When the Heartthrob Meets the Cold-Hearted Ex - Chapter 31

Among the others present, two were university classmates of Su Yang and Tang Yeran, making them semi-insiders to the situation.

Meilin, being particularly perceptive, sensed the thick air of gossip but remained silent.

Only Wenwen was completely out of the loop. She looked at the two still holding up their fingers and gave each a hearty slap on the shoulder, sighing.

“Who would’ve thought we’d all be in the same boat? But wait, that doesn’t add up. Back when I got dumped, it was because my ex-girlfriend thought I was too sloppy and embarrassing to be seen with. But you two are so good-looking and talented, how did you end up getting dumped too?”

The moment these words left her mouth, the expressions of the two in question cycled through several shades in mere seconds.

Wenwen, assuming she’d touched a nerve, cheerfully reassured them, “Hey, don’t worry. There are plenty of fish in the sea, no need to cling to just one. When I first got dumped, I was heartbroken for a while too. But now I realize the world outside is way more colorful.

“With your qualities, you won’t have any trouble finding someone. And if all else fails, you could always just pair up with each other!”

“Wenwen!” Meilin shot her clueless junior several warning looks, but the girl was too drunk to notice, lost in her own grand speech.

With no other choice, Meilin yanked her down onto the sofa and apologized to the others, “Sorry, my junior can’t hold her liquor.”

Gossip was one thing, but rubbing salt in old wounds was another.

An Xin, standing nearby, quickly smoothed things over. “No worries, these cocktails are pretty strong when you drink them back-to-back. I think we’re all a bit tipsy maybe we should call it a night.”

“Sounds good. Let’s catch up another time.”

After exchanging pleasantries, the group left the KTV room.

Su Yang, Tang Yeran, and An Xin, who were in Y City for a business trip, shared a cab back to their hotel coincidentally, the same one.

An Xin, dizzy from the alcohol, had no energy left to meddle in the other two’s emotional affairs and retreated to her room early, leaving the two with heavy hearts standing in awkward silence.

Su Yang’s face was flushed from drinking, but her mind was still clear.

She watched as Tang Yeran walked to Room 307, swiped her keycard, and opened the door about to shut her out once again. Finally, she couldn’t hold back any longer. “Ranran.”

The long-unused nickname sent a jolt through Tang Yeran, nearly making her drop her keycard.

It took her three seconds to steady herself before she turned to face Su Yang, feigning nonchalance. “What is it?”

Su Yang caught the resistance in Tang Yeran’s eyes. Normally, she might have backed off.

But during the game at the KTV, a seed of curiosity had been planted, one that had taken root and sprouted like lightning on the way back, fueling her confusion and indignation to their peak.

Su Yang met Tang Yeran’s gaze squarely and asked, point-blank, “Actually, I’ve been wondering the same thing Wenwen asked. What exactly did I do wrong back then to make you dump me without a word?”

Tang Yeran let out a mocking laugh, as if she’d heard the most ridiculous joke. “President Su, are you truly forgetful from privilege, or have you mastered the art of the guilty party filing the first complaint? Wasn’t it you who planned to let go first by secretly arranging to study abroad?”

“Me? Secretly arranging to study abroad?”

Years had passed since this incident, and Tang Yeran had long intended to let it go. After all, being dumped wasn’t exactly something to be proud of.

But that person kept appearing before her, showing not an ounce of remorse, and even actively picking at her old wounds.

Memories from five years ago resurfaced, and the long-buried grievances in Tang Yeran’s heart came rushing back. When she spoke again, her voice was hoarse with emotion.

“Back then, all our classmates knew about it, I was the only one kept in the dark.

“If you wanted to further your studies in the U.S., I could have understood. We could have discussed whether to continue long-distance or part ways amicably.

“But you chose to say nothing. Were you waiting until the last moment of separation to drop that bombshell?

“Su Yang, am I really not worth your honesty?”

Tang Yeran, usually warm and smiling, rarely showed such intense emotion. By the end of her words, her eyes were even glistening with tears.

This display stunned Su Yang, leaving her speechless for several seconds before she finally murmured, “But before your senior year birthday, I never planned to go abroad. Professor Chen did mention the exchange program in the U.S. early on, but I initially refused.”

Seeing Tang Yeran’s skeptical expression, Su Yang immediately pulled out her phone. “If you don’t believe me, I’ll call Professor Chen right now and let her tell you!”

“Wait.” Tang Yeran stopped her after a brief pause. “What time is it? You can’t just call someone at this hour!”

Su Yang’s hand was blocked, but she wasn’t ready to give up. She looked straight at Tang Yeran and said slowly, “Then do you believe me?”

Tang Yeran met her gaze, hesitated for a few seconds, then sighed. “I do.”

Su Yang might keep things to herself, but she would never outright lie.

Who would have thought that the heartache of all these years stemmed from a simple misunderstanding?

As the weight lifted from Tang Yeran’s heart, a deeper sense of loss took its place.

Misunderstandings could be resolved, but the years of distance and estrangement couldn’t simply vanish.

Neither of them was the same earnest, youthful person they’d been in college. Five years was enough to change too much.

