Jin Yaotiao said: “Let’s cancel the engagement, Mr. Shen.”

Shen Qiming spent several minutes trying to understand this statement.

But on the surface, he still showed no expression, sitting motionless, staring at Jin YaoTiao like a handsome sculpture.

Jin YaoTiao thought to herself, “As expected, he doesn’t care about feelings at all.”

Hearing such a request, his expression was still unchanged, just as she had anticipated before coming here.

However, she wasn’t bothered by it; after all, Shen QiMing didn’t owe her anything.

He was the one she had liked, and it was her who had pursued him.

Isn’t there a saying—liking is a one-sided affair, you can’t force the other person to respond?

Actually, Shen QiMing had a good temperament.

If she put herself in his shoes, she felt that if someone who wasn’t interested in her had been around her for over a decade, she definitely wouldn’t have been able to keep a good attitude.

But Shen QiMing, over the years, had never spoken harshly to her, even when he might have found her annoying.

Later, when she proposed marriage, he agreed without hesitation.

Back then, she really liked him.

Every second spent with Shen QiMing made her as happy as a fool, and no matter how much she gave, her heart remained sweet.

Although her feelings had changed now, the happiness from those times could not be erased.

Shen QiMing had generously given her a period of joy, and until she chose to leave, there was no deep hatred between them.

In fact, Shen QiMing’s presence had directly inspired her to become a better version of herself.

Moreover, Jin YaoTiao now thought more rationally.

She was in a competitive environment and, with ambitions to take over a family business, there were people watching her every move.

She realized she shouldn’t create more enemies.

Shen QiMing’s connections, influence, and wealth were not easy to deal with, and there was a possibility that they would have to cross paths in the business world in the future.

Even though they were discussing breaking off the engagement, Jin YaoTiao hoped the conversation would remain calm and composed.

She wasn’t the type to hold grudges; they were both adults, and it would be best to part on good terms.

Seeing that Shen QiMing didn’t respond, she continued the conversation herself.

First, the plan she had carefully considered: “I know this may seem sudden, since breaking off an engagement is a big deal. But luckily, we haven’t started preparing for the wedding yet, and thanks to good secrecy, not many people know about our relationship. If we cancel the engagement now, neither side will suffer too much loss.”

Shen QiMing stared at her.

Jin YaoTiao continued, “The house on Mingzhu Mountain is your premarital property, so it has nothing to do with me. I’ve already taken the things that belong to me from there, though there may be some things I missed. I’ll arrange a time to go back and clean up and move out.”

Shen QiMing stared at her.

Jin YaoTiao sipped her coffee and said in a tone that mixed business with politeness: “Also, after breaking off the engagement, I won’t disturb you anymore. If we meet in other situations, we’ll still be friends. How does that sound, Mr. Shen?”

Shen Qiming stared at her.

Jin YaoTiao waited a moment, thinking he had tacitly agreed.

She breathed a sigh of relief and stood up to leave. “Well, then. I won’t take up any more of your time. Mr. Shen, continue with your work. I should be heading back.”

She walked around the coffee table and was about to leave when her arm was suddenly grabbed tightly.

Jin Yaotiao looked down and realized it was Shen QiMing gripping her wrist, with such force that she suspected his side job might be as a personal trainer.

Shen QiMing spoke, finally saying the first words since she had taken off the ring: “I don’t agree.”

Jin YaoTiao tugged at her arm. “If you have anything to add about the details I just mentioned, you can tell me. Let go of me first.”

Shen QiMing’s long fingers tightened little by little, his gaze unwavering as he looked into her eyes: “I don’t agree.”

Jin YaoTiao paused, glancing around and noticing the customers who had subtly perked up their ears to eavesdrop.

She lowered her voice: “Mr. Shen, this is not dignified. Do you want to argue with me in public? You’re not losing anything in this proposal, so what’s there to disagree with?”

Shen QiMing ignored her words and the attention around them.

Every word was deliberate, enunciated clearly: “I don’t agree to the cancellation. YaoTiao, take the ring back.”

