Chapter 139: Regret Too Late

Zhang Yang looked at the long message, shook his head, and lay back down.

Beside him, Le Man murmured softly in her sleep and nestled into his arms. The faintly furrowed brows on her face gradually relaxed.

“Sleep, sleep.” Zhang Yang held her and gently patted her like he was comforting a child.

Gradually, drowsiness overcame him, and he fell asleep as well.

Early the next morning, Zhang Yang slowly woke up. In his half-asleep state, it felt like someone in his arms was rubbing against him.

When he opened his eyes, a bright and beautiful face with soft, watery eyes was staring at him motionlessly.

“You’re awake?” Zhang Yang sat up in surprise.

Under the sunlight, that flawless figure almost seemed to glow, dazzling to look at.

Le Man covered her eyes with her hands, blocking the golden sunlight pouring in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, while secretly peeking through her fingers at the perfect body and perfect man before her. Scenes from last night surged through her mind again.

“You’re awake but still covering your face. Are you a child?” Zhang Yang laughed as he looked at Le Man peeking at him while covering her face.

He got up and stretched lazily in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.

Behind him came faint rustling sounds.

Turning back, he saw Le Man bending over while holding her chest, picking up her clothes as her long hair slid down over her shoulders.

“Still looking.” Sensing his gaze, Le Man looked up and lightly complained.

Zhang Yang smiled as he admired her slender waist, long legs, and excellent figure. He didn’t make any teasing comments, only pointed to her phone.

“I accidentally saw it last night. Someone sent you a message.”

“Hm?” Le Man froze slightly and looked at her phone.

Zhang Yang clearly saw that she only glanced at it once before casually deleting it and blocking the number.

“You… didn’t read it carefully?” he asked tentatively.

“Why would I read it carefully?” Le Man shook her head with a smile and gently hugged him. “A clean break means freedom for both sides. Late affection isn’t worth a single penny. Besides…”

“Besides what?” Zhang Yang asked.

“Besides, after experiencing something perfect, it’s hard to be interested in anything else.” Le Man lifted her face, her eyes gentle. “Zhang Yang, kiss me.”

Seeing her tenderness, Zhang Yang didn’t hesitate and leaned down to kiss her.

Early in the morning, round two.

Around seven or eight in the morning, the two finally took their time showering and went downstairs together.

Zhang Yang took the Cullinan and brought Le Man out for breakfast.

In the passenger seat, Le Man’s face was radiant, looking like an eighteen- or nineteen-year-old girl.

It wasn’t that her skin had been bad before. In fact, from the moment Zhang Yang first saw her, her skin had been fair and delicate. But now it looked even more flawless.

“What are we now? Or rather, what kind of relationship do you want us to have in the future?” Le Man asked with a smile. “I want the truth.”

Zhang Yang drove the car, thought for a moment, and decided to be honest.

“You know, we…”

“Alright, I know.” Le Man turned her face toward him. “What, do you think I’m asking you to take responsibility? I’m not some eighteen-year-old girl obsessed with love. I understand things, don’t worry.”

Zhang Yang casually held the hand on the passenger seat but didn’t say anything.

Even though they had only met once, he didn’t feel this was purely a physical relationship.

“That’s difficult.” Le Man suddenly said.

“What’s difficult?” Zhang Yang asked instinctively.

“Choosing a partner.” Le Man replied without hesitation. “My first nominal husband was what everyone considered a domineering CEO. Then I met you-rich, handsome, and with a great physique. What kind of fate is this? I honestly don’t know what kind of man I could fall for in the future.”

“Are you complimenting me?” Zhang Yang laughed. “Maybe there’s someone even better than me.”

“Someone better than you? My imagination can’t stretch that far.” Le Man shook her head. “Even if there is, I’m not some destined heroine. I probably don’t have that kind of luck.”

“Then don’t look anymore.” Zhang Yang blurted out.

“Why? Your male possessiveness acting up? You can’t bear the thought of me in someone else’s arms?” Le Man smiled as she looked at him.

