ã€ŠTheir Love Storiesã€‹


 Chapter 1 â€“ May All the Assholes and Bitches Go to Hell

    <h4>Chapter 1 ¨C May All the Assholes and Bitches Go to Hell</h4>

    It was nine in the evening in A----.

    The glowing neons, the fast-flowing traffic, the rocking sses scarlet from the wine¡­ all of these added an obscure and mysterious quality to the night.

    In a corner of the shopping mall across Tianyu Hotel, two suspicious figures kept looking over at the entrance of the establishment.

    Closer inspection revealed them to be a pair of stunningly beautiful women.

    Both were quite attractive. The one on the left was Mo Suqing. At five foot five, she had?straight and ck?waist-length hair,?clean and sparkling?gemstone-like eyes,?and?a slightly?red?pouting mouth. Overall, she had a look of a child, dainty and fresh.

    On the other hand, the?girl?on the right?was five feet three inches tall. She was Leng Xiyao, college roommate and best friend of Mo Suqing, who was also her colleague now. She was sweet and cute, with charming short hair, dancing ck eyes that leapt from one ce to another. Overall, she had a look of a fairy, adorable and lively.

    Right now, Mo Suqing wore an uncertain expression on her face. She gave her confidante a dubious look and said,

    ¡°Yao, are you sure about this? Where did you get this information??Is it reliable? Is the superstar Guan Zixuan really going to appear here tonight?¡±

    Leng Xiyao?casually?waved a hand at her without taking her gaze off the entrance of Tianyu Hotel before saying,

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Suqing. My information has never been unreliable before, now has it? For every celebrity news we have ever exposed, we got it from those reliable sources of mine.¡±

    Mo Suqing thought about what she had said. Leng Xiyao was right. She seemed to have the ability of discovering news about every superstar without any failure. Maybe she should wait a bit longer this time too.

    Mo Suqing resumed her vigil over the entrance of the hotel. She didn¡¯t let herself rx one bit lest she should recognize the wrong person.

    Time slipped by a second at a time¡­

    From afar, a couple walked toward the entrance,ughing.

    Leng Xiyao hurriedly reached over to cover Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes, but it was toote.

    Those eyes immediately went unfocused. Mo Suqing just stared at the direction of the couple nearing the entrance of Tianyu Hotel, dazed, face as pale and colorless as a piece of nk paper.

    She watched the couple walking into the hotel hand in hand, helpless.

    Leng Xiyao didn¡¯t know what to do or say either. She looked at Mo Suqing, feeling rather guilty. It was all her fault.?<i>Why did she have to take Mo Suqing with her tonight?</i>

    Leng Xiyao knew the couple who just entered Tianyu Hotel well enough. They were Mo Sulian, Suqing¡¯s stepsister, and Gu Jiannan, Suqing¡¯s boyfriend.

    <i>Stepsister and boyfriend, cheating on her together? Talk about crossing a line!</i>

    In the beginning, she had thought Mo Suqing and Gu Jiannan would break up soon. To her surprise, their rtionship hadsted for seven years. As her bestie, she couldn¡¯t forcibly break them up, could she?

    Mo Suqing was so stupefied that she just stood there like a wooden stake, totally motionless. Leng Xiyao shook her slightly with a worried look on her face, saying, ¡°Suqing, you are frightening me. Please say something!¡±

    Mo Suqing opened her mouth with some effort, then shook her?head slowly. After a while, she finally found her voice, ¡°Yao¡­ tell me, what I just saw isn¡¯t real¡­¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked at her, pained, ¡°Suqing, don¡¯t?be like?this. It¡¯s all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have brought you here tonight, only to bump into them¡­¡±

    Mo Suqingughed a sarcasticugh. Then, although her tone sounded a bit miserable and forlorn, she also spoke with a new determination,

    ¡°No! Yao, you are wrong. If you didn¡¯t bring me here tonight and I didn¡¯t witness everything, eventually I will know about it. You can¡¯t keep the truth secret forever. But¡­ I never thought that our seven-year rtionship would turn into such a big joke. This is so ridiculous¡­¡±

    Leng Xiyao didn¡¯t know how to make Mo Suqing feel better. She looked like she was about to cry.

    ¡°Suqing, don¡¯t be sad. Gu Jiannan has always been an asshole.?Your feelings for him have never changed, so you wouldn¡¯t believe me all this time. But ever since college, I didn¡¯t have high hopes for your rtionship.¡±

    Leng Xiyao didn¡¯t get to finish. Mo Suqing interrupted her mid-sentence.

    She shook her head slowly, ¡°Yao, say no more. I understand. Let¡¯s go to a pub and get drunk.¡±

    Leng Xiyao drew in a deep breath, then nodded.

    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡­¡­

    At Blue Phantom Pub.

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao sat in a dimly-lit corner, drinking ss after ss of wine.

    Mo Suqingughed bitterly, saying, ¡°Yao, can you tell me howe things turned out like this? Soon after I had?gone?to college, mom passed away in a car ident. Then, dad immediately asked Bai Lian and Mo Sulian to live with us. Every day, I silently endured everything and swallowed my feelings. I lived in the dorm as much as possible, not wanting to go home. It was Gu Jiannan who hadforted me and promised me that he would look after me for the rest of his life and that he would never let anyone, anything hurt me. He said even if mom was gone, he would be there for me. But howe things changed so fast, so suddenly?¡±

    Mo Suqing sobbed andughed at the same time, then cried out, ¡°Haha¡­ how?ridiculous!¡±

    Leng Xiyao knitted her brows and took a swig of wine.

    ¡°People change.?Perhaps he changed.?Suqing, let it go. Me, I won¡¯t change. I¡¯ll be here for you forever¡­ We¡¯ll always, always be best friends. To hell with that asshole and that bitch!¡±

    Mo Suqing was a little drunk by now. She held the bottle high up and agreed, ¡°That¡¯s right, my friend! May all the assholes and bitches go to hell!¡±

    Leng Xiyao raised her ss too and shouted, ¡°May all the assholes and bitches go to hell!¡±

    ¡­¡­

    After drinking a lot of alcohol, Mo Suqing felt quite giddy. She stood up unsteadily and shed Leng Xiyao a smile, stammering out, ¡°Yao¡­ be good¡­ Don¡¯t go anywhere¡­ Wait for me here¡­ I¡¯m going to the restroom¡­ Be right back¡­¡±

    Leng Xiyao was also obviously drunk. She flung her arm casually and?slurred, ¡°Go¡­ Go quickly¡­ I¡¯ll wait for you!¡±

    Then, her head dropped heavily.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s makeup was smeared from crying, which made her look like a?cute andical?tabby.

    She staggered forward, her long, ck hair falling over to the front of her chest. She brushed it away with one hand, then, with the other hand on the wall for support, slowly walked to the restroom.

    Reaching the entrance of the restroom, she looked at the signs with unfocused eyes and muttered to herself, ¡°This one has a skirt, that one doesn¡¯t have a skirt. This one is for men, that one is for women¡­¡±

    ¡°Right! This is it¡­¡± Then, she smiled and pushed open the door of men¡¯s room before wobbling inside.

    A gloomy Ye Zhongjue leaned against the wall of the restroom, one hand cing on the door for support while the other clenched into a fist, forming awork of blue veins. His expression was that of an asura.

    He was doing business at Blue Phantom tonight. However, he didn¡¯t expect they would have dared drug his wine. His eyes zed with menace.<i>?They were all going to pay for this!</i>

    <i>They thought he could be forced with such a lousy trap?</i>

    He sneered and thought, <i>they wish!</i>

 Chapter 2 â€“ An Impetuous One-night Stand

    <h4>Chapter 2 ¨C An Impetuous One-night Stand</h4>

    All of a sudden, the door opened.

    Ye Zhongjue was in one of the cubicles in an instant. Holding his breath, he listened to the movement outside.

    It seemed to be a woman.

    ¡°Asshole! Bitch! I feel?terrible¡­ So?terrible¡­ Ugh¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue frowned.?<i>Why, it sounds like a drunken woman throwing up, rather than those bastards looking for him.</i>

    The vomiting continued. He opened the door of the cubicle just a crack and peeked out of it.

    A woman with?shiny ck?waist-length hair came into sight. She looked¡­ so beautiful.

    However, beautiful as her back suggested, she was also a stupid drunkard that had walked in the wrong restroom!

    Ye Zhongjue tried to suppress his burning desire before opening the door and walking out.

    His forehead was beaded with cold sweat; his expression became even more sullen.?<i>Sons of bitches¡­ how dared they?</i><i>drug him</i><i>?with something so?</i><i>strong</i><i>!</i>

    His every step?appeared?extremely?constrained, his breathingbored.

    Mo Suqing hadn¡¯t realized she was drunk until now. She bent over the sink and began vomiting,pletely oblivious that?someone wasing?from?behind her.

    Ye Zhongjue was just walking past Mo Suqing when?he heard?light footsteps?approaching.

    Ye Zhongjue cursed inwardly.?<i>Such measured footsteps can¡¯t be right. They must belong to those bastards.</i>

    He cast a nce at the woman bending over the sink, turned off the faucet and dragged her into the nearest cubicle without demur.

    As soon as the door was shut, he heard someone talking outside, ¡°Boss, I don¡¯t think Ye Jue is here¡­¡±

    Another person¡¯s voice boomed out, ¡°The bartender said he hadn¡¯t left. Where else can he be except here? The drug is very strong; in a minute, he will fuck anyone including his own mother¡­¡±

    He gave?the?most obsceneugh.

    <i>Sons of bitches!</i> Ye Zhongjue cracked his knuckles and thought gloomily.

    ¡°Boss, someone is in that cubicle!¡±

    ¡°Come! Let¡¯s take a look!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue scowled. He looked at the woman whose mouth he had been covering and who was struggling to break free.

    Her face had makeup smudges all over it, so it was difficult to make out her real appearance. However, a woman getting herself drunk in a pub couldn¡¯t be an angel either!

    Thinking this way, Ye Zhongjue hardened his heart and stopped trying to control the growing desire.

    He covered Mo Suqing¡¯s mouth with one hand and used the other one on her soft waist to swiftly pull down her trousers and panties.

    Mo Suqing was so drunk and disoriented that she had not the slightest idea what this man was doing. She just kept struggling?subconsciously.

    Without warning, a spasm of pain shot through her body. She bit into the hand that covered her mouth.

    The bite hurt a lot, but it didn¡¯t stop Ye Zhongjue from satisfying his hunger. It was sheer bad luck that she walked into the wrong restroom and bumped into him in this state.

    The hoarse groan of a man and the low moan of a woman came out of the cubicle on and off.

    The two men from outside burst intoughter. One of themmented, ¡°Boss, looks like people are having fun in there. Are we going to interrupt them?¡±

    The other man was silent for a while before speaking, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Ye Jue is probably not here. Let¡¯s go look for him outside!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue felt a wave of relief when their footsteps faded away.

    However, there was no way to quench the roaring me. He ignored the struggling and sobbing woman while continuing doing it¡­

    After a long while, Ye Zhongjue finally came out of the cubicle, pulling Mo Suqing along. His expression could not be any darker.?<i>Those bastards! What kind of drug?</i><i>did they use</i><i>?</i> It had been a long time, but the effect didn¡¯t seem to?be?wearing?off. If anything, it became stronger.

    He gave the woman a sidelong nce, face still darkened.

    <i>There is no difference between doing it once or multiple times, is there? Okay then!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue half dragged, half pulled a staggering Mo Suqing all the way to the nearest hotel, Walton Hotel. He was a VIP member.

    He threw his VIP card in the direction of the receptionist and, without looking back, strode toward the elevator with Mo Suqing in his arms.

    Once in the room, Ye Zhongjue took Mo Suqing to the bathroom. He hardly knew how he could have done it in Blue Phantom when she looked so hideous.

    He swore tomorrow he would kill them for the goddamned drug.

    Ye Zhongjue pushed Mo Suqing under the showerhead. She responded by trying to get away from the falling water.

    But, with Ye Zhongjue¡¯s powerful hands locking her in ce, she could do nothing but let the water pour down on her face.

    Ye Zhongjue reached over and pushed her wet hair aside, revealing a makeup-free face that was lightplexioned, innocent and beautiful.

    Ye Zhongjue froze the instant his gaze fell on her, utterly stunned.

    <i>It</i><i>¡¯</i><i>s her??</i>Seven years had passed, but her appearance hadn¡¯t changed much.

    <i>There¡¯s no way he wouldn¡¯t recognize her. It¡¯s really her!</i>

    Joy, fury and confusion found Ye Zhongjue all at once.

    Joy found him because it was her; fury found him because he was angry with himself for having treated her like this; and confusion found him because a girl like her would never go to a pub and get drunk?to this extent.

    <i>Can it be that seven years have turned her into a different person?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s heart ached badly for her. Enduring his own difort, he quickly washed her body clean, covered her with a towel and carried her to the bed.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her cleansed face. It was as attractive as he remembered. On an impulse, he?kissed?her red, small mouth.

    The kiss rekindled the fire that he had barely kept under control.

    With the effect of the drug in full swing, Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes became blood-red.

    He could no longer think clearly. Desire overcame reason, and he buried himself deep inside her.

    He kept telling himself that he would be a responsible man. He would be responsible for her.

    The night progressed; pleasure and passion formed a duet.

    The first thing that urred to Mo Suqing when she woke up in the morning was that her whole body felt like a car had run over it. That was how sore and hurt she was.

    She frowned. Fragments of the night before swept over her wave after wave.

    Mo Suqing was entirely stupefied.?<i>Was it really herst night?</i>

    She remembered she saw Mo Sulian and Gu Jiannan went into the hotel. Then, she and Leng Xiyao went to Blue Phantom for a drink. But after that¡­

    She seemed to?have gone?to the toilet and some guy seemed to?have?shown?up out of nowhere. And then, there was pain.?A?throbbing, excruciating pain. Moreover, it seemed that it had rained and that she was soaked through.

    Mo Suqing could only vaguely remember what had happened afterwards. In fact, she dared not be honest with herself about it.

    Then, she carefully pulled the sheet back. When she saw the purple marks all over her body, she was dumbstruck.

    Mo Suqing couldn¡¯t move at all, as if she had been hit by lightning.

    She had only one thought.?<i>Did everything from the night before?</i><i>actually</i><i>?happen?</i>

    <i>Did she seriously sleep with some stranger?</i>

 Chapter 3 â€“ I will Take Responsibility for You

    <h4>Chapter 3 ¨C I will Take Responsibility for You</h4>

    For a moment, Mo Suqing didn¡¯t know whether she should cry or not.?<i>How did this happen?</i>

    Even though she saw Gu Jiannan and Mo Sulian cheating on her, she wouldn¡¯t have been so stupid as to hurt herself?this?way. How?did she?end up here?

    Mo Suqing felt like crying, but tears wouldn¡¯te. This unfortunate incident dimmed everything, including Gu Jiannan and Mo Sulian¡¯s affair.

    She?truly could not remember a thing fromst night. And also, where?did?Leng Xiyao?go? She must be worried?sick about her.

    When Ye Zhongjue emerged from the bathroom, this was what he saw:

    Mo Suqing was sitting on the bed and holding up the sheet very tightly, or, he should say, bundling herself up real tight. Her expression was difficult to tell;?it alternated between fear and concern.

    Just like a frightened bunny.

    Ye Zhongjue approached her in his bathrobe.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t notice him until he stood right in front of her. Then, she became so shocked that she flinched away from him instinctively. The violent movement sent the back of her head into the headboard. She grimaced in pain.

    Ye Zhongjue went forward hastily to check if she was alright, but Mo Suqing extended her arm to stop him. ¡°Don¡¯te near me!¡± she screeched.

    Ye Zhongjue felt crushed at once. She thought he was a bad man!

    ¡°I will take responsibility¡­¡± he said in a steady voice without betraying any?emotion.

    Mo Suqing flew into a rage. She red at Ye Zhongjue like a furious little tigress.

    ¡°What do you mean you will take responsibility? If you killed someone, would you say you will take responsibility for his funeral?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was taken aback. Obviously, he hadn¡¯t expected Mo Suqing?to?say that. For a moment, he, who had never been rejected by a woman, did not know what to say.

    Mo Suqing felt angry and wronged. How could she do this to herself? How could she behave so improperly? She had protected her virginity so well for the seven years she had been with Gu Jiannan, and now she just lost it to a total stranger.

    Thinking about it all, Mo Suqing couldn¡¯t help but start?to cry¡­

    Ye Zhongjue was greatly shocked. He couldn¡¯t believe she was crying.

    He went closer to her and hurriedly exined, ¡°Please don¡¯t cry. I didn¡¯t mean to do that to youst night. I was drugged, you walked into the wrong restroom, and then one thing led to another¡­ I swear, I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you on purpose. Don¡¯t cry¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was sputtering, but Mo Suqing had no intention?of stopping her cries. Instead, she?wept?more and more loudly.

    During the?past few years, she lost her mother in a car ident, her father had taken in another woman and her?stepsister snatched?everything from her.?Now,?her stepsister?even?stole her boyfriend.?Not to mention, she didn¡¯t get her act together and did such a terrible thing to herself. What else?does she have left?

    Mo Suqing kept weeping bitter tears. They were falling like a heavy downpour.

    Ye Zhongjue stood there foolishly for a while. Then, all of a sudden, he sternly?demanded, ¡°Stop crying!¡±

    As expected, his tone did stop the crying woman. Mo Suqing looked at him fearfully, thinking he was going to lose his temper. She sobbed quietly, looking very pitiful.

    Ye Zhongjue felt his heart soften again,?as he really could not handle her wronged pitiful expression. It made his whole heart ache so much, as if something was gnawing at it.

    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t cry anymore. I will take full responsibility. Let¡¯s get married!¡±

    The reason Ye Zhongjue proposed marriage to her was that he realized?that he had taken Mo Suqing¡¯s first timest night. He could gauge from her response today that she must have been in a very bad mood yesterday. That was why she had let herself?get?so drunk.

    Maybe, for a traditional girl like her who always took great care of protecting herself, only marriage could make her feel secure.

    On hearing what he had said, Mo Suqing stopped sobbing altogether. She pointed at Ye Zhongjue, and then at herself, sounding unsure, ¡°You and I get married?¡±

    She looked about, taking in the surroundings. This hotel was unusually luxurious. Every feature exuded intricacy and extravagance. So, the man in front of her must be either rich or powerful.

    She was so sick of rich and powerful people. Even though she lost her virginity to this man, she couldn¡¯t marry him just like that and lose her freedom too.

    However, he did have a kind attitude. Plus, she hadn¡¯t noticed before, but he was actually quite good-looking.

    Although she had stopped crying, Mo Suqing certainly didn¡¯t sound happy either. She said with a little choke, ¡°I don¡¯t think so.?Give me something to wear,?I want to leave!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her helplessly. He really didn¡¯t want to lose her once again. So he tried again, ¡°I know we just met, but you have to believe me that I¡¯m not joking about marrying you. I promise I will treat you well!¡±

    Mo Suqing was a little moved by his sincerity. In any case, she didn¡¯t feel?like?she had a home anymore. Every time she went home, she would witness her stepmother Bai Lian and her daughter Mo Sulian get their way.

    Moreover, she feared she would not be able to stop herself and give Gu Jiannan another chance. After all, it had been seven years, not seven days!

 Chapter 4 â€“ Okay! Letâ€™s Get Married!

    <h4>Chapter 4 ¨C Okay! Let¡¯s Get Married!</h4>

    However, even if she would love to cut ties with these people by getting married, she didn¡¯t want to marry into a rich and powerful family. Throughout history, rich and powerful families had been aplicated race. She had known best for all these years, hadn¡¯t she?

    Mo Suqingughed, ¡°That¡¯s fine. All I want is to stay away from the filthy world of rich people¡­¡±

    She sounded utterly sad.?Initially, she had thought that if she got herself a job after graduation instead of working in her father¡¯spany, she could finally be rid of the troubles that had been haunting her all these years. Little did she know that real life never went the way you wanted it to. Not for a second was she rid of the filth. By the look of it, Gu Jiannan and Mo Sulian had been together for a while. It was?pathetic?she hadn¡¯t realized it until now.

    Ye Zhongjue was surprised. All she wanted was to stay away from the filthy world of rich people? He remembered that her family was quite well-off too. Something must have happened without his knowing. Otherwise, why would she say that?

    Ye Zhongjue made a decision. He quickly?interjected, ¡°Oh no,?this is a misunderstanding. I am just an assistant. I went to the pub on behalf of my bossst night and someone drugged me. They paid for this room out of guilt¡­ Please don¡¯t misunderstand.¡±

    Watching his earnest expression, Mo Suqing felt her stiffened body rx a little. She gave him a dubious look, ¡°Are you telling the truth?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nodded fervently. ¡°I want to take responsibility?for my actions?and give you a home¡­¡±

    Suddenly, Mo Suqing was touched. She admitted that she was actually stirred.?<i>Home, what a wonderful word. The world is such a big ce, yet I can¡¯t find a shelter. I no longer want to return to the so-called home.</i>

    Gu Jiannan used to say that if?she left home, their social status would not match and that could be a hindrance to their?marriage. So, she stayed.

    But now¡­ ha! There was truly nothing at all that could attach her to that home. She not only lost?all?attachment, but was also filled with great disgust.

    She lowered her head and thought for a while. Then, ¡°Can you promise me something?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue raised his brows and moved his lips, ¡°And what is that?¡±

    ¡°Let it be a conditional marriage. After three years, we will go our separate ways¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue frowned, not getting it.

    Mo Suqing blushed, ¡°I mean, we will get a divorce after three years. However, during our three years of marriage, I will?fulfill my duties as the wife¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue realized what she meant?and?thought about it. A lot could happen in three years. He would take the bet. He was going to bet that she wouldn¡¯t want to leave him after three years.

    He said in a deep voice, ¡°Okay, I can promise you that!¡±

    Mo Suqing was a bit surprised. But, didn¡¯t she get what she asked for?

    She said calmly, ¡°Okay! Let¡¯s get married!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue and Mo Suqing exchanged their phone numbers and decided to go home?to fetch?their household registers.

    After Mo Suqing left, Ye Zhongjue thought about it all before fishing for his phone and dialing a number.

    The person on the other side of the phone sounded breezy, ¡°Hey?Boss, what¡¯s the matter? Are youing in today?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s voice was slow but steady, ¡°I don¡¯t care how you do it, but purchase every single project thepany who paid my drinksst night is trying to get. I am going to buy theirpany in a week.¡±

    His tone was authoritative, leaving no room for questions. The other person paused for the briefest moment, then replied, ¡°No problem,?Boss. Consider it done.¡±

    ¡°Also¡­¡± Ye Zhongjue sounded a bit hesitant. ¡°Procure a condo in or near the Tri-ring Area for me. Not too big; seventy to a hundred square meters will do. Not too luxurious either; just something a normal office staff can afford. Furnish the ce by noon with some simple, elegant furniture. After that, take my clothes there and tidy up the house. That¡¯s all.¡±

    The other person dropped his jaw. He said, uncertainly, ¡°No way,?Boss! You are moving to Tri-ring? In a ce a normal office staff can afford? What¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue remembered that he still needed to get his household register, so he hurriedly cut off the other person¡¯s rambling in a rather icy tone, ¡°Just do what you are told! No more bullshit!¡±

    ¡°Okay okay, no more bullshit,?Boss. I¡¯m going now. Your condo will be ready before noon as you wish.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue hung up the phone. Then, he slowly raised his hand to rub his sore forehead. Needless to say, he had to y his part well for that woman.

    Although he did look a little weary, his brows gradually unfurled. Everything was worth it if he could win her heart.

    Mo Suqing returned home and saw Bai Lian lounging on the downstairs sofa leisurely. She gave Mo Suqing a fleeting nce full of pride and menace. One day, she would kick that woman¡¯s daughter out, too.

    Then, this house would belong to her and her precious Sulian only.

    It was difficult to tell her mood when she casually remarked, ¡°Isn¡¯t it our great journalist? We were worried you were noting home anymore¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing ignored her and went upstairs.

    She came back to get hold of the household register, not to fight with that woman. She was so fed up with this ¡°home¡± that she couldn¡¯t stay here for more than a minute.

 Chapter 5 â€“ Securing the Household Register

    <h4>Chapter 5 ¨C Securing the Household Register</h4>

    Now, she was very pleased that she had agreed to marry that guy, Ye Zhongjue. Without a doubt, she had made the right choice.

    To dispel her doubts, the guy even gave her his own ID card to prove his identity. This showed that he was a trustworthy man.

    After all, she had already lost both a boyfriend and a family, had she not?

    Mo Suqing gave a self-mocking chuckle to herself while climbing the stairs. She knew where her father usually was, so she knocked on the door to his study. A deep, middle-aged male voice came from within, ¡°Come in!¡±

    Mo Suqing entered. Mo Zhenfeng looked up and said, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s you, Suqing. Your Aunt Bai said you didn¡¯te homest night. Where have you been?¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at Mo Zhenfeng, expressionless, trying hard to suppress her temper, then replied, ¡°Isn¡¯t it just what she wants, me noting back? Besides, Mo Sulian didn¡¯te homest night either, what do you have to say about that?¡±

    Listening to her confrontational questions, Mo Zhenfeng felt his head start to ache. His oldest daughter was always this stubborn,?and?always liked to sh with him.

    He knew that she had resented him since her mother¡¯s death. He would bring her back to life if he could, but he couldn¡¯t.

    He was an old man now and didn¡¯t want to fight with his daughter all the time. He did a facepalm gesture and changed the subject, ¡°Never mind. You are a big girl now. I trust that you know what you want and will be responsible for your act. So, tell me, why did youe home today?¡±

    Thinking of what she was about to do unnerved Mo Suqing a little, but she feignedposure and replied, ¡°Mypany is going to allot an apartment to each of us, but they need to see our household registers. It won¡¯t do if I keep living at home; after all, Aunt Bai and I don¡¯t get along well. So, I¡¯m nning to?ept the apartment and move out!¡±

    ¡°Yourpany is allotting apartments¡­¡± Mo Zhenfeng repeated what she had said. Then, he stood up, opened the safe next to the desk and took the household register out.

    He walked toward Mo Suqing and handed over the household register to her. ¡°Here. You can move out. But¡­ be careful. Call me whenever you need me.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Head hanging low, Mo Suqing took the household register, turned and left without another word. She dared not look at Mo Zhenfeng, fearing that she could not hold back her tears.

    Ever since her mom died and that woman came along, she hadn¡¯t known how to act around her dad. Their happy time together was in the past. Their happy family no longer existed.

    Mo Suqing quickly went downstairs. When she passed through the living room and saw Bai Lian looking her up and down contemptuously, she just walked out of the house and ignored her.

    Mo Suqing left the vi and took a taxi to the Civil Affairs Bureau.

    She?had?just gotten?off the taxi when she saw a man in a suit in front of the Civil Affairs Bureau.

    The man gave off an extremely cold and dangerous aura. Mo Suqing didn¡¯t intend to take a second nce, but she couldn¡¯t help it; the air around the man was?too powerful.

    So she took a second nce. And she was startled.

    Wasn¡¯t he the guy named Ye Zhongjue who had told her that he would take full responsibility?

    He seemed to have be a totally different person within hours.

    This morning, she had been too agitated to notice. Plus, he had been wearing nothing but a bathrobe, so she couldn¡¯t look at him directly. At that time, she had only found him rtively good-looking.

    But now?that she paid more attention, she was a little stunned.

    The?indigo suit made the man?appear?dignified,?graceful and smart; his eyebrows knitted just so that it looked like he was deep in thought; his deep-set and clear eyes formed an immense sea of stars; his nose was perfectly shaped while his thin lips pressed together. Overall, he created an impression of an aloof but handsome man.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Was it really the same guy? He said he was just an assistant, but she found it hard to believe.

    Besides, would she be able to get a man as handsome as him to settle down?

    She didn¡¯t feel up to having another man cheat on her like Gu Jiannan had done.

    Just as this thought came into her mind, Ye Zhongjue turned his gaze on her and started to walk towards her casually. He looked like nothing could trouble him. Everything about him was mild and elegant.

    Mo Suqing was speechless. How could?a person?change people¡¯s impression in such a short time?

    She?foolishly?stood there and watched Ye Zhongjue approach her with a gentle smile, until Ye Zhongjue stopped in front of her and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    She came to her senses abruptly and uttered stupidly, ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go inside!¡± Ye Zhongjue repeated what he had said, his mouth curving into a smile.

    Mo Suqing found her voice and said, looking unsure, ¡°Are we really going to get married?¡±

    The smile on his face vanished slowly. He looked at Mo Suqing calmly, ¡°I thought we had agreed on this. Besides, I¡¯ve already told my family about it.¡±

 Chapter 6 â€“ And the Lies Began

    <h4>Chapter 6 ¨C And the Lies Began</h4>

    When Ye Zhongjue mentioned the word ¡°family¡±, Mo Suqing renewed her determination all of a sudden.

    Why not get married? Such a handsome man was impossible to get. Moreover, she did not want to fall for a guy like Gu Jiannan again, did she?

    She also didn¡¯t want to shed another tear for that guy anymore. Last night, she had decided, would be thest time she acted like a fool; she was done with trusting him.

    If he could sleep with Mo Sulian just like that without caring about her feelings after everything they had been through the?past?seven years, if he could be so heartless, then she should really love herself more.

    Getting married could be seen as a perfect way to eliminate all possibility of getting back together with him. She would never believe his outright lies ever again. Besides,?she?had an agreement?with?Ye Zhongjue. After three years, she?would be free to do as she pleased.

    So be it!

    Mo Suqing made up her mind and looked at Ye Zhongjue. She spoke expressionlessly, ¡°Yeah, never mind. I just thought of something for a moment. Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s get?registered.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue and Mo Suqing walked into the Civil Affairs Bureau.

    ¡­¡­

    When they came out again, each had a red document in their hands. On it read two words in big golden letters: marriage certificate.

    Mo Suqing felt like she was in a dream. She got married?just like that. Although it was just a conditional marriage, the certificate somehow felt very real in her hands.

    The smile hanging on Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face was almost indiscernible. In the end, he had her in this way.

    He turned and looked at Mo Suqing, expressionless. ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s already noon. Let¡¯s have lunch before?we head?home.¡±

    Mo Suqing seemed to be at a loss.?<i>Home¡­ I have a home now. My own home.</i>

    She cast an uneasy nce at Ye Zhongjue, then nodded.

    Ye Zhongjue led her to a white Volkswagen. Mo Suqing was a bit surprised.

    After they got in the car, Ye Zhongjue exined, ¡°I work for a customer manager as an assistant in Mighty Empire Group. This car, I bought it with a loan. My house is in the Tri-ring Area. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded understandingly. It made perfect sense. Mighty Empire Group was known for treating their employees well.

    Then, she slowly shook her head and smiled, ¡°No, I don¡¯t mind at all. By the way, I must have?already?wasted quite a lot of your time today. Give me the keys and go to work after lunch. I¡¯ll?be fine on my own.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue spoke without taking his eyes off the road, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so polite with me. I already took?the?day off. I¡¯ll help you bring the luggage to the house after lunch.¡±

    Mo Suqing looked a bit uneasy. The corner of her mouth quivered awkwardly.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell my family that I was going to get married. I lied to get hold of the household register.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was a little surprised. A moment of inattention almost had his car hit the one in front. He instinctively mmed on the brakes and his bumper barely stopped two centimeters away from the other?person¡¯s trunk.

    Mo Suqing patted her own chest, looking like she just came back from Hades. She felt a little guilty. If it weren¡¯t for her words, he wouldn¡¯t have lost his control. However, Ye Zhongjue¡¯s reaction surprised Mo Suqing.

    ¡°After lunch, I¡¯ll take you home and wait for you nearby. You go and bring out the luggage on your own, and I¡¯ll take you to my house.¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded slowly. For the rest of the drive, she dared not speak another word in fear that she would say something that might distract him.

    Ye Zhongjue took Mo Suqing to a local bistro. It was very clean and the dishes were good and inexpensive.

    If Mo Suqing had still harbored any doubt, it was gone by then.

    During their meal, Mo Suqing suddenly thought of Leng Xiyao and how worried she must have been when she didn¡¯t show up at work today.

    However, her phone was in her purse which she had left with Leng Xiyao. Mo Suqing sat there, contemting. Then, she looked at the man across from her whose thoughts she could not read.

    ¡°Can I borrow your phone?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue seemed to be lost in some?conflicting?thoughts and didn¡¯t respond immediately. When Mo Suqing¡¯s words finally struck home, he quickly pushed his phone toward her.

    Mo Suqing couldn¡¯t help but think, <i>I am so in luck!</i> Although the man was only a sried employee, he really was good-looking. Actually, he was so good-looking that women and goddesses alike would be very indignant to know that she could have him.

    He seemed to be able to make her heart flutter with his every move and every expression. What a man!

    These thoughts were still shing through Mo Suqing¡¯s mind when Ye Zhongjue waved his phone at her, bewildered.?<i>Didn¡¯t she ask for his phone? Why isn¡¯t she taking it?</i>

    ¡°Here you go!¡± came a melodious baritone.

    Mo Suqing was snatched back to reality. Her hand?jerked beneath her chin, and her face almost dropped and hit the table.

    Embarrassed, she pulled her head back up and forced a smile, while cursing herself inwardly, <i>Mo Suqing! You silly, silly woman! Fangirling over a guy, seriously? You are beyond cure! But¡­ he is so cute!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue was the kind of man that shocked girls at first sight with his good look?and well worth a second look. He was the kind of guy with an appearance that never tired them. In fact, the more they looked, the more they seemed to be attracted to him.

    To gloss over her fangirl behavior, Mo Suqing quickly took the phone from him and started to dial with her head hung low. The person who answered the phone sounded spiritless.

    ¡°Hello¡­ Who is this?¡±

 Chapter 7 â€“ Talk about Speed-marriage!

    <h4>Chapter 7 ¨C Talk about Speed-marriage!</h4>

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me!¡± Mo Suqing spoke in a low voice after casting a nce at the man across from her.

    Leng Xiyao was filled with energy in an instant. Her voice went up several decibels, ¡°Suqing! Where have you been? Why didn¡¯t youe to work today? Where are you?¡±

    There was distress, usation and?concern?in her voice.

    ¡°Last night¡­ Well, I¡¯ll tell you about itter. Did you tell our boss I took a day off?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Leng Xiyao replied promptly. ¡°So where are you? What is with the hem and haw? Talk like a normal person!¡±

    Mo Suqing paused a moment. Sooner orter, she would tell Leng Xiyao everything. There was no need for any dy. ¡°Yao, I got married. I¡¯m having lunch with my¡­ husband.¡±

    <i>Hmm, that was not bad</i>, Mo Suqing concluded with self-approval.

    Upon hearing the word ¡°husband,¡± Ye Zhongjue¡¯s smile broadened.

    ¡°You what? You got married!¡± shouted Leng Xiyao and Mo Suqing almost went deaf. ¡°Talk about speed-marriage!¡±

    She looked at the man across from her, embarrassed. He must have heard their conversation with that smile on the corner of his mouth.

    Mo Suqing said, exasperated, ¡°Are you trying to impair my hearing? I¡¯ll exin everything in detail next time I see you. Keep it a secret for now, okay?¡±

    Mo Suqing finished speaking and?hung?up the phone.

    Ye Zhongjue studied her, seeming tough but not quite. His expression was cid and mysterious and hard to read.

    Somehow, Mo Suqing felt helplessly exposed in front of him.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± asked Mo Suqing uneasily while handing his phone back to him.

    ¡°Your friend¡­ is cute¡­¡± Ye Zhongjue provided her with an irrelevant answer.

    ¡°What the¡­¡± Mo Suqing looked at him stupidly, not really getting it.

    ¡°But of course¡­ you are?even cuter!¡± Ye Zhongjue continued yfully.

    After a while, Mo Suqing realized what had happened. He was flirting with her! Mo Suqing opened her mouth foolishly.?The simplicity and innocence shown?on her pretty face?made?her even more attractive.

    <i>Did he just utter a pick-up line?</i>

    <i>How could he flirt so calmly andposedly?</i>

    Mo Suqing¡¯s reaction pleased Ye Zhongjue a great deal. He picked up the chopsticks as if nothing had happened.

    ¡°The dishes are here. Let¡¯s dig in!¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Mo Suqing nodded obediently, then she stopped talking and began to eat.

    Surprise shed through Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes.?<i>So obedient?</i>

    He liked it!

    Ye Zhongjue started to eat too, feeling content.

    After lunch, Ye Zhongjue dropped her off near her family¡¯s vi.

    Mo Suqing nced at him, a little uneasily. She hadn¡¯t told Ye Zhongjue anything about her family. She didn¡¯t think he would care if he knew.

    Never mind. She would tell him about it at ater time. Besides, he must have sensed something.

    After all, this was an affluent neighborhood.

    ¡°So¡­ I¡¯ll go and bring my luggage here¡­¡± Mo Suqing said unhappily.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Ye Zhongjue replied tly, without emotions.

    Mo Suqing pondered for a moment. Then, she got off the car, still not saying anything regarding her family.

    When Mo Suqing entered the house, Bai Lian was watching some health and lifestyle show on the sofa.

    Seeing that it was Mo Suqing, she remarked unusually tartly, ¡°Returning?home?twice?in a day? That¡¯s new.¡±

    Mo Suqing was used to her acid tongue.?In front of her father, she had always pretended to be a good loving wife. Yet, when it was just the two of them, she was harsh and unkind.

    There was nothing more capable of changing than this woman¡¯s expression, she thought.

    But then she told herself that she would onlye back here once in a while after today. She would not be roused by this woman now.

    So, Mo Suqing just shot Bai Lian a cold look before saying, ¡°Aren¡¯t you exhausted from all the pretentiousness?¡±

    Then, she quickly went upstairs without looking back.

    Bai Lian was still trying to devise a brilliant retort when Mo Suqing disappeared at the corner.

    She reminded herself that Mo Zhenfeng was right upstairs and swallowed what she was going to say back down. Her whole face went livid with suppressed rage.

    She threw the remote on the sofa and sat there fuming.

    Mo Sulian walked into the house in a brisk stride, humming to herself.

    She was clearly?in a very good mood!

    But, when she entered the living room and saw an infuriated Bai Lian, she quickly went to her and asked, ¡°Mom, what is the matter? Why are you so angry?¡±

    Bai Lian saw her daughter asking and immediately acted like someone had done her a great wrong, ¡°Who else?other?than that wretched Mo Suqing? First it was the mother who abused me for so long, and now that she¡¯s finally dead, it¡¯s the daughter¡¯s turn to domineer. Why do I deserve this kind of treatment?¡±

    Pure malice crossed Mo Sulian¡¯s face. It was that Mo Suqing again. Did she think she would continue living happily?

    Ha! Mo Sulian sneered inwardly. Soon, she would let her know what it was like to be a failure.

    She spoke softly, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be mad. Mo Suqing won¡¯t be able to have her way for much longer. Let me tell you something¡­¡±

    Mo Sulian whispered her recent doings into Bai Lian¡¯s ear with the proudest expression on her face.

 Chapter 8 â€“ How Can I Get the Upper Hand with You Two Ganging up?

    <h4>Chapter 8 ¨C How Can I Get the Upper Hand with You Two Ganging up?</h4>

    Bai Lian looked at her precious daughter, surprised and delighted. ¡°Sulian, are you serious?¡±

    Mo Sulian replied with an evil smile, ¡°Mom, it is not something I would fake! From now on, you don¡¯t have to worry that Mo?Suqing will take away?what is supposed to be ours.¡±

    She nced in the direction of the stairs.

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll teach her a lesson for treating you like that when shees downstairs!¡±

    Mo Sulian?smiled triumphantly and held her head high, like a champion in a cock fight who wanted everyone to know her victory.

    After packing everything she needed?in a suitcase, Mo Suqing took a final look around the room?where?she had lived for 23 years,?and felt?a little sentimental.

    After such a long time, she finally made up her mind to leave this ce. Although there was no longer anything for her to miss, it was still difficult to say goodbye.

    Mo Suqing scanned the room onest time before quickly walking out, dragging the suitcase. She closed the door behind her and took a deep breath.

    From this day forward, the silly Mo Suqing who had been made a fool by Gu Jiannan and endured the taunts from Bai Lian and Mo Sulian no longer existed. From now on, she will no longer have to endure¡­

    Mo Suqing had already?gone to the study and given?the household register?booklet?back to Mo Zhenfeng.

    She had also informed him that she would move out today.

    Mo Zhenfeng heaved a sigh instead of saying anything. His daughter was a grown-up now; he could no longer understand what she was thinking.

    Mo Suqing was about to go downstairs when she saw Mo Sulian standing in the middle of the living room. Mo Suqing was a bit surprised.?<i>When?</i><i>did</i><i>?shee home?</i>

    Mo Suqing snorted inwardly.?<i>Other than this woman, w</i><i>ho in the world would have the nerve to sleep with someone else¡¯s boyfriend, act as nothing has happened and then strut around like a peacock</i><i>?</i>

    How brazen she was!

    Mo Suqing lugged her suitcase down the stairs, betraying no emotions the whole time. Just as she was starting to cross the living room, Mo Sulian blocked her way.

    Mo Sulian stretched out her arms like a proud peacock disying its train, entirely blocking Mo Suqing¡¯s passage.

    She raised her eyebrows challengingly and said, ¡°Where are you going with that suitcase? You¡¯ve offended my mother. Do you think you can just walk away?¡±

    There was a smug expression on her face; it was all Mo Suqing could do not to puke.

    ¡°Get out of my way! Do not make me say it again!¡± she said coldly.

    Mo Sulian frowned. <i>What a pitiful</i><i>?woman! She?</i><i>still has no idea</i><i>?about?</i><i>my affair with?</i><i>Gu Jiannan</i><i>.</i>

    She tsked and gave Mo Suqing a sarcastic look, ¡°Mo Suqing, let me tell you something: You can¡¯t be cocky for much longer!¡±

    She pointed at Mo Suqing and continued, ¡°You are not the boss of our home any¡­¡±

    She yelped in pain before she got to finish thest syble of ¡°anymore.¡±

    It was because Mo Suqing had calmly reached out, pulled at her pinkie hard and twisted it. Mo Sulian was in so much pain that the corner of her mouth turned blueish.

    Mo Suqing cast a steely nce at Bai Lian, who was frightened as hell, and addressed Mo Sulian, ¡°I told you, do not make me?repeat myself! Also, you were right about me not being the boss anymore. Do you know why? Because I never was. So stop being an asshole! Besides¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing felt a passing pang of sadness that hardly registered on her face before continuing, ¡°Besides, how can I get the upper hand with you two ganging up on me? Nevertheless, Mo Sulian, I will tell you one more time. I am not afraid of you no matter what. Remember, this is my home, not yours!¡±

    Mo Suqing finished what she had to say and dropped Mo Sulian¡¯s arm unceremoniously, not caring?about her unsightly reaction. Then, she walked away without looking back.

    When she reached the front door, Mo Sulian¡¯s howl came from behind.

    ¡°Mo Suqing! How dared you to falsely use my mother and I of ganging up on you! You are going to regret your behavior today. I will make sure that you pay for it¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing stared nkly.<i>?Falsely used them of ganging up on her?</i>

    She thought about it. Right! Mo Sulian didn¡¯t know that she had already found out about her and Gu Jiannan. She would allow them to keep up the act for now just to see for how long they could pretend nothing had happened.

    Mo Suqing dragged her luggage and walked out without turning back.

    Ye Zhongjue had waited for about half an hour when he saw Mo Suqing walk out of the house with a silver-gray suitcase.

    The expression on her face was so chilly that it could repel anyone and anything. Ye Zhongjue was a little taken aback, then he remembered in an instant what she had said that morning about her hatred for rich people.?<i>Ha</i><i>s</i><i>?someone made her unhappy again?</i>

    Mo Suqing opened the car door and slid into the front seat.

    Ye Zhongjue was going to say something to her but eventually backed out when he saw her support her head with one hand and rub it with the other as if distraught.

    He thought for a moment and decided to say nothing at all. He started the engine and drove toward the Tri-ring Area at a steady pace.

    Ye Zhongjue drove the car into the underground garage his assistant Lin Ran directed him to.

    Mo Suqing was asleep during the entire ride. When she woke up again, it was dark outside and the car was parked quietly in the garage.

 Chapter 9 â€“ I Couldnâ€™t Bring Myself to Spoil Your Sleep

    <h4>Chapter 9 ¨C I Couldn¡¯t Bring Myself to Spoil Your Sleep</h4>

    Mo Suqing was confused. She turned to look at the man next to her.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me?up? It¡¯s?already?dark outside.¡± She was a bit annoyed at herself. How long had she been sleeping? She fell asleep after lunch and now it was evening.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s voice was emotionless, ¡°That¡¯s alright. You seemed to be in a really sound sleep. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to spoil it.¡± He had ced hisptop on hisp and was typing furiously. By the look of it, he was working.

    The re of the screen reflected on his handsome face, making it rather chilling in the quiet evening.

    However, upon hearing his words, Mo Suqing felt warm in her heart all of a sudden. The man appeared to be ice-cold and hard-hearted, but he was actually quite considerate and a gentleman.

    Could it be that she was really in luck?

    The thought made Mo Suqing a little embarrassed. How could she even consider it? If she was really?that lucky, things should have been much better than this.

    She gave him a hollowugh and observed, ¡°Since it is dark, I assume you haven¡¯t had dinner, have you?¡±

    Her stomach growled as if to answer her own question. Mo Suqing lowered her head in shame, looking utterly embarrassed. How humiliating!

    Hearing the noise, Ye Zhongjue was a little confused at first. Then, the corner of his mouth arched into a meaningful smile, though it was difficult to tell in the dark night.

    ¡°What? Are you hungry?¡±

    Then he continued, as if he was talking to himself, ¡°Ah¡­ I forgot. You must be burnt-out fromst night¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing was about to raise her head to speak when she took in what he had said. Her face reddened like a cooked shrimp.

    She was totally blinded to have thought that he was a gentleman and that she was in luck! The man was a cad. And a smooth one difficult to tell with the naked eye.

    She kept her head low, wishing she could tuck it into her cor and disappear with it.

    Ye Zhongjue knew she was blushing because he had just reminded her of their night together and how it had changed their rtionship.

    The smile on his face faded gradually. He cleared his throat.

    ¡°How about we go upstairs first? You can take a shower while I order some takeout. I don¡¯t think there are a lot of ces that remain open now it is dark.¡±

    Mo Suqing nced at his phone. It was already past ten. She felt a little annoyed again. She was such a sleeper! She couldn¡¯t believe it was thiste.

    ¡°Fine¡­¡± she replied unhappily, her head still hanging low.

    Ye Zhongjue watched her turn her head to look out the window, then he shook his own head. He was still a stranger to her.

    She had entered his heart for many years, but to her, he was no more than a total stranger whom she had known for only a day.

    Ye Zhongjue put away hisptop and said ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± before getting off the car first.

    Mo Suqing followed suit. She watched him take out her suitcase and walk toward the elevator like he had done this a million times. Mo Suqing didn¡¯t have any suspicion and just followed his every step.

    Then, she thought of what they would do after dinner: going to bed.

    She remembered what she had blurted out earlier and immediately felt like digging a hole and burying herself in it. <i>I will do whatever a wife should do.</i>

    Were they really going to live under the same roof tonight?

    They had done the closest thing two people could have done the night before, but that didn¡¯t mean she was prepared to live with him. After all, they had just met.

    Mo Suqing waspletely lost in thought and didn¡¯t realize Ye Zhongjue had stopped. So she bumped right into Ye Zhongjue¡¯s chest.

    The solid, warm sensation and the momentary pain in her nose startled Mo Suqing.

    When she was able to respond, she hastily backed away, only to trip over the suitcase next to Ye Zhongjue. She would surely fall down if Ye Zhongjue hadn¡¯t taken her by the arm in time.

    Mo Suqing really thought she would die of shame then and there. What was wrong with her today?

    To pass the moment of awkwardness, Ye Zhongjue said softly, ¡°Be careful. The elevator ising in a second.¡± His voice was husky, sounding seductive in the quiet parking lot.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s head snapped up. On the elevator panel, the red light flicker once on the number ¡°1,¡± indicating the elevator had reached the first floor.

    No wonder he had stopped walking. It was because the elevator had just arrived.

    She nodded slowly.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Her voice was low, but it sounded clear in the vast space.

    <i>Ding!</i> The elevator was here.

    Ye Zhongjue carried the suitcase into the elevator; Mo Suqing trailed behind.

    She thought of her foolish acts today, stole a sidelong nce at Ye Zhongjue and lowered her head, embarrassed.

    ¡°Thank you for everything today. And I¡¯m sorry you skipped the rest of the day off work because of me¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue had been staring nkly at the elevator panel, but after he heard her words, he slowly spoke, with a glint in his eye, ¡°That¡¯s alright. We are married now. I just did what a husband should do.¡±

    With his voice deep and melodious like a cello and the word ¡°married,¡± Mo Suqing could not help but blush a little.

    Yeah, she was married.

    She had never thought that she would one day choose speed-marriage. She had expected that she would be together with Gu Jiannan, and eventually they would get married and have kids.

    It was true that anything could happen. Mo Suqing smiled bitterly. The shining surface of the interior of the elevator reflected her beautiful face. Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes gleamed.

 Chapter 10 â€“ Iâ€™ll Sleep in the Guestroom Tonight

    <h4>Chapter 10 ¨C I¡¯ll Sleep in the Guestroom Tonight</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue produced the keys from his briefcase and opened the door to the apartment.

    Mo Suqing followed.

    She saw that it was a condo with an area of about a hundred square meters. There?was?a living room, an open kitchen, a bathroom, two bedrooms and a room that she assumed to be the study, whose door was ajar. Mo Suqing could make out a bookshelf inside.

    Her eyes blinked; an indefinable expression showed on her beautiful face.

    <i>This is where he lives?</i> It was quite fitting, as a matter of fact. The ce was just like its owner, clean and neat.

    Mo Suqing took the suitcase from his hand and said in a quiet voice, ¡°I¡¯ll go unpack.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her, expressionless. ¡°That?can wait; you can take your time to unpackter. You are exhausted. Take a shower first.¡±

    Mo Suqing gave him a ¡°are you kidding me¡± look. That was not true and he knew it. She had been sleeping all afternoon! If anyone was exhausted, it would be him.

    ¡°So¡­¡± Mo Suqing looked at the two bedroom and?hesitated, ¡°Which one is my room?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue paused a moment before pointing at the bigger room on the left hand side and replying, ¡°You can take your luggage to that room. From now on¡­ it will be your bedroom.¡±

    Mo Suqing hesitated. Atst, she dragged her suitcase toward the room he had indicated without another word.

    Ye Zhongjue?picked?up his phone and made a call.

    Mo Suqing was at a loss when she entered the room. Sure, the bed was big, but the overall tone of the room was mostly ck and gray.

    Mo Suqing frowned. The man was so cold that even his condo was filled with cold colors. Was she really going to live here from now on?

    Mo Suqing shook her head. She couldn¡¯t deal with this right now.

    She quickly took her clothes out from the suitcase and hung all of them in the silver-gray wardrobe. The colorful clothes instantly brightened up the whole room where originally there were only ck, gray and white.

    Mo Suqing closed the wardrobe, feeling satisfied, then took her nightdress to the bathroom for a shower.

    Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t know that the room he had randomly pointed at was the one Lin Ran had prepared for him.

    He feared Mo Suqing?would resist him very much, so he had decided to take it easy and to not rush anything. He was confident that his coy wife would fall in love with him one day.

    When Mo Suqing came out of the bathroom, a heavenly smell filled her nostrils. Her stomach had long been rumbling. She quickly ran out to the living room and saw that Ye Zhongjue was sitting on the sofa, working on hisptop and waiting for her.

    She stuck her tongue out mischievously. <i>Oh my god, just how hungry am I?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue saw her, closed hisptop and signaled her toe?closer.

    Mo Suqing noticed that he was still wearing the suit; like a business elite he sat there.

    She frowned.

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you changed out of the suit? You seem to be extra busy because you didn¡¯t go to thepany today¡­ I¡¯m sorry to have wasted your time.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t react at first. Then, the corner of his mouth arched into something like a grin.?<i>Is she concerned about me?</i>

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± he reassured her. ¡°Besides, I am the one who should be sorry. Today is the day we got married, but instead of taking you?to a nice ce, I ordered some takeout.¡±

    He nced at?the stunned?Mo Suqing, and said, ¡°Come, let¡¯s eat.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Mo Suqing nodded. She went to sit near Ye Zhongjue and opened the takeout bag. One sniff at the delicious food sent her digging in.

    Ye Zhongjue opened his own takeout, his mouth again curving into a smile at her cute behavior.

    After dinner, Mo Suqing threw the takeout packaging away. Then, she stood in the living room, facing the man on the sofa, looking hesitant.

    Ye Zhongjue raised his eyebrows at her expression.?<i>What does she want?</i>

    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Mo Suqing didn¡¯t know how to say it.

    ¡°So¡­ tonight¡­¡± she paused, looking uneasy. How on earth could she speak what she had in mind out loud? But she had made a promise. She would do whatever a wife should do. Was it a good idea?

    Almost as soon as she had said the word ¡°tonight,¡± Ye Zhongjue understood.

    Mo Suqing closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. <i>It¡¯s not a big deal. I am just going to say it!</i>

    She and Ye Zhongjue spoke at the same time, ¡°I¡¯ll sleep in the guestroom tonight!¡±

    Both felt awkward after they said it.

    Mo Suqingughed nervously, suddenly acutely aware of her hands and feet.

    ¡°Umm¡­¡± her expression was very uneasy.

    ¡°This is your house. You should be the one who sleeps in the main bedroom. I can stay?in?the guestroom¡­¡±

    Then, fearing that Ye Zhongjue would take it the wrong way, she hastily added, ¡°Don¡¯t take it the wrong way. It¡¯s just I am still getting used to all of this. I won¡¯t sleep in the guestroom forever¡­¡±

    She lowered her head like a child who had done something wrong.

    Ye Zhongjue sighed heavily.

    ¡°This is your house too, you know.¡±

    Hearing his words, Mo Suqing nodded vigorously. ¡°I know! I will try my best to feel the same way!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue felt even more helpless at her words.

    He sighed inwardly. Things like this couldn¡¯t be forced. He would take his time.

 Chapter 11 â€“ What does Your Man Look Like?

    <h4>Chapter 11 ¨C What does Your Man Look Like?</h4>

    The next morning when Mo Suqing woke up, Ye Zhongjue had already gone to work. She?felt?a sigh of relief when the door to the room was opened.

    She caught her breath and almost choked. She eyed Ye Zhongjue with an awkward and strange expression.

    ¡°Why are you back?¡±

    She immediately regretted her words and wanted to bite her tongue off.?<i>This is his house! And I asked such a stupid and inappropriate question!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s mouth quivered a little. He didn¡¯t answer her question. He could see that Mo Suqing became very nervous every time they were together. Her whole body seemed to tense when she faced him.

    So he just said, ¡°Come out and have some breakfast. I¡¯ll give you a ride to yourpany afterwards.¡± His voice?had a morning?husk and?sounded very?sexy.

    Mo Suqing?was about?to move her legs. She put them down again and frowned.

    ¡°You are going to give me a ride?¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue threw the question back to her. Mo Suqing fell silent.

    Gu Jiannan had never given her a ride before and she remembered she had been quite envious of those whose boyfriends willingly offered to do it. However, now that Ye Zhongjue would like to do the same for her, she found herself hesitant.

    She approached the table and saw that he had bought some xiaolongbao.

    Sheughed nervously and tried again, ¡°Actually¡­ you don¡¯t have to trouble yourself and give me a ride. After all¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue turned to look at her. ¡°What?¡±

    Mo Suqing plucked up her courage and said what she had meant to say for a while.

    ¡°After all, we had a deal. Three yearster, we will get a divorce. Don¡¯t be so nice to me. Otherwise, I¡¯ll be under a lot of pressure.¡±

    The benign expression on Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face faded gradually into something difficult to read.

    After a while, he replied slowly, his tone making it hard to know what he was feeling, ¡°Well, have some breakfast and go to work by yourself. I have some errands to run, so I¡¯ll go now.¡±

    Then, he left without another word.

    The sound of the door shutting startled Mo Suqing. She stared nkly at the deserted ce and a feeling of loss filled her heart.

    Mo Suqing finished her breakfast, did a quick tidy-up, then went to work.

    Almost as soon as she arrived at her office, Leng Xiyao dragged her to the restroom. Leng Xiyao closed the door behind them and turned to look at her excitedly. ¡°Tell me, what does your man look like?¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s face twisted. ¡°Yao! You gossipy, unrestrainedss! My man? What kind of question is that!¡±

    ¡°Why, this is a perfectly legitimate question!¡± Leng Xiyao protested, pouting her lips and looking as if she had been greatly wronged. Mo Suqing was defeated. It was a shame she was not an actress.

    ¡°You have no idea! When the bartender saw that you went missing and I was so wasted, he called my stern-as-hell uncle to pick me up. The first thing he did was to give me a smack¡­¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s expression became even more miserable. It was as if she would?burst out in tears?the next second.

    ¡°My butt still hurts! So, you have topensate me and as apensation you must tell me what your man looks like! If you won¡¯t do it, I can totally ept a free dinner from him.¡±

    After she was done talking, Leng Xiyao grinned at Mo Suqing mischievously, her earlier misery entirely gone.

    Mo Suqing looked at Leng Xiyao with a strange expression. ¡°Yao, are you sure it is your butt rather than your cheek that is hurting?¡±

    ¡°But it is my butt that he smacked. What does that have to do with my cheek?¡± Leng Xiyao looked at Mo Suqing, not getting it.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t know how to respond?to?her innocent expression. Was she too conservative herself, or was Leng Xiyao too stupid? She had never heard of an uncle smacking an adult niece on the buttocks. Somehow this didn¡¯t feel right.

    Mo Suqing had heard Leng Xiyao talking about this uncle a few times. Now she thought of it, every time Leng Xiyao mentioned him, it was either about him?smacking her or him?¡°abusing¡± her, as if she was just a little girl that needed disciplining. Mo Suqing was very confused about their rtionship.

    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s talk about you!¡± Leng Xiyao waved her hands dismissively. ¡°Exin to me what you said on the phone. What happened? Did you really get married?¡±

    One of the doors to the cubicles opened as soon as Leng Xiyao asked this question.

    Mo Suqing turned her head at the sound and saw Bai Tingnan, their colleague sh foe at the magazinepany.

    Bai Tingnan was also a good friend of Mo Sulian¡¯s. The two of them were ssmates in college and they were as close as Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao.

    Leng Xiyao stuck her tongue out when she saw Bai Tingnan. What was she doing here? Couldn¡¯t she get a moment of reprieve from that woman even in the restroom?

    Leng Xiyao wished she could take back what she had said just now.

    Bai Tingnanughed mockingly and gave Mo Suqing a knowing look before?exiting.

    Leng Xiyao looked at Mo Suqing sheepishly, ¡°Suqing, I¡¯m sorry! I shouldn¡¯t have asked you the question here in the restroom. Now the woman knows you are married, the whole <i>Trend Magazine?</i>will know!¡±

    She screwed up her eyes and stole a nce at Mo Suqing. ¡°Suqing¡­ I¡¯m so sorry. Hit me if you¡¯d like. Boohoo!¡±

 Chapter 12 â€“ An Unfortunate Meeting with Bai Tingnan

    <h4>Chapter 12 ¨C An Unfortunate Meeting with Bai Tingnan</h4>

    Mo Suqing looked at her impish friend and sighed inwardly. Obviously, it was not Leng Xiyao¡¯s?fault. They?had?bad luck, that was all.

    ¡°Never mind. Don¡¯t me yourself. So?what if?she knows??We are not afraid of her, are we!?¡±

    Leng Xiyao frowned piteously. ¡°But what if she tells Mo Sulian about it?¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s eyebrows wrinkled slightly. ¡°We¡¯ll see. There will be a way to deal with it. Don¡¯t worry!¡±

    She gave Leng Xiyao aforting smile.

