amaotonovel Chapter 1545 Breakup?
Chapter 1545 Breakup?
The air in the coffee shop was filled with the rich aroma of coffee, mingled with the sweet fragrance wafting from the osmanthus trees outside the window, creating a particularly pleasant atmosphere. Liang Danning sat by the window, holding a warm latte in her hand. She had just taken a sip when Zhao Mei's next words startled her so much that she almost choked.
"What? You're getting married? To whom, Li Dongming?" Liang Danning put down her coffee cup, her eyes wide. "Are you kidding me? It's only been a month. Didn't you tell me before that we should take our time to get to know each other and not rush into anything?"
Zhao Mei picked up her Americano, took a sip, a faint smile playing on her lips, a hint of sweetness in her eyes, and asked, "Do I look like I'm joking? I even brought you the invitations, and they all have my and Li Dongming's names on them."
Liang Danning quickly picked up the invitation. The red cardstock bore her and Li Dongming's names, along with the wedding date and location—a month later, at the White Swan Hotel auditorium. She read it twice to make sure she wasn't mistaken: "But you clearly said before that you and Li Dongming weren't at that stage yet, just getting to know each other. How did you suddenly decide to get married? Tell me honestly, what exactly happened in the past month?"
Zhao Mei rested her chin on her hand, her eyes gentle and her smile sweet as she slowly said, "Actually, it's nothing much. It's just that after getting to know Li Dongming for a month, I feel that he's really quite good. At least among all the boyfriends I've dated, he's the best. He owns a house and a car, earns over a million a year, has a stable job, and works in business consulting, so he knows a lot about business, which is very helpful to my career. He's also very considerate."
She paused, then added, "We've discussed it seriously. We'll focus on our careers after marriage and not have children for at least five years. We'll consider having children once my career is more stable."
Liang Danning listened and suddenly realized: "So that's why you suddenly decided to get married. In that case, Li Dongming is indeed a pretty good marriage candidate. He's well-off, treats you well, and can help you in your career. You two are really a good match."
Zhao Mei's smile grew even brighter. She reached out and grabbed Liang Danning's hand tightly: "You absolutely have to be my bridesmaid! You're my best friend, so you're the only one I'd want to be my bridesmaid."
Infected by her enthusiasm, Liang Danning smiled and nodded vigorously: "Of course! Your wedding is such a big event, I definitely have to be your bridesmaid, and I'll also prepare a big red envelope for you. I wish you and Li Dongming a happy marriage and a lifetime of love."
The two chatted for a while longer about the wedding details. Zhao Mei enthusiastically shared her wedding plans with Liang Danning, who listened patiently and offered suggestions from time to time. Before they knew it, night had fallen, and the two reluctantly said goodbye.
After parting ways with Zhao Mei, Liang Danning immediately hailed a taxi and hurriedly returned to the lakeside villa. As soon as she entered, she didn't even change out of her slippers, running straight to the master bedroom on the second floor in her high heels, her face beaming with an undisguised smile.
At that moment, Qin Hao was sitting at his desk, fiddling with his laptop. Liang Danning tiptoed up behind him, reached out and gently covered his eyes with her hands, and asked playfully in a slightly exaggerated voice, "Guess who I am?"
Qin Hao stopped what he was doing, pretending to think, and asked with a hint of teasing in his voice, "Hmm... is it Lily?"
"Hmph, no!" Liang Danning huffed angrily, gently pinching his cheek with her fingers.
Qin Hao deliberately dragged out his words, saying, "Is that Lulu?"
This remark completely enraged Liang Danning. She leaned down and gently bit Qin Hao's shoulder, her tone full of coquettishness: "You're so annoying! Who are Lily and Lulu?"
Qin Hao chuckled, put down his mouse, and pulled Liang Danning into his arms, making her sit on his lap: "See, you were the one who teased me first. Do you think I wouldn't recognize your scent?"
Liang Danning leaned against him, a sweet smile playing on her lips, but she still feigned anger and huffed, "Hmph, that's more like it."
