Everyone Loves Pei Jiyu

CHAPTER 35 - Letting Go

During the daytime, I was sitting at home looking through the newspaper that was unexpectedly filled with my name.

Giving it a closer look, it turned out that after Father passed away, the Pei family had been in constant turmoil, and the prices of the shares were constantly falling. Every major newspaper had taken Lu QingFan and me as the subjects of their articles, sparing no effort to blacken the Pei family.

There were even some who managed to dig out my past, saying that I had never studied in England during the past four years and that it was Father who had driven me out of the house and into the streets. Reading between the lines, it was also suggested that Lu QingFan was the one fanning the flames.

Not to mention the other blatant and shameless remarks that others made.

Before I managed to finish reading it, I couldn't help but throw it on the ground, feeling my temples twitch.

As I kneaded my forehead, it was clear to me that there must be someone behind the scenes worsening the situation. After all, Lu QingFan and I were not TV stars, so how could it have resulted in such an unsolvable mess?

He Li must be significantly involved.

These past two days, Lu QingFan must have been in a battered state while rushing about to solve this issue. For him to shoulder everything while saying nothing to me must be hard for him.

For all these years, he's always been like this – giving everything for the Pei family till his spirit and energy couldn't be liberated. As time passed, it became a habit of him to not even voice a single complaint.

As I sat for a long time, I struggled with the contradictions in my heart. In the end, I still resigned myself to fate and called up He Li.

He was someone with the power of getting what he wanted, and I couldn't fight against him. I admitted my defeat.

He Li picked up the phone. "This is He Li speaking."

Holding my breath, I said nothing as my heart felt like it was being wrung.

On the other side, He Li was suspicious for a moment before he suddenly chuckled, "It's you. JiYu, it's you, isn't it? I knew that you couldn't resist looking for me."

I let out a long breath and suppressed the mixed emotions I felt before saying to him, "It's me. He Li. If you have time today, let's have a chat. You can decide on the time and place."

He Li and I ended up making an appointment at the nightclub where we first met.

As it was still bright out and far from its operating hours, the nightclub was empty, making it hard to imagine that when night comes, there will be groups of men and women gathering together to indulge themselves wantonly in extravagance.

Sitting there alone waiting for me was He Li.

In a trance, a song in my deepest memories resurfaced. I couldn't help envisioning people dancing on the dance floor in pairs with eternally youthful smiles.

At that time, I was still the son of a wealthy family who had fallen so low. I hid my identity and worked as a waiter here, thinking I could swallow the humiliation and persist onwards.

He Li waved to me with a smile. He said, "JiYu, come here. Let's listen to the songs together."

With each step, I was like an ignorant animal caught in his grasp.

Calming down, I shook myself out of my trance and walked towards him.

He silently gazed at me with a smile as I sat down opposite him.

I could only then be the first to speak, "Please let the Pei family go."

He Li couldn't deny it, so he poured a glass of wine from its bottle and handed it to me.

I stole a glance at him and hesitated for a moment before accepting it in the end. I was the one trying to beg him, so I was supposed to be submissive.

It was only after watching me drink the whole glass of wine that he said, "JiYu, your new hat is really hideous, and I don't like it. Recently, you also got thinner, and your clothes have become shabby. It's heartbreaking."

As I bore his criticisms, I said nothing. This scene was just lacking the action of me kneeling in front of him to repent – it was me who was too slovenly, dirtying his eyes.

He had already subjected me to the greatest indignities, and what he just said was nothing. I could stand it. I could stand it.

I lowered my head. "These four years, I was really driven out of the house by my father. I didn't mean to lie to you, nor did I mean to play with you."

"Oh, really?" He Li didn't seem to care and continued, "Yesterday, I bought this whole nightclub and was not very satisfied with it. I want to redecorate it. What do you think?"

He was tormenting me on purpose.

I bit my lips tightly and continued to endure.

"All those mistakes were always solely my fault. You are magnanimous, so forgive me for being young, frivolous, and ignorant. The Pei family business is the result of the hard work that was put forward for many generations, so please have mercy."

"Ignorant?" He Li coldly snorted, "It's so easy for you to say, but I've been fooled by you for four years. Do you think that everyone will be satisfied with just your admittance to being ignorant? Pei JiYu, you're too optimistic."

I couldn't help replying, "The Pei family has a deep foundation, and you clearly know that you can't shake it easily. So why are you trying to vent your anger this way? When the Pei family recovers, you would suffer."

"No one can predict the future, but now, I just want you to pay a little price."

"He Li, you are just deliberately being provocative!"

I stood up quickly.

"Regarding the issue of hiding my identity, I apologize. However, I entered our relationship with a clear conscience and owe you nothing." I looked at him and continued, "Since you didn't love me, I bowed out, aware and no longer entangled myself to you. What else do you want me to do? To kneel at your feet and beg you to change your mind? Is that the only way you will be satisfied?"

He Li seemed to be shocked by my outburst and for a moment, didn't respond.

"He Li, look carefully. I am human. I have feelings and pride. I'm not a pet in your palm that you can give different amounts of care for depending on your mood. I gave my love because I want to be loved, and you just don't know how to love someone."

As soon as I finished my words, I sat down again in sorrow.

I said sadly, "I gave you my heart, but you don't know what love truly is."

The expression on He Li's face was frozen.

As there was nothing more to say to him, I stood up and prepared to leave.

However, He Li seized me and shouted firmly, "You're not allowed to leave! I haven't given you my permission to leave yet!"

Besides such words, He Li couldn't say anything else.

At that moment, I just felt exhausted. "I've already said what should be said. What else do you want?"

"You dare to leave?! You actually dare to leave me again?!" He seemed equally anxious and angry but still couldn't find other words to say besides these.

I then clearly told him, "From the start to the end, you've hurt me all over, and you should have had enough fun playing with me. Now you've won, and I, this infatuated fool, was unable to play against you. I'm just a normal person, and I can't withstand it anymore, so be compassionate and leave me a way out, won't you?" I continued to ask him in despair, "Do you really want me to die before you're willing to let me go?"

Unknowingly, He Li had gradually loosened his grip on me.

I endured the pain in my body and walked out the doorstep by step.

Outside, it was still the middle of winter, and as the wind blew onto my face, it hurt as if a knife was cutting me.