6 What a Clear Conscience

"I just said it in a fit of anger." Huo Zhenzhen managed to say this sentence in a self-righteous manner with a hint of grievance.

Women are born with that kind of power.

No matter how harsh my words are, it's because you've made me angry. You cannot hang on to this or you are just being a petty man.

When you men say such awful things, that must be what you really think, or you would not have said it.

Usually, Huo Zhenzhen was quite good at putting on a show for him. For her to say something like that was already a huge concession from her. It was an indication from her that she was ready to accept Liu Qing's explanation and apology.

Based on their usual practice, at this moment, Liu Qing would have told her that 'I also said it in a fit of anger'. Then, Huo Zhenzhen would use an aggrieved and flighty tone to say 'you must be telling the truth, you just wanted to break up with me'. Then, Liu Qing would swear that he indeed said what he said in a fit of anger. Then after a little toing and froing, the two of them would realize that they were still in love with each other and have a reconciliation.

Well, that was what they used to do.

This time it would not work.

Liu Qing's lips curled into a mocking smile. "Did you say that in a fit of anger? Why? Your manager does not want to take you in? Do you intend to make do with a spare tire like me for now?"

When he said this, Huo Zhenzhen's face turned pale. "How did you… What do you mean?"

At first she panicked, then the panic on her face turned to anger.

"Liu Qing, let me tell you this. You can break up with me if you want, but don't slander me!"

At first, she wondered if Liu Qing had found out about the relationship between her and the manager.

However, on second thought, she felt that it was impossible.

She had always been cautious and had not given herself away. Liu Qing did not know the password to her phone either. Even if he had the password to unlock her phone, he still might not be able to find the software that she used to contact the manager. Most people would not think of using a video app to maintain an affair.

Their relationship was still fine yesterday and she did not notice anything unusual this morning. Why did he suddenly become like this?

A terrifying thought flashed through her mind. Could it be that the manager had discovered the fact that she and Liu Qing were cohabiting and he had told Liu Qing about the affair?

If so, she was about to lose everything.

However, on second thought, she felt that it did not seem possible.

During the day, the manager behaved normally at work. The two of them had even gotten together during their lunch break and everything seemed normal when they got off work.

When Liu Qing said that he wanted to break up, it was in the afternoon before she got off work.

"He's bluffing!"

"Maybe he thought of this because I used to brag to him that our manager was capable."

"That must be it!"

"He can't be holding on to any real proof!"

"I must deny it!"

"Otherwise, when he finds out the truth, he won't let it go!"

The more guilty she felt, the stronger her reaction became. She was practically shrieking.

"What do you mean by spare tire? What's between me and the manager? Why would he take me in? Liu Qing, explain clearly or I won't let you off!"

Liu Qing was very annoyed. "I really admire you. I want to know how you can be so self-righteous while doing those sordid things?"

"Tell me what sordid things I have done. Say it. Tell me!"

Huo Zhenzhen screamed at him.

She felt that it was impossible for Liu Qing to have any evidence, so she was fearless.

Of course, she could not have imagined that the Liu Qing in front of her had been reborn and had returned from more than two years later.

There were certain things that the current Liu Qing could not have known at this point in time, but he had already seen them in the future.

In that life, after Huo Zhenzhen broke up with Liu Qing, she got married to her manager and had children very soon after.

At that time, Liu Qing still thought that it was because he did not have the capability to give her a happy future and he was in a state of self-denial.

Later on, he accidentally came across the manager's account on a video app. He watched all the videos one by one and read each and every comment. Only then did he realize that Huo Zhenzhen had already been seeing that manager for more than a year before she broke up with him.

For more than a year, Huo Zhenzhen had sucked his blood while having an affair with another man. At the same time, she expressed her despise for him in different ways and stripped away his confidence, causing him to be trapped in a cycle of serious self-doubt for a long time after they broke up.

After knowing the truth, he hated her as much as he had loved her in the past.

He looked at Huo Zhenzhen and sneered.

"During the New Year last year, when you said you were going back to your hometown to visit your parents, you had actually gone traveling with your manager, right?"

Huo Zhenzhen was shocked. How did he know?

Immediately, she said angrily, "That's bullshit!"

Liu Qing held out his hand. "Do you want to unlock your phone and let me check it? I won't look at anything else but the video app."

As soon as he said the name of the app, Huo Zhenzhen realized that Liu Qing really knew about the affair between her and the manager.

Furious, she said, "You're not a cop. Why should I let you check my phone?"

Liu Qing laughed scornfully. "You should let me check it so that you can prove your innocence."

"I repeat, I am innocent!"

After saying that, Huo Zhenzhen spoke again.

"There's nothing in my phone, so it's actually fine to let you check it. However, when two people are with each other, it's most important to have trust. Now that you suspect that I've betrayed you, it means that you no longer have basic trust in me. In that case, there's really no point in us being together. Let's break up!"

Liu Qing laughed. "I never said I don't want to break up. Isn't it good to break up? I don't have to be your spare tire anymore. I don't have to be sucked dry. You can also live with your one true love. We would each get what we want. Isn't that good?"

"I've never thought of you as a spare tire. I'm with you because I want to spend my life with you."

After saying this, she immediately continued talking so that Liu Qing would not have a chance to refute her.

"But if you want to think like that, that's up to you. I won't refute what you say. Anyway, I didn't do anything wrong when I was with you. My conscience is clear!"

"What a clear conscience!" Liu Qing clapped and laughed.

Did he hate her?

Yes, he hated her.

Yet suddenly he did not hate her so much.

A woman like that was not worth hating.

She was just disgusting and detestable.

Huo Zhenzhen realized that she could not continue staying in this place. He already knew the truth, so he would not allow her to stay there anymore. She did not dare to do so either, as she was afraid that Liu Qing might kill her in a fit of anger.

She was an office worker. There was a lot of happiness waiting for her in the future. She did not want to perish at the hands of a security guard.

All she could do now was to retreat.

She walked out with her suitcase behind her. When she reached the front door, she turned back and spoke to him.

"You have to remember that you were the one who said you wanted a breakup this time. From now on, I'm free to be with whoever I want. You must behave in a dignified manner and don't do things that would make people look down on you."

What she meant was—in the future, don't go crazy and come pestering me when I'm with the manager.