“Nothing like that.” Zhang Yang immediately denied it. “Didn’t you say it yourself? Finding someone better is unlikely, and someone worse than me probably wouldn’t interest you either. So you might as well…”

“So you might as well let you have the advantage? Dream on.” Le Man scolded lightly.

Zhang Yang smiled, clearly sensing a subtle meaning in her words.

At a simple breakfast shop, the two ate Shanghai’s most authentic breakfast while enjoying the unhurried morning.

Both their phones lay on the table, messages constantly popping up.

His little cousin hadn’t woken up yet. She and Le Yue must have stayed up very late chatting in the room last night.

“Brother, I’m so sleepy. I don’t know how Le Yue has so much energy.”

“What do you mean? Did Le Yue go back already?” Zhang Yang asked casually.

“Yes. She left early this morning. By the way, brother… last night…” Song Yumeng sent a string of suggestive emojis, trying to extract information from him.

Zhang Yang wasn’t falling for that and simply didn’t reply.

Looking up, he saw Le Man also checking her messages.

“By the way, your sister seems to…” Zhang Yang was about to tell her something when-

“Look at the message from my sister.” Le Man lifted her phone and waved it in front of him.

Zhang Yang glanced at it.

A series of confused emojis and question marks.

“Sis, why aren’t you home?”

“?”

“You didn’t come back last night?”

“Are you serious, sis?”

“That was fast… my god…”

“My sister is already home. How should I reply?” Le Man looked at Zhang Yang and sighed softly.

“Come on, she’s your younger sister and you’re the older one. You’re an adult. Do you really need to report to her just because you didn’t go home for a night?” Zhang Yang laughed.

Just as they were talking, another message popped up on Le Man’s phone.

She glanced at it, and her brows immediately frowned.

“What’s wrong?” Zhang Yang asked.

“Look.” Le Man showed him the phone without hesitation.

Zhang Yang glanced at it.

“Sis, I think your ex-husband’s car is downstairs.” The final line from Le Yue read, “He seems to be waiting for you.”

“He’s pretty persistent.” Zhang Yang stood up and wiped his mouth with a tissue. “I’ll take you back.”

Le Man looked up at his tall figure standing suddenly before her, pressed her lips together, and couldn’t hide the joy in her eyes.

“So you do care about me.”

Downstairs of an apartment building in Shanghai.

Beside a Maybach S680 worth over four million, Lin Zichuan leaned against the car, occasionally checking his phone.

The messages he sent sank into silence with no reply.

The calls he made were basically blocked one after another.

There was no way to communicate.

“Lin Zichuan… what were you doing all these years?”

He took a deep breath and murmured to himself.

Three years ago, when his “crush” left the country, he angrily married Le Man-who had just joined his family’s company-in a contract marriage, agreeing to stay together for three years.

Three years later, when the woman returned, he rushed to find her-only to realize everything had changed.

That woman had only been an obsession.

The best person had always been by his side.

“But I lost you.” Lin Zichuan clenched his fists as memories from the past three years flooded his mind.

Every meal she prepared, every moment of care, every neatly pressed suit before he left the house, every unfinished conversation.

And how had he responded?

With indifference, impatience, neglect, and cold professionalism.

“You really deserve to die, Lin Zichuan.” He hated himself for the way he had behaved these past three years.

If he put himself in Le Man’s position, his heart would have frozen long ago. It was only because Le Man was kind that she had still answered his calls before.

But now…

Thinking about the man he saw yesterday and the interaction between Le Man and that man filled him with an intense sense of crisis.

A terrifying realization that Le Man might truly leave him forever.

“This time, I won’t let go!”

He stood downstairs, looking up at the apartment building without even knowing exactly which unit Le Man lived in.

It didn’t matter.

Even if she didn’t reply, he would keep waiting downstairs.

At some point, a black Cullinan slowly stopped not far from him.

Lin Zichuan glanced at it several times.

A fully loaded Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge worth nearly ten million-rare even in Shanghai.

He wondered who the owner was.

Before the thought finished forming, a familiar figure stepped out of the Cullinan.

“You again!” Lin Zichuan’s eyes narrowed.

“Stop waiting. There’s no point.” Zhang Yang closed the car door casually. “I understand that you want to win back your ex-wife. But I think you should just give up. There’s no chance. Why waste your time and energy?”

