Chapter 13: My Ex, Goodbye
She hurriedly put on her shoes and pushed open the bedroom door to leave.
Just as she was about to leave, she noticed Luo Fan sitting on the couch in the living room. Had he overheard what she just said?
"Who are you abandoning this time, just like you abandoned me?
Yun Xinyu, you’ve mastered this tactic so well. Do you really think everyone else is as heartless as you assume?
Compensation? What could you possibly use to compensate?"
"I..."
"Forget it. Leave."
……
Yun Xinyu pressed her lips together and turned to go.
"Wait."
His voice stopped her. Her steps paused slightly as she turned back, confusion in her eyes.
"Leave your phone number."
"Huh? Why?"
"Did you think medical care and a night at the hotel were free? Or are you planning to skip paying?"
Well, rich people really did have bizarre logic. How petty could he be?
Yun Xinyu pressed her lips together and returned. Luo Fan handed her his phone to input her number.
But there was a password.
She tried simple combinations like "1234" and "4321," then Luo Fan’s birthday—none worked.
"There’s a password..." she said helplessly.
Luo Fan suddenly seemed to remember something. He snatched the phone, hurriedly entered a string of numbers, and thrust it back at her. "Hurry up."
Seeing his solemn expression, Yun Xinyu’s curiosity ignited. Could the password be...?
She subtly angled the phone away from his view, turned off the screen, then reopened it. In the password field, she entered her own birthday.
It unlocked.
The cold, detached image of Luo Fan in her mind suddenly clashed violently with this discovery. Her thoughts spiraled into chaos.
Though she wanted to mock him mercilessly, she held back for the sake of the campus heartthrob’s dignity. She obediently entered her number, then mischievously set her contact name to: "Guess."
She tossed the phone back to Luo Fan, grabbed her dress, and vanished through the door.
———————————
After changing at home, Yun Xinyu rushed to the fashion show venue with the wrinkled dress.
The manager examined the ruined garment with a pained expression. "It’s fine," Yun Xinyu said carefully. "Just tell me how much I need to pay."
"Pay? Can you even afford it? This is Emily’s limited-edition release! Only ten exist worldwide! We displayed it for this show because we trusted you, yet look what you’ve done! Do you have any professionalism? Any respect for—"
Someone suddenly whispered to the manager, whose fury instantly transformed into a reverent smile. "Miss, may I ask... are you acquainted with President Luo?"
"Uh... no."
"Then why did he carry you out earlier?"
"Probably because I fainted. Any decent person would send someone to the hospital."
"I see. In that case, you’ll pay the full price—500,000. We’re already not holding you responsible for ruining the show. Look at this tear from your heel!"
Yun Xinyu stared at the gash in the fabric and the manager’s chameleon-like face, mind reeling.
Could she claim she knew him now? Was it too late?
Would that really get her out of paying?
Was such luck possible?
Worth a try.
"Actually, I do know President Luo. Oh right, Luo Fan! We’re old friends."
She watched the manager’s expression shift to awe and sweetness. Success! No payment needed!
But a cold voice shattered her hope: "Pay up. I don’t know her."
Yun Xinyu desperately turned to Luo Fan, who stood arms crossed beside the 500,000-yuan dress. "We do know each other! Think harder!"
Her pleading gaze screamed Just nod and save me half a million!
"Ah, I recall. Aren’t you that bar—"
Yun Xinyu lunged to cut him off: "No no no! We’re strangers! I’ll pay!"
"Can I pay in installments?"
"No." The manager glared.
"Can I delay the payment? I’m short right now..."
"No." Luo Fan’s reply came as the manager nodded obediently.
Tyrant. Absolute tyrant.
Defeated, Yun Xinyu muttered, "Then I’ll change my number."
"No payment needed. She’s my schoolmate."
Relief washed over her. "Yes, I’m President Luo’s schoolmate. So... no full compensation?"
"Compensation? Oh, none needed! Keep the dress!"
The manager’s starstruck gaze left Yun Xinyu baffled.
Luo Fan turned to leave, throwing over his shoulder with bitter emphasis:
"My ex. Goodbye."
Yun Xinyu stared at his retreating figure.
His ex?
Had he not dated anyone all these years?
...Wait, was that really her focus?
(End of Chapter)