Jin YaoTiao stared at him, her brows slowly furrowing. “If this is about your parents’ opinions, I can handle it…”

“YaoTiao!” Shen QiMing stood up, interrupting her sharply for the first time, his tone higher than usual. “Stop being unreasonable! Come back home with me!”

Realizing he had overreacted, he lowered his voice, thought for a moment, and then said, “If it’s about the charity dinner that day…”

Jin YaoTiao finally grew impatient and cut him off: “Shen QiMing, do you really want to make everything difficult for both of us?”

Shen QiMing abruptly stopped, staring at her with a look she had never seen before.

Jin YaoTiao paused, then pulled her hand again. “Let go, you’re hurting me.”

Shen QiMing instinctively loosened his grip, looking down at her wrist, which had turned slightly red from his tight hold.

His brow furrowed deeply.

Jin YaoTiao rotated her arm and turned to leave.

Behind her, Shen QiMing’s voice came: “Why? What’s wrong with you?”

Jin YaoTiao sneered. “I’m tired. I don’t want to be with you anymore. It’s that simple. Is that okay?”

---

The bell by the door rang as it closed, echoing through the silent café.

Shen QiMing stood by the table, staring at Jin YaoTiao’s slender figure as it disappeared.

His phone on the table vibrated, but he didn’t even glance at it.

In the conference room of Jingmao Tower, several top managers were sitting, waiting.

Jiang Sen made his third call, but no one picked up.

He held the phone, showing the “call ended” screen, his expression confused.

“Mr. Jiang,” one of the managers at the table tried to comfort him, “didn’t you say Mr. Shen went to meet his fiancée? Maybe he’s discussing something important and forgot to check his phone.”

“Impossible, impossible,” Jiang Sen replied. “When has Mr. Shen ever delayed work for personal matters? The likelihood of that is too small.”

As he spoke, his confused expression slowly turned to one of panic: “He hasn’t… died, has he?”

---

In the café, the grand scene had ended, but the atmosphere in the shop had clearly grown tense.

At a nearby table, a few female office workers, who had just finished their shifts and gathered to eat dessert, exchanged shocked glances in silence.

It wasn’t clear who pulled out their phone first.

A few minutes later, all the private chat groups at Jingmao Headquarters exploded—

— “Shocking news! Just now! In the café downstairs at the company! I ran into Mr. Shen and his fiancée!”

— “???”

— “Wait, Mr. Shen has a fiancée?”

— “His fiancée is super beautiful, but that’s not the point! The point is Mr. Shen got dumped by his fiancée!! Can you believe it? Mr. Shen! The most handsome, rich, and successful CEO of this century! He got dumped!”

— “???”

— “!!!!!!”

— “What kind of sci-fi plot is this?!”

— “Admiring her, what a stone-hearted lady, made me shed lemon-flavored tears.”

---

When Shen Qiming returned to the company, news of the incident had already spread through the grapevine in the meeting room.

As he stepped out of the elevator, he saw Jiang Sen waiting outside.

Jiang Sen, who usually wasn’t very serious, knew when to be cautious and stayed silent, carefully reading Shen Qiming’s mood.

It wasn’t until they neared the office that Ning Meng, who was sitting at the assistant’s desk, stood up quickly.

Ning Meng’s face was pale, and she couldn’t even remember her emotions when she saw the chat group messages earlier.

Looking at the tall, cold man walking toward her, her heart raced, nearly jumping out of her chest. After reflecting on recent events, she had a vague, unclear thought in her mind.

Was it… because of her?

With this thought in her head, she lost control and called out to Shen Qiming unconsciously.

“Mr. Shen! Did you and Miss Jin break up?”

Shen Qiming stopped in his tracks, turned to look at her.

Ning Meng was so flustered that she didn’t know where to put her hands and feet. The next second, she heard him coldly reprimand her, “We’re fine. Mind your own business. If you don’t know how to behave, pack up and leave.”

That vague thought shattered instantly, like an illusion disappearing.

Ning Meng stood frozen in place, and by the time she regained her senses, Shen Qiming had already disappeared, with Jiang Sen following behind, clicking his tongue.

