Chapter 177: That email was sent by you, wasn't it?

Ten o'clock at night, the night wind was fierce, blowing until it hurt, yet warm enough to make one feel restless.

If the Kawasaki Ninja H2 was like a wild wolf crouching in rest, then the Maybach was like a fierce tiger poised to strike. The two sides stood in a silent standoff in the darkness, with only the Maybach's two headlights shooting out a wide, straight beam of light, leaving the three figures with nowhere to hide.

The two men stood tall and upright, separated by a distance that was neither near nor far. Their gazes met for a brief moment; amidst the glint of blades and shadows of blood, there lay sharpness and edge.

It was as if sparks were faintly smoldering; a single spark would be enough to instantly ignite the entire silence.

Su Ruoyun looked up, her body half-limp as she leaned into Huo Jingcheng's embrace, unable to support herself, her right hand clutching his forearm to barely maintain her balance.

This time, it didn't feel like the last time at the Family Courtyard, nor did it feel like that time at the 'One River Tobacco' tea house...

Passing through each hurdle safely had made her mistakenly believe that everything could go as she imagined—that after smoothly resolving the 'conflict' between Su Mingyan and Huo Jingcheng, she could then make her relationship with Huo Jingcheng public.

But reality was far from the 'perfect' picture she had imagined, where everything could go according to one's wishes.

Huo Jingcheng stroked her soft hair, the smooth texture under his touch, steadily shielding her in his arms. His expression was as calm as the sea, though his deep brows and eyes revealed a profound meaning that was hard to fathom.

The voice that spoke was low and resonant, carrying a hint of reassurance: "You go up first."

Su Mingyan was in the heat of anger; the current situation was not suitable for explanations or confessions.

In case they really came to blows later, it was even less suitable for Su Ruoyun to be present.

Su Ruoyun gripped Huo Jingcheng's lean, powerful wrist, squeezing a sentence from the corner of her lips, saying softly: "Don't fight."

"I know."

One of her arms was wrapped around Huo Jingcheng's waist; the mature man's waist was straight and firm, possessing a steady reliability.

Not far away.

Watching the scene of the two of them being so affectionate, Su Mingyan let out a faint scoff, his lips curling slightly, though there was no trace of a smile in his eyes.

He watched from the side as if observing a play, knocking a cigarette out of the pack, then holding it between his thin lips, before fishing a custom silver lighter from his suit pocket.

With one hand shielding the end of the cigarette, the other hand flicked the lighter—a 'clink' sound, a side-swipe to strike the flame, and he lit the thin cigarette.

Su Mingyan took a deep drag, withdrew his gaze from the whispering pair, tilted his head back, and stared casually at the streetlights nearby.

As the heavy nicotine filled his lungs, he slowly exhaled a breath. The left hand holding the thin cigarette showed clearly protruding, pale blue veins.

The cigarette burned silently, the blue-white smoke swirling and rising from his fingertips, the black and white ash drifting down slowly. The expression hidden behind the smoke was bland, carrying Su Mingyan's scrutiny and appraisal.

Over there, even though Su Ruoyun was worried, she knew she couldn't change the current situation, so she walked step by step toward the stairwell.

The bright moonlight fell, illuminating her path. The night wind brushed past, blowing up her loose long hair, and her shadow on the ground gradually stretched longer.

Approaching Su Mingyan's side, Su Ruoyun obediently called out "Brother," her two hands folded in front of her, her ten fingers fidgeting back and forth.

Su Mingyan ignored her, just kept tilting his head to look at the streetlight. The dim yellow light enveloped his entire body, faintly giving off a sense of 'loneliness,' like the desolation after being 'betrayed' and deceived.

Seeing this, Su Ruoyun silently looked back at Huo Jingcheng. Seeing Huo Jingcheng nod at her, she pursed her lips and then continued walking into the stairwell.

The sound of her high heels, 'da-da-da,' gradually faded into the distance. Once Su Ruoyun's figure disappeared into the stairwell, Su Mingyan moved his wrist, cleanly and decisively throwing the unfinished cigarette at his feet, stepping forward with his leather shoe, his toe grinding the smoldering cigarette butt.

The action carried a sense of ruthlessness, grinding back and forth, as if he were 'torturing' the cigarette butt as if it were Huo Jingcheng.

The hand still holding the lighter closed its distinct five fingers, gripping the metal lighter inside his palm; it felt cold, yet faintly carried the warmth from having just struck the flame.

In an instant, Su Mingyan tucked the lighter into his pocket, his long legs then taking a few steps forward, stopping at a distance of one step from Huo Jingcheng, standing face to face.

Huo Jingcheng was about to speak, the stray hair on his forehead trembling in the wind.

In a flash, Su Mingyan suddenly raised his hand and grabbed the fabric of Huo Jingcheng's collar. Huo Jingcheng was caught off guard and let him pull his collar, stumbling forward in a disheveled manner.

Su Mingyan pulled him in front of himself without mercy; the two men were of similar height.

As their eyes met.

"When did this happen?"

"Early June," Huo Jingcheng said truthfully.

For a whole month, he had been kept in the dark by the two of them pretending to be 'unacquainted.' Su Mingyan was so angry he laughed, the arc of his lips curling up, yet devoid of any warmth.

He let out a heavy breath, closed his eyes slightly, and with self-control, let go and took a step back.

For a long time.

Su Mingyan gradually recovered his calm from the fluctuating emotions, his face flat and waveless, like a deep pool with no visible bottom.

He gazed into Huo Jingcheng's black eyes, and everything became clear.

Su Mingyan suddenly spoke, his voice low and carrying an unquestionable tone: "That email was sent by you, wasn't it?"

As the words fell, the surroundings were silent, with only the sound of cicadas echoing his words, spreading clearly between the two.

Su Mingyan did not specify which email, but he was inexplicably certain that Huo Jingcheng knew.

Huo Jingcheng's thin lips parted slightly, "Half and half."

It was he who had Min Qinwen send it to Hengfeng, but it hadn't passed through his own hands, and he wasn't clear on the contents.

"Does Su Ruoyun know?"

Su Mingyan called her by her full name, clearly feeling extremely dissatisfied with his own sister.

Huo Jingcheng confessed truthfully: "She doesn't."

Hearing this, Su Mingyan lifted his chin coldly, his handsome face expressionless, his tone icy and piercing: "Are you calculating against her, or are you calculating against me?"

Huo Jingcheng lowered his eyelids, hesitating for a moment.

His ink-black pupils raised slightly, his eyelids lifting along with them. He looked straight ahead without wavering, ultimately choosing to speak the truth:

"... Both."

Having reached this point, Huo Jingcheng became increasingly open.

On one hand, it was because Su Ruoyun kept refusing to go public, leaving him unable to 'take the stage'; on the other hand, the 'grudges' between him and Su Mingyan had to be resolved.

To gain Su Mingyan's approval of his relationship with Su Ruoyun, this step was key.

Su Mingyan seemed to be laughed at by his own anger. After laughing, his expression turned to ice, and he said clearly, word by word.

"Do you really think I don't dare to hit you?" ===== CHAPTER 178 =====