    Leng Xiyao changed the subject back persistently, ¡°So, there is no one here now. Please, can you just tell me what happened? I am dying to know! Is it love at first sight? Is it because he is so darn cute, so you fell for him instantly and decided to say yes then and there?¡±

    Mo Suqing gave her a noogie, smiling, ¡°What are you thinking? He¡¯s just amon guy. A normal office staff, that¡¯s all. Stop being so curious already!¡±

    Mo Suqing pulled her and was about to walk out, but Leng Xiyao tugged at her sleeve with a worried expression.

    ¡°Suqing, is it because of Mo Sulian and Gu Jiannan? Is it because you saw them together and was so heartbroken that you decided to find some random guy and to just get married?¡±

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t know whether tough or to cry. ¡°I am not as fragile as you think! Maybe¡­¡±

    She seemed to be in a trance, as if she had thought of something.

    ¡°Maybe, it just felt right, you know? Without love, I still have a life to live, don¡¯t I? Let¡¯s go now; otherwise, the editor-in-chief?will?flip out.¡±

    Leng Xiyao stuck her tongue out and followed Mo Suqing out.

    Just as they had expected, when they came out from the restroom, everyone in the office?already?knew that Mo Suqing had gotten married.

    Leng Xiyao couldn¡¯t help but re at Bai Tingnan; Bai Tingnan didn¡¯t give it a shit and just watched them contentedly.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes narrowed and her mouth quirked. Bai Tingnan was the kind of person who always loved to find fault in others. She was not afraid of her at all; sometimes, she didn¡¯t even want to talk to her.

    Leng Xiyao whispered in Mo Suqing¡¯s ear angrily, ¡°We were so unfortunate as to meet a bitch like her in the restroom¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing turned back and smiled at Leng Xiyao, ¡°Okay now, don¡¯t be angry. Have you learned a lesson now? Always watch your mouth and do not incur the wrath of bitches! When they take action, it is very difficult to defend against it.¡±

    Leng Xiyao feigned a cheerful apuse, ¡°Bravo! I have never heard something truer!¡±

    Mo Suqing was about to reply when she saw their editor-in-chief ¡°Abbess Miejue¡± walk toward them with a grim face.

    She quickly elbowed Leng Xiyao once and said, ¡°Get?back to work. Herees the Abbess!¡±

    When the two of them were seated in front of their ownputers, Abbess Miejue was almost upon them. Everywhere she went, the temperature seemed to drop ten degrees.

    Abbess Miejue¡¯s real name was An Huilin. She was a beautiful yet icy woman in her thirties. Because she was still single and always wore a grave expression, her subordinates gave her the nickname Abbess Miejue, referring to the vicious nun character in the famous wuxia novel.

    She approached Mo Suqing and spoke in a cold clipped tone, ¡°Why did you take a day off yesterday?¡±

    Mo Suqing cast a sidelong nce at Bai Tingnan who was taking great pleasure in her misfortune, and answered calmly, ¡°I took a day off yesterday to get my marriage registered.¡±

    Everyone in the office lifted their heads instantly. They stared at Mo Suqing. So she really was married. They had thought it was probably a rumor started by Bai Tingnan.

    An Huilin seemed to be a little shocked by Mo Suqing¡¯s straightforward answer.

    But, she quickly recovered and continued, ¡°You are entitled?to?three days¡¯ marital leave.¡±

    Mo Suqing smiled slightly. ¡°That¡¯s alright. I am fine with only one day off.¡±

    An Huilin gave her a look and didn¡¯t say anything before walking back to her office.

    Mo Suqing shook her head and slowly sat down.

    Seeing that her n hadn¡¯t worked, Bai Tingnan red at Mo Suqing furiously as if she would like to swallow her whole.

    Mo Suqing looked at her, unfazed, and then?continued?working.

    The rest of the morning passed uneventfully.

    When it was noon, Leng Xiyao insisted on having lunch with Mo Suqing at the steakhouse across the street. Mo Suqing couldn¡¯t get away from it, so she reluctantly agreed.

    The moment when they had finished ordering their food, Leng Xiyao began, ¡°Do you know how hard I tried not to talk to you the entire morning? I could hardly work!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Mo Suqing lifted her head and put her phone away. She looked at Leng Xiyao, eyebrows raised.

    ¡°I knew that woman could not wait to tell Mo Sulian about your marriage. She¡¯s like her servant or something.¡±

    Mo Suqing smiled. She was not afraid of her father getting wind of it. After all, she had already registered the marriage and there was nothing he could do about it.

    The reason she hadn¡¯t nned to tell him was that she did not want him to disturb her life, that was all.

    ¡°Don¡¯t fume. Bai Tingnan has always been like this; we didn¡¯t just meet her.?If?Mo Sulian knows about it, then so be it. I don¡¯t care. I don¡¯t care?about?such things anymore.¡±

    Leng Xiyao lifted her head and?was about?to say something more when she stopped herself.

    She saw Bai Tingnan and Mo Sulian walking toward them, chatting andughing.

 Chapter 13 â€“ Have You Forgotten Your Manners?

    <h4>Chapter 13 ¨C Have You Forgotten Your Manners?</h4>

    Leng Xiyao looked disgusted when she said, ¡°Appetite spoiled. God, we can¡¯t catch a break even at lunch!¡±

    Since Mo Suqing had her back to Mo Sulian and Bai Tingnan, she didn¡¯t know Leng Xiyao had seen them. She just casually asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°See for yourself!¡± Leng Xiyao stared hard at the space behind Mo Suqing.

    Mo Suqing looked over her shoulder promptly and saw Mo Sulian. She had hardly turned her head for more than a second before turning it back, unfazed.

    Leng Xiyao looked at her, surprised, ¡°Suqing, aren¡¯t you mad?¡±

    ¡°When you can truly ignore someone, she¡¯s invisible to you. She doesn¡¯t deserve my wrath.¡± Mo Suqing said matter-of-factly.

    Leng Xiyao raised a thumb and gave her an admiring look. ¡°Nice, Suqing! That¡¯s the attitude toward such a shameless, immoral woman.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Mo Suqing agreed vaguely.

    While they had been thus talking, Mo Sulian and Bai Tingnan had drawn near. Bai Tingnan was arm in arm with Mo Sulian. She looked at them triumphantly.

    Mo Sulian adopted a wired tone and said, ¡°Look who it is! It¡¯s our great journalist! Rumor has it that you are married. Congrattions!¡±

    She made her tone as venomous as possible, totally beside herself with rage remembering the scenario at home yesterday.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t say a thing. She just sat there and sipped at her tea as if it was nectar.

    On the other hand, the forthright Leng Xiyao could not tolerate any attacks against her bestie. She immediately stood up and returned fire.

    ¡°What is this mediocre celebrity doing here? Watch her disgraceful behavior!¡±

    Bai Tingnan flipped out. ¡°Leng Xiyao, watch your mouth! Who are you referring to?¡±

    ¡°Who do you think I am referring to?¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Bai Tingnan pointed at her angrily but couldn¡¯t say a word.

    Mo Sulian narrowed her eyes and?gave?Leng Xiyao a fierce look. ¡°I know your kind. You are the servant girl of Mo Suqing who speaks for her anywhere, anytime!¡±

    Leng Xiyao red at?Sulian¡¯s?heavily powdered face and?was just about?to retaliate when Mo Suqing stood up unexpectedly and surprised everyone.

    Mo Suqing did not wait to hear what Leng Xiyao had to say before making a swift response, ¡°Mo Sulian, have you forgotten your manners, shaming yourself like this in a public ce? Like mother, like daughter!¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s remark was very much to the point, criticizing both Mo Sulian and Bai Lian.

    Mo Sulian was seething now. Shepletely lost it. The woman totally went over the line by thus insulting her in a public ce.

    She hurled the ss at hand at Mo Suqing. ¡°You bitch!¡±

    Mo Suqing seemed to have expected this. She turned aside just a little and the ss fell on the floor.

    Leng Xiyao was a bit shocked. Obviously, she hadn¡¯t expected that Mo Sulian would do such a thing in a public ce. Bai Tingnan was dumbstruck too.

    Only Mo Suqing knew better. She had hit Mo Sulian where it hurt and provoked a strong reaction. However, this was exactly what she had wanted, wasn¡¯t it?

    The waiter, seeing this, quickly came over.

    At the moment, the most clear-headed and rational person was Mo Suqing.

    Thinking of the other night when she had witnessed the betrayal by Gu Jiannan and Mo Sulian, she became even more ironhearted.

    ¡°Has the restaurant not a screening process when ites to the customers?¡± Mo Suqing asked the waiter. ¡°This woman just threw a ss at me; she is clearly insane. I want to see your manager right now!¡±

    The other three looked a little stupefied, not knowing what she had in mind.

    Mo Sulian came to herself and retorted, ¡°Mo Suqing, you are the one who¡¯s insane!¡±

    Witnessing the hideous look on Mo Sulian¡¯s face, the waiter dared not dy any longer. He quickly called security to see Mo Sulian and Bai Tingnan out.

    Mo Sulian kept hurling abuse while being manhandled, ¡°Mo Suqing, you are a bitch! You will be punished!¡±

    After Mo Suqing sat back down, the owner of the restaurant showed up.

    He couldn¡¯t stop apologizing, ¡°I heard that youdies almost got hurt. I am so sorry about it. As my profound apology, everything you order today is on the house.¡±

    ¡°We are fine. Thank you for the meal.¡± Mo Suqing smiled at him. ¡°However, you must be extra careful not to let in any more lunatics in the future. Otherwise, I can¡¯t say nobody will be harmed next time. Also, other customers might not let it go so easily as I did.¡±

    The owner nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes, you are absolutely right. We will be careful in the future. Bon app¨¦tit, youngdies!¡±

    Mo Suqing smiled slightly and gave him a nod.

    After the owner left, a startled Leng Xiyao looked at Mo Suqing.

    ¡°Suqing, you have changed! What happened to you thest few days? You were never a badass before, but you really hit the nail on the head this time!¡± she eximed, shaking her head exaggeratedly.

    Mo Suqing smiled at her friend, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. You said your appetite was spoiled by them, so I thought I would kick them out for you. Now we can have a peaceful lunch together.¡±

    ¡°But, Suqing, how did you think of this way to kick them out?¡± Leng Xiyao asked her curiously. ¡°I myself was too busy arguing with them toe up with such a brilliant idea.¡±

 Chapter 14 â€“ Bitches are at the Risk of Godâ€™s Wrath

    <h4>Chapter 14 ¨C Bitches are at the Risk of God¡¯s Wrath</h4>

    ¡°To tell you the truth¡­¡±?With her head lowered,?Mo Suqing impaled a piece of the steak that had just served on her fork and said slowly, ¡°In the beginning, I simply didn¡¯t care to treat anyone like that. Then, I had a strong feeling against being a ¡®badass.¡¯ But, after what I had gone through the day before yesterday, I realized that sometimes you just had to take extreme measures against certain people!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Leng Xiyao looked like she could not agree more. ¡°After all, bitches are at the risk of God¡¯s wrath!¡±

    Mo Suqing smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch and go back to work. Otherwise, Abbess Miejue will nag.¡±

    Leng Xiyao stuck her tongue out and started to eat.

    After Mo Sulian was dragged away by the security, she became so upset that she wrung her hands together and ground her teeth in anger, as if she would like to kill.

    Mo Suqing¡­ One day, she would make that bitch kneel before her and beg for mercy.

    Bai Tingnan touched her arm and looked at her worriedly. ¡°Sulian, are you alright?¡±

    She had never seen Mo Sulian thus forget herself. After all, she was a celebrity ¨C albeit a minor one ¨C and couldn¡¯t afford to tarnish her reputation so in a public ce.

    Mo Sulian was still in a very bad mood, so she gave Bai Tingnan an impatient nce. After a moment, she managed to keep her temper and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. You can go back to work now. I need to run some errands.¡±

    Then, she shook off Bai Tingnan¡¯s hand and walked away.

    Bai Tingnan looked at her back, sulking.?<i>So your daddy has some money. Do you really have to be an arrogant bitch in front of me?</i>

    Bai Tingnan red after Mo Sulian and walked back to thepany in quick strides.

    Mo Sulian had considered giving Mo Zhenfeng a call, but then she changed her mind. What if Mo Zhenfeng learned about Mo Suqing¡¯s marriage and decided to give her arge portion of the stock as her dowry?

    Since Mo Suqing was not going to say anything, she would not either.

    If she had to hide her marriage from their father, it must mean that the man was poor. Otherwise, if their social status matched, she didn¡¯t have to keep it a secret.

    <i>But, wasn¡¯t she crazy about Gu Jiannan? Why would she marry another guy all of a sudden?</i>

    A trace of a sneer yed across Mo Sulian¡¯s lips. She couldn¡¯t impart the news to Mo Zhenfeng, but she could at least tell Gu Jiannan all about it. He had a right to know as her boyfriend, didn¡¯t he?

    Gu Jiannan was staring nkly at the document in his office when the phone rang.

    He had been savoring every moment he spent with Mo Sulian the other night.

    For many years during their rtionship, Mo Suqing had kept her distance and had not let him touch her. A normal man like him would naturally seek elsewhere after waiting for so long without getting what he wanted.

    Then, Mo Sulian had begun to seduce him. At first, he had ignored her. But, after Mo Sulian told him that Mo Zhenfeng had been nning to give her thepany as her dowry when she got married, he wavered.

    After all,?Mo Suqing was just a nobody in the family now; it wasn¡¯t surprising that Mo Zhenfeng had made Mo Sulian his heir.

    So, Gu Jiannan had started an affair with Mo Sulian.

    Thinking of this, his cheeks had be flushed with lust. Man, how that woman¡¯s body had tasted.

    Thus, Gu Jiannan hadpsed into a reverie with the memory of their rendezvous when the phone rang. He was much startled and almost fell from the chair.

    However, his face rxed as soon as he saw that the caller was Mo Sulian.

    ¡°Hey babe! What¡¯s up? Do you miss me?¡±

    ¡°You just can¡¯t be serious for one moment, can you!¡± Mo Sulian eximed, all coyness.

    ¡°I could never be serious in front of you¡­ hehe¡­¡± Gu Jiannanughed lewdly.

    A disgusted look crossed Mo Sulian¡¯s face. If it was not for thepany¡¯s stock and for revenge on Mo Suqing, she would never be with the man.

    ¡°Anyway, I need to ask you something. Mo Suqing doesn¡¯t know about us, does she? Has she called recently? You must be honest with me.¡±

    Gu Jiannan was surprised that she would ask the questions. His tone immediately became all serious, as if to prove that he was being absolutely honest.

    ¡°Honey, we have not been in touch recently. You told me not to let her know about us, so I didn¡¯t. And why would I think of her anyway when I have you?¡±

    Mo Sulian sneered. ¡°Then I guess you don¡¯t know that your diehard girlfriend got married behind your back, you fool!¡±

    Gu Jiannan¡¯s face immediately went livid. ¡°Married? That¡¯s not possible! We just talked the other day!¡±

    Mo Sulian said icily, ¡°I thought you said you hadn¡¯t been in touch.¡±

    Gu Jiannan fell silent. He couldn¡¯t believe he had made such a simple mistake! He was just about?to?exin when Mo Sulian interrupted him.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin anything. I know your feelings. However, it is true that Mo Suqing is married. The news has reached everyone¡¯s ears in herpany; everybody knows. It is despicable of her to treat you like this. After all, you are her nominal boyfriend at the very least. Anyway, this is all I have to say. I won¡¯t tell you what to do.¡±

    Mo Sulian hung up without waiting for his reply.

 Chapter 15 â€“ Gu Jiannan the Scumbag Paid a Visit

    <h4>Chapter 15 ¨C Gu Jiannan the Scumbag Paid a Visit</h4>

    Mo Sulian smiled triumphantly. She had achieved her purpose. <i>Mo Suqing, this is the cost of displeasing me. I have let you be, but we¡¯ll see who¡¯s the one thatughs in the end.</i>

    As far as she knew, Gu Jiannan was without doubt a petty man and a chauvinist at that. She bet he wouldn¡¯t tolerate quietly the fact that Mo Suqing had cheated on him.

    Meanwhile, Gu Jiannan was staring at his phone with a dark look.

    Mo Sulian sounded truthful enough. He couldn¡¯t believe he had always thought Mo Suqing as an innocent and chaste woman. She had said no to him an awful lot of times, but he would never go bold or aggressive; he had never forced her.

    Little had he expected that she would make him a cuckold in no time. He swore he would not go easy on the man she was married to when he found out the guy¡¯s identity.

    The afternoon on the same day.

    Mo Suqing had just finished organizing all the information she had received thesest few days when Leng Xiyao walked in from outside with a stricken face.

    She was walking toward her at a fast pace. Two people behind Leng Xiyao kept looking over at her.

    Mo Suqing watched Leng Xiyao, puzzled. ¡°What is the matter? What¡¯s with all the agitation?¡±

    Leng Xiyao said nervously, ¡°Suqing, you have toe up with a way! Gu Jiannan the Scumbag is here! He is at the entrance right now. Looks like he won¡¯t leave until he sees you. That bitch Mo Sulian must have told him about your?marriage. What should we do? Abbess Miejue will kill you if he makes a scene!¡±

    Leng Xiyao was hyperventting, while Mo Suqing gave her an unworried smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Yao. Now, go back to your seat. I¡¯m going to see what¡¯s going on out there. I don¡¯t think I have done him any wrong. How brazen is he though, to have the guts toe here looking for me!¡±

    Mo Suqing stood up expressionlessly and walked out.

    Leng Xiyao was about to dissuade Mo Suqing from going but stopped herself. Mo Suqing was right. She hadn¡¯t done anything wrong! It was the scumbag who had cheated on her!

    On second thought, she decided to follow Mo Suqing out.

    Mo Suqing went outside and saw an indignant Gu Jiannan arguing with the security. There were a lot of onlookers nearby. Mo Suqing gave Gu Jiannan a cold look. She asked in a sneering tone, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Gu Jiannan broke free from the security¡¯s grip and looked at Mo Suqing angrily, ¡°Qing, tell me, are you married?¡±

    Gu Jiannan¡¯s question caused an uproar among the onlookers.

    ¡°Do you know that the guy is Mo Suqing¡¯s ex-boyfriend?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! I heard that they were in a rtionship for almost seven years!¡±

    Another put in, ¡°If hees here to ask her about it, we can be certain that he is not Mo Suqing¡¯s husband¡­¡±

    ¡°I bet you are right! I can¡¯t believe Mo Suqing would do such a thing.¡±

    Mo Suqing ignored the ridicule and whispers and the funny look people were giving her.

    All she could think of at that moment was how the man in front of her felt like a stranger. They had been together for seven years, but it seemed this was the first time she truly?saw the real him.

    Was it true then that women in love were all blind fools who had an IQ below zero?

    She used to feel indescribably sweet when Gu Jiannan called her?name, but now, she just felt disgusted.

    Mo Suqing could not put out of her mind the scene she had witnessed outside the hotel entrance the other night. How he and Mo Sulian had acted like lovers.

    She looked at Gu Jiannan with repulsion. ¡°Even if I am married, so what? This is none of your business.¡±

    Gu Jiannan was utterly speechless. He had never expected that Mo Suqing would talk to him in this icy, unconcerned way.

    Thinking of what Mo Sulian had told him made him feel so trampled on.

    Just as he was about to question Mo Suqing further, Leng Xiyao interrupted him with her clear voice, ¡°Gu Jiannan, you are such an asshole! How dare youe here to find and question Suqing? Do you even have a sense of shame? Don¡¯t assume that none of us doesn¡¯t know about you and Mo Sulian and treat us like a fool. Let me tell you something. Suqing isn¡¯t a pushover. Besides, you are not engaged, are you? She can marry anyone she likes and?it is none of?your business! You think you have a right to question her like this because you are her boyfriend? You are the most shameless man I¡¯ve ever known, trying to have both women in your arms!¡±

    Gu Jiannan was stunned. He looked at Mo Suqing helplessly.

    ¡°Qing, things are not what you think they are! Please hear me out!¡±

    Mo Suqing returned him a nk expression, ¡°Hear you out about what? About how you and Mo Sulian got together in the first ce, or about how hot it is when you two are in bed?¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡± Mo Suqing sneered and continued, ¡°Gu Jiannan, after all these years, you still don¡¯t know one thing about me. Do you really expect me to forgive you after what you¡¯ve done? My boyfriend and my stepsister, ganging up on me! How nice!¡±

    ¡°Get out of my sight!¡± Mo Suqing gave him?an?icy look and said, ¡°Do not show up in front of me again. You disgust me! I¡¯d rather I have never met you. Also, it is none of your business whom I married!¡±

    Mo Suqing poured out all of her anger at once. A worked-up Leng Xiyao almost pped her hands and apuded her.

 Chapter 16 â€“ He is the Light She Can Never Touch

    <h4>Chapter 16 ¨C He is the Light She Can Never Touch</h4>

    Everyone around them instantly knew what had happened.

    So the guy was a cheater. And he cheated on Mo Suqing with her sister beforeing here to question her. What a shameless man!

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s such a shameless person. I feel disgusted.¡±

    ¡°I know! He is so brazen! Mo Suqing did the right thing when she got married. She should have broken up with the guy a million years ago!¡±

    All of a sudden, Gu Jiannan became the target of multiple scornful eye-rolling from the female bystanders.

    Leng Xiyao gave Gu Jiannan a re before tugging at Mo Suqing¡¯s sleeve and walking?back in?thepany.

    Mo Suqing turned her back on Gu Jiannan without looking at him.

    Gu Jiannan attempted to follow, but the security stopped him. He yelled after Mo Suqing, not caring at all how people were making fun of him.

    ¡°Qing, please just hear me out!¡±

    Mo Suqing was naturally not in the mood to work after this incident.

    She quicklypleted the drafts she was going to submit tomorrow. The moment it was time to get off work, she left thepany with Leng Xiyao.

    Soon after they went outside, Leng Xiyao saw Gu Jiannan hovering nearby.

    She tugged at Mo Suqing, hailed a taxi, and both of them quickly got on the vehicle. Mo Suqing saw in the rear-view mirror that Gu Jiannan was calling after her. Sheughed?bitterly.

    Whom was he doing all this for? He certainly hadn¡¯t thought about her feelings when he had been sleeping with Mo Sulian.

    Leng Xiyao consulted her watch and said, ¡°Suqing, it is quite early. How about we go shopping at the mall? It¡¯s been a long time since we shopped and we seldom get off work this early.¡±

    Mo Suqing considered her suggestion. She had just moved in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s house and still needed to buy a lot of daily stuff. Plus, shopping could also take her mind off unhappy thoughts.

    She nodded. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go shopping. I need to buy clothes and some other things.¡±

    Leng Xiyao turned her head back in delight and addressed the taxi driver, ¡°The Xingan Building, please!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue had finished today¡¯s work. He looked at the time. It was early. He wanted to go pick up Mo Suqing at herpany, but then he thought of her outright rejection in the morning.

    He became a little anxious all of a sudden, so he loosened the cor of his white shirt, revealing a sexy corbone.

    Then, he lit a cigarette and saw the smoke rings rise up slowly. He couldn¡¯t remember thest time when he had been this anxious.

    He knew very well how great an influence the woman had on him, and still he had done everything to keep her by his side.

    The cigarette burned on. The smoke filled the entire office.

    Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. Ye Zhongjue frowned and then said in a husky and sexy voice, ¡°Come in!¡±

    The person on the other side of the door seemed to be trembling slightly when he or she opened the door.

    ¡°President Ye, it is time to get off work. Aren¡¯t you going to go home?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue raised his brows and took a look at the woman.

    She was wearing an exquisite make-up that entuated her perfectly-shaped eyebrows. It was obvious that she was concerned about him.

    This was Song Pingting, Ye Zhongjue¡¯s secretary.

    Ye Zhongjue had always found her intelligent,petent and considerate.

    ¡°Has Lin Ran gone home?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Not yet.¡± Song Pingting replied.

    ¡°Tell him that I want to see him. You can go home now.¡±

    Song Pingting opened her mouth, then closed it again. In the end, she didn¡¯t say anything before walking out.

    After a short time, Lin Ran walked into Ye Zhongjue¡¯s office.

    ¡°Boss, Miss Song said you wanted to see me?¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Ye Zhongjue nodded almost imperceptibly. He stubbed his cigarette out and said, ¡°Do some research about a woman named Mo Suqing and her life in thest few years. As detailed as possible. Who she went out with. Her family. Her colleagues. Her friends. I want a thorough report.¡±

    Lin Ran was a little taken aback. <i>When had his boss be so interested in a woman?</i>

    He was always so cold to women that he had thought he liked men.

    Lin Ran¡¯s expression grew all weird and twisted when he thought of it.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at Lin Ran, who was still standing there, and asked coldly, ¡°Is something the matter?¡±

    Lin Ran quickly came to his senses and let out a nervousugh. ¡°No, not at all¡­¡±

    Then, he slipped away.

    After Lin Ran left, Ye Zhongjue guessed that she was probably home now. He gathered up his stuff and got off work.?He didn¡¯t work?overtime as usual.

    As soon as Ye Zhongjue left, Song Pingting appeared from a dark corner.

    She knitted her delicate brows. Every day, the president did not go home untilte in the evening. It was already unusual that he had not been at work yesterday. And today he even got off work early.

    <i>Could it be that something she didn¡¯t know had happened?</i>

    Finally, she sighed heavily. No matter how much attention she gave him, he was like the light she could never touch. He was always shining brightly, and she could do nothing other than watching him from afar, quietly.

    When Ye Zhongjue got home, he found that no one was there. Apparently, she hadn¡¯te home yet.

    Ye Zhongjue was a little disappointed. <i>Where was she? Was she slow toe home because she was still not used to the idea of their living together?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue shook his head dejectedly. He turned on hisptop and started to work.

    Two hourster, Mo Suqing was still not home. Ye Zhongjue began to grow anxious.

    He kept looking over at the door and even working could not distract him.

 Chapter 17 â€“ Women Go Nuts When They Go Shopping

    <h4>Chapter 17 ¨C Women Go Nuts When They Go Shopping</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue was bing quite fidgety. He took out his phone and thought about calling her, when he realized he didn¡¯t have her phone number.

    Finally, after waiting for half an hour more without taking any action, Ye Zhongjue heard a rustle at the keyhole.

    His head snapped up, an expectant look on his face. <i>It must be her!</i>

    Eventually, the door opened.

    Mo Suqing was carrying so many bags that she was having a hard time squeezing her way past the door.

    Ye Zhongjue stood up and walked to the door. Mo Suqing let out a sigh of relief after he took over half the bags.

    She went to the sofa, put the rest of the bags on the floor and flopped down on the sofa before sighing contentedly.

    ¡°Ah, what a day!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at the bags all over the floor, incredulous. He could not imagine how she could have possibly brought back all these stuff.

    ¡°You¡­ you carried all of these back by yourself?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Mo Suqing nodded with her head against the sofa, looking exhausted.

    Ye Zhongjue was a little shocked. It was true that women went nuts when they went shopping!

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask me to pick you up?¡±

    Mo Suqing looked a little bewildered. <i>Ask you to pick me up? I don¡¯t know if we are there yet.</i>

    But,e to think of it, they did have slept together, so it wasn¡¯t entirely true that they were not there yet.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think of that!¡±

    She came up with ame excuse after a long while.

    Ye Zhongjue knew that she was lying, but he just looked at her without saying anything.

    He didn¡¯t want to rush anything. He believed that she would gradually ept and get used to it.

    He looked at the goods on the floor and asked, ¡°So, what did you buy?¡±

    Mo Suqing sat upright on the sofa, full of energy all of a sudden.

    ¡°I just moved here yesterday and didn¡¯t bring a lot of stuff except a couple of clothes. Also, you don¡¯t seem to have everything I need on a daily basis, either. So, I got off work early today and went to buy a few items.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡± Ye Zhongjue nodded thoughtfully. He sighed inwardly. <i>This is her definition of?</i>a few <i>items?</i>

    ¡°Okay! You must be tired. You go take a rxing shower and I¡¯ll clear everything away. Then, we can go have some dinner.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Mo Suqing copsed on the sofa. <i>Go have some dinner? You¡¯re kidding, right? I¡¯m so tired!</i>

    ¡°What, you don¡¯t want to?¡± Ye Zhongjue asked in his cool tone.

    Mo Suqingughed nervously, shaking her head. ¡°Of course not¡­ I¡¯ll go take a shower.¡±

    She beamed at him, stood up, and walked toward the bedroom.

    After she entered the bedroom, she gave a sigh of relief. Why was it that the air seemed to be stifling oppressed every time she was around him? It was as if he was charged with a powerful force.

    Mo Suqing shook her head to dismiss the thought. She¡¯d better take that shower now. Otherwise, someone would rush her.

    When Mo Suqing walked into the living room after the shower, she found that all the stuff she had bought was gone.

    She nced at the man who was reading on the sofa in awe. <i>Did he help clear away her stuff too?</i>

    She hoped he hadn¡¯t put everything in the storeroom!

    ¡°Where did you put all my stuff?¡± Mo Suqing asked tentatively.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her expressionlessly. Then, he stood up and replied unhurriedly, ¡°Where they belong!¡±

    Mo Suqing was speechless. <i>What kind of answer is that?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t wait for her to respond. He took the car keys on the coffee table and made a totally irrelevant remark, ¡°Next time you go shopping, give me a call. I¡¯ll go with you and carry the bags for you.¡±

    Mo Suqing was astonished and didn¡¯t know if she had heard him right. After a while, his words finally struck home. <i>Did he just offer to carry her bags for her when she goes shopping?</i>

    <i>Is he sure that he can be patient enough to do that?</i>

    ¡°Youing or not?¡± Ye Zhongjue had reached the door when he found that Mo Suqing hadn¡¯t moved.

    Hearing him, Mo Suqing quickly followed suit.

    She watched Ye Zhongjue lock the door and pressed her lips together. ¡°But¡­ I don¡¯t have your number.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue locked the door and casually put the keycard in his pocket. Then, he turned to look at Mo Suqing, his handsome face especially charming by the light of the hallway.

    ¡°Your phone!¡± he saidzily.

    ¡°What?¡± Mo Suqing felt herself constantly fail to catch up with his logic.

    Looking at her silly face, Ye Zhongjue could not help but smile. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that you don¡¯t know my number?¡±

    ¡°Oh, right!¡± Mo Suqing quickly lowered her head to find her phone, her face a little flushed.

    When she fished out her phone from her purse, she stretched out her hand toward him with her head still bowed.

    Ye Zhongjue cast a nce at her, took her phone, then pressed something in quick session. Mo Suqing didn¡¯t use a password to lock her phone, so he sessfully entered his own contact information before long. Then, he dialed his number.

    Mo Suqing, flushing, reproached herself inwardly for being such a pushover. <i>Come on! It¡¯s not like you have never seen handsome guys before. Will you just stop fangirling over him already? I am sure he isughing at me right now¡­ What a shame you have brought on yourself!</i>

    She waspletely absorbed in her own thoughts that she didn¡¯t know Ye Zhongjue had stretched out his hand toward her with her phone, until the husky, sexy voice of his rang in her ears, ¡°Here!¡±

    Her head snapped up. She quickly took the phone and walked toward the elevator, without even giving him a look.

 Chapter 18 â€“ You are Entitled to Swipe my Card

    <h4>Chapter 18 ¨C You are Entitled to Swipe my Card</h4>

    Mo Suqing was trying very hard to make herself as small as possible in a corner of the elevator, her whole face bright red.

    She didn¡¯t even dare to hold her head high. She could not help it. Somehow, the air in the elevator felt stifling.

    Finally, they reached the basement. Mo Suqing quickly walked out.

    However, she didn¡¯t continue her way to the car. Instead, she waited for Ye Zhongjue toe out the elevator and then walked behind him, her neck disappearing into the shirt like a snail in a shell.

    They didn¡¯t say anything during the ride until they were far away from the building and Mo Suqing could not help but break the silence by asking, ¡°Where are we going? It¡¯s almost eight.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue gave her a sidelong nce and replied, ¡°To a ce where we can have dinner.¡±

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t know what to say. She watched the night view flying past the window and thought, <i>We are going to have dinner at a ce where we can have dinner. Ha!</i>

    When they finally arrived at the?location, Mo Suqing was quite surprised. <i>What a ce it is!</i>

    Tranquil and elegant, an isted paradise that didn¡¯t belong to the hustle and bustle of a big city.

    She looked up and saw two words in huge letters: Peaceful Raindrops.

    Ye Zhongjue, unprompted, answered her unsaid question, ¡°This is a rather secluded hotel here in A----, so few people know about it. The atmosphere is quite graceful and?proper.?The chef?only?cooks for ten groups?per?day. I made a reservation earlier today and wanted to take you here, to celebrate our?marriage.¡±

    Then, he fell silent again.

    Mo Suqing looked at him with a nd expression, then marched inside. She had never known there was such a peaceful ce in A----. What a wonderful ce to unwind.

    They walked deeper into the establishment. A row of bamboos materialized. Awork of pavilions with screens on four sides floated on the artificialke. It was supremely elegant.

    Ye Zhongjue glimpsed at Mo Suqing, who was looking around curiously, then chuckled softly. It was a low and appealing sound that reminded one of the wind murmuring in the forest.

    He patted Mo Suqing on the arm and held her hand in his before saying, ¡°Our pavilion is over there.¡±

    Mo Suqing was quite startled by his gesture. As if receiving an electric shock, she tried to withdraw her hand, but Ye Zhongjue did not let go.

    She turned toward him in confusion, only to find that he was still facing resolutely in the direction of the pavilion. She considered for a moment and thought better of it, letting him hold her hand. Then, she looked at the pavilion for the first time.

    A sign that read ¡°Moonlight Pavilion¡± was hung on the eaves. Mo Suqing stared in wonder. <i>Wow, even the names for the pavilions are?</i><i>poetic</i><i>!</i>

    Not long after they were seated, a beaming middle-aged man brought in their rice and dishes. He seemed to know Ye Zhongjue because he eximed happily, ¡°Ah Jue, you¡¯re here!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s poker face cked a little. He nodded and said, ¡°Yeah. Go wait on other customers. We don¡¯t need you to watch over us.¡±

    The man nodded smilingly, put down the dishes and left.

    Throughout dinner, Mo Suqing focused on her te so intently that it was as if she feared the dishes would suddenly disappear. The corner of Ye Zhongjue¡¯s mouth turned up in a slight smile. <i>She is as cute as ever!</i>

    When dinner was finished, Ye Zhongjue led her all the way outside.

    Mo Suqing could not remain silent anymore. She tugged at his sleeves and said, ¡°We haven¡¯t paid yet!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue gave her an impassive expression. ¡°I¡¯ve already done that.¡±

    ¡°When? Howe I didn¡¯t notice that you¡¯ve paid?¡± Mo Suqing frowned.

    Although she was married to Ye Zhongjue, she hoped they could draw a boundary between ¡°you¡± and ¡°me.¡± Otherwise, she feared things would get tooplicated.

    After all,?a man?as remarkable as Ye Zhongjue was definitely popr with thedies. She did not want to owe him anything or to fall for him.

    Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t know how to respond. He couldn¡¯t understand why she must trouble herself with it. So he assured her again, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ve already paid for it before we came.¡±

    Mo Suqing screwed up her pretty face. ¡°But it must have cost a lot!¡±

    She had had a great time in the restaurant and she knew from the delicate dishes and their extraordinary taste that this was an expensive dinner.

    As an assistant, there was no way Ye Zhongjue could easily afford a meal like this.

    Hearing this, Ye Zhongjue finally realized why it bothered her so much.

    When they reached the car, Ye Zhongjue gave her a look and said, ¡°Let¡¯s get on the car first.¡±

    Mo Suqing hesitated a little before opening the door of the front seat.

    Ye Zhongjue got?in?the car himself, but he didn¡¯t start the engine immediately. Instead, he took out a golden card from his wallet. Mo Suqing watched him, bewildered.

    Then, he handed the card to Mo Suqing. ¡°Here. This is my payroll card.¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s expression changed dramatically. She pushed the card back to him hurriedly and eximed, ¡°What are you doing? Put it away!¡±

    ¡°Take it! You are entitled to swipe my card!¡± Ye Zhongjue¡¯s tone indicated there was no room for dispute.

 Chapter 19 â€“ President Ye Drove a Volkswagen to Work

    <h4>Chapter 19 ¨C President Ye Drove a Volkswagen to Work</h4>

    Mo Suqing frowned at him. When she spoke, there was rejection in her voice. ¡°Ye Zhongjue, don¡¯t do this. Have you forgotten what we agreed upon??We will be divorcing?in three years. I will feel a lot of pressure if I take your card.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t withdraw his outstretched hand.

    It was difficult to read his thoughts. His voice was t, betraying no emotions.

    ¡°No matter what happens in three years, we are a legally married couple now.?You said you would do whatever a wife should do. I, simrly, mean to do whatever a husband should do. I hope you can try to understand. From now on, you will buy everything for the household. You are in charge of all mary matters. My sry is yours to take care of, too. If you don¡¯t take this card, I will still transfer the exact amount of money I receive every month to your bank ount. So, please do not decline.¡±

    Mo Suqing began to waver. She was also a little surprised to see the intense expression shown on Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face.

    It looked like he had put his foot down. If he so insisted, she would do as he wished and spend his money on household stuff.

    In the end, Mo Suqing took the card. Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression gradually rxed. He had feared she would reject him again.

    In all his life, he had never been turned down by a woman. It was the first time he had been rejected ¨C and so fiercely too.

    There was definitely a difference between being a receiver of love versus the one chasing love.

    After they got home, Mo Suqing retired to the master bedroom while Ye Zhongjue went to the guestroom to take a shower.

    Mo Suqingy on the bed and listened intently to movement outside, her eyes wide open. When Ye Zhongjue asked her to take his payroll card, he had mentioned her promise before they got married. She frowned. It turned out he still remembered.

    They were both adults and knew very well what it actually entailed by ¡°whatever a wife should do.¡±

    But, it was a different story when she was drunk. Now she was sober, she simply could not reconcile herself to sleep on the same bed with a guy she had known for two days.

    Mo Suqing turned over and over again in bed, restless.

    Then, she heard a door open outside. She strained her ears for any other sound. It seemed that Ye Zhongjue had finished his shower and walked out of the guestroom.

    Mo Suqing was puzzled. It waste. Why didn¡¯t he go straight to bed after taking a shower? What was he doing outside?

    Her curiosity piqued, Mo Suqing got off bed to see what was going on.

    She opened the door and saw the man sleeping on the sofa in the living room. His eyes were closed and his breath was even. The longshes of his were pretty on his face in the dim light.

    The sofa was obviously a bit too short for his 180-centimeter frame and he must be really ufortable lying there.

    Ye Zhongjue must have heard her footsteps, because his eyes?flew?open.

    Mo Suqing suddenly didn¡¯t know where to ce her hands. Finally, she stammered, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping in the guestroom? The sofa is so small¡­¡±

    Her voice trailed off, because she seemed to know the answer to her own question.

    Ye Zhongjue sat up slowly, his gray night robe loosened a little to reveal his sexy chest. Mo Suqing turned her face away.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since someone slept in the guestroom. I have yet to find time to tidy it up.¡±

    Mo Suqing turned her head away again to avoid eye contact with Ye Zhongjue.

    After a while, with her cheeks bright red, she finally uttered, ¡°Can you tie your robe properly?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression changed. Then, he shook his head resignedly and did what he was told.

    ¡°Okay, you can lift up your head now.¡±

    Mo Suqing, her cheeks still rosy, now found her mouth dry at the sight of Ye Zhongjue, who had freshened up and was oozing charm.

    She said uneasily, ¡°This is your house. Also, you are working tomorrow¡­ Aren¡¯t you ufortable, sleeping on the couch?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression darkened a little. He replied emphatically, ¡°This is <i>our</i> house now.¡±

    Uneasiness gleamed in Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes. ¡°Still, please go sleep in your bedroom. Let me sleep on the couch. I am shorter than you; I won¡¯t be too ufortable.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue tossed a question to her instead of making a direct response, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to work tomorrow too?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± answered Mo Suqing, not seeing what he was getting at.

    ¡°Then you can¡¯t sleep well enough for work if you sleep on the couch. I am a man and I¡¯ll be fine. Go to bed now.¡±

    Hearing this, Mo Suqing didn¡¯t know how to react. She stood there for a while, thinking. Then, she spat it out slowly, looking a bit reluctant, ¡°How about¡­ we both go sleep in the bedroom? I think the bed is big enough.¡±

    She could be more eager. It was as if this was a very difficult decision that she had made and she had to will herself to carry it out.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her and said nothing. Mo Suqing was feeling increasingly awkward just standing there. She scratched at her nightdress and prompted, ¡°Are youing or not?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue fixed his gaze on her for a long time before asking, ¡°Are you sure about this?¡±

    Mo Suqing fell silent, a ¡°what else can I do¡± look on her face. Even if the guestroom had been cleaned, she could not possibly let him sleep there every night. After all, he was the owner of the house.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she nodded, ¡°I am sure. Let¡¯s go back to the bedroom. We will both sleep there. It¡¯s another work day tomorrow; you will be sleep-deprived if you sleep here.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue listened to her little speech and then stood up from the couch. He rolled up the nket he had taken to the sofa and slowly walked toward the bedroom.

    Mo Suqing followed suit.

    Ye Zhongjue went to the left side of the bed instinctively. He seemed to be exhausted, because the moment hey down on the bed, he closed his eyes and prepared himself to go to sleep.

    After standing beside the bed for a while, Mo Suqing switched the main light off. The dim light from themps somehow made her nervous.

    Shey down on the right side of the bed cautiously and was immediately surrounded by a pure and fresh fragrance. It was not strong and smelled really nice.

    She knew it was impossible, but she still took some effort to try and rx herself.

    The problem was, she could feel that every nerve of hers was taut. Her whole body was rigid as hell. Shey there, not daring to move a muscle. Even her breath came out with caution, as she dared not exhale noisily.

    She remained like this for a long time, until all of a sudden, the man next to her spoke, ¡°Can you go to work tomorrow if you keep doing that?¡±

    Mo Suqing was so startled that she almost bit her own tongue. <i>So he hadn¡¯t fallen asleep!</i>

    ¡°I thought you were?already?asleep¡­¡±

    ¡°With someone who is constantly on tenterhooks by my side and thereby makes the ambience so intense,¡± Ye Zhongjue said, ¡°how can I fall asleep? I¡¯m not made of wood!¡±

    Mo Suqing turned her face away in embarrassment. She admitted she was a little nervous, but he didn¡¯t have to exaggerate like that, did he?

    Ye Zhongjue said in a defeated tone, ¡°Come on, don¡¯t think too much. Go to sleep now. If you still can¡¯t sleep, switch off themps.¡±

    Mo Suqing sounded apologetic when she said, ¡°But, I really have difficulty falling asleep¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue reached over to switch off themp on his side of the bed and said, ¡°Switch off yourmp too. People fall into slumber more easily in the dark.¡±

    Mo Suqing considered his suggestion, then switched off themp beside her. Ye Zhongjue¡¯s voice resonated again across the dark room.

    ¡°If sleep won¡¯te, how about I tell you a story? Don¡¯t be nervous; just rx and enjoy the story.¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded, tugging at her duvet.

    ¡°When I was little, my father was very strict with me. Compared to my peers, I barely had a normal childhood. I would do everything my father asked me to. Then, I grew older and became rebellious; for many a time, I was unwilling to obey.¡±

    ¡°I was deciding which high school to go to when I had a fight with my parents. Rashly, I left home to live on my own. That was how I met the girl. Every day, she showed up on the same street¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s husky voice became meditative.

    ¡°Then?¡± Mo Suqing asked curiously, no longer in a tense mood.

    In the dark, Ye Zhongjue turned to look at her and said lightly, ¡°Then, I fell in love with her¡­¡±

    He paused again.

    ¡°And then?¡± Mo Suqing prompted.

    With an almost imperceptible mncholy, Ye Zhongjue replied, ¡°There was no ¡®then.¡¯ I went abroad and didn¡¯t know much about the goings-on at home.¡±

    ¡°But didn¡¯t you try to?find her?when you?returned?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked a little astonished for a moment before saying, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. I thought she was likely living her own life now, and there was no point to disturb it.¡±

    Thus, he finished the story.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s prettyte. Let¡¯s sleep.¡±

    Mo Suqing could feel that he didn¡¯t want to talk about the girl anymore. She fell silent and drifted into sleep.

    After she was sound asleep, Ye Zhongjue sighed softly in the dark.

    The next day, Ye Zhongjue drove his car to work. He had been wanting?to drop Mo Suqing off to work too, but he could feel her lingering resistance to him.

    In the end, he decided against it. He didn¡¯t want to scare her.

    When Ye Zhongjue arrived at thepany, it so happened that one of the higher-ranking executives was getting out of his car with his secretary.

    They watched Ye Zhongjue getting off a white Volkswagen, and from the driver¡¯s seat at that.

    The secretary gaped after him in open-mouthed amazement. <i>The president had driven a Volkswagen by himself to work! Was he trying to scare the hell out of them?</i>

    Within half an hour, the whole Mighty Empire got wind of the rumor that their mighty president Mr. Ye had driven a white Volkswagen to work that morning.

    Many were dubious about it.

    After all, it was as unbelievable as a beggar proiming himself a millionaire.

 Chapter 20 â€“ It Seems that She Got Married

    <h4>Chapter 20 ¨C It Seems that She Got Married</h4>

    Lin Ran walked into Ye Zhongjue¡¯s office with a weird look on his face. Ye Zhongjue looked up from his desk for a second and returned his attention to the task at hand.

    Lin Ran stood there preparing himself for a while. Finally, he ventured, ¡°Boss, so I heard this gossip today.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Ye Zhongjue responded nomittally.

    ¡°Boss, don¡¯t you want to know what it is?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Ye Zhongjue asked without ever looking up.

    Lin Ran¡¯s mouth gave a slight twitch. It was almost impossible to bring about a change in his boss¡¯s emotions.

    ¡°It¡¯s about you. Someone said you had driven a Volkswagen to work¡­¡± Lin Ran dryughed a little and continued, ¡°But I know it can¡¯t be true. It¡¯s obviously?a rumor!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true!¡± Ye Zhongjue said cidly, as if it was no concern of his.

    ¡°What?¡± Lin Ran opened his mouth so wide an egg could have fit in.

    The truth was, to make his assistant story more usible, Ye Zhongjue had bought the white Volkswagen from a secondhand car dealer when Mo Suqing went back home to take her household register.

    Now that he had gotten married with Mo Suqing, it dawned on him that it was even more crucial not to reveal his true identity. Besides, he didn¡¯t really care what kind of car he drove.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Ye Zhongjue asked tly, his voice betraying no emotions.

    Lin Ran seemed to zone out for a moment, but presently he returned to reality and replied, ¡°Oh right. About the woman you wanted me to look up, it seems that she got married recently. Are you sure you still want to know more?¡±

    Lin Ran said carefully, observing Ye Zhongjue¡¯s reaction.

    Ye Zhongjue looked up.

    ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡±

    Lin Ranughed nervously, ¡°No, of course?it doesn¡¯t¡­¡±

    Then, he looked at Ye Zhongjue and put on a serious face. In a businesslike tone, he started ¡°Mo Suqing, a twenty-three female who graduated from college less than a year ago and is now working at apany called Trend Magazine. Her family is quite well off. Her father, Mo Zhenfeng, is the CEO of Mo Group. However, her mother died three years ago. Her father remarried and her stepmother took her daughter Bai Sulian with her. Bai Sulian is now Mo Sulian. She is a starlet and?it is said that she?doesn¡¯t get along with Mo Suqing.¡±

    ¡°Mo Suqing had a boyfriend, Gu Jiannan. They had been together for seven years and everyone thought they would definitely get married. But somehow, Mo Suqing suddenly got married a few days ago and Gu Jiannan was not the groom. I didn¡¯t get to find out who that guy is; I got hold of the news from her colleagues at Trend. They also told me that Gu Jiannan went to herpany to confront her about the speed-marriage. However, Mo Suqing unmasked Gu Jiannan¡¯s infidelity and used him of having an affair with her step-sister in front of everyone. The security forced him to leave, yet he keepsing back and waits for Mo Suqing at the entrance of Trend. This is basically her romance life.¡±

    ¡°As for her rtions with colleagues and friends¡­¡± Lin Ran thought for a while before continuing, ¡°Overall, Mo Suqing doesn¡¯t have any good friends except for her colleague roommate and best friend, Leng Xiyao, who is also a gossip columnist like Mo. Leng Xiyao doesn¡¯t seem toe from amon family, but I didn¡¯t go into it. Anyway, the two girls are very good friends. Every time Mo Suqing is in trouble, she stands up for her andes to her aid. Mo Suqing doesn¡¯t socialize much with her other colleagues.¡±

    Lin Ran finished his report without pausing and then added, ¡°This is what I have found so far, Boss. Do you want me to check up on anything else?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was lost in thought. He remembered that when they were having lunch after registering the marriage, Mo Suqing borrowed his phone to call some woman.

    She must have called Leng Xiyao.

    And ording to Lin Ran, the reason she had agreed upon the speed-marriage must have?simply been?the fact that she had known about Gu Jiannan and Mo Sulian. That was why she had been so drunk and not like herself that night.

    Seeing that Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t seem to hear him at all, Lin Ran raised his voice and asked again, ¡°Boss, did you hear me?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue abruptly turned his head and looked at Lin Ran.

    He considered for a moment and said slowly, ¡°Find out?more about that ex-boyfriend of hers.¡±

    Lin Ran was puzzled. He couldn¡¯t understand why his boss would want to know more about Mo Suqing¡¯s ex.

    Ye Zhongjue looked down and thought for a little longer, before adding, ¡°If possible, give the Gu Group some problems to grapple with, so Gu Jiannan can¡¯t trouble Mo Suqing anymore. Am I clear?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± An egg could have fit into Lin Ran¡¯s open mouth. <i>This is so not like my boss!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue was a little uneasy by his reaction. He snapped, ¡°Do you have?an issue? If not, do as you¡¯re told!¡±

    ¡°O-okay!¡± Lin Ran hurried out of the office.

    Ye Zhongjue slowly rubbed his forehead. Gu Jiannan, a name he knew too well.

    Seven years ago, if it hadn¡¯t been for this guy, he wouldn¡¯t have backed off.

    Ye Zhongjue stood up and walked to the window. Lighting up a cigarette, he sank into the memory.

    Seven years ago, his father had wanted him to study abroad. However, he had insisted?on signing?up for schools here. In the end, he had had a face-off with his folks.

    During the period after leaving home, he had met the love of his life.

    She was Mo Suqing, an innocent girl with a good heart whom he could not have turned his eyes from and had fallen deeply for. It was a typical love at the first sight.

    ¡­¡­

    When Mo Suqing went to work that day, Gu Jiannan was still there waiting for her. However, there was Leng Xiyao too.

    Gu Jiannan noticed Mo Suqing only when the two of them had gone inside. He shouted after them, but could not go past the security. Mo Suqing ignored himpletely.

    She never wanted to have anything to do with Gu Jiannan.

    If he could have so easily betrayed their seven-year rtionship, she could be cruel too and not give him any chance. If she gave him another chance, she would certainly make herself a joke.

    Mo Suqing was about to step into the office when she saw her colleague Zhang Yubin. He was always very nice to her, so Mo Suqing gave him a smile and a nod.

    Zhang Yubin pulled a long face. He?had just returned from?a business trip today and had heard people talking about Mo Suqing¡¯s?marriage.

    In the past, he had thought there was always a chance for him even though Mo Suqing had a boyfriend, because they were not married.

    But now, she got married and the guy wasn¡¯t even that boyfriend of hers. How could he swallow this?

    He looked at Mo Suqing fiercely and said with a hoarse voice, ¡°Mo Suqing, I heard that you are married?¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded, all smiles, ¡°Yes. What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Zhang Yubin managed a smile. ¡°Nothing. I just?found out?from the other guys. Congrattions!¡±

    Mo Suqing knew he hadn¡¯t really meant it. Zhang Yubin had been courting her for a long time. She had known his?intentions, but she had not wanted to reveal it. They were co-workers, after all.

    Now?that?she suddenly got married, it was understandable he was unhappy.

    <i>I should just leave him alone and avoid him as much as possible in the future</i>.

    ¡°So, Yao and I will go in now.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Zhang Yubin nodded with a stiff look on his face.

    Leng Xiyao and Mo Suqing resumed walking. Zhang Yubin watched after them in silence.

    Leng Xiyao walked into the office and whispered in Mo Suqing¡¯s ear, ¡°To be honest, Zhang Yubin is also boyfriend material. I can see that he really cares about you. He is a good guy too ¨C I bet?he¡¯s?much better than someone whom you¡¯ve randomly picked!¡±

    Mo Suqing gave her a hard look. ¡°Who told you he is someone I¡¯ve randomly picked?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it so?¡± Leng Xiyao looked confused. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ there is something I don¡¯t know?¡±

    Mo Suqing was reminded of the disorientating night when a drugged man and a drunk woman had be intimate with one another.

    Blushing, she shook her head to clear her mind, not wanting to meet Leng Xiyao¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°What are you thinking? I¡¯m going to organize the information for the articles¡­?There¡¯s nothing you don¡¯t know!¡±

    Mo Suqing hurried over to her desk, fearing Leng Xiyao would keep questioning her.

    For two consecutive days, Mo Suqing would always find Gu Jiannan at the entrance, waiting, but each time she evaded him. Therefore, Gu Jiannan never once saw her.

    However, on the third day, Gu Jiannan did not show up. Mo Suqing was a little surprised, but that was all.

    She walked into the office. Leng Xiyao immediately pulled her into the restroom.

    ¡°What? Why?did you take me here?¡± Mo Suqing looked at her, perplexed.

    Leng Xiyao gave her an elfish look. ¡°Are you ying dumb or what? Why would I drag you here if not for Gu Jiannan¡¯s absence today?¡±

    ¡°Why?does it matter to me whether or not he is at the door? After all, I have nothing to do with him now!¡±

    Mo Suqing said expressionlessly. Leng Xiyao tsk-tsked. ¡°The saying is true about a woman¡¯s heart being as unfathomable as the sea! Although I myself hate that son-of-a-bitch Gu Jiannan, but Suqing, you really blew my mind when you got married! You totally made him miserable, that you did!¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t get married to get back at him. After what he has done, it¡¯s impossible for me to forgive him. If I keep feeling heartbroken, I will only make myself?feel?pathetic. Getting married¡­ is just my way to free myself. I can¡¯t stay in that home of mine anymore, Yao¡­¡±

    Then, she sighed, ¡°I thought you knew me¡­¡±

 Chapter 21 â€“ Abbess Miejue Gave Leng Xiyao a Hard Time

    <h4>Chapter 21 ¨C Abbess Miejue Gave Leng Xiyao a Hard Time</h4>

    Leng Xiyao hugged her tightly and said, ¡°Suqing, don¡¯t be sad. I was kidding.¡±

    She looked at Mo Suqing and said, ¡°The thing is, I heard a rumor that Gu Group is under severe attack from Mighty Empire these days. I wonder whom Gu Jiannan has provoked?¡±

    She pressed her lips together and continued, ¡°In A?City, anyone who sets himself against Mighty Empire is dead meat! I am truly sorry for Gu Jiannan right now.?It¡¯s like getting?his temple?pressed?against the muzzle of a gun!¡±

    Although Leng Xiyao had said she was sorry for Gu Jiannan, her face revealed that she obviously took pleasure in his misfortune. She would lose no opportunity to express her support for Mo Suqing by abusing her enemy.

    Catching the words ¡°Mighty Empire,¡± Mo Suqing¡¯s expression changed a little. <i>Didn¡¯t Ye Zhongjue work for Mighty Empire?</i>

    She pondered over the whole thing for a while and then said, ¡°So Gu Group had an ident. No wonder Gu Jiannan didn¡¯t show up today. I was thinking about how it is unlike him to give up all of a sudden. Back in high school when he was trying to pursue ? ? ?me, he sure waited for me outside my house every day. Not a single day did he fail to show up. I will give him this credit: he is a man of perseverance.¡±

    Mo Suqing gave a bitterugh and continued, ¡°However, ever since I?found out?about him and Mo Sulian,?I¡¯ve cut all ties. His personal affairs are no longer mine to worry about.¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s mouth slightly twitched. ¡°When I told you Gu Group is suffering some mishap, why did your expression change?¡±

    Mo Suqing leaned against the wall and replied thoughtfully, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. It just urred to me that Ye Zhongjue is an employee of Mighty Empire.¡±

    Leng Xiyao didn¡¯t connect the dots at first. Then, ¡°Are you implying that Ye Zhongjue has something to do with it?¡±

    Mo Suqing tilted her mouth and said dismissively, ¡°Of course not! I just remembered he works for them, that¡¯s all. He¡¯s only an assistant. What can he do?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Leng Xiyao nodded in agreement. ?¡°Anyway, it¡¯s a good thing he didn¡¯t show up. You don¡¯t need to sneak into and out of the office like a thief now.¡± she joked as an afterthought.

    Mo Suqing pushed off the wall and put on a sinister smile, ¡°What did you say?¡±

    Leng Xiyao suddenly realized that she had said something inappropriate. Sheughed nervously and said, ¡°What? I?have been?quite forgetful recently¡­ What did I say? Ipletely forgot.¡±

    She feigned ignorance and quickly fled before Mo Suqing had time to react.

    Mo Suqing smiled fondly after her. They had been friends forever. How could she not know Leng Xiyao was only kidding? To be honest, she did feel good about not having Gu Jiannan harass her anymore.

    Mo Suqing walked out of the restroom and saw that Leng Xiyao had her head on the desk, looking deste. She approached with concern.

    ¡°What happened?to?you? You were fine in the restroom just now. Why are you unhappy all of a sudden?¡±

    Leng Xiyao raised her head and looked at her miserably. Her lips moved but her voice was less than a whisper.

    Yet Mo Suqing made it out. ¡°Abbess Miejue came. I don¡¯t know why, but she just flipped out and yelled at me with no apparent reason. She said I do not work hard enough and am not at my desk all the time, and that if I continue like this, she¡¯s gonna fire me¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s brow furrowed. She looked at the others who were working around them, their heads hung low.

    ¡°She told you this in front of everybody?¡±

    Leng Xiyao pressed her lips together and nodded slowly. Mo Suqing¡¯s face darkened. Abbess Miejue never red up like this without a cause. Why had she gotten mad at Yao today?

    Mo Suqing could not exin her behavior, but she was certain of one thing: she was not happy about it.

    Leng Xiyao was a friend and sister to her. Even if she was the one who had been humiliated today, she wouldn¡¯t have been half angry.

    Mo Suqing patted Leng Xiyao on the shoulder and said, ¡°Alright. Stop thinking about it and do your work.¡±

    Then, she walked toward the editor-in-chief¡¯s office.

    Leng Xiyao was going to stop her, but it was toote. Mo Suqing pushed open the door to An Huilin¡¯s office.

    An?Huilin looked up. Her expression was very ugly, as if something entirely uneptable had happened to her.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at her with a stony face and said without preamble, ¡°Yeah, you are the boss and have the right to admonish your subordinates. However, a lot of people didn¡¯te in today and many of those who did are hardly working. Why did you?only?get mad at Leng Xiyao? Because she looks like a pushover?¡±

    An Huilin sneered. ¡°What, are you standing up for Leng Xiyao?¡±

    ¡°So what if I am?¡± Mo Suqing returned coldly.

    ¡°Humph!¡± An Huilin snorted. ¡°Nowadays, no one likes to stand out like you do anymore. It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll cut you some ck because you are stepping up for a friend. But I can tell you one thing, I gave Leng Xiyao a dressing-down not because of anything work-rted. I won¡¯t tell you the real reason, so you can go now!¡±

    Mo Suqing was puzzled.<i>?</i><i>It¡¯s unrted to work</i><i>? But the two of them don¡¯t have any interaction outside work, so how could there be another reason?</i>

    However, An Huilin had asked her to leave, so barring a change in her expression, Mo Suqing only said, ¡°Then, I hope you won¡¯t use work as an excuse to settle personal scores again!¡±

    She turned and walked away, leaving a steely-looking An Huilin behind.

