Volume 1 Chapter 47: Emotional Outburst

“What’s wrong?” Jiang Ming caught up to Susan and grabbed her firmly under the tree where he had once held an umbrella for her.

“None of your business!” Susan suddenly raised her hand and flicked him away.

Jiang Ming hadn’t expected such fierce resistance. As he was pushed aside, he stumbled momentarily, confusion deepening in his eyes. Susan showed no trace of guilt; her brows furrowed sharply, her glare burning with fury.

Just last night, she had smiled warmly, tending to his wound and chatting comfortably. Why had she turned so cold today? Jiang Ming quickly retraced his thoughts, suspecting only those two women could have caused such a shift. Instinctively, he asked:

“Do you know President Su and Yilin?”

Yilin? The way he said it sounded surprisingly intimate! Hearing Jiang Ming address Gu Yilin like that, Susan felt as if her lungs were about to burst—she had to speak out!

“Know them? So what if I don’t? It’s none of your business! Hmph! I’m nothing compared to you—Jiangzhou’s most handsome, the coveted by President Su and pursued by President Gu!”

“What nonsense are you spouting? We…” Jiang Ming began to explain his identity but abruptly stopped, unable to elaborate further.

His hesitation was misunderstood by Susan as disdain, as if she was insignificant in his eyes. Her anger flared up eightfold. Gritting her teeth, she pointed at Jiang Ming’s face and spat harshly:

“Whatever it is, it’s got nothing to do with me! Don’t follow me!”

With that, Susan lifted her leg and ran toward the roadside, waving her hand to hail a cab.

It was the first time someone had warned Jiang Ming with a pointed finger. His already throbbing head now pulsed with confusion. Watching Susan’s retreating figure, he stood frozen.

A thunderclap roared overhead.

In April, Jiangzhou was prone to sudden showers, the change in weather as swift as Susan’s change of mood.

Feeling uneasy, Jiang Ming ignored her warning, quickly took off his coat, rushed to the roadside, and draped it over her shoulders, placing the hood on her head.

“It’s going to rain. Come back with me—I’ll take you home!” His eyes brimmed with concern as he grasped her wrist.

“No need!” Susan rejected him coldly.

Half an hour ago, the person she most wanted to see was Jiang Ming, eager to share the juicy gossip she’d uncovered and seek his help to analyze it, to confirm her resolve. But now, he was the last person she wished to encounter. She didn’t know how to face him—or herself. Within the past thirty seconds, only one thought occupied her mind: to break free from her dependence on Jiang Ming, to pretend she had never known him.

The heavens gave no time to react further. Amid their struggle, the downpour began, just like that first night they met. Only this time, Jiang Ming had no umbrella, and his worry grew.

“Stop this and come with me!” Jiang Ming tightened his grip, trying to pull her along.

“No! Let go of me!”

Susan resisted fiercely. In anger, Jiang Ming wouldn’t let go. Suddenly, Susan bent down and bit him hard.

Startled beyond measure, Jiang Ming loosened his grip. Seizing the chance, Susan broke free, yanked off his coat, and tossed it into his arms, glaring fiercely.

“I don’t want your coat! Nor do I want your pity!”

“Don’t follow me. I don’t want to see you.”

“That’s not right. We’ll meet tomorrow. From then on, we’re just reporter and athlete. Beyond that, I don’t want any involvement with you.”

“What’s wrong with you? What have I done to offend you? If you’re upset because I meddled in your affairs with others, I apologize. But I meant no harm—I was just worried about you.” Jiang Ming’s throat was dry and sore, but the rain forced him to raise his voice.

“No need! I can’t take it! I thought only Lin Tingyuan was a vicious wolf, but you’re no better. Don’t pretend you’re hiding it well.”

The word “hiding” stabbed deeply. Indeed, Jiang Ming had concealed parts of his identity. But it wasn’t just from Susan—he hid it from everyone. He didn’t see it as a matter of principle.

In fact, toward Susan, he had already shown much of his true self, the most authentic version. He had even considered telling her about his full background when the time was right. But tonight was clearly not that moment.

So why was Susan so unbearably angry?

Moreover, hadn’t Susan hidden things herself? Judging from the tension between her, Gu Yilin, and Su Na earlier, she was no ordinary sports reporter. Jiang Ming suddenly recalled Yan’s interrupted speculation in the physiotherapy room that day: the heir to the Su Group? Could it really be true?

“You say I’m hiding things, but what about you? Aren’t you hiding things too?”

Seeing Jiang Ming frown in deep thought, his expression inscrutable, without even a word of defense, Susan’s temper exploded.

She guessed right—she was nothing to him. A stray dog on the roadside, rescued when he was interested, ignored when he wasn’t, not even worth a word of consolation.

Susan gave a self-mocking laugh, her vision blurring, unsure if it was rain or tears. She had truly lost. Though she never really became a “mistress” as Su Na claimed, emotionally, she couldn’t say she hadn’t fallen at all. She opened her mouth several times, then shut it, unsure what to say. In the end, only a childish shout came out:

“Jiang Ming, I hate you! I never want to see you again!”

Without looking back, she ran off. Unable to catch a cab, she would just run home—it wasn’t far.

Jiang Ming was left standing alone in the rain, his face filled with confusion, his heart in turmoil.

Just a moment apart, and everything had become a mess. More importantly, since when had this woman come to affect his emotions so deeply?

Seeing her vulnerable, he felt compelled to protect her; seeing her sad, his heart ached; unable to understand her anger, he grew confused and even frustrated. In her presence, his reason faltered. During competition, he had never lost control like this—standing drenched in the rain, embroiled in fierce quarrels, even now, as if his feet were nailed to the ground, unable to move while watching her back.

And why did her silhouette in the rain so closely mirror the one in the photo taken ten years ago?

Jiang Ming held his throbbing head, silently asking himself, “What’s wrong with me? Am I fainting from exhaustion?”

...

Only after Susan’s figure vanished completely into the curtain of rain did Jiang Ming drag his weary body back to the dormitory. He collapsed to the floor, feeling utterly drained. This was the first time, with the competition still ongoing, that he felt irritated, powerless, even helpless.

He forced himself to shower and dry off, then collapsed onto the bed, too exhausted to reflect. His head grew heavier, his body alternately cold and hot, aching and sore. Just before drifting into a hazy sleep, he couldn’t resist dialing Uncle Chen’s number.

“Chen, Uncle Chen…” Jiang Ming’s voice was hoarse, his throat burning.

“Young master, what’s wrong? You don’t sound well! Too tired from the competition?”

“Help me check on the Su family…”

“The Su Group? You’ve never been interested in business. What’s wrong?”

“The heir to the Su family, that woman—who is she? I want all information on her! Especially…”

“Don’t worry, young master, take your time, I’ll find out everything for you.”

“Ten years ago that summer, was she on the cruise?”

“What? Young master, are you feeling unwell? Why suddenly want to know about the Su heir? You used to get angry just hearing the Su name—talking about childhood engagements and arranged marriages, calling them outdated customs, and refusing to acknowledge any betrothal made verbally between your mother and sisters, right?”

...

After that, no further reply came.