Qin Hao gently ruffled her hair and changed the subject with a smile: "By the way, why are you back so soon?"
Reminded by Qin Hao, Liang Danning remembered the purpose of her return. She quickly sat up from Qin Hao's arms, took out the invitation Zhao Mei had given her from her bag, handed it to Qin Hao, and said excitedly, "Look, Zhao Mei is getting married to Li Dongming. The wedding will be held at the White Swan Hotel in a month, and she wants me to be her bridesmaid!"
Qin Hao took the invitation, glanced at it quickly, and showed no surprise. He simply nodded and said with a smile, "This really is Zhao Mei's style. She does things decisively and efficiently, without dragging things out."
Liang Danning looked at him with some curiosity and asked in confusion, "Aren't you surprised at all? Zhao Mei said before that she wanted to get to know him slowly, but she decided to get married after only a month. I was shocked."
Qin Hao shrugged and said in a flat tone, "What's so surprising? With Zhao Mei's qualifications, if she misses out on Li Dongming, she'll find it hard to find another opportunity like this."
Hearing this, Liang Danning felt a little uncomfortable. She puffed out her cheeks and said indignantly, "Hmph, I think Li Dongming is incredibly lucky to have married Zhao Mei! Zhao Mei is beautiful and has a good personality. How is she not good enough for Li Dongming?"
Qin Hao said seriously, "Alright, let's put aside our feelings and just look at their conditions objectively."
"Zhao Mei is thirty years old this year, with an annual salary of around 400,000 yuan. She works as a middle manager in a foreign company, which sounds pretty good. But think about it, she has been in Guangzhou for so many years and doesn't own a house or a car, which means she doesn't have good savings habits and spends money extravagantly. Moreover, because of her job, she has to work night shifts for a long time and often goes to bars and nightclubs, so her social circle is quite complicated."
"Look at Li Dongming, he is 32 years old this year, earns more than one million yuan a year, is a senior partner in a consulting firm, owns a car and a house in Guangzhou, his parents are both highly educated, he has a good family background, he is also very capable, and he has a stable personality."
Qin Hao's tone was calm, yet his words were clear: "To put it bluntly, if it weren't for Zhao Mei helping to transfer Li Dongming's mother to another hospital and taking care of her afterward when she was sick last time, Li Dongming's parents would have had a hard time agreeing to let their son marry Zhao Mei."
Liang Danning's expression gradually became serious. She gazed at Qin Hao intently and asked, "If that's the case, what about you?"
"Your conditions are even better than Li Dongming's, so how do you view me? Do you also feel that I am not good enough for you?"
Looking at the grievance and unease in her eyes, Qin Hao felt a little helpless and sighed softly—women, indeed, you can't expect them to be completely rational when it comes to problems. She was clearly talking about Zhao Mei and Li Dongming, but she insisted on relating it to herself.
“You are completely different from Zhao Mei. To put it nicely, Zhao Mei is career-oriented; to put it bluntly, she is ambitious. She does everything with a certain purpose. Although she still has some bottom line and hasn’t gotten involved with Xu Yuntian, deep down she sees men as stepping stones in her career and uses their resources to achieve her goals.”
“But you are completely different from her. You don’t have such great ambitions, you value relationships, you are loyal and righteous, and you are simple-minded. When I’m with you, I can completely let my guard down and empty my mind.”
But Liang Danning still pushed his hand away forcefully, her face showing a hint of anger and grievance, her tone stubborn: "Hmph, in the end, it's just because I'm easy to control and won't cause you any trouble. You men are like this, you look down on women from the bottom of your hearts, especially career-minded women like Zhao Mei."
"I have never looked down on women, nor have I ever thought there was anything wrong with women who are career-minded." Qin Hao patiently explained, "The key is that while being career-minded, you must also have the corresponding abilities. Take Zhao Mei for example, her abilities can at most support her to the level of manager. Beyond that, she has neither sufficient management skills nor strong sales skills."
