---

Chapter 22: Yan Man Will Not Break Up with Me

Tan Qishen’s home was located near Jianguomen, at the intersection of Chang’an Avenue and the East Second Ring Road. To the left, one could gaze toward the Forbidden City, and to the right, a glance upward revealed the dazzling CBD commercial district.

Although situated in the city, it was in the best location—quiet amidst the hustle and bustle.

The building had been completed a few years ago but had never officially opened for sale. According to rumors, a mysterious billionaire had bought the entire building.

Tan Qishen chose to live in the penthouse—a large loft-style apartment decorated in black and gold tones. The interior was clean and bright, stripped of unnecessary embellishments.

There were seven or eight bedrooms on this floor, making Yan Man dizzy as she looked around. She asked, “Where am I staying?”

Tan Qishen lifted his eyelids and asked back, “What do you think?”

Their eyes met in midair, and both immediately understood without words.

Clearly, he meant the master bedroom.

Yan Man sized him up and teased, “Then you’d better control yourself.”

“In your eyes, am I some kind of beast?”

Tan Qishen chuckled lowly, his expression unreadable as he gently rubbed the silver ring on his pinky finger.

Yan Man propped her cheek on her hand and whispered, “You better not be.”

He could hear the distrust in her tone but pretended not to notice. Instead, he grabbed her wrist and led her inside. “Come see the master bedroom.”

The master bedroom’s style matched his personality—black, white, and gray tones. Even other cool colors were scarce. Perhaps the only warm element was a painting on the wall.

It was an oil painting in shades of watery blue, and the subject was Tan Qishen himself. The lines were bold and free, full of artistic flair. It was a birthday gift from Yan Man a year ago.

She had studied art and design in college and was quite skilled in painting.

Yan Man looked at the painting in surprise. “You actually hung it here?”

She had assumed it would be collecting dust in a storage room.

She didn’t expect Tan Qishen to hang it on the wall of the master bedroom—right where one would see it first thing upon waking up.

Tan Qishen followed her gaze, his deep black eyes momentarily clouded. His expression looked a little unnatural.

He had long grown used to the painting’s presence. The day after Yan Man gave it to him, he had someone hang it in the master bedroom. Over time, he’d forgotten what it symbolized.

If he’d known, he would’ve taken it down earlier.

“Uncle Nan put it up,” Tan Qishen said without batting an eye.

“Oh,” Yan Man nodded, not suspecting anything. After all, Uncle Nan was his housekeeper, responsible for everything in the house.

Considering how little Tan Qishen showed he cared, the fact that he even remembered who gave him the painting was a blessing.

“What should I get you this year?” she asked, looking at the painting in thought.

Tan Qishen’s birthday was on New Year’s Eve—three months away. Yan Man thought this might be the last gift she ever gave him.

She leaned on his arm, shaking it gently. “What do you want?”

Tan Qishen’s expression was indifferent. He didn’t seem interested. “Whatever.”

“That won’t do,” she objected. “It’s your birthday gift—I have to give it proper thought.”

He said nothing, his face calm as always. But no one noticed the faint smile in his eyes.

Yan Man really does still love him.

Just then, He Cheng’s call came through.

Tan Qishen took out his phone. Seeing the caller ID, he answered, slightly irritated. “What is it?”

“Come to Lu Garden—this guy’s acting up again,” He Cheng said, clearly annoyed.

No names were needed. Tan Qishen already knew who He Cheng was talking about.

“He saw his ex again?” he asked.

“Worse. He snuck into her house yesterday and got beat up so badly he came back black and blue—not a single spot on him is fine.”

“He didn’t call the police?” Tan Qishen asked casually.

He Cheng scoffed, “Call the police? He’s lucky he didn’t beg her to hit him again… it’s too much to explain over the phone. Just get over here.”

Tan Qishen glanced at Yan Man beside him—soft, warm, and right there. He had no desire to get involved in Jiang Linjin’s drama.

“Not going.”

He Cheng sighed deeply. “Please. I’m begging you.”

His voice was loud enough that Yan Man heard even without speakerphone.

“You should go,” she suggested. “Maybe President Jiang really is in trouble.”

Tan Qishen looked at her. Seeing her serious expression, he felt a little irritated and deliberately asked, “Aren’t you afraid there’ll be other women there?”

Her reminder brought back the memory of that night at Lu Garden—a group of flirtatious women surrounding Tan Qishen.

Before she could reply, He Cheng quickly chimed in, “Nope! Not a single woman. Stop flirting, you two—Jiang Linjin’s practically ‘dead’!”

Yan Man almost laughed, but it felt inappropriate, so she held it in.

She walked in front of Tan Qishen and, with soft fingertips, slid her hand up his chest, grabbing his perfectly knotted tie and yanking it tight around his Adam’s apple.

Tan Qishen looked down at her, letting her do what she pleased.

Yan Man tiptoed and kissed his cheek. “I trust you.”

Tan Qishen’s eyes darkened, holding back the urge to kiss her back.

His voice was deep and hoarse as he spoke into the phone, “Wait for me.”

He Cheng let out a breath of relief. That meant he was coming.

---

Uncle Nan accompanied Tan Qishen to Lu Garden.

He Cheng was already waiting outside the private room. When he saw Tan Qishen, it was like spotting a savior.

“Finally. Talk some sense into him.”

The two walked in together.

Jiang Linjin sat at the bar. From the back, he looked fine, but once they saw his face, it was downright tragic.

His cheeks were swollen, his right eye nearly shut, and his lips were bruised and bloody.

Tan Qishen frowned at the sight. “You didn’t fight back?”

The three of them had trained in the military years ago. Jiang Linjin could hold his own. If he had fought back, he wouldn’t look this bad.

“Three against one. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t,” Jiang Linjin said bitterly, swirling his glass. “Besides, I didn’t want to.”

Tan Qishen sat down on a nearby sofa, lit a cigarette, and said, “All this for a woman? Worth it?”

Jiang Linjin set down his glass, his expression suddenly serious. Despite the pain in his mouth, he spoke clearly, “You tell me—is it worth it? If Yan Man broke up with you and was pregnant with someone else’s child, what would you do?”

Tan Qishen didn’t even flinch. He casually lit the cigarette, the flame briefly illuminating his eyes, casting a shadowy intensity across his chiseled face.

His voice was low, steady, and certain.

“Yan Man would never break up with me.”

But right after he spoke, a memory flashed through his mind—Yan Man’s words from a few days ago.

She said that when their agreement ended, she wouldn’t cling to him.

A faint sense of unease crept into Tan Qishen’s chest.

---