    She red at the general direction of Leng Xiyao, her eyes twinkling as if with tears.

    For the entire morning, Mo Suqing too wasn¡¯t in a very productive mood. The fact that she had a super star to stalk in the afternoon for a gossip story and the?incident with?An Huilin picking at Leng Xiyao did not help with concentration.

    Finally, it was lunch time.

    Leng Xiyao and Mo Suqing went out for lunch. The dishes?had?yet toe.

    Mo Suqing looked at Leng Xiyao and asked, ¡°Yao, have you had some disagreement with Abbess Miejue?previously?¡±

    ¡°Not that I know of,¡± Leng Xiyao shook her head slowly. She seemed to be a little distracted. Apparently, she was still thinking about what had happened in the morning.

    ¡°That¡¯s weird!¡± Mo Suqing frowned. ¡°When I confronted Abbess Miejue, she said she didn¡¯t treat you like that because of work stuff. But, she didn¡¯t mention the real reason either. I thought you might have offended her in one way or another, and that¡¯s why she gave you such a hard time.¡±

    Leng Xiyao moaned, her tone full of sorrow, ¡°That¡¯s not possible! For one thing, we haven¡¯t worked for the magazine for a long time; for another, I have helped get all the big scoops. I really don¡¯t think I have done anything worth her wrath in the workce and I certainly don¡¯t have any interaction with her in private, so how could I possibly offend her? She was crazy, embarrassing herself like that in front of everybody.¡±

    ¡°Forget it! Let¡¯s not think about it anymore!¡± Mo Suqing patted her on the shoulder and said, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what, you go back home and get some rest in the afternoon. I will gather the news for today by myself. Okay?¡±

    Leng Xiyao thought for a moment and nodded. Indeed, she was not herself today.

    ¡°Okay. You be extra careful; call me if anything happens!¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± Mo Suqing tore open the packaging of the chopsticks and handed them to her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    They finished lunch fairly quickly. When they were about to part ways, Leng Xiyao suggested casually, ¡°We haven¡¯t had anything huge for some time. I have an idea. When I am back, you and I should go dig up something together.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the idea?¡± Mo Suqing looked at her curiously.

    Leng Xiyao said mysteriously, ¡°This morning, we were talking about Mighty Empire, one of the two giants in A?City?with The Unparalleled being the other. We know that since the new CEO of Mighty Empire showed up three years ago, no one has seen him in person or found out what he looks like yet! So I say let¡¯s be the first one to do that. It will undoubtedly be the top story.¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked at Mo Suqing, full of pride. ¡°Suqing, isn¡¯t it a good idea?¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at her and replied, ¡°As far as I know, no one knows what the CEO of The Unparalleled looks like either. Why don¡¯t you suggest looking him up instead?¡±

    Leng Xiyao said easily, ¡°I¡¯m just more interested in Mighty Empire!?Are youing with me or not?¡±

    Then, she swung Mo Suqing¡¯s arm back and forth pleadingly.

    Mo Suqing gave her a ¡°what should I do?with?you¡± look. ¡°Fine! We will start gathering information as soon as you are back. Now, go home and get some rest.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Leng Xiyao nodded, beaming, her mood having improved considerably.

    Then, she added, ¡°Suqing, I will begin my research on Mighty Empire at home this afternoon.?Be careful when you¡¯re on your own.¡±

    She gave Mo Suqing a broad smile and reassured her, ¡°We didn¡¯t bust Guan Zixuanst time, but I believe we will definitely catch him this time! I am sure the information is correct.¡±

    Leng Xiyao shut herself up when she noticed the look on Mo Suqing¡¯s face. She had forgotten that theirst attempt to bust Guan Zixuan was the time Mo Suqing had found out about Gu Jiannan and Mo Sulian.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s lips twitched a little. She smiled lightly and spoke in an ironic tone, ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s all behind me now. I have made my peace with it. I have gotten married, haven¡¯t I? Don¡¯t have any scruples when you are talking to me.¡±

    Despite what Mo Suqing had said, Leng Xiyao still felt guilty about saying the wrong?things.

    ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad! Look at you screwing?up your pretty face like that. Now, go home and get some rest.¡± Mo Suqing said in a brisk tone and yfully pinched Leng Xiyao on the cheek.

    Leng Xiyao looked at her, unsure. ¡°Are you really alright?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Mo Suqing looked at her with a big smile.

    Leng Xiyao heaved a sigh of relief before saying, ¡°Then, I¡¯m going home!¡±

    ¡°Okay, bye!¡± Mo Suqing waved a little and?watched?her leave.

    When Leng Xiyao¡¯s figure became a small dot, Mo Suqing¡¯s smile faded. She remained at the same spot for a long time before turning and walking back to thepany.

 Chapter 22 â€“ Enter Guan Zixuan

    <h4>Chapter 22 ¨C Enter Guan Zixuan</h4>

    Mo Suqing walked into the office, grabbed her bag and camera, then left for the international airport.

    ording to?a reliable source,?she and Leng Xiyao?were told?Guan Zixuan had been abroad for an award?ceremony thesest two days. The official announcement was that he woulde back to A?City?tomorrow afternoon, while the informant had told them he would actually be back a day earlier with his mysterious girlfriend.

    On the way to the airport, Mo Suqing kept urging the taxi driver to drive faster. It had been a littlete when she had left the office, so she was worried she would miss Guan Zixuan¡¯s arrival.

    If she could?be the one to expose this?story today, all the hard work she and Leng Xiyao had done would pay off.

    The moment the taxi arrived at the airport, Mo Suqing got off and ran towards the entrance.

    Suddenly, she experienced some difort in her lower abdomen. She stopped dead in her tracks and the awful truth dawned on her.

    <i>No way!?</i><i>How could</i><i>?her period</i><i>e</i><i>?</i><i>during</i><i>?such a critical time!</i>

    Mo Suqing found herself in a predicament. She looked at her white suit and immediately regretted sending Leng Xiyao home. What should she do now?

    Mo Suqing hurriedly walked towards the restroom; she couldn¡¯t deal with anything else right now.

    She rushed inside the restroom and immediately heard a weird sounding from one of the cubicles. It was a suppressive moan that sounded like either excitement or pain.

    Mo Suqing was a little taken aback. <i>Is someone sick?</i>

    She asked tentatively, ¡°Is anyone there?¡±

    The sound came to a sudden stop. The restroom became so quiet that it was as if no one ¨C or nothing ¨C had made any noise at all.

    Mo Suqing was puzzled. Had it been but an illusion? She got a creepy feeling all of a sudden.

    ¡°Hello? Is someone in there? Answer me!¡±

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t know what to do. She could feel the blood was flowing freely out of her private area. If she backed out, people would stare at her like she was a rare creature or something.

    Mo Suqing plucked up her courage and called out again, ¡°Who is there in the cubicle? I¡­ I¡­ I am not afraid of you!¡±

    In the cubicle, Guan Zixuan¡¯s expression darkened even more. <i>What a stupid woman, walking into the wrong restroom in the first ce and now talking by herself! Does she think she is an actress?</i>

    He was on the brink of exploding with desire and rage. He had ordered his assistant, Yuan, to keep watch outside. How did the womane inside?

    Guan Zixuan took a deep breath. He could surely yell at someone this second. The woman kneeling in front of him had a pair of seductive almond eyes, all misty and blurry.

    Guan Zixuan could stop himself from crying out, but the woman¡¯s self-control was apparently weaker than his because a small moaning sound was spilling from the corner of her mouth.

    Which made Mo Suqing even more confident that someone was in there.

    She realized that this person could be having an asthma attack or something and was in need of help. Thinking of this, Mo Suqing forgot all about her own trouble and quickly walked over, trying to open the door to the cubicle.

    ¡°Are you sick in there? Don¡¯t panic. I¡¯m going to find someone now!¡±

    Mo Suqing opened the door to the restroom. Guan Zixuan¡¯s heart was in his throat. <i>The woman is insane!</i>

    <i>What is she calling someone for? To watch his live porn?</i>

    He contained his anger, gritted his teeth and said in a deep husky voice, ¡°Hey, woman! I think you walked into the wrong restroom!¡±

    Mo Suqing stopped her progress. <i>A man?</i>

    <i>Had I gone into the wrong restroom?</i>

    She wavered between staying and leaving. Then, it hit her that there was something not quite right in the man¡¯s voice. What if he really was sick, and he was too proud to ask for help? She would never forgive herself if she just walked away and something happened to him.

    So, our virtuous Ms. Mo walked up to the door to the cubicle and spoke saintly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯tugh at you or tell anyone about this. I will help you. I believe you are too weak to open the door right now. Please step aside; I will try to knock the door open.¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s handsome face was now twisted into something unrecognizable. <i>The woman is crazy. Who the hell needs her help?</i>

    He felt sick. <i>What if more people came because of her meddling?</i>

    He also felt regretful about trying to seek adventure by doing it in a restroom cubicle. Thinking of it, he promptly made a decision. He pushed away the woman in front of him and clothed himself.

    The woman, who had been half-naked until now, immediately understood what Guan Zixuan meant and started to cover herself up too.

    Right when Mo Suqing was about to knock down the door.

    Guan Zixuan spoke again, ¡°Don¡¯t damage the door. I cane out by myself.¡±

    Then, he opened the door.

    Mo Suqing was shocked to see Guan Zixuan.

    She would have recognized the face that drove countless fans nuts every time it appeared even if it were covered in cuts and bruises. To uncover his love life, she and Leng Xiyao had been doing a lot of research.

    Not conscious of what she was doing, Mo Suqing pointed her camera at Guan Zixuan and snapped away.

    Guan Zixuan had never expected his luck to be this bad. The woman outside the cubicle was no other than a gossip columnist, who was thest person he wanted to encounter!

    Guan Zixuan was too caught off guard to fend off the camera until Mo Suqing had taken several photos. He quickly blocked his face with a hand.

    But, he knew it was toote.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s mood had plummeted and soared in a matter of a few minutes like a roller coaster. She had thought she would go back to the magazine HQ empty-handed because of her untimely period.

    However, she ended up having everything she hade for without any difficulty!

    Guan Zixuan showed up himself. What could she possibly do other than taking the advantage of the situation?

    The woman with him was not properly dressed. Their background was a restroom cubicle. She guaranteed that once the photos made their way in the magazine, they would cause an uproar!

    Anyone who had eyes could guess what had happened in the cubicle!

    Needless to say, the woman next to Guan Zixuan was his mysterious girlfriend. Mo Suqing was so excited that shepletely cleared her menstrual misery out of her mind.

    The moment Guan Zixuan had realized what was happening, he pounded on Mo Suqing to snatch the camera out of her hand.

    It was not the first day Mo Suqing had be a gossip columnist. She had expected this, and she dodged.

    Guan Zixuan made a second attempt, but Mo Suqing spoke quickly, ¡°Mr. Guan, you have your image to consider. This is a restroom at the airport, a public space. If you keep acting like this, I¡¯m going to shout for help. Let¡¯s see who gets the short end of the stick then!¡±

    Mo Suqing knew she had the upper hand as she looked at Guan Zixuan. She was sure he wouldn¡¯t daree near again. If she screamed, people woulde. Then, even if she hadn¡¯t taken any pictures, the headlines on tomorrow¡¯s paper would still be: <i>Actor Guan Zixuan¡¯s Rendezvous with Mysterious Girlfriend in Airport Restroom.</i>

    Mo Suqing became more and more gleeful as she thought about it.

    Guan Zixuan red at Mo Suqing as if he would love to swallow her raw and whole. He knew that with Mu?Ling¡¯er by his side, people would only reach one conclusion.

    He dropped Mu Ling¡¯er, who had been standing there helplessly, a hint with his eyes. Mu Linger nodded knowingly and quickly retreated.

    Guan Zixuan looked at Mo Suqing and said, ¡°What do you want? Spit it out!¡±

    An idea hit Mo Suqing.

    ¡°Well, I can delete all the photos. I¡¯m just an ordinary traveler who happens to have a camera with me and happens to recognize you¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing hesitated a second before cing a price, ¡°If you buy me some sanitary pads, I¡¯ll delete the photos! What do you say?¡±

    Upon hearing the words sanitary pads, Guan Zixuan¡¯s handsome face darkened in an instant.

    He was not a pervert, okay! He was a normal guy who did not buy sanitary pads. He was filled with rage that he couldn¡¯t vent.

    ¡°Think of something else!¡± he hissed, his voice strained.

    Mo Suqing thought about the photos and became even bolder. ¡°You don¡¯t get to bargain!¡±

    Guan Zixuan looked at her hatefully. ¡°Can¡¯t you think of anything else? I really can¡¯t bring myself to buy sanitary pads. It¡¯s just too humiliating!¡±

    Mo Suqing sneered threateningly. ¡°Maybe once you see your pictures in the restroom with your girlfriend on tomorrow¡¯s headlines, you will find buying sanitary pads not humiliating at all.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Guan Zixuan pointed at Mo Suqing as if he could kill her. ¡°Just you wait! I will remember you.¡±

    Mo Suqing raised her eyebrows. ¡°Good! I¡¯m not afraid of you remembering me. You have no idea how much I love it to watch people trying to get rid of me but are not able to. I will remember you too, Mr. Guan. Aren¡¯t you afraid if someone shows up while you are doing it in the cubicle and your?penis gets?so frightened?it will?shrink away and never want toe out again?¡±

    Guan Zixuan almost couldn¡¯t stop himself from choking Mo Suqing to death. <i>How could there be such a</i><i>?vicious woman!!!</i>

    ¡°Okay?okay?okay!¡± he said in quick session. ¡°I¡¯ll get the pads. I hope you are true to your words!¡±

    Guan Zixuan took out a ck mask from his pocket and put it on, then walked out of the restroom expressionlessly.

    Mo Suqing hurried over to close the door behind him. This was the men¡¯s room. Thest thing she wanted was for some guy to walk in and found her there. It would be so embarrassing.

    This reminded her of the other night when she, being very drunk, had also entered the wrong restroom, which had resulted in her having sex and getting married with Ye Zhongjue.

    Mo Suqing wanted to give herself a good p. <i>What is wrong with metely</i><i>?</i><i>?</i><i>Why do I keep</i><i>?walking into the wrong restroom? Is there an invisible thread pulling me to the men¡¯s room or something?</i>

    After a long time, someone knocked on the door to the restroom. Mo Suqing put her ears against the door, listening intently to the movement outside.

    Guan Zixuan said in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s me. Open the door!¡±

    Recognizing his voice, Mo Suqing slowly cracked open the door. A man in his twenties was also there. Mo Suqing gave Guan Zixuan a puzzled look.

    Guan Zixuan answered her unsaid question, rolling his eyes, ¡°This is my assistant, not a random guy.¡±

    Reassured, Mo Suqing opened the door fully.

 Chapter 23 â€“ Menstrual Cramps Hurt Like Hell

    <h4>Chapter 23 ¨C Menstrual Cramps Hurt Like Hell</h4>

    Guan Zixuan pushed past the door and walked in.

    When he had left the restroom, he had realized why the woman had insisted that he buy her some sanitary pads. It must have been her period and the fact that she was wearing white clothes.

    Now that Guan Zixuan was a lot less exasperated, he looked at Mo Suqing carefully and decided that she was actually quite good-looking. She had glossy ck hair and a pair of sparkling eyes that seemed to talk.

    Of course, if none of these had happened, he would be even more impressed by her.

    He tossed her the pads and said in a?calm?voice, ¡°Can you delete the photos now?¡±

    Mo Suqing, arms full of sanitary pads and the camera, couldn¡¯t help but imagine how Guan Zixuan¡¯s diehard fans would react if they knew she had sent their idol on such an errand as buying sanitary pads. They would probably tear her open.

    She quicklyforted herself. Fortunately, no one knew about this except for herself, Guan Zixuan and the almighty God.

    Mo Suqing always kept her promise. Presently, she took off the strap of the camera from her neck and tossed the device to Guan Zixuan. Then, she stepped into one of the cubicles with the pads.

    When Mo Suqing came out, her face was pale as a sheet. Most of the time, her period hurt like hell. She had hoped it wouldn¡¯t be that bad this time, but she had been wrong. During the short time she had busied herself with the pad, the pain had intensified a great deal.

    Noticing that she had turned white, Guan Zixuan gave her camera back and asked, ¡°Are you all right?¡±

    Then, he quickly added, ¡°Not that I would care if you were to die right here.¡±

    Mo Suqing did not have much energy left to bicker, so she only rolled her eyes and said, ¡°It¡¯s not your business whether I die or not. Just go now, so I won¡¯t waste your precious time!¡±

    Guan Zixuan twitched his mouth, not saying anything. <i>Th</i><i>is</i><i>?woman has a temper!</i>

    Suddenly, he noticed a scarlet spot on Mo Suqing¡¯s white pants. The tips of his ears turned slightly red.

    He took off his jacket and tossed it to Mo Suqing. ¡°You are lucky I am in a benevolent mood today. Take my jacket. Don¡¯t give it back and don¡¯t thank me!¡±

    Then, he walked out of the door without a second nce, eager to leave the airport with his assistant.

    Mo Suqing was surprised. She held his ck jacket in her arms and thought, <i>Although Guan Zixuan looks like a flippant person, he has a good heart.</i>

    After tying his jacket around her waist, she woke up the screen of her phone and opened up the photos she had taken of Guan Zixuan and the woman. She changed her mind.

    Her original n was to ask Guan Zixuan to buy some sanitary pads for her in exchange for the deletion of the photos in the camera.

    She and Leng Xiyao always took pictures with both phone and camera. It seemed that Guan Zixuan hadn¡¯t been aware of this key fact. Therefore, she still got those photos in her phone.

    It was a pity the woman¡¯s face was a little concealed because Guan Zixuan had blocked part of it.

    Anyway, she had nned she would still make the photos public in tomorrow¡¯s issue, neglecting her promise to Guan Zixuan.

    The face of his unknown girlfriend being obscure would only make everything even more mysterious and give the readers more room for imagination.

    But now, she found herself hesitating.

    She had promised him she wouldn¡¯t use the pictures, so she wouldn¡¯t.

    Besides, Guan Zixuan was not at all the heartless person the media had portrayed him to be. At the very least, he had given his jacket to her, a total stranger, which made her view him in a different light.

    Mo Suqing stood there, watching Guan Zixuan and his assistant disappear from sight. Then, she too left the airport.

    Her lower abdomen was still hurting like hell. It was early and she would really love to go home, except that it urred to her she had once again failed to gather any saucy materials for the magazine.

    If she didn¡¯t produce anything for tomorrow¡¯s issue, Abbess Miejue might give her and Leng Xiyao another hard time.

    Thinking of this, Mo Suqing frowned and hailed a taxi back to thepany.

    She still had time to write a story. The important thing was toe up with something, so that the column wouldn¡¯t be empty tomorrow.

    In the taxi, Mo Suqing¡¯s face had gone really pale. The driver offered, ¡°Miss, do you want me to take you to the hospital?¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head slowly, ¡°No, thanks. I¡¯m fine. Please take me to Trend Magazine.¡±

    The driver sighed andmented, ¡°Young people nowadays are so hard-working they don¡¯t care about their health anymore!¡±

    Mo Suqing pressed her pale lips together, not saying anything.

    In the end, the taxi driver respected her decision and took her back to thepany.

    Back in the office, Mo Suqing felt a lot of blood had flown out of her body, almost feeling like she had peed herself.

    She put her phone and camera down on the desk and immediately went to the restroom.

    The moment she left, Bai Tingnan stood up from her seat and walked to Mo Suqing¡¯s.

    Bai Tingnan had seen Mo Suqing hurried out of the office after lunch and knew she was going to gather materials for her story. She was back surprisingly early.

    Bai Tingnan would like to know what materials Mo Suqing had gathered. She turned on Mo Suqing¡¯s camera, but did not find anything in there.

    Bai Tingnan frowned. <i>This isn¡¯t right. Hasn¡¯t she gone out to gather some news? Howe there aren¡¯t any photos?</i>

    She found it hard to believe.

    Bai Tingnan took up Mo Suqing¡¯s phone. She had identally seen her press in the password one time.

    She quickly unlocked her phone.

    After Mo Suqing had browsed the photos?on?the phone at the airport, she had not returned to the home screen.

    Therefore, when Bai Tingnan unlocked the phone, the first thing she saw were pictures of Guan Zixuan. The corner of her mouth curled into a malicious smile.

    ¡­¡­

    Mo Suqing walked out of the restroom. Everyone was busy writing their stories.

    She had barely sat down when An Huilin approached.

    She gave Mo Suqing a stern look and demanded, ¡°Didn¡¯t you go out with Leng Xiyao in the afternoon? Where is she?¡±

    Mo Suqing lied, her face hardly blushing and her heartbeat hardly quickening, ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well, so she made mee back first and went to gather the news by herself.¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s pale face was evidence itself. Even though the person she had lied to was An Huilin, she could not help but believe her.

    ¡°If you are so unwell, just go home and get some rest!¡±

    Mo Suqing managed a smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll go after I finish my story for tomorrow.¡±

    An Huilin gave her another look, but did not say anything more before going away.

    Mo Suqing worked until seven in the evening. Due to ack of material, she could only make do with some lousy stuff. By the time she finished writing, she had developed a headache.

    When Mo Suqing was about to go home, almost everyone had left the office.

    Strangely, Bai Tingnan, who was usually the first one to leave, was still working on her story, totally unruffled by thete hour.

    Mo Suqing cast a curious nce at her, but did not think too much about it.

    She felt as if she would die from working too hard on her own story.

    Menstrual pains made her whole body weak and sick. To make things worse, it started raining when she stepped outside.

    She moaned inwardly, <i>what are the odds?</i>

    Staring at the curtain of rain, she remembered she had an umbre in the office. However, she had finally got out of there, she really didn¡¯t want to go back inside again.

    Presently, a taxi approached. Mo Suqing stuck out her hand to hail it.

    She let out a sigh of relief after she got?in the car.

    She would be home in no time. Then, she would sleep through the pain.

    The car stopped in front of the gate of the housing estate.

    Mo Suqing looked at her apartment in the distance, feeling helpless. If she ran over there and got wet in the rain, her belly would surely hurt even moreter in the evening.

    But, it seemed that she didn¡¯t have a choice. Taxis were not allowed in the estate.

    In the end, she forced herself to get off the car and?ran?toward her apartment.

    Meanwhile, Ye Zhongjue, too, didn¡¯t realize it had started to rain until he got off work and emerged from the building of Mighty Empire.

    He had nned to pick up Mo Suqing from work but eventually desisted from it, remembering how unwilling she had been about the idea.

    Besides, she must have got home by this hour.

    No sooner had he driven his car to the gate of the estate than he saw a figure in white sprinting in the rain, a ck jacket tied fast to her waist.

    Ye Zhongjue steered the car into the estate and was about to drive into the underground garage when he saw the figure fall on the ground.

    Her buttnded square on the ground, drenching her white clothes with rainwater.

    Ye Zhongjue stopped what he was doing, got off the car and ran toward her.

    Mo Suqing had been in such a hurry that she hadn¡¯t noticed the puddle there. As a result, she had slipped and fallen right on the ground.

    Now, she was seized with a severe cramp in her abdomen. What bad luck she was in today! Everything had turned against her.

    She was about to get up when she felt herself lifted up by a pair of powerful arms. She snapped her head up and saw Ye Zhongjue¡¯s handsome face.

    He carried Mo Suqing and walked toward the apartment, not paying the least attention to his own sodden clothes.

    Rainwater dripped from his chin, making him appear wild and tough. However, there was also anger under this appearance, albeit thin as a piece of paper.

    Ye Zhongjue carried her all the way up to their floor, silent as the grave.

    When they were in the elevator, Mo Suqing could hear his thundering heartbeat. Her originally pale cheeks flushed.

    She must have been possessed by some kind of witchcraft for thest few days. Here she was, having the worst menstrual cramps and thinking about how fast her heartbeat was!

    She didn¡¯t know why, but every time Ye Zhongjue was nearby, she?would lose?control of her heart.

    Ye Zhongjue carried Mo Suqing to their bedroom and said in a tone as cold as his expression, ¡°Take a hot shower!¡±

    He was fuming. <i>Why didn¡¯t she just call and ask me to pick her up when it¡¯s raining cat and dog?</i>

    <i>Is she really so averse to?</i><i>getting picked up by me</i><i>?</i>

    However, he didn¡¯t have the heart to admonish her, seeing her freezing pale face. In the end, he suppressed his anger and left the room.

    Ye Zhongjue went downstairs to park his car. He was taken aback when he put his hands on the steering wheel.

    <i>Why is there blood on his hands?</i>

    The truth dawned on him in an instant. The ck jacket on her waist and the blood on his hands could only lead to one exnation.

    It was her period!

 Chapter 24 â€“ The Tender Side of Ye Zhongjue

    <h4>Chapter 24 ¨C The Tender Side of Ye Zhongjue</h4>

    The instant Ye Zhongjue understood what had happened, he quickly drove the car into the garage.

    In the elevator, he searched information about menstruation on his phone. When he read about menstrual cramps, his eyebrows wrinkled hard.

    When he was carrying Mo Suqing, he could feel her body trembling. Was it because she had been in pain?

    He read on. <i>During the period, one should avoid getting wet in the rain or drinking cold water.</i>

    Now, Ye Zhongjue was in great rm.

    He was sure she had been in pain. What¡¯s worse, she had got wet in the rain. His lips pressed together tightly. <i>She really doesn¡¯t know how to take care of herself, does she?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue continued to Google for information about how to alleviate period pains.

    When the elevator reached his floor, he was still unsure of what to do. He dialed a number on his phone.

    Ming Jinhua was delighted when she heard her son¡¯s voice on the other side of the phone. <i>What a pleasant surprise!</i>

    ¡°Hello, dear. How are you?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue closed his mouth. He had thought carefully about what to say, but now that the phone had got through, he was back to square one.

    ¡°Hello? Why aren¡¯t you speaking? What¡¯s up?¡± Ming Jinhua asked.

    After staying silent for a bit longer, Ye Zhongjue finally readied himself.

    There was no one around, but he still found himself extremely uneasy when he asked the following question with difficulty, ¡°Mom, do you know any effective ways tobat menstrual cramps?¡±

    ¡°What¡­ what did you say?¡± Ming Jinhua wasn¡¯t sure if she had heard it right.

    A flicker of blush passed across Ye Zhongjue¡¯s usual poker face. His voice became even more unlike him, ¡°I said, what do you do about menstrual pains?¡±

    Listening to his weird tone, Ming Jinhua could not help butugh.

    It looked like her son had a girlfriend! This was good news, of course. He was a big boy now. In fact, he should have had a girlfriend long ago.

    ¡°Mom! Can you please stopughing?¡± How Ye Zhongjue wanted to dig himself a hole and hide in there.

    ¡°Alright, alright! I won¡¯tugh anymore. Well, there aren¡¯t real effective ways to ease the pain, but boiled water with brown sugar should help a little. Also, do not drink or touch cold water.¡±

    Ming Jinhua paused a moment, then added, ¡°If you have some fresh ginger, add a slice or two to the brown sugar water. It will help even more.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I get it now!¡± Ye Zhongjue quickly hung up, feeling he had just finished a conversation that was much more difficult than all the business negotiations he had conducted. He hoped his mother hadn¡¯t guessed what he had in mind.

    The day he and Mo Suqing registered the marriage, he had lied about telling his folks that they?had got married to put an end to her hesitation.

    But the fact was, his family did not know anything about it.

    His parents probably never expected that he would get married so soon. After all, he had always given women a wide berth.

    After hanging up the phone, Ye Zhongjue returned to his normal self and opened the door to his apartment.

    The Ye Residence.

    Ming Jinhua had a big smile on her face when she hung up the phone.

    Ye Wentian looked up and inquired, ¡°Is it Jue?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she replied, hardly containing her smile.

    Ye Wentian turned a page of the book he was reading and asked casually, ¡°What is he up to?¡±

    Ming Jinhua was always fastidious about her appearance, so she was still very attractive even in her forties. Now, she gave Ye Wentian a confidential look and beamed.

    ¡°I bet your son has a girlfriend!¡±

    Ye Wentian?instantly?put his book aside and looked at Ming Jinhua.

    ¡°How do you know? Doesn¡¯t he hate anything about rtionships? When did he start to find girlfriends on his own initiative?¡±

    Ming Jinhua gave him a stern look. ¡°What, can¡¯t he find a girlfriend on his own? He is twenty-five! Many who are at his age?have?children already! Why can¡¯t my son find a girlfriend, huh?¡±

    Ye Wentian shook his head tiredly. The woman was obviously putting words in his mouth. It wasn¡¯t the first time she distorted his meaning!

    ¡°Whatever¡­ So he had a girlfriend. We¡¯ll wait for him to tell us when he wants to.¡±

    Ming Jinhua nodded, ¡°You are right.¡±

    ¡­¡­

    When Ye Zhongjue returned to the bedroom, Mo Suqing had curled into a ball under the nket like a wounded animal.

    He could almost perceive the subtle shivering of the nket. His heart wrenched.

    She must be in great pain. Otherwise, she would never show her weakness. The thought made his heart ache even more.

    <i>Right, brown sugar water!</i>

    Bringing an umbre with him, Ye Zhongjue hurriedly left the apartment for a supermarket near the estate.

    Mo Suqing vaguely heard the sound of the door opening. Not long after, the door closed shut again.

    She had been too weak to turn around. The only thing she had managed was to wrap herself in the nket and curl into a ball.

    After buying a hot-water bottle, ginger powder and brown sugar, Ye Zhongjue hurried back to the apartment.

    The first thing he did was pour water into the?water pouch. He was going to buy an electric one, but then decided he couldn¡¯t wait for it to slowly heat up.

    He couldn¡¯t possibly?feel exactly what she was feeling, but seeing her hurt like that made him almost as pained.

    After the hot water was poured, Ye Zhongjue quickly brought it to the room.

    For a time, Mo Suqing thought she had fainted and lost consciousness, until she heard the door open once again.

    Ye Zhongjue went inside. He gently lifted the nket, ced the water pouch against her belly, and covered the nket back up. Then, he increased the temperature of the air conditioner before leaving her alone.

    Mo Suqing heard steps getting nearer and felt warmth seep through her belly. The throbbing pain seemed to ease a little. Her face smoothed out.

    In the kitchen, Ye Zhongjue stared at the instructions on his phone, his brow as high as it possibly could.

    It shouldn¡¯t be difficult. He would just add some brown sugar and ginger powder to the water and wait for it to boil.

    After half an hour, Ye Zhongjue followedmon sense and made some very satisfactory ginger tea.

    He walked back to the room with the ginger tea. Mo Suqing¡¯s expression was less intense and pale than when they just came back home.

    Ye Zhongjue ced the tea on the nightstand and gently propped Mo Suqing up.

    Mo Suqing moaned, which Ye Zhongjue responded with even gentler motions. He spoke with a voice as soft as a breeze brushing one¡¯s face, ¡°Come, Suqing. Be a good girl and finish this tea, so you will feel better.¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head without thinking. She remembered her mother had also prepared some ginger tea for her in the past.

    And she remembered she hadn¡¯t liked the taste. Since her mother passed away, she hadn¡¯t tasted it for a very long time.

    Ye Zhongjue spooned some tea to her lips to feed her, but she frowned and resisted, so the tea just trickled down her cheek.

    Ye Zhongjue frowned himself, his handsome brows lifting. <i>At this rate, the tea would go cold before she finished it.</i>

    He took a huge gulp of tea and held it in his mouth. Then. He kissed Mo Suqing directly on the lips and slowly pushed the liquid into her mouth.

    After she swallowed it, he continued to feed her a second gulp in the same method.

    Mo Suqing vaguely felt something warm cover her mouth and then there was that strange taste.

    However, after she drank it, her belly seemed to hurt less.

    Again and again, she expectantly waited for the warm stuff to cover her mouth and pour the liquid into it.

    Ye Zhongjue half coaxed, half forced Mo Suqing to finish the entire bowl of ginger tea.

    When thest gulp was fed into her mouth, he gave a sigh of relief. <i>Finally!</i>

    Looking at Mo Suqing¡¯s reddish lips, he?could not help but give them another peck.

    He knew that she was not well, so he only did it lightly and briefly.

    Then, he gently tucked her into bed and went outside with the empty bowl.

    Only after he had tidied everything up did he noticed that his shirt was clinging to his body.

    Heughed lightly. When it came to her, he became an incurable big fool.

    Ye Zhongjue took a hot shower afterwards. When he went to bed, he saw Mo Suqing¡¯s cheeks had be rosy and her countenance healthy. She must have got better.

    Ye Zhongjue quietlyy down beside her, listening to her even breathing and feeling a sense of deep satisfaction that was new to him.

    In the middle of the night, Ye Zhongjue was woken by Mo Suqing¡¯s movement.

    He was a light sleeper. Therefore, he was awake the instant Mo Suqing had shifted.

    He turned on themp and saw that Mo Suqing had again curled into a ball, holding her belly with both hands.

    Ye Zhongjue slowly pulled her hands away and reced them with one of his own big hands. He began to rub her belly gently.

    Mo Suqing felt a pleasant, warm sensation on her belly which helped soothe the throbbing pain. Gradually, she quieted down and slipped into a deep sleep.

    The next morning, Mo Suqing opened her eyes and discovered that Ye Zhongjue was sleeping right next to her.

    They were so close to each other that she could hear his breathing.

    On her belly was his warm, big hand. Suddenly, she felt touched, a feeling she hadn¡¯t had for ages.

    <i>Did he rub her belly to make her feel betterst night??</i>They had only known each other for a couple of days. Why would he do such a kind thing?

    She looked at Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyshes, long as a pair of hand held fans. Also, his face, when he was asleep, was especially handsome and charming.

    Mo Suqing nearly forgot herself when she thus stared at him.

    Then, Ye Zhongjue shifted a little. Expecting him to be awake at any minute, she quickly?shut?her eyes.

    Mo Suqing decided to sleep a little longer. By the time she woke up, it was almost ten. Mo Suqing found the space next to her empty. Ye Zhongjue had got up.

    She nced over at the rm clock. It was nearly ten o¡¯clock!

    She immediately rolled to her side and jumped up. <i>Oh no! She had overslept!</i>

    She knew she could not make it on time to work. Regretful about going back to sleep, she started to get dressed.

    As soon as she was fully dressed, Ye Zhongjue came in with a bowl of ginger tea.

 Chapter 25 â€“ Do Not Reject Me Again

    <h4>Chapter 25 ¨C Do Not Reject Me Again</h4>

    Mo Suqing wheeled around and saw Ye Zhongjue standing there, looking at her expressionlessly.

    After a while, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I already?told?yourpany that you will?be taking?a day off. Rest at home today. You can go back to work tomorrow.¡±

    Then, he walked to the side of the bed with the bowl.

    ¡°Drink this first!¡±

    Mo Suqing blushed. She could not help it when she remembered that he knew about her period.

    She turned her head to one side shyly and asked, ¡°How do you know where I work?¡±

    ¡°Your good friend Leng Xiyao called. I answered the phone and told her you would take a day off.¡± Ye Zhongjue said, handing her the tea.

    Mo Suqing took it and asked, ¡°Did she say what she had called me for?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue shook his head. ¡°No. She didn¡¯t say much. Probably because she found that it was me who answered the phone.¡±

    Mo Suqing held her breath and finished the ginger tea in one gulp. Her belly warmed up immediately. She felt a lot better than yesterday.

    She couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Did you make?this?¡±

    She found herself dubious. After all, he was a guy.

    Ye Zhongjue replied, his tone a little uneasy, ¡°Yeah. I saw that you were in great pain, so I asked someone how to alleviate it.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Thanks!¡± Mo Suqing lowered her head, blushing.

    Ye Zhongjue gazed at her without saying anything for a long while. Mo Suqing thought he had left and raised her head back up.

    Their eyes met, and she tumbled into the depth of?his eyes.

    Mo Suqing felt lost and disoriented.?<i>Why would my heart skip a beat when I looked into those deep, calm eyes?</i>

    ¡°Stop looking at me like that! It¡¯s really awkward¡­¡± Mo Suqing said in a timid, small voice, which had an effect of a cat brushing past you in a tantalizing way.

    Ye Zhongjue raised his eyebrows and his expression quickly returned to normal, almost as if those eyes that had confused Mo Suqing just now did not belong to him at all.

    ¡°Okay! Give me the bowl. Today, you will take a good rest and?recuperate at?home.? ? ??Don¡¯t go?anywhere.?Breakfast is on the table. Have some after washing up.¡±

    Then, he left the room with the bowl.

    Mo Suqing sat on the edge of the bed, astonished.

    She remembered she had had some ginger teast night too, but somehow it didn¡¯t taste quite the same.

    She frowned in bewilderment and sat there for a while before getting up.

    After having breakfast, Mo Suqing walked past the study and saw that Ye Zhongjue was?busy with?his work.

    His face was very serious and focused, which made him particrly attractive.

    No wonder there was a saying that a man was the most handsome when he was working hard. He was unusually good-looking?at?that moment.

    Before, she had felt a lot of pressure whenever Ye Zhongjue was nice to her. But now, she also felt deeply touched.

    Come to think of it, she couldn¡¯t possibly reject him in a situation like that of yesterday, could she?

    She blinked and took a deep breath, adjusting to a new mindset. <i>Okay then. I¡¯ll learn how to let things be.</i>

    Ye Zhongjue had finished a call with Lin Ran. When he looked up, he found Mo Suqing standing by the door.

    He walked to her and spoke in a deep, cello-like voice, ¡°How do you feel?¡±

    Mo Suqing smiled. ¡°A lot better. Actually¡­¡±

    She bit her lips before finishing her sentence, ¡°You don¡¯t have to stay at home with me. I am fine by myself. If you fall behind your work because of me, I¡¯ll feel really bad.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue wrinkled his brow. She was so polite to him that he could feel she still viewed him as an outsider.

    <i>What are they?</i> he wondered. <i>Two strangers who happen to sleep on the same bed?</i>

    He sighed inwardly.?<i>It look</i><i>s</i><i>?like he ha</i><i>s</i><i>?a long way to go before she?</i><i>falls</i><i>?in love with him, if she ever?</i><i>does</i><i>.</i>

    He changed the subject, ¡°After what happened yesterday, I decided?to drive you to work and pick you up from work every day.¡±

    Mo Suqing was about to protest, but he didn¡¯t give her a chance. ¡°Do not reject me again!¡± he said.

    He looked at her and continued, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. Mighty Empire and Trend Magazine are more or less on the same route. Also, I don¡¯t want something simr to

    happen again.¡±

    Mo Suqing swallowed what she had wanted to say. After a while, she relented, ¡°Alright.¡±

    In any case, everyone in herpany had heard about her marriage. Ye Zhongjue¡¯s appearance would shut their mouths once and for all.

    ¡°You should?return?to work. I¡¯ll go lie down for a bit. I¡¯m feeling a bit unwell¡­¡± Mo Suqing gave him a half smile.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue watched?her enter?the bedroom?before turning back to his desk.

    The morning seemed to pass in a wink.

    Near noon, Mo Suqing¡¯s phone rang.

    She had hardly fallen asleep when she was wokenpletely.

    She nced at the caller ID. <i>Yao?</i>

    She picked it up and said, ¡°Hey, Yao. What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Finally! You are answering the phone!¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s voice was hoarse with sleep. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®finally¡¯? I was almost killed by my period yesterday! That¡¯s why I overslept.¡±

    Leng Xiyao immediately changed her tone; now it was full of concern, ¡°Are you all right?¡±

    Mo Suqing smiled. ¡°After the first day, I¡¯m feeling much better. So, why did you call?¡±

    ¡°You tell me!¡± said Leng Xiyao. She suddenly sounded annoyed, ¡°I thought you went to the airport to take some pictures of Guan Zixuan yesterday. But why didn¡¯t I read about something more exciting today?¡±

    Mo Suqing gave a hollowugh. She didn¡¯t know if it was a good idea to tell Leng Xiyao the truth, so she resorted to lying. ¡°I didn¡¯t see Guan Zixuan yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Really? You are not lying, are you?¡± demanded Leng Xiyao without raising her voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± Mo Suqing lied unabashedly.

    ¡°But why didn¡¯t you see him when Bai Tingnan did!¡± eximed Leng Xiyao exasperated, like a master whose apprentice had made an elementary mistake. ¡°Her story is on the front page today: <i>Actor Guan Zixuan and Secret Lover Caught in a Restroom</i>. Didn¡¯t you go to the airport yesterday after noon?¡±

    Mo Suqing was struck with astonishment, feeling sick in her stomach.

    ¡°Wait! What did you just say? Are you sure the headline in the entertainment section today is <i>Actor Guan Zixuan and Secret Lover Caught in a Restroom</i>?¡±

    She couldn¡¯t believe it. What? She was certain she was the only person who had bumped into Guan Zixuan in the restroom yesterday!

    ¡°I¡¯m sure!¡± Leng Xiyao said fiercely. In order to obtain this key piece of information regarding Guan Zixuan¡¯s arrival, she had almost made a humiliating deal with her uncle.

    ¡°Do you know that I almost knelt before my uncle and begged him to divulge the information? He finally gave it to me and I thought it was without doubt we would get the front page! But now, that bitch Bai Tingnan beat us to it. How am I supposed to swallow it?¡±

    Mo Suqing had known that the sources Leng Xiyao had always seemed toe from that resourceful uncle of hers.

    But, how was Bai Tingnan able to write a story about it? She had been in the office all

    day long yesterday!

    ¡°Are you sure it is Bai Tingnan who wrote the story? She didn¡¯t even leave the office at all at work yesterday!¡±

    ¡°It is her!¡± said Leng Xiyao bitterly. ¡°You have no idea how everyone is praising her now! They say she has such good connections that even if she doesn¡¯t go anywhere, breaking news wille to her, that she knows everything, h-h-h. I am so disgusted seeing her strutting like a peacock all morning!¡±

    Mo Suqing held her phone with one hand and switched on her tablet with the other.

    ¡°Wait, let me check out the entertainment section first.¡±

    ¡°Okay. See with your own eyes!¡± said Leng Xiyao resignedly.

    Mo Suqing clicked open the front page of the entertainment news and was immediately assaulted with scandal after scandal, all about the super star and his mysterious girlfriend in a restroom. They were extremely saucy.

    Then, Mo Suqing looked for the headline of Trend. Sure enough, there was a photo of Guan Zixuan and that girl. It stated that Bai Tingnan of Trend Magazine was the first one who had published it.

    Mo Suqing was utterly dumbstruck.

    <i>That¡¯s the same photo I took with my phone! How on earth did Bai Tingnan get</i><i>?hold of it?</i>

    ¡°Well? Did you see it? Why don¡¯t you say something?¡± prompted Leng Xiyao.

    Mo Suqing came back to reality and replied, ¡°Yeah, I saw it.¡±

    She didn¡¯t know how to describe her feelings now.

    One thing was certain: Guan Zixuan was definitely cursing her. But, it wasn¡¯t her!

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t know how to exin everything to Leng Xiyao.

    She paused and put her thoughts in order before recounting what had happened the previous afternoon.

    ¡°So, this is what happened. I promised Guan Zixuan I wouldn¡¯t tell anyone about it. I also told him that I am just an ordinary traveler instead of a gossip columnist! Moreover, he gave his jacket to me, which is really kind. I did not expect this at all¡­ If I knew the photo would end up there, I may as well have written the story myself! Why did I spend the rest of the afternoon enduring the goddamn pain, only toe up with a piece of crap? Grrr!¡±

    Leng Xiyao had been listening quietly. After a while, she spoke, ¡°So you were saying that the photo Bai Tingnan published is actually from your phone and that she stayed in the office all day long yesterday, so you have no idea how she could possibly get hold of any photos of the like?¡±

    She paused before adding, ¡°Do you think she can have installed some kind of monitoring software in your phone? Otherwise, how can she have the photo?¡±

    Leng Xiyao frowned in perplexity.

    Mo Suqing thought about what she had said and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. We don¡¯t mingle with each other, so it is impossible that she could touch my phone, much less install anything in it. God, no one will believe it if I tell them the truth. Give me a little more time¡­ I think I might know what happened.¡±

    Mo Suqing retraced in her head everything that had happened yesterday one more time.

    ¡°You know what happened? Well, tell me!¡± pressed Leng Xiyao. ¡°I am dying to know how the news that is supposed to be ours ended up in the hand of that bitch. God, I¡¯m

    so mad! If I ever know how she did it, I swear I¡¯ll cut her treacherous hand off!¡±

 Chapter 26 â€“ A Good Man Who Cooks

    <h4>Chapter 26 ¨C A Good Man Who Cooks</h4>

    Mo Suqing sighed. ¡°Forget it, Yao. Stop fuming,¡±?she?soothed. ¡°After all, it all boils down to my own carelessness. If there¡¯s anyone you should me, it¡¯s me.¡±

    She exined, ¡°When I returned to the office yesterday afternoon, my menstrual cramps hurt so much that I directly ran to the restroom, dropping my phone and camera on my desk on the way. When I got back, I didn¡¯t find anything out of the ordinary. But, I did notice that Bai Tingnan, who is usually the first to leave work, was thest one to go yesterday. When I left, she was still writing her story.¡±

    ¡°That must be?it!¡± eximed Leng Xiyao. ¡°She must have stolen your picture from your phone while you were in the restroom. But I have to say, you are too honest! I can¡¯t believe you really kept your promise and didn¡¯t publish the story. Now Guan Zixuan must think it was you who did it, even though it was not the truth.¡±

    Mo Suqing gave out a bitterugh. That was true. Even though she did not publish the photo, Guan Zixuan would definitely think the opposite.

    She shrugged and said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Guan Zixuan doesn¡¯t know who I am anyway. We will be more careful next time. The same mistake must not be made a second time.¡±

    ¡°Alright then,¡± sighed Leng Xiyao, dispirited. ¡°We must watch out for Bai Tingnan from now on. There¡¯s nothing she dares not do!¡±

    ¡°Okay. I got it,¡± nodded Mo Suqing.

    After hanging up, Mo Suqing sat on the bed and was lost in thought.

    She was d Guan Zixuan did not know who she was. However, little did she know that their fates had already been bound together.

    All because of one picture.

    ¡­¡­

    Guan Zixuan had just got back to the country yesterday, so he was naturally exhausted. The mishap with that girl at the airport did not help, either.

    Therefore, after he went home, he had hit the mute button and gone to sleep, hoping to sleep off the jetg.

    As a result, it was past eleven when he woke the next day.

    He stretched himself with a yawn, then reached over for his phone on the nightstand.

    He was surprised to find hundreds of missed calls. His phone had been bombarded without him knowing. Shocked, he did note to himself for a long moment.

    What could have happened that resulted in so many missed calls overnight?

    After calming down a little, Guan Zixuan called Yuan. Yuan was a young man who had worked for him for three years. A very reliable fe.

    But when he picked up the phone, he sounded as if he was about to lose it.

    ¡°Boss, I finally reached you,¡± he whined. ¡°I am so desperate!¡±

    ¡°Calm down now,¡± said Guan Zixuan coolly. ¡°Just tell me what happened, slowly.¡±

    Yuan did not have much patience; he quickly spat everything out.

    ¡°Yesterday, you deleted everything in the girl¡¯s camera, right? Guess what, your picture appears in the news today! My phone had been heavily bombarded all morning. The entire PR team is as busy as bees.¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s expression darkened. <i>I?</i><i>should¡¯ve known not to trust</i><i>?that woman!</i>

    <i>How dared she publish the picture! And how could I have not known she is such a person?</i>

    <i>Fine! Now you really provoke me. You will pay the price!</i>

    ¡°Identify the magazine or newspaper that first published the story for me.¡±

    ¡°I have already done that,¡± said Yuan feebly. ¡°It¡¯s Trend Magazine. In fact, it is their exclusive news. The first person who published it is a female gossip columnist named Bai Tingnan.¡±

    ¡°A gossip columnist¡­¡± murmured Guan Zixuan, mulling over the name.

    After a while, his face creased into a profound smile.

    ¡°Issue an official announcement, telling the public that I will give everyone a satisfactory exnation regarding me and my mysterious girlfriend. That should be enough to improve the situation. Then, hold a press conference but only invite the gossip columnists from Trend.¡±

    ¡°Boss, are you sure?¡± frowned Yuan. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to offend the other media? They will probably scandalize you.¡±

    Guan Zixuan chuckled and said, ¡°That¡¯s quite alright. With my position in the business, few people can cause me any harm. I would like to see if Bai Tingnan is the woman from yesterday. It will be a lot of fun if she is. Humph! She was so sincere when she told me she was not a gossip columnist. I would like to know if she can still keep up her brazen attitude when we meet again!¡±

    Yuan considered this for a moment. ¡°Okay, Boss. I¡¯m going to do everything you just said now. I can arrange and hold the press conference tomorrow. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Perfect!¡± approved Guan Zixuan in an emphatic tone, his smile expanding into a grin.

    He looked forward to meeting that woman again!

    ¡­¡­

    Mo Suqing sat on the bed for a long time. She still felt a little concerned. After all, she and Guan Zixuan both worked in the entertainment field. He was an actor and she was a gossip columnist. If he really wanted to locate her, there was no way he could not do it.

    <i>But, he wouldn¡¯t spend time on her, now would he?</i>

    But the bottom line was, she was not even the one who had published the news, so she really shouldn¡¯t feel guilty!

    Thus boosting her morale, Mo Suqing found that there was nothing to be worried about. Worsees to worst, she would worry about it when the situation demanded her to be.

    All of a sudden, her hunger took over. She consulted her phone and found that it was already noon. It was time for lunch.

    She stepped out of the room and heard?a?spat hitting?the?pan. She walked to the kitchen.

    Through the ss panel, she could see Ye Zhongjue preparing lunch in a grey apron.

    He had a serene look on his face, chopping and pouring ingredients into the pan, just like a professional chef.

    Mo Suqing was amazed. <i>He can cook?</i>

    It seemed that there was nothing he couldn¡¯t do. She noted that there was a difference between the cooking Ye Zhongjue and the working one. He had a homey and cozy halo about him right then.

    When he was focusing on a task, he was very serious and meticulous. Nothing else concerned him anymore; he just worked, wholeheartedly.

    A curious sensation swelled in her.

    She yed back all of their interactions so far and what he was like?on?each asion.

    The Ye Zhongjue when she had first met him, the Ye Zhongjue whom she had gone to register the marriage with, the Ye Zhongjue who had taken her to dinner on their first evening as a couple, the Ye Zhongjue who worked hard, the Ye Zhongjue who took care of her during her period, and finally, the Ye Zhongjue who cooked for her.

    It was so strange. They had known each other for only a couple of days, but somehow he seemed to have been in her life forever.

    He was really a very nice man. She had never thought she would be so lucky as to find someone who not only worked hard, but also took good care of her and cooked great food¡­

    She had thought there was no way to find a man like this, but somehow she had bumped into one.

    Mo Suqing was still deep in thought when Ye Zhongjue finished cooking and started serving the food.

    He looked at her standing there and spoke softly, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there like a tree. Go wash your hands. I have only one more dish to stir-fry before we can have lunch.¡±

    Brought out of her reverie, Mo Suqing found two tes, each of which was covered neatly by a china bowl, already on the table.

    She nodded rapidly and said stupidly, ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯m going!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue smiled at her words and went into the kitchen.

    After washing her hands, Mo Suqing walked to the dining area and found that Ye Zhongjue had served thest dish.

    He was back in the kitchen to get the rice.

    Mo Suqing watched him for a moment, her eyes twinkling, and then went to the cab for their bowls.

    Ye Zhongjue gave her a thoughtful nce. She smiled innocently.

    The two of them sat down for lunch.

    Mo Suqing tasted one of the dishes and closed her eyes. ¡°Yum!¡± she eximed.

    It was as if some switch on her had been turned on. She was no longer acting warily like before.

    Like a greedy child, she kept stuffing food into her mouth. ¡°Ye Zhongjue, you don¡¯t look it, but you surely can cook!¡± shemented with her mouth full.

    ¡°Well, yeah!¡± he said tly.

    He ate in a very graceful manner. During the meal, he was even quieter than usual, which Mo Suqing foundfortable and nice.

    Mo Suqing had another bite and asked Ye Zhongjue, ¡°When did you learn how to cook?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue thought about it and replied, ¡°I think it was when I was in college. I was studying?abroad?at that time and could never get used to the foreign food, so I cooked for myself. After some time, I had most of the basic dishes under my belt.¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at him in admiration, but her mouth never stopped.

    ¡°Wow, you are good! I have always wanted to learn to cook. But so far, the only dish I can make is tomato and chili stir-fry ¨C I invented it myself, ha!¡±

    Looking at her eat, Ye Zhongjue smiled. <i>She is so cute.</i>

    Mo Suqing looked up and caught him grinning. She was surprised.

    After a while, she spoke in a timid and amazed tone, ¡°You just smiled!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue raised his eyebrow and demanded, ¡°What, I can¡¯t smile?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I like how you look when you?smile!¡± Mo Suqing said admiringly and a little affectionately.

    ¡°I thought your only expression was that cold face, other than no expression at all. I?didn¡¯t think you could?smile!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue grunted nomittally. He did not expect?her to?say that.

    After a while, he spoke deliberately, as if he had been mulling over what Mo Suqing had justmented, ¡°That cold face¡­ Am I really as intimidating as you?say I am?¡±

    Mo Suqing pushed some rice into her mouth before looking up, ¡°Did no one ever tell you that you never smiled?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue frowned and thought about this.

    <i>She¡¯s right! No one seems to have mentioned anything about it to me. Maybe they all think I am insensitive and cold, but they dare not say so.</i>

    ¡°I think they dare not tell me about it¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing was a little taken aback at his words. ¡°I can understand!¡± she agreed eventually.

 Chapter 27 â€“ What a Dictatorial Boss

    <h4>Chapter 27 ¨C What a Dictatorial Boss</h4>

    The way she saw it, if a person wore a cold face all the time, people around him would subconsciously give him a wide berth and be fearful of him.

    Normally, you would assume that cold-faced people were difficult. However, today she found that Ye Zhongjue was an exception.

    He was icy on the?outside, fiery on the?inside. At least,?this was how he always treated her since they had known each other.

    ¡°Eat your lunch and stop thinking weird stuff!¡± sighed Ye Zhongjue when he saw that Mo Suqing?was?once again lost in thought.

    ¡°O-okay!¡± Mo Suqing stuck out her tongue. But just when she was about to resume her meal, her phone rang from the bedroom.

    Ye Zhongjue frowned.?Despite taking the day off, she?seemed to be busier than him with all those calls.

    He had heard her talking on the phone while he was preparing lunch.

    Mo Suqingughed hollowly and apologized, ¡°Sorry! I need to answer the phone.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nodded without saying a word.

    Mo Suqing stood up and walked into the room. Seeing that it was Leng Xiyao who was calling, she picked up the phone.

    ¡°Suqing, I have some bad news!¡± panted Leng Xiyao.

    ¡°What? What happened? Take it easy!¡± said Mo Suqing.

    ¡°Just now, Abbess Miejue announced that Guan Zixuan is going to hold a press conference tomorrow and that he asked only journalists at Trend to attend!¡± reported an agitated Leng Xiyao. ¡°Is it possible he¡¯s actually trying to locate you, using the conference as a disguise?¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± eximed Mo Suqing incredulously. It was as in as the nose on her face that Guan Zixuan was indeed trying to locate and confront her.

    ¡°Well, you take care then!¡± Although Leng Xiyao was giving her a warning, she sounded amused, as if taking pleasure in her misfortune.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it! Is he really such a petty man?¡± mourned Mo Suqing. ¡°He has a million scandals every day. Why would he want to hunt me down? I¡¯m just someone who identally bumped into him and took a picture, which, may I add, I did not publish!¡±

    Leng Xiyaoughed before saying, ¡°Of course he would! The picture was taken in a public toilet! You have totally ruined his sacred image for his fans. Why wouldn¡¯t he want to hunt you down?¡±

    ¡°So what?should?I do?¡± fretted Mo Suqing.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Just don¡¯t go to the conference! However, Abbess Miejue ordered Bai Tingnan, Song Min, Liu Siran, you and me to be there, so you¡¯ve got to think of some excuse.¡±

    Mo Suqing hung up the phone, looking sorry for herself.

    She sat on the edge of the bed and racked her brains but to no avail.

    If she still couldn¡¯te up with anything, she could call in sick again tomorrow. However, the idea was barely formed before being aborted as soon as she thought of the icy expression on Abbess Miejue¡¯s face.

    She had been taking so many days off recently that she wasn¡¯t sure if she had used up her quota for the year. Abbess Miejue must have been pissed off.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s countenance kept changing.

    All of a sudden, she felt a pair of eyes watching her intently. Snapping her head up, she saw Ye Zhongjue leaning against the doorframe, looking at her expressionlessly.

    Seeing that Mo Suqing was aware of his presence, he spoke in a cid tone without any annoyance detectable, ¡°Do you want to have your meal?¡±

    Mo Suqing thought, <i>I still have to figure out what to do, but I¡¯ll do it after eating something first. Otherwise, I won¡¯t have enough energy to deal with Abbess Miejue tomorrow!</i>

    ¡°Yes!¡±?she?answered emphatically. Ye Zhongjue was a little taken aback.

    In the afternoon¡­

    Ye Zhongjue was working on some papers in his study. Mo Suqing knew she would probably sleep all afternoon if she stayed in her room, so she went to find Ye Zhongjue instead.

    There were just the two of them in the house; they could use each other¡¯spany.

    Ye Zhongjue looked up on hearing her footsteps. Mo Suqing stood by the door with a book in her hand, looking somewhat embarrassed.

    ¡°Come in!¡±?he said.

    Mo Suqing beamed. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t disturb you. I just don¡¯t want to be alone.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± replied Ye Zhongjue nomittally before returning back to the papers.

    Mo Suqing silently walked over to the sofa across from the desk.

    For a while, the study was very quiet except for the asional tapping on the keyboard from Ye Zhongjue, the swishing of his signing some paper, and the rustling of her turning another page.

    It must be what people meant by ¡°quiet but not lonely.¡±

    What Mo Suqing had not expected was, she would still fall asleep reading on the sofa.

    When Ye Zhongjue looked up again, he found that she had fallen into a peaceful sleep like a child. Her face was very beautiful, and her expression meek.

    He frowned a little. She was susceptible to colds these few days, but it seemed she wasn¡¯t concerned at all by falling asleep there. <i>What if she catches a chill?</i>

    He walked out of the study immediately.

    When he came back, there was a thick duvet in his arms. He walked over and cautiously covered her body with the duvet, afraid to wake her.

    Mo Suqing slept soundly until well past five in the afternoon. Ye Zhongjue was still working when she opened her eyes.

    ¡°Did you do this?¡± asked her in a very nasal voice, pointing at the duvet.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± said Ye Zhongjue.

    Mo Suqing shut her mouth, embarrassed. She had a feeling he didn¡¯t want to talk to her.

    After sitting on the sofa for a while, she spoke tentatively, ¡°You seem to have more work than your boss does. Do you really have to handle all those papers?¡± asked Mo Suqing, pointing at the huge pile on the desk.

    Ye Zhongjue stopped in mid-signing.

    <i>Yeah, I am supposed to be an assistant! An assistant is not supposed to read so many papers, let alone sign them</i><i>!</i>

    After formting a quick response, he replied, ¡°Of course not. It¡¯s just my boss has been on a business trip these two days. He asked me to go over these papers and sign them for him, so things can get done without dy.¡±

    ¡°What a dictatorial and willful boss!¡± Mo Suqing huffed.

    Ye Zhongjue did not want Mo Suqing to suspect anything, so he quickly exined, ¡°No, I have worked at Mighty Empire for several years, so my boss has a lot of trust in me!¡±

    Mo Suqing frowned. She could feel something didn¡¯t quite add up. However, Ye Zhongjue sounded really genuine. Maybe everything was just as he said.

    ¡°Alright then. What do you want to have for dinner? I¡¯ll go and buy it.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue contemted for a moment before replying, ¡°How about we order takeout? Or, I can take you out for dinner!¡±

    Remembering thest time when he took her out for a meal that could well have cost him his sry for a month, Mo Suqing shook her head rapidly.

