Chapter 107: Humiliation!

He Yunqing nodded slightly, then turned away, stepping out of the hospital room one step at a time. With each step, the sorrow in his eyes deepened. Jiang Yao turned her back, listening to the footsteps fading further and further away behind her, until she could no longer hold back, tears streaming down her face.

Three days later, Jiang Yao was discharged from the hospital.

Between her and He Yunqing, an unspoken and almost perverse understanding lingered—neither sought out the other again.

Soon enough, the day of the concert arrived.

After a long period of hard work, He Yunqing finally stepped onto the stage that belonged to him, greeted by the cheers of tens of thousands.

Under the mysterious and dazzling lights, the contours of the man’s face appeared even more defined and stern.

Standing at the center of the stage, He Yunqing gazed out at the sea of applause and cheering below.

This was the stage he had longed to stand on.

Onstage, the man radiated an unprecedented brilliance as he immersed himself in the performance.

After one song, the entire venue erupted in excitement.

He Yunqing’s gaze swept lightly across the crowd.

The seat that should have belonged to Jiang Yao was empty.

He Yunqing maintained his smile, though a trace of bitterness crept into it.

There was little disappointment—this was a result he had anticipated long ago. Yet, with it all laid bare before him, a suffocating feeling gripped his heart, as if drowning.

Perhaps life was simply like this; many things could not be perfectly reconciled.

He was not afraid to give up his career in entertainment, but he feared she might suffer even the slightest hurt...

The spring breeze blew gently, and the streets were as lively as ever.

Tonight, Jiang Yao was not a bartender.

She had lost count of how much she had drunk and now sat before the microphone on the stage, clutching the concert ticket He Yunqing had given her repeatedly.

“Now, I’ll sing a song for everyone...”

Manager Zhao frowned below the stage and asked the nearby waiter, “What’s wrong with her? Why is she suddenly singing?”

The waiter shook his head, “Sister Yao wasn’t herself when she arrived, see there?”

He nodded toward the bar cabinet.

Manager Zhao’s eyes widened as he looked at the empty bottles, “She drank all that?”

“Yeah, couldn’t stop her, but Sister Yao can really hold her liquor.”

Manager Zhao clicked his tongue, “Hurry and get her off the stage. Singing or not, we don’t want to scare the customers away.”

“Let her sing,” came a soft voice.

Manager Zhao turned to see Ye Yiyi in the shadows, holding a glass of wine, her eyes distant and quietly sipping.

In the past, Ye Yiyi often came to see Jiang Yao.

Manager Zhao recognized her.

“Miss Ye, it’s been a while. Are you here to visit a friend today?” he smiled politely.

Ye Yiyi lifted her gaze to the stage where Jiang Yao stood, a bitter smile on her lips. She shook her head and repeated softly, “We’re all miserable souls. Let her sing.”

Jiang Yao onstage was oblivious to Ye Yiyi below.

She held the microphone close and began to sing gently.

“Finally made this decision, no longer minding what others say, as long as you also believe the same…”

He Yunqing at the concert looked out at the vast crowd.

Among tens of thousands of faces, one was missing—Jiang Yao.

He took a deep breath. “The next song is for someone very important to me. Although she’s not here today, and perhaps she won’t hear it, I still want to sing for her...”

“Finally made this decision, no longer minding what others say, as long as you also believe the same.”

“I’m willing, to follow you to the ends of the earth. I know it’s not easy. My heart keeps reminding me, the hardest part is when you suddenly say you want to give up...”

Time and space overlapped.

Two people in different places sang the same song simultaneously.

“Love really needs courage, to face rumors and gossip. As long as you give me a confirming glance, my love will have meaning...”

“We all need courage, to believe we’ll be together. Amid the crowded masses, I can feel you, placed gently in my palm, your true heart...”

When the song ended, countless tears fell among the audience.

In He Yunqing’s dark eyes, a faint mist gathered.

Through the throng, he seemed to see Jiang Yao’s face, smiling but shattered within...

Jiang Yao was not a singer, and by the end her voice trembled, breaking into sobs as she clutched the microphone, eyes closed, tears flowing endlessly.

“What the hell is going on!” Manager Zhao rubbed his forehead, instructing a waiter nearby, “Go get her off the stage quickly, or this will turn into a big joke.”

“Ah? Okay,” the waiter responded blankly.

“I’ll go,” Ye Yiyi set down her glass and stepped forward, looking at the tear-streaked Jiang Yao. She took a deep breath.

“Yao...” It had been a long time since she had called her that.

Tonight, Jiang Yao had drunk too much. Whether it was sorrow or the alcohol’s effect, she lifted her eyelids slightly, her gaze hazy as she looked at Ye Yiyi, laughing and crying at once.

“You’re here. I’ll sing a song for you,” Jiang Yao’s delicate face, dimly lit, held a fractured beauty.

“Yao, don’t sing anymore.” Ye Yiyi’s eyes reddened as she reached to pull her away. “It sounds awful; please stop.”

Jiang Yao wrapped her arms around Ye Yiyi. “I know it sounds awful. I’m not as good as he is.”

Who “he” was, Ye Yiyi knew all too well.

She knew that tonight, He Yunqing was holding his grand concert.

Struggling, she helped Jiang Yao off the stage, listening to her mutter as she guided her to a seat to sober up.

Everyone showed a different side when drunk—Ye Yiyi had never seen Jiang Yao like this before.

Today, she finally did.

Jiang Yao leaned weakly against Ye Yiyi. “Maybe, from the start, I shouldn’t have been so foolishly hopeful. Then I wouldn’t be this heartbroken now.”

Ye Yiyi’s face was expressionless as she gently wiped away Jiang Yao’s tears.

Tears came and went.

“Also, Yiyi...” Jiang Yao murmured, “My best friend, Yiyi...”

Ye Yiyi’s hand paused.

“She doesn’t want to be friends anymore.” Jiang Yao choked back sobs and slapped her own cheek. “Jiang Yao, you idiot!”

Tears silently fell from Ye Yiyi’s eyes.

She looked at Jiang Yao’s small face, bit her lip tightly, turned away, and wiped her own tears twice. “Yeah, idiot. We’ve both made ourselves like this. We’re both idiots...”

With that, she hugged Jiang Yao tightly, tears streaming down her face again.

Manager Zhao watched the two crying together and frowned once more.

“What’s going on here?” He looked at the waiter. “Get them a room somewhere. Don’t let them cry and embarrass themselves out here.”