If he had been a poor man, he wouldn’t have spoken with such confidence.

But now?

Whether it was his appearance, temperament, or personal strength, Zhang Yang stood firmly in an unbeatable position.

Even Lin Zichuan’s entire family wealth couldn’t compare with his. And even if a family were richer, how much power could a second-generation heir really control?

Although Zhang Yang didn’t have many businesses, everything he owned truly belonged to him alone.

Leaning against the Cullinan, wearing a two-million-yuan Audemars Piguet watch, Zhang Yang spoke those words with an effortless confidence and carefree ease.

“You…” Lin Zichuan looked at Zhang Yang uncertainly. Suddenly he realized that the pride deep in his bones, the arrogance rooted in his soul, simply could not rise in front of this man.

Strength.

He finally realized that the person before him was a competitor who completely surpassed him-in appearance, temperament, and financial power.

“Even if you have an advantage, what right do you have to say something like that?” Lin Zichuan took a slow breath. “Le Man and I have known each other for three years. Our emotional foundation isn’t something you can shake with just a few words.”

“You’re… quite confident.” Zhang Yang laughed helplessly, almost feeling a little embarrassed to expose the truth.

He walked to the passenger side and opened the car door.

Le Man stepped out gently, but her walking posture looked slightly awkward.

“Le… Le Man.” Lin Zichuan cried out in shock.

Seeing the way she walked with a slight limp, an unbelievable thought suddenly appeared in his mind.

His face instantly turned pale.

“Lin Zichuan, I’ve told you more than once. We’re divorced now. We have nothing to do with each other anymore. And I might as well tell you-Zhang Yang is the man I love now. Please stop having unrealistic fantasies.” Le Man shook her head.

“Didn’t you always want to be with your ‘crush’? I think you should focus your attention on her.”

“No… Le Man, she and I actually have no possibility of continuing.” Lin Zichuan looked at her. “Didn’t you read the message I sent you?”

“I didn’t. I deleted it.” Le Man replied without hesitation.

“You deleted it.” Lin Zichuan froze. “What I wanted to say was, after going around in circles-”

“Do you think this is a novel? ‘Going around in circles’? Stop being ridiculous. Don’t actually treat yourself like some domineering CEO from a novel.” Le Man laughed lightly, not wanting to hear another word. “Zhang Yang, I… can’t really walk right now.”

She looked at Zhang Yang with a slightly coquettish expression.

Seeing this scene, Lin Zichuan was momentarily stunned.

That expression…

“Alright, I’ll carry you.” Zhang Yang didn’t hesitate to show affection in front of Lin Zichuan, his rival.

He easily lifted Le Man in his arms and walked straight past Lin Zichuan toward the building entrance.

Lin Zichuan stood frozen in place. Hearing the faint laughter drifting from the stairwell, his heart sank endlessly, falling straight into the abyss.

Inside the elevator going upstairs.

Le Man remained in Zhang Yang’s arms. As the elevator rose floor by floor, her cheeks grew redder and redder.

“Zhang Yang, put me down. We’re almost at my place.” she said softly.

“You can walk again now?” Zhang Yang asked with a smile.

“Wasn’t that to make Lin Zichuan give up completely? You wouldn’t want a man who has feelings for a woman thinking about you wandering downstairs all day, would you?” Le Man curled up slightly in Zhang Yang’s arms and spoke quietly.

“That’s true.” Zhang Yang gently set her down. “You said you have me in your heart, but actually there are quite a lot of women who have me in theirs.”

“You’re shamelessly proud of being a scumbag.” Le Man wrinkled her nose and scolded.

“I don’t want to be. It’s just human nature. And I’m not heartless enough to hurt girls’ feelings. In the end, I’m the one carrying everything.” Zhang Yang sighed lightly, speaking the honest truth.

He had said it before-fundamentally, he didn’t consider himself a scumbag.

Those people who get what they want and immediately dump someone, avoid responsibility, or act irresponsibly-when had he ever done any of those things?

Even girls he had only met briefly, if they ever ran into trouble and asked him for help, he was still willing to lend a hand.