    ¡°No, no! Let¡¯s order takeout.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll work for a little longer while waiting for the takeout.¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded, ¡°Okay, go back to your work.¡±

    Having nothing left to say, she took the duvet and left the study.

    Watching her slender figure from behind with a deep affection, Ye Zhongjue became lost in thought.

    One day, she would find out the truth. If she discovered he had been lying to her now when she didn¡¯t have any feelings for him, she would definitely leave him.

    But, he couldn¡¯t just lie to her forever.

    <i>I¡¯ll hide the truth from her for as long as I can then,?</i>he sighed.

    ¡­¡­

    The next morning when Mo Suqing woke up, Ye Zhongjue was still sleeping.

    She remembered that he had continued to work into the night the previous day. It must have been prettyte when he went to bed.

    She had never known anyone who was as diligent and careful in work as?him. He was second to none when ites to work ethics.

    Having said that, she believed his thoroughness was not reserved for work.

    <i>He seemed to be exhausted. I¡¯ll let him sleep a little more.</i>

    Mo Suqing carefully got out of bed, fearing she would wake him up. When she emerged from the bathroom, Ye Zhongjue was already up.

    He had just?finished changing?and?asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me?¡±

    Mo Suqing walked over to the wardrobe to pick out some clothes while saying casually, ¡°You went to bedtest night, so I thought you could use a few more minutes?of?sleep.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Ye Zhongjue murmured, then stepped into the bathroom.

    Mo Suqing quickly changed into her work outfit.

    When Ye Zhongjue came out of the bathroom, she had packed everything and was going to buy some breakfast downstairs.

    Ye Zhongjue stopped her, ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at him and replied matter-of-factly, ¡°I¡¯m going to buy us some breakfast.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue took a look at his watch and observed, ¡°It¡¯s a bitte. We¡¯ll buy some breakfast on the way to work. Don¡¯t forget your purse. Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°What¡­¡± Mo Suqing remained rooted on the spot.

    Ye Zhongjue reminded her, ¡°I said I would drive you to work and pick you up from work from now on.¡±

    Remembering the conversation from yesterday, Mo Suqing was a little dumbfounded.

    ¡°We can start from tomorrow. It¡¯s toote today; you¡¯ll bete for work.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue shook his head, ¡°No I won¡¯t. Get your stuff and let¡¯s go.¡±

    Mo Suqing decided that she was just wasting more time arguing with him, so she quickly took up her purse and followed him downstairs.

    Sitting in the car, Mo Suqing finally understood why a lot of people would want to buy a car. It was so much better than being crammed into a subway carriage.

    When she graduated from school, Mo Zhenfeng had proposed to buy her a car, but due to many reasons, including the discord between Bai Lian and her, her stubbornness, and her decision to leave home, she didn¡¯t ept it.

    However, the real reason was because she didn¡¯t know how to drive.?The thought?of driving on the road scared her. The fact that her mother had died from a car ident did not help.

    Ye Zhongjue pulled over without warning.

    Mo Suqing gave him a puzzled look. He turned to her and instructed, ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll go buy some breakfast.¡±

    Then, he got off the car and walked toward a shop nearby.

    He was such a nice-looking man, tall and handsome and elegant.

    People immediately started to eye him. A weird emotion raised up in Mo Suqing¡¯s chest.

    At least nominally, he was her husband. Although he was just an assistant, she had discovered during their short time together that he was not only extraordinarily attractive, but also very abled in many things.

    <i>But why</i><i>?</i><i>would he choose me?</i>

    <i>And more importantly, why?</i><i>did</i><i>?I sumb to an impulse and agree to marry him?</i>

 Chapter 28 â€“ Mo Suqing Got out of a Predicament

    <h4>Chapter 28 ¨C Mo Suqing Got out of a Predicament</h4>

    Mo Suqing stayed in the car, her expression changing from one to another.

    Presently, Ye Zhongjue returned to the car. He handed her the breakfast, saying, ¡°Eat first. We¡¯ll arrive at yourpany soon.¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded and took the food.

    When they arrived at Trend, she was a full half hour earlier.

    She got off the car and spotted Zhang Yubin standing near the entrance, watching her.

    Mo Suqing paid no heed of his behavior. She watched Ye Zhongjue drive away before turning to enter the office.

    When she walked past Zhang Yubin, he spoke, ¡°That your husband?¡±

    His voice was obviously steeped in jealousy.

    Mo Suqing frowned, <i>How does it concern him?</i>

    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± she replied nomittally and was about to keep walking.

    However, it seemed Zhang Yubin wasn¡¯t quite finished. He followed behind Mo Suqing and continued, ¡°Suqing, why did you choose someone like that? He¡¯s worse than that Gu Jiannan! At least Gu Jiannan is the sessor to the Gu Group. What is this husband of yours? He can¡¯t even buy a decent car! I don¡¯t believe a man who drives?around in a Volkswagen is able to take good care of you.¡±

    Zhang Yubin became more and more worked up with each word. It was as if Mo Suqing had done something evil.

    Mo Suqing seriously didn¡¯t want to lose her temper. She was just being polite, otherwise she wouldn¡¯t have answered his question.

    She knew that Zhang Yubin¡¯s family owned apany and that he had some powerful connections here in A?City.

    But even so, he didn¡¯t get to have the brass to criticize who she chose!

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s any of your business,¡± said Mo Suqing calmly with a look that betrayed a flicker of annoyance.

    Zhang Yubin blushed scarlet at her words. It was difficult to tell if it was because he was angry or embarrassed.

    Looking nonplussed, he stood there for a while and, when Mo Suqing almost disappeared into the office, shouted helplessly, ¡°Suqing, one day you will regret?choosing?him!¡±

    Mo Suqing repeated herself once again without turning her head, ¡°Yeah? It¡¯s still not your business!¡±

    Deted, Zhang Yubin remained on the spot for a long time.

    Some ten minutes after Mo Suqing stepped into the office, Leng Xiyao showed up.

    The two girls went to the bathroom. Leng Xiyao fired a question at Mo Suqing right away, ¡°Have you thought of anything yet?¡±

    Mo Suqing did not answer for a short while before replying, ¡°Kind of. Except I don¡¯t know whether it is feasible or not. It¡¯s a little embarrassing¡­¡±

    ¡°What did you think of? Tell me about it!¡± Leng Xiyao moved closer to her eagerly.

    Mo Suqing pushed her away in disgust. Thess always took pleasure in her misfortune!

    ¡°It¡¯s simple. When you called in sick for me yesterday, you mentioned to Abbess Miejue I was unwell, right? It was not the first time I was unwell during my period, I bet she knew what happened. So, here¡¯s my n¡­¡± This time, Mo Suqing leaned across to whisper her whole n into Leng Xiyao¡¯s ear.

    Leng Xiyao trembled uncontrobly, trying hard to suppress herughter.

    However, she failed and started tough out loud.

    Mo Suqing rolled her eyes. ¡°I knew you wouldugh at me! Just tell me what you think of the n?¡±

    Leng Xiyao gave her the thumbs up. ¡°Using an existing strategy ¨C very good! No, I should acknowledge that you didn¡¯t mean to y the menstruation card yesterday. It was an ident. However, Guan Zixuan revealed his weapon now, and you have your countermeasure in store for him. What a brilliant idea!¡±

    Mo Suqing entered one of the cubicles and came out again shortly afterwards.

    When the two of them appeared from the bathroom, most of the journalists hade.

    At ten o¡¯clock, An Huilin emerged from her private office and spoke to the journalists of the entertainment department, ¡°For those who have been appointed to interview Guan Zixuan today, go straight to the tenth floor of Tianyu Hotel, where the press conference is going to be held at eleven sharp.¡±

    After finishing what she had got to say, An Huilin went back to her office. Mo Suqing gave Leng Xiyao a meaningful look, then stood up slowly.

    Just as expected, there was a big stain on the ck leather seat of her chair. She let out a sigh of relief.

    Covering her backside with a folder, she thus walked towards the editor-in-chief¡¯s office with a strange gait. People cast her one or two sidelong nces withoutmenting.

    Mo Suqing knocked, waited for An Huilin¡¯s admittance, and pushed open the door.

    An Huilin looked up and said in a voice as cold as her face, ¡°What¡¯s up? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be getting ready for the conference?¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at her and said timidly, ¡°Boss, can I not go to the conference?¡±

    An Huilin, her face now expressionless, demanded, ¡°Why is that?¡±

    The corner of Mo Suqing¡¯s mouth twitched. She turned around.

    An Huilin immediately saw the scarlet stain on her khaki trousers. As a woman, of course she knew what had happened.

    She looked a bit uneasy when she admonished Mo Suqing, ¡°What a careless girl!¡±

    Mo Suqing turned back and smiled embarrassingly. ¡°The pad must have gone askew.¡±

    ¡°Whatever,¡± An Huilin waved her hand impatiently. ¡°Go clean yourself up! You can stay in thepany today. I have sent enough people. It¡¯s okay if one of you doesn¡¯t go.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,?Boss!¡± Smiling, Mo Suqing nodded and ced the folder back on her hips before leaving the office.

    The second Mo Suqing emerged from the editor-in-chief¡¯s office, she ran back to her desk.

    She fished out a thin jacket from her purse and put it on. Then, she turned to Leng Xiyao and gave her a ¡°it worked¡± look before walking towards the bathroom with a piece of sanitary pad in her hand.

    So, the entire n she had carried out was this: when she entered the cubicle before, she was actually throwing away the old pad on her underwear, so that blood would stain her clothing and she would have a wonderful excuse not to go to the press conference.

    It was a cheap trick, but it definitely worked like a charm. An Huilin did not even hesitate a moment!

    In order not to go to the conference and confront Guan Zixuan, she was more than willing to sacrifice a pair of trousers.

    When Mo Suqing came out of the bathroom, Leng Xiyao and the others had left for Tianyu Hotel.

    Mo Suqing breathed a sigh of relief. She walked over to her desk and sat down.

    <i>Phew! It was a close call!</i>

    At Tianyu Hotel

    Guan Zixuan was sitting in the monitor room, watching intently at the screen.

    After a while, he knitted his brows. <i>Where is the woman from yesterday? Is she really not a gossip columnist?</i>

    He turned to ask his assistant, ¡°Have all of the gossip columnists from Trend Magazine arrived?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they are all here,¡± confirmed Yuan.

    ¡°Tell me which one of them is the first one who published my news yesterday.¡±

    Yuan leaned in to take a closer look at the screen. Finally, he pointed at a woman in white and said, ¡°That is Bai Tingnan. I¡¯ve already done some research on her. She stayed in the office all day long yesterday, not stepping her foot outside at all until it was time to go home.¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s face darkened. <i>Did he make a misjudgment? Was it possible that the woman simply sent the photo to the magazine, that she was not a gossip columnist?</i>

    If so, she would be like a needle in a haystack.

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s expression became uglier and uglier. He just sat there, not moving at all.

    Yuan looked at him worriedly, ¡°Boss, it¡¯s time!¡±

    Guan Zixuan ignored himpletely. Yuan was obviously agitated. <i>Come on now! Don¡¯t be such a baby!</i>

    <i>It is your conference. You can¡¯t just decide not?</i><i>to?</i><i>show up!</i>

    An idea presented itself. He suggested, ¡°We can intercept Bai Tingnan after the conference and ask her where she got hold of the picture. I believe we can definitely locate that woman from yesterday this way, so?Boss, please stop fuming. We need to go there now. If you arete, those gossip columnists will only have more material to scandalize you!¡±

    Guan Zixuan slowly turned around and looked at him, rolling his eyes upward as if he was considering Yuan¡¯s proposal.

    ¡°I guess you have a point. Well, then you will bring Bai Tingnan to me after this, okay?¡±

    Hearing that he had finally relented, Yuan almost cried.

    ¡°Yes sir! I will do as told!¡±

    At his words, Guan Zixuan, like a prince, slowly rose and left the monitor room.

    At the conference.

    Guan Zixuan stepped into the spotlight in his graceful white suit. When he smiled, every fan was?intoxicated by?him.

    ¡°Journalists, my dear fans, and everyone who is present here today, wee. About yesterday¡¯s news, I will give you clear and satisfactory answers. Now, you may start asking questions.¡±

    Bai Tingnan took the lead, ¡°Mr. Guan, what is your rtionship with the woman in the airport bathroom? Is she your mysterious girlfriend?¡±

    Guan Zixuan was smiling on the outside, but inside his temper was ring. He imagined cutting Mo Suqing into pieces. <i>I don¡¯t believe that woman from yesterday didn¡¯t divulge what she saw!</i>

    <i>Very well. If this is how she¡¯s gonna y the game, I¡¯ll y along.</i>

    His voice was very sexy when he answered, ¡°As a matter of fact, we just met yesterday; she¡¯s not my girlfriend. Your imagination is overactive,?everyone.¡±

    Bai Tingnan threw another question right away, pointing out, ¡°If you just met each other, howe you two would end up in the same bathroom? It doesn¡¯t make any sense to me.¡±

    Guan Zixuan cleared his throat and said, a creepy smile crossing his face, ¡°You are right! There are times when things don¡¯t seem to make any sense yet in fact make perfect sense.¡±

    He smiled and continued, ¡°Yesterday after I entered the bathroom, the door to it was opened again. I turned around and saw a woman charging inside. That woman was who you thought of as my ¡®mysterious¡¯ girlfriend, while the fact is I only met her for the first time.¡±

    ¡°So she ran inside, saw me, and found that she had gone into the wrong bathroom. Obviously?in?panic, she looked at me and froze on the spot for a while, not knowing what to do. In the end, she spoke to me¡­ Does anyone care to know what she said?¡±

    ¡°¡®I¡¯m so sorry I went into the wrong bathroom!¡¯¡± someone shouted a guess.

    ¡°¡®My god! You are Guan Zixuan! I can¡¯t believe I met you in person! You are so handsome!¡¯¡± another offered.

 Chapter 29 â€“ Guan Zixuan Got out of a Crisis

    <h4>Chapter 29 ¨C Guan Zixuan Got out of a Crisis</h4>

    Guan Zixuan shook his head and wagged his finger from side to side.

    ¡°No!¡± He smiled mysteriously and said, ¡°Neither is what she said. The truth is, she knew she was in the wrong bathroom the moment she saw me, but she couldn¡¯t just go back outside due to some reason?out of her control.¡±

    ¡°Which is?¡± asked someone almost instantly.

    ¡°Well,¡± Guan Zixuan dragged the answer out, ¡°The reason is simple. It was her period. She got her trousers stained and charged into the wrong bathroom in her haste. However, she didn¡¯t want to leave the bathroom again until she cleaned herself up.¡±

    Leng Xiyao burst intoughter at his ount.

    Guan Zixuan was using the story of how he had met Suqing! When Suqing found out that he brazenly spoke of her embarrassing experience in front of the public, she would definitely kill him.

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s expression made a subtle change. He looked at Leng Xiyao and asked, ¡°Miss, what is it that is so funny?¡±

    Leng Xiyao quickly shut her mouth up. She shouldn¡¯t have acted so.

    ¡°No, nothing,¡± she replied, ¡°I just find it very hrious. It was already not her day when she didn¡¯t prepare for her period, but to go into the wrong bathroom on top of that? Talk about bad luck!¡±

    ¡°Indeed!¡± chuckled Guan Zixuan, not inappropriately. ¡°However, she was actually quite lucky in the end, because she met me!¡±

    ¡°How is that?¡± asked Liu Siran.

    Guan Zixuan smiled without answering the question immediately. His smile was so sweet that it was intoxicating.

    After a while, he finally said, ¡°She was lucky because I went out of my way to buy some sanitary pads for her! This is who I am. I just can¡¯t walk away when someone is in need. Seeing that she was so helpless made my heart fill with pity, so when she asked me if I could get some sanitary pads for her, I said yes without hesitation. After all, giveing each other a hand is one of our greatest traditions as the Chinese people.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­¡± eximed the crowd.

    ¡°Guan Zixuan is so cool!¡±

    ¡°What a gentleman he is¡­¡±

    Bai Tingnan frowned. <i>Is this really what happened?</i>

    Puzzled, she asked, ¡°And then what happened?¡±

    Guan Zixuan sneered inwardly. By her insistent questioning, he was sure she knew something.

    But outwardly, he just smiled an innocent smile and replied, ¡°And then, I lent her my jacket to cover the stain and left the bathroom.¡±

    Now it was Leng Xiyao¡¯s turn. She asked the following question on purpose, ¡°So ording to your story, it¡¯s true she¡¯s not your girlfriend. But what I don¡¯t understand is,?how?can?anyone take a picture?secretly?in such a private ce?¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s smile broadened into a beam. He said, ¡°Well, how about you tell me that? After all, gossip columnists nowadays are so determined to get saucy stories that there is virtually nothing they can¡¯t do! Besides, it is old news that scandals can always find celebrities¡­¡±

    Then, he chuckled a little and joked, ¡°I will have to be extra careful when I go to the bathroom from now on!¡±

    Guan Zixuan thus concluded the conference with a pregnant statement.

    Leng Xiyao was forced to admit that although Guan Zixuan¡¯s was also a cheap trick, he surely knew how to y it skillfully.

    It was killing two birds with one stone on his part. Not only did he make people believe that he was not rted to the woman in any way, but he also sessfully expressed what a kind gentleman he was and gained more poprity.

    As someone who also worked in the entertainment industry, Leng Xiyao sincerely admired his strategy.

    No wonder he could take off in the first ce and became famous. It wasn¡¯t simply because he got a brilliant PR team. He himself was not bad, either.

    After the conference, Leng Xiyao and the others left the hotel.

    Except Bai Tingnan, who was always a lone wolf and not well-liked. She was thest one to go.

    She still didn¡¯t understand it. Could it really be that Mo Suqing took the picture in secret while she hid in the men¡¯s room in ambush?

    If that was the case, it definitely said a lot about her.

    Bai Tingnan was about to enter the elevator when a young man blocked her path. She gave him a bewildered look and demanded, ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Yuan smiled and exined, ¡°Hi, you can call me Yuan. I am Mr. Guan¡¯s personal assistant. He would like to talk to you.¡±

    Bai Tingnan thought, <i>Mr. Guan? I suppose he means Guan Zixuan? Why does he want to talk to me?</i>

    Bai Tingnan¡¯s face brightened. As one of his fans, she had always admired Guan Zixuan.

    She would never have dreamed of Guan Zixuan wanting to see her in private! No matter why he was doing this, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that she could never say no to.

    She nodded, barely containing her happiness. ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll go with you!¡±

    Yuan brought Bai Tingnan to a lounge and said, ¡°Mr. Guan is in there. Please go inside. I¡¯ll wait here.¡±

    Bai Tingnan nodded and opened the door expectantly.

    She was struck dumb the moment she set foot inside the lounge, which was in aplete darkness. Not afar, there seemed to be a darker shadow.

    The creepy atmospherested for about a minute.

    Bai Tingnan was a little scared and considered to turn around and leave, but thinking of meeting and talking with Guan Zixuan, she decided against it.

    She found her voice and asked hesitantly, ¡°Are you Guan Zixuan?¡±

    The figure in the dark answered softly, ¡°Uh-huh.¡±

    The voice was husky and sexy, just like Guan Zixuan¡¯s. Bai Tingnan gave out a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Your assistant Yuan said you would like to see me.¡±

    Guan Zixuan chuckled softly, still in the dark. When he spoke again, his voice seemed to acquire some magic power, ¡°You weren¡¯t the one who took the pictures yesterday, right?¡±

    Bai Tingnan was astounded.?Did he find out?

    She racked her brain and, after a while, replied hastily, ¡°I received an anonymous message that contained the picture.?That¡¯s?all I know!¡±

    The way Bai Tingnan blurted out her words made Guan Zixuan frown.

    He didn¡¯t believe a word of hers, but she said with such a seeming conviction, he didn¡¯t know how to continue his questioning.

    After a while, he prodded, ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    Bai Tingnan saw that Guan Zixuan, standing up from a sofa, started to walk towards

    her. There was a tremor in her voice, ¡°Y-yes!¡±

    When Guan Zixuan was right in front of her, she didn¡¯t feel like herself anymore. Her heart was pounding so loudly!

    Guan Zixuan sneered inwardly. <i>With such an easily lostposure, how dared she lie to me!</i>

    Guan Zixuan stepped closer and closer. Bai Tingnan could not help but go backwards. In the end, she reached the wall and there was nowhere else she could go.

    Guan Zixuan leaned in, the warmth of his breath on Bai Tingnan¡¯s face. Her heart pounded even harder; she was both scared and expectant.

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s voice was ever husky and sexy when he asked again, ¡°Are you sure you are telling the truth?¡±

    In her mind¡¯s eye, Bai Tingnan saw herself stealing the picture from Mo Suqing¡¯s cell phone yesterday afternoon. She gathered up her determination once again. She could not let anyone know about it.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sure!¡± she stammered out an answer.

    Guan Zixuan pulled himself away from her. Bai Tingnan could breathe again.

    He suddenly lost his interest. This woman was in hypocritical. So boring and unattractive!

    ¡°Go!¡±manded Guan Zixuan, his voice cold and steely all of a sudden.

    ¡°What?¡± Bai Tingnan was totally stunned. He was just being sweet and charming! How did he change into another person in a matter of seconds?

    ¡°What? You don¡¯t understand English? I said go!¡±

    Shamed, Bai Tingnan ran out of the door.

    By Bai Tingnan¡¯s grieved expression, Yuan knew that his boss had once again mistreated another young woman.

    When he opened the door, Guan Zixuan had turned the light on.

    ¡°Boss, are we still going to find out about that woman from yesterday?¡±

    ¡°Forget about it!¡± said Guan Zixuan, waving his hand dismissively. ¡°Don¡¯t bother. You can go now. I¡¯m going to take a rest.¡±

    Guan Zixuan rubbed his forehead, feeling sore and hurt around the temple.

    ¡­¡­

    As soon as Leng Xiyao went back to the office, Mo Suqing demanded to know what had happened at the conference.

    The two of them went to have lunch together.

    Leng Xiyao did not even start talking when she burst outughing uncontrobly.

    ¡°What is it? Talk to me!¡± Mo Suqing became even more anxious.

    However, every time Leng Xiyao looked at Mo Suqing in the eye, a new round ofughter ensued. Her shoulders shook violently; she almost burst into tears.

    ¡°Hahaha¡­ Suqing, when Guan Zixuan talked about the woman he was with yesterday, he was actually talking about you! He used you to clear up his scandal, saying that he bought some sanitary pads for the woman, etc. You have no idea! He told the story with such a conviction! I could not help butugh out loud then and there.¡±

    ¡°What¡­¡± Mo Suqing waspletely shocked.

    He told everyone her embarrassing experience¡­ What a petty man! As a famous actor, how could he give such an ount in public? He was over the top, that man was!

    Seeing Mo Suqing cover her face with one hand, not knowing what to say, Leng Xiyao¡¯sughter became more hearty.

    Mo Suqing facepalmed, wishing she was not Leng Xiyao¡¯s friend right then.

    Theyughed and joked like this for the rest of lunchtime and Mo Suqing gradually rxed. Anyway, Guan Zixuan should be satisfied now and stop looking for her. Besides, she didn¡¯t even publish the picture. That was the bottom line.

    After lunch, Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao went back to thepany.

    They had barely sat down when An Huilin walked into the office.

    She gave Leng Xiyao a haughty look. Even Mo Suqing could feel her hostility?even though the look was not directed to her.

    After An Huilin returned to her office, Mo Suqing turned to Leng Xiyao and said, ¡°Recently, I always have the feeling that you have somehow provoked her anger. Otherwise, why does she keep treating you like this? Even I can feel it. And the look she gives you!¡±

    ¡°Who knows why?¡± said Leng Xiyao carelessly. ¡°I guess she¡¯s about to lose her mind because she is still an old maid and no one wants to sleep with her. She wants to vent her discontent on someone and I just happen to be her target. That¡¯s all.¡±

    Leng Xiyao chuckled derisively.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t know how to respond. Of course, she knew Leng Xiyao was just kidding.

    However, she still couldn¡¯t figure out the real reason why An Huilin would treat Leng Xiyao like that.

 Chapter 30 â€“ Gu Jiannan Appeared in Mighty Empire

    <h4>Chapter 30 ¨C Gu Jiannan Appeared in Mighty Empire</h4>

    In the Mighty Empire HQ.

    Gu Jiannan was in front of the building and tried to get in. However, the security didn¡¯t think so.

    ¡°Sir, you can¡¯t get in there without your ID and reservation in advance.¡±

    Gu Jiannan looked at the hands of the guards on his arm; his expression could not be surlier. As the sessor to the Gu Group, he did not care for being treated this way by two nobodies.

    After a long time, the security still did not budge. In the end, Gu Jiannan changed his tactic. ¡°Sirs, please kindly let me in! I just want to meet Mr. Ye and see if partnership is a possibility. If everything goes well, I won¡¯t forget you.¡±

    He was almost fawning upon them, but unfortunately, the two guards did not seem to notice.

    This was hardly a surprise. They were security hired by Mighty Empire, not at all like the others elsewhere. Their work ethic was impable in A?City. No one could slip in under their eyes!

    Since this tactic was not going to work, Gu Jiannan quickly came up with another one.

    A whileter, a man in a delivery uniform approached Mighty Empire. The wide brim of his cap covered most of his face.

    The security put their hands on his arm andmanded emotionlessly, ¡°Raise your head and let us see your face!¡±

    The man raised his head obediently. However, there was so much filth on his face that the two guards almost puked. They waved him through, saying disgustedly, ¡°Go go go! Put the delivery on the front counter ande out. Do not loiter.¡±

    The man nodded and went past the security.

    When he was safely inside the building, he immediately headed to the nearest stairwell. Then, he took off his cap and clothes, revealing the neat and clean suit underneath.

    He woke up his phone and, after taking a look at his dirty face, almost puked. He quickly put away his phone and walked towards a bathroom.

    When he emerged from it a momentter, his face was free of any filth.

    Needless to say, he was actually Gu Jiannan, who could think of nothing that would work except for disguising himself as a deliveryman.

    He heard that the office of Mighty Empire¡¯s mysterious president was located on the hundredth floor of the building.

    Gu Jiannan tidied himself up and quickly moved towards the elevator.

    Inside, he pressed the button ¡°100¡± and watched the number of the floor indicator?go?up and up while he became more and more excited.

    He was finally going to meet the legendary figure of Mighty Empire! However, the real reason he was here today was to sort out why Mighty Empire was giving Gu Group such a hard time recently.

    If it was not for this reason, he would never have entered the building this way.

    He would ask President Ye in person if he had authorized the abuse or if his subordinates had been acting on their own without him knowing.

    The two guards at the front door started to feel something was wrong. One of them wondered out loud, ¡°Where the hell is that deliveryman?¡±

    After thinking for a moment, the other snapped his head up, ¡°Oh no! It is the man in the suit!¡±

    The one who spoke first quickly called the front desk with his walkie-talkie, ¡°The building is infiltrated! A man in a deliveryman¡¯s outfit slipped through a moment ago. He might be someone from anotherpany!¡±

    After receiving the warning, the front desk immediately ryed the message to Lin Ran.

    Before Gu Jiannan reached the hundredth floor, Lin Ran had recognized him from the monitoring system.

    Gu Jiannan was smiling when he was about to step out of the elevator. Ha! Even with such guards, he had managed his way here!

    However, when he looked ahead, his smile instantly froze.

    There was Lin Ran, with two guards on each side of him, forming a solid wall.

    Gu Jiannan did not even see what exactly the hundredth floor looked like when Lin Ran ordered the four guards in a t tone, ¡°Get him out of here!¡±

    The security dragged Gu Jiannan away while he shouted vehemently, ¡°I want to see President Ye! Let me go!¡±

    Of course, the security wouldn¡¯t hear any of it. They kept dragging him along.

    Gu Jiannan was dragged all the way out of the building. Then, the security left him alone.

    Gu Jiannan¡¯s expression was horrid. Darkness fell over his face. <i>What a self-important bighead! How can he do this to me??</i>He would take over the Mo Group one day and see if Mighty Empire dares to?bully him anymore. <i>Let¡¯s wait and see if he can dominate A</i><i>?City</i><i>?forever!</i>

    Not only did Gu Jiannan fail to find out the reason why Mighty Empire had been giving the Gu Group a hard time,?but?he did not even see their CEO. An evil idea started to form in his head.

    On the hundredth floor of Mighty Empire.

    Lin Ran stood in front of Ye Zhongjue in silence.

    Ye Zhongjue only looked up at him after a while. ¡°So, what happened out there?¡±

    Lin Ran cleared his throat and phrased his ount carefully, ¡°Boss, Gu Jiannan¡­ he disguised himself as a deliveryman and entered the building. However, he was caught in time and dragged away.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue gave Lin Ran a creepy smile, sending shivers down his spine. Hemented inwardly, <i>Boss, would you stop smiling like that!</i>

    ¡°In time, you said.¡± Ye Zhongjue gave Lin Ran a funny look and narrowed his eyes dangerously, ¡°He reached the hundredth floor, for crying out loud! I feel ashamed for you!¡±

    Lin Ran gave a tremblyugh and said pleadingly, ¡°Boss, I¡¯m sorry. I made a mistake, okay? Even so, I still tried my best. Please, forgive me this time.¡±

    Watching him putting on a piteous face, Ye Zhongjue could only shake his head. This fe should be awarded with a Best Assistant of the Year!

    He cast Lin Ran a deadpan nce, preventing him from spitting out what he was about to say.

    In the end, heughed nervously and repeated, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡±

    ¡°Then get out of my sight and go to work!¡± thundered Ye Zhongjue. ¡°Put Gu Jiannan on the list of people who will never be admitted. Understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± answered Lin Ran emphatically.

    ¡°Alright then. You can go now.¡± Ye Zhongjue rubbed his forehead, feeling a slight headache. He hoped he did not catch a cold the day before yesterday.

    Lin Ran was about to leave the room, but he stopped himself and asked, ¡°Boss, are we still going after the Gu Group?¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± replied Ye Zhongjue nomittally.

    Lin Ran watched Ye Zhongjue closely, not sure if he understood him right. He rolled his eyes over and thought about it. <i>I think he meant yes¡­ After all, he put Gu Jiannan on the list, didn¡¯t he?</i>

    Lin Ran returned to his work. Ye Zhongjue consulted his watch. It was well past four, almost time to get off work.

    He still got some papers to browse and sign, so he quickened his pace, hoping to finish all of them before leaving thepany and picking Mo Suqing up at Trend Magazine.

    Just before it was time to get off work, Mo Suqing¡¯s phone rang. She was a little surprised to find the caller to be Ye Zhongjue.

    Leng Xiyao looked at her. ¡°What are you doing? Your phone is ringing.¡±

    Mo Suqing gave her an awkward look and mouthed the words, ¡°It¡¯s Ye Zhongjue!¡±

    Leng Xiyao nodded knowingly, ¡°Then you should pick it up! Aren¡¯t you newlyweds supposed to be inseparable now?¡±

    Mo Suqing rolled her eyes at her. The girl had made making fun of her a habit of hers. She knew perfectly that it was a conditional marriage.

    Seeing Mo Suqing stare at herself, Leng Xiyaoughed more heartily. ¡°I guess you are afraid to pick it up because you feel guilty!¡±

    ¡°Why would I feel guilty??Who says I¡¯m afraid?!¡±

    While Leng Xiyao stuck her tongue out at her, she picked up the call. ¡°Hello? What¡¯s up? You are still at work, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± answered Ye Zhongjue in a low voice. ¡°Stay in yourpany when it¡¯s time to go home. I¡¯ll go pick you up.¡±

    Mo Suqing considered for a moment, watching Leng Xiyao peering at herself, and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait for you.¡±

    After hanging up, Leng Xiyao slid over and beamed at Mo Suqing. ¡°Tell me, what did he say? What¡¯s that supposed to mean, ¡®I¡¯ll wait for you¡¯?¡±

    She mimicked Mo Suqing¡¯s voice, but with much more sweetness.

    Mo Suqing shivered and got goose bumps all over her arms. She pushed Leng Xiyao lightly in a yful manner and said, ¡°Yao, stop it! He called to say¡ª¡±

    Mo Suqing cast?a sidelong nce at Leng Xiyao and decided against telling her the truth in thest moment. If she did tell her, she would definitely wait up to steal a look at Ye Zhongjue.

    ¡°Well, he told me to wait for him at home after work, so that he and I could go have dinner together.¡±

    ¡°Tut!¡± Leng Xiyao shook her head as if bored. ¡°I thought it was something more interesting.?Speaking of which,?when do you n to introduce him to me?¡±

    Staring at the screen, Mo Suqing tapped the keyboard and spoke, ¡°I will when there is a chance, and I promise you will be the first one whom I introduce to him. The problem is, he and I are not really that close.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense!¡± eximed Leng Xiyao, the volume of her voice going right up. ¡°You have already slept together, and that¡¯s not close? So what will you do when you two do be close?¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s words immediately attracted a lot of attention. Mo Suqing would cover her mouth if she knew it would make a difference.

    She had got used to Leng Xiyao saying the first thing that came up her mind, but she?was very ufortable at?being watched like a giant panda.

    Leng Xiyao gave an embarrassedugh, ¡°Sorry, Suqing, you know I like to talk trash¡­¡±

    Some coworkers had startedughing. Mo Suqing shook her head disapprovingly. ¡°Think before you talk next time, okay? Now, quickly finish up your work; it¡¯s almost time to go home. You don¡¯t want to work overtime, do you?¡±

    At the mention of going home, Leng Xiyao pursed her lips and said, ¡°I would rather work overtime¡­¡±

    Seeing her reluctant expression, Mo Suqing leaned closer. ¡°What? Why don¡¯t you want to go home all of a sudden?¡±

    Leng Xiyao pursed her lips even more. ¡°Suqing, I want to move out.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Mo Suqing was a little stunned. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t tell me someone mistreats you at home?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Leng Xiyao gave some random stuff before her a sweep and said indignantly, ¡°You have no idea! There are more and more things that my uncle tries to control! I practically have to ask his permission for everything I do! I feel I have no privacy anymore. This morning, we had a big fight over this.¡±

    Leng Xiyao sounded truly upset.

 Chapter 31 â€“ Underwear, Nightdress and Sanitary Pads

    <h4>Chapter 31 ¨C Underwear, Nightdress and Sanitary Pads</h4>

    Mo Suqing shook her head and said, ¡°I think it¡¯s because you are spoiled! He used to do everything you wanted and now you have your own notions for lots of things, so you can¡¯t stand a little reprimand or control.¡±

    ¡°Suqing, you really think so? You think I am unruly and willful too?¡±

    Mo Suqing felt deeply misunderstood. <i>When did I say anything about her being unruly?</i><i>and willful?</i>

    ¡°I think you have too much leisure time! You should spend some of it thinking about your future, and don¡¯t pick a fight with your uncle all the time. He raises and treats you so well, you should be grateful.¡±

    Leng Xiyao stared at her, ¡°You?have never seen?him before. How do you know if he treats me well or not?¡±

    Mo Suqing felt her head start to ache. What happened to this missy, with the persistent backtalk? She would like to know whom she had got it from.

    She must meet this storied uncle of hers in person one day, to see what kind of man he was to spoil his little niece like this. After all, Leng Xiyao did not be outspoken and ¡°willful¡± overnight.

    ¡°You chirp about him all the time. How can I not know he is nice to you?¡±

    ¡°Do I chirp about him all the time?¡± murmured Leng Xiyao, frowning.

    ¡°Whatever.¡± Mo Suqing nudged her a little. ¡°Let¡¯s get back to work. Don¡¯t let Abbess Miejue catch us chatting!¡±

    Leng Xiyao stuck her tongue out a little, retreated to her desk and began typing furiously.

    Mo Suqing worked diligently until her phone rang after most of the office had gone home.

    ¡°I¡¯m here. You cane out,¡± came Ye Zhongjue¡¯s voice from the other end of the line.

    Mo Suqing quickly finished up and left the office.

    When she got?in the car, Ye Zhongjue turned to look at her and asked, ¡°You must have waited for a long time.¡±

    Mo Suqing fastened her seat belt while shaking her head. ¡°No. The time is perfect. Stick to it every time.¡±

    However, what she was really thinking was that at this hour, basically everyone at work would have gone home; it was perfect because no one would see them.

    ¡°Okay,¡± assented Ye Zhongjue. He started to drive in the direction of their home.

    When they passed an intersection, Ye Zhongjue stopped the car close to the curb and asked Mo Suqing, ¡°Do you want to have dinner at home or eat out today?¡±

    Mo Suqing hadn¡¯t realized she had already considered the ce where she was living

    as their home, too. Every time when Ye Zhongjue described it like that, she didn¡¯t have any weird feelings.

    Mo Suqing was going to answer that she wanted to eat at home. But then, she thought of how tired he must be after a day¡¯s work and how?bad?she was at cooking.

    She gave him a weak smile and replied, ¡°Let¡¯s eat out.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue paused a moment to consider and nodded, ¡°Alright!¡±

    He parked the car in front of a clean-looking restaurant. The two of them walked in.

    Soon after they ordered dinner, Mo Suqing¡¯s phone started to ring.

    Mo Suqing gave Ye Zhongjue an apologetic look and said, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m going to get this.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t be so ill at ease when you are with me.¡±

    Mo Suqing was a little taken aback and did not say a word. She took a look at who was calling. It was Mo Zhenfeng.

    ¡°Dad,¡± said Mo Suqing when she answered the phone.

    Mo Zhenfeng¡¯s thunderous voice boomed at the other end of the line, ¡°Suqing, what are you doing nowadays? Why haven¡¯t youe home for a visit?¡±

    A bitter, sarcastic smile appeared at the corner of Mo Suqing¡¯s mouth.

    <i>Go home? Which home? Is your home still?</i><i>my</i><i>?home?</i>

    But, she also knew that there was someone rted to her by blood in that home, so she couldn¡¯t stay away from it forever.

    Her voice cracked just a little when she said, ¡°I have been busy at work. I¡¯ll go back for a visit after work tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°But how are you, living alone by yourself? Do you want me to buy you a car? A single woman shouldn¡¯t live alone without a car. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡±

    ¡°No, don¡¯t buy me a car. I don¡¯t know how to drive it, so it¡¯s just going to be a waste of money. I¡¯m fine living out here. I can take care of myself. Please don¡¯t worry about me.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Mo Zhenfeng breathed out a low sigh. ¡°I¡¯m d to hear it then. Come home tomorrow evening. I¡¯ll have your Aunt Liu cook all your favorite dishes.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± answered Mo Suqing nomittally. She didn¡¯t know what to say any more than that.

    Maybe this was going to be how she and her father talked from now on. Without any words of essence.

    After hanging up, it was obvious Mo Suqing was in a low mood.

    Ye Zhongjue peered at her. ¡°Is that your dad?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mo Suqing nodded. Then, she chuckled sarcastically, ¡°In fact, he is not only my dad, but also someone else¡¯s. He and I¡­ are just father and daughter nominally now¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t?be like that,¡± Ye Zhongjue could not help but reach out and take her hand.

    Mo Suqing went rigid for a moment, but did not withdraw her hand. She knew he was just trying tofort her.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say a word. I understand. I am already used to it, after these years. But what about you? I have never heard you talk about your family.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression changed a little, but Mo Suqing was too wistful to notice.

    ¡°Actually, my family have been wanting to meet you. I don¡¯t know if you are up to it yet, so I didn¡¯t tell you about them. We can arrange dinner sometime, if you want.¡±

    Mo Suqing withdrew her hand and moved her lips a little, ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. I think it can wait.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue had mixed feelings to her response; he felt both downcast and relieved.

    He was downcast because he could see that she hadn¡¯t really wanted to know about his family, or anything about him. He was relieved because he was afraid she would find out about his real identity if she met his parents.

    These thoughts were conflicting inside his head.

    Later at home.

    Mo Suqing figured that since she was going home tomorrow, she would bring more of her clothes from there.

    Therefore, she began to clear the content of her luggage. Meanwhile, Ye Zhongjue took a quick shower.

    When Mo Suqing took out the luggage to the living room and went to the bedroom, she saw Ye Zhongjue emerging from the bathroom in a bathrobe.

    A cloud of hot steam rose around him. His handsome face seemed to be less cold and severe than usual with added warmth and gentleness.

    What a tititing picture! Mo Suqing could not help but swallow hard.

    He really was an extremely handsome guy who, it seemed, didn¡¯t?realize how attractive he was.

    Mo Suqing looked away in embarrassment. ¡°You took a shower.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± replied Ye Zhongjue. He was drying his hair with a towel, sending beads of water everywhere. Mo Suqing felt some of them hit her face, fresh and slippery.

    Feeling a sudden pang of panic, she hurriedly entered the bathroom while stuttering, ¡°W-well, I-I¡¯m going in then.¡±

    She quickly opened the door and closed it behind her. She leaned against it and breathed?hard, her cheeks pink.

    She just realized how difficult it would be not to fall in love with a guy like Ye Zhongjue after three years. Could she really keep her promise? Now, she wasn¡¯t all that sure.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s weird behavior?caused?Ye Zhongjue?to halt his movement. He turned to look at the bathroom thoughtfully.

    A drop of water slid down his cheek at the tug of his moving Adam¡¯s apple in a sensual way.

    Mo Suqing stood under the shower, letting the water pour down on her face to sober her up. <i>What was I thinking!</i>

    She rubbed her face hard, trying to clear her head.

    After the shower, Mo Suqing reached out to grab her underwear and nightdress as usual.

    She always dried and clothed herself in the bathroom before going out. However, this time, she groped for her clothes but found the rack to be empty.

    She turned around and discovered that, in her haste escaping from Ye Zhongjue, she had forgotten her clothes!

    She couldn¡¯t believe this. The old clothes she stripped before showering?had been soaked in water and were, of course, wet through. She felt hopeless.

    <i>What now? Should I cover myself with just a towel?</i>

    <i>No way!?</i>She shook her head violently. <i>That¡¯s too much bare skin! I would die before I go out like that.</i>

    Another problem was, her menstruation hadn¡¯t passed either. She needed a piece of sanitary pad.

    How much would Mo Suqing like to scream her head off now!

    Eventually, after some struggle, she decided?to?ask?for?Ye Zhongjue¡¯s help.

    But before she plucked up her courage, Ye Zhongjue, who had wondered why it took Mo Suqing so long to take a shower and had begun to worry, spoke first, ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    Mo Suqing closed her mouth again. She struggled some more, scrunching up her face.

    In the end, she replied, ¡°Well, I¡­ I¡­¡±

    She faltered like this for some time, unable to form aplete sentence.

    Ye Zhongjue became more and more worried. <i>I hope she¡¯s okay in there.</i>

    ¡°What? What are you trying to say?¡±

    Hearing his concerned tone, Mo Suqing closed her eyes and thought, <i>It¡¯s nothing! We sleep on the same bed, for God¡¯s sake! It¡¯s just asking him to bring my clothes for me. That is all.</i>

    ¡°Can you find my underwear, nightdress and sanitary pads and bring them to me please!¡±

    Mo Suqing finished the sentence in one breath, her eyes closed the whole time.

    Unfortunately, she spoke too fast for Ye Zhongjue to understand anything. His handsome eyebrows shot up. He put down the book he had been reading and walked to the door to the bathroom.

    ¡°What did you say? You were so fast I didn¡¯t catch it. Did you forget anything?¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s head dropped to her chest. <i>He didn¡¯t catch it! So I have to repeat myself one more time¡­</i>

    Whatever! Now was not the time to care about trivialities. She had to wear something first!

    ¡°I said¡­ Can you bring me my nightdress? They are in the closet, the green cotton ones. Also, my underwear is right next to my nightdress, at the bottom drawer. And¡­ I need a piece of sanitary pad too. It¡¯s in my nightstand.¡±

    Mo Suqing said everything as calmly as she could. She didn¡¯t feel like herself anymore, being soposed and collected. She let out a long breath.

    Ye Zhongjue stood there, dumb.

    <i>Underwear, nightdress</i> <i>and sanitary pad??</i><i>She forgot all of these?</i>

    The edges of his ears reddened.

 Chapter 32 â€“ Dinner Turned Matchmaking Occasion

    <h4>Chapter 32 ¨C Dinner Turned Matchmaking asion</h4>

    Fearing that Mo Suqing would catch a chill from soaking?in the tub?for too long, Ye Zhongjue hurried over to her side of the closet and swept?his eyes?over her clothes.

    He immediately located her nightdress and underwear. His hand moved towards a pair of white panties, but, remembering that it was during her period, he changed his mind and took out a ck pair, along with the green nightdress.

    Then, he went to her nightstand, opened the drawer, and fished a piece of sanitary pad.

    He kept his eyes away from the objects on his hands, lest he would not be able to control his desire at the sight of them. He knew very well that he could not afford to lose her trust right now.

    After all, he had finally reunited with her after seven years!

    Ye Zhongjue brought everything to the door to the bathroom and said, his voice husky in an extremely sexy way, ¡°The things you want are here. Open the door.¡±

    Mo Suqing replied with a soft ¡°okay.¡±

    The door opened right away. A slender fair arm stuck out. Ye Zhongjue could not help but shift his mind towards some dirtier thoughts, and hepletely forgot why he was there.

    Panicky, Mo Suqing prompted, ¡°Where are they? What?aren¡¯t you giving?them to me?¡±

    ¡°Right, right!¡± mumbled Ye Zhongjue. He put the things in her hand hastily, feeling embarrassed.

    Mo Suqing guessed what had happened. After all, they were alone in the same room. But she was also sure situations like this would present themselves again and again in the future.

    <i>I should change my attitude towards him from now on</i>, she thought. She had agreed to marry him, but she had yet to act like a wife. <i>No matter what happen</i><i>s</i><i>?in three years, I</i><i>?</i><i>should do my best</i><i>?to get along?</i><i>with him</i><i>?right now.</i>

    When Mo Suqing emerged from the bathroom after putting on her clothes, Ye Zhongjue seemed to have fallen asleep.

    Standing at the door to the bathroom, Mo Suqing was a little surprised.<i>?</i><i>I</i><i>s he really sleeping or?</i><i>i</i><i>s he faking it?</i>

    She approached him quietly and turned off the light before getting into bed.

    The next day,?when it was almost time to go home, Mo Suqing got an assignment that required her to go outside.

    Ye Zhongjue was about to call it a day when Mo Suqing called.

    She said hesitantly, ¡°Um, well, don¡¯t pick me up today.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue thought about yesterday and asked, ¡°You are going home now?¡±

    ¡°No. I got an assignment just now. I need to go out and gather some materials for a story.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Then I won¡¯t disturb you any longer. Call me when you are finished.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± nodded Mo Suqing on the other side of the phone.

    For?the next?few days, Mo Suqing was busy working until nine o¡¯clock in the evening. She had shoved the promise she made to Mo Zhenfeng about going home for dinner to the back of her mind.

    When Mo Zhenfeng called again, she?assured?him that she would go home the next day.

    The next day, Mo Suqing told Ye Zhongjue not to pick her up from work because she was going home.

    After work, she took a taxi to Mo¡¯s vi.

    She could see Mo Zhenfeng?beaming and standing by?the door, with Bai Lian and Mo Sulian on one side, and a middle-aged man and a young man who looked?around her age?was on the other. The young man seemed to be full of vigor.

    Mo Suqing was struck dumb. <i>What now?</i>

    Mo Zhenfeng approached her first. He said smilingly, ¡°You are back, Suqing! Come. Let me introduce someone to you. This is Mr. Wang. And the young man here, he is his son Wang Jianjun, who is one year older than you. You will have a lot inmon, I bet, so do have a chat after dinner, okay?¡±

    Mo Suqing realized instantly that this was not an innocent family dinner, but a matchmaking asion. And she, one of the potential love interests, was thest one to find out!

    She chuckled inwardly. The older man must be one of his father¡¯s business partners. He always put hispany in the first ce. Now, he even tried to sacrifice his daughter for it!

    Although she felt utterly disgusted, she did not forget her manner.

    Wang Jianjun looked at her dly and said, ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Wang Jianjun.¡±

    Mo Suqing stretched out her hand and said, ¡°Mo Suqing.¡±

    She knew that she shouldn¡¯t be rude. They weren¡¯t alone, and he was acting all nice.

    Also, she could see that Wang Jianjun had been forced toe to dinner by his father too.

    The group slowly walked back into the vi.

    Mo Zhenfeng hollered cheerfully, ¡°Aunt Liu, bring the dishes!¡±

    They had hardly begun to take their seats when Mo Sulian beat everyone else to sit next to Mo Suqing.

    Mo Zhenfeng was a little stunned, but for just a moment. He turned towards the middle-aged man and said, ¡°Young people prefer sitting together, so they can have fun! How about you and I sit together?¡±

    They both sat down.

    On Mo Suqing¡¯s left-hand side sat Wang Jianjun while on her right-hand side sat Mo Sulian. She was really ufortable with the arrangement, but she couldn¡¯t say anything.

    Mo Sulian leaned closer to whisper in her ear, ¡°What do you think about this guy dad sent your way? He must be a lot richer than the one you got married with, right? You should consider serving two husbands. It sounds great to me!¡±

    Mo Suqing was so furious?that?she would love to give Mo Sulian a good p!

    What an obscene woman!

    Seeing that the damage is done, Mo Sulian straightened up in her seat and smiled a charming smile.

    Mo Suqing took a bite of her food without replying. Her appetite waspletely ruined, but she couldn¡¯t think of any other way to relieve her rage beside eating.

    Wang Jianjun wasn¡¯t exactly talkative either. He did not say more than a few words throughout the meal. He did load her bowl with some food though, but Mo Suqing did not eat it.

    After dinner, Mo Zhenfeng announced, ¡°Well, Mr. Wang and I are going to have a chat. Suqing, how about you take Jianjun for a walk in the garden and have a chat yourselves?¡±

    Then, he and the middle-aged man went upstairs.

    Wang Jianjun excused himself and went to the bathroom. Mo Sulian took the opportunity and taunted Mo Suqing, ¡°You are mad, aren¡¯t you? But what can you do? You look like you want to strangle me, but you are fuming at the wrong person! I did not arrange this dinner, did I? But seriously, Wang Jianjun seems to be a good catch. Think about it. Who knows? Maybe one day you will thank the old man for matchmaking!¡±

    Mo Suqing just red at her. She did not want to waste her breath arguing with Mo Sulian.

    Wang Jianjun emerged from the direction of the bathroom. However, they just sat there, doing nothing. No one spoke until Wang Jianjun left the house with his father.

    After Mo Zhenfeng saw them off, he told Mo Suqing, ¡°Suqing,e with me. I need to talk to you.¡±

    Mo Suqing could not take it anymore. She snapped angrily, ¡°I¡¯m leaving!¡±

    Mo Zhenfeng did not expect a backtalk. ¡°I said,e with me; I need to talk to you. Do not let me repeat myself again!¡± he berated.

    Mo Suqing hadn¡¯t wanted to go, but she seldom saw Mo Zhenfeng lose his temper like that these days either. After a moment, she followed him upstairs.

    In the study, both?were?quiet.

    Neither spoke.

    After waiting?a while?for?the?fretful-looking Mo Zhenfeng to start talking, Mo Suqing said remorselessly, ¡°Are you going to talk or not? If not, I¡¯ll just go.¡±

    Mo Zhenfeng snapped, ¡°Stay right there!¡±

    Mo Suqing turned around and sat down on the couch, looking stony. ¡°Then tell me, what was it about tonight?¡±

    Mo Zhenfeng pointed his finger at Mo Suqing irritably. ¡°What kind of daughter are you, talking to your father like that?¡±

    ¡°Well, what kind of father are you, treating your daughter like that! If I don¡¯t fight back, you¡¯ll think you can really sacrifice me to achieve your selfish goal!¡±

    Her words deted Mo Zhenfeng in an instant. He said, ¡°Suqing, I just think it¡¯s time for you to find a husband. How can you misunderstand me?¡±

    ¡°Save your lies! I know exactly what you are nning to do!¡±

    Mo Zhenfeng looked a couple of years older all of a sudden. He had known that she knew him too well to be tricked into doing anything. If he wanted to get her help, he needed to be honest with her.

    ¡°For thest few days, the Gu Group has bought more and more of our stock like crazy,¡± he began. ¡°Not only that, a few otherpanies are also doing the same thing.?They are clearly working together and?trying to kill us off! After so many years of hard work, how can I let them have their way? I didn¡¯t realize you had broken up with the heir of the Gu Group until yesterday. That¡¯s why they are doing this to us. And to think I have to hear all of this from Sulian, not you! If she didn¡¯t say anything to me, I would probably be under the impression that you two were still together.¡±

    Mo Suqing could not help but think bitterly, <i>Mo Sulian surely knows what to say and what not to say. She told dad I had broken up with Gu Jiannan, but conveniently left out the fact that I had gotten married.?</i>If he knew she was married, he would not arrange for her to meet a guy.

    ¡°Please. It¡¯s <i>your?</i>stock and <i>your?</ipany, not ours. Please get it straight!¡± Mo Suqing said coldly.

    Mo Zhenfeng gave her a piteous expression. ¡°Suqing, I really need your help this time. If Mo Group was to be merged with Gu Group, I¡¯ll kill myself!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget Mo Sulian,¡± Mo Suqing retorted. ¡°I am not your only daughter! Or, have you be so old that you can¡¯t remember something as simple as that?¡±

    She stood up and left the room, leaving a purple-faced Mo Zhenfeng behind.

    Mo Suqing left the house without taking any of her clothes as nned.

    Mo Sulian¡¯sughter followed her for a long distance.

    Sitting in the taxi, Mo Suqing kept thinking back to the time when there were only the three of them as a family, which only made her heart ache.

    In the past, her father would never do that to her, asking her to marry some stranger so that hispany could survive.

    She would rather marry a stranger of her own choice. And she did. It was not bad, what she had with Ye Zhongjue now. Mo Suqing looked like she was crying andughing at the same time. The taxi driver was a little rmed.

    ¡°Miss, are you alright?¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head. She was fine, except that she felt sorry for herself because her own father wanted to take advantage of her. Having said that, she was also worried about him. She worried that if something happened to hispany, he would not be able to recover from the blow.

    How pathetic! He had manipted her, but she still cared about him although she refused to admit it.

 Chapter 33 â€“ A Collision of Two Souls

    <h4>Chapter 33 ¨C A Collision of Two Souls</h4>

    When Mo Suqing was back at their ce, she looked terrible, her face as pale as?a?ghost.

    Ye Zhongjue opened the door and saw a lost soul outside his house. His heart ached at the sight.

    He had guessed she didn¡¯t get along with her family, but never expected things would be bad enough for her to be another person after?returning?home.

    Watching her shaking shoulders, Ye Zhongjue pulled her into his arms. The hug wasforting. Mo Suqing immediately felt anchored.

    She bit her lip and hugged him tightly in return.

    Then, suddenly, she looked up and said hoarsely, ¡°Ye Zhongjue, I feel like I¡¯m dying inside¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue just gazed at her without a word. Eventually, he lowered his head to nt a light kiss on her lips.

    Initially, it felt like feathers, soft and tender. However, gradually, it became something else.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s expression was untangled by the kiss, as if it could help her forget her misery. She closed her eyes and tried hard not to think about what had happened tonight.

    Ye Zhongjue tightened his embrace, wishing to protect her from all the dangers in the world. Mo Suqing opened her eyes and peeked at him. She could see the lust in his face.

    She shut her eyes and locked her arms around Ye Zhongjue.

    Ye Zhongjue trembled. He snapped his eyes open and looked at Mo Suqing incredulously.

    Expressionless, Mo Suqing looked at him in return and said in a clear voice, ¡°If only I could lose my memories, how great would that be¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s gaze was deeply affectionate. After some hesitation, he seemed to reach a decision. He pulled her into his arms again and started to kiss her. Then, he scooped her up and carried her toward the bedroom.

    Mo Suqing put her arms around his neck. A drop of tear slid down her face from the corner of her eye without?him?noticing.

    Mo Suqing could feel that Ye Zhongjue was restless. Somehow, his mood was even more out of control than hers.

    Slowly, she followed his lead and let go of the unpleasant emotions.

    In the beginning of a long night, clothes were tossed casually around the house¡­

    Mo Suqing opened her eyes. She remembered they had done it from the living room to the bathroom, and then to the queen-size bed in which she was lying now.

    She blushed at the memory of the night. She couldn¡¯t believe she could be so wild!

    The arm she had rested her head on moved. Mo Suqing turned to see Ye Zhongjue lying next to her and looking at her with the most tender gaze.

    She made a sound, but it came out as a purr and she was startled by the touch of seduction and lust in it ¨C?<i>what happened to her normal voice?</i>

    She really gave in to her body¡¯s desire tonight.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked. Ye Zhongjue still wore the same expression as usual.

    He was still watching her without wavering.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s face did not betray anything, but she could feel that something between them was changing, or, to be more precise, developing. Their rtionship had be more and more natural without her knowing.

    The silence stretched for about two minutes. Both looked at the other; neither wanted to speak first.

    Then, Ye Zhongjue broke the silence and asked, ¡°What happened to you tonight?¡±

    His voice was very sexy, with a different huskiness from the usual one.

    At first, Mo Suqing did not understand what he meant. When she did, she answered, ¡°Nothing!¡± Then, she turned her back to him.

    However, Ye Zhongjue put his hand on her body and twisted her around, forcing her to look at him.

    His gaze seemed to harbor a fire, but it was so low that Mo Suqing doubted if she had imagined it.

    ¡°What happened in the evening? I hope you don¡¯t hide anything from me.¡±

    Although Mo Suqing was locked in his embrace, she was too stubborn to talk.

    Ye Zhongjue, in a dictatorial manner, forced her head to turn around and made her look at him again.

    Mo Suqing stared at him. She refused to submit to his tyranny!

    Maybe she?was a masochist?or something, she thought bitterly. Otherwise, why would she worry about her father and feel anything about his actions even when all he did

    was to use her as a tool?

    When she turned her gaze to Ye Zhongjue again, his eyes seemed to be deeper.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you onest time: what exactly happened?earlier?¡±

    Mo Suqing snapped around and sat up. She fought out of Ye Zhongjue¡¯s grasp and red at him. Ye Zhongjue¡¯s breathing became heavier; his brawny chest rose and fell. Apparently, he was a little angry too.

    Now, Mo Suqing did not try to hide anything. She looked at Ye Zhongjue and told him everything in a calm voice with a thread of fierceness.

    ¡°You want to know what happened to me tonight? Okay! I¡¯ll tell you what happened. My father didn¡¯t know I got married. I didn¡¯t tell anyone about it because I didn¡¯t want him to find out. I didn¡¯t want him to find out because I knew he would stop me in every way he could. All he can think of is his own interest, and he wants me to go into a marriage of convenience to fulfill it. There is no way he would let me marry a young man with no money.¡±

    A bitter smile crossed Mo Suqing¡¯s face. She reached over to touch Ye Zhongjue¡¯s handsome face, and felt a thinyer of moisture.

    ¡°You probably can¡¯t imagine this is what I went through this evening ¨C a matchmaking dinner! Ha, how ridiculous! A married woman at a matchmaking dinner! What an idea it is! Why should I sacrifice my happiness to save hispany? Why?¡±

    Mo Suqing became more and more agitated. She pounded Ye Zhongjue¡¯s chest with her tiny fists.

    Ye Zhongjue caught her hand with a worried look. ¡°Mo Suqing, calm down. You don¡¯t solve a problem this way!¡±

    Mo Suqing struggled to get rid of his grip. Her voice broke when she poured out the unfairness and discontent she felt, ¡°Calm down? How can I? I have a heartless man as a father who wants me to get married so he can keep hispany. And the most absurd thing? I can¡¯t stop worrying about him. Tell me, how can I calm down?¡±

    Mo Suqing burst out thest sentence hysterically.

    Ye Zhongjue pulled her firmly into his arms,forting her wordlessly. Mo Suqing began to wail. Then, when she became tired, wailing gradually turned into sobbing. Her shoulders twitched uncontrobly.

    In the end, she was so tired as to fall asleep right in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s arms.