"She was able to rise to the position of deputy director entirely because Xu Yuntian thought she was obedient and sensible, and could help him make money from promotional expenses. But in Zhao Mei's own opinion, she got to where she is today entirely because of her own efforts, and she also believes that she is capable of seeking a higher position."
Qin Hao paused for a moment, then continued, "Even if one day she sits in Xu Yuntian's position, she won't be satisfied and will still try to climb higher. Once such a person rises to the top of the company, it will be a very scary thing."
After Qin Hao finished speaking, the room fell into a deathly silence. Liang Danning lowered her head, her fingers tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Although she wanted to refute Qin Hao and defend her best friend, she also knew in her heart that, based on her understanding of Zhao Mei, she had always known Zhao Mei's inherent ambition, and that Zhao Mei would indeed use any means necessary to pursue what she wanted.
However, Qin Hao's blunt evaluation of her best friend, describing Zhao Mei in such a negative light, still made her feel very uncomfortable.
Liang Danning silently walked to the wardrobe, opened it, and began to pack her change of clothes.
"Hey, you're not serious, are you? I'm just giving an objective analysis."
Qin Hao felt somewhat displeased as he watched her actions.
Liang Danning stopped what she was doing, slowly turned around, looked at Qin Hao, and said in a calm but resolute tone: "I think the gap between us is too big. I need to calm down for a while and reconsider our relationship."
"So, let's separate for a while."
Qin Hao was silent for a moment before slowly speaking, his tone serious: "Have you thought this through? Some things, once decided, cannot be reversed."
With red eyes, Liang Danning nodded vigorously without saying a word, then turned around and continued packing her clothes, folding each piece neatly and putting them into her suitcase.
When Liang Danning finished packing her luggage and dragged her suitcase out of the master bedroom, Qin Hao also stood up, picked up the car keys on the sofa, and followed her.
"It's so late, and I can't get a taxi here. Where do you want to go? I'll take you."
"Just find any hotel, I'll look for a place tomorrow. Don't send me to my mom's, so she won't worry."
Qin Hao didn't speak, just nodded, and walked out of the villa first. He opened the car door, and after Liang Danning got in, he started the car and used the navigation to find the nearest five-star hotel.
The two remained silent throughout the journey. The atmosphere in the carriage was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe; only the sound of the car moving was particularly clear in the quiet night.
Soon, the car arrived at the hotel entrance. Liang Danning pushed open the car door, dragged her suitcase, and walked into the hotel lobby without looking back.
Qin Hao did not leave immediately. Instead, he sat in the lobby and watched Liang Danning complete the check-in procedures and take the elevator upstairs before going to the hotel front desk and asking them to extend Liang Danning's room rate for another week.
Stepping out of the hotel, Qin Hao let out a long sigh, his heart filled with frustration and irritation. He started the car, floored the gas pedal, and drove towards the Nightfall Bar.
At the entrance of Nightshade Bar, the neon lights still flickered, and the atmosphere was bustling. The security guard saw Qin Hao's car and immediately recognized him. He quickly stepped forward and respectfully took on the task of parking the car. While parking, he quickly dialed a phone and said respectfully, "Mr. Shen, Mr. Qin has arrived. He's already at the entrance."
Qin Hao walked into the bar, and as soon as he reached the bar counter, Shen Mo immediately came up to him with a warm smile: "President Qin, you are a rare guest. Why didn't you send me a text message before you came? I could have made arrangements for you in advance."
But when he saw the expression on Qin Hao's face, his smile vanished instantly, and his tone became cautious: "President Qin, you don't look well. Did something happen?"
Qin Hao waved his hand, his tone full of frustration, and said impatiently, "Don't even mention it. Liang Danning and I had a falling out, and she's already moved out."
Upon hearing this, Shen Mo looked surprised, then a teasing smile appeared on his face: "So that's why you came here so late at night to clear your head. You had a fight with Miss Liang. That Miss Liang is really too immature..."
