“Isn’t that Chen Yang?”

“He’s nothing more than a stray dog. If not for the Jiang family, who knows where he’d be now, probably picking trash.”

“Exactly! I couldn’t stand him before, and now that he’s fallen to this level, what’s he still so proud about?”

I turned to face them, meeting their gaze without any fear. I had been through much worse and more malicious things than this, so this was nothing to me.

After all, I can’t see them.

“Guys, I’m not deaf. I can still hear you spouting nonsense. No matter how down I am, I’m a hundred times better than all of you. And besides, how I am has nothing to do with you. If you can’t speak properly, then maybe you should sew your mouths shut, okay?”

The group instinctively fell silent.

---

I stayed seated, waiting for Jiang Youqi to return.

“Chen Yang, long time no see.”

A stranger approached me.

I didn’t recognize his voice.

“Who are you?”

“Xie Yun.”

Of course, it had to be him. After finally going out, how did I end up meeting him?

Xie Yun sat down next to me, gently swirling the wine in his glass.

“Is Jiang Youqi treating you well?”

I scooted away from him. “Thanks, but that’s none of your business.”

Seeing my reaction, Xie Yun chuckled, his voice playful.

“You sure have some skills, even managing to win over Jiang Youqi. But your temper has certainly improved. That young master attitude of yours used to be unbearable.”

“I always felt a little regretful. When your family was in trouble, I was abroad and couldn’t rush back. How about considering me now?”

Xie Yun leaned closer to my ear, his voice low and husky: “I’m much better at taking care of people than Jiang Youqi.”

Why did I ever like this guy in my previous life?

I couldn’t understand it.

Maybe it was just a momentary impulse.

Or maybe I never liked him at all; it was just for fun.

I swung a punch straight at his face.

Even though I was blind, my hearing had become particularly sharp.

I could pinpoint his location accurately based on the sound.

“Xie Yun, even a dog needs to wait its turn. Back then, you ran faster than a rabbit, and now you want to talk about regret?

“You’re nothing compared to Jiang Youqi. And frankly, you’re not my type.”

Xie Yun didn’t expect me to be this fierce even after losing my sight, and he took the punch head-on.

Cursing under his breath, he covered his face and left. “Chen Yang, just wait!”

“I’ll be here,” I replied.

Around me, people gasped in shock. I didn’t need to look to know that there were onlookers watching.

I smiled. “Sorry, my hands were itching a bit.”

But Jiang Youqi hadn’t returned for a long time, and a wave of anxiety started to build within me.

This was a completely unfamiliar environment. Jiang Youqi would never leave me alone like this.

I didn’t care about anyone or anything else.

I only feared that something had happened to Jiang Youqi.

---

When Jiang Youqi finally returned, the first thing he saw was Chen Yang sitting and talking with Xie Yun.

In his mind, the string that had been tightly stretched suddenly snapped.

[No wonder he was so well-behaved today, even willing to attend the banquet together.

Turns out he was waiting for Xie Yun.

No matter how many times we go through this, for Xie Yun, he’d do anything.

I’ve fallen for this over and over.

I should’ve known better than to hope he’d change.]

Jiang Youqi turned around and left.

I sat there, waiting for a long, long time.

A kind guest came over to inform me that they’d seen Jiang Youqi earlier.

However, he had left shortly after.

“Thank you. Could you help me contact him?”

I had memorized Jiang Youqi’s phone number, every digit ingrained in my mind.

In the lonely days, these little things were all I had to pass the time.

But when we called, he didn’t pick up.

He hung up the call after just one ring.

The guest looked awkward but not disdainful.

They tried calling again.

This time, Jiang Youqi answered, his voice filled with irritation.

“What is it?”

“Aqi, it’s me. Could you come back and pick me up?”

Jiang Youqi let out a cold laugh.

That sound made my heart sink.

Was he in a bad mood?

“Aren’t you with Xie Yun? Let him pick you up. Why are you calling me?”

So that’s why. He had come back earlier and seen me talking to Xie Yun.

I spoke calmly.

“Aqi, I punched Xie Yun. If you don’t come back, he might kill me. You know how he can be, right?”

After a moment, I sighed.

“Well, I guess it wouldn’t matter. I’m just a blind man. Maybe it’s better if I die. Not like anyone would care.”

Over the phone, I heard him curse under his breath.

---

Jiang Youqi rushed back in a panic.

But the scene he found was not the chaotic, violent one he had imagined.

There was only me, quietly sitting on a couch in the corner, waiting for him.

He was furious, feeling tricked again.

“Chen Yang. Can you even say one honest thing?”

I lowered my head, softly wiping away tears, my voice trembling and full of hurt.

“So, were you planning to leave me behind just now? Jiang Youqi, were you really going to abandon me?”

Jiang Youqi was taken aback by the scene.

He didn’t know how to react.

The anger in his heart hadn’t subsided.

But hearing that pitiful tone made him feel sorry for me again.

“Let’s just go home for now. We’ll talk about it later.”

There was always a barrier between me and Jiang Youqi.

He didn’t believe that I truly liked him.

Even after just a few words with Xie Yun, he assumed I was planning to run off with him.

Unless we resolved this, he’d always be suspicious.

The truth is, the damage I did to him in the past was too deep.

I didn’t let it go. “I have nothing to do with Xie Yun, so stop being jealous of him. Aqi, I don’t know what you’re thinking. I’m not a mind reader.”

“I don’t know what you saw, but you could ask me. I won’t lie to you again.”

Except, of course, for a few flirtatious games.

Without some effort, how could I make Jiang Youqi believe I had truly changed?

But my words only made him angrier.

Jiang Youqi pushed me away, filled with disappointment.

[He’s already shown how vile he can be. Haven’t I learned by now?]