AADWFL Chapter 25

Yu Xiuming gestured toward the bag. “It’s fine, don’t feel pressured. Jing Yan said people from out of town might not be used to the local food here, and this one’s supposed to be more universally liked. He wanted you to give it a try.”

“Mr. Jing’s from Lenzhou?” An Ning asked in surprise. Jing Yan usually worked in Binzhou and was Yu Xiuming’s lifelong friend. He’d just naturally assumed Jing Yan was from the same city.

Yu Xiuming explained, “No, he’s from Binzhou too. He just likes to travel. His family has business here, so he comes often and knows the place well.”

Rich men often have homes in several cities; being at home anywhere in the world is nothing unusual. So if Jing Yan wanted to spend more than half the year living in Lenzhou, that was entirely up to him.

“I see.” An Ning nodded, taking the bag to look it over. He smiled. “Then it must be good. I’ll try it tonight.”

He then confirmed, “Mr. Yu, you’re still scheduled to arrive at seven-thirty tonight?”

Yu Xiuming nodded, instructing, “Pick me up after, but don’t come too late.”

Private parties like this one could last anywhere from a few hours to all night. If Yu Xiuming felt like socializing, there’d be no shortage of people willing to keep him company until morning. But if he wanted to leave early, no one would dare stop him after dinner.

Normally, he wasn’t one to linger at such events anyway—but tonight, with certain unexpected guests attending, An Ning couldn’t help thinking differently.

Yi Mingwei would be there.
Would Yu Xiuming really leave early?

The more he thought about it, the more tangled his thoughts became. He forced himself to shake it off—this was Yu Xiuming’s business, not his.

An hour later, An Ning drove Yu Xiuming to the venue.

He had no intention of going inside. After dropping him off, An Ning wandered casually around the outer grounds of the private club, then turned to leave, car keys in hand.

The party tonight was extremely exclusive; outsiders weren’t allowed in. But since An Ning had arrived with Yu Xiuming, the attendants knew he was his assistant and let him move freely around the perimeter.

As he passed the back entrance, he overheard two attendants whispering that a celebrity would be attending, and that extra precautions were being taken to prevent paparazzi from sneaking in.

The name alone made An Ning’s heart give a faint, unpleasant tug—like a tiny needle prick. Not quite painful, but impossible to ignore.

Leaving through the back, he strolled a little ways until he came across a city park. Wandering in, he found a bench by a small lake, sat down, rested his chin on one hand, and yawned. His thoughts began to drift.

After all, Yi Mingwei was the kind of woman who could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Yu Xiuming. Out of professional diligence, An Ning had once looked into her background—thoroughly, like studying a client.

Yi Mingwei came from an influential family. Though she reportedly had conflicts with them, the truth was that ever since she entered the entertainment industry, she’d enjoyed her family’s protection and resources. And she wasn’t just privileged—she was genuinely talented, with enough ability and effort to secure her own place in the business.

A girl like that—combined with her striking beauty—was bound to draw attention wherever she went. So if Yu Xiuming had fallen for her, An Ning couldn’t say he was surprised.

Yi Mingwei seemed straightforward and confident. If she agreed to attend tonight’s event, she probably had a favorable impression of Yu Xiuming. And if there was a chance for something between them, she’d likely be open to it.

So, if Yu Xiuming knew Yi Mingwei would be there and still chose to attend—while telling An Ning to stay away—it probably meant he was interested.

The more An Ning thought about it, the more sense it made.

He sighed softly and gazed at the darkening skyline, lost in thought.
By all logic, this should have been something that made him happy for Yu Xiuming.

A gentle evening breeze swept across the park, carrying away the daytime heat of Lenzhou. The air was cool and clean—something that should have felt comforting. But somehow, it didn’t.

Yu Xiuming had a girlfriend now—or perhaps even something more. Maybe she would become his future wife, his lifelong companion.
And yet, for some reason, An Ning couldn’t help but feel as though some part of his mission here was quietly coming to an end.

He didn’t know why he had ended up living inside this novel’s world, but after spending so long here, it all felt… natural, almost real.
Still, in the silence of night, when everything around him went still, An Ning sometimes remembered the fate of the “original” An Ning—the tragic ending that awaited him in the story.

And, as far as he could tell, everything had started because of a love that should’ve never happened.
If he wanted to survive, he couldn’t repeat the same mistakes.

That was the vow he’d made on his very first day in this world.

For Yu Xiuming to have a partner, a family of his own—that was the cleanest, most definitive way to sever whatever thread still tied them together.
He should have been happy about it.

But maybe it was the silver glow of the moon, or maybe it was just human sentimentality—either way, An Ning couldn’t help but feel a little melancholic.

Nothing lasts forever. Every feast must end eventually.
An Ning had understood that truth long ago—especially when it came to work.

He pushed down the rising wave of loneliness in his chest and rose from the park bench, following the quiet path out.