    Ye Zhongjue held her, his eyes showing a new light. He said, as if to himself, ¡°I will always be by your side no matter what happens.¡±

    His words were as solemn as an oath.

    Meanwhile, in Room 2108 of?Tianyu Hotel, a couple were kissing passionately on the bed. Soon, they had stripped off all their clothes.

    The woman pouted her lips and said grudgingly, ¡°Jiannan, when can we take over that old man¡¯spanypletely? Then, we can finally get married!¡±

    Her eyes twinkled with maliciousness.

    That¡¯s right. They were Gu Jiannan and Mo Sulian, who had ganged up on Mo Suqing.

    An evil grin crossed Gu Jiannan¡¯s face. <i>You want me to marry you??</i>he thought. <i>I only want the Mo Group! I would never marry you!?</i>However, he had to keep her satisfied now.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, babe. I¡¯ll find the right time to do it. You just need to trust me.¡± He started to cuddle her.

    Mo Sulian protested and gently pushed him away.

    She looked at him affectionately and said, ¡°Stop fooling around, you lecher! I am?being?serious! If you don¡¯t act quickly, the old man might find a way to save hispany! He arranged a matchmaking dinner for Mo Suqing tonight.¡±

    She watched Gu Jiannan¡¯s face carefully, not wanting to miss any change in his expression.

    When Gu Jiannan heard that Mo Zhenfeng set up a matchmaking dinner for Mo Suqing, his eyes darkened into a chilly cave where poisonous snakes lurked.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Mo Suqing married?¡± he asked in a cruel tone. ¡°Doesn¡¯t your father know?¡±

    Mo Sulian decided to confuse him. ¡°Who knows? Maybe she didn¡¯t get married after all. Maybe she said she did because she wants to help her father save thepany by going into a marriage of convenience. Or, maybe she did get married, but now she wants to serve a second guy!¡±

    Mo Sulian covered her mouth and burst intoughter.

    Gu Jiannan¡¯s expression was even more sinister by now, like a rapier drenched in poison.

    <i>Mo Suqing! How dared she betray me!</i>

    And Mo Sulian! When Mighty Empire started to give Gu Group a hard time, he decided to buy Mo Group so he could survive. In doing so, he also fulfilled Mo Sulian¡¯s wish, but for him, she was nothing more than a prostitute, a tool with which he could vent his sexual desire anytime he wanted. And she was trying to create a division between him and Mo Suqing and confuse him like he was a simpleton!

    He tore open Mo Sulian¡¯s?clothes?and prated her without preamble or any tenderness.

    Mo Sulian, hurt, knitted her brows together and protested, ¡°Be gentle!¡±

    But Gu Jiannan did not heed. He vented all his lust and fury on her while thinking about how he would kick this woman away from him as soon as Mo Group was?destroyed.

    She had slept around for as long as she was in the entertainment industry. He did not believe she sincerely wanted to get married.

    Besides, even though Mo Suqing was married now, once he bought Mo Group, he would make here back to him.

    The woman under him could only be a tool. Deep in his heart, Mo Suqing was the only one. Although he was mad at her for getting married, the feelings he had for her never disappeared.

    They had, after all, been together for years.

    He was convinced that if he tried hard enough, he could achieve all of these goals.

    As these thoughts ran through his mind, Gu Jiannan¡¯s expression got more and more gleeful.

 Chapter 34 â€“ I Wonâ€™t Mind Even If Youâ€™ve Been Married Before

    <h4>Chapter 34 ¨C I Won¡¯t Mind Even If You¡¯ve Been Married Before</h4>

    The next day, Mo Suqing was sore all over her body upon rising. Ye Zhongjue had already prepared breakfast.

    When she was changing into her work clothes, she found multiple bruises on her body. <i>Damn!?</i>She cursed inwardly. <i>He looks so cold and austere on the outside that she didn¡¯t expect him to turn into such a passionate and wild man in bed. We might as well have done it ten timesst night!</i>

    Her cheeks burned bright red at the thought of it.

    When she finally changed into her clothes, it was a bitte. She quickly walked out of the dressing room.

    Mo Suqing picked up her purse on the sofa, determined to ignore Ye Zhongjue who was sitting right beside it. She didn¡¯t feel she could face him at all after the wild night they had shared.

    However, Ye Zhongjue spoke, ¡°Suqing, don¡¯t forget your breakfast!¡±

    Mo Suqing shouted inwardly, <i>Damn! Are we already calling each other¡¯s given names?</i>

    She smiled nervously and turned back to him, ¡°Well, I don¡¯t¡­¡±

    But Ye Zhongjue interrupted her before she coulde up with the rest of the sentence.

    ¡°You exerted yourself too muchst night. You need to have some breakfast and fuel your body. Otherwise, it¡¯s going to be a rough day.¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s cheeks became as red as a boiled shrimp. She was so abashed she could bang her head on the floor, just to make him stop. <i>Can you be more straightforward?</i>

    <i>Don¡¯t talk like a shameless hooligan when you look like a cold-hearted stoic! It¡¯s too much of a change for me!</i>

    Unfortunately for her, someone was acting like he hadn¡¯t said or done anything. He was as calm as the surface of ake, which only made Mo Suqing want to kill.

    She put on a fake smile and looked at Ye Zhongjue.

    ¡°I¡¯mte for work. Can I not have any breakfast?¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± Ye Zhongjue objected.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s face fell. <i>All right! I will have it! It</i><i>¡¯</i><i>s for my own good after all.</i>

    Mo Suqing was about to fetch the breakfast on the coffee table when Ye Zhongjue grabbed her hand all of a sudden.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She looked at Ye Zhongjue in bewilderment, not knowing what he wanted.

    Ye Zhongjue said in a t tone, ¡°Come! I¡¯ll give you a ride.¡±

    He stood up, still grabbing her hand, where the breakfast in its bag was still hanging. Then, they left the house together.

    Mo Suqing stared at the bag hanging on the linking point of their hands. It was somewhatical.

    <i>What¡¯s going on? Who can tell me the answer please?</i>

    All of a sudden he became so good at hitting on her, which panicked her not just a little.

    Ye Zhongjue thus held her soft hand all the way to his car. Then, he opened the door for her, watched her get in the car, and walked around to the driver¡¯s seat.

    Taking notice of his gentlemanlike behaviors, Mo Suqing could not help but mutter, ¡°What is he doing?¡± The man had totally transformed himself into a hormone secretion machine.

    Ye Zhongjue, his hands on the steering wheel, smiled imperceptibly.

    Afterst night, he realized he should change his ¡°tactic¡± with Mo Suqing. He couldn¡¯t assume every woman would want to get closer to and thus fall in love with him simply by his good look.

    He wanted to make an effort and work to win her heart.

    The car parked in front of Trend Magazine. Both of them did not?say a word. However, they both knew something had changed between them.

    The moment the car was parked, Mo Suqing got off the car, as if she was being chased.

    Ye Zhongjue watched her from behind. Her long hair was dancing, tititing his heart with every movement. His expression became even softer.

    Ye Zhongjue did not drive away until he saw her enter thepany.

    Zhang Yubin, who had been standing in a corner near thepany, witnessed the whole scene. He clenched his fist tightly; his chest rose and fell rapidly.

    <i>Mo Suqing, your family business is in danger, and you have time for puppy love?</i>

    He quickly walked towards thepany. Mo Suqing was just settling in her seat when she saw a furious-looking Zhang Yubin standing in front of her.

    ¡°Suqing, pleasee with me. I need to talk to you!¡±

    Mo Suqing was of course very puzzled. <i>What is wrong with him now?</i>

    Nevertheless, she decided?to follow Zhang Yubin out of the office. She would like to know what he wanted this time.

    When they were alone in the stairwell, Mo Suqing looked at him expressionlessly. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Zhang Yubin clenched his fist even more tightly, trying to control his temper.

    ¡°Suqing, you need to stop this craziness! Mo Group was on the brink of going broke. If you divorce that guy, you might be able to save it at thest minute. There is still a slim hope!¡±

    Mo Suqing sneered, ¡°Zhang Yubin, are you insane? What is the logic of this, divorcing my husband so as to save Mo Group?¡±

    Zhang Yubin figured Mo Suqing had not understood his connotation, so he quickly exined himself, ¡°Suqing, if you divorce that guy, I am willing to marry you. Then, I will make my father draw on all the sources and connections we have in Zhang Group to help Mo Group out.¡±

    Afraid that Mo Suqing would not trust him, he added, ¡°I?won¡¯t mind even if you¡¯ve been married before!¡±

    He sounded eager and confident.

    The sneer on Mo Suqing¡¯s face became even more apparent.<i>?These days, men surely think a lot of themselves! He won¡¯t mind?</i><i>if I¡¯ve been?</i><i>married before? But?</i><i>did</i><i>?he ask me if I mind seeing his face every day?</i>

    In Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes, Zhang Yubin could not really be called ugly. He was good-looking, but not to the extent of being attractive, and was definitely iparable with Ye Zhongjue.

    However, Mo Suqing understood that Zhang Yubin was just terrible at expressing himself. He was probably trying to look out for her.

    So she said, ¡°Zhang Yubin, I appreciate your gesture, really. But please stop persuading me into divorcing my husband because I won¡¯t. I will find another way to save Mo Group. Anyway, I thank you.¡±

    Mo Suqing walked out of the stairwell, leaving a dumbstruck Zhang Yubin behind.

    When Mo Suqing told Leng Xiyao what had transpired, she burst outughing. ¡°¡®I won¡¯t mind?even if you¡¯ve been?married before¡¯? What a line!¡±

    Leng Xiyao covered her mouth to suppress another peal ofughter and said, ¡°What are inside the brains of men these days, I wonder?¡±

    ¡°Forget it! Let¡¯s not talk about it anymore and go back to work,¡± Mo Suqing suggested, her expression betraying weariness.

    Leng Xiyao put her arms around her and asked, ¡°Suqing, what happened to Mo Group? Let me help you, okay?¡±

    As she was speaking, she began mulling over how she could persuade her uncle to help Mo Group.

    However, Mo Suqing just bit her lip and replied, ¡°Never mind. There is nothing you can do. Let¡¯s get back to our work!¡±

    Leng Xiyao stuck her tongue out and returned to her seat. Mo Suqing didn¡¯t believe she could be of any help, but there was no way she would just sit and do nothing when a friend was in need.

    At the Mighty Empire HQ.

    Ye Zhongjue walked out of the elevator at the hundredth floor. He seemed to be brimming with happiness; his whole countenance was full of life. He looked at Lin Ran and said, ¡°Come on in. I have something to tell you.¡±

    Lin Ran quickly stood up and followed him into the president¡¯s personal office.

    Song Pingting watched Ye Zhongjue¡¯s back, grim-faced. Her eyes revealed both yearning and discontent at the same time. <i>Why is he doing that, sending Lin Ran to do all kinds of errands? Doesn¡¯t he know I am verypetent too?</i>

    She felt like she was just a prop in thispany. He didn¡¯t know, but she very much enjoyed working and being alone with him, even if it was only for a little while.

    As a woman, she was sensitive to any changes in the man she loved. Therefore, she could clearly sense that Ye Zhongjue was in a very cheerful mood today. In fact, he felt like a new man. The question was, who caused this change in him?

    Song Pingting ground her teeth tightly, boiling with jealousy, discontent and hate.

    Did he know how much she cared about him? She cared every little thing about him. She could rejoice for a long while even if it was just an expressionless nce he cast over her direction.

    Ye Zhongjue walked into his office and approached his desk leisurely.

    Finally, he seated himself and looked up at Lin Ran.

    ¡°I asked you to keep an eye on Gu Jiannan. What has he been up to?¡±

    Last night, when Mo Suqing told him Mo Group was in danger, Ye Zhongjue immediately suspected Gu Jiannan¡¯s role in it.

    ording to Lin Ran, Gu Jiannan was a very petty man. He would never let Mo Suqing get married with another man if he could help it. Ye Zhongjue had guessed he would take revenge on her.

    No doubt, Mo Group was his first move. Ye Zhongjue chuckled lightly and thought, <i>What a brilliant scheme!</i>

    Lin Ran nced at Ye Zhongjue and replied, ¡°Gu Jiannan has been buying stocks from Mo Group. It is scarcely a secret anymore.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue raised his eyebrows. ¡°So how is Mo Group faring?¡±

    Lin Ran hesitated a little before answering, ¡°The situation is very critical for them!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue leaned back in his chair, lookingzy and distant like a man of nobility,pletely different from the person that he was in front of Mo Suqing.

    He considered thoughtfully for a moment before giving the order, ¡°Help Mo Groupe out of this without a scratch by buying back the stocks Gu Jiannan bought. Get him spit out everything he swallowed!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression was extremely severe when he uttered thest sentence.

    Lin Ran knew all too well that it meant he was about to explode, so he quickly nodded. ¡°No problem, Boss! Consider it done!¡±

    After Lin Ran left, Ye Zhongjue rubbed his temple.

    Mo Suqing was finally starting to ept him, which was a good sign.

    However, he would never spare anyone who harmed or upset her!

    ¡­¡­

    No sooner had Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao got back to their work than An Huilin walked in from outside. She gave them an icy look before entering her office.

    Leng Xiyao let out the breath she had been holding. ¡°I wonder who incurred her wrath? She?has been?really nasty recently!¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at her and said tly, ¡°Seriously? I feel it is you who incurred her wrath. She has been giving that look all the time!¡±

    ¡°I dare not!¡± Leng Xiyao put on a ¡°don¡¯t tter me so¡± face. ¡°If anything, I feel more like her punching bag.¡±

 Chapter 35 â€“ Out of Luck

    <h4>Chapter 35 ¨C Out of Luck</h4>

    Mo Suqing chuckled. ¡°Well, you do look like it!¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s face fell. She sniffed as if deeply hurt andined, ¡°Suqing, you are so mean! I can¡¯t believe you actually said that¡­¡±

    Mo Suqingughed outright. ¡°Come on, I was joking! Let¡¯s get back to work, shall we? Otherwise, Abbess Miejue is going to be really mad.¡±

    At this moment, Liu Siran emerged from the editor-in-chief¡¯s office and called out, ¡°Mo Suqing, the editor-in-chief wants to see you!¡±

    Just when they were talking about her! Mo Suqing stood up, her face that of a martyr¡¯s, and turned to Leng Xiyao. ¡°It can¡¯t be anything good. I bet I¡¯ll know what it feels like to be her punching bag now.¡±

    Leng Xiyaoughed so hard, she was gasping for air and shaking all over.

    Finally, she kept her roar under control and watched Mo Suqing go to her doom.

    Mo Suqing pushed open the door to the office with a nervous smile on her face. ¡°You want to see me, Editor-in-chief?¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± An Huilin continued to put away some papers without looking up.

    ¡°Since you didn¡¯t go to Guan Zixuan¡¯s press conferencest time, I have another coverage for you. Go with Leng Xiyao. I¡¯ll make sure the address and other info is sent to your mailbox.¡±

    <i>So this is why she wanted to see me!?</i>thought Mo Suqing. <i>It¡¯s surely not a big deal, but?</i>

    <i>just how much does she hate Yao? She doesn¡¯t even want to talk to her in person and is asking me to ry her message.</i>

    ¡°No problem, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll go prepare for it.¡±

    After Mo Suqing left, An Huilin slowly looked up, her eyes filled with hatred.

    It had been more than ten days. But even now, she could not ept the fact that he liked Leng Xiyao. <i>She</i>, An Huilin,<i>?</i>had loved him for so many years, but in the end, she was beaten by a little girl! Didn¡¯t that make her aughingstock?

    Mo Suqing went back to her seat. She told Leng Xiyao everything while browsing her mailbox.

    ¡°Abbess Miejue asked the two of us to do a coverage. Pack everything we need while I check out the location, will you? We¡¯ll head out in a minute.¡±

    Leng Xiyao seemed to be a little taken aback; her expression was indescribable. Obviously, she had the same thought as Mo Suqing had: just how much did Abbess Miejue hate her? Why didn¡¯t she summon her to her office too?

    ¡°Okay, I see.¡± Leng Xiyao nodded.

    ¡°This Mu Ling¡¯er looks quite familiar¡­¡± Mo Suqing murmured after reading the material.

    Leng Xiyao elbowed her and teased, ¡°I bet every beautiful woman looks familiar to you!¡±

    Then,ughing, she quickly ducked to one side for fear of the potential p from Mo Suqing.

    Mo Suqing just gave her a look before saying, ¡°Hey, I¡¯m serious! Mu Ling¡¯er has always been international and I am not her fan, so why do I have a feeling of d¨¦j¨¤ vu for her?¡±

    ¡°Stop your talk about d¨¦j¨¤ vu now! We should really go. Otherwise, we¡¯ll bete.¡±

    Mo Suqing quickly stuffed her purse with essentials and left with Leng Xiyao.

    The celebrity Abbess Miejue asked them to do a coverage for was the international supermodel Mu Ling¡¯er. She was supposed to be a big deal, but Mo Suqing had never heard of her before, let alone seen her.

    But somehow, she just had this sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Where did ite from? She didn¡¯t know.

    Eventually, Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao arrived at the press conference. Among numerous journalists from other media outlets and under the sun, Mo Suqing felt rather stuffy and dizzy.

    She turned to Leng Xiyao and remarked, ¡°Mu Ling¡¯er is popr! It¡¯s just a homing event, but look at the crowd! I am withering under the sun here. Can¡¯t we wait for her to show up before cramming ourselves into one huge sardine can?¡±

    Leng Xiyao smiled at her sweetly. ¡°My dear Suqing, you know how it is. Do you really think we can wait for her to show up before we get into position? We would never get our story!¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s?mouth?twitched. ¡°Alright then. Let¡¯s get sunburned! I hope this supermodel will show up soon, to save us from the scorching sun!¡±

    Leng Xiyao chuckled. Just as she was going to say something clever, a van approached from a distance.

    So she said instead, ¡°Suqing, she¡¯sing!¡±

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao pushed through the crowd as if their lives depended on it.

    Emerging from the van was a brte who wore a pair of sunsses, wavy hair and a leather skirt. And the body! So sexy and full of femininity that Mo Suqing could not help but stare. She, without doubt, belonged to the highest level of attractive women.

    The journalists began to bombard her with questions.

    ¡°Miss Mu, are you going to stay home forever this time?¡±

    ¡°Miss Mu, will you?be returning from abroad to work here?from now on?¡±

    ¡°Miss Mu, what is your n now that you have returned home?¡±

    ¡­¡­

    The questions varied, but their essence was basically the same.

    Mu Ling¡¯er smiled, and her cute dimples appeared.

    She answered all these questions at once, not shying away, ¡°This time, I am not going to leave. I am hoping to work in our entertainment industry. Thank you foring!¡±

    Her smile did not waver a bit, but she did not take off her sunsses either.

    Mo Suqing asked loudly, ¡°Miss Mu, can you tell us if you have a boyfriend?¡±

    The crowd was thrown into another frenzy. Everyone craved to know if such a beauty from the entertainment industry was single.

    Mu Ling¡¯er looked over to a ck Porsche Cayenne parked nearby and smiled lightly.

    ¡°Well, not?at the moment. However, I¡¯m not?opposed?to the idea when someone suitable turns up.¡±

    Just then, her agent came forward and announced, ¡°Alright, the Q&A part is over now. If you have any more questions that you would like to ask Ling¡¯er, you are wee to do so post-homing.¡±

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao followed the other journalists and entered the venue of the event.

    In the Porsche Cayenne was none other than Guan Zixuan. He cast a random nce over the crowd and froze. <i>Isn¡¯t that the woman at the airport?</i>

    <i>She said she is not a gossip columnist and he really bought it! But now, she is standing there with the other journalists, holding a microphone.</i>

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s face darkened. <i>How dared you lie to me?</i>

    He quickly got off the car and slipped on his sunsses. However, during the few seconds, Mo Suqing had melted into the crowd and disappeared.

    Guan Zixuan chuckled. That was fine. He didn¡¯t have to confront her this time. Now that he knew she was really a gossip journalist, he was confident he could find her one way or another.

    Heedless of his agent¡¯s advice, Guan Zixuan walked toward the venue. Fortunately, he entered it from the back stage. His agent let out a sigh of relief. <i>As long as he doesn¡¯t show up in front of the journalists!</i>

    He recalled the trouble they almost got themselves into not long ago when a picture with Guan Zixuan and Mu Ling¡¯er in it had gone public. Fortunately, her face was blurry and no one was able to recognize Mu Ling¡¯er.

    Guan Zixuan reached the backstage lounge room with no obstacles.

    The moment Mu Ling¡¯er saw him, a happy expression materialized on her face. ¡°Xuan, it¡¯s you!¡±

    Guan Zixuan muttered a nomittal reply and seated himself leisurely.

    ¡°Don¡¯t entertain me. Keep applying your makeup and get ready for the reception.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Mu Ling¡¯er nodded, beaming still. Her eyes sparkled with infatuation for the man who was?handsome?enough to send all the other men into fits of jealousy. Moreover, being with him also helped her with her career at home. It was a win-win.

    After Mu Ling¡¯er was satisfied with her makeup, she said sweetly, ¡°Xuan, I¡¯ll see youter then.¡±

    Guan Zixuan muttered another reply without looking at her.

    Mu Linger was a little disappointed with his response, but she quickly pulled herself together and walked out of the room.

    The moment Mu Ling¡¯er left the room and entered the central stage, her fans greeted her with roars and screams.

    Guan Zixuan stood up and observed the scene below.

    He turned his gaze toward where the journalist gathered and searched for the figure that deserved his wrath.

    Soon, he located the woman who was conversing with Leng Xiyao.

    A creepy smile spread over his face. She was a journalist at Trend Magazine, that was for sure; the woman she was talking to was definitely one of the journalists from the magazine who came to his press conference.

    Now he thought about it, he remembered clearly that the womanughed almost uncontrobly when he said he went to buy sanitary pads for some stranger.

    Apparently, she had known about this affair between the two of them. That untrustworthy woman must have told her before the press conference.

    <i>Just wait and see, woman. I¡¯m not finished with you!</i>

    ¡­¡­

    The homing event was over in due time. After the journalists had asked several more questions and got their answers, Mu Ling¡¯er left the?venue?in the van.

    Leng Xiyao was going to hail a taxi for herself and Mo Suqing. However, thetter was still sitting in one of the chairs taken out for the reception and waving her hand weakly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s rest for a while. I ampletely tired out!¡±

    Leng Xiyao sat back down and teased, ¡°What is wrong with you? One would think you did something really exhaustingst night!¡±

    Mo Suqing blushed. Memories of the night before were still vivid in her mind. She could almost hear the heavy breathing of Ye Zhongjue and the violent beating of her own heart.

    She had told Leng Xiyao that she and Ye Zhongjue did not sleep on the same bed. She never thought about telling her it was not the case anymore.

    Leng Xiyao poked her a little and said, exasperated, ¡°Don¡¯t?give me such an infatuated look! I¡¯ll misunderstand it, you know.¡±

    Mo Suqing punched her mockingly. ¡°You reckless girl! All you can think of is¡­¡±

    The rest of her sentence seemed to be stuck in her throat.

    Leng Xiyao turned to look in the direction at which she fixated her gaze. <i>The gods are on my side!?</i>she thought.

    As soon as Mo Suqing punched her, all the gods wielded their power and brought bad luck to her. Ha-ha!

    As it turned out, Guan Zixuan was approaching them in his white suit like a Prince Charming.

    His dashing handsomeness and gentlemanlike quality dazzled Mo Suqing. But, to be honest, she preferred the reserved and dominant type like Ye Zhongjue.

    <i>What am I thinking??</i>she quickly stopped her mind from wandering further.

    Anyway, Fate was unkind to her today. She couldn¡¯t believe she was so out of luck as to bump into thest person she would like to see!

    Guan Zixuan was full of a benign smile, an amusing contrast to Mo Suqing¡¯s fake one. <i>What a chance! As the saying goes, you can evade the inevitable for a while, but not forever!</i>

    Guan Zixuan stopped in front of the two women and said to Mo Suqing, ¡°Hi, so we meet again!¡±

    Mo Suqing would very much like to wail out loud, <i>But I do not want to see you at all!</i>

 Chapter 36 â€“ I am Fine with Being Poisoned by You

    <h4>Chapter 36 ¨C I am Fine with Being Poisoned by You</h4>

    Leng Xiyao was trembling all over with suppressedughter, seeing the woeful expression on Mo Suqing¡¯s face. As the saying goes, ¡°Karma will eventuallye, if not now.¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s entire face was wrinkled like a crumpled piece of paper.

    She twitched a corner of her mouth and said reluctantly, ¡°Hi, what a coincidence!¡±

    Despite what she had said, it looked like she was grinding her teeth. Her face had now contorted so much it didn¡¯t share any resemnce to a human face.

    Without preamble, Guan Zixuan leaned closer and, cing his hands on each arm of her chair, positioned himself in such a way that effectively trapped Mo Suqing. She could clearly feel his warm breath on her face when he said, ¡°I thought you said you were a mere tourist at the airport. If so¡­¡± he chuckled, ¡°Are you ¡®touring¡¯ around here today too?¡±

    Suddenly, Mo Suqing remembered. It finally dawned on her why she would find Mu Ling¡¯er familiar when she saw her picture. She was the woman with Guan Zixuan in the restroom cubicle at the airport!

    <i>What an intolerably stupid girl I am!?</i>She thought miserably.

    However, just as Mo Suqing was racking her brain toe up with a wless lie and feel it to Guan Zixuan, the man straightened up as suddenly as he had leaned over Mo Squing and walked out the venue without even a backward nce.

    Mo Suqing remained seated on the chair for a while after he left before turning to Leng Xiyao. ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    Leng Xiyao spread out her arms in a shrug. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me. Maybe he¡¯s out of his mind!¡±

    Mo Suqing stared unhappily at where Guan Zixuan had gone for a while before nodding in agreement. ¡°Yeah, maybe.¡±

    However, the truth was, she did not think Guan Zixuan, after recognizing her with a seemingly innocent hello, would just pretend nothing had happened and let her go. She was not that foolish.

    If he could disclose her disgraceful secret without reserve like he did at the press conference, he would not hesitate to make her suffer even if he himself would get involved.

    Mo Suqing sat there, not wanting to move at all now. Leng Xiyao peered at her. ¡°Let¡¯s go! You don¡¯t want to spend your New Year here, do you?¡±

    Mo Suqing nced at her lifelessly without moving her head. ¡°It¡¯s still a long time before New Year.¡±

    ¡°So you are aware of the time!¡±

    Then, Leng Xiyao prompted her again, ¡°Come, let¡¯s go already! I want to finish work and go home early today.¡±

    Mo Suqing frowned. ¡°Why?¡±

    Leng Xiyao smiled mysteriously. ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell you now. You¡¯ll know in due course.¡±

    She pulled Mo Suqing hard and forced her to leave that chiar.

    ¡­¡­

    Lin Ran was an efficient employee. By the time it was time to call it a day at work, he had given Ye Zhongjue a full report.

    ¡°Boss, the stocks bought by Gu Group are now in the hands of our people. Since they are possessed by different people, no one will suspect it is Mighty Empire¡¯s doing; it looks like they were bought by individuals. Mo Group?is?safe now.¡±

    ¡°Good!¡± Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face still did not betray much?emotion. His eyes, in particr, were like cold, deep ponds, difficult to interpret.

    In fact, he had nned to buy all the stocks and give them back to Mo Group.

    However, he then realized that as smart as she was, if Mo Suqing was to be informed of the fact that it was Mighty Empire who did it, she might link it with him and wonder at his true identity.

    Besides, he knew there were others who coveted the ownership of Mo Group in addition to Gu Jiannan. For example, Mo Suqing¡¯s stepsister, Mo Sulian. Since Mo Zhenfeng might not be able to guard the stocks well, he would keep them safe for him. After Mo Sulian showed her true colors, he would?then?give them to Mo Suqing¡¯s care.

    After contemting the whole matter, Ye Zhongjue looked up and said, ¡°Okay, it is settled then. Remember,?keep the stocks for the time being.¡±

    Seeing that Ye Zhongjue began to pack his suitcase, Lin Ran asked incredulously, ¡°Boss, you are not going to work overtime today either?¡±

    ¡°What, you want me to workte every night?¡± Ye Zhongjue arched his brows, shooting a knife-like look in the direction of Lin Ran.

    This gave Lin Ran the shivers. Heughed nervously, ¡°No! Of course not! It¡¯s just you have been acting a bit unlike yourselftely, going home on time every day and not working overtime like you used to¡­ One would think you have someone waiting for you at home!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue lowered his head to hide the sparkle in his eyes.

    When he gathered up his suitcase, he said, ¡°Okay! You shouldn¡¯t work toote, either.¡±

    ¡°Yes,?Big?Bro!¡± Lin Ran replied cheerfully and was about to leave the office.

    However, Ye Zhongjue boomed, ¡°Wait!¡±

    Lin Ran froze on the spot.

    ¡°What did I say? Do not call me?Big?Bro at work!¡±

    Lin Ran¡¯s face immediately went white. He had forgotten about this rule. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Boss. I won¡¯t do it again!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue shook his head and said, ¡°That¡¯s quite alright. But, you must remember not to show your hooligan?attitude?ever again.¡±

    ¡°Right, right!¡± Lin Ran nodded quickly and slipped out.

    Ye Zhongjue had left work earlier than usual, so when he arrived at Trend Magazine, their employees were just starting to get off work.

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao were walking side by side when the former spotted Ye Zhongjue across the street. She knitted her brows together.

    <i>He is early today! Should I introduce him to Yao? Yao has asked to meet him several times now.</i>

    However, Leng Xiyao did not notice anything unusual about her. The moment they were out of the building, she scurried away while shouting in the general direction of Mo Suqing without looking back, ¡°I¡¯m off now! I have this thing that I need to do!¡±

    Watching her cheerful figure, Mo Suqing shook her head and thought, <i>Well, it can wait then.</i>

    Mo Suqing got in the car and immediately noticed something odd about Ye Zhongjue.

    She took a careful look at him and realized that he was wearing spectacles. With them, he gave out a different, schr-like vibe, although he was as handsome as ever.

    Seeing him reminded her of the night before. She quickly regained herposure. ¡°You are early today.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to wait for too long.¡±

    The matter-of-fact remark almost made Mo Suqing choke. She looked at him uneasily and changed the subject promptly, ¡°Why are you wearing sses today?¡±

    The corner of her mouth twitched a little. She couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that Ye Zhongjue was not his usual self.

    Ye Zhongjue answered, ¡°Some say I look quite erudite with sses.¡±

    Mo Suqing choked again. <i>Can you be any more arrogant?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s mouth?curved?into a lop-sided smile at her astonished look. It made him even more handsome, like one of the beautiful men who only existed in paintings.

    ¡°I¡¯m kidding! What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll take you to dinner.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not eat out every day. Some restaurants are not particrly hygienic.¡±

    ¡°If so, are you going to cook instead?¡± Ye Zhongjue turned in her direction, teasing her.

    ¡°Forget it then! You will get food poisoning from anything I make.¡±

    Ye Zhongjueughed heartily, which instantly transformed his whole appearance into a delightful sight.

    His voice was warming when he spoke, ¡°I¡¯m fine with being poisoned by you.¡±

    Mo Suqing found herself drunk with his words. <i>Something is very wrong with my head! Otherwise, why would I be thinking that this is the sweetest thing I have ever heard?</i>

    The car continued to head for their ce.

    After they got home, they changed into their leisure wear before going out again for grocery shopping.

    While browsing the veggies, Mo Suqing said, ¡°How about you teach me how to cook properly tonight? I feel bad to see you prepare dinner every day after work.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind it. I am most willing to cook your every meal.¡± He blurted out these words just like that. Mo Suqing once again found herself blushing furiously.

    She quickly turned her face away, pretending she was focusing on the vegetables, while cursing herself inwardly, <i>Can you be any more pliable, Mo Suqing??</i>A few words, and she felt her heart softened. Women were just too sensitive.

    When they had everything they needed and were waiting in line for checkout, Ye Zhongjue remembered something.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t used the card I gave you, have you?¡±

    Mo Suqing did not expect he would ask about it, so she quickly exined, ¡°No, I have not wanted anything recently.¡±

    The truth was, she didn¡¯t even bring the card Ye Zhongjue gave her.

    After Ye Zhongjue paid?for?the grocery, the two of them left the store. As they walked, he said, ¡°The season is changing. You should?prepare?by buying a few?new outfits.¡±

    Mo Suqing understood what he meant. She followed behind him and said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll?go when I have time.¡±

    After they went home, Ye Zhongjue started to prepare dinner while Mo Suqing helped him wash the veggies.

    Ye Zhongjue was stir-frying the food when he saw Mo Suqing¡¯s eager expression. He suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s see if you can make stir-fried pork and green pepper for the next dish, shall we?¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded excitedly. She was so happy she didn¡¯t seem to know where to put her hands. Ye Zhongjue grinned.

    However, the oil in the pan was soon heated to a very high temperature, and Mo Suqing still didn¡¯t know whether it was the pepper or the pork that she should pour in first.

    In panic, she identally threw the meat with its bowl into the pan.

    Ye Zhongjue was standing there with an amused expression on his face. <i>Stir-fried pork and green pepper, I failed you!?</i>thought Mo Suqing.

    Ye Zhongjue quickly took over. He added some water into the pan, poured in the pepper, and began tossing it around.

    When the dish was done, he saw that Mo Suqing was standing there, half sulking, half embarrassed. He walked over to her.

    Then, all of a sudden, he pulled her into his arms. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. You did really well. What do you say if we stay like this ever after?¡±

    Mo Suqing was a little taken aback. But, after some consideration, she nodded slowly.

    Ye Zhongjue was so gleeful over her response that he hugged Mo Suqing tightly, as if never wanting to let her go.

    Mo Suqing, embarrassed, pushed him away.

    ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue loosened his arms around her and looked at her pretty face incredulously.

    He still could not believe that the girl he had longed after for seven years was now in front of him. How lucky he was!

    Ye Zhongjue took her hand, his heart brimming with excitement and happiness, although outwardly it was impossible to discern.

    Suddenly, he noticed something on Mo Suqing¡¯s hand. His expression changed in an instant.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were burned?¡±

    He reyed the scene and knew that when Mo Suqing poured the ingredients into the pan, the moisture must have sent the overheated oil flying and sshing onto her hand. Her hand was as red as salmon, but she never grumbled a word.

    Ye Zhongjue felt his heart ache.

 Chapter 37 â€“ The True Identity of Leng Xiyao

    <h4>Chapter 37 ¨C The True Identity of Leng Xiyao</h4>

    Uneasy, Mo Suqing quickly withdrew her hand from Ye Zhongjue¡¯s grip and gave him a nervous smile, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m fine, really!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her intently. In the end, he took her hand and held it under cool running water from the faucet while sighing deeply and shaking his head.

    <i>He is sighing again,?</i>Mo Suqing thought, not knowing what it was that she had done wrong.

    Come to think of it, it seemed that she often did things that would make him shake his head and give out a sigh.

    Mo Suqing pursed her lips. If she could, she would also like to learn to get along with him as he wished. The problem was, she didn¡¯t know how to change herself!

    Mo Suqing spent the whole dinner half eating, half deep in thought.

    ¡­¡­

    At the Lengs¡¯ vi.

    Leng Xiyao watched the stern man in front of her anxiously. Finally, she could not wait anymore and blurted out, ¡°Uncle, can you help or not? Please say something!¡±

    Leng Haoyun snapped his head up. His look was sharp enough to cut ice, sending shivers down Leng Xiyao¡¯s spine.

    <i>What is wrong with her, making such a bold request?</i>

    ¡°What, now you forget your respect for me for your bestie¡¯s sake?¡±

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s voice was calm and his expression moderate.

    After Leng Xiyao¡¯s parents passed away when she was ten, he took it upon himself as her father¡¯s only sibling to take care of her. And what a good care he had taken! It could be said that he had indulged her every need to the extent of spoiling her.

    Nevertheless, somehow she had always held him in a certain respect.

    Today, to his surprise, she suddenly became bold in front of him for her good friend¡¯s sake.

    Leng Xiyao lowered her head and bit her lip.

    She knew he always workedte into the night before going home, so she had got off work early and?came?to The Unparalleled to talk to him. Otherwise, she would not be able to see him today.

    However, his unexpected indifference?still hurt her a little.

    Usually, it was very difficult to see him unless she had some mishap. Sometimes, they didn¡¯t see each other for a whole week.

    Besides Mighty Empire, The Unparalleled was the other?giant in the business world?of?A?City.?As the head of The Unparalleled,?there?were?practically no strings her uncle?couldn¡¯t pull, if he was willing to.

    In the past, when she asked for his help, he would usually set out some condition or another to restrict her in exchange. This time, the help she had asked for was no small matter. She wondered what he would ask her to do in return if he did agree to lend a hand!

    Leng Xiyao hung her head in trepidation.

    She really hoped he could help Mo Group, so that Suqing would stop worrying; on the other hand, she dared not imagine what she would have to agree to in exchange of his favor.

    In his ck suit, Leng Haoyun looked imperious. His handsome face did not be any more tender under the soft light; rather, it was even more stern.

    He looked at the girl who, in her nervousness, was twisting her slender fingers and crumpling her pretty face, which was a little pale.

    Just like that, he suddenly softened. He couldn¡¯t bear to?see the girl whom he had deemed precious since she was little experience any kind of harm or pain.

    ¡°Stop looking like you are facing your doom. I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Apparently, this was all he had got to say.

    Leng Xiyao blinked her huge eyes. <i>This is it? He is not going to impose on her any inhuman conditions, such as ¡°no deep-fried food for breakfast,¡± ¡°get into bed before whatever-time-it-is,¡± ¡°refrain from alcohol¡± or the like?</i>

    <i>This is weird. He just agreed to offer his help without any terms?</i>

    Leng Xiyao could not believe it. She pinched her face and almost yelped. <i>This really hurts!</i>

    Apparently, her uncle really said yes.

    When she looked up, Leng Haoyun had turned to leave. Watching his lonely figure, an indescribable feeling rose up in her. Suddenly, she had a strong desire to give him a hug.

    She remembered that when she was only a ten-year-old, her parents had died from a car ident. From then on, Leng Haoyun was the one who brought her up.

    The same year, when she was ten and he eighteen, he took on another responsibility ¨C The Unparalleled.

    Because the business giant had many enemies back then, she had been kidnapped for at least five times during the first two years of his reign. Each time, she was nearer to death than thest.

    Since then, Leng Haoyun forbade her to tell anyone her true identity, her association with The Unparalleled, her rtionship with him.

    That was why, for so many years, Leng Xiyao never told Mo Suqing that she was actually a member of The Unparalleled.

    The only problem with being Miss Leng was, she didn¡¯t have any freedom. Her uncle had so much control over her life that sometimes she really wanted to escape from home and lead an independent life.

    However, it was all but a mere idea which did not extend to reality. Leng Xiyao had long passed the period of the rebellious youth, and now she mostly listened to her uncle¡¯s instructions.

    She had grown into an adult and did not want him to worry about her anymore.

    Therefore, the only thing Mo Suqing knew about her background was that she had an uncle who always indulged her. Any of the rest, she did not know.

    When she was certain that Leng Haoyun did agree to help, Leng Xiyao felt very much relieved. The anxiety in her heart dissipated.

    <i>Suqing can go back to not worrying about Mo Group!</i>

    Shortly after Mo Suqing arrived at work the next day, she received a call from Mo Zhenfeng, ¡°Suqing, I want to thank you for your help. If it¡¯s not for you, ourpany would surely go bankrupt¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing was baffled, of course. <i>Mo Group is no longer in a crisis? What does that have to do with me??</i>She hadn¡¯t even known about it until Mo Zhenfeng called.

    ¡°It¡¯s got nothing to do with me. You can thank anyone you want to; just don¡¯t thank me,¡± Mo Suqing said coldly and was about to hang up the phone.

    Mo Zhenfeng quickly said, ¡°But your friend said he helped us only because of you!¡±

    Mo Suqing was even more baffled. <i>My friend who? When have I got a friend who is so powerful as to save Mo Group effortlessly?</i>

    ¡°Okay, I got it!¡±

    Mo Suqing hung up. Although the fact was she did not ¡°get it¡± at all, she felt relieved to know that Mo Group was safe now.

    She really could not think of anyone who might do that.

    <i>Is it?</i><i>Zhang Yubin?</i> Mo Suqing shook her head. <i>No way. He?</i><i>is</i><i>?too petty. If I don¡¯t give him what he wants first, he will never help me.</i>

    <i>Is it Gu Jiannan??</i>Mo Suqing chuckled lightly. <i>That¡¯s even more unlikely. He would steal Mo Group if he can; it¡¯s impossible that he would be so kind.</i>

    Mo Suqing sat there, deep in thought. That was why she did not notice Leng Xiyao

    show up from nowhere and punch her in the shoulder.

    She jumped in surprise. Giving Leng Xiyao a scornful look, she said, ¡°What are you doing? You almost gave me a heart attack!¡±

    Leng Xiyao giggled. ¡°What are <i>you</i> doing? You were so deep in thought you didn¡¯t see meing.¡±

    Mo Suqing said unhappily, ¡°Someone who imed to be my friend saved Mo Group. My father just called to thank me.¡±

    Then, a bitter smile appeared on her face. ¡°He was not this pleasant when I went home to a matchmaking dinner, that¡¯s for sure!¡±

    Leng Xiyao, feeling sorry for her, gave her a hug from behind. ¡°Suqing, don¡¯t be sad. He does not deserve any of your energy.¡±

    She knew a thing or two about Mo Suqing¡¯s family. Although she knew she did not have the right to judge, she felt her heartbreak.

    She was also very surprised by what Mo Suqing had said.

    She had just asked her uncle for helpst night, and the problem was solved this morning. Talk about efficiency! She was determined to buy a gift for her uncle as a thank-you.

    ¡°Suqing, since Mo Group is safe now, how about we go shopping after work today?¡±

    Mo Suqing was going to say no when she remembered what Ye Zhongjue had said when they went grocery shopping the previous evening. He had told her to buy some clothes for the uing seasonal change.

    A?City?had distinct seasons and the weather was going to turn autumn soon. It was time to prepare some clothes ordingly.

    She had also put his card in her purse this morning. So, she nodded and said, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go shopping after work!¡±

    Leng Xiyao was so happy that she almost jumped up and down. ¡°You are the best!¡±

    Leng Xiyao didn¡¯t tell Mo Suqing that it was her who asked her uncle to help Mo Group. She did not want Mo Suqing to feel obliged to her. It?was fine not?knowing who the person was,?right?

    Time passed by quickly. A day at work came to an end once again.

    When she was about to leave thepany, Mo Suqing sent a message to Ye Zhongjue, <i>I promised Yao I would go shopping with her after work. Don¡¯te and pick me up!¡±</i>

    Ye Zhongjue was busy with some papers, so he didn¡¯t know there was a new message until a long timeter.

    He was used to making calls instead of sending messages. However, after he read the message from Mo Suqing, he replied, <i>Okay!</i>

    Mo Suqing was already shopping with Leng Xiyao when she heard her phone buzzing. She quickly fished out her phone.

    She smiled at the one-word reply. <i>Ha, just one word! Howzy is he?</i>

    But, it totally fit his cool personality.

    Mo Suqing put her phone away and continued to look at the goods in the shop.

    Seeing that she was beaming, Leng Xiyao asked, ¡°What¡¯s with the smile?¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head. ¡°Nothing.¡±

    Leng Xiyao pursed her lips, not buying it. ¡°Your mouth can actually hang a cluster of grapes, and you are saying there is nothing!¡±

    Mo Squing was a little embarrassed. <i>Is it really so obvious?</i>

    Catching sight of a haberdashery, Leng Xiyao immediately walked in, ending the conversation.

    A silver-grey suit on a mannequin caught her attention. She found a clerk and said, ¡°I would like to buy a slender version of this suit please.¡±

    Mo Suqing tugged at her sleeves. ¡°Yao, who are you buying it for?¡±

    ¡°My uncle,¡± Leng Xiyao answered. ¡°Why?¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head. ¡°Nothing. I am just curious.¡±

    The truth was, it reminded her that she should also buy something for Ye Zhongjue. The season was about to change, and it wouldn¡¯t do if she only bought clothes for herself, now would it?

    She looked at the clothes in her shopping bag. It was all for her. However, she paid for them with her own card. If Ye Zhongjue found out she didn¡¯t use his card at all, he would most likely get angry because she did not treat him like family again.

 Chapter 38 â€“ Man, Isnâ€™t He Handsome

    <h4>Chapter 38 ¨C Man, Isn¡¯t He Handsome</h4>

    After some deliberation, Mo Suqing walked into the shop and started to browse the various kinds of men¡¯s clothing hung on the walls.

    She pointed at a ck overcoat on a mannequin next to a mirror and inquired, ¡°Do you have a slender version of this coat?¡±

    A saleswoman approached her with a warm smile. ¡°Miss, you have a very good taste indeed! This overcoat sells very quickly ¨C there are only two left, a normal version and a slender version. The normal version is the one you are looking at, while the slender version is in our storage ce. I can go fetch it for you if you would like to take a look.¡±

    Mo Suqing smiled. ¡°Good! Fetch it for me then, please.¡±

    She got closer to the mannequin and checked the tag on it.

    Her heart jumped a little. The figure was huge enough to make her dizzy. Although she herself had grown up in a rich family, she had never worn anything that costed more than a few thousand. She suddenly felt reluctant to pay something priced at more than ten thousand dors.

    In fact, after she graduated, she had never asked her father for money. She was used to spending money she earned on necessary items only.

    However, when she looked at the overcoat, she could feel her heart flutter. Ye Zhongjue would definitely look great in it.

    After all, the overcoat was made for a handsome and elegant man just like him. She knew it would be very bing on him more than it would on anyone else.

    She made up her mind. She would buy it for him. He had always paid for their dinner, yet she had not?once?spent a cent on him.

    When Mo Suqing walked out of the shop after paying the overcoat with her card, the pain came to her, btedly. Gone were ten thousand dors!

    God knows for how long she had saved it!

    Noticing her thunderstruck expression, Leng Xiyao could not help but tease her, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use his card instead?¡±

    Mo Suqing gave her a puzzled sidelong nce. ¡°Why would I do that?¡±

    ¡°Stupid girl!¡± Leng Xiyao sumbed to her outspoken self and continued, ¡°Of course you can¡¯t spend his money on the gift you are going to give him, but for your own stuff, you have every right to use his card! Have the wirese loose in your head or something? Silly Suqing, you are a married couple now; it¡¯s his responsibility to provide for you!¡±

    She hooked her arm through Mo Suqing¡¯s and said, ¡°Come, let¡¯s do some real shopping!¡±

    They looked into every shop in the shopping center. After a second thought, Mo Suqing found that Leng Xiyao was probably right. When two people were married, they were united as one. If they kept thinking themselves as individuals and divided everything?so thoroughly, they?might as well?make things easier and live apart.

    With her thoughts straightened out, Mo Suqing no longer sweated over the small stuff and used Ye Zhongjue¡¯s card to buy several?items?for herself.

    Ye Zhongjue was working when a series of notifications came in on his phone. Thinking they were messages from Mo Suqing, he woke his phone and found that they were actually spending alerts from his card.

    Ye Zhongjue smiled. <i>Looks like she is finally epting her new role as his wife! That¡¯s wonderful!</i>

    He picked up his jacket on the couch and dialed Mo Suqing¡¯s number.

    ¡°Where are you? I¡¯ming to pick you up.¡±

    When she saw who it was that had called, Mo Suqing felt a little confused. After hearing what he had to say, she quickly replied, ¡°No, that¡¯s quite alright! You must have gone home already. I¡¯ll just hail a taxi.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you in my office. I¡¯m just about to leave now.¡± Ye Zhongjue sounded totally unfazed; his voice was so calm it was hard to guess what he was thinking.

    Mo Suqing was utterly speechless. For a long while, she did not say anything at all.

    <i>Has he been waiting for the shopping spree to end to pick me up?</i>

    All sorts of feelings welled up in her heart as if a spice box was overturned there.

    ¡°Where are you?¡±

    Mo Suqing instinctively answered and gave him her current location. Instantly, she knew she had made a mistake. She had practically given him the green light toe and pick her up!

    She wanted to tell him not to, but he had already hung up.

    Leng Xiyao called out to her when she found Mo Suqing had not kept up, ¡°Suqing, why are you standing there? I don¡¯t have a spare hand to guide you now!¡±

    She showed her all the shopping bags that she was holding, beaming.

    Mo Suqing looked at her own bags, feeling hopeless. She did not want Ye Zhongjue to see her like this, as if she had not gone shopping for a million years.

    ¡°The thing is¡­¡± She hesitated, not knowing how to say it.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Leng Xiyao blinked at her. ¡°What¡¯s with the sputtering? Are you struck by lightning again?¡±

    Mo Suqing narrowed her eyes at her. <i>The girl just couldn¡¯t talk decently!</i>

    ¡°Ye Zhongjue ising to pick me up!¡±

    Leng Xiyao replied without thinking, ¡°He¡¯s the one who?just called?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mo Suqing nodded.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s mouth spread into a creepy smile.

    ¡°Perfect! I was just thinking about what to do with my dinner! Now I have the answer.¡±

    Mo Suqing stared at her nkly. <i>Is she capable of thinking</i><i>?about</i><i>?anything other than food?</i>

    ¡°Let¡¯s go wait for him outside the mall!¡±

    Leng Xiyao sounded as if it was she who was going to introduce her boyfriend to Mo Suqing.

    Mo Suqing was speechless again. <i>Wow, how can you act like everything is about you?</i>

    But Leng Xiyao didn¡¯t heed her friend¡¯s muteness. She went toward the exit with the many bags in her hands, followed by an amazed Mo Suqing, who could never reject the girl.

    The two of them did not wait for long when a white Volkswagen approached them.

    Ye Zhongjue had seen Mo Suqing from a distance. He parked the car in a temporary parking space, got off, and walked toward the two women.

    Leng Xiyao was looking in all directions for anyone who might be Mo Suqing¡¯s husband when she noticed a graceful and handsome guy getting closer.

    She elbowed Mo Suqing lightly and put on her evil smile, saying, ¡°Suqing, look! A cute guy ising at us! I bet he¡¯sing to talk to me! Ah, how furiously my heart is beating!¡±

    Mo Suqing gave her a disgusted look. The girl was acting like a high school girl again.

    ¡°He <i>is</i>ing for us.¡± She said emphatically, a little embarrassed.

    ¡°What¡­¡± Leng Xiyao did not know what she meant at first. After about three seconds, she shouted, ¡°He is your so-called ¡®average-looking¡¯ husband?¡±

    Mo Suqing felt even more embarrassed. Ye Zhongjue arched his eyebrows. Obviously, he had heard everything. <i>Average-looking? So this is how she introduced him to her?</i><i>best friend.</i>

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s mouth was trembling with suppressedughter. <i>If this man is average-looking, all the other men in the world would want tomit suicide!</i>

    Presently, Ye Zhongjue was standing in front of them. He took the shopping bags from Mo Suqing¡¯s hands and addressed Leng Xiyao politely ¨C albeit expressionlessly. ¡°Hi, my name is Ye Zhongjue, Suqing¡¯s husband.¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked at her own bags andughed an awkwardugh. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Leng Xiyao, Suqing¡¯s good friend.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Ye Zhongjue said lightly. ¡°Suqing mentioned you before.¡±

    <i>Man, isn¡¯t he handsome!?</i>thought Leng Xiyao. <i>It¡¯s definitely an understatement to call him average-looking!</i>

    Listening to their conversation, Mo Suqing was pulled in all directions by conflicting feelings. Ye Zhongjue had never called or mentioned her with only her given name before; it was a weird sensation hearing him call her like that.

    Meanwhile, Leng Xiyao had added a footnote to this encounter: From afar, Ye Zhongjue was heart-stealing hot; at a closer distance, he was heart-stopping handsome!

    <i>But, where on earth did Suqing get the good luck to bump into such a cute guy?</i>

    In the end, Leng Xiyao chuckled, ¡°We are besties; it makes sense she mentioned me before.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nodded. ¡°Okay then. Both of you, wait here for me to put everything in the trunk before taking you to dinner.¡±

    Leng Xiyao pped her hands happily before bending over to pick up her bags. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll bring my own stuff to the car.¡±

    After the three of them put the shopping bags in the trunk, Ye Zhongjue drove them to dinner.

    Mo Suqing was sitting on the backseat with Leng Xiyao.

    Leng Xiyao pinched Mo Suqing hard and whispered in her ear, ¡°This is your definition of an ¡®average-looking¡¯ man? Damn you, Suqing, can your words be any more understated? You have made me think of your man with amon or even ugly face!¡±

    Thus charged with lying, Mo Suqing felt utterly wronged. She had just not wanted to draw any attention to herself!

    Besides, she had never said Ye Zhongjue had amon or even ugly face. She was sure this was not what she had told Leng Xiyao.

    She turned toward Leng Xiyao and said in a low voice, ¡°So I¡¯m going to take you to dinner as an apology, am I not?¡±

    ¡°Humph!¡± Leng Xiyao whispered. ¡°It was he who suggested it, okay? He stole my bestie from me, it is only right of him to treat me to dinner! As for you¡­¡±

    Leng Xiyao paused and looked at her maliciously. ¡°Wait and see how I am going to punish you, you little liar!¡±

    Mo Suqing moaned inwardly, not knowing what the shrewdss woulde up with as a way to apologize to her.

    Finally, the car stopped in front of the famous Tianyu Hotel.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s expression became amused as she observed the change in Mo Suqing¡¯s face.

    Apparently, Ye Zhongjue knew nothing about what had happened to Mo Suqing here. She would probably never set foot in Tianyu Hotel for the rest of her life if she could help it.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s expression became more and more twisted due to suppressedughter. <i>Good job, Ye Zhongjue, for choosing?</i><i>this location</i><i>?to have dinner!</i>

    Suqing was undoubtedly thinking about that heartbroken night. Leng Xiyao looked at the two of them and suggested tentatively, ¡°Well, how about we go to another ce?¡±

    In fact, Ye Zhongjue had noticed something was wrong the moment he stopped the car: Mo Suqing became quite stiff.

    As smart as he was, he immediately guessed what had happened here. Although he couldn¡¯t know exactly what it was, he was certain something really bad ¨C which Leng Xiyao knew and he didn¡¯t ¨C had happened to her in this ce.

    He learned all of this based on the subtle change in the two women¡¯s expression. But he feigned ignorance when he said, ¡°Sure! Let¡¯s go to another ce.¡±

    His voice was calm yet authoritative, as if daring anyone to disagree.

    However, Mo Suqing disagreed, which was something she never did. She looked at Ye Zhongjue and said firmly, ¡°No, we are going to eat here!¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s expression was inly amused now. She almost reached over and touched Mo Suqing¡¯s forehead to see if she had a fever or something. It was so unlike her. She had thought the woman would never set foot here for the rest of her life.

 Chapter 39 â€“ She Will Probably Do Better Being Hurt by Another Man

    <h4>Chapter 39 ¨C She Will Probably Do Better Being Hurt by Another Man</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue looked at Mo Suqing for a long time. He noticed that after her initial stiffness, she had returned to her usual self.

    Therefore, he nodded and said, ¡°No problem! We¡¯ll eat here.¡±

    Leng Xiyao thought sarcastically, <i>He acts so coolly! And he never says more words than needed! I¡¯m worried that Suqing might be transformed into a frozen stick after spending time with him.</i>

    At this, a bizarre image appeared in her mind¡¯s eye. A frighteningly icy Ye Zhongjue cast a nce at Mo Suqing. Aser-like beam of light shot through the space between them, freezing the air in its wake. In an instant, Mo Suqing became a frozen stick. Splendid!

    Leng Xiyao tittered.

    Ye Zhongjue and Mo Suqing turned to look at her in unison, as if to say, <i>What¡¯s the matter with her?</i>

    Leng Xiyao was hurt by their reaction. <i>They were indeed a couple, acting like one person!?</i>she thought. <i>Argh! I think I am mortally hurt!?</i>As a single, how was she going to bear the sight of them?

    The three of them walked into the hotel and found a table next to a window.

    Ye Zhongjue handed the menu to Leng Xiyao and let her take order first, just like a perfect gentleman.

    Although Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue had not spoken to each other, they hadmunicated with their eyes numerous times. Leng Xiyao felt abused like an inferior.

    There was a reason?why?Ye Zhongjue chose this ce to dine. He seldom came to Tianyu Hotel, so there was a good chance he would not be recognized in front of Mo Suqing and, of course, Leng Xiyao.

    When Ye Zhongjue went to fetch the drinks, Leng Xiyao could not hold it any longer. ¡°Suqing, what have you found! It is almost a miracle that you met such a handsome man! I would get myself heartbroken and drunk if I, too, could bump into a guy like that.¡±

    Mo Suqing gave her a speechless look. It was a miracle that she had met Ye Zhongjue? There was nothing the girl was afraid to say!

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s behavior tonight had earned her multiple imaginary murders, to say it frankly.

    She cast?Leng Xiyao a cool nce and said, ¡°Yao, did you forget to take your medicine today?¡±

    Leng Xiyao had not yet realized what that meant when Mo Suqing said, ¡°Otherwise, why are you acting like a brat?¡± Leng Xiyao almost killed her then and there.

    However, she didn¡¯t get to because she saw Ye Zhongjueing toward them. Instead, her mouth twisted into a weird smile. She leaned closer and whispered, ¡°Suqing, you are dead meat! I¡¯ll settle this with you tomorrow!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue had brought some yogurt drinks?and orange juice for them, in case they?weren¡¯t used to the?other beverages.

    Leng Xiyao thanked him in good manners and put the juice on the table.

    Their order was being prepared, so the three of them just sat there in silence. It was very awkward.

    Remembering what Mo Suqing had said just now, Leng Xiyao smiled mischievously.

    ¡°Ye Zhongjue, did Suqing tell you that she thinks you are extremely handsome?¡±

    The calm and cool Ye Zhongjue almost choked?when he heard?the unexpected question.

    Mo Suqing, on the other hand, was trying very hard to steady herself. <i>Damn you, Yao! I would have asked you to go home if I knew what would happen! Can you bring any more shame on me?</i>

    She could imagine that after Leng Xiyao left, Ye Zhongjue would probably stare at her and say, <i>Your friend is a nutcase.</i>

    Mo Suqing covered her face with one hand hopelessly, not wanting to reveal her twisted expression.

    Ye Zhongjue cleared his throat and replied, ¡°Well, no she didn¡¯t.¡±

    Leng Xiyao was surprised. <i>What the¡­? Can you be any?</i><i>more dull</i><i>?</i>

    The dinner came to an end after all kinds of horrors.

    Upon leaving the hotel, Ye Zhongjue offered to drive Leng Xiyao home. However, she firmly declined.

    She had returned to her normal self and was no longer kidding when she said, ¡°Ye Zhongjue, after my close observation this evening, I dere now: you really are perfect for my Suqing.¡± What she didn¡¯t say out loud was, <i>You were both extremely cool and calm!</i>

    ¡°That said¡­¡± Leng Xiyao continued, ignoring Mo Suqing¡¯s fierce re. ¡°Suqing is a sensitive girl. If you don¡¯t treat her well, I will hunt you down and beat you up! There are plenty of good men out there, and I will not allow you to hurt her! She will probably?do better being hurt by another¡­¡±

    ¡°Yao!¡± Mo Suqing interrupted her. They did not consume any alcohol tonight, but somehow the girl was on fire, blurting out all kinds of stuff like when she was drunk!

    Ye Zhongjue just looked at Leng Xiyao, expressionless. Leng Xiyao waved her hand, dismissing Mo Suqing. ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt me. I wasn¡¯t finished!¡±

    She turned to Ye Zhongjue again and said, ¡°In short, you hurt her in any way and I¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    Mo Suqing was speechless. <i>Yao, are you a ruffian or what? Did you really say ¡®I¡¯ll kill you¡¯??</i>She covered her face, feeling ashamed.

