman he wanted. He wasn't like himself.
Zhao Tianhao was pursuing characters in the storyline to better control the world and also to cultivate his martial arts.
But Jiang Haokun had turned him into an ultimate simp.
Indeed, what you can't have is always the best.
It's estimated that Gan Jing has become his obsession.
Perhaps he initially liked Gan Jing, but later it was more of a belief.
How could Jiang Haokun possibly fail to win over a woman?
He's just hung up on her like this. However, now his wish won't come true.
Zhao Tianhao saw Jiang Haokun take the jewelry box from his subordinate, kneel down on one knee, open the box, and place a sparkling diamond ring inside.
"Gan Jing, will you marry me? You are the woman of my dreams, always have been. Seven years ago, when I went to study in America, I thought you would disappear from my life, but I never gave up. I've been waiting, waiting for you to come back, waiting for you to notice, waiting for you to care, waiting for you to fall in love with me. I don't want to wait anymore. I want to make you the happiest woman in the world. I want you to marry me."
"Haokun, get up first." Gan Jing hadn't decided to marry Jiang Haokun yet. After all, she still had a knot in her heart. Actually, she still loved Lu Yuan.
But she still got together with Jiang Haokun, even living together.
It's hard to say whether it was as a way of repaying Jiang Haokun for his companionship, or whether Lu Yuan's departure was too much of a blow for her, and that throwing herself into a new relationship could free her from that pain.
In short, living together with Jiang Haokun and being his girlfriend was fine, but she just didn't want to get married.
Perhaps a voice inside her told her Lu Yuan would come back; another possibility was that Gan Jing hadn't really thought it through, and was simply afraid of marriage.
After all, Lu Yuan proposed to Gan Jing when he was successful, and then mysteriously disappeared not long after.
She was afraid that the person she loved now would also leave her.
"I've rehearsed this scene in my mind many times. Marry me, Gan Jing," Jiang Haokun continued without getting up.
"Clap clap," Zhao Tianhao clapped, and the people around him made way for him.
Zhao Tianhao clapped as he led Peng Jiahe to the two of them. Upon seeing Zhao Tianhao, Jiang Haokun stood up and offered his hand.
Zhao Tianhao ignored him and smiled, "Well said. Actually, given my position, I shouldn't be making things difficult for you. However, due to a request from an old friend, whether you two are mutually attracted or you're forcing a marriage, this is something I don't want to see right now."
"Let me reintroduce myself. I'm not here today as Zhao Tianhao. I'm here on Lu Yuan's behalf. I don't know if you still know Lu Yuan."
Zhao Tianhao smiled. "Whether you know him or pretend not to, Lu Yuan's dying wish was for me to take care of a lady named Gan Jing."
"You, what did you say? Lu Yuan? What happened to him?" Gan Jing was stunned upon hearing Lu Yuan's name, and then, upon hearing Zhao Tianhao say he was dead, she couldn't accept it and asked in a trembling voice.
Jiang Haokun's eyes widened as well. He didn't know Lu Yuan was dead either. He had been having people keep an eye on Lu Yuan.
However, after being discharged from the hospital, Lu Yuan lost his sense of taste and smell in a fire. Feeling like a cripple, he indulged himself every day.
He lived a life of debauchery, becoming a gambling addict and an alcoholic.
Jiang Haokun, seeing Lu Yuan like this, naturally felt relieved, thinking Lu Yuan couldn't possibly compete with him for money anymore, so he withdrew the people monitoring Lu Yuan. Who knew that after a while, Lu Yuan would be dead.
Zhao Tianhao didn't speak, but looked around and casually said three words, "Disperse."
Hearing Zhao Tianhao's words, the people around put down their glasses and took their leave.
Even gossiping requires discernment; getting into trouble because of gossip is not worth it.
Seeing the crowd disperse, Zhao Tianhao looked at the two and said, "That's right, Lu Yuan is dead, and..."
