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The Devoted Second Male Lead Decided to Favor Someone Else Chapter 25.1
Genius Artist (End) - Replacement of the White Moonlight for the Rich CEO
Ruan Siheng whirled around, shocked. His knees gave out when he saw Huo Qi’s livid face and he collapsed onto the ground.
“Huo Qi… You…” Ruan Siheng didn’t dare meet Huo Qi’s eyes, stuttering with his head down, “Don’t you have a meeting? How . . . How come you came back, without a sound either . . .”
Huo Qi’s eyes were full of disappointment. “Did I interrupt you?”
Ruan Siheng swallowed, scrambling to close the safe and to stand up. He grasped Huo Qi’s arm, earnestly saying, “Don’t misunderstand, listen to my explanation.”
“I saw everything! What do you need to explain?” Huo Qi flung Ruan Siheng’s hand off and demanded angrily, “Do you still want to lie to me? What do you think I am, Ruan Siheng? Some tool you can take advantage of and then throw away at your disposal?!”
Ruan Siheng’s expression showed a lot of hurt. “Huo Qi, how could you say that? I’ve always treated you as my best friend, but I’m really facing a dead end this time! You have no idea how badly they’re insulting me online. They’ve found my pictures and even my work address. They’re forcing me to apologize and quit painting, but I can’t. How is that any different from killing me?”
“Facing a dead end? Didn’t I tell you that I’d help you?” Huo Qi sneered, “But you didn’t hesitate to betray me.”
“Lu Shijin’s completely ignoring you! What can you do?!” Ruan Siheng held his head, laughing, “I didn’t have any choice but to agree to his conditions . . .” Then, he suddenly realized something and snapped his head up. “Wait, how did you know?”
Huo Qi looked at him mockingly, as though he were watching an insect struggle in a spider web.
Ruan Siheng quickly figured it out. Huo Qi couldn’t have known about this unless someone told him.
But only two people knew what he was going to do, him and Lu Shijin. So it must have been Lu Shijin who told Huo Qi!
He should have long realized that Lu Shijin wouldn’t let go of him so easily.
This was all part of Lu Shijin’s plan to distance himself from Huo Qi! To create a chasm between them, thus making him completely alone.
That damn substitute! He actually dares!
“Huo Qi, listen to me. We’ve both been fooled.” Ruan Siheng said between gritted teeth, “Lu Shijin had long prepared for today’s events. He first left a phone number on the artwork he gave me. He knew that if this couldn’t be dealt with, I would contact him. That way, he could split us apart. He might even be the one who stirred up all the news online. It’s all for completely ruining me!”
“What artwork?” Huo Qi frowned, not quite believing him.
“It’s 《Walking by the Sea》! Don’t you remember?” Ruan Siheng thought that he had found evidence of Lu Shijin’s plans and began to gesture wildly. “He used a special paint to put down his phone number, which I noticed at the very beginning! This is all part of his plan, his scheme! He had long known what we were doing, and is now getting revenge! So Huo Qi, don’t be misled by him, I didn’t betray you on purpose; I was deceived by him!”
“Walking . . . by the . . . sea . . .” When Huo Qi realized what had happened, he seemed to have lost his soul, muttering to himself for a while before suddenly laughing maniacally toward the sky. The more he laughed, the more unsteady he seemed, not knowing if he was laughing at Ruan Siheng or at himself.
It was Ruan Siheng’s first time seeing Huo Qi act like this, making him a bit afraid.
“Huo Qi . . . What’s wrong?” Ruan Siheng tried moving closer to him, showing a broken-hearted expression. “Stop laughing, I know you’re really sad. It’s my fault, my wrongs, so I’ll apologize okay? I know your feelings towards me, and I actually like you too. It’s just that I’ve been through too much in the past couple of years so I didn’t want to even consider love. But now, I understand. Fame and recognition is nothing compared to love. Huo Qi, if you’re willing to give me another chance . . . Let’s restart, okay?”
Ruan Siheng acted very sincerely as he said that, tears rolling down from red-rimmed eyes. Even as tears poured down, he still tried to smile. With how affectionate his actions were, who wouldn’t be moved?
Huo Qi actually did stop laughing when he heard Ruan Siheng.
However, his face became expressionless, staring at Ruan Siheng with hooded eyes.
“Ruan Siheng, do you think I’m stupid? That I’ll be fooled by you time and time again? You say that you like me? No, you only like me when I’m solving everything for you. But the moment I lose my value, you immediately cast me aside. You’re the type of extreme egoist who will only love yourself.” Huo Qi’s voice was as cold as frost in winter, “Restart? Restart my ass.”
Ruan Siheng felt like he fell into an ice cellar, subconsciously taking a few steps back. He couldn’t believe that Huo Qi, who had always been an elegant gentleman, would be so blunt with him.