    However, Ye Zhongjue¡¯s reaction was characteristically minimal. He said calmly, ¡°I will never hurt her!¡±

    His tone was light but firm. Mo Suqing¡¯s heart missed a beat. <i>Did he just make a vow to her?</i>

    Leng Xiyao stared at him for a whole three seconds before her face beamed with pleasure. ¡°Good! Don¡¯t give me a ride; I can go home by myself.¡±

    She went to the truck and took out her bags.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at Mo Suqing, as if inquiring, <i>Is it okay to let her go home by herself?</i>

    Mo Suqing knew Leng Xiyao very well. All these years they had known each other, the girl never once invited anyone to her house, let alone asking or allowing anyone to take her home.

    She shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s fine. She doesn¡¯t like to be taken home.¡±

    Leng Xiyao did not want anyone to know anything about her family. Mo Suqing understood it very well and never felt that because they were good friends, she had a right to pry into her privacy.

    She knew that Yao would tell her when she?was ready.

    Leng Xiyao hailed a taxi and left Ye Zhongjue and Mo Suqing. Ye Zhongjue said, ¡°You have a very loving friend. I can see how much she cares about you.¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded; she knew it too.

    Although it seemed they were bickering and making fun of each other all the time, their friendship was stronger than most people. She was always aware of how much Yao cared about her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go home now.¡±

    This simple deration warmed Mo Suqing considerably. Suddenly, she thought about hugging him. And she put her thought into action.

    To Ye Zhongjue¡¯s surprise, she hugged him.

    Ye Zhongjue sighed contentedly and hugged her back.

    An attractive man and a lovely woman, embracing each other on the street amid the busy traffic. What a beautiful picture. It was so peaceful and heartwarming that passersby kept casting backward nces at them.

    Mo Suqing blushed a little and punched Ye Zhongjue on the chest.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. People are watching us.¡±

    She barely finished her sentence when a woman turned her head to their direction. Ye Zhongjue red at her in return.

    Mo Suqing watched him, speechless. She had not known he was not only cool and domineering, seemingly austere and distant, but also quite childish.

    Mo Suqing hurriedly grabbed his arm and pulled him over to the car. <i>God! How humiliating! It is already inappropriate and unbing of them to cuddle in a public ce. He really shouldn¡¯t have red at someone who stared!</i>

    Back in the car, Ye Zhongjue looked as if he would like to say, <i>Why did you pull me away?</i>

    Mo Suqing did not know what to say. <i>Can we be any more disgraced?</i>

    She suddenly felt the man in front of her was more and more adorable.

    Back to the apartment, Ye Zhongjue carried the shopping bags upstairs. Mo Suqing helped him open the door.

    Ye Zhongjue walked over to the sofa and put everything down.

    His eyes fixed on something unusual. <i>Wasn¡¯t she shopping for her own clothes for the uing change of season? Why is there men¡¯s clothing?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue opened the bag with the haberdashery¡¯s logo on it and took a peek. It was a ck overcoat.

    He pondered for a moment before putting the coat back in the bag as if nothing had happened.

    When Mo Suqing emerged from the bathroom after taking a shower, she found Ye Zhongjue working on hisptop on the sofa.

    Sometimes she had a feeling that he was busier than those big bosses.

    ¡°Still working? You must be very tired now. Why don¡¯t you go take a shower?¡±

    Mo Suqing asked while drying her hair.

    Ye Zhongjue looked up from hisputer. Slowly, he stood up and took her hair dryer, his eyes never leaving hers.

    ¡°Come here.¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at him and then at the hair dryer. <i>D</i><i>oes</i><i>?he want to dry my hair? But?</i><i>does</i><i>?he know how?</i>

    He had a nobility look about him, which made her doubt his ability to blow-dry someone¡¯s hair.

    Drying hair was easy enough for his own short hair. However, hers was pretty long. It would hurt a lot if it got tangled up!

    Guessing the reason for her hesitation, Ye Zhongjue said reassuringly, ¡°I¡¯ll be very gentle.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Mo Suqing looked at him suspiciously. Inwardly, she was once again surprised to find how easily he saw through her mind every time.

    Ye Zhongjue nodded, not at all knowing what she was thinking.

    After some consideration, Mo Suqing decided to let him do it, not wanting to discourage him.

    Ye Zhongjue turned on the hair dryer and gentlybed Mo Suqing¡¯s ck long hair. He was very careful with every lock, so as not to hurt her.

    From time to time, his eyes kept drifting over to the bag on the sofa.

    Finally, he asked, as nonchntly as he could, ¡°Do you have anything you want to tell me?¡±

    Maybe it was because Ye Zhongjue was too gentle, Mo Suqing found herself starting to drift off. Therefore, she did not quite get her head around his question.

    ¡°Ah!¡± she eximed. Ye Zhongjue¡¯s hand jerked, hurting Mo Suqing.

    Mo Suqing cried out. Ye Zhongjue looked at her in embarrassment. He seemed to be terribly sorry for her and there was a faint sadness on his face.

    ¡°Do you¡­ not have anything you want to tell me?¡± His look became serious, his eyes as deep and unfathomable as a coldke.

    Mo Suqing seemed to be a little taken aback. After considering for a moment, she said, ¡°Well¡­ thank you for treating Yao to dinner tonight?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue gave her an exasperated look. <i>Am I the kind of man who would ask for gratitude for a meal?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue felt sulky. <i>Apparently the overcoat is not for me! That¡¯s why she doesn¡¯t not have anything to tell me.</i>

    <i>However¡­ if it is not for me, whom is it for?</i>

    <i>Gu Jiannan??</i>At the thought of it, Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face darkened. He felt like killing someone right about now.

 Chapter 40 â€“ A Proud One

    <h4>Chapter 40 ¨C A Proud One</h4>

    Mo Suqing was puzzled. She could sense the temperature had dropped a few degrees in the room, but why? All she had said was ¡°thank you.¡± Was it not the right thing to say?

    <i>If so, what exactly does he want me to tell him?</i>

    Mo Suqing thought hard about it, but still the answer didn¡¯te to her.

    In the end, Ye Zhongjue walked toward the bathroom with a scowled face and without saying anything more. Mo Suqing did not care for his behavior. <i>What is he doing that for? I seriously do not understand.</i>

    Mo Suqing looked at her half-dried hair. She quickly finished drying it. When she was going to put it away, she noticed that one of the shopping bags seemed to have been opened before.

    It was nothing other than the overcoat she bought for Ye Zhongjue. <i>Is this what he wanted me to tell him about?</i>

    Mo Suqing was amused. <i>So this is what it is about! He doesn¡¯t think I bought it for some other man, does he?</i>

    Mo Suqing did not know how to react. She put the overcoat and the hair-dryer back to their ces while chuckling inwardly, <i>What a proud man-child!</i>

    Mo Suqing found that the more she spent time with him, the more she didn¡¯t know him. He was like an unpredictable kid who was proud yesterday, adorable today, and sulky tomorrow, always changing his mood.

    What she didn¡¯t know was, Ye Zhongjue had never cared?for?someone enough to learn how to care about someone. She was the first woman he really wanted to take great care of like a precious treasure.

    Without doubt, her every move and every behavior affected him. That was why he was acting so weird.

    No wonder people oftenmented, ¡°Men be children when they are in love.¡±

    Mo Suqing felt both amused and sorry at the same time. She was amused because the proud Ye Zhongjue expected her to guess his thought and simply refused to speak out loud what he had in mind; she was sorry because his low mood somehow affected her, too.

    When Ye Zhongjue emerged from the bathroom, he saw the shopping bag containing the overcoat was still on the sofa, while all the other bags were gone.

    His eyes twinkled with embarrassment. <i>Did she find out what he was thinking?</i>

    Mo Suqing emerged from the dressing room, smiling.

    She picked up the shopping bag and handed it to Ye Zhongjue. ¡°I bought an overcoat for you when I went shopping today. I never saw you wear one before, so I¡¯m not sure about the size. What don¡¯t you try it on? I bet you will look very nice in it.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s narcissist personality was immediately puffed up. <i>Of course I will! I am a good-looking man; any clothes are bing on me.</i>

    His transient narcissistic expression did not escape Mo Suqing.

    She was utterly speechless. <i>Are all men as childish as?</i><i>him</i><i>??</i>she thought, although she did not contempt him for it at all. On the contrary, somehow she quite liked it.

    She looked at his pajamas and said tentatively, ¡°How about you try it on now, so that if it doesn¡¯t fit, I can go find the right size tomorrow?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue seemed to brighten up?entirely. He took the bag from Mo Suqing. ¡°I¡¯ll try it on now!¡± he said quickly, as if Mo Suqing would take it back if he didn¡¯t answer her fast enough.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face did not betray much emotion, but his heart was already filled with happiness. <i>This is really for me! She must care a great deal about me.?</i>Ye Zhongjue thought as he put on the overcoat.

    Mo Suqing sat on the sofa idly while waiting for him to change his clothes. His reaction totally supported her spection: What Ye Zhongjue wanted her to say was indeed to tell him that she had bought the overcoat for him.

    No wonder he would get upset when she only thanked him for taking Yao to dinner.

    Anyway, seeing that he was so happy about the overcoat made her happy too.

    She heard the door to the dressing room click open and turned her head. She was instantly andpletely wonderstruck.

    The overcoat seemed to be tailored for him. The ck color matched perfectly with his coolness and reserve, eliciting from the inside a charm that attracted anyone toe near him.?It was as if he?was sparkling with a strange radiance. The garment was a hundred more bing on him than on the mannequin; his graceful and handsome figure added a unique personality to the overcoat.

    Mo Suqing was very proud of her taste. The overcoat was so befitting, Ye Zhongjue was almost brimming with virility.

    Mo Suqing stared in awe, not even knowing Ye Zhongjue hade?closer.

    He walked to her and asked lightly, ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Mo Suqing cried out, snapping her head up.

    Her cute reaction made Ye Zhongjue itch for her, as if she was a kitten whose little paw was touching him in a tititing way.

    Suddenly, he hugged the stunned Mo Suqing tightly, as if he wanted to devour her.

    Mo Suqing shook a little. She could feel his urgent need to ¡°finish her off¡± then and there.

    Like the earth absorbing the sweet rainwater after a prolonged spell of drought, Ye Zhongjue locked her head with one hand and?kissed?her long and hard on the mouth.

    His kiss was violent as the storm, invading every inch of her with a fierceness.

    Mo Suqing was a little shaken, but she tried to act in response timidly. Gradually, a heat took over her entire body, prompting her to keep up with him.

    Mo Suqing had never seen this side of Ye Zhongjue. Before, he had always been very gentle and even when he had been out of control, he had never acted with such fierceness.

    It was well said that men were well-groomed beasts who would show their true colors in bed.

    Mo Suqing sighed inwardly, <i>No matter how reserved and graceful a man is, he?</i><i>turns</i><i>?into a beast once in bed!</i>

    She really felt that Ye Zhongjue was going to swallow her whole.

    Listening to his heavy breathing and the thud of his heartbeat, Mo Suqing did not know what to do.

    ¡°Suqing, hug me tight!¡±

    Tentatively, Mo Suqing pecked his earlobe a bit and wrapped her arms around his muscr waist.

    Ye Zhongjue trembled sharply as if an electric current just passed through his body. He held up Mo Suqing like a wild animal and pressed her against the wall behind the sofa.

    Mo Suqing was a little frightened. The profound desire in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes made them red like a fire that would consume her if unchecked.

    Ye Zhongjue roughly tore her nightdress open. Hearing the sound of fabric tearing part, Mo Suqing moaned inwardly, <i>Her new nightdress has died like a martyr!</i>

    She felt utterly helpless. <i>Lust! It was all because of lust! It served her right to suffer his roughness.</i>

    After some love-making, Ye Zhongjue carried her in his arms back to their room.

    However, he could not be easily satiated tonight. Even though they already spent a lot of time in the living room, he started another round in bed. He did not let her sleep untilte in the night.

    ¡­¡­

    Meanwhile, when Leng Xiyao went back home that evening, she saw Leng Haoyun working in his study.

    Surprised, Leng Xiyao thought, <i>It is so unlike him to already be home at this hour!</i>

    Usually, Leng Haoyun did note home until at least eleven o¡¯clock in the evening.

    That was why Leng Xiyao felt bold to have her way once and came homete tonight.

    Little had she expected she would be busted the first time she decided to do as she pleased.

    What an unfortunate coincidence!

    Leng Xiyao moaned inwardly. Recently, she had had the worst of luck!

    Last time when she had gone to gather some information for a story with Mo Suqing, they bumped into Gu Jiannan and Mo Sulian. She had taken Mo Suqing to a pub and Leng Haoyun almost killed her when she went homete and drunk.

    Even with just his poker face, he was scary enough.

    She tiptoed as quietly as she could, lest he noticed her.

    However, just when Leng Xiyao was about to enter her room, she heard a chilling voice saying, ¡°Come in here!¡±

    Leng Xiyao froze. She looked at their housekeeper Aunt Zhang, who was standing by, and pointed at herself, as if asking her, <i>Did he mean me?</i>

    Aunt Zhang nodded quickly.

    It turned out that when Leng Xiyao failed toe home on time in the afternoon, she had called Leng Haoyun ordingly, remembering his order to do so since the young miss came homete and drunk the other day.

    Therefore, after he knew she had note home in the afternoon, Leng Haoyun came home from work right away and had been waiting for her.

    Leng Xiyaoughed nervously. Looking resentful, she walked toward Leng Haoyun¡¯s study reluctantly.

    The door to the study was wide open.

    Leng Xiyao thought to herself, <i>He is not simply waiting for her, is he?</i>

    She walked into the study. Leng Haoyun demanded without looking up, ¡°Tell me, where have you been tonight?¡±

    Leng Xiyao hung her head and replied in a voice as small as a mosquito would have produced, ¡°Nowhere in particr¡­¡±

    ¡°Speak up!¡± Leng Haoyun boomed. Leng Xiyao immediately straightened up and raised her head.

    She gave Leng Haoyun a miserable look. All she had done was <i>go shopping</i>. Why did he have to be this angry with her? Was he going to control her basic right as a human, too?

    <i>Humph! Evil uncle!?</i>Leng Xiyao thought.

    She murmured, ¡°I went shopping, that is all. Is it necessary to be this mad?¡±

    Leng Haoyun, who had run The Unparalleled for many years and had to meet with subordinates, many of whom dared not speak up every day, heard every word Leng

    Xiyao had just said.

    He looked up, expressionless. ¡°What, did you mean to say you don¡¯t deserve my wrath? Do you forget the time when you got drunk and who got you out of that pub?¡±

    Being reminded of the tragic event, Leng Xiyao shrank a little. Of course she did not forget all that. He had even spanked her, for crying out loud! She could still feel the pain.

    She pursed her lips and said, ¡°I just wanted to buy you a gift to thank you.¡±

    Leng Haoyun watched her expressionlessly; it seemed that his face never changed whatsoever. ¡°Thank me? Well¡­¡±

    His voice rose to a higher pitch. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I have done to deserve your gratitude.¡±

    Leng Xiyao met his eyes bravely. ¡°What else could it be other than the Mo Group crisis? I didn¡¯t expect you would be able to handle it in a matter of a morning! In order to thank you, I bought you a suit at a shopping mall. You really shouldn¡¯t have treated me like this.¡±

    Her words made Leng Haoyun¡¯s eyes sparkled briefly.

    He confessed, ¡°It isn¡¯t me who helped Mo Group.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Leng Xiyao was surprised. ¡°Who could it be then?¡±

    She seemed to be talking to herself and speaking to Leng Haoyun at the same time.

 Chapter 41 â€“ Superstar in Love with Gossip Journalist

    <h4>Chapter 41 ¨C Superstar in Love with Gossip Journalist</h4>

    Leng Haoyun watched her closely, trying to read her mind. Meanwhile, Leng Xiyao was too deep in her thoughts to notice his intense gaze.

    Suddenly, a sense of helplessness washed over Leng Haoyun. What should he do with her?

    He replied casually, ¡°It was Mighty Empire. As soon as I found out that Mo Group was safe, I did some research.¡±

    ¡°Mighty Empire¡­?¡± Leng Xiyao¡¯s brows knitted even more tightly together. <i>Why would Mighty Empire want to help Mo Group??</i>She felt as if she had stepped inside a thick fog, not able to rify the situation.

    ¡°Stop mulling over things you shouldn¡¯t be thinking about!¡± came Leng Haoyun¡¯s chilling voice.

    Leng Xiyao snapped her head up, remembering she had promised Mo Suqing the other day she would get some information regarding the identity of the president of Mighty Empire.

    She beamed at Leng Haoyun and leaned over his desk. ¡°Uncle, how about President Ye of Mighty Empire? Can you tell me who he is and where I can find him?¡±

    Leng Haoyun looked at her innocent and cute face, feeling there was no way he could resist such a pure smile. <i>God, I¡¯m hopeless!?</i>he sighed inwardly. He could never say no to?any of her?wishes.

    He relented, ¡°Fine. I¡¯m going to meet him in a few days for a potential partnering opportunity. You cane over and interview him.¡±

    Leng Xiyao immediately brightened up. She jumped up and squealed with delight, ¡°I love you,?Uncle!¡±

    She would have hugged him if not for therge desk between them.

    ¡°Watch your manner! Don¡¯t forget you are ady!¡± Leng Haoyun reprimanded harshly.

    Leng Xiyao was deted in an instant. She quickly put the suit she had bought for him on his desk and looked at him smilingly. ¡°This is the suit I bought for you!¡±

    She was going to slip out when she had an idea. If her uncle took a wife who could nurture him, his temper might improve.

    She turned back toward Leng Haoyun and gave him her two cents, ¡°Uncle, when are you going to find me an aunt?¡±

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s face darkened with a hint of embarrassment, as if his secret was uncovered. Looking dour, he hissed, ¡°Get out!¡±

    Leng Xiyao turned around and stuck her tongue out before slipping out of the room. <i>Why did he get so mad? All I said is ask him to find a wife! What is there to be pissed about? Poor me!</i>

    Leng Xiyao skipped off in the direction of her bedroom.

    Behind her, Leng Haoyun¡¯s face became even more darkened. s, what on earth should he do with her?

    ¡­¡­

    The next day, Mo Suqing barely arrived at her desk when An Huilin summoned her.

    ¡°Guan Zixuan is going to show up at a men¡¯s razorunch event today. Go interview him with Leng Xiyao,¡± ordered An Huilin without ever looking up.

    Mo Suqing looked at her, frustrated. Abbess Miejue had been in a really bad mood recently and she kept venting her anger on Yao and her.

    Thinking of interviewing Guan Zixuan also made her head throb.

    She asked tentatively, ¡°Editor-in-chief, is it okay if I don¡¯t go?¡±

    An Huilin finally raised her head. She nced at Mo Suqing and said mockingly, ¡°But our superstar specified that he would like you and Leng Xiyao to attend the event. How can I refuse him?¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s face fell. <i>What? Guan Zixuan said that? No matter what it is he is ying at, it¡¯s not going to be anything good for her.</i>

    But how could she say no now? Mo Suqing¡¯s pretty face crumpled up as if she was about to wail.

    However, even though she knew very well this was a trap, Abbess Miejue had made it quite clear it was impossible she could escape it.

    In the end, Mo Suqing told Leng Xiyao the instructions and the two of them went out together.

    The amusement of Leng Xiyao stood in stark contrast to the mncholy of Mo Suqing.

    Mo Suqing said angrily, ¡°Yao, do you have to be so excited about this?¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked at her and chuckled. Her eyes were full ofughter when she said, ¡°Don¡¯t you know? I am always excited to see you make a fool of yourself!¡±

    Mo Suqing decided to ignore her taunt.

    However, Leng Xiyao was not going to let it go. She looked at Mo Suqing excitedly, ¡°Suqing, you said your hubby is merely an assistant, but somehow I don¡¯t feel like he is any ordinary man!¡±

    Mo Suqing gave her a cold look and said dismissively , ¡°Right, because he is ¡®extra¡¯ ordinary.¡±

    Leng Xiyao shut her mouth up. She could finally see that Mo Suqing was genuinely upset and anxious.

    However, Mo Suqing would never have expected that, the moment she arrived at theunch event, she would immediately be the main focus and get entangled in a scandal with Guan Zixuan.

    Guan Zixuan told the Trend?Magazine the event started at eleven, but it actually began at ten.

    At the event, Guan Zixuan was introducing the new product with a broad smile, ¡°The XXX razor is perfect for every man!¡±

    Wherever his eyes swept, a bunch of fangirls would scream like crazy.

    Guan Zixuan continued, ¡°Today we are at theunch event for the XXX razor, and I am the endorser of this brand. I myself have tried the razor and can promise you this is really a great razor. I would like to invite all men present to give it a try too; I ensure that you will not regret buying it. Fordies whoe here today, please buy one for your husband or boyfriend ¨C he will definitely be very happy about it!¡±

    The corner of Yuan¡¯s mouth kept twitching uncontrobly. <i>Boss, you sound just like a?</i><i>salesperson working for a pyramid scheme!</i>

    However, to show their support, Guan Zixuan¡¯s fans would buy anything he promoted. Within some ten minutes, all the razors prepared for the event were sold out.

    Gossip journalists were the next to rush forward.

    ¡°Mr. Guan, rumor has it that you have a special rtionship with supermodel Mu Ling¡¯er. Can you confirm it?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Guan, the woman in your arms in the picture from the ¡®mysterious girlfriend incident¡¯ bears a striking resemnce to Miss Mu Ling¡¯er. Can you tell us if that is indeed the case?¡±

    ¡­¡­

    All kinds of questions came one after another.

    But there was amon theme: Guan Zixuan¡¯s new girlfriend.

    Guan Zixuan smiled without a word. Inside, he was writhing all over. Mu Ling¡¯er was obviously standing behind him in the picture. He had blocked most of her with his body. But somehow, she hade to be ¡°in his arms.¡±

    What an overactive imagination these gossip journalists had!

    Then, he arched his eyebrows. He spotted the two figures getting off a taxi not far away.

    He grinned. <i>Showtime.</i>

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao could feel something was very wrong the moment they got off the car.

    They were told the event started at eleven, but somehow the ce had already swarmed with gossip journalists.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s heart missed a beat. She did not feel good about this.

    When she approached the crowd, Guan Zixuan fixed his eyes in her direction and said into the microphone, ¡°I did have a feeling for a girl, but she?is?not a celebrity.¡±

    His mncholy and affectionate tone immediately broke the hearts of his numerous fans.

    People began to pose a new round of questions. ¡°Mr. Guan, who is the lucky girl you are deeply in love with?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Guan, are you saying you are no longer single? The rumors, are they true then?¡±

    ¡­¡­

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s mouth twitched a little. <i>When did I ever use the phrase ¡°deeply in love¡±? I said I have a feeling for someone, and somehow they made it sound as if I am crazy in love with her!</i>

    Mo Suqing stopped at the edge of the crowd. She heard Guan Zixuan¡¯s voiceing from the loudspeaker.

    ¡°People, I would like to rify that although I like her a lot, she is not my girlfriend.¡±

    One of the gossip journalists came forward with her microphone. ¡°Mr. Guan, can you please tell us what kind of girl she is to be so lucky as to be liked by you?¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s mouth twitched into a snigger. <i>Lucky? Why does it have to be a lucky thing to be liked by him?</i>

    In her opinion, it would definitely be a disaster!

    Guan Zixuan slightly turned his body sideways. He looked at the group of excited gossip journalists and said, clear and loud, ¡°No, I am the lucky one. I am lucky to ever have the chance to like her!¡±

    Yuan had left the crowd for a while and missed the majority of what Guan Zixuan had been telling the gossip journalists.

    When he came back and heard what Guan Zixuan had just said, he was dumbstruck.

    He had a sick feeling to his stomach. <i>Boss, why didn¡¯t you discuss?</i><i>this?</i><i>with me beforehand? Don¡¯t you know that making such a statement and showing no consideration for your career will put me in a difficult position?</i>

    <i>The agent would surely me me for not handling it well¡­</i>

    Thinking of Linda, Guan Zixuan¡¯s agent, and her poker face chilled Yuan to his bones. He knew he was dead meat by now. He only wished Guan Zixuan would stop talking nonsense soon to make him more dead.

    Leng Xiyao took Mo Suqing by the arm and went forward.

    Mo Suqing was a bit reluctant at first, but stopped struggling when she reminded herself that they hade with a task.

    The two women finally pushed their way through and came to the front of the crowd. All of a sudden, someone stuck out their leg and tripped Mo Suqing.

    Without anything to steady herself, she began to fall.

    Just when she was about to make contact with the ground, Guan Zixuan swiftly rescued her by catching her waist and turning around in one smooth move, his arm never leaving her body.

    Mo Suqing froze, turning into a stone.

    All she could think about is, <i>Guan Zixuan had saved me? Guan Zixuan had somehow decided to save me? Guan Zixuan had really done an incredible thing and saved me?</i>

    However, the next moment, Mo Suqing knew she had been too na?ve.

    Guan Zixuan looked at her and spoke in a most tender tone, ¡°Suqing, be careful. Do you know how much my heart will ache if you do fall to the ground?¡±

    He was ying the role of a fervent admirer and brave hero very well.

    shlight from numerous cameras shed without pause.

    The scene was captured by many gossip journalists¡¯ cameras; even Leng Xiyao instinctively took a photo.

    Mo Suqing had been a gossip journalist for several years. She would be an idiot if she failed to realize what Guan Zixuan was doing.

    Guan Zixuan was taking his revenge. He did not forget or forgive the fact that Mo Suqing had revealed the picture taken at the airport to the public and lied to him that she was not a gossip journalist.

    It was no doubt his ultimate revenge.

    Guan Zixuan loosened his grip and whispered in her ear, ¡°I hate liars!¡±

    Mo Suqing had guessed it right. The moment Guan Zixuan let her go, all the gossip journalists came forward and surrounded Mo Suqing.

 Chapter 42 â€“ Come Bite Me if You Can

    <h4>Chapter 42 ¨C Come Bite Me if You Can</h4>

    ¡°Miss, are you the girl Mr. Guan has a feeling for?¡±

    ¡°Can you tell us what you think about Mr. Guan¡¯s feelings? Do you feel that you are especially lucky?¡±

    ¡­¡­

    Unlike Guan Zixuan, Mo Suqing did not have any bodyguards. Soon, she was surrounded by gossip journalists pushing each other.

    She cursed Guan Zixuan with all her heart. The petty man did not even try to hear her out before taking such savage revenge. How she wanted to kill him now!

    The moment Leng Xiyao took a picture and watched everyone rush?forward, she understood what had just happened.

    She quickly went to grip Mo Suqing¡¯s hand; she was practically stifling among the crowd. However, the gossip journalists did not relent at all.

    Mo Suqing was both flustered and exasperated.

    She was not a celebrity, but somehow she was treated like one.

    Although Guan Zixuan acted like he cared about her a great deal, he never confirmed she was the one he had a feeling for!

    He was obviously trying to mislead the journalists, who, unless there was a miracle, would definitely give her a very hard time.

    Guan Zixuan, smiling, stood on the outskirts of it all and watched Mo Suqing being swallowed by the group of gossip journalists, with only her head poking out.

    After a while, he left the scene swiftly, the amused expression still lingering on his face.

    Leng Xiyao jostled against the other journalists for some time, but still could not reach Mo Suqing.

    When she saw that Guan Zixuan was leaving, she immediately called out, ¡°Mr. Guan is leaving!¡±

    Her words sessfully shifted everyone¡¯s attention away from Mo Suqing. The gossip journalists turned to the direction of Guan Zixuan and broke into a run.

    Leng Xiyao quickly took Mo Suqing by the arm and started running.

    Mo Suqing followed her lead, heedless of the fact that her microphone had slipped from her hand.

    Guan Zixuan got in the car in time. Knowing it was impossible to catch up with him now, the gossip journalists went back for Mo Suqing. However, Mo Suqing was no longer in sight.

    Leng Xiyao and Mo Suqing did not stop until they were several blocks away.

    Mo Suqing gasped for air. She had already been stifling back at theunch event.?Furthermore, she ran for so long with Leng Xiyao.

    Leng Xiyao was panting, too. After looking around for pursuers and finding none, she plumped down on the ground.

    She was so exhausted she almost copsed. ¡°Suqing, what was going on back there? Why did Guan Zixuan say something like that? You and he only have met each other for no more than a couple of times, but he was all ¡®my heart will ache if you fall.¡¯ Was he trying to mislead the gossip journalists on purpose?¡±

    Mo Suqing, not yet fully recovering, gave herpanion a cold look.

    ¡°Of course he was. He has the impression that I lied to him about not being a gossip journalist at the airport and published his pictureter on. He hates liars, so he decided to give me a hard time. He is resourceful, and it is not difficult for him to get me into a love story with him. I can see how he arranged someone to trip me and thus carried out his n.¡±

    Leng Xiyao dropped her jaw, dumbfounded. ¡°Did he have to do that?¡±

    Mo Suqing turned to look at Leng Xiyao. ¡°Maybe he didn¡¯t, but it was not at all troublesome for him and it could ruin me, so why not?¡±

    ¡°That was cruel of him!¡± Leng Xiyao ranted out her denunciation.

    ¡°No, something crueler is yet toe.¡± Mo Suqing said mysteriously, watching the traffic on the road.

    Leng Xiyao looked at the cut the microphone made on Mo Suqing¡¯s arm and felt her anger mounting.

    ¡°You are miserable enough. What else does he want?¡±

    She added vehemently, ¡°This is too much! Being a superstar doesn¡¯t mean he can get to be such a brat!¡±

    ¡°A lot of media outlets were present today.¡± Mo Suqing exined in an even tone. ¡°Tomorrow when the newses out, my life will be totally overturned. I think that¡¯s what he wants.¡±

    Leng Xiyao frowned, looking upset. ¡°Suqing, how about you go and exin yourself to him?¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s useless. What I am most concerned about now is how I am going to exin to Ye Zhongjue what happened. Tomorrow when the news is out, everyone in the city will know about me and Guan Zixuan. The hug he just gave me is too misleading, I¡¯m afraid he will not believe me easily.¡±

    Leng Xiyao pursed her lips and blinked.

    She turned to look at Mo Suqing abruptly. ¡°I still think we should exin the truth to Guan Zixuan, so that he can exin his action away to the public. Besides, you didn¡¯t

    want it to happen, either. It is not your fault Bai Tingnan stole the picture.¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head. <i>The girl was too na?ve!</i>

    ¡°Do you really think he will believe me if I tell him the truth?¡±

    Leng Xiyao felt deted instantly. ¡°What do we?do then?¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head again. ¡°You got me there!¡±

    A ck Porsche Cayenne suddenly came out of nowhere and stopped in front of them.

    The window was lowered, revealing an amused smile. Guan Zixuan was as magnificent as ever. It was difficult not to be drawn by his handsome face.

    ¡°How do you like it? Pretty nice. huh?¡±

    Leng Xiyao jumped up. She would like to pounce on Guan Zixuan and tear that smile off his face. He had got Suqing into big trouble, but it was obvious he didn¡¯t feel guilty about it. How she wanted to strangle him to death with her bare hands!

    Instead, she yelled at him, saying, ¡°Did you arrange someone to trip Suqing, so that you could act out your little y in front of the gossip journalists? What are you nning?¡±

    Guan Zixuan was still smiling. He looked at Mo Suqing contemptuously and said, ¡°Even if it was me, so what? Come bite me if you can!¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s whole belief system almost shattered there and then. <i>Is he really the wonderful, gorgeous superstar who has countless fans? He has just ruined his image for me, acting like a child!</i>

    Looking at the stricken expression on Leng Xiyao¡¯s face, Guan Zixuan didn¡¯t seem to care. He watched Mo Suqing expressionlessly and said in a mocking tone, ¡°Mo Suqing, I can see from your reaction that you are not as bold as I would expect you to be! Where is your ¡®courage¡¯ from the other day when you lied to my face?¡±

    Mo Suqing raised her beautiful face and smiled mildly, then said calmly, ¡°Mr. Guan¡¯s preference, too, is not what I would expect you to have!¡±

    Guan Zixuan did not know what she was hinting at, but either of the possibilities embarrassed him: going at it in a bathroom cubicle at the airport, or setting a trap for her today.

    His face darkened considerably in an instant. <i>Damn you, woman! How can you be so brazen when you are the one who did the wrong thing by lying to me?</i>

    However, before he could react, Mo Suqing had turned her back to him without so much as casting a nce at his direction.

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s face wentpletely dark out of rage. The woman was too insolent, even more than he appeared to be!

    <i>No, he could not just let it go!</i>

    Guan Zixuan trailed behind in his car. Suddenly, he noticed the wound on Mo Suqing¡¯s arm. Somehow, he felt a little uneasy at the sight of it.

    But he immediatelyforted himself, <i>That is those gossip journalists¡¯ doing, not mine.</i>

    However, the more he followed them, the more he lost the desire to tease her further. So, he simply drove away.

    He?had?yet to go back to his agency. His agent Linda had got wind of how he told the media about his ¡°love affair¡± and called him just now, demanding him toe and see her, her voice exasperated.

    Guan Zixuan was a star signed by the entertainmentpany under Mighty Empire. He had contributed a lot to the agency these years, so basically no one would have any opinions about his actions or impose anything on him.

    He was the milch cow of Mighty Empire. Of course no one would be foolish to cross him.

    ¡­¡­

    In the taxi, Leng Xiyao keptforting Mo Suqing while cursing Guan Zixuan vehemently.

    ¡°What kind of superstar is he? More like an immature kid, I would say. Whoeveres to know him gets into trouble! He is as delightful as he can be on screen, but just a low, petty man in his true colors! Without knowing the entire situation, how could he treat you like this? I wish he would be run over by a car and die when he is outside, choke to death when he drinks or eats, be frightened to death by nightmares when he sleeps¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing gave Leng Xiyao a nk look. ¡°Yao, stop it. I am having a headache listening to your curse all the way!¡±

    Leng Xiyao nced at her. ¡°I am not finished yet! Did you see his careless demeanor? As if he is the boss of the world and everyone has to be at his service or follow him around. What a scoundrel!¡±

    Mo Suqing felt more and more tired. ¡°Yao, I am going to break down if you don¡¯t stop now!¡±

    Leng Xiyao turned to look at Mo Suqing, who seemed to be genuinely irritated. She stuck her tongue out and quickly shut her mouth up.

    After an afternoon of fretfulness, Mo Suqing still couldn¡¯t think of anything to solve the problem. There was no way she could stop the news from spreading.

    She was fretful but incapable of doing anything substantial.

    After she and Leng Xiyao returned to the magazine headquarters, they got an earful from Abbess Miejue because they didn¡¯t interview Guan Zixuan at all.

    When they emerged from An Huilin¡¯s office, Mo Suqing looked at her co-worker and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you take any pictures?¡±

    Leng Xiyao gave her a wicked smile. ¡°Of course I did. I took a picture of you in Guan Zixuan¡¯s arms for you to remember the event by in the future.¡±

    Mo Suqing would like to strangle the girl there and then. <i>It is not the time to make jokes!</i>

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now. Abbess Miejue hasn¡¯t been nice to us recently anyway!¡± Leng Xiyaoforted Mo Suqing while trying to make herself feel better, too.

    Mo Suqing could not agree?with?her more. She nodded and said, ¡°You are right.¡±

    Mo Suqing went home in the evening. Although she wanted to tell Ye Zhongjue about what had happened, she did not know how she would proceed.

    Every time she was about to say something, she would swallow all she had to say when she looked at Ye Zhongjue.

    By the time she arrived at her workce the next day, she still hadn¡¯t said anything to him.

    The moment Mo Suqing stepped into the office, she was bombarded by her colleagues.

    ¡°Suqing, this is you in the superstar¡¯s arms, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s hard to imagine!¡±

    ¡°Wow, I can¡¯t believe as low-key as you are, you can get a superstar like Guan Zixuan to fall for you. Good job!¡±

    ¡­¡­

    All the mocking and teasing bothered Mo Suqing greatly.

    Yes, she was distant and aloof, but it didn¡¯t mean she was immune to other people¡¯s opinions about her. Guan Zixuan really seeded in making her suffer.

    Right now, she would like to say to the superstar, ¡°You win! How about it?¡±

    In the end, Mo Suqing just stared at her colleagues without saying anything, then went to her desk.

    She immediately saw the newspaper on her desk with the headline in big letters: ¡®Superstar in Love with Gossip Journalist.¡¯

    The first thing that came into Mo Suqing¡¯s mind was how Ye Zhongjue would look when he saw the picture in the article.

 Chapter 43 â€“ Got Kicked by a Donkey on the Head

    <h4>Chapter 43 ¨C Got Kicked by a Donkey on the Head</h4>

    Staring at the picture attached in the article, Mo Suqingughed contemptuously. <i>These people can scandalize to such a degree in order to make money out of the general poption¡¯s curiosity!?</i>she thought sarcastically, amazed at the unnecessary exaggeration of the article.

    She was a gossip journalist, but she had (and would) never made up a story like that. She tossed the newspaper aside, not wanting to see it anymore.

    When Leng Xiyao entered the office, she saw a bunch of people talking in low voices in a circle.

    She did not have to guess to know what they were talking about.

    She walked straight over to where Mo Suqing was, cast a nce at the newspaper on her desk, and said loudly, ¡°¡®Superstar in Love with Gossip Journalist?¡¯ Who would write such a title??How are they so?sure that the superstar is in love with Suqing? Because of this blurry photo? They must have got kicked by a donkey on the head, that I can be sure of! Besides, what¡¯s the problem if a superstar did fall in love with Suqing? She is a gossip journalist, so what? Humph!¡±

    Leng Xiyao threw the paper away and added angrily, ¡°What were they thinking!¡±

    Her words attracted a lot of people¡¯s attention. Liu Siran?voiced his doubt, ¡°If this is not the truth, why would the entertainment section in every newspaper agree that Guan Zixuan likes Suqing?¡±

    Leng Xiyao jumped up from her chair. Mo Suqing tugged at her sleeves to make her sit back down.

    But she just gave her aforting look, telling her that everything was alright.

    Then, she turned back to face Liu Siran?and the others.

    ¡°You said so yourself! It is Guan Zixuan who likes Suqing, not the other way around! Are you out of your mind? Who says whoever Guan Zixuan?likes?must return his love? That is madness! Suqing would never like him, okay?¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s scornful words made Liu Siran and the others redden.

    At the moment, someone ran from outside. ¡°Guys! Countless gossip journalists have gathered in front of ourpany, asking to interview Mo Suqing!¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s head had been hung low. But now, hearing what the coworker had just said, she stiffened.

    She slowly raised her head. And saw An Huilin striding across the office from outside.

    She walked over to Mo Suqing in a poker face. The others hurried back to their seats and started working, lest Abbess Miejue should give them a dressing-down.

    ¡°This is a magazinepany, not a raucous market.¡± An Huilin said coldly. ¡°It has always been us who dig up stories of people, but today it bes the other way around. Here, we only need gossip journalists; we don¡¯t need celebrities! Whoever caused this mess should go clean it up immediately.¡±

    After the lecture, An Huilin turned her back and went into her office.

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao looked at each other. Abbess Miejue was obviously taking the opportunity to pick on her.

    In the past, An Huilin would most likely ignore the situation and let the security do their job. But today, it was apparent she was determined to give Mo Suqing a hard time. Mo Suqing was her subordinate, but she did not try to speak up for her at all.

    Mo Suqing stood up and was about to go outside.

    Zhang Yubin quickly came near and took her arm. ¡°Suqing, don¡¯t go. Those gossip journalists will not treat you nicely just because you are a woman. Besides, you don¡¯t have bodyguards like those superstars; you could really get hurt! Stay put, okay? I don¡¯t believe they?would?dare?to?charge into the office!¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at him in gratitude. It was true Zhang Yubin was arrogant sometimes, but he was always very kind to her.

    Mo Suqing brushed his hand away and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I created this mess and I will sort it out.¡±

    ¡°At least let me go with you!¡± Zhang Yubin insisted.

    Leng Xiyao, who had been standing nearby, said expressionlessly, ¡°Suqing, I¡¯ll go with you. They are but a bunch of gossip journalists. Plus, the truth is you don¡¯t like Guan Zixuan. They shouldn¡¯t write something that suggests you do!¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded. Of course she knew what the truth was. That being said, she still found it her responsibility to take care of it.

    She looked at Zhang Yubin and said, ¡°You don¡¯t belong to the entertainment section, so you don¡¯t have to get involved. Please just go back to your seat.¡±

    Zhang Yubin gazed at her. ¡°Suqing, do not reject me. I have made up my mind and you can¡¯t change it. I must protect you.¡±

    His earnest words had Leng Xiyao, who seldom looked at him, watched him curiously now.

    The three of them went outside. A number of gossip journalists immediately came forward.

    ¡°Miss Mo, can you tell us what you think about Mr. Guan¡¯s confession of love to you yesterday?¡±

    ¡°Miss Mo, are you ttered by his love for you?¡±

    ¡°Miss Mo, can you confirm if it is really you who is in the picture? You seem to be much prettier¡­¡±

    ¡­¡­

    They kept bombarding Mo Suqing with questions. She felt her twitching face was going to go into spasm.

    Leng Xiyao, on the other hand, was even more appalled. <i>Confession of love? When did that happen??</i>Those gossip journalists surely knew how to concoct a story out of nothing, she would give them that!

    Zhang Yubin tried his best to push back the gossip journalists, standing in front of Mo Suqing in case she got hurt.

    Looking at the gossip journalists who were falling over one another, Mo Suqing spoke calmly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to jostle right in front of ourpany. I¡¯ll answer all your questions.¡±

    They quieted down and waited for Mo Suqing to say more.

    She continued, ¡°What really happened yesterday was, when I almost fell to the ground, Guan Zixuan gave me a hand. Somehow, some gossip journalist made an exaggeration and proimed that he likes me.¡±

    Mo Suqing paused to chuckle before continuing, ¡°No matter what, I just want to rify that even if he does like me, <i>I?</i>do not. So please stop following me around and asking questions. I cannot give you the answer you would like to hear. I am just a gossip journalist. I am not a celebrity and I am not dating one. I ask you to give me some privacy and refrain from wreaking havoc in my life. We are colleagues, so I¡¯m not going to sue anyone this time. But, if there¡¯s a next time, do not say I am cruel when I decide to take any one of you to court!¡±

    Support us at Innread.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s sonorous words struck them like thunder.

    They did not expect her to be such a brave woman. They?were stunned and?certainly did not expect her to be so proud?as?to say that she did not?have feelings for?Guan Zixuan even if he did like her.

    Seeing that the gossip journalists had been struck dumb, Leng Xiyao said loudly, ¡°Are you going to leave or not? Keep lingering and I¡¯ll call the police!¡±

    Then, she took out her phone to make her point.

    Seeing that she was really going to make a call, the gossip journalists quickly retreated.

    Mo Suqing was exhausted after dealing with them, like she had just fought in a war.

    After she went back into the office, she saw the newspaper and stuffed it in the trash bin in annoyance.

    She hoped Ye Zhongjue would not read about the story. He didn¡¯t?seem?like someone who would follow thetest update in entertainment.

    Thus, Mo Suqing was on tenterhooks all day. She was in constant fear that Ye Zhongjue would find out about the news and called her for an exnation.

    She could not focus on her work because she was always checking her phone. If Ye Zhongjue knew something,?he would most likely call her immediately to inquire about it.

    Therefore, whenever her phone rang, she would get all nervous and quickly checked who had called.

    However, after a day of anticipation and trepidation, she never got a call from him.

    Every time she saw that the caller was not Ye Zhongjue, she felt both relieved and disappointed.

    The day passed as she fretted and fretted.

    ¡­¡­

    Meanwhile, after Ye Zhongjue arrived at work, he could see that Lin Ran had something to say.

    Soon after Ye Zhongjue settled down at his desk, Lin Ran came in with a newspaper in his hand.

    However, after fidgeting for a while, he still didn¡¯t say anything.

    Ye Zhongjue finished signing one of the papers and put his pen down, annoyed. He looked Lin Ran in the eye and demanded, ¡°What do you want to say? Stop screwing your face as if you have difficulty emptying your bowels!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Lin Ran looked at Ye Zhongjue nkly. <i>Why did Boss say something like that? Does he really look like he?</i><i>was</i><i>?constipati</i><i>ng</i><i>?</i>

    <i>I am merely afraid that what I found out will hurt him badly. I can¡¯t believe he said something like that!</i>

    ¡°Stop stammering and spit it out!¡±

    Lin Ran hesitated for a moment before replying, ¡°This is the thing. The headlines in today¡¯s entertainment section have something to do with Miss Mo, the woman you asked me to keep a tab on.¡±

    The second Ye Zhongjue heard her name, his face darkened.

    ¡°What about her? Why would she appear in the entertainment section? She¡¯s not a celebrity.¡±

    Lin Ran gave him an embarrassed look and said, ¡°It is Guan Zixuan.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face went a shade darker. <i>Guan Zixuan?</i>

    Lin Ran howled inwardly. It wasn¡¯t that he did not want to tell him about the news; it was because he had known he would react this way.

    He could feel that?his boss?cared about Miss Mo very much. That was why he followed her updates?so closely.

    ¡°Tell me!¡± Ye Zhongjue uttered in a deep voice.

    Lin Ran could feel the temperature in the office drop a few degrees. He contemted how to tell him for a moment before saying, ¡°At aunch event yesterday, Guan Zixuan told everyone that he has a feeling for a girl recently. Later, when Miss Mo showed up at the event to interview him, she was tripped by someone and was about to fall. Guan Zixuan quickly reacted and held Miss Mo in his arms. He also said that she needed to be more careful because his heart would ache if she did fall down. The gossip journalists immediately guessed that Miss Mo was the girl Guan Zixuan liked.¡±

    He paused?for?a moment and observed Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression before adding, ¡°You know how famous Guan Zixuan is. That is why¡­¡±

    When Ye Zhongjue spoke, Lin Ran shivered violently. He could feel a chilling breeze rise up.

    ¡°If I remember it right, Guan Zixuan is one of the stars signed by the entertainmentpany under Mighty Empire, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    Lin Ran nodded. ¡°Yes, and he works with our incredible agent Linda too!¡±

    To be honest, Ye Zhongjue rarely paid much attention to their entertainmentpany; his focus was mostly on the real estate, hospitality, clothing and retailing industries.

    There were numerouspanies under Mighty Empire and almost every one of them was the biggest in its own market in this city, so Ye Zhongjue did not particrly pay attention to the entertainmentpany, as long as it made profit.

 Chapter 44 â€“ Guan Zixuan Almost Got Blacklisted

    <h4>Chapter 44 ¨C Guan Zixuan Almost Got cklisted</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue lowered his eyes. It was difficult to know what he was thinking.

    Lin Ranmented inwardly. <i>My god! His mood is really bad.</i>

    After a while, Ye Zhongjue finally looked up. His expression was still grim. He would probably nevery eyes on his entertainmentpany if it was not for Mo Suqing, he thought.

    ¡°Tell Linda to make Guan Zixuan exin to the press that it is all but a mistake. If he doesn¡¯t do as told, cklist him!¡± Ye Zhongjue said in a chilling voice.

    Lin Ran was aghast. He had just blurted out ¡°Big Bro¡­¡± before he realized he had said the wrong word.

    It was a taboo to call Ye Zhongjue ¡°Big Bro¡± in thepany.

    He quickly corrected himself and said, ¡°Boss! Guan Zixuan is the reputation of our entertainmentpany, an internationally-acimed actor! We can¡¯t afford to cklist him!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue snapped his head up and gave Lin Ran a hard look. Lin Ran shut his mouth in apprehension.

    ¡°Why not? I don¡¯t believe an entertainmentpany under Mighty Empire won¡¯t survive without him!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face was steely when he said coldly, ¡°Even if it won¡¯t survive, I will cklist him if needed!¡±

    Lin Ran begged fearfully, ¡°Boss, everything is going to be fine! Linda and Guan Zixuan are wise people. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll do whatever you ask them to. We don¡¯t have to take extreme measures!¡±

    ¡°Give me the newspaper!¡± Ye Zhongjue said sternly.

    Lin Ran quickly handed the paper to him. No sooner did Ye Zhongjue cast his nce at the picture than the temperature plummeted further in his immediate proximity.

    Lin Ran was wailing inwardly now. He desperately needed to tell Linda to stop Guan Zixuan¡¯s unbridled behavior. Otherwise, he could get into serious trouble if Ye Zhongjue decided he was pissed.

    ¡°Anyway, suppress the news so that it won¡¯t spread further.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue said, throwing the paper away.

    Lin Ran nodded yes and left the office as quickly as possible. Dealing with a raging Ye Zhongjue had always been no easy task. He did not want to be a victim of his if he could help it.

    ¡­¡­

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s face darkened when he received the order.

    In Mighty Empire, he was the only actor who had made his way into Hollywood. He couldn¡¯t believe the head would give him such an order.

    Linda, seeing that the prince was getting upset, quickly said, ¡°I think you already know that this morning, Mo Suqing warned the gossip journalists to stay away from her or she would call the police and sue them. She is not a celebrity and you really don¡¯t have to do this to her. The superior gave you the order for your own interest, you know. After all, although setting yourself up in a scandal with a gossip journalist makes you feel better, it isn¡¯t good for your reputation. I think you should step forward and rify things up.¡±

    Out of the blue, an image of Mo Suqing¡¯s calm pretty face popped into Guan Zixuan¡¯s mind.

    He admitted that the woman was prettier than most female celebrities in the entertainment industry. The most unforgettable trait would be her?calm attitude. He didn¡¯t believe there was another woman who could ask him to buy sanitary napkins for her with herposure like the other day in the airport.

    Nevertheless, he could not have just let her go when she had lied to him and published the picture of his.

    Thinking of her injured arm from yesterday, Guan Zixuan turned his head away uneasily.

    ¡°Fine. Hold a press conference. I¡¯ll clear things up.¡±

    Relief washed over Linda. She had feared the prince would not ept it, putting her in a quandary.

    In the afternoon when it was about time to get off work, Mo Suqing saw the news about Guan Zixuan¡¯s press conference where he told the public he did not like the gossip journalist from yesterday and that he hoped they could stop making wild guesses, lest the girl he liked should have the wrong idea.

    The incident thus reached a not-entirely-happy ending.

    However, Mo Suqing still felt relieved, given that the situation had not worsened. Hopefully, Ye Zhongjue didn''t find out.

    After work, Leng Xiyao and Mo Suqing left the building together.

    She teased Mo Suqing, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to give Zhang Yubin a chance? He was quite a man today, wasn¡¯t he? And so protective of you, too! You have no idea what those people said about¡­¡±

    Leng Xiyao stopped short, as if remembering something. Sheughed nervously, turned her head away, and did not continue.

    This piqued Mo Suqing¡¯s curiosity. ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m married and you know it. And what did they say about me? Why did you stop talking? Are you afraid I might take revenge on them?¡±

    Leng Xiyao smiled embarrassedly. ¡°That¡¯s not it. My Suqing would never do something like that!¡±

    ¡°But I will,¡± Mo Suqing said expressionlessly.

    Leng Xiyao looked at her closely. ¡°No, you are messing with me.¡±

    ¡°Why would I mess with you? It¡¯s no fun!¡±

    Leng Xiyao shrugged. <i>Yeah, this is not funny.</i>

    She pursed her lips and conceded. ¡°Well, it was nothing, really. That gossip monger Bai Tingnan said that you, a married woman, did not care about your reputation and was being fickle and unfaithful, so I pped her and almost got into a fight with her.¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s expressionless face wavered. She turned toward Leng Xiyao and asked, ¡°What? Are you alright? You didn¡¯t get the short end of the stick, did you?¡±

    Leng Xiyao patted her chest,ughing. ¡°Come on! Leng Xiyao never gets the short end of the stick! Besides, Zhang Yubin showed up and held back that crazy woman, so I slipped away.¡±

    Leng Xiyao grinned triumphantly. Mo Suqing shook her head; thess always risked herself standing up for her. Come to think of it, she remembered now that she had noticed some swelling on Bai Tingnan¡¯s cheek earlier. That exined it.

    Leng Xiyao elbowed her and asked in a low voice, ¡°Suqing, has Ye Zhongjue called?¡±

    Mo Suqing replied, ¡°He is always busy working, I don¡¯t think he has any idea about it. He is not interested in the world of celebrities, either.¡±

    Leng Xiyao rolled her eyes this way and that and then shook her head with her lips pursed.

    ¡°Nah, I still think he knows. The news was all over the city. Everyone knows by now. It is unlikely he hasn¡¯t got any wind of it.¡±

    ¡°A person aloof and distant like him does not pay attention to these things, usually. Even if every single person in A?City?wille to know about it, he will be thest one.¡±

    Thinking of Ye Zhongjue¡¯s poker face, Leng Xiyao shivered. <i>Maybe Suqing is right. He truly doesn¡¯t?</i><i>seem</i><i>?like someone who would notice these things.</i>

    She looked at Mo Suqing. ¡°So you are not going to tell him?¡±

    ¡°Why should I when he doesn¡¯t even know?¡± Mo Suqing nced at her in puzzlement.

    ¡°But,¡± she added, ¡°of course I will tell him if he asks.¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked at the woman who was utterly unruffled and shook her head. <i>Alright then! You blew me away!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue came to pick her upter than usual.

    Just when he had parked his car across from the magazine headquarters, he saw a man pull Mo Suqing by the arm, obviously trying to give her a ride in his car.

    His face darkened. It was thetest BMW.

    He was a distance away, so he couldn¡¯t hear what they were talking about. He only saw that Mo Suqing kept talking and the man kept pulling her toward the car, a courteous smile on his face.

    It was difficult to hurt someone who was being nice. Besides, Zhang Yubin did help her a lot today. Mo Suqing felt rather apologetic for him.

    He had said he would like to take her to dinner, but she told him she was waiting for her husband. Zhang Yubin did not believe her; he thought she was lying. Now, he was pulling her toward his car.

    Mo Suqing looked up and saw the man across the street.

    Ye Zhongjue looked even more handsome, taller and fitter in a ck suit.

    He watched Mo Suqing and Zhang Yubin without any expression while walking straight toward them.

    Mo Suqing felt somewhat guilty and pushed Zhang Yubin away, as if trying not?to?arouse Ye Zhongjue¡¯s suspicion.

    Zhang Yubin did not know why she suddenly and frantically brushed his hand away. He looked at her in bewilderment and saw that she was fixing her eyes elsewhere.

    He looked to the direction where her gaze turned to and saw a maning toward them.

    He had to admit he felt dwarfed beside this man.

    His gait was unhurried, his expression unruffled. It was as if nothing could possibly shake him.

    What¡¯s more, his appearance was strikingly handsome. The suit totally matched his perfect body. His whole person emanated coldness, elegance and aloofness. It was impossible not to notice him.

    Zhang Yubin had never seen Ye Zhongjue before. Last time when he saw him drop Mo Suqing off in front of thepany, he only saw his car.

    Therefore, he thought Mo Suqing was just gazing at a random man who was very good-looking.

    Everyone loved beautiful things. He understood why Mo Suqing could not take her eyes off the man; he was outstanding in regard to physical appearance.

    He grabbed Mo Suqing¡¯s arm again and said, ¡°Stop looking! He is just a handsome stranger. Come on, have dinner with me today, okay?¡±

    Little did he expect that Mo Suqing would toss his hand away fiercely and walk a few steps away from him, as if he had contracted some kind of infectious disease.

    Zhang Yubin was baffled.

    Then, a voice that chilled him to the bone said, ¡°Let go of her!¡±

    His tone was dictatorial and cold, daring anyone to refute.

    Zhang Yubin turned his eyes to Ye Zhongjue¡¯s direction again.

    Ye Zhongjue had stridden over and blocked Mo Suqing from Zhang Yubin with his hand. Now, he was ring at him.

    If a look could kill, Zhang Yubin?would have?probably died?countless?times, Mo Suqing thought.

    She hastened to exin, ¡°He is my colleague! He helped me a lot today, actually. He was just inviting me to dinner. I said I was waiting for you, but he thought I was kidding.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue kept ring at Zhang Yubin without softening.

    He was familiar with that look Zhang Yubin was giving Mo Suqing. It was zealous admiration, ardent love, hidden passion.

    As a man, he could see it very clearly.

 Chapter 45 â€“ Ye Zhongjue was Jealous

    <h4>Chapter 45 ¨C Ye Zhongjue was Jealous</h4>

    The situation took a while to sink in. Then¡­ <i>He is Mo Suqing¡¯s husband??</i>Zhang Yubin thought.

    Seeing his expression (he looked as if he had just swallowed a fly), Mo Suqing felt awkwardly sorry. She did?tell?him she was waiting for Ye Zhongjue, but he chose not to believe her.

    Ye Zhongjue, his face darkened, went silent and tightly held Mo Suqing close, to the extent that her shoulder hurt a little.

    She knew Ye Zhongjue was really upset. He didn¡¯t usually reveal his emotions in such an obvious way.

    Zhang Yubin looked at Ye Zhongjue stubbornly and asked, ¡°Are you Suqing¡¯s husband?¡± even though he already knew the answer.

    Mo Suqing moaned inwardly. She desperately hoped Zhang Yubin would not divulge what had happened today. He did see that Ye Zhongjue looked as if he would like to kill someone, didn¡¯t he? She needed him <i>not?</i>to aggravate the situation.

    Otherwise, she had no idea how she could exin everything to Ye Zhongjue.

    ¡°What if I am?¡± Ye Zhongjue gave him a look and said calmly.

    His tone was calm, but there was a hard edge to it.

    Zhang Yubin was a little taken aback. ¡°Even so, you cannot curtail her freedom!¡± he said furiously.

    Ye Zhongjue gave him an eerie smile. Mo Suqing had never seen him like that ¨C arrogant, condescending, as if the whole world was under his thumb.

    ¡°What if I do? What are you going to do about it?¡±

    Zhang Yubin almost choked. He did not expect him to be this high-handed and dictatorial.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know there is such a thing called a divorce, other than a marriage?¡± he retorted on an impulse.

    Ye Zhongjue, not wanting to waste any more time on this, controlled his anger and said, ¡°Which reminds me there will still be a lot of annoying pursuers even if one gets married.¡±

    Zhang Yubin was the offspring of a rich entrepreneur, so he was not used to this kind of humiliation. He was about to say something filthy, but Ye Zhongjue had just turned and walked away with Mo Suqing.

    He pounded the window of a car nearby in his rage, but it only made his hand hurt like hell. His face distorted with pain.

    Ye Zhongjue saw what he had done in the rear-view mirror. He smirked contemptuously.

    Although the guy made him a little ufortable, he did not worry too much about a secondary character like him. Mo Suqing was his; no one should covet her.

    Ye Zhongjue had not said anything after they got on the car.

    The atmosphere was extremely oppressive. Mo Suqing had considereding clean with him about the Guan Zixuan incident in case he found out about it himself and had one more reason to be upset.

    Subconsciously, she found that she did not want him to?misunderstand.

    However, after what had just happened and how he wouldn¡¯t talk to her, she did not have the courage to bring it up.

    The two of them arrived at their building without a single word spoken along the way.

    After getting off the car, Ye Zhongjue went upstairs without looking at her. Mo Suqing knew he was angry, but she did not know what to say. The two of them still did not say anything to each other on the way up to their apartment.

    Ye Zhongjue immediately went to his study after they got home.

    Mo Suqing tossed her purse casually on the sofa. Staring at the closed door to the study, she had a lost expression on her face. It was difficult to read her mind.

    After a while, she shook her head and went to change into more casual clothes.

    Mo Suqing walked into the clean and tidy kitchen, but did not know how to set about cooking.

    She picked up the scallion and furrowed her brow at the pot. What should she cook?

    Come to think of it, she was really bad at cooking. <i>What a clumsy woman I am</i>. <i>It¡¯s all because I eat out too often, I guess.</i>

    Mo Suqing contemted for a while, still not knowing what she could possibly cook up that was delectable enough.

    She walked out of the kitchen and picked up her phone to order some takeout, but stopped herself when she remembered that Ye Zhongjue had said takeout food was not hygienic the other day.

    She could see that he was a very hygiene-conscious person and tried to avoid unhygienic things as much as possible

    So, she tossed her phone back on the sofa and walked back into the kitchen.

    Ye Zhongjue had been staying in the study, all alone, smoking away. The whole room was filled with smoke.

