Yating slightly sucked in a silent breath. This wasn't the time he wished to meet her.
"I am a little busy."
Duan Ren was taken aback by his distant tone.
"How did you know that I was here?"
"No I just...I wanted to meet you-"
"That isn't my question. How did you know that I was at the hospital?"
"Of course since Rong was here-"
"But how did you learn about his condition? I haven't declared it to the world yet."
She stiffened.
How was she supposed to say that she had hired a man to keep an eye on Yating and give her updates if something happened?
She was also shocked to learn that Gu Rong collapsed but she saw this as a golden chance to contact Yating and establish her relationship with him.
Yating took another deep breath. "Please don't come here anymore. I only want to focus on Dad's health. I don't...appreciate it if you come unannounced like this to meet me."
"Ya-Yating you..." tears trickled down her eyes. "Is it that Rong t-told you anything? Like not to meet me?" She sniffled.
There it was - the fear and uncertainty in her voice that had initially made Yating hesitant.
He looked down at his hands and remembered the warmth with which Chyou held them last night and her words that gave him courage.
"It's my own decision so I hope you respect it. I don't know completely what happened between you and Dad. He might be right or wrong but..." he curled his fists and looked at her, "I will first listen to what he has to say."
Duan Ren felt awkward standing there. "I-I see..."
Yating turned and opened his car door but looked back at her once. He studied her gaze and asked, "Do you...happen to know Cheng Yin?"
"Oh he is that actor right? What about him?"
"Did you ever personally see him around?"
"Of course not. Why would such a big actor come to meet me haha...?"
She tried to keep her expression intact but only she knew how hard her heart was thumping.
"Answer what I have asked, Cheng Yin," Iciness laced her tone. "Who told you about Uncle Rong?"
Yin furrowed his brows. "I...was trying to investigate Gu Yating. I know he is not as innocent as he is making himself out to be! That's when I came to know-"
"Who is the source of your information, Cheng Yin?" She cut him off.
"N-Nobody, Chyou-"
"Or maybe it is Duan Ren," she smiled.
That made his expression crack and Chyou knew she was right on the ticket.
"I see. That's what I wanted to see. I don't know who approached who but did you think that working with her and spreading accusations against Uncle Rong will help you get me back?"
Yin paled.
"That's not true, Chyou!" He panicked. "I-I don't know any Duan Ren. I don't know who told you these lies!"
Chyou grimaced. She showed some pictures from her phone and slid it towards him. "I am the Queen but I think you forgot that I can hack into systems too, you know?"
Yin lost all his color when he saw some CCTV camera shots that showed him talking with Duan Ren in a cafe.
"There are also call logs between you and her that I have with me. Well you might contest it as an invasion of privacy but then again, you started it, right?" Chyou's face twisted with displeasure.
Yin felt his throat go dry.
"I thought that perhaps now you will be honest with me but no. People like you never change, right?"
Her eyes narrowed and before he could say anything in his defense, she ruthlessly shot back. "Nothing will help you, Cheng Yin. We are over and I will never go back to a man who broke my trust and love. You are only making me disgust you even more by targeting Uncle Rong like this."
He whispered. "Y-you cannot be serious! He is a killer!"
Chyou stared at him. "There were many people who told me to stay away from you. But I didn't. I kept giving you chances. If I can give you those chances, then I can surely hear what Uncle has to say too, right? Even if there is truth to the matter, it has nothing to do with Yating, right?
Yating is his own person."
Chyou calmly got up to leave. "I am warning you to stay away from Duan Ren and not cause unnecessary problems in Yating's life. Otherwise I won't be so forgiving next time."
Yin gnashed his jaw. His heart burst into fury and jealousy seeing her defend Yating so passionately.
He jumped to grab her wrist but a hand intervened and stopped it in his way. Chyou's eyes widened and she looked up at the waiter.
Ma Dong coldly looked down upon Yin and said, "Dear customer, I would refrain you from grabbing her hand like that. It's impolite and we don't condone such violent behavior here."