Volume 1, Chapter 137: I promise you, I will break up with Chen Jing.

Young Master Liang had lived his life for over twenty years with the wind at his back; he had lived arrogantly and willfully, never having suffered any truly serious setback.

But this time, he felt as if his very spine could no longer hold him upright. To him, the entire world seemed to have shifted: the girl who had always orbited him was now engaged to the person he despised most, and no matter how he threatened a hunger strike, his father seemed entirely indifferent to whether he lived or died.

Since childhood, he had been the most eye-catching presence in any crowd, accustomed to everyone revolving around him. Now, he felt as if he had suddenly been pushed to the margins.

Over the past few days, he had pondered this repeatedly, only to realize that the beginning of it all was his involvement with Chen Jing. From that moment on, Xu Zhi had changed, and his own life had spiraled out of his control.

He wanted to regain command of his life—at the very least, he needed to be more proactive and take initiative.

It was just admitting his faults... bowing his head to his father was nothing to be ashamed of. He told himself this, yet his hand, hanging by his side, clenched involuntarily. He was rarely one to speak so subserviently.

Seeing that his attitude was reasonably sincere, Liang Zhengguo merely squinted at him, saying nothing.

He spoke again: "Dad, I truly realize I was wrong. My meeting with Zhi was only to clear the air... I meant nothing else by it."

Liang Zhengguo withdrew his gaze. "Condition one: break it off completely with Chen Jing. Two: go to the hospital and apologize to your grandfather. Three: accept my arrangements—either go gain experience at the company or pursue further studies abroad. If you accept all of these, I will arrange for you to meet your sister-in-law."

Liang Muzhi’s fists tightened even further.

Liang Zhengguo was doing this on purpose. The title "sister-in-law" felt like a blade stabbing into his chest.

His face tightened, and his tone was stiff: "I don't have a brother."

He had never acknowledged Liang Jinmo as his brother. Liang Zhengguo certainly knew this, yet he replied, "Not acknowledging him doesn't change the facts."

Liang Muzhi’s knuckles cracked as he squeezed his hands.

Liang Zhengguo said, "If you haven't thought it through, go back and keep thinking."

Liang Muzhi: "I can agree to the second and third conditions right now, but the first one..."

He had not been without thoughts of breaking up with Chen Jing over these past few days. No one enjoys being with someone emotionally unstable who threatens suicide at the slightest provocation, especially not someone like him, who naturally detested being threatened.

The novelty of being with Chen Jing had been worn thin by the troubles of the past few days. It had been thrilling, yes, but the psychological pressure he endured when Chen Jing threatened to jump from a building was immense. He did not want to carry the weight of a life on his conscience; no one would want that kind of thrill.

As the tide of passion receded, he looked at the messages Chen Jing had sent to his phone and realized he didn't even want to reply to her.

She wanted to meet, asking anxiously if he didn't want her anymore. She said she knew she was wrong and shouldn't have made light of her own life, then asked if Xu Zhi was truly that important to him—did he not care about her life just because of Xu Zhi?

Seeing these messages, he felt nothing but annoyance.

Having fallen to this point, all the sparkling qualities that had once attracted him to Chen Jing had dimmed. She now acted like a resentful woman, doing nothing but threatening suicide or pestering him with endless questions.

In the past, whenever he was in a bad mood—whether restless or depressed—he would go to Xu Zhi. They could talk about anything. Xu Zhi possessed a unique, calm, and peaceful strength; just by chatting with her, he could feel his heart grow light and tranquil.

But now, even seeing her had become a difficult task.

Getting no response, Liang Zhengguo’s attitude remained indifferent: "If you're reluctant, go back and keep thinking. We'll talk when you've figured it out."

"I..." Liang Muzhi looked up at Liang Zhengguo and steeled his heart. "Fine. I will break up with Chen Jing."

Fu Wanwen was stunned and turned her head to look at Liang Muzhi.

No matter how much pressure had been applied before, Liang Muzhi had refused to cut ties with Chen Jing. She had not expected him to agree so easily this time.

Even as his mother, she could not fathom it. Previously, in front of everyone, he had acted as if he particularly despised Xu Zhi; yet now, for the sake of a Xu Zhi who was already out of his reach, he agreed to dump Chen Jing without a second thought.

Liang Zhengguo also found it somewhat ironic. He glanced at Liang Muzhi. "You are too muddled in matters of the heart, hurting yourself and others. In the future, put more effort into proper business; learn from Jinmo."

The lethality of this sentence was no less than a slap in the face to Liang Muzhi.

Asking him to learn from that illegitimate son? He pressed his lips together, silent, enveloped in a deep sense of shame.

In the past, Xu Zhi had once said he was good for nothing, but he had dismissed it. In all fairness, he hadn't put much effort into his feelings, nor had he put much into his pastimes. But he was the young master of the Liang family; everyone else was eager to flatter and cater to him, so he never thought there was anything wrong with him. After all, his family had money.

But now, with Liang Zhengguo valuing Liang Jinmo so highly, he felt an unprecedented sense of crisis.

He should have retorted; in the past, he would have talked back immediately. But now, if Liang Zhengguo refused to budge, he wouldn't even be able to leave this room, let alone see Xu Zhi.

The desire to see Xu Zhi outweighed everything else, and he endured it in silence.

Fu Wanwen felt for her son and quickly said, "Alright, Muzhi has apologized, so don't make things difficult for him. Look, he has agreed to all your conditions. Let him meet with Xu Zhi and clear things up."

Liang Zhengguo gave Liang Muzhi one last look. "Go eat first. Tomorrow, go to the hospital to apologize to your grandfather and tell Chen Jing about the breakup. As for Xu Zhi, I will let you know once I've made the arrangements."

Liang Muzhi finally went downstairs to the dining room.

He actually had no appetite. Although he hadn't eaten in so long, strangely, he didn't feel hungry at all. Sometimes his stomach felt as if it were burning, but he had no heart to pay it any mind.

Fu Wanwen hurriedly called the servants to reheat the food they had made for him earlier that afternoon.

Liang Muzhi shoved the rice and dishes into his mouth numbly. He couldn't taste anything; his sense of taste seemed to have failed as well. He didn't know what was happening to him, but he suddenly remembered the past.

There had been times before when he had thrown tantrums at home, and he had used hunger strikes to make a scene. Besides Fu Wanwen, who would be the first to come and persuade him to eat, there was also...

Xu Zhi would be there, too. She would coax him, telling him he should cherish his health, and she would bring him little snacks he liked.

He didn't actually love those things, but as long as she brought them, he would give her the courtesy of eating them.

She had once cared for him so much, and he had enjoyed that care with such peace of mind, thinking she would never leave.

There was chili in the food, and it caught in his throat unexpectedly. He put down his bowl, turned his face away, and began to cough violently.

Fu Wanwen rushed over to bring him water. "Here, drink some water and you'll be fine..."

She placed the water by his hand and began to pat his back to help him breathe.

Liang Muzhi continued to cough, as if his heart and lungs were about to be shaken out. His eyes were bloodshot, and his vision blurred.

He thought, with a sense of despair, that there would be no one left to bring him little snacks and coax him gently when he was sulking. That person was gone forever.