    He sat on the couch in a trance, lookingzily dangerous.

    He had no idea when?he hadst?felt like this. He knew he was just suppressing his fury, so he dared not go out to face Mo Suqing lest he should vent his anger on her.

    He was very unhappy. When he saw the newspaper this morning, the only thing in his mind had been how much he would like to cut off Guan Zixuan¡¯s hand that was on Mo Suqing¡¯s waist. It had seemed that the picture was stinging his eyes. No one knew how irritated he had been.

    He spent a great deal part of the day to neutralize his feelings, so that he would not get mad when he picked Mo Suqing up after work.

    But then,?the moment?he saw Zhang Yubin pulling Mo Suqing,all his efforts were ruined with a strong feeling of jealousy.

    It was always clear to him that he was but someone whom Mo Suqing agreed to marry only under the condition to apply for a divorce in three years; he was not important to her.

    Was that why she felt it?was?appropriate to get herself involved in a scandal with Guan Zixuan and flirt with anyone she saw fit without needing to give him an exnation?

    He was aware of his own dictatorship and fierce love for her, and he feared she would be scared.

    But, on the other hand, he was really ufortable. He knew she did not care about him as much as he cared about her,?yet?he could not help hoping that she might one day.

    These conflicting feelings drove him crazy.

    Mo Suqing finally cooked up a table of dishes. Looking at the weird-looking lumps that was their dinner, sheforted herself that it was not that bad. It had to be better than the unhygienic takeout!

    She forced herself to smile and went to the study. She knocked on the door, but he didn¡¯t answer it.

    She called out, ¡°Ye Zhongjue, dinner is ready. Come out!¡±

    Still, there was no reply.

    Mo Suqing went to fetch the key and opened the door.

    A wall of smoke hit her head-on. She could barely open her eyes. She covered her mouth and coughed a few times while opening the door even wider. Then, she quickly went over to the window and opened it as well.

    Watching the slumped figure on the couch, she said in a worried tone, ¡°Ye Zhongjue, are you all right? Is it because of¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue interrupted her in mid-sentence, ¡°No it isn¡¯t. It is?work rted!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What happened at work?¡±

    ¡°Nothing important!¡± It was obvious Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t want to discuss it with Mo Suqing.

    Mo Suqing moved her mouth silently. ¡°Well, let¡¯s have dinner then,¡± she said.

    Ye Zhongjue sat up, snuffed out the cigarette, and walked out of the room.

    Mo Suqing stared at his deste, cold figure, feeling frustrated. She knew what was wrong, but apparently Ye Zhongjue was not in a talkative mood.

    Mo Suqing suddenly felt very tired.

    She walked out of the study and found that Ye Zhongjue was already having dinner.

    Mo Suqing sat down and started to eat. She almost spat out the food. It was awfully salty! How much salt had she added?

    She tried another dish and another. Every one of them tasted horrible.

    Mo Suqing was banging her head in her mind. <i>What did I make? A table of disgusting, distasteful non-food?</i>

    However, Ye Zhongjue was eating like he had no taste buds.

    She grabbed his hand which was about to take another mouthful of food. ¡°No! I¡¯ll throw it away and we can order some takeout.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue finally raised his head and looked her in the eye.

    ¡°You can have the takeout; I¡¯ll have this.¡±

    Then, he freed his hand and picked up some food with the chopsticks.

    Mo Suqing felt downcast. She shut her mouth and began to have her dinner that she forced down her throat valiantly even though it was very bad-tasting.

    The atmosphere of the meal was very oppressive and uneasy, at least for Mo Suqing. She knew the man across from her was fuming, but every time she tried to say or ask something, he would stop her resolutely, as if he hated the idea of speaking to her. Mo Suqing felt extremely frustrated and indescribably restless.

    After dinner, Ye Zhongjue stood up and walked into the bedroom.

    Mo Suqing sat in front of the dining table, her mood heavy. She could hear sshing soundsing from the bathroom.

    Eventually, she stood up and took the dirty dishes to the sink.

    After tidying up the kitchen, she felt exhausted both physically and mentally.

    Shey down on the sofa and did not want to move at all. She knew she was probably the reason behind Ye Zhongjue¡¯s behavior, but she had no idea how to resolve the situation.

    Ye Zhongjue emerged from the bathroom, his mind not much clearer.

    He walked over to Mo Suqing¡¯s nightstand to get the hair-dryer.

    He didn¡¯t find one. Instead, a bottle of contraceptives was lying there quietly.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face darkened instantly.

    It was one thing he knew Mo Suqing viewed their marriage as an exchange of mutual interest; it was quite another when he saw the physical evidence. Hurt, anger and difort that were like nothing of his own surged through his body.

    <i>She is afraid of getting pregnant. Because she doesn¡¯t want to have anything to do with me three yearster.</i>

    A madness took him.

    Mo Suqing noticed the sounds from the bathroom had quieted down. She got up dispiritedly and walked toward their room.

    She had barely opened the door when she was pulled very hard into the room.

    Mo Suqing had no time to react when Ye Zhongjue kissed her hard on the mouth as if he was trying to suck away all the air in her lungs. He was so rough the kiss felt almost like biting.

    Ye Zhongjue felt like shit. This was the only way he could release his anger and discontent.

    He did not want to say anything that could drive Mo Suqing away, but if he chose not?to?say anything at all, there was no way he could pretend everything was fine and ignore the negative emotions in his heart.

    Mo Suqing felt her lips seem to be bleeding. She pushed Ye Zhongjue hard and protested, ¡°My lips¡­ They hurt!¡±

    However, it was as if Ye Zhongjue had gone deaf. His eye red, he hugged Mo Suqing tightly and kissed her mercilessly, like he was trying to merge their bodies together.

    At first, Mo Suqing struggled and resisted. Then, she could see that Ye Zhongjue was also struggling. There was hopelessness in his eyes like those of a cornered animal. Suddenly, she lost all her power.

    She remembered she herself carried the same look when her mother died.

 Chapter 46 â€“ Which was Truer

    <h4>Chapter 46 ¨C Which was Truer</h4>

    This time, Mo Suqing did not try to resist at all. From the bathroom to the bed, Ye Zhongjue went at it like crazy all night. Mo Suqing felt like her whole body was falling apart.

    The next day when she woke up, the space next to her was empty without any residual warmth. Ye Zhongjue had already got up.

    Mo Suqing got up and found that Ye Zhongjue had left home without a note.

    Mo Suqing felt frustrated. She had let him have his way with herst night, but apparently it did nothing to his mood.

    Unhappy, Mo Suqing had some breakfast and went to work by herself. She would be absent-minded all day long.

    Zhang Yubin looked dejected too, probably because he was now aware of the fact that Ye Zhongjue outshone him by thergest of margins. He did not give Mo Suqing any troubles for a while.

    Leng Xiyao could see there was something wrong, but when she probed, Mo Suqing would not tell her what it was. Leng Xiyao, though worried, could do nothing.

    For several?consecutive?days, Ye Zhongjue and Mo Suqing almost never truly saw each other.

    Every evening when Mo Suqing went home, he would not be there. Every morning when Mo Suqing woke up, he would?have left already, although the wrinkles of?the?bedsheet on the other side of the bed was proof that he dide home to sleep beside her at some point during the night.

    The situation?made Mo Suqing?feel?somewhat unhinged every day.

    Meanwhile, at the headquarters of Mighty Empire¡­

    For days, everyone in thepany felt jumpy and did everything with the greatest of care, lest President Ye should find fault with them.

    Ye Zhongjue was in a very bad mood recently, that much was clear from his poker face and the fact that almost every executive in every department had got an earful from him.

    Although a poker face was the norm for Ye Zhongjue,?people could feel that he was particrly moody these few days. The atmosphere in and around the building seemed to be a shade heavier than the rest of the world.

    Lin Ran bore the full brunt of it. Every day, Ye Zhongjue would shoot him looks that were sharper than knives. He wished he could find out the cause of his temper, so the president would return to normal.

    Unfortunately, he had no idea what had affected his mood.

    Executives from the various departments had asked him to plead for mercy for them; it would be the best if Ye Zhongjue could control his hot temper altogether.

    Lin Ran, hearing about their request, did not know what to do. <i>Like I would know what to do about it!</i>

    ¡­¡­

    As for Mo Suqing, she felt she would be driven crazy soon if things?continued on like this.

    One evening, after having dinner and taking a shower, Mo Suqing decided to read a novel with herptop on the bed. She actually had difficulty keeping her eyes open, but she did not go to sleep. Instead, she went to the bathroom and washed her face.

    Afterwards, Mo Suqing felt much freshened up. She resumed reading the novel.

    The time was approaching midnight when Mo Suqing heard the sound of a key sliding into the lock.

    She quickly got out of bed and opened the door. Ye Zhongjue was standing in the living room with a jacket draped over his arm.

    He had thought Mo Suqing was asleep. For thest couple of days, she had been when he came home.

    Mo Suqing had left a single wallmp on in the living room.

    Ye Zhongjue stood in the dim light, looking a bit worn out. He just looked at Mo Suqing without any expressions or movement.

    The two of them stood facing each other for a whole two minutes.

    In the end, Mo Suqing broke the silence first. She could not do this anymore. Ye Zhongjue looked really exhausted and she wanted him to go to sleep.

    ¡°I want to talk to you.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue gazed at her as if he could never have enough of her. However, he still hadn¡¯t said anything. The silence once again reigned.

    Mo Suqing had had enough. The atmosphere was pressing her down. No matter what had happened, she knew she could just exin it to him. But she could not deal with someone who didn¡¯t show their emotions and wouldn¡¯t talk.

    A term came up in her mind: passive-aggressive.

    Yes, this was totally a passive-aggressive behavior! Ye Zhongjue never told her what was wrong with him. He kept using indifference as a weapon to divide them; they were like strangers sleeping on the same bed.

    Mo Suqing could no longer not care about him like she had done in the beginning. Ye Zhongjue had started to upy a corner in her heart. She had to admit ¨C it was very easy to fall for a guy like him.

    He carried a sense of danger about him that made him intoxicating like opium, addictive like drugs. He was dangerously attractive.

    She knew it, but she could not help but wee it.

    Ye Zhongjue still hadn¡¯t uttered a word. Mo Suqing plucked up her courage and tried again, ¡°Please don¡¯t act like this. Can¡¯t we just talk it over, no matter what it is?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue began to approach her. When he was a step away from Mo Suqing, she instinctively squeezed the sleeve of her pajamas and stepped back.

    Ye Zhongjue narrowed his eyes dangerously, his body seeming to emanate coldness. ¡°Are you afraid of me?¡±

    Mo Suqing felt as tense as a?taut?bowstring. She was extremely nervous.

    She fixed her gaze at Ye Zhongjue, as if dumbfounded.

    More silence.?Neither knew what the other was thinking at that moment.

    Ye Zhongjue gazed hard at the woman in front of him.

    He loved her so much that he wanted to scoop her up like a baby in his arms. It was a love that had existed for the past seven years and that was impossible to express in a day or two.

    On the other hand, he did not want to tell her that he had loved her for so long, lest she should feel any pressures or burdens.

    Besides, there was his pride?and ego. He wanted her to love him back with equal force and not need being told about his love.

    After Guan Zixuan and Zhang Yubin showed up, he realized he really was unimportant in her heart.

    After all, she had only known him for a little more than a month.

    Mo Suqing nodded frantically, responding to his question btedly. ¡°I¡¯m not!¡±

    ¡°Then why did you step back? Why are you clenching your hand?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue demanded sharply, ncing at her hand as an emphasis.

    Mo Suqing instinctively put her hand behind her and immediately regretted it. Her message was loud and clear now!

    <i>Damn it! Goddamn it!</i>

    She looked up at him hurriedly, trying to defend her action, ¡°No, I was just¡­¡±

    The look on her face was genuinely anxious, but somehow she could not evenplete the sentence.

    She realized she had lost her self-control in front of Ye Zhongjue at some point without her knowing.

    Ye Zhongjue watched her expressionlessly, waiting for her to finish the sentence.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t do that after a while.

    Then, she tightened her lips and looked at Ye Zhongjue valiantly. She had nothing to be afraid of: she had not done anything wrong, so there was no reason she couldn¡¯t confront him.

    ¡°I want to talk to you! Can we stop this already?¡±

    ¡°Stop what?¡± Ye Zhongjue asked in a moderate tone without rise and fall in his pitch.

    Mo Suqing panicked. ¡°Stop refusing tomunicate with me! I can exin myself if you misunderstand anything. Zhang Yubin and I, we have nothing going on between us. Yes, he likes me, but I already told him I am married. I don¡¯t know what I have done to make him think he still has a chance, but I can tell you I am not messing around with him!¡±

    Mo Suqing was earnest and eager. She could well be taking an oath.

    The look Ye Zhongjue gave her revealed nothing but coolness.

    After a while, he said, ¡°Suqing, what do you think of thetest model of BMW?¡±

    Mo Suqing felt she was not on the same page with Ye Zhongjue. She was trying to tell him there was nothing between her and Zhang Yubin, but he just asked her something that was totally irrelevant.

    She knitted her brows together. A crucial piece of information popped up in her head.

    The other day when Ye Zhongjue bumped into her and Zhang Yubin, Zhang Yubin was pulling her toward his car, thetest model of BMW.

    At the thought, Mo Suqing felt cold all of a sudden.

    <i>Does he think I¡¯m a vain woman who seeks after wealth?</i>

    Mo Suqing chuckled lightly and said bitterly, ¡°Ye Zhongjue, in your eyes, I am just a vain woman who clings to the powerful and rich. Is that how you think of me?¡±

    Mo Suqing almost squeaked when asking the question. She didn¡¯t know how she would have made such an impression on him in the short time that they had known each other.

    Ye Zhongjue frowned. He simply thought she might like the model. Why would she have thought he was using her of being vain?

    He already knew her father was wealthy and that she hated rich people, so he had never thought of her as a vain woman who sought after money.

    Somehow, his words werepletely distorted in her mind.

    Which was truer, that she didn¡¯t understand him, or that he didn¡¯t understand her?

    It was a big question mark in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s mind.

    Seeing that he still did not want to talk to her and his manner was cool all the same, Mo Suqing felt exhausted.

    She turned her back to him and said, ¡°All right! If we are unable tomunicate. I¡¯ll go now!¡±

    She went back inside the room. Ye Zhongju did not know what she meant by ¡°go¡± until he heard her packing her suitcase.

    His face darkened.

    Although they had not talked thest few days, he had never thought of leaving her. He simply had not known what to do, so he chose to stay upte in his office every night.

    On the contrary, she had decided to back off when they had their first fight. Was it true then that the one who loved more was destined to be at the mercy of the other?

    Ye Zhongju suddenly became very angry. He walked into the bedroom and grabbed Mo Suqing¡¯s arm, his face darkened.

    Mo Suqing, knowing it was him, did not turn to look and tried to free herself. However, Ye Zhongju was too strong for her to shake his hand off.

    She looked at Ye Zhongju and said coldly, ¡°Since I am that kind of woman in your eyes, I have no wish to stay any longer. Please let me go, so I can pack.¡±

    Ye Zhongju did not reply, but he did not loosen his grip on her arm either.

    Mo Suqing flew into a rage. ¡°Ye Zhongju, what do you want from me? I already exined to you what happened, but you wouldn¡¯t believe me. Fine, I will go! I asked if you think I am a vain woman, and you don¡¯t seem to disagree. So tell me, what is the point of continuing our rtionship?¡±

 Chapter 47 â€“ Silence Means Tacit Agreement

    <h4>Chapter 47 ¨C Silence Means Tacit Agreement</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue looked at Mo Suqing. There was something she could not interpret in his eyes.

    ¡°I disagree!¡± Ye Zhongjue protested in a stubborn tone, like a child who had been grievously wronged.

    Somehow, this hit Mo Suqing¡¯s soft spot.

    She turned to him irritably and retorted, ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you say anything? Silence means tacit agreement, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    His face darkened, Ye Zhongjue ground his teeth and said, ¡°Who says so? If silence means tacit agreement, what about the fact you have never?given?me an exnation regarding Guan Zixuan? Do you mean to make me think you have ¡®tacitly agreed¡¯ what the newspaper reported?

    Ye Zhongjue hadpletely turned into a man-child who was throwing a tantrum by now.

    Mo Suqing was shocked.

    <i>So he knows! Why didn¡¯t he just ask her about it?</i> He was more and more like a closed book to her.

    Mo Suqing sighed inwardly, for the hundredth time.?<i>Sometimes men are as difficult to understand as women, if not more.</i> She never thought it was because of Guan Zixuan that he had been sulking.

    She blurted out without thinking, ¡°You have known all along?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue raised his eyebrows, apparently annoyed.

    ¡°Why?wouldn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you ask me about it?¡±

    ¡°Why should I?¡± Ye Zhongjue countered matter-of-factly.

    Mo Suqing was exasperated. The man was extremely reticent, not revealing his thoughts readily and wanting her?to?guess them. How could she have guessed it?

    She had thought he didn¡¯t know about Guan Zixuan and had been afraid she would only make things worse by mentioning it, so she had thought better of it.

    Unfortunately, this was exactly what he had been sulking about.

    How would Mo Suqing like toment for her poor self now! God, what was he thinking?

    ¡°So this is the reason you¡¯ve been?ignoring?me for thest few days?¡± Mo Suqing, feeling utterly wronged, looked at him in dismay.

    She had tried so hard to exin to him about Zhang Yubin, but he had never really cared about that.

    ¡°Humph,¡± Ye Zhongjue huffed and said proudly, ¡°No it isn¡¯t!¡±

    His refusal to admit his thoughts was exactly the evidence that she had guessed it. Mo Suqing almost burst outughing. The man was so cute!

    It was obviously he was mad at her because of this, but he just wouldn¡¯t admit it.

    She began to exin everything in a gentler tone, ¡°It was not what you thought. I wanted to tell you about it, but then the scandal was cleared the next day. I thought you didn¡¯t care and maybe didn¡¯t even know, and I was afraid to make things worse if I mentioned it to you. Anyway, I have only met Guan Zixuan twice. I didn¡¯t think there was any need to trouble you about it.¡±

    ¡°So it went like this¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing told him everything, from how she had met Guan Zixuan at the airport, lied to him about her true identity, taken a picture of him and Mu Ling¡¯er, and promised him she would not publish it, to how the picture had been stolen and published anyway, and how Guan Zixuan had decided to take revenge on her.

    Although still acting aloof as if he didn¡¯t care one bit, Ye Zhongjue was actually very satisfied with her exnation.

    Mo Suqing saw right through his pretense.

    She sighed inwardly. He had such a mature and unflustered outward appearance, but no doubt a child lived in him.

    It was a well-known fact that men are children who never really grow up, that they are sometimes excruciatingly childish.

    After Mo Suqing finished her story, she continued to fold her clothes.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face, which had finally brightened up, immediately darkened again.

    He grabbed Mo Suqing¡¯s arm, anger rising a little. <i>Why does she insist on leaving after everything has cleared up?</i>

    Mo Suqing gave him a puzzled look. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°You still want to go!¡± Ye Zhongjue said in a gloomy tone.

    Mo Suqing was about to tell him that she was just folding her clothes and that he needed not react so strongly, but decided to mess with him a bit first.

    She feigned a cold voice and an unhappy look. ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue flew into a temper. He did not understand why she insisted on leaving after he had patiently listened to her exnation. <i>Did I do something wrong?</i>

    He could not calm himself when he thought she was leaving because of someone else.

    At the thought, he tightened his grip even more on Mo Suqing¡¯s arm. She frowned at the pain.

    Well, it was no fun messing with him. He was really hurting her.

    Ye Zhongjue was the kind of man who did not reveal his feelings easily. Although he was unhappy, he would not talk or even let others find out about it. Therefore, right now he just grabbed Mo Suqing¡¯s arm without a word.

    Mo Suqing shook his hand off angrily and said, ¡°Hey, you are hurting me. I was just kidding.¡±

    Smiling, she lowered her head and closed the suitcase.

    Ye Zhongjue only realized he had been tricked into reaction several secondster.

    Mo Suqing barely put the suitcase down before she found herself pulled backward with a great force.

    The next moment, she felt Ye Zhongjue¡¯s mouth on hers. He was kissing her passionately, relentlessly.

    Mo Suqing pped his back hard. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ I¡­ I can¡¯t breathe¡­¡±

    But Ye Zhongjue seemed to be under a spell and did not let her go.

    Her voice faltering with moans, she pushed his shoulders and said disgustedly, ¡°You haven¡¯t showered!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue teased, his voice full of smiles, ¡°Great! You are going to shower with me!¡±

    Mo Suqing eximed in rm when Ye Zhongjue carried her into the bathroom and closed the door behind them.

    Water came rushing down from the shower. The ce was saturated with misty, hot vapor soon. Mo Suqing couldn¡¯t see anything clearly.

    Except for the handsome face right in front of her.

    Mo Suqing wanted to resist Ye Zhongjue, but at the same time was aroused by his caress. This only made Ye Zhongjue even more excited.

    The night was filled with her moans; it was a night of indulgence and pleasure.

    The next day, Mo Suqing felt she might not even be able to get?out of?bed.

    <i>You are an animal in bed, Ye Zhongjue!</i> she cursed inwardly. <i>I was almost devoured!</i>

    When she said she had had enough, he had insisted that a no from a woman always meant yes.

    She could not believe there was anyone like him and had said so to him, telling him he was a big rascal.

    However, he had only smiled tenderly and told her that he was a rascal in front of her, not anyone else.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s heart had melted at this. She did not think any woman could resist a man like him.

    Mo Suqing struggled to sit up. Just when she was about to put on some clothes, the door to the room opened.

    As a reflex, Mo Suqing quickly covered herself with the nket andy back down on the bed, feigning sleep.

    Ye Zhongjue approached while looking at the figure on the bed. Mo Suqing had curled herself into a ball. Her body seemed to quiver slightly.

    He smiled. <i>She is so cute! I have already seen her naked. She needn¡¯t be so shy.</i>

    He walked over and tugged at the corner of the nket.

    ¡°What should we do? We are going to bete if you don¡¯t get up soon.¡±

    Mo Suqing, knowing that she had not deluded him, gave up the pretense and hid her head under the nket.

    Her face was bright red, maybe from overheating it under the nket, maybe from shyness.

    ¡°Get out! I¡¯m going to put on my clothes,¡± said she, sounding like an unhappy child, bashful yet adorable.

    Ye Zhongjue chuckled lightly. ¡°If you don¡¯t get up now, I¡¯m going to help you put on clothes!¡±

    Mo Suqing felt defeated. If he were to help her put on the clothes, they would likely not?be?able to get to work today!

    She huffed under the nket and repeated, ¡°You get out of the room first!¡± she whined, her voice imploringly sweet.

    Ye Zhongjue gave up teasing her further and left the room.

    Mo Suqing put on her clothes as fast as she could. Then, she went into the living room and saw him reading?the?newspaper on the sofa.

    Ye Zhongjue had put on the ck overcoat she bought for him. He looked very hot in it.

    His whole person was radiating an inborn noble elegance, making him a hundred times more handsome than those on magazine covers.

    Mo Suqing, a proper fangirl now, found it very difficult to turn her eyes away from him. She sighed in admiration inwardly, <i>What a shame! A man like him should go and be a superstar.</i>

    Ye Zhongjue had noticed her gaze from the start; it was, after all, impossible not to feel the scorching heat from her stare.

    He looked up casually in slo-mo. ¡°What do you think? Which one does mydy prefer, me with clothes on or me without?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue raised his eyebrows. Somehow, he gave the impression that he was half human, half devil. He stood up and looked at Mo Suqing curiously, ¡°Have you?seen enough, mydy? If?so, we should probably get going.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue seldom said a sentence of this length, which should have been a good thing except that its content was too embarrassing for Mo Suqing. It was only the beginning of a new day; her little heart had a hard time digesting it and her face had already glowed red.

    She feigned an angry tone and said, ¡°You like to call me that, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue smiled. He put his arm around her waist and said in the most tender tone, ¡°But you <i>are</i> mydy.¡±

    Feeling like she had just eaten a spoonful of honey, Mo Suqing blushed even more and bowed her head.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s mood was extraordinarily good today. Lin Ran could feel it when he emerged from the elevator.

    Ye Zhongjue was beaming with happiness. Although a smile was still nowhere to be found on his face, everyone felt his good humor. Even his gait was brisker than usual.

    A couple of secretaries were hanging around and gossiping in their office.

    ¡°Did you see it? The president looked so happy when he entered his office just now. I am so drunk with that look¡­¡±

    ¡°The most important thing is his overcoat! Did you see the ck overcoat he¡¯s wearing? When did he start wearing one? Even when it is mid-winter, he¡¯s never worn an overcoat.¡±

    ¡°Maybe some woman bought it for him!¡±

    ¡°Maybe he has fallen in love with someone?¡±

    ¡­¡­

    The secretaries were making all kinds of wild guesses and giggling excitedly.

    Song Pingting noticed it, too. She also knew that what they were saying was all true. At the thought, she almost broke the file folder in her hand in half out of rage. <i>Why? Why can¡¯t he?</i><i>notice</i><i>?her once and appreciate her instead?</i>

 Chapter 48 â€“ A Fool Who Has Too Much Money

    <h4>Chapter 48 ¨C A Fool Who Has Too Much Money</h4>

    He was in a very good mood today, in stark contrast to his mood in the previous days. Could it really be what her colleagues had suggested, that this transition from cloudiness to sunshine was attributed to some woman he liked?

    Song Pingting felt bitter and sad. He must have fallen in love with someone. It was the only exnation for his uncharacteristic mood swings.

    The other secretaries were still chatting. ¡°This is not a market! Go back to your work, now!¡± barked Song Pingting.

    Everyone¡¯s expression changed. They all knew about Song Pingting¡¯s feelings, but what was she doing, blowing up at them like that? The fact that she liked President Ye didn¡¯t mean?he couldn¡¯t?like someone else, did it?

    What a joke she was!

    Nevertheless, since Song Pingting was the head secretary and had more power than the rest of them, they dared not make a retort. They bowed their heads and started working.

    For a while, the secretaries¡¯ office was so quiet that you could have heard a pin drop.

    They all felt indignant but dared not speak up.

    Ye Zhongjue was obviously in a fantastic mood today. The cloud hanging low over his head hadpletely dispersed.

    Lin Ran quickly seized the opportunity and urged the various departments to submit their financial statements by the deadline he had set. He hoped he would never be Ye Zhongjue¡¯s punching bag again.

    The Mighty Empire building had gone back to normalcy. The staff could finally take a break.

    ¡­¡­

    Meanwhile, Mo Suqing had arrived at her office. Zhang Yubin seemed to have something to say to her yet couldn¡¯t quite say it, so he resorted to hovering near her desk, wanting to but dare note over.

    The corner of her mouth twitched a little. She knew that Zhang Yubin was not a bad guy, but he still?had not given?up on her. In case simr things happened again with her and Ye Zhongjue, she decided it would be better to keep a distance between them.

    Mo Suqing lowered her head and started working, pretending not to notice him.

    This immediately dampened Zhang Yubin¡¯s desire to make a move. <i>Maybe it is because of the mistake I made the other day with Ye Zhongjue, so she has been cold to him thesest few days. She won¡¯t even look at him now.</i>

    Eventually, Zhang Yubin walked away after a while, his head bowed and his expression miserable.

    Leng Xiyao had juste to work. She saw on herputer screen that her QQ profile picture kept flickering.

    She opened the app and found that it was Mo Suqing who had been sending her messages. Unexpectedly, she had already finished the draft for today. Leng Xiyao nced at Mo Suqing, amazed. <i>No way! This woman was still lifeless yesterday, but today¡­ today she seems to have taken some powerful stimnt</i><i>s</i><i>!</i>

    She looked at Mo Suqing and asked nervously, ¡°Suqing, did you take some drug today?¡±

    Mo Suqing gave her a look and said, exasperated, ¡°I did not! Did you?¡±

    Leng Xiyao pursed her lips. ¡°No I didn¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°Me neither!¡± Mo Suqing chimed with her.

    <i>Huh, looks like someone hase back to herself!</i> thought Leng Xiyao.<i>?She even has the energy to bicker. Apparently in a very good mood, she is!</i>

    She beamed at Mo Suqing. ¡°Suqing, did something great happen to you?¡±

    Mo Suqing did not have the heart to knock that smile off her face, so she onlyughed nervously and said, ¡°No¡­¡±

    Leng Xiyao was surprised. It looked like Mo Suqing had not onlye back to life with an excellent mood, but her wit also returned to normal.

    For thest few days, she would answer something totally irrelevant to the questions Leng Xiyao had posed. For example, when she asked her if she had eaten yet, she had replied that she came back from the restroom, with a lost look.

    ¡°Good job,rade Suqing,¡± praised Leng Xiyao, ¡°to have finished your work so early today! I highly approve of you!¡±

    The two of them formed a team and always went to gather the material for stories and write them jointly.

    Therefore, since Mo Suqing had finished the story for today, Leng Xiyao had no work left to do.

    She casually selected one of the magazines and began reading.

    Mo Suqing kept staring at herputer without really doing anything. She knew Leng Xiyao very well, especially about her tendency to do something weird or foolish.

    As if to confirm her understanding of her best friend, Leng Xiyao suddenly grabbed Mo Suqing by the sleeve.

    Mo Suqing looked at her in bewilderment. ¡°What is wrong now?¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked at her excitedly, ¡°Suqing, you have found yourself a nouveau riche!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Mo Suqing had no idea what she was talking about.

    ¡°See for yourself!¡± Leng Xiyao jabbed with her finger a picture on the magazine she had been reading.

    She was so excited, as if she had won the lottery. ¡°Look at the suit the model is wearing. It is the same as the one your man wore the other day! A hand-made suit priced at one million dors! The manufacturer could well have robbed the bank!¡±

    Mo Suqing frowned. She didn¡¯t think Ye Zhongjue had enough money to buy such an extravagant item.

    Leng Xiayo did not notice Mo Suqing¡¯s expression. She continued to twitter, ¡°Look at the cuffs of the sleeves and the workmanship. It may look like any other suit and you can¡¯t even tell what brand it is, but this is exactly what separates it from the other top-end brands ¨C low-key luxury. See here? It says there are only ten such suits all over the world!¡±

    Leng Xiyao stared at Mo Suqing, eyes wide. ¡°Wow. Mo Suqing, you are married to the dream guy ¨C who is tall, rich and handsome! And as rich as someone could possibly be!¡±

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°As rich as someone could possibly be.¡± How expressive!

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t care what Ye Zhongjue wore. Men¡¯s suits all looked the same in her eyes. If the person was good-looking, everything looked good on him.

    As to what Leng Xiyao had indicated about a suit that cost sky-high¡­ <i>Is it possible for Ye Zhongjue to wear something like that??</i>Mo Suqing chuckled inwardly. <i>She must have been kidding me!</i>

    She gave Leng Xiyao a cold nce. Although she had no desire to extinguish her ¡°optimism,¡± she could not help but point out, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, the tall, rich and handsome man you are talking about drives a regr Volkswagen!¡±

    Leng Xiyao found it impossible to contradict Mo Suqing on this point. <i>Maybe I mistake what he was wearing for something so expensive. It is quite unlikely,e to think of it.</i>

    ¡°Alright then. Don¡¯t take me seriously. I just find the two suits a bit simr, but of course there is a possibility that I¡¯m wrong.¡±

    Leng Xiyao wagged her head yfully. Mo Suqing shook her own head speechlessly. She turned her attention to theputer and went back to write her story, not at all taking her sporadic craziness seriously.

    At noon, Ye Zhongjue called unexpectedly.

    ¡°Suqing, let¡¯s have lunch together today!¡±

    Mo Suqing was reminded of the passionst night and blushed pink as a rose.

    ¡°Okay,¡± she replied shyly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go pick you up in a second,¡± Ye Zhongjue said in his usual, pleasant voice.

    Mo Suqing rang off and turned her head back.

    Leng Xiyao was watching her. ¡°Suqing, are you alright? You have a spooky grin on your face!¡±

    Her expression seemed to say, <i>Are you well?</i>

    Mo Suqing turned around and hit her head with a smack.

    ¡°What are you thinking? Well, I¡¯m not going to have lunch with you. I have¡­ this thing.¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked at her slyly with her gossip journalist¡¯s eyes. ¡°You have a date, right?¡±

    Mo Suqing tilted her head and shed her a mischievous smile.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m having a date with Ye Zhongjue. Wannae?¡±

    Leng Xiyao shook her head vigorously like a toy pellet drum.

    ¡°Nah, I don¡¯t want to be the third wheel. To be more precise, I don¡¯t want to see the PDA between you two!¡±

    Mo Suqing started putting away her work stuff and said, ¡°Then I¡¯m out! You want anything? I can bring something back for you. Or not, if you prefer food hunting yourself.¡±

    ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ll go to the cafeteria.¡±

    Leng Xiyao waved her hand, as if to say, <i>You can retire from my sight now.</i>

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao seldom had their lunch at the cafeteria. It couldn¡¯t be

    helped. The food there was horrible and they were both quite particr about what they ate.

    Mo Suqing left the building and saw Ye Zhongjue¡¯s across the street.

    Smiling, she waved her arm to catch Ye Zhongjue¡¯s attention.

    There was a change in the poker face of his. He fixed his gaze at Mo Suqing while walking straight towards her. She was all he could see at that moment.

    They went to a steakhouse not far from Trend Magazine.

    This was Ye Zhongjue¡¯s idea. He had pointed out the fact they had never gone to a proper restaurant and that it was not okay for a couple ¨C newlyweds at that ¨C not to have a romantic meal together once in a while.

    Mo Suqing agreed with a smile.

    After they had ced their order, they waited patiently.

    asionally, Ye Zhongjue would say a word or two. Most of the time, it was Mo Suqing who did the talking. She enjoyed telling him about her work, her friends and her daily life.

    Although they lived together, she still liked to share funny things that happened to her during the day.

    Watching Mo Suqing and her lively, charming, lovely as well as various other expressions, Ye Zhongjue felt his heart melt. He really shouldn¡¯t have got all mad and jealous thest few days.

    He never wanted to miss a moment with his wonderful girl.

    The steaks arrived. Ye Zhongjue, a perfect gentleman, helped Mo Suqing cut the meat into bites before dealing with his.

    Mo Suqing looked up mid-meal. She found that Ye Zhongjue was very elegant when he ate the steak. It was as if he had been brought up to be an educated, well-mannered person.

    His movements and gestures were graceful without being too slow. It was pleasant to watch him eat.

    Putting a morsel of food in her mouth, Mo Suqing was reminded of what Leng Xiyao had said in the morning.

    She decided to tell Ye Zhongjue all about it as a joke. ¡°So this morning, Yao read about some suit on a fashion magazine. Somehow, she kept saying that it looked just like the one you were wearing the other day when you two met¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head,ughing. Ye Zhongjue could see the two girls were very close. They were like sisters without any reserve to one another, that was how close they were.

    However, hearing what she was saying, something shed in his eyes. He moved his lips but eventually nothing came out.

    Mo Suqing did not notice anything wrong with either his eyes or his lips. She continued, ¡°Can you believe it? The suit costs a million dors! What kind of suit has to be this expensive? Why don¡¯t they just buy gold leaves to put on their bodies? Only fools who have too much money will buy a suit like that, I reckon.¡±

    Her criticism was quite harsh, but that was who she was: authentic and not pretentious.

    The corner of Ye Zhongjue¡¯s mouth twitched. <i>If she knows I¡¯m one of the fools who has too much money, what would she think?</i>

    ¡°What did you tell her?¡± Ye Zhongjue asked as if curious.

    Mo Suqing paused her hand holding the fork. A charming smile spread over her face.

    ¡°Well, I shut her mouth with one sentence. I said, ¡®Don¡¯t forget, the tall, rich and handsome man you are talking about drives a regr Volkswagen!¡¯ She went silent instantly, ha!¡±

 Chapter 49 â€“ I am Mo Suqingâ€™s Husband

    <h4>Chapter 49 ¨C I am Mo Suqing¡¯s Husband</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue smiled. ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡± Mo Suqing consulted her memory and replied, ¡°I told her it is impossible. Men¡¯s suits all look the same. She admitted that she might have mistaken yours for something else.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue almost broke into a cold sweat. From now on, he had to pay more attention to what he wore, too. He also needed to prepare a few pieces of clothing for his usual wear in his office. He could not let Mo Suqing find out about his identity.

    He could not say what she would react, how she would see him if she knew.

    Ye Zhongjue chewed a bite of vegetable and the situation over for a while before saying tentatively, ¡°If I be a rich man someday, will you shut me out?¡±

    Then, he quickly added, ¡°It is a hypothetical question!¡±

    Mo Suqing stared at him for a few seconds and burst outughing.

    ¡°That¡¯s not possible! Stop making unrealistic jokes! You can¡¯t just be a rich man overnight. If it is this easy, everyone in the world is rich. Besides, if you do be rich, it is because you work hard. Why would I shut you out for that? I wouldn¡¯t as long as you are still you.¡±

    She put a mouthful of meat in her mouth, looking content.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face showed nothing, but there were heavy clouds in his heart. It looked like Mo Suqing would never consider the possibility. Even though he wanted to help give her some mental preparation, he did not think there was a way.

    In the end, Ye Zhongjue decided to drop it and see what the future held.

    If Lin Ran knew what he was thinking right now, he would most certainly drop his jaws.

    To him, Ye Zhongjue was as mighty as God. He never did anything he had no confidence in achieving. No matter what he did, he did it with a well-thought-out n.

    In the business world, his quick wit and decisiveness often made it difficult for his opponents to prepare themselves and gain the upper hand. In Lin Ran¡¯s eyes, Ye Zhongjue was powerfully unknowable.

    He was not only capable of running Mighty Empire, but was also able to engage in affairs of the underworld. Lin Ran had never admired someone as much as he did Ye Zhongjue.

    Mo Suqing was about toment on something when she suddenly saw Mo Sulian walking into the restaurant.

    Her face showed in hatred at the sight of her. <i>What a small world. I never expected to see her at lunch.</i>

    Ye Zhongjue had his back on the entrance to the restaurant and he did not notice the change in Mo Suqing¡¯s expression.

    Therefore, it was toote when he discerned something was wrong. Mo Sulian had already walked over to their table.

    Mo Sulian looked at Mo Suqing proudly and sneered.

    ¡°Look who it is! It¡¯s our great journalist who appeared on the headlines the other day! Your face certainly shows up in newspapers more often than mine, a celebrity.¡±

    Mo Suqing lost her appetite all of a sudden.

    Mo Sulian held her head high without giving Ye Zhongjue a single nce. She knew he was a man from behind, but she totally disregarded him.

    Mo Suqing looked up right at Mo Sulian, not hiding her hatred at all. ¡°Mo Sulian, I bet your Chinese zodiac is a dog. That¡¯s why you always bark for no reason!¡±

    At her words, Ye Zhongjue was astonished while Mo Sulian was bristled with anger.

    Ye Zhongjue was shocked to hear such venom from Mo Suqing¡¯s mouth. This waspletely new to him. In his memory, she was a smart and considerate soul with a kind, gentle heart.

    He would believe it if she said she was an angel lost in the earthly world.

    But right now, she was a hedgehog in danger. To protect herself from getting hurt, she was showing her merciless spines.

    On the other hand, this was not the first time Mo Sulian was mocked by Mo Suqing. However, it was the first time Mo Suqing had done it at a public ce at the expense of her own reputation. Mo Sulian had not seen iting.

    She could still recall thest time when they were in the same room. The other person had only red at her.

    ¡°You! You¡­¡± Mo Sulian pointed at Mo Suqing, but she was too upset to finish her sentence. Her face had turned red like a pig¡¯s liver.

    Then, she suddenly noticed Ye Zhongjue, who was sitting across from Mo Suqing. She gave her an evil look and said, ¡°Mo Suqing, you are surely quick to turn your target to another man after just having a scandal with Guan Zixuan! Aren¡¯t you married? Aren¡¯t you afraid of being busted by your hubby? And you have the cheek to speak ill of me!¡±

    Mo Sulian finished her abuses. Ye Zhongjue immediately tensed up.

    Mo Suqing eximed inwardly, <i>Oh no! Ye Zhongjue is obviously angry.</i>

    She hadn¡¯t had time to say anything when Ye Zhongjue suddenly stood up. His whole person was radiating with an intimidating vibe.

    He stared at Mo Sulian as if she was dead meat already, his expression tinged with fury.

    ¡°Watch your mouth when you talk to her, unless you want to die here!¡±

    Mo Sulian was spellbound the moment Ye Zhongjue turned his head towards her.

    She was so stunned that she didn¡¯t catch what he was saying.

    She just stared at him, enraptured by the most good-looking man she had ever seen.

    His arrogant and dictator-like air; his noble and graceful quality; his cool and unruffled demeanor; his outstanding look ¨C it was such a charming and irresistiblebination that Mo Sulian could not help but sink right into it.

    She felt she was head over heels in love with this man in an instant.

    She was full of regret. She should have taken a good look at him before blurting out those words. Now she must have made a very bad first impression on him. <i>But that¡¯s okay</i>, she thought. <i>I am confident I can correct this.</i>

    Mo Suqing and Gu Jiannan had been a happy couple, too, before she decided to break them up.

    When they were growing up, Mo Suqing had always been the prettier one. That was why she had worked so hard to get herself into the entertainment industry. Although she had never been a well-known superstar, at least she could count herself as a TV personality.

    She clenched her fists. <i>Why? Why can Mo Suqing have such an excellent man? I must snatch him from her!</i>

    At the thought, Mo Sulian quickly concealed the enraptured expression on her face.

    She smiled sweetly at Ye Zhongjue and purred, ¡°Oh I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t know you two are having lunch! We are sisters and like to bicker to show our affection to each other. Our squabbles are actually an enhancer to our rtionship!¡±

    Then, she batted her eyes at Ye Zhongjue several times.

    Mo Suqing looked away, disgusted. <i>There are always shameless people in the world! How can she tell such lies without blushing at all?</i>

    Well, she was an actress. Of course she could change her expression immediately.

    Ye Zhongjue was eager to get away from Mo Sulian. He could see that Mo Suqing was not at all happy to see her sister.

    He said coolly, ¡°Just to let you know, I am Mo Suqing¡¯s husband!¡±

    Then, he took Mo Suqing¡¯s hand and led her out of the restaurant.

    Mo Sulian was utterly speechless. <i>What? He is Mo Suqing¡¯s husband? How is it possible</i><i>?</i><i>?</i>She couldn¡¯t believe that after she lost Gu Jiannan, Mo Suqing had somehow located another, more brilliant man.

    Mo Sulian was dumbstruck by the news.

    She stood on the same spot for a long while, gritting her teeth. She could not believe how lucky Mo Suqing was. She was so angry!

    After Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue had left for a long time, Mo Sulian finally calmed herself down and was not as overwhelmed as before.

    She had been working nearby today. To be honest, the role she yed was very small. In fact, to say it was small was an understatement; it was as insignificant as an extra.

    She hade to the restaurant for lunch. She had already felt like a fool standing there with the other cast.

    However, little had she expected she would bump into Mo Suqing and, more importantly, her husband.

    After she had got a grip on herself, Mo Sulian remembered that Bai Tingnan had told her that Mo Suqing¡¯s husband was just a pennilessd who worked as a regr office worker.

    Even so, Mo Sulian still could not get Ye Zhongjue out of her mind. She had not known there was such a handsome man in the world. Although she had seen a lot of cute guys in the entertainment industry, she did not think any of them wereparable to him.

    Resentful at Mo Suqing¡¯s luck, she was keen on finding a way toe between those two. She was practically drooling over the beauty of Ye Zhongjue.

    For her, if a man could be described as ¡°beautiful,¡± it meant that he was good-looking in the extreme.

    Then, her face broke into a grin.

    She could trick them into the Mo¡¯s vi, and see how things go from there.

    Since there was no need to put it off, Mo Sulian quickly fished for her cell phone and called Mo Zhenfeng.

    ¡°Daddy!¡± said Mo Sulian in her sweetest tone. Anyone who heard it would have goose bumps all over.

    Mo Zhenfeng had always favored Mo Sulian more than his other daughter. He preferred the former¡¯s sweetness to thetter¡¯s stubbornness.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Sulian? Anything you want to tell me?¡±

    ¡°I saw Suqing today!¡± Mo Sulian said with a malicious twinkle in her eye.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Hearing his elder daughter¡¯s name, Mo Zhenfeng¡¯s tone changed. Not long before, she had helped hispany survive a major crisis. However, when he called her to express his gratitude, she had been distant. He had not called her since then.

    ¡°So how is she?¡± Mo Zhenfeng asked casually.

    Mo Sulian feigned stammering in a hesitant tone, ¡°I don¡¯t know if¡­ if I should tell you or not¡­ Well, this is not going to please you.¡±

    Mo Zhenfeng sighed. ¡°Just tell me what it is. I¡¯m used to hearing her bad news anyway.¡±

    Mo Zhenfeng¡¯s voice was full of mncholy.

    Mo Sulian, sensing it was the right moment, hastened to tell him everything with a lot of embellishments.

    ¡°Dad, here¡¯s the thing. The other day, a good friend of mine¡­ Her name is Bai Tingnan, whom you have met when she came to our house and who works in the samepany as Suqing. She told me Suqing got married. The wholepany knows. I feared you might get angry, so I dared not tell you about it.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Mo Zhenfeng raised his voice involuntarily.

    Come to think of it, he remembered that Mo Suqing had asked for her household register not long before, saying that she was moving out and needed it. He had not thought twice about it and given it to her.

    Now he knew she must have taken the household register to get married.

    Mo Zhenfeng almost forgot how to breathe. <i>Such an unfilial daughter I have!</i>

    No wonder she abhorred the idea of his arranging a matchmaking dinner for her. He took a deep breath and asked, ¡°And then what happened?¡±

    Mo Sulian quickly added fuel to the mes, ¡°Today, I saw her having lunch with her husband, who is amon office worker. I told her she shoulde home with her husband and meet you, but she flew into a temper and hurled abuse at me.¡±

    Mo Sulian was very good at making herself sound pitiful.

    Her voice even broke a little when she continued, ¡°Daddy, if you want to meet the guy, you could ask her to bring him home. Anyway, they have got married behind your back. What¡¯s done is done, it¡¯s toote to do anything about it.¡±

 Chapter 50 â€“ The Validation of Our Marriage

    <h4>Chapter 50 ¨C The Validation of Our Marriage</h4>

    Mo Zhenfeng thought for a moment. His younger daughter was right. What was done was done. However, he needed to meet this guy who Mo Suqing must marry even though she had to do it in secret and conceal the fact from her family afterwards.

    ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll give her a call and make here home for dinner with him. I would very much like to see what kind of a man he is to have cast her the spell to ditch her family and move out!¡±

    After ringing off, Mo Sulian finally felt her bitterness vented.

    Every time she thought about Ye Zhongjue, she felt so hot. There was no reason she couldn¡¯t have him.

    If she could entice him with enough money, there was no way he would not betray Mo Suqing and be with her instead.

    ¡­¡­

    After Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue left the restaurant, they took a walk for a little while. Then, Ye Zhongjue went back to hispany.

    After all, the lunch break had?a time limit.

    Soon after Mo Suqing had gone back to her office, Mo Zhenfeng called.

    She frowned at the screen of her phone. Her father had not called her ever since the crisis was solved.

    Why would he call her out of blue now?

    Mo Suqing picked up the phone. ¡°Hey, dad, what¡¯s up?¡± she said coldly.

    Mo Zhenfeng¡¯s tone was full of paternal authority with a hint of anger.

    ¡°You surely have the cheek to ask me that! Tell me, you lied to me about the household register, didn¡¯t you? You said it was for an apartment allotted to you, but the truth is you wanted it to get married. There is no such thing as getting free amodation now; it is not the seventies or eighties!¡±

    The more he talked, the angrier he became. It was as if Mo Suqing had done something heinous.

    Mo Suqing immediately knew Mo Sulian had told him everything. She said calmly, ¡°So I got married. Do you have to be this mad? So I didn¡¯t y along with your matchmaking dinner. Do you have to be this angry?¡±

    Fuming now, Mo Zhenfeng bellowed, ¡°You are such an unfilial daughter!¡±

    Mo Suqing had arrived at her desk in the meantime. Even Leng Xiyao could hear the roar from the phone in spite of the partition between their individual working space. She stood up and feigned a fear expression. ¡°Ah! I¡¯m frightened!¡±

    Mo Suqing red at her and continued, ¡°Yes, yes, I am not as filial as Mo Sulian. But, I think you know very well why that is!¡±

    Mo Zhenfeng almost had a heart attack. He tried to remind himself of Mo Sulian¡¯s suggestion and calm himself down.

    ¡°Okay then,¡± he conceded, his temper barely under control, ¡°I am not going to discuss your?marriage?without my consent for now. But tell me this: when are youing home and introducing him to me?¡±

    Mo Suqing considered the matter over. Since her father had softened the edge of his tone, she should drop her defensive posture, too.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll talk to him. We¡¯ll find a time and go home for dinner. But¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s tone hardened when she continued, ¡°You cannot get mad at Ye Zhongjue. If you do, I will walk away with him immediately!¡±

    Mo Zhenfeng did not expect Mo Suqing to say something like that. He put one hand on his chest and almost copsed.

    ¡°You are¡­¡± But Mo Suqing?hung?up before he could even finish the sentence.

    Mo Suqing sat down on her chair, exhausted. Leng Xiyao slid over and asked curiously, ¡°Didn¡¯t you go on a date? Why are you so upset?¡±

    ¡°You have no idea!¡± Mo Suqing took a moment to cope with her emotions before exining, ¡°During lunch, Mo Sulian showed up. I gave her dressing-down and she must have told my father I got married afterwards. My father wants me to take Ye Zhongjue home.¡±

    Leng Xiyao pursed her lips after a momentary shock and said lightly, ¡°Bring him home then! It¡¯s no big deal. You have already got married, so there¡¯s nothing he can do. There is no way he can force you to file for divorce, now is there? That would be a huge joke!¡±

    Without responding, Mo Suqing bowed her head and seemed to be lost in thought.

    Leng Xiyao added, ¡°Mo Sulian is seriously over the top! Did?she forget who she was? I could beat her up!¡±

    Mo Suqing gave her a look and teased, ¡°Yao, you shouldn¡¯t talk like a hooligan all the time. I¡¯m afraid no one would want to marry you!¡±

    Leng Xiyao blurted out without thinking, ¡°Humph, no one would want to marry <i>you</i>!¡±

    Then, she remembered that Mo Suqing?was already?married.

    She looked at Mo Suqing with two huge, watery eyes like a pitiable puppy wagging her tail and begging to be petted. ¡°You bullied me!¡±

    Then, she turned her back to her and started to work.

    Mo Suqing grinned, a little exasperated.

    s! No doubt it would be another disturbing dinner this time. Unfortunately, she could do nothing but face it.

    When it was about time to get off work, Mo Suqing called Ye Zhongjue.

    ¡°Hey¡­¡±

    Hearing her gentle voice from the other end of the line, a smile spread over Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Working, of course. Otherwise, how will I be able to provide for my babe?¡± Ye Zhongjue teased.

    Mo Suqing blushed. ¡°Well, you are free after work today, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    There was a knock on the door. Ye Zhongjue said, ¡°Come in.¡±

    Song Pingting opened the door and entered his office cautiously. ¡°President, I just want to check¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue held up his hand, stopping her short. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m free. What¡¯s up?¡± His voice was very tender.

    Mo Suqing thought she had heard a woman¡¯s voice at the other end of the line. She frowned a little and asked, ¡°Are you talking with someone?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue cast Song Pingting a nce. She was standing in front of his desk, looking like she was feeling awkward.

    He shook his head and replied, ¡°No, I was just saying hello to a colleague, nothing more.¡±

    Song Pingting was astonished at his words. <i>A colleague? Who is the president talking to? Not only is his voice extremely tender, but he also described her as a colleague. Is it true that he has someone he cares about?</i>

    Song Pingting was acutely aware of the disparity. Although Ye Zhongjue had never really ¡°seen¡± her, he had been no different with everyone else. He was very emphatic about equal treatment and never favored anyone.

    She was immeasurably envious of the person at the other end of the line.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Mo Suqing nodded thoughtfully.

    ¡°The thing is, Mo Sulian told my father about us. I?hid?from my family the fact that we are married, as you know very well, but now they?have?found out and?are urging?me to take you home sometime for dinner. I¡¯m wondering if you are free tonight.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face revealed a mischievous grin. <i>Sounds like our rtionship is going official!</i>

    He replied smilingly, ¡°Suqing, are you finally willing to validate our marriage?¡±

    Mo Suqing had just drunk some water from a ss when she heard Ye Zhongjue¡¯s words. She choked, making the water spurt out of her mouth.

    Looking at theputer screen?covered in her spit, Mo Suqing felt helpless with the culprit at the other end of the line.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you be a little more indirect?¡±

    Mo Suqing sounded really pissed off. Ye Zhongjue figured if he were there with her, she would likely have torn him into pieces by now.

    ¡°More indirect, you say?¡± he grinned. ¡°Well¡­ how about the reality can finally be justified?¡±

    Mo Suqing choked again. If she had drunk another mouthful of water, it would definitely have sprayed the screen all over once more.

    She began to wipe it with some tissues while saying, ¡°Enough of the flirting! That¡¯s it. We are going back to my family home after work. I¡¯m hanging up.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue reluctantly?hung?up the phone, his eyes still affectionate.

    Song Pingting was utterly speechless. The smile in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes made her so jealous of the girl. At the same time, she could not help but long for it.

    Ye Zhongjue looked up and saw the desirous look on Song Pingting¡¯s face. He coughed a little and said, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    Song Pingting snapped out of her reverie and looked at Ye Zhongjue embarrassedly. She quickly put herself together and briefed him on tomorrow¡¯s schedule.

    Ye Zhongjue bowed his head in deep thought. After a long while, he looked up and waved his hand.

    ¡°Okay, thanks. you can go now.¡±

    Song Pingting walked away. Ye Zhongjue watched her and slipped into thoughts.

    He was aware of Song Pingting¡¯s feelings for him. Normally, he would not allow someone like her to continue to work for him.

    It was because Song Pingting had worked for him for more than three years ever since she graduated from college and they had developed a good sense of teamwork that he had not wanted to fire her.

    However, if she could not control her feelings, he would be forced to find another head secretary to rece her.

    After work, Ye Zhongjue drove to the headquarters of Trend Magazine.

    Just as he was starting to call Mo Suqing, she came out from the building and got into his car.

    The car headed towards the Mo¡¯s vi. Ye Zhongjue remembered the road from when he gave Mo Suqing a lift home to pick up her luggage when they had just got married.

    On their way there, Mo Suqing seemed to be a little restless. She said, ¡°I think Mo Sulian might have exaggerated her version of the story. I could see my father wasn¡¯t too happy about us when he called me. Don¡¯t take it personally if he is in a temper tonight.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nodded andforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t.¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded and sank back into thoughts.

    After a while, she turned towards him again.

    ¡°Seriously, don¡¯t take it too personally about their behaviors¡­ I don¡¯t quite get along with any of them¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing knitted her brows together, not knowing how to exin to Ye Zhongjue theplicated rtionships between her family members.

    Ye Zhongjue, with one hand on the steering wheel and the other on her hand, gave her aforting look.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I can handle whatever situation it is.¡±

    Then, he chuckled. ¡°Why are you much more nervous than me, when I am the one who is going to meet?the?inws for the first time?¡±

    Mo Suqing felt a bit uneasy at the thought. A meeting with?the?inws¡­ Even though she had got married, she still felt this was not something of her concern. Ye Zhongjue had never talked about it either, which, as a matter of fact, had made her feel better.

    Ye Zhongjue had already done some research on Mo Suqing¡¯s family background, so he knew very well what she was thinking.

 Chapter 51 â€“ Invincibly Thick-skinned

    <h4>Chapter 51 ¨C Invincibly Thick-skinned</h4>

    Mo Zhenfeng, having received the message from Mo Suqing informing him that she would take Ye Zhongjue home today, wore a poker face all afternoon.

    Mo Sulian had told him the guy was a regr office worker. He could never approve of such a man as his son-inw!

    That was why he had been sulking. In the end, he resorted to plumping down on the sofa, waiting with a cold expression on his face.

    Mo Sulian had decided toe home earlier. She had heard in the afternoon that Mo Suqing was going home this evening.

    Her heart would not stop beating fast at the thought of seeing the handsome man again. Therefore, as soon as she got home, she rushed to her room and spread all her clothes on her bed, trying them on and applying makeup on her face.

    When she finally went downstairs, Bai Lian looked at her in surprise. ¡°Are you going out, dressed so prettily?¡±

    Hearing what Bai Lian had said, Mo Zhenfeng turned and nced at Mo Sulian.

    ¡°Your sister ising home in the evening. Do not go out!¡± he snapped.

    Bai Lian was about to defend her daughter when Mo Sulian put a hand on her arm.?It was unusual that?she did not throw a tantrum.

    ¡°Dad, of course I know that. Even if I¡¯m going out, it will be after Suqing and her husband take leave.¡±

    Hearing her docile words, Mo Zhenfeng¡¯s expression softened.

    Mo Sulian, expectant to see the man she fancied in a minute, blushed a little.

    Bai Lian peered at her and said, ¡°Babe, are you alright? Your cheeks are flushing.?Do you have?a fever?¡±

    Mo Sulian shook her head and tugged her arm. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m alright. Maybe a little hot, that¡¯s all.¡±

    From outside came the sound of a car approaching. She hastened to the door, then found that Mo Zhenfeng wasgging behind.

    Smiling embarrassingly, she looked over her shoulder and said, ¡°It¡¯s been a while since west saw Suqing. I just can¡¯t wait to see her.¡±

    Mo Zhenfeng looked at his younger daughter, feeling heartened. If his elder daughter could be as sensible, he needn¡¯t worry himself so much.

    Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue had just got off the car when they approached.

    Amazed, Mo Suqing watched Ye Zhongjue take out some gift boxes from the trunk. She lowered her voice and said in an astonished tone, ¡°When did you buy these? I have no idea.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue tilted his head and whispered, ¡°I bought them before I picked you up from work. This is the first time I visit your family. It¡¯s a must to prepare something.¡±

    The two of them were almost leaning against each other, as if they were having some private words. They looked very intimate.

    Mo Sulian clenched her fists angrily. She swore she would make the handsome man hers.

    Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue walked over. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m back. This is Ye Zhongjue.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue stepped forward and politely greeted Mo Zhenfeng, ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Mo.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Come inside first.¡±

    Mo Zhenfeng¡¯s tone was lukewarm. He might as well have just spoken to a total stranger.

    Mo Suqing tugged at the corner of Ye Zhongjue¡¯s shirt and gave him a look that indicated he should not take it personally.

    The corner of her mouth twitched. After her mother died, the rtionship between her and her father had deteriorated.

    They entered the house. Ye Zhongjue presented the gifts he had prepared beforehand.

    The gift for Mo Zhenfeng was a box of top-quality tea; the one for Mo Sulian was a pair of earrings, made of white gold; and the one for Bai Lian was a pearl ne with the finest luster.

    Mo Sulian brightened and epted the earrings.?She could not put them down.

    Bai Lian was also beaming with happiness at her gift that was obviously not a random pearl ne.

    Mo Suqing took a secret nce at Ye Zhongjue. He surely?was generous?to spend some money for her family. Mo Zhenfeng¡¯s expression softened when he epted the tea.

    There was amon saying, ¡°It¡¯s difficult to hurt someone who¡¯s being nice.¡± Since Ye Zhongjue was so very sincere, they should at least behave themselves.

    Mo Sulian kept staring at Ye Zhongjue, which made Mo Suqing rather ufortable. Presently, she asked him sweetly, ¡°My dear brother-inw, do you want some drink? I¡¯ll go get it for you and Suqing.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue replied coldly, ¡°No, I don¡¯t want any drinks. Thank you.¡±

    Mo Sulian did not care for his distant and aloof tone, but she kept up her smiling face.

    Mo Zhenfeng gave Ye Zhongjue a good look. The young man was clean-cut and well-mannered; however, his family background and upation was too shabby.