Zhao Tianhao beckoned, and Peng Jiahe threw herself into his arms. Stroking her head, he continued, "He died along with Jiahe's father, Peng Hai. Do you know him?"
"Yes, I know him. Peng Hai was also my friend." Hearing that Lu Yuan and Peng Hai were both dead, Gan Jing couldn't control her emotions. Tears silently streamed down her face as she covered her mouth, looking at Peng Jiahe.
She couldn't accept this fact.
"I happened to be on a business trip to America at that time, and I met Peng Jiahe and also got to know Lu Yuan and the others. He said his biggest worry was you."
Zhao Tianhao made up a story. He killed Lu Yuan; there were no last words. He just wanted to see if he could separate the two of them first.
After a long while, Gan Jing calmed down and looked at Zhao Tianhao, saying, "Um, could Jiahe stay at my place tonight? I want to talk to her."
"Sure, sure," Zhao Tianhao replied, knowing Gan Jing wanted to learn more about Lu Yuan's life.
Jiang Haokun wanted to say something, but opened his mouth and couldn't speak.
Zhao Tianhao ignored his hesitation. "Then I'll take her there. You lead the way."
Zhao Tianhao didn't let Gan Jing take her away immediately; he wanted to familiarize himself with the place so he'd know where to go if he needed to see Gan Jing later.
So Gan Jing drove ahead, with Zhao Tianhao's supercar following behind.
Jiang Haokun was originally going to go too, naturally worried about Zhao Tianhao.
However, Chen Fang jumped off the building.
The police learned that Chen Fang had been in contact with Jiang Lai before his death, so they called Jiang Lai and told her about Chen Fang's passing.
Jiang Lai flew to Shenzhen, and Jiang Haokun, worried that his sister might have flown there too, saw Peng Jiahe being escorted to apartment 503 on the fifth floor.
Afterwards, he was about to leave.
"Aren't you going to sit down and have a glass of water?" Gan Jing asked Zhao Tianhao.
Zhao Tianhao knew that the water was just a pretense; he really wanted to know information about Lu Yuan from her.
"You want me to tell you about Lu Yuan?" Zhao Tianhao turned to Gan Jing and said.
"Hmm," Gan Jing nodded. "Well, how should I put it? It's not actually what Jiang Haokun wants to see, because if he never knows, it's advantageous for him."
"What do you mean?" Gan Jing asked, surprised. Now she wanted to know even more.
"Go get some water," Zhao Tianhao said, sitting down at the dining table.
Peng Jiahe, hearing Zhao Tianhao's words, instinctively went to get water for her man.
"I wasn't talking to you. Come here," Peng Jiahe said, only then realizing they weren't in their villa.
She quickly ran to Zhao Tianhao and threw herself into his arms.
Gan Jing knew she was being asked to get water, and she wasn't reluctant. All she wanted to know was what had happened years ago, why Lu Yuan had left. This matter had become a knot in her heart, and if she didn't untie it, she felt she wouldn't die in peace.
When Gan Jing returned with the water, Zhao Tianhao was instructing Peng Jiahe, "Don't act like a spoiled princess at your sister Gan Jing's house. This isn't like your own home. Listen to your sister Gan Jing, understand?"
"Mmm-hmm," Peng Jiahe nodded her head like a chick pecking at rice.
"Go on, go to the bedroom first. I want to talk to your sister Gan Jing," Zhao Tianhao said. Peng Jiahe obediently kissed him on the cheek and went into the bedroom to play games.
Zhao Tianhao picked up the glass of water on the table and took a sip. Seeing Gan Jing staring at him intently, he said, "Actually, you already know the answer in your heart, because Lu Yuan loves you. He wouldn't leave you without a clear explanation, right?"
He paused, then continued, "First of all, theoretically, I shouldn't have told you this, because Lu Yuan didn't want you to know. Although he's gone now, and it doesn't matter whether I tell him or not, I did promise him, so I'm breaking my promise."