"Alright, stop gloating." Qin Hao said irritably, picked up a glass from the bar, poured himself a glass of whiskey, and drank it all in one gulp: "I came here to vent my frustrations, not for you to add to my troubles. Hurry up and find me a place to have a few drinks with me."
"Haha, I understand, I was just being nosy." Shen Mo immediately beckoned over the bar manager who was waiting nearby, leaned close to his ear, and whispered a few words of advice.
The bar manager understood and immediately nodded, leading the way and respectfully saying, "Mr. Qin, please follow me."
Qin Hao followed Shen Mo to the most luxurious booth in the center of the bar.
Before long, a large group of scantily clad and exquisitely made-up women swarmed over and surrounded the booth, each with a sweet smile, and took the initiative to greet Qin Hao: "Hello, President Qin, President Shen."
Shen Mo personally poured Qin Hao a glass of wine and advised with a smile, "Mr. Qin, take my advice, don't take women too seriously. With your qualifications, it's no exaggeration to say that the girls who want to date you could stretch from Guangzhou all the way to Urumqi."
The scene of Shen Mo personally pouring wine for Qin Hao was witnessed by the beautiful women present. They knew that Qin Hao must be a big shot, since even the boss was so eager to curry favor with him. So they all vied to get close to Qin Hao, some pouring him wine, some chatting with him, each using all their charms to try to attract his attention.
Qin Hao looked at the beautiful women around him, but felt utterly bored. It wasn't that these girls weren't pretty, but the affected, ingratiating air about them simply didn't interest him at all.
After drinking a few glasses of wine with Shen Mo, Qin Hao put down his glass, stood up, and said in a calm tone, "Alright, that's enough for today. I'm going back now."
Shen Mo was stunned for a moment, then quickly stood up, a worried look on his face, and chased after him: "President Qin, won't you have a few more drinks? Do you think those girls are too 'business-like' and not to your liking? If so, I'll get you another batch, I guarantee they'll all be your type."
Shen Mo was a shrewd person, and he saw the crux of the problem at a glance.
Qin Hao waved his hand and said wearily, "Forget it, I'm not in the mood for it today, it has nothing to do with those girls. I'm going back now, I'll come over and have a drink with you another time."
"Alright, then take care, Mr. Qin." Shen Mo didn't press the matter, and patted his chest, saying, "When you're in a better mood, I'll arrange a high-end gathering especially for you, Mr. Qin. You definitely won't be disappointed."
"Okay, I'll contact you again." Qin Hao nodded, turned and walked out of the bar, got into his car, and drove towards his villa.
……
In the blink of an eye, a month had passed. On this day, the auditorium of the White Swan Hotel was brightly decorated and filled with joy. Bright roses and balloons were placed everywhere, and the air was filled with an atmosphere of happiness—today was Zhao Mei and Li Dongming's wedding, and the scene was very lively.
The hall was filled with over thirty tables for a banquet. In addition to relatives from both sides, Li Dongming also invited many business partners and colleagues from his company, as well as some friends from the industry. The hall was packed with guests, and laughter filled the air.
The emcee stood on the stage, enthusiastically presiding over the wedding ceremony, creating a very lively atmosphere.
In the backstage dressing room, the lighting was soft, and two makeup artists were carefully touching up Zhao Mei's makeup. Zhao Mei was wearing a pure white wedding dress, her makeup was exquisite, her smile was sweet, and her eyes were full of happiness. But her gaze remained fixed on Liang Danning, who was sitting to the side, with a hint of worry on her face.
Liang Danning, dressed in a light pink bridesmaid dress, sat on the sofa with a somewhat vacant look in her eyes and an expressionless face, appearing rather forlorn.
Seeing her dejected look, Zhao Mei couldn't help but speak up, saying softly, "Dan Ning, how about I call Qin Hao? We can arrange a place for you two to have a good talk and stop this cold war. This can't go on forever."