After a long, busy day—and only a quick, half-hearted lunch—he was getting hungry. There was plenty of food back at the club, of course, but he didn’t feel like eating there.
Wandering the streets, stopping by a random food stall, grabbing whatever caught his eye—that used to be his kind of dinner. He hadn’t done it in a long time, but maybe tonight, with this new resolve taking shape in his mind, it was worth reliving the feeling.

He knew it wasn’t exactly a “healthy” habit. Back then, he’d been running himself ragged between jobs, desperate to save money and carve out a future for himself. Eating like that had been out of necessity, not choice. Now that his financial situation had improved, he’d managed to let go of those habits—and he was better for it.

But tonight, for reasons he couldn’t explain—as if he were challenging someone, or something—he wanted to feel that old, reckless freedom again.

There were no street stalls near a place as upscale as the club.
An Ning walked a few hundred meters before finally spotting a 24-hour convenience store.

He went inside, gave the shelves a quick look, and came out with a single cup of instant noodles.

It was past dinnertime, too late for office workers, and the store was mostly empty—just the clerk and a few people hurrying in and out.

An Ning paid, took a seat by the window, peeled back the lid, emptied the seasoning packets, poured in the store’s hot water, and pressed his phone over the top to keep the heat in.
Then he propped his chin on his hand and quietly waited for the noodles to cook.

Four minutes.

Right on time, he removed the phone and lifted the lid.
A puff of steam rose into the air, carrying the rich, savory scent of braised beef.

The instructions usually said to wait five minutes, but An Ning liked his noodles firmer—more bite, more texture—so he always cut it down to four.

He got up again, found a small pack of cocktail sausages on the shelf, paid for it, then returned to his seat.
Satisfied, he dug in with the plastic fork, savoring a dinner that cost less than ten yuan.

Not the healthiest choice—but tasty all the same.

Formal banquets were all the same: time-consuming, exhausting, and never truly relaxing. For An Ning, they were always more tiring than enjoyable.
He’d rather sit here in peace, alone, zoning out after a hot meal, far away from all that glittering, suffocating luxury.

Would Yu Xiuming’s life, once he got married, always be like that—spent among those gilded, empty rooms?

The thought startled him.
He realized he didn’t actually know what kind of life Yu Xiuming wanted.

Sure, Yu Xiuming knew how to make money—but An Ning never believed that was what made him happy.
It might sound sentimental to say such a thing about a rich man, but An Ning couldn’t shake the feeling that, deep down, Yu Xiuming wasn’t really content.

He slammed on the brakes in his head.

Why was he thinking about Yu Xiuming again?
There had to be a limit to professional dedication!

Besides, none of this had anything to do with him.

With that firm conviction, he finished the noodles—down to the broth—then sat back, full and drowsy, dozing off right there in the convenience store seat.

Before his mind went completely blank, he still remembered to set an alarm.

Late at night, convenience stores rarely chased out customers who lingered after eating. At least, that had been his experience back in college, when he worked part-time at one. So he figured he could get away with resting there for a bit—and the clerk didn’t seem to mind.

He set his alarm for an hour later, just enough time to head back and wait in the parking garage for Yu Xiuming.

When the alarm finally rang, he hadn’t received any messages or calls.
So, unhurried as ever, he stood up, smiled at the store clerk in his uniform, and made his way back toward the port area.

The underground parking lot was brightly lit—far brighter than the dim, seductive glow of the club upstairs.
Maybe it was just his mood tonight, but An Ning found it much more pleasant.

The glitter and glamor above… nothing good ever happened in places like that.

He grumbled under his breath, not the least bit concerned that his perfectly respectable boss might be, at that very moment, somewhere inside that “nothing good” place.

He retraced his steps, following the route he’d memorized earlier, heading toward the black business van Yu Xiuming had arrived in.

Yu Xiuming never stayed overnight at these kinds of events—An Ning always came to pick him up when it was time to leave. But that didn’t mean he hadn’t seen what went on in there before.

One-night stands. Affairs. Things even more absurd than that—he’d witnessed them all.

But tonight was different. Yu Xiuming had a beauty by his side.

Would he… not leave this time?

The more An Ning thought about it, the more absurd it seemed.
He hadn’t even seen Yi Mingwei’s face today, yet in his mind, he could already picture the scene of a handsome man and beautiful woman sharing a glass of wine, lips brushing at the rim.

If that was really the case, then fine—he’d just drive himself home.
And when he got back, he wouldn’t have to go to Yu Xiuming’s room tomorrow morning to iron his clothes anymore.

Relaxed.

A good thing.

From afar, An Ning spotted the black business car.
He walked over, unlocked it with his fingerprint, and—out of sheer habit—pulled open the driver’s door and slipped inside without even looking.

Then he froze.

The interior lights weren’t on; the car was still dimly lit.
But in that dim light, someone was sitting in the passenger seat—his expression not exactly pleasant, though still restrained.

The man’s features were sharp and refined; even under the poor lighting, his handsomeness was undeniable.

Yu Xiuming was sitting in the passenger seat.
When he saw An Ning climb in, he turned his head, eyes locking straight onto him.

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Author’s Note:

Left early to find his wife—didn’t even see her (sad)(sad).