A pond full of blooming flowers, an ultimate addiction.

"I've arrived, see you later." Jiang Yi had just gotten out of the car when he received a call from Liu Shiya, and told Youming to go back first.

No sooner had Youming left than Jiang Yi was suddenly surrounded by someone who put their arm around his shoulder.

Jiang Yi frowned unhappily, disgusted by the reckless intimate contact. Turning back to face Abu, who was grinning foolishly with his big white teeth, her expression softened slightly, and she muttered a complaint.

"silly dog."

"You silly girl, your third brother didn't even call out to you. I called you several times and you ignored me, pretending you didn't know me?"

Abu released her with a grin, then roughly pinched her face.

"I called, but I didn't hear it."

Jiang Yi rolled her eyes, tiptoed and reached out to ruffle his freshly done hair, messing up his bangs before leaving satisfied.

"You really are vindictive when it comes to my new hairstyle."

Abu pretended to be angry, "I'm going to follow you today and see who you go to see!"

“Abu, that has nothing to do with you.”

Jiang Yi had her back to Abu, and her smile was gentle.

"I didn't have dinner, aren't you going to leave me?" Abu coughed, hiding his thoughts that had been discovered.

Jiang Yi turned her head and smiled slightly, her curved eyes sparkling like a blooming white flower. "He Ya-jie, are you sure you want to participate, two girls?"

Abu raised the corners of his lips in a nonchalant manner, "Little Four, did Liu Shiya say why she asked you out?"

"Regarding the contract issue, the contract I signed with her has expired, and we do need to talk about it."

Jiang Yi and Liu Shiya signed a six-month contract. After that, she would be going to Jiang's company and would indeed be unable to meet the filming schedule.

"Little Four".

Abu hesitated, then frowned. "Call me if anything happens."

Jiang Yiyou pushed open the door and softly called out, "Sister Ya."

Liu Shiya forced a smile. Her hair, which was usually piled high, was now loosely draped over her shoulders. Her beautiful face was without makeup, and she looked pale and somewhat haggard. She was wearing a loose-fitting top.

Jiang Yi was slightly taken aback. The smile on Liu Shiya's face slowly disappeared. After not seeing her for a few days, she gave off a completely different feeling, and a sad mood enveloped her.

"Xiao Yi, I'm sorry for calling you out for dinner so suddenly."

Liu Shiya smoothed her hair to make herself look more energetic.

"Sister Ya, are you alright?" Jiang asked cautiously, gently sitting down next to her.

"Haotian and I broke up. From now on..." Liu Shiya forced a bitter smile and took a big gulp of baijiu.

Jiang stopped her from pouring more wine, saying, "Did you two have a fight? Words spoken in anger don't count."

“We were together for four years. He was a scion of a prominent family and a rising star in Xi’an. I was just an ordinary girl from a small county. Even my clothing brand only became known to the public because of his help.”

"I naively thought that I could gradually approach him and become someone who was worthy of him."

Liu Shiya picked up the wine bottle, thought for a moment, then replaced it with a teapot, poured a cup of tea for Jiang Yi, and picked up a piece of spare rib for him.

There were only the two of them in the private room at that moment, and apart from the clinking of bowls and chopsticks, there was no other sound.

"Haotian said you love sweet and sour pork ribs."

Liu Shiya spoke calmly, looked up to meet his gaze, and smiled, "He knows you love peaches, so he always answers your calls immediately, and you're always the first one in his chat history."

Liu Shiya smiled at Jiang Yi, but it was a forced smile, clearly showing the countless sorrows and pains in her heart, yet she still forced a smile.

“In all these years we’ve been together, I’ve never really understood him. He loves you, Jiang Yi.”

Liu Shiya roughly wiped away the tears that were about to fall from the corners of her eyes, her voice choked with sobs. Her sorrowful tone was like a sharp blade, cutting into Jiang Yi's heart.

"And I'm just a girlfriend who's dispensable."

Jiang Yi pulled out a tissue that slipped from her fingertips. Her ears were ringing from the news, and she felt as if she had lost her voice and become numb, unable to utter a word.

“On the day of the charity gala, he carried you away in a hurry, and even when I called after him, he never turned around. Even when I tripped and fell to the ground, his steps did not stop for me.”

Jiang Yi drank a cup of tea and rubbed her bracelet to hide her astonishment. "Sister Ya, is there some misunderstanding about this?"

"Whenever you appear, his gaze will always fall on you, whether intentionally or unintentionally. There are photos of you and him on his computer."

Liu Shiya could no longer suppress her emotions. She covered her face with her hands, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably, and her cries were incredibly painful to hear.

Jiang Yi wasn't good at comforting people, so he could only sit and watch her vent, then hand her a tissue.

"I was so stupid. I should have realized it sooner. I was too scared. I was scared of losing him. I really love him. Why? Why isn't the person he loves me?"

"He was gentle and courteous to everyone; I was just one of many."

Liu Shiya suddenly pulled out a sharp knife. Jiang Yi instinctively grabbed the blade, and the knife cut his palm, staining it with blood, before falling to the ground.

Jiang Yi tried her best to keep her expression normal, but the pain still made her gasp. A bloody gash appeared on her palm, and blood dripped down her arm to the ground.

Liu Shiya hadn't expected her to stop her. Her mind went blank, and she looked around in panic, her eyes filled with unease.

"I didn't... intend to hurt you." Her voice trembled with fear.

"Do you want to hurt yourself so he'll feel sorry for you?" Jiang Yi clutched his wound and stared at her.

"Or do you want to hurt yourself to test your place in his heart again, or do you want me to become the target of public criticism to force him to change his mind?"

"I…"

Liu Shiya seemed to have been seen through, her expression panicked, her mind already in turmoil.

"Sister Ya, this is the last time I'll call you that."

Jiang Yi ripped off the napkin, her right hand trembling as she wrapped it around the wound on her left hand, the seeping blood gradually staining the napkin red.

"Xiao Si, your hand."

Liu Shiya noticed the extent of her trembling hands; it was such a simple task, yet she seemed to be putting in a lot of effort.

"Your success today is undeniable because Lü Haotian was your mentor and helped you gain a foothold in Xijing. However, your own design style is attractive enough that socialites and ladies are willing to pay for it. All of this is because of yourself."

Jiang Yi's fair face and his eyes looked at Liu Shiya, but they were devoid of emotion and full of detachment.

"Xiao Si, I'll take you to the hospital for a check-up. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Liu Shiya hurriedly got up, wanting to stop the person who was about to leave, and wanted to explain properly.

"Take care of your health. It's impossible for us now, and it's impossible for us in the future."

Jiang Yi bit her lower lip tightly, the pain from her wound becoming more and more obvious. She avoided Liu Shiya's touch. "My contract with the studio has also expired, and I don't think I need to renew it in the future."

Liu Shiya collapsed to the ground, staring at the door that Jiang Yili had just closed, tears streaming down her face.

She never intended to hurt Jiang Yi; she just wanted to see if he would change his mind if she got hurt. She believed Jiang Yi would definitely appear in her life, and she thought she could pin the blame on him so he would come back to her to protect him.

"Xiao Si!"

"Abu, help me find a place. I won't be going home for the next few days." Jiang Yi held his injured hand, trying to appear calm.