Look at you, even you have your bad days.

Though the process wasn’t smooth, at least the issue was resolved.

Jin YaoTiao was slicing garlic and ginger while thinking about how to explain things to her parents.

Her parents were the most traditional type of elders.

In her memory, even though Jin Father only had one child, he never considered making her the heir to the company.

Their greatest wish for her was to marry a good man and settle down.

Shen Qiming, without a doubt, was the epitome of a “good man” in their eyes.

Handsome, wealthy, smart, and accomplished—his silence was even seen as a reliable and practical trait.

Over the years, Jin Father’s most common advice to her had been to live well with Shen Qiming.

In Jin YaoTiao’s eyes, her father had probably already picked a name for their future children.

She heated oil and sautéed ginger and garlic, then added a whole prepared pufferfish into the pan.

The doctor had advised her parents to eat high-quality protein, so she decided to prepare fish for them every day.

The sizzling sound of the oil brought a brief calm to her chaotic thoughts.

Pufferfish was a delicate ingredient that was rarely cooked in restaurants due to its potential danger if not properly prepared.

However, enthusiasts who risked eating it often said that it was the taste that made them willing to take the chance.

Once prepared correctly, its delicate flavor could be brought out to its fullest.

The fish turned golden brown on both sides.

Jin YaoTiao poured a small cup of high-purity white wine into the pan, and when the fragrance and mist rose, she quickly added boiling mineral water.

Since Jin Father learned of his illness, he had occasionally been feeling weak. When he came downstairs and smelled the aroma, his mood lifted.

The pot was already boiling, with the milk-white fish soup bubbling under the lid. Jin Father peered in and immediately recognized the dish. “White sauce pufferfish?”

Jin YaoTiao responded affirmatively and glanced at him, deciding it was time to speak directly.

After all, the news about the broken engagement would eventually get out. It was better to tell them now rather than have them hear it from someone else.

“Dad, Mom,” Jin YaoTiao began, “I need to tell you something.”

Jin Father tasted the soup and nodded. “Go ahead.”

He moved aside to let Aunt Cen and Jin Mother turn off the heat.

Then he took a heatproof cloth and carried the whole pot to the dining table.

Jin YaoTiao watched them for a moment before continuing, “It’s about me and Shen Qiming.”

Jin Mother glanced at her, while Jin Father silently sipped his soup and didn’t say a word.

The dinner table was quiet.

Jin YaoTiao knew this would be a difficult conversation, and she was prepared for it, but she still felt a twinge of discomfort as she watched her parents eat in silence and then head upstairs without saying anything.

Behind this door, she could ignore anyone, but now, the people she had hurt were her most beloved family.

Alone in the living room, Jin YaoTiao stared at the television that wasn’t turned on, lost in thought. She barely noticed when she heard a voice call from the stairs, “YaoTiao, your dad wants to see you.”

Looking up, she saw her mother waving at her.

On the second floor, Jin YaoTiao sat on the bed while her father stood by the balcony, eyeing a pack of unopened cigarettes with longing, but too hesitant to touch them.

They locked eyes, and Jin YaoTiao stood up. “Dad…”

“Don’t say anything.” Jin Father sat on the bed with a sigh, opening the drawer to toss the cigarette pack inside. He sighed again, “Your mom and I have already guessed something was wrong between you and Mr. Shen.”

Jin YaoTiao froze for a moment. “Dad, then why—”

Why didn’t you ask me earlier?

Jin Father shot her a glare. “When could your mom and I control you?”

He sighed again, half-lying on the bed, patting his beer belly. “I’m really getting old. With the lung cancer, who knows when I’ll go.”

Jin YaoTiao furrowed her brows. “Don’t say that!”

Jin Father smiled helplessly. “What’s there to be afraid of? After getting sick, I’ve really figured everything out. YaoTiao, death is nothing to fear. Your mom and I only have you. What we’re most afraid of is that you don’t live a good life. We don’t want anything, as long as you’re safe and happy. No matter what you do or who you’re with, as long as it’s what you want, that’s enough.”