Revisiting the past now only brought sighs.

Looking at Su Yang before her, Tang Yeran realized she was different from both her college self and the person she’d been when they first reunited.

The Su Yang of today was mature, steady, and successful, a high-quality single woman many would envy.

If they weren’t former classmates, and Tang Yeran had simply met someone like this through work, she might have admired her, but she wouldn’t have fallen for her.

The Su Yang she’d once loved that aloof, brilliant, proud yet soft-hearted woman who could be infuriating and endearing all at once had ultimately been buried by time.

Perhaps time had changed not only Su Yang, but Tang Yeran as well.

Meeting Su Yang’s eyes, Tang Yeran apologized sincerely, “I’m sorry. I jumped to conclusions without seeking the truth and wronged you.”

Su Yang, caught off guard by Tang Yeran’s sudden formality, was momentarily at a loss. After a long pause, she finally mumbled, “It’s okay. I was at fault too, I didn’t notice how you were feeling back then.”

What started as a simple misunderstanding quickly turned into a mutual self-reflection session between the two, creating an oddly tense atmosphere.

Tang Yeran was the first to snap out of it. “Alright, since the misunderstanding has been cleared up now, let’s all get some rest. Goodnight.”

Before Su Yang could react, the door clicked shut.

She stood there, letting the alcohol haze her thoughts, feeling like something wasn’t quite right.

Tang Yeran shut herself inside the hotel room, though inwardly, she was far from as composed as she had appeared.

Thinking it over, she had to admit she bore most of the blame. What could have been resolved with a few words had spiraled into a breakup.

Under normal circumstances, with ordinary friends, such a ridiculous misunderstanding would never have happened.

But precisely because it involved someone she cared about most, she had stubbornly dug herself into a dead end.

So yes, she wasn’t a good partner, no misunderstanding there.

Before, she had always believed Su Yang was the one who wronged her. But now, upon reflection, it seemed she was the one who had failed Su Yang.

Su Yang, with her gentle temper, had never held it against her.

Or maybe Su Yang was just too naive to realize it.

Either way, Tang Yeran had no idea how to face her now.

If not for that messy campus romance, they might have remained good friends.

But given the current situation, she couldn’t shamelessly pretend to be on “friendly terms” with Su Yang.

Lost in her thoughts, Tang Yeran was startled by a knock at the door.

She turned and opened it to find Su Yang standing motionless in the doorway, the corners of her eyes tinged red, determined to cosplay as a statue.

“What are you doing?” Tang Yeran asked, her tone laced with an unconscious hint of guilt.

Su Yang silently glanced at her, then slowly parted her lips.

Tang Yeran tightened her grip on the door handle, bracing for some earth-shattering declaration, only to hear three sounds.

“Woof, woof, woof!”

[Is President Su still hung up on me? Just so you know, I don’t do second chances.]

[Who knew after all these years, Miss Tang’s delusions of grandeur would grow even stronger? Don’t worry whoever takes back an ex is a dog.]

Tang Yeran cursed her own clarity. Even drunk, her memory was impeccable.

Three simple words, yet shocking enough.

Before tonight, she could have cold-shouldered Su Yang without a second thought after all, she was the wronged party, the one who suffered.

But now that the misunderstanding was cleared, she no longer had the right to act self-righteous.

Su Yang was the one who had been misunderstood, abandoned, and hurt yet here she was, taking the first step toward reconciliation.

The worst part? Tang Yeran didn’t even want to get back together. Just thinking about it made her feel like a complete jerk.

Tang the Jerk could only play dumb. “Meow, meow, meow?”

Su Yang didn’t respond, just stared at her with damp, puppy-dog eyes.

That look sent Tang Yeran’s guilt skyrocketing.

Noticing how Su Yang’s eyes and cheeks were flushed, her steps unsteady, Tang Yeran instinctively reached out to steady her.

“What’s your room number? I’ll take you back.”

Su Yang leaned half her weight against her, hesitated, then mumbled, “Forgot.”

How do you forget that? Who do you think you’re fooling?

In the past, she would’ve shoved her out without hesitation.

But things were different now. Tangled in guilt, she had no choice but to be patient.

She helped Su Yang sit down on the sofa in the room for the time being, taking out her phone and saying, “It’s fine if you forgot the room number. The front desk can look it up with your ID number.”

Su Yang lay back on the sofa as if glued to it. “My ID is in the room, and I forgot the number too.”

Tang Yeran: ?

You’ve lived for twenty-five years, and you can’t even remember your own ID number?

Tang Yeran let out a long sigh. “No problem, we can look it up with your phone number too.”

Su Yang held his phone in his hand for a few seconds before showing it to Tang Yeran. “My phone’s dead, and I don’t remember the number either.”

Tang Yeran: !

Do you think I’m blind? I saw you press the power button!

It took all her willpower to maintain a gentle smile. “No worries, I remember your phone number.”

As she spoke, she began dialing the front desk, but she had only entered three digits when someone yanked her arm down.

The next second, her entire body collided with Su Yang’s warm legs.

“W-w-what are you doing?”

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