Liang Danning slowly came back to her senses, shook her head, and said in a low voice, "Forget it, he hasn't called me once in so many days, which means I don't mean much to him. Why humiliate myself?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Mei said with a hint of exasperation, "You're too stubborn! Even if you're arguing, what's wrong with giving in a little? I've heard that Shen Mo is currently helping Qin Hao find beautiful women everywhere. If you keep being so stubborn, Qin Hao might get snatched away by someone else, and then it will be too late for you to regret it."
“What’s mine can’t be taken away; if it can be taken away, it means it has nothing to do with me.” Liang Danning’s tone remained calm, but the grievance in her eyes became more and more obvious.
Zhao Mei nearly choked. She desperately wanted to crawl into Liang Danning's head and see what was inside. She had gone to great lengths to find a man like Li Dongming, and even that was considered marrying above her station. A man like Qin Hao, rich and powerful, who treated Liang Danning so well, was simply a dream come true. If it were her, she would have knelt down and apologized without hesitation.
Just as Zhao Mei was about to continue comforting Liang Danning and urging her to contact Qin Hao, the door to the dressing room was suddenly pushed open. Li Dongming, dressed in a sharp black suit, walked in with a gentle smile. His gaze fell on Zhao Mei, and he said softly, "Darling, it's almost time. The emcee is already waiting outside. We should go out."
Zhao Mei glanced helplessly at Liang Danning and had no choice but to give up trying to comfort her. She said to her, "Okay, I'll try to mediate for you two after I finish the wedding."
This time, Liang Danning didn't say anything, but silently lowered her head, her fingers tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, her heart filled with bitterness and unease.
With the help of the makeup artist, Zhao Mei straightened her wedding dress, took Li Dongming's arm, and walked towards the door of the dressing room.
Just as Li Dongming and his party came out of the dressing room and were about to slowly walk into the hall under the master of ceremonies' arrangement to begin the wedding ceremony, a familiar figure suddenly appeared at the entrance of the hall.
When Li Dongming saw Qin Hao, his eyes lit up, and he immediately called out to the emcee, "Emcee, wait a moment!"
Then she walked quickly toward Qin Hao, a warm smile on her face, and said respectfully, "Mr. Qin, you've arrived! I thought you were too busy to make it. It's our honor that you could attend my and Zhao Mei's wedding."
Qin Hao smiled faintly, took out the money he had prepared in advance from his pocket, and handed it to Li Dongming: "It's your wedding, no matter how busy you are, you have to come and have a drink to share in your joy."
Zhao Mei also walked over quickly. When she saw Qin Hao, her face lit up with joy, and she said hurriedly, "President Qin, it's enough that you're here. You don't need to be so polite."
"It's only right to reciprocate." Qin Hao smiled, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over Liang Danning, who was standing behind Zhao Mei.
Zhao Mei quickly nudged Li Dongming and urged, "Dongming, don't just stand there, hurry up and arrange a seat for Qin Hao."
Li Dongming slapped his forehead, a look of annoyance on his face, and said with a smile, "Look at me, I'm so busy I've forgotten everything. I was just too happy. President Qin, this way please."
Qin Hao nodded and followed Li Dongming toward the booths at the front of the auditorium. Liang Danning stood there, watching Qin Hao's back, her eyes slightly red, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Qin Hao had never been so cold to her before.
Seeing Liang Danning's expression, Zhao Mei gently patted her shoulder and whispered to comfort her, "Don't be sad. Since he came, it means he still cares about you. After the wedding, I'll help you have a good talk and I'll definitely help you reconcile."
Liang Danning didn't speak, but simply nodded slightly, suppressing the tears in her eyes, and followed Zhao Mei slowly toward the stage.
The applause and cheers in the auditorium were very enthusiastic.
The emcee picked up the microphone again and said enthusiastically, "Distinguished guests, dear friends and family, now, let us welcome our bride and groom with the warmest applause as they enter the hall to begin their happy new life together!"
As the melodious wedding march played, Zhao Mei, arm in arm with Li Dongming, slowly walked onto the stage, her face beaming with happiness. (End of Chapter)