Entanglement of Love and Hate

Page (1/3)

“Qiqi, so you’re here! I’ve been looking all over for you, and you didn’t answer my calls.”
The man had sharp eyes; as soon as he entered the tavern, his gaze swept the room and immediately found Li Qiyao sitting in the corner. His face broke into a radiant smile as he strode over to her.

“I told you, I don’t want to see you. I came to Huangshan for some peace and quiet. How did you even find me?”
Li Qiyao’s brows knitted tightly the moment she saw the man. She spoke impatiently, casting a pleading glance at Xiang Yuanyuan.

Xiang Yuanyuan seemed to understand Li Qiyao well; just one look at her expression revealed everything. She quickly set down her wine glass, nodded, and drew her stool closer to Du Ruo, as if intending to speak with him.

“How can I rest easy when you’re out here alone? Come on, you don’t know what people are like out there—faces can be trusted, hearts can’t. What if you get cheated?”
Standing beside Li Qiyao, the man first scrutinized Du Ruo, then lingered a moment on Xiang Yuanyuan’s striking figure, before speaking softly to Li Qiyao, his tone gentle, almost coaxing her like a child.

Truth be told, the man was in his thirties, robust and handsome, dressed impeccably. When standing next to Li Qiyao, they looked quite well-matched.

Li Qiyao pursed her lips, refusing to look at him. Her hands clutched her glass of plain water, saying nothing.

“Boss Du, why don’t you quickly call Secretary Yang and tell him someone’s causing trouble here? Have him bring some villagers to chase this man away.”
Xiang Yuanyuan leaned close to Du Ruo’s ear and whispered, referring to Secretary Yang as Yang Chenguang.

“It’s just one person, no need to make such a fuss. Tell me about these two first.”
Du Ruo rejected the suggestion outright. He had no issue calling Yang Chenguang, but bringing villagers was unnecessary. If Yang Chenguang were here, a single shout from the square outside would suffice; the villagers were united, and Yang Chenguang held considerable influence. Driving away an outsider would take only a few words. But Du Ruo felt it was completely unnecessary.

What he wanted to understand now was the matter between Li Qiyao and this man—these two women seemed to have discussed it beforehand.

“Oh, fine, I’ll tell you about them. This man…”
Seeing that Du Ruo had no intention of calling for backup, and with the man still pestering Li Qiyao relentlessly, Xiang Yuanyuan simply started recounting the story to Du Ruo.

Page (2/3)

The man and Li Qiyao were college classmates—she studied fine arts, he majored in physical education. They began dating in university. After graduation, with her family’s support, Li Qiyao opened a studio to teach painting, while the man, gifted in kickboxing, won a city championship and became a second-tier athlete.

They were deeply in love; both families approved, and after a few years, marriage naturally became the next step.

Yet, as the saying goes, you can know a face but not a heart. Just as they were about to register their marriage, and on the very day both families met at a hotel to finalize the wedding menu, a woman barged in and caused a scene.

She claimed to be pregnant, that the child was his, and that their relationship had lasted two years. If he didn’t give her an explanation, she’d take the matter to his workplace.

Li Qiyao looked to the man for an explanation, but he kept his head down and said nothing.

The farce ended with his family promising to marry the woman. Li Qiyao was left to bear it all alone.

“So what’s going on now?”
Du Ruo asked Xiang Yuanyuan, eyeing the man who was still shamelessly talking, while Li Qiyao remained silent throughout.

“What else? They broke up. It took Qiqi nearly two years to recover from that failed relationship, and now the man has reappeared.

Even after getting married, he didn’t stay faithful—still chasing after young women. Once, his wife caught him, and she wasn’t one to be trifled with. She took the child, seized all the assets, and after their divorce, even reported him to his workplace with video evidence.

In the end, all he had left was the child.

That was the beginning of Li Qiyao’s nightmare.”
Xiang Yuanyuan spoke through clenched teeth, glaring at the man.

After losing everything, the man learned that Li Qiyao was still single and her studio flourishing. He began relentlessly pursuing her again.

Li Qiyao, having barely emerged from seven years of heartbreak and due to her personality, at first simply refused him or avoided meeting. But the man became increasingly aggressive—not only harassing Li Qiyao but also seeking out the parents of the children at her studio to spread rumors.

As a result, Li Qiyao became mentally and physically exhausted, and even her studio was affected. Even if she called the police, at most he’d receive a verbal warning and be released in a few days. That’s why Li Qiyao decided to temporarily close her studio and travel around the country, hoping to escape his harassment.

Page (2/3)

Page (3/3)

Yet somehow, the man always managed to find her wherever she went, refusing to give up, making it impossible for Li Qiyao to live a normal life.

“He doesn’t care anymore. He’s even been locked up for a while, but once released, he’s back to the same old ways.”

“So… you want me to use the villagers to drive him out, so you can have some peace for a few days? What good will that do?”
Du Ruo couldn’t grasp their reasoning. Sure, it would grant a few days of quiet, but what was the point?

“What else can we do? He’s like a leech—stubborn and impossible to shake off.”
Xiang Yuanyuan fixed her gaze on the man, then stopped speaking to Du Ruo and moved closer to Li Qiyao, hoping to offer some comfort.

“Xiaojuan, stop the music. Everyone, sorry, but there’s a situation today. All your bills are on the house—if you haven’t finished your drinks, you can take them to-go. Please make your way out.”
Du Ruo, seeing the situation, pursed his lips, drained his glass in one gulp, and stood up to make the announcement.

Xiaojuan, noting Xiang Yuanyuan’s silence, switched off the soft music and immediately stepped out from behind the bar to usher the guests.

The patrons had noticed what was happening at Du Ruo’s table. When he said everything was free today, they didn’t linger. Drinks in hand, they left.

“Handsome, don’t just stand there—have a seat. Qiqi, how do you want to resolve this?”
Once the guests were gone and Xiaojuan had stepped away, Du Ruo addressed the man, then turned to Li Qiyao, waiting for her response.

Du Ruo wasn’t someone who meddled in others’ affairs, nor was he moved by beauty alone. But when he’d asked Li Qiyao for help, she gave it her all, so now, when she needed him, he couldn’t just stand by and watch.

Page (3/3)