Chapter 152: Kneel Down and Beg on Both Knees!

Yu Wen Si had never acted so foolishly, nor had he ever waited like this before. Feeling annoyed, he nevertheless walked over to the bar.
"Excuse me, has the French delegation attending the jewelry exhibition already checked out?" Yu Wen Si asked politely.
"Hello, sir. The team you are referring to checked out at six o'clock this morning," the receptionist replied deferentially. Yu Wen Si froze, feeling as though his heart had been abruptly hollowed out... Yan Mai had once again vanished from his sight without a trace...

***

When Yan Mai, Damien, and the others disembarked from the plane, people were already waiting to greet them right as they stepped out of the cabin. Yan Mai was momentarily dazed, but her luggage was already taken by men in tailored suits.
"Wonderful, someone is here to greet us," Damien exclaimed, casting a glance back at Yan Mai before striding forward with an aura of unconcern, as if the unpleasant incidents at the exhibition had never happened.
Two luxurious stretched business limousines stopped in front of the Golden Sands Bay Hotel. The large group got out, chatting and laughing, and then all raised their heads to gaze at the towering skyscraper. Seeing the gold-rimmed lettering on the hotel, a wave of nostalgia rushed swiftly back into her heart.
Over the years, she had grown accustomed to locking away her heart, wrapping her former self tightly so that no one could see. Yet, when everything from the past reappeared before her, she deeply felt that some things were simply inescapable.
Yan Mai felt she shouldn't ruin everyone's mood or choose to avoid the place just because she had memories and impressions of it. Thus, she followed along.
However, the moment they stepped into the hotel lobby, gasps of astonishment echoed one after another. After their initial shock, everyone's gaze fixed upon Yan Mai. Yan Mai also stopped in her tracks and finally raised her head listlessly. At that moment, she was not merely startled and surprised; she was deeply shocked. She had to admit it—she was truly astounded.
"Mai-mai..." Damien stared incredulously at the LED screens in the hotel lobby, as well as the posters and display stands hanging all around the walls.
Suddenly, along with the foreign visitors, other people moving back and forth through the lobby gathered around to see what was happening. Yet, when they realized that the woman in those photographs was right there on the scene, right before their eyes, their faces were filled with undisguised excitement and thrill.
What kind of man could possibly have done something like this? It was overwhelmingly, breathtakingly romantic.
Every gaze in the lobby shifted toward Yan Mai as she walked slowly forward, many of them filled with envy. The members of the French delegation looked stunned; they were amazed that Yan Mai, whom they had always perceived as ordinary, could have such a past—and that the man who had bought her creation for one hundred million RMB was inextricably linked to her...

After looking at the photos, Yan Mai's complexion was not particularly good. She didn't even know when those pictures had been taken, but the woman in the images was undoubtedly her. Looking at this scene, amidst the gasps, speculations, and doubts of the crowd, she felt a sudden impulse to turn and flee in panic.
"Xiao Mai, is that you?" the director asked Yan Mai in French, with a questioning look.
With great difficulty, Yan Mai pulled her gaze back and looked at the teacher who had nurtured and guided her. She didn't know what to say.
She had known he wouldn't let it go. Yet, if these were the extent of his tactics, she couldn't help but sneer and mock him for being so foolishly naive. All those theatrical gestures were mere passing clouds to her now; she wouldn't easily be stirred or distracted.
Yan Mai made a silent resolve in her heart, but the gazes converging on her felt like pairs of hands trying to strip her bare... It filled her with dread... Gritting her teeth, Yan Mai whirled around abruptly, only to find herself unexpectedly blocked by a wall of people.
"My dear, you've kept me waiting." Shen Yanlie stood before her with his hands behind his back. Behind him stood a large contingent of men similarly dressed in tailored suits. He looked like a knight cutting through the waves, and the crowd naturally parted out of awe for his radiant presence, flanking the sides like an honor guard to ensure she could see him clearly without hindrance.
A trace of joy and emotion flickered across Shen Yanlie's stern face, though it was reserved entirely for the moment he looked at her. He slowly raised one hand, reaching out as if to brush a lock of hair from Yan Mai's temple, but Yan Mai reacted with sharp vigilance and stepped back several times, denying him the chance.
Everyone held their breath, their hearts in their throats. Yan Mai's defensive rejection caused the corners of Shen Yanlie's mouth to twitch slightly with a forced smile. "Are you still angry with me?"
In this sudden twist, he transformed from a deeply affectionate man into a tragic, wounded figure, instilling an impulse and desire to pull him into one's arms and gently pat his shoulder.
No one in the audience dared to make a sound, even breathing cautiously so as not to interrupt their dialogue. After all, everyone recognized that this man was the very same person in the photographs with the woman before them.
Yan Mai's colleagues could also roughly piece things together; the photographs of the two of them displayed on the massive wall were so crystal clear, their intimacy rivaling that of lovers, and their relationship clearly extended far beyond ordinary ties.
"I've been waiting for you, and searching for you all this time. Darling, come home with me." Shen Yanlie's voice was gentle, elegant, and profoundly affectionate. He resembled a victorious warrior returning in triumph, bathed in light and glory, slowly drawing closer to her while murmuring romantic and tender words of confession to the one he adored.
Yan Mai instinctively clenched her fists. This long-awaited reunion, after she had believed they would never cross paths again, had resurfaced in a way that left her utterly stunned. While catching her off guard, she only wanted to sever ties with him as quickly as possible and escape. This man was too dangerous—he was like a drug. Yet, while an addiction could be broken, how on earth does one break an addiction to love?
Without any warning, Shen Yanlie dropped to one single knee, extending his hand toward Mai Xi Jun. As if performing magic, he produced a single rose and held it out to her. Tucked inside the petals of the rose was a tiny, sparkling star that gleamed and glittered under the lobby lights.

A collective gasp swept through the crowd, only to instantly fall silent again.
Though it appeared meticulously planned, it felt like the most natural declaration of love. Because they were in a hotel, passing pedestrians inevitably stopped in their tracks to witness this romantic and tender moment.
Shen Yanlie tilted his head back, gazing with melting tenderness at the woman before him. Dressed in a black suit, such an exceptional and charismatic man made what he was doing utterly breathtaking.
Everyone held their breath, and a few young girls even clasped their hands together in silent prayer for them.
After a brief pause, Yan Mai slowly reached out, seeming to fulfill the crowd's wishes and expectations. At such a touching moment, refusing to take the rose or accept the ring felt contrary to reason and logic.
However, just as everyone assumed Shen Yanlie had victory within his grasp, Yan Mai lifted her hand high and ruthlessly tossed the newly accepted rose behind her, a scornful smile curving her lips. "If you really love me that much, then get down on both knees and beg me."
A sweet smile bloomed at the corners of Yan Mai's mouth, her eyebrows slightly arched, instantly transforming how people perceived her. With the face of an angel, the words she spoke were utterly unreasonable and viciously cruel, making everyone's heart plummet to the depths with a heavy thud as their brows furrowed deeply.
The excitement and emotion that had briefly stirred in Shen Yanlie's heart plummeted instantly from the clouds, and any notion that he had changed—which Yan Mai had briefly entertained—vanished into thin air. Neither of them would ever be their former selves again...