    He said to him, ¡°Zhongjue, are you interested in working in mypany? You can choose whatever position you would like. You and Suqing are married, and that makes you one of us. The Mo Group depends on you two.¡±

    Bai Lian¡¯s face went pale at his words. She couldn¡¯t believe he wanted to give thepany to a stranger.

    As for Mo Sulian, she kept ncing at Ye Zhongjue furtively, afraid that someone would notice her overt interest in him.

    Ye Zhongjue had not expected such an offer from Mo Zhenfeng. He cast a sidelong look at Mo Suqing.

    Mo Suqing shook her head imperceptibly. The main reason she got married was to get away from her family. She didn¡¯t care who would?take over?thepany; she herself had no intention to inherit it.

    Ye Zhongjue, understanding what she meant, replied politely, ¡°I am very grateful for your offer, Mr. Mo. However, I have a stable job and do not want to find a new one yet.¡±

    Mo Zhenfeng¡¯s face darkened. He had not expected he would say no.

    This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Who would refuse to take it? Ye Zhongjue¡¯s rejection was very inappropriate in his eyes.

    Just when he was about to say something, Bai Lian stopped him.

    ¡°How about you and I have a talk upstairs? Leave the kids to themselves and we¡¯ll all have dinner together when it¡¯s ready.¡±

    Mo Zhenfeng was still going to say something, but then thought better of it with Bai Lian grabbing his arm. The two of them went upstairs.

    After they had left, Mo Sulian¡¯s look on Ye Zhongjue became even more covetous and unscrupulous.

    To Mo Suqing, her look was full of?provocation.

    Mo Suqing chuckled contemptuously. She was well aware of what Mo Sulian had in mind ever since she stepped in the house. The look she gave Ye Zhongjue was so brazen,?it was impossible to misread it.

    She stood up and told Ye Zhongjue calmly, ¡°Wait for me here. I¡¯m going to have a word with her outside.¡±

    Then, she dragged Mo Sulian out of the house, heedless of her struggling.

    When they reached the gate, Mo Sulian got rid of Mo Suqing¡¯s grip and red at her. ¡°Mo Suqing, what is it that you want to say that can¡¯t be said in the house? Why must you drag me out?

    She rubbed her arm and cursed her inwardly, <i>What a savage woman. No wonder Gu Jiannan would cheat on you!</i>

    Mo Suqing stared at her, her face steely. ¡°Mo Sulian, I warn you not to get any closer to Ye Zhongjue. Otherwise, you will regret it!¡±

    Mo Sulian, though surprised that Mo Suqing would find out about her n, dropped all the pretense and looked her right in the eye.

    ¡°You are right. I am trying to get close to him. So what? He is but an office worker. You don¡¯t really need to feel bad if I seed in enticing him with my money.¡±

    Somehow, Mo Suqing found herself unable to stand hearing her talking about Ye Zhongjue like that, even though she knew it was not true.

    ¡°Mo Sulian, you are invincibly thick-skinned, you know? Don¡¯t you have Gu Jiannan already? Why would you want to have another man? I have never seen a woman as shameless as you!¡±

    ¡°Ha¡­ shameless?¡± Mo Sulian said lightly, her mouth curving into a cold-blooded sneer. ¡°You know nothing! Gu Jiannan and I, we are just fooling around at best. There is nothing shameful about taking what each of us needs.¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s expression was very imperturbable when she said, ¡°I see, so you are serious with Ye Zhongjue then?¡±

    She was smiling a strange smile.

    Mo Sulian was a little taken aback. ¡°Well, yeah! And I don¡¯t care if you are married or not. I am free to like him.¡±

    Mo Suqingughed. ¡°If you are determined to pursue your true love, why are you afraid of showing it in front of Bai Lian and dad? You are very good at being a good daughter!¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Mo Sulian¡¯s face contorted at her sarcasm.

    Mo Suqing did not heed it. Mo Sulian¡¯s attitude toward love disgusted her greatly.

    If she did not love Gu Jiannan, how could she possibly bring herself to have sex with him? It was justughable. What was the difference between that and prostitution!

    Mo Sulian was pointing at Mo Suqing now. ¡°Don¡¯t you get toocent. A man as extraordinary as Ye Zhongjue will never be satisfied with you for the rest of his life.

    When power and money areid in front of him, he is more than likely to ditch you!¡±

    Mo Suqing just stared at her, as if she would like to see what exactly was in this woman¡¯s head.

    ¡°You?are so confident that?Ye Zhongjue will cheat on me?¡± she asked, raising her eyebrow. Then, she looked at Mo Sulian contemptuously. ¡°For all I know, even if he does want to cheat on me, it is not going to be with someone like you, a promiscuous woman!¡±

    Mo Sulian totally lost her cool. <i>I am going to tear her mouth into shreds for speaking of me like that!</i>

    Mo Suqing, unflustered, added, ¡°Did I say anything incorrect?¡±

    Mo Sulian took a few steps forward. Mo Suqing lifted her chin proudly as if to say, <i>You?</i><i>want to win a squabble against me? You need more practice!</i>

    Just as she was about to continue her assault, Ye Zhongjue appeared by the door.

    Mo Suqing went mute. He almost frightened the hell out of her, popping up from nowhere. <i>Did he hear everything she had said?</i>

    Mo Suqing¡¯s face was a little contorted. She prayed he had not heard any of that. She could not imagine what he would do after they went home tonight if he had.

    The moment Mo Sulian caught sight of Ye Zhongjue, she put down her hand that she had just raised and turned herself into the gentlest creature.

    A creepy smile began to spread over Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face. Mo Suqing felt chilly instantly. She guessed he had indeed heard some of their quarrel.

    She turned her face away stiffly, feigning ignorance.

    The three of them had just entered the living room when the sound of someone fighting came from upstairs.

    It was Bai Lian¡¯s voice. It seemed that she was upset that Mo Zhenfeng had offered Ye Zhongjue a job at Mo Group.

    Mo Suqing sneered. She wouldn¡¯t be too happy about getting thepany either.

    As for Ye Zhongjue, he was expressionless throughout. Mo Sulian, on the other hand, frowned at the hysterical screams of her mother.

    After a long time, Mo Zhenfeng and Bai Lian finally came downstairs. They both wore an ugly expression.

 Chapter 52 â€“ Iâ€™ll Never Ask Anyone a Favor in Exchange for My Body

    <h4>Chapter 52 ¨C I¡¯ll Never Ask Anyone a Favor in Exchange for My Body</h4>

    Mo Suqing, adding fuel to the mes, remarked, ¡°Well, I can feel I¡¯m not very weed here!¡±

    She shot Bai Lian a pointed look.

    Bai Lian red up at the taunt. ¡°What do you mean by that? Do you not know how to respect your elders?¡±

    Mo Suqing had not expected that she who usually acted the most obediently would flip out.

    Looks like Mo Zhenfeng¡¯s offer of a job in the Mo Group to Ye Zhongjue really got to her.

    <i>Good!?</i>sneered Mo Suqing inwardly. <i>Can¡¯t keep it in any longer, can you? Let¡¯s see what¡¯s behind that hypocritical fa?ade!?</i><i>It¡¯s time you drop all your pretense!</i>

    ¡°Elders? Are you my elder? Are you <i>worthy</i> to be my elder?¡±

    Mo Suqing attacked ruthlessly. Bai Lian¡¯s face immediately went livid.

    Mo Zhenfeng cast a quick nce at Ye Zhongjue and barked, ¡°Mo Suqing, you have crossed a line! You, of all people, will not disrespect the hierarchy in the family!¡±

    Mo Suqingughed miserably. It was a glorious yet sorrowful smile, like thest second of some magnificent fireworks. Ye Zhongjue felt pained seeing her like this.

    ¡°Is that right? I have always known I¡¯m a nobody in this family, so you don¡¯t have to remind me! And why should I respect her? She¡¯s not my mother!¡±

    Mo Suqing fixed her eyes on Mo Zhenfeng, holding her head up.

    Mo Zhenfeng thundered, ¡°You are going to infuriate me to death one day, you unfilial girl!¡±

    Then, he coughed violently a few times.

    Mo Suqing seemed to be determined to provoke him as much as possible today. She red at Mo Zhenfeng with her huge, ck eyes and said, ¡°Yes, I am unfilial, definitely not as filial as your younger daughter. Please take your time and enjoy her filial obedience!¡±

    She looked around the living room indignantly and fixed her eyes on something.

    ¡°Ever since mom?had passed, nobody has ever truly weed me, an outsider. I¡¯m leaving?and?I will?never set foot here?again!¡±

    Then, she took Ye Zhongjue¡¯s hand, turned and left, without a second nce at Mo Zhenfeng.

    Mo Zhenfeng seemed to throw something down hard.

    From a distance, Mo Suqing could still hear him yell, ¡°Don¡¯t you ever daree back, you unfilial daughter!¡±

    Bai Lian smiled, pleased with the developments. <i>The Mo Group will only belong to my daughter in the end!</i>

    Mo Suqing, hearing what Mo Zhenfeng had said, smiled bitterly. She did not pause; she just kept walking further and further away from her father.

    Ye Zhongjue turned to look at her. She was obviously very sad, yet kept trying to put on a brave face.

    ¡°Ye Zhongjue, don¡¯t let go of my hand or look at me; I fear I will cry if you do.¡±

    There was a twinkle in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes when he turned his head away and replied resolutely, ¡°Okay, I will never let go of you for the rest of my life!¡±

    A smile slowly spread over Mo Suqing¡¯s face. It was a half-smiling, half-crying ugly smile.

    After Ye Zhongjue and Mo Suqing left the Mo¡¯s¡­

    Ye Zhongjue did not drive home. Instead, he took Mo Suqing to dinner.

    After that, they got on the car once again.

    On the way to their ce, Ye Zhongjue handled Mo Suqing¡¯s mood with great care, which only made her feel awkward.

    She peered at him uneasily and?blurted, ¡°Don¡¯t treat me like a delicate flower. I am not that weak and fragile. They are not going to affect me!¡±

    Despite what she said, Ye Zhongjue knew she just did not like to show her vulnerability.

    However, he would give her anything she wanted.

    He said, ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t think you are ¡®a delicate flower.¡¯ I just feel that you have aplicated rtionship with your family, that is all.¡±

    Mo Suqing pursed her lips, not buying his words. He was obviously trying tofort her; his expression already betrayed what was on his mind.

    That being said, she was still very grateful for his?willingness to grant her?whatever she was asking for.

    Suddenly, she looked at him amusedly and curiously.

    ¡°Hey, Ye Zhongjue, why did you buy those expensive gifts for Mo Sulian and Bai Lian? It was totally unnecessary and made me even more disgusted with them.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue sighed. ¡°I?did that for your father. After all, they lived together. I couldn¡¯t possibly have given him a gift without thinking about the other two.¡±

    Mo Suqing pouted her lips like a little girl. ¡°Humph! I don¡¯t think so! I think you like Mo Sulian and that¡¯s why you bought such pretty earrings for her. Am I right?¡±

    She raised her voice?for?thest sentence. Ye Zhongjue almost drove the car into the curb.

    ¡°You have never bought anything for me! And then you bought her an expensive and lovely?gift! I am mad at you!¡±

    Mo Suqing covered her eyes with her hands, but there were huge gaps between her fingers for her to observe Ye Zhongjue¡¯s reaction.

    All of a sudden, she became a chirpy bird, as if nothing had happened earlier.

    He shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t buy those gifts myself. I gave a colleague some money and asked her to buy gifts for a man and two women for me. She was very happy to help me out.¡±

    Mo Suqing leaned closer, smiling. ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t ask her for the favor in exchange for your body!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue could feel her breath in his ear and became a bit restless.

    ¡°Stop it, I¡¯m driving a car! Are you jealous because I didn¡¯t buy you a gift?¡± Ye Zhongjue teased.

    Mo Suqing tilted her head as if deliberating something that could not be taken lightly.

    Looking at her cute behavior, Ye Zhongjue said in a tender voice that wrapped her with affections, ¡°I¡¯ll never ask anyone a favor in exchange for my body¡­ unless it¡¯s you.¡±

    Mo Suqing blushed scarlet. Then, she turned to look at him and said mischievously, ¡°Drive safe, or I will not ask you any favors in exchange for <i>my</i> body!¡±

    Looking at her cute and charming smile, Ye Zhongjueughed, ¡°Alright, alright!¡±

    After arriving at their destination, they got off the car and walked into the elevator.

    Before she knew it, Mo Suqing was enveloped in a tight embrace.

    Ye Zhongjue kissed her passionately and persistently. It was difficult to get away from it.

    Mo Suqing pped at his waist and moaned, ¡°Ye Zhongjue¡­ no¡­ camera¡­ in the elevator!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue kept kissing her. He was probably not kissing her hard enough, he thought, or she would not have time to think about trivial things like the camera.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, I have you blocked!¡± Seeing that she could barely gasp for breath, Ye Zhongjue paused a moment.

    Then, before Mo Suqing could say anything, he locked her mouth with his again.

    Her face was flushed and so soft as if water could be squeezed out of it.

    Ye Zhongjue feltpelled to show his, well, ¡°animal¡± side.

    Out of the elevator, Mo Suqing turned her head this way and that, avoiding Ye Zhongjue¡¯s mouth while giggling uncontrobly.

    Ye Zhongjue scooped her up in his arms, then, walking over to their door, opened and closed it in one smooth motion.

    Closing the door behind them, he locked the girl, still in his arms, in a tight embrace and kissed her on the mouth hard.

    Shy and exasperated at his behavior, Mo Suqing could not help but wonder, <i>Do you have aphrodisiac in your system? What¡¯s with the roughness?</i>

    Mo Suqing, gasping, pushed him away andid her hands firmly on his chest.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take a shower first¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t heed her words and was about to lower his head toward her face.

    Mo Suqing, panicked, pushed firmly against him. ¡°No¡­ Ye Zhongjue, what is the matter with you today¡­¡±

    She looked extremely embarrassed and bashful.

    Ye Zhongjue chuckled. In a sexy tone filled with desire, he said, ¡°Tell me, who is it that said even if I want to cheat on you¡­¡±

    On hearing the first few words of the quote, Mo Suqing moaned inwardly, <i>Oh no, he did hear the conversation between her and Mo Sulian earlier! This is so bad¡­</i>

    Sheughed nervously and kept his face in a distance while hers screwed up into a crumple. ¡°Ye Zhongjue, I beg your pardon! Please spare me. I did not mean it. It was just for pissing off Mo Sulian that I said it. It truly didn¡¯t mean anything¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue leaned forward forcibly and hugged Mo Suqing tightly. Mo Suqing could feel the hardness against her abdomen.

    No longer an innocent maiden, she sure knew what it was.

    Ye Zhongjue lowered his head, his warm breath tickling Mo Suqing¡¯s ear. ¡°Suqing,¡± he said, ¡°but it is toote. It is ready to do what it must do. I can¡¯t stop it¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing could not believe she was hearing?such?dirty words from him.

    Now, her hands had been stuck between their chests, so they were useless to resist him. She said exasperatedly, ¡°Rascal!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue chuckled. ¡°Only in front of you¡­¡±

    He kissed her earlobe tenderly and fondly.

    Mo Suqing trembled. It was as if an electric current had just shot through her. She knew very well what it meant: she had been aroused big time.

    <i>No way! He is nning to have her right here and now! She should resist him harder, but she cannot¡­ Now she is going to sumb to him.</i>

    The weak struggle from Mo Suqing, in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes, was just proof that she had wanted this all along. This made him even rougher.

    They did it from the carpet in the living room to the bathroom. Mo Suqing had no idea how she ended up in bed.

    The next day when she got up, she saw bruises all over her body, more than after the first time they had done it in the hotel room.

    She could kill Ye Zhongjue now! He was just ruthlessst night. Naturally, her back hurt like hell.

    Mo Suqing rubbed her back and was about to put on her clothes when Ye Zhongjue emerged from the bathroom.

    Smiling, Ye Zhongjue came over and touched her nose with one finger. He suggested he help her?put on?clothes and Mo Suqing, although a little shy, nodded. After all, they had been together for a while now.

    Besides, she was too tired to do it herself. However, the moment Ye Zhongjueid eyes on her smooth body, he was immediately aroused.

    Men usually had the highest sex drive in the morning.

    Mo Suqing had not expected that an act as innocent as putting on some clothes would result in?more wild sex.

    Mo Suqing, her back pain unbearable, struggled to pack her handbag for work. She kept cursing Ye Zhongjue in her heart. <i>Monster! The man is a sheer monster!?</i>She could barely walk straight.

    However, seeing that she was going to bete, Mo Suqing quickened her pace to brush her teeth.

    She swore she would never let him help her change into her clothes.

    Once again, they had their breakfast in the car.

    When Mo Suqing got off the car, she gave him a look and?eximed, ¡°You are not allowed to act like that ever again!¡±

    She quickly ran toward the building, not wanting to see Ye Zhongjue¡¯s darkened face.

 Chapter 53 â€“ The Truth Came to Light

    <h4>Chapter 53 ¨C The Truth Came to Light</h4>

    Mo Suqing just walked into the office when Leng Xiyao rushed toward her, apparently excited.

    ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch at Beihuan Road today! On the way here, I found there is a new hotpot restaurant called Aishang. The interior seems pretty nice. I bet there will be a lot of customers today. Oh, and their private dining areas look unique, too. We have to pay it a visit today!¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at her quietly. <i>You get all worked up over a restaurant?</i>

    Mo Suqing nodded, which sent Leng Xiyao into another frenzy of joy.

    What Mo Suqing didn¡¯t know was, Aishang Hotpot was actually a restaurant under the relevant department of The Unparalleled. If the customer feedback and the revenue turned out to be good, there would be more branches in the future.

    Leng Xiyao had proposed this idea to Leng Haoyun on a whim; she had not thought he would really have gone for it. That was why she was so excited when he put her words into action.

    Therefore, the restaurant was very important to her. She needed to be one of the first patrons on the first day it set up shop!

    ¡°Thank you so much! I knew you would do anything for me. Mwah, mwah!¡±

    Leng Xiyao waved Mo Suqing¡¯s arm happily while thanking her nonstop.

    Mo Suqing pushed her away in disgust. ¡°It¡¯s just having lunch at a restaurant. Do you have to react in such an exaggerated way? And go find a man to kiss; don¡¯t air-kiss me!¡±

    Smiling, Mo Suqing walked to her desk.

    Leng Xiyao found it a torture to sit still and wait for the morning to pass. When it was lunch break, all she wished to do was to fly over to the restaurant. Instead, she dragged Mo Suqing and skittered out of the office.

    Little had they expected to see Mo Sulian waiting on the other side of the gate.

    Needless to say, she was waiting for Bai Tingnan.

    Leng Xiyao turned her head away, not wanting to see the woman at all.

    Mo Suqing followed suit. She could not bring herself toy eyes on her after what had happened the previous evening.

    She admitted Ye Zhongjue was very handsome, but that didn¡¯t justify the fact that Mo Sulian had shamelessly tried to seduce her brother-inw.

    Thinking about it, Mo Suqing could not help but feel angry.

    Leng Xiyao, obsessed with the hotpot restaurant and busy hailing a taxi at present, did not notice anything weird about Mo Suqing.

    Once they were in the car, Mo Suqing looked at the silly girl in exasperation.

    ¡°You know, you don¡¯t look like someone who is going to have lunch; you look more like someone who is in a hurry to do something urgent. Are you famished? Is that it?¡±

    Leng Xiyao gave her an astonished look. <i>Am I behaving like that?</i>

    Sheughed nervously and replied, ¡°Well, yeah!?I get extremely hungry thinking about hotpots. I must eat to my heart¡¯s content!¡±

    Her enthusiasm infected Mo Suqing, who banished Mo Sulian from her thoughts.

    They chatted and made jokes with each other on the way. Soon enough, the car arrived in front of Aishang Hotpot.

    The moment they set foot in the restaurant, Mo Suqing was attracted by the uniqueness of the private dining areas separated by traditional Chinese screens.

    The screens were quite thick and the dining areas were far from each other. On each screen was a painting of majestic mountains and rivers, sunlight?reflected?on lotus flowers, green hills, or some otherndscape. It was very elegant and stylish.

    <i>Somehow it shed quite well with hotpots,</i> Mo Suqing thought.<i>?Perhaps it can also cool one¡¯s emotions down!</i>

    They walked deeper into the interior. Familiar voices came from behind.

    ncing at Mo Suqing, Leng Xiyao knew she must have heard it too.

    Her face darkened. It really was a very small world, especially for enemies!

    They had just met Mo Sulian at the gate of their office building, and just when they had decided to push that woman out of their mind, she had once again shown?up.

    What an unfortunate coincidence!

    The voices stopped all too suddenly. Apparently, Mo Sulian and Bai Tingnan saw them

    too.

    Bumping into an enemy and making a retreat was not something Leng Xiyao would do.

    She forced Mo Suqing, whose face had gone pale, to turn around, but at the same time whispered into her ear, ¡°Suqing, let me take care of it.¡±

    She was alreadyughing when they came face to face with the other women. It was a spookyugh that gave one goosebumps.

    ¡°Ah, I thought it was you! The stink you carry is so obscene I can smell it from afar!¡±

    Leng Xiyao couldn¡¯t help but use some foulnguages. It was too much for her to bump into someone she hated to see twice a day.

    Bai Tingnan¡¯s face darkened immediately. She would tear that smile off Leng Xiyao¡¯s pretty face if it was not for Mo Sulian who stopped her.

    She gave Mo Sulian a puzzled look. ¡°Sulian, why are you stopping me? Let me tear her mouth into pieces and make her pay the price of being too cocky!¡±

    ¡°Come on then! I am not afraid of you!¡± Leng Xiyao taunted, adding fuel to the mes.

    Bai Tingnan fumed. <i>What a loathsome bitch!</i>

    ¡°Leng Xiyao, I dare you to act like this in the office, where you always flee like a rat when you see the editor-in-chief.¡±

    Her words truly touched Leng Xiyao¡¯s sore spot. She was right. Leng Xiyao hated to be bullied by An Huilin every day like a fool. If it was not for the fact she really liked the job and that she could work with Mo Suqing, she would have already stood up to the woman.

    Anyhow,?Leng Xiyao was infuriated.

    Even Mo Suqing knew she could hardly stop her, but she tried, ¡°Yao, don¡¯t lower yourself to her level by taking her words seriously! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked over her shoulder and gave her a reassuring look. ¡°Suqing, don¡¯t worry,¡± she smiled. ¡°Being too slender, I may not be able to win in a physical fight; however, I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ll lose in a verbal one!¡±

    She sneered at Bai Tingnan and said, ¡°Bai Tingnan, you are so brazen. I can¡¯t count the times you have done something abominable at the workce. You are so shameless,?it¡¯s outrageous! You have always spoken ill of us in front of Abbess Miejue, but what has that achieved? We are still working there, ha!¡±

    Leng Xiyao was taller than Bai Tingnan. When she cast a sideways, contemptuous nce at her, it felt like she was looking down on her, giving her an advantage in the fight.

    ¡°It is one thing you do those unspeakable things; it is quite another you get people into trouble because of them. Tell me, where is your conscience?¡±

    Heedless of Mo Sulian¡¯s trying to stop her, Bai Tingnan pushed her away and red at Leng Xiyao. ¡°Leng Xiyao, who do you think you are? You are but a nobody! How dare you speak to me like that! I¡¯m going to sue you for nder!¡±

    ¡°You go and do that!¡± Leng Xiyao said unconcernedly. ¡°Don¡¯t assume that you have gotten away with those dirty acts you havemitted. Suqing and I, we just turned a blind eye to it. We know you stole the picture from Suqing¡¯s phone and published Guan Zixuan¡¯s scandal. We¡¯ll sue you before you sue us! Let¡¯s see who will gain the upper hand!¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s speech had the effect of thunder.

    Bai Tingnan¡¯s face paled with guilt.

    ¡°Leng Xiyao, don¡¯t you make things up! If Mo Suqing took the picture herself, why didn¡¯t she publish it? Besides, how could I possibly?have stolen it? You can¡¯t just falsely use someone without proof!¡±

    Leng Xiyao roared. ¡°Falsely used? Bai Tingnan, what a childlike, brainless, ignorant woman you are! Don¡¯t you know there are cameras and surveince in the office? I have the footage right here in my phone. Wanna check it out?¡±

    She rolled her eyes at Bai Tingnan and added, ¡°I knew you would deny it, so I am well-prepared.¡±

    Meanwhile, five steps away in the Mountain and River private dining room, Guan Zixuan and Mu Ling¡¯er stopped eating. They were obviously listening to the conversation outside.

    More importantly, it was a conversation rted to themselves.

    A mysterious smile appeared on Guan Zixuan¡¯s face. He had not thought this would be the truth.

    Looks like the stupid woman really hadn¡¯t wanted to publish the photo. She had only lied to him about being a tourist to prevent a misunderstanding.

    She wouldn¡¯t have possibly known what would have happenedter on. <i>I?</i><i>have?</i><i>wrongly judged her!</i>

    This was all very interesting. He had not expected to get wind of such shocking information during lunch with Mu Ling¡¯er.

    Mu Ling¡¯er, on the other hand, had an odd expression on her face. Why did Guan Zixuan suddenly be so excited?

    In her opinion, it was too strong?of?a reaction.

    However, she did not say her spection out loud. She had been in love with Guan Zixuan for many years and finally he had agreed to let her be his girlfriend. She would not ruin that by touching his sore spot.

    He hated it?when?others?tried to guess what he was thinking.

    Besides, she could never correctly guess what the man was thinking.

    A profound smile spread over Guan Zixuan¡¯s face when he put some vegetables in Mu Ling¡¯er¡¯s bowl.

    ¡°Have some more, babe,¡± he said. Mu Ling¡¯er was not used to hearing him speak to her with such a gentle voice.

    Outside the dining room, Bai Tingnan¡¯s face had gone ghostly pale. She couldn¡¯t believe she would have forgotten something as important as destroying the surveince video. She had been too excited when she got hold of that picture.

    If the footage went public, she would definitely lose her job.

    She looked at Leng Xiyao stubbornly. ¡°So what? Who will believe you? If Mo Suqing had the picture, why didn¡¯t she publish it? People will find it more usible that she and I published the story jointly. Just because I was the first one to publish the picture doesn¡¯t mean I stole it from her. No one will believe your side of the story!¡±

    ¡°Well, the footage can answer all the questions!¡± Leng Xiyao looked at her coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t assume that everyone is as shameless as you.¡±

    Knowing that she was in the right, Leng Xiyao red at Bai Tingnan fearlessly.

    Bai Tingnan was smoldering with rage. She would really like to tear that mouth of hers into pieces, regardless of the fact that they were in a public ce.

    However, Mo Sulian was holding her down firmly. They were seen together. As a celebrity, she did not want anyone to make a joke of her because of Bai Tingnan.

    Only a short time had passed since the?argument?began, but there were already many onlookers.

    Bai Tingnan red at Mo Sulian angrily, as if to say, <i>They are not aiming their gun at you today, so of course you can endure all of it.</i>

    Mo Suqing¡¯s expression cooled down a bit.

    At this moment, a deep, kind voice boomed, ¡°My god, look who it is! Howe you didn¡¯t tell me you wereing?¡±

 Chapter 54 â€“ Cursing All the Lovers in the World

    <h4>Chapter 54 ¨C Cursing All the Lovers in the World</h4>

    Everyone was startled, including the poker-faced Mo Sulian.

    A middle-aged man came toward them. He looked at Leng Xiyao and ced a hand on her arm, seemingly surprised, ¡°Little mistress, why didn¡¯t youe to me and say hello, since you are here? Come! Don¡¯t just stand here. Let Uncle Xiang take you for lunch.¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked a bit uneasy, as if a secret of hers had been found out.

    Uncle Xiang saw Mo Sulian and Bai Tingnan and asked uncertainly, ¡°Are they your friends? Come along! Come with us. I¡¯ll arrange a private dining room for you.¡±

    He had not seen the fight between Leng Xiyao and Bai Tingnan.

    Leng Xiyao pursed her lips. ¡°No, I do not have stupid friends like them!¡±

    Bai Tingnan¡¯s face turned purple with rage. <i>Leng Xiyao, how dare you to insult me like that in public!</i>

    Leng Xiyao pushed Mo Suqing forward from behind her and pouted, ¡°Uncle Xiang, this is my good friend!¡±

    Then, she red at Mo Sulian and Bai Tingnan before walking away.

    Uncle Xiang barked out orders to clear a dining room and prepare the dishes as he followed them.

    It had been a while since Bai Tingnan and Mo Sulianst went out. They had nned to have a great time with each other over lunch. However, they broke up in discord before they could have eaten anything or had a great time.

    Bai Tingnan red in the direction where Leng Xiyao had headed and clenched her fists angrily.

    Then, she watched Mo Sulian walk away without a second nce before she herself left the restaurant sulkily.

    After they entered the dining room, Mo Suqing pointed at Uncle Xiang, who had his back to them, and gave Leng Xiyao a puzzled look. ¡°You know him?¡±

    Leng Xiayo blinked and nodded. She had been holding back her true identity from Mo Suqing for far too long to know how to tell her everything.

    After hesitating for a while, she still did not say anything. Instead, she said casually, ¡°Well, I have never patronized a new restaurant before, have I? Of course I do that for someone I know! He¡¯s the director and manager of this restaurant. You can just call him Uncle Xiang. A very nice guy.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mo Suqing nodded. ¡°I can see that.¡±

    Although she didn¡¯t know better, she could see that Uncle Xiang was very nice to Leng Xiyao.

    It was obvious from the way he hastened to spare a room for them when the restaurant was crowded.

    While they were having lunch, Leng Xiyao was not her talkative self. Mo Suqing found her absent-minded.

    All of a sudden, after eating a mouthful of mushroom, she looked at Mo Suqing. Her expression became very solemn and serious.

    ¡°Suqing, what if one day you find out that I have been hiding something from you ¨C but I swear,¡± Leng Xiyao raised her hand emphatically before continuing, ¡°I?didn''t?do?it?intentionally; I have some unspeakable reasons ¨C will you be able to forgive me?¡±

    Mo Suqing thought for a moment and looked at her calmly. ¡°No matter what the reasons?are, as long as you?have?the best intentions, I will forgive you.¡±

    She was not a fool. Although she and Leng Xiyao were best friends for many years, the girl had never once invited her to her house or mentioned anything about her family except for the fact that her parents had long passed away and she lived with her uncle.

    Who didn¡¯t have their own secrets? She believed that when Leng Xiyao found the time suitable to tell her hers, she would.

    Leng Xiyao returned to her normal self in an instant. She skipped over to Mo Suqing¡¯s side and waved her arm happily. ¡°Suqing, you are the best!¡±

    Mo Suqing smiled. She had just expressed what a normal person would think, and the girl couldn¡¯t be happier.

    ¡°Sit back down and eat your hotpot! Otherwise we will bete for work.¡±

    Leng Xiyao stuck her tongue out yfully and returned to her seat to resume her lunch.

    Meanwhile, in another dining room.

    Guan Zixuan had finished his meal. Like azy, elegant tomcat watching over his territory, he looked at Mu Ling¡¯er sitting across from him.

    A mischievous smile was hanging at the corner of his mouth. The scene that had just taken ce outside his room was unexpected. His interest in that woman, Mo Suqing, was certainly piqued by the exchange. What should he do now?

    He said the answer out loud in a t tone with a hint ofughter to the woman in front of him, ¡°Ling¡¯er, go home by yourself after lunch.?From now on, don¡¯te?see me anymore.¡±

    Incredulity gleamed in Mu Ling¡¯er¡¯s eyes, as if she couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing.

    Her eyes were filled with tears and she suddenly found she had no appetite for her favorite food in front of her.

    ¡°Zixuan, you didn¡¯t mean it, did you? What happened?¡±

    She looked at Guan Zixuan, her expression confused and sad. She had no idea what she had done wrong.

    She approached him and tugged at his sleeves, begging desperately, ¡°Zixuan, did I do anything wrong? I¡¯ll never do it again, okay? Please don¡¯t do this!¡±

    Guan Zixuan raised his eyebrows?expressionlessly. She had not done anything wrong. It was just that he had found a new target, that was all.

    Enthusiasm for his new-found prey shed through his eyes. Then, he nced at the woman by his side who had tears in her eyes and chuckled coldheartedly and sarcastically. <i>For god¡¯s sake, she works in the entertainment industry! How can she let her heart be broken?</i><i>so</i><i>?easily?</i> Her expression would make anyone feel sorry and piteous, definitely not wanting to say anything harsh.

    However, she had made the wrong move. Guan Zixuan wasn¡¯t like anybody else. He had no pity andpassion.

    Slowly, he pushed away Mu Ling¡¯er¡¯s hand and said in a light tone, ¡°Seriously, you will stop doing anything I tell you not to?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Mu Ling¡¯er nodded frantically for fear to upset him.

    ¡°Alright then. There is only one thing I would like you to stop doing,¡± Guan Zixuan said.

    Mu Ling¡¯er looked at him eagerly, waiting for what followed. Guan Zixuan stood up and smoothed his clothes, smiling all the while.

    He patted Mu Ling¡¯er¡¯s delicate face. ¡°Stop loving me. I hate it when you do that.¡±

    Then, he left the room.

    Mu Ling¡¯er broke down and started crying uncontrobly.

    Yes, she had wanted to use his fame to help with her own reputation, but she had never thought he would leave her. Why did thingse to this?

    ¡­¡­

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao went back to thepany after lunch. The moment they entered the office, Bai Tingnan¡¯s gaze turned towards them and followed their every step with a menacing re.

    Leng Xiyao pursed her lips. The woman was good at threatening people with no real actions. Then, when she lost in a verbal fight with her, she would y some tricks on the sly. Sooner orter, one of her schemes would backfire.

    Leng Xiyao gave her a contemptuous look and pulled?Mo Suqing to their seats.

    When it was near time to get off work, An Huilin emerged from her private office with a dark expression as if someone owed her millions of dors.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have a get-together after work today. Due to the great sales Trend Magazine has witnessed this month, the boss is going to treat everyone to dinner at Silk Empire International.¡±

    Everyone cheered. One even asked excitedly, ¡°Will our mysterious boss show up? Ever since Trend Magazine was bought by him, we haven¡¯t yet had the honor to meet him in person!¡±

    Mo Suqing frowned, looking at An Huilin inquiringly.

    The Trend Magazine was bought not long after she and Leng Xiyao began working here. The person ¨C their?new?boss ¨C was very mysterious. She had never seen him even though she had been here for a while now.

    And today, he decided to reward them with a fancy dinner. That piqued her curiosity.

    Leng Xiyao seemed to be even more curious.

    For some reason, An Huilin cast Leng Xiyao a quick nce. She replied expressionlessly, ¡°Our boss is very busy! Only the staff in the magazine will be there.¡±

    Then, she vanished back into her office without another word.

    Mo Suqing watched An Huilin bewilderedly andmented, ¡°Yao, did you notice that Abbess Miejue¡¯s face went several degrees darker when someone asked her whether our boss would show up?¡±

    Leng Xiyao answered cruelly without looking up from the magazine she had been browsing, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. Doesn¡¯t she always wear the same deathly expression? It¡¯s amazing you are able to detect any changes.¡±

    Mo Suqing did not know what to say to that, so she changed the subject, ¡°Okay, pretend I didn¡¯t ask that question. I¡¯ve got to send Ye Zhongjue a text, telling him not to pick me up today.¡±

    Leng Xiyao leaned closer and smiled a wicked smile. ¡°Aww, how sweet! As a single, I am so jealous of you!¡±

    Mo Suqing rolled her eyes in the middle of the textposition. ¡°Can¡¯t you act normal for once?¡±

    ¡°Normal? Sure!¡± Leng Xiyao put her magazine aside and said in a solemn tone, ¡°ording to my analysis, you are one of those women who is immersing in the luscious honey that is your life while Abbess Miejue is obviously struggling to ¡®make ends meet¡¯ in her sex life. There must be some problem with her. Otherwise, as attractive as she is, why is she still single? I reckon she has some sex issues¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing was speechless with all the sex talk. ¡°Can¡¯t you think of anything that is not dirty?¡±

    Leng Xiyaoughed. ¡°You think this is dirty? If I do want to say something dirty, I?would?probably?be?in a simr situation as Abbess Miejue. You have no idea how kind it is of me to say these things good-humoredly ¨C I am not cursing all the lovers in the world!¡±

    The phone vibrated. Mo Suqing quickly checked it to see it was a text from Ye Zhongjue.

    She patted Leng Xiyao, saying, ¡°Get ready, will you? It is almost time to get off work!¡±

    Leng Xiyao made a face and stuck her tongue out. ¡°You obviously don¡¯t want me to read your sweet text. What an excuse to get rid of me!¡±

    Mo Suqing did not know what to do about her when she was this childish.

    She woke her phone. The text read, ¡°I have a dinner to attend today, too. It¡¯s going to be prettyte when it finishes. Go home after your dinner; don¡¯t wait up for me.¡±

 Chapter 55 â€“ A Wickedly Beautiful Man

    <h4>Chapter 55 ¨C A Wickedly Beautiful Man</h4>

    After work, the gang from Trend Magazine set off in procession towards?Silk Empire International.

    Silk Empire International was a subsidiary under Mighty Empire and famous in A?City?for its three ¡°mosts¡± ¨C most delicious, most equipped and most stylish.

    What one meant by the ¡°most delicious¡± was of course its food. The taste of the food there was second to none; it might?as?well be from heaven. What ¡°most equipped¡± indicated was its various facilities. Silk Empire International was not merely a restaurant; it was also a pub, a karaoke, a hot spring bath, a tea house and a club. Anything you might think of, they¡¯d got it. Covering more than five thousand acres, it was aprehensive establishment for entertainment and rxation located at the foot of Mt. Qingming in A?City.

    As for thest ¡°most,¡± the most stylish interior design, it was truly unsurpassed anywhere in the city.

    Needless to say, it was an enormous project to design and of five thousand acres. However, the architecture had done a superb job in creating the exquisitely detailed piece of art that is Silk Empire International. In every corner, one could see elegance andvishness.

    It was a popr haunt for the upper ss.

    Of course, those who had a little money to spend were also among its regr patrons.

    Mo Suqing could never have believed their mysterious boss would be so generous as to treat all of them to dinner at such a ce.

    That was why everyone was thrilled when An Huilin announced they were to have dinner there, of all ces.

    Leng Xiyao had been talking nonstop on the way there. ¡°Suqing, why are you so cool about it? Don¡¯t you feel that it is odd of a boss to be this kind? I bet there is more to the story.¡±

    Mo Suqing looked askance at her. ¡°Why can¡¯t you think of it in a good way?¡±

    ¡°In a good way?¡± Leng Xiyao sank into deep thought. After long deliberation,?her response?almost made Mo Suqing choke.

    ¡°I can¡¯t think of anything good about it!¡±

    <i>Then why did you act like you were deep in thought??</i>Mo Suqing thought. <i>I think you cane up with something much better than this!</i>

    ¡°I have to say¡­ you are a hard case.¡±

    Before Mo Suqing had finished the sentence, Leng Xiyao had already pounced on her like a mad cat.

    Mo Suqing was about to mess around with her a bit more.

    Suddenly, her eyes fell on a group of well-suited people ahead of them. She needed not a second nce to know they must be CEOs.

    She tugged at Leng Xiyao and lowered her voice, ¡°Stop it, Yao. A group of people areing toward us. Don¡¯t be too carried away.¡±

    Although Silk Empire International was a ce for entertainment, the restaurant part of it was very quiet and low-key, without any of the hustle and bustle of city life.

    Every private dining room was well soundproofed.

    Leng Xiyao sheathed her ws and turned to where Mo Suqing was looking.

    She was astonished immediately.

    <i>Uncle! He is having dinner here too??</i><i>Why didn¡¯t he tell her??</i>She suddenly remembered that she had told himst night about how she missed the food at Silk Empire International and how it had been a long time since they went there.

    Then, today of all days, the magazine treated them to dinner here. And somehow, her uncle was here too. Were these two things linked in some way?

    Otherwise, how could one exin such a coincidence?

    Those who were at the front of the procession, including Liu Siran and Bai Tingnan, found that their hearts were beating unusually fast.

    They had never seen a man more perfect than the one before them. They stared at Leng Haoyun and averted their eyes from time to time out of coyness.

    When the two groups passed each other, Mo Suqing could feel the man fix his gaze at something next to her.

    Of course, it was nothing new for journalists to see handsome guys in person. However, the one at the front of the group was extraordinarily so and particrly memorable.

    He was the same type as Ye Zhongjue, who seemed to radiate in a crowd.

    The only difference between them was their styles.

    Mo Suqing cast a nce at An Huilin. Somehow, she felt her watching intently at the wickedly beautiful man.

    Moreover, there seemed to be a hint of bitter love in her eyes.

    Yes, there was no doubt what it was.

    Mo Suqing was stunned. Abbess Miejue was feeling the bitterness of love? Could it be possible that she was in love with the wickedly beautiful man?

    However, love at first sight was just so unlike Abbess Miejue, yet if she knew that man, she would have said hello, wouldn¡¯t she?

    Mo Suqing could not understand it.

    Female journalists were far more than their male counterparts in Trend Magazine, so it was impossible to stop the gossip once it started.

    After the brief encounter, the women began gossiping about the man.

    ¡°Who is that man? My god, isn¡¯t he cute? I could feel my pulse quickened!¡±

    ¡°Tell me about it! It¡¯s a pity a man as gorgeous as he is not an actor or singer!¡±

    ¡°You can say that again. I would be one of his?biggest?fans if he is!¡±

    ¡°You are both wrong. Didn¡¯t you see what he¡¯s wearing? It¡¯s an Armani handmade suit! Not somethingmoners can afford, I tell you! He is obviously?wealthy. Why would he need to be a celebrity?¡±

    ¡°A young man from A?City?with a look that can wreak havoc and money that I can only dream of¡­ surely we should have known about him?¡±

    Someone chipped in, ¡°Not necessarily. It¡¯s like nobody has ever seen the CEOs of Mighty Empire and The Unparalleled. It¡¯s not a problem for the rich to avoid appearing in newspapers!¡±

    Everyone went silent in an instant.

    Was it possible that the man whom they had just passed by was the CEO of either Mighty Empire or The Unparalleled?

    No way! What was the possibility of that?

    Seeing the shocked expression of her colleagues, the person who had caused the rm quicklyughed a nervousugh.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really know! Don¡¯t take my words seriously¡­¡±

    All breathed out a sigh of relief. For one second, they had believed she was revealing the truth she had found out!

    An Huilin sneered inwardly. What they did not know was that the man was?actually?their mysterious boss.

    Lost in her thought, she turned her head and cast Leng Xiyao a nce.

    She looked na?ve and innocent enough. When Leng Haoyun walked past her, she didn¡¯t even look up. Nevertheless, she was sure Leng Xiyao was the person she had seen in the picture the other day.

    It was hard to imagine she was such a maniptive person, though young she was.

    Leng Xiyao seemed to sense An Huilin¡¯s stare. She snapped her head up.

    An Huilin quickly looked away, trying to hide the fact that she had been looking at her.

    The group entered a private dining room. Mo Suqing kept telling Leng Xiyao, ¡°They had a point, don¡¯t they? A man so wickedly beautiful can¡¯t be a nobody.¡±

    Leng Xiyao almost puked the water she had just drunk. She forced the liquid down her throat, her face chokingly red.

    <i>Wickedly beautiful! A look that can wreak havoc!</i> Haha¡­ Inside, she had burst outughing. If her uncle heard about thosements, his face had to darken!

    Mo Suqing peered at her. ¡°Why are you reacting so strongly?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡± Leng Xiyao waved her hand while coughing violently.

    Frowning in puzzlement, Mo Suqing patted her back to help her regain her breath.

    ¡°You know, when we passed each other, I felt that the man looked at you for a moment. But maybe I am wrong!¡±

    Hearing this, Leng Xiyao almost fell from her chair.

    Mo Suqing was a good gossip journalist for a reason. Her olfactory sense seemed to be better than that of a dog, able to smell all kinds of gossip!

    Mo Suqing caught her arm. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you today? You are acting weird. Are you having one of your fits of sporadic craziness?¡±

    It was rare for?Leng Xiyao?to not?retort?back. Instead, all she did wasugh nervously and smile embarrassedly. ¡°I just feel that you may be stretching the truth a bit. There are too many wealthy people in A?City?for us to know each one of them. He¡¯s probably just a CEO of some randompany. As for what you said about him?looking at me¡­ that is impossible. There are so many of us. Maybe he is looking at someone else!¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at her suspiciously.

    ¡°Why do I feel that your denial is a bit too eager? And your smile is so fake!¡±

    Mo Suqing raised her eyebrows. Leng Xiyao turned away, her face contorted. <i>That¡¯s strange. Suqing has turned into a clever detective today!</i>

    <i>She has so far seen through her every pretense! This has got to stop!</i>

    Mo Suqing poked her in the back.

    Leng Xiyao turned around with her fake smile and, before Mo Suqing could say anything more, blurted out, ¡°Say no more! I¡¯ll copse right here and there otherwise. This is the only expression I can manage tonight!¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at her as if she was looking at a crazy woman and confirmed, ¡°Yes, the expression of a dead fish.¡±

    ¡°You¡ª¡± Leng Xiyao forced?down?the dirty wording up to her throat. Mo Suqing was too belligerent today for her to beat her. <i>I¡¯d better change the subject!</i>

    She put on her fake smile yet again and said, ¡°Suqing, you are good! Well, it¡¯s been a while you and I have a good drink. Come on, raise your ss to a toast!¡±

    Mo Suqing raised her ss, then said emotionlessly, ¡°I do not want to talk to you now!¡±

    Leng Xiyao bristled. <i>I just don¡¯t want to fight you; it doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t!</i>

    She spoke loudly, ¡°I do not want to talk to you, <i>and?</i>I throw some crap at you!¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡± Someone had water spurt out of his mouth; several people wereughing hard.

    The journalist in the business section sitting across from them asked smilingly, ¡°Suqing, what¡¯s wrong with you and Xiyao?¡±

    Bai Tingnan red at them, as if she would like to kill someone.

    ¡°This is a public ce. You like to be in the spotlight, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Her sarcastic tone made the woman who had just spoken a little awkward.

    Leng Xiyao looked at Bai Tingnan curiously. ¡°Well, yeah. Don¡¯t you know?¡±

    Bai Tingnan did not know how to react to her response.

    Then, Leng Xiyao continued, ¡°Silly, this is the secret behind my extraordinary sess in beating you! I practice my verbal skills by bickering with Suqing all the time, to beat you in critical moments like this!¡±

    Leng Xiyao smiled insincerely and took a swig of beer to soothe her throat.

 Chapter 56 â€“ You canâ€™t just Drag Me into This

    <h4>Chapter 56 ¨C You can¡¯t just Drag Me into This</h4>

    Mo Suqing smiled mildly, although she was extremely cheerful inside. She knew Leng Xiyao very well.

    She never got the short end of the stick. On the contrary, Bai Tingnan had got the worst of it more than once, but she still couldn¡¯t learn the lesson. It served her right.

    Although she and Leng Xiyao liked to engage in a good bickering, their friendship had be closer and closer at the same time. <i>I bet?</i>you<i>?couldn¡¯t do that, could you?</i>

    <i>What a helpless moron.</i>

    An Huilin¡¯s cold nce swept through each of them when she said irritably, ¡°We are supposed to be having dinner together. Stop fighting and making a scene! If you don¡¯t want to have dinner, just get out.¡±

    Mo Suqing grabbed Leng Xiyao¡¯s arm, willing her not to do anything impulsive.

    However, before Leng Xiyao <i>could?</i>do anything impulsive, somebody beat her to it.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am,?they are the ones?who are making a scene. What have I ever done?¡±

    An Huilin¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Bai Tingnan, get out of here if you don¡¯t want to have dinner properly. Do not spoil our mood!¡±

    Obviously, An Huilin was in a bad mood today. Stupid as Bai Tingnan, she kept incurring her wrath.

    Having received a public dressing-down, Bai Tingnan, feeling utterly wronged, took her handbag with her and began to rush out, almost knocking over a waitress on the way. She red at the waitress and yelled, ¡°Are you blind?¡±

    Then, she took off without even a backward nce.

    The waitress stared at her nkly. Someone quickly came to her rescue, ¡°Please don¡¯t be offended. She is crazy. Just serve our dishes, would you? I¡¯m starving!¡±

    The waitress smiled and started to put the dishes on the table. The atmosphere improved immediately.

    Leng Xiyaoughed uncontrobly. Trying hard to suppress herughter, she leaned against Mo Suqing and whispered into her ear, ¡°Suqing, I finally understand why Bai Tingnan can never beat me in a fight! It¡¯s because she¡¯s too stupid! Ah, I feel so happy.¡±

    Mo Suqing watched her gloat over Bai Tingnan¡¯s misfortune. She was very happy, too!

    She lowered her voice and said, ¡°Can¡¯t you see?¡±

    ¡°See what?¡± Leng Xiyao asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s what we call a woman with big boobs and no brain!¡±

    Leng Xiyao burst outughing once more, only this time she had the courtesy to cover her mouth. She fell down to Mo Suqing¡¯sp, weak from all theughing.

    ¡°Suqing, I just realized that you are the real badass here!¡±

    Mo Suqing did not reply. She pulled up Leng Xiyao and put a mouthful of her favorite food in her bowl.

    After dinner, some suggested karaoke and some proposed having a drink.

    The karaoke was actually right next to the pub and not far from the private dining room.

    Leng Xiyao vehemently agreed with having a drink. It had been a long time since she and Mo Suqing had a drink together and it could barely be counted as one when they had a little alcohol during dinner.

    In the end, people who wanted to have a drink outnumbered those who preferred going to the karaoke. It had been settled.

    An Huilin waved her hand and said, ¡°You go then; I¡¯m going home now. Don¡¯t forget to request a reimbursement from me tomorrow. The boss will cover every expense for tonight.¡±

    Someone asked curiously, ¡°Ma¡¯am, who on earth is our boss? He has bought ourpany for a long time now, but we have never met him.¡±

    An Huilin gave Leng Xiyao a meaningful look before answering, ¡°Soon, you will know.¡±

    Then, she left them alone.

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao walked toward the pub with the others.

    After several rounds of beer, Mo Suqing felt befuddled. She found it difficult to control herself recently.

    Leng Xiyao did not try to exercise any restraint tonight, either. She was as drunk as Mo Suqing. So were the others.

    At a certain point, Mo Suqing struggled to stand up in order to go to the restroom.

    Zhang Yubin, bold drunk, stood up so suddenly that he almost knocked over the bottles on the table. ¡°Suqing, I¡¯ll go with you!¡±

    Mo Suqing waved her hand as a no. <i>I¡¯m just going to the restroom. What is the matter with him?</i>

    A few male colleagues sitting next to Zhang Yubin began to encourage him.

    ¡°Go! You must go with her! Mo Suqing is obviously drunk. We don¡¯t want her to get lost!¡±

    Leng Xiyao, drunk though she was, could see that Mo Suqing was reluctant. She stood up herself, with a bottle in her hand.

    ¡°All of you, sit down! I¡¯ll go with Suqing! Besides, you can¡¯t follow her into thedy¡¯s room, now can you?¡±

    Her outburst surprised the men. Zhang Yubin lost his courage he had finally plucked up.

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao supported each other and staggered toward the restroom.

    After going to the restroom, they began the return journey. Neither of them was clear-headed. Mo Suqing pointed at the room they had just gone past. ¡°Yao, I think we missed it. I remember we came from there.¡±

    Leng Xiyao was hammered, but she insisted, ¡°No, you are wrong! Our room is the one at the end of the hall!¡±

    Mo Suqing could not talk her out of it. She thought she might just have remembered the wrong room, so she followed Leng Xiyao to the room at the far end.

    The truth was, Leng Xiyao did remember?correctly. The problem was, she forgot who she was with.

    Every time she asked Leng Haoyun to take her there, they were assigned Room No.1 at the end of the passage. It was reserved for bigwigs of the city.

    Reaching the room, Leng Xiyao pushed open the door, a silly smile on her face.

    Mo Suqing looked around. All the faces were unfamiliar to her. She shook her head to clear it, then took another look at the people in the room.

    They had been surprised when the door opened. However, when they found two pretty girls standing there, their expressions were turned from shocked to wicked.

    They were here to do business. Usually, there were beautiful women entertaining them. But today, they dared not do anything untoward out of respect for a specialpanion.

    However, when they saw two drunk women appearing at their door, it was inevitable for them to have dirty thoughts.

    Ye Zhongjue did not pay any attention to what was happening, even when the door to the room had opened. Few things could attract his attention nowadays.

    On the other hand, Lin Ran, who had gone to the restroom, saw it upon returning.

    What he saw was this: a group of men looking at two lostmbs at the door with undisguised hostility.

    Thanks to Ye Zhongjue, they were only looking and hadn¡¯t made any imprudent moves.

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao were a little stunned. They had no idea what was happening and just stood there, unable to decide what to do.

    Behind them, Lin Ran could not see their faces. He approached the two girls and tapped Leng Xiyao on the shoulder. ¡°Excuse me, who are you?¡±

    Leng Xiyao turned around and the stink of drink rushed forward. She was obviously wasted.

    ¡°Who are <i>you</i>?¡±

    Before Lin Ran could answer her question, Mo Suqing turned around, too.

    When he saw the pretty face of Mo Suqing¡¯s, Lin Ran immediately stepped back out of surprise.

    <i>Isn¡¯t she Miss Mo, the woman Boss wants me to keep tabs on?</i>

    He had known that Miss Mo was very special to his brother, so he found it very strange that he apparently hadn¡¯t had any reactions to her presence.

    He peered in the room over the girls¡¯ heads.

    Ye Zhongjue was sitting in a dark corner, his head hung low as if deep in thought. He did not notice anyone at the door, nor any change in the atmosphere.

    It looked like his?boss?had not seen Miss Mo at all. Lin Ran quickly walked around Leng Xiyao and over to Ye Zhongjue.

    Meanwhile, the other men had been restless. When one of them saw that Leng Xiyao and Mo Suqing were turning to leave, he could no longer hold back. He pounced and pulled the girls back into the room.

    ¡°Prettydies,e on in. Don¡¯t go without a drink!¡±

    By now, Mo Suqing had sobered up a little, enough to feel she was in some kind of danger. <i>Did we identally bump into a pride of lions?</i>

    Somehow, she could feel their stare on them was malicious and evil.

    She pulled Leng Xiyao behind her and eyed the people in the room warily.

    Ye Zhongjue had hung his head low, so Mo Suqing never saw him.

    In the meantime, Lin Ran had walked over and bent nearer to whisper in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s ear, ¡°Boss, they took Miss Mo into the room by force!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue had thought Lin Ran was going to give him a report on some business matter. When he heard the phrase ¡°Miss Mo,¡± he snapped his head up.

    Mo Suqing was standing in center of the room. She looked like a wary hen protecting her chick with Leng Xiyao behind her.

    Seeing that the girls were in the room now, none of the others gave it a shit about caution anymore.

    Before Ye Zhongjue could do anything about it, a man had already extended his hand toward and smiled obscenely at Mo Suqing.

    Just when he was about to touch Mo Suqing on the arm, she took a step back involuntarily.

    Before Lin Ran knew what had happened, Ye Zhongjue had stood up, stridden over, and gripped the man¡¯s outstretched arm. Then, he gave it a twist.

    The man roared like a boar being shot.

    Ye Zhongjue nced over at a jaw-dropped Lin Ran, telling him with his eyes toe along. Then, he escorted Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao out of the room, leaving a bunch of old men behind.

    Leng Xiyao, who was dragged out by Mo Suqing, was no soberer than before and did not know a squat about what had happened.

    In contrast, Mo Suqing hadpletely sobered up after she left the room. Though a bit groggy still, she had no problem recognizing the person in front of her.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue thought about how it would have turned out for her if he were not in the room tonight and found himself unable to calm down.

    <i>Doesn¡¯t she know how to protect herself?</i>

    He had not thought about the more important problem until she asked him why he was here.

    At the critical moment, Lin Ran appeared. Ye Zhongjue pulled him forward.

    ¡°This is the manager in my department. He took me here to do some business tonight. Isn¡¯t that right, Manager Lin?¡±

    Seeing what was going on, Lin Ran wept on the inside.

    <i>B</i><i>ig Bro</i><i>, are you kidding me? You can¡¯t just drag me into this!</i>

 Chapter 57 â€“ A Close Call

    <h4>Chapter 57 ¨C A Close Call</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue, desperate not to get his true identity exposed, stared at Lin Ran hard and said, ¡°Manager Lin, this is my wife and her friend. Please say something lest they should be frightened.¡±

    Lin Ran¡¯s expression was a cry for help. However, he immediately understood what was going on and began to y the persona assigned to him.

    He made his face neutral and said in a tone a supervisor would assume when addressing his subordinate, ¡°Well, you¡¯d better take her home then. I¡¯ll finish the business here myself. Don¡¯t let her wander around alone; it¡¯s dangerous.¡±

    Deep down, Lin Ran was stunned. He had known Mo Suqing was married, but had never expected her husband was his boss.

    Moreover, she obviously did not know who his boss was. No wonder he had been acting weird recently.

    Now that Lin Ran knew he was married to and decided to conceal his identity from Miss Mo, everything made sense.

    It was indeed true that love could change a man.

    He could see from the way Ye Zhongjue acted around Mo Suqing that she was precious to him.

    Lin Ran watched carefully for any change in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression, wanting to know if he was satisfied with how he was handling the situation.

    Ye Zhongjue nodded. His expression betrayed no emotions whatsoever, though Lin Ran could still feel himself quivering with trepidation.

    ¡°Thank you for your consideration, Manager Lin. I¡¯ll take her home now.¡±

    Hearing him call him Manager Lin again and again, Lin Ran almost knelt down out of fright.

    Who would have thought that Ye Zhongjue would one day call him Manager Lin? No one who knew Ye Zhongjue would have believed it.

    Ye Zhongjue, not wanting to stay a minute more here in case Mo Suqing would detect anything unusual, took Mo Suqing out of the ce.

    After watching them leave, Lin Ran breathed out a sigh of relief. He could feel there was sweat on his back; the situation had been more precarious than when they were doing business with staggering numbers involved.

    Mo Suqing dragged a wasted Leng Xiyao, who was yelling about going back to the pub for more drinks.

    Mo Suqing had sobered up when they were still in Private Room No. 1. Now, she waspletely sober.

    Somehow, she could feel there was something off, but she didn¡¯t know what it was. However, since Leng Xiyao was acting silly and she had to tend to her, she did not give it much thought.

    ¡°Hold her up while I go fetch our purses.¡±

    Then, she left the girl to Ye Zhongjue, who frowned a little while trying to steady a swaying Leng Xiyao. Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face darkened, apparently disgusted.

    However, since this was Mo Suqing¡¯s best friend, he made an effort to endure his uneasiness, standing on the spot like a tree without moving.

    Suddenly, hurried steps came from behind him. He turned around and saw a dark-faced Leng Haoyun storming toward him.

    Ye Zhongjue felt baffled. He knew Leng Haoyun was doing business in Room No. 2 right next to his room tonight. But why was he wearing such a horrific expression on his face?

    Leng Haoyun was looking at his arm Leng Xiyao was grabbing. In that instant, he seemed to understand¡­

    Before he could form his thought into words, Leng Haoyun, without speaking, pulled Leng Xiyao from him and scooped her up.

    Everything had happened very quickly and unexpectedly. Before Ye Zhongjue could react, the girl was already in Leng Haoyun¡¯s arms.

    He demanded, ¡°What is this supposed to mean, President Leng?¡±

    Leng Haoyun answered coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t know why she is here with you, but I don¡¯t think an uncle needs to exin why he takes his niece away.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue understood everything all of a sudden. Leng Xiyao was the infamous niece of Leng Haoyun, who was always granted every wish!

    No wonder Leng Xiyao was so innocent and willful. She had an uncle who protected her from every obstacle and separated her from the dark side of the world. No wonder!

    However, Mo Suqing didn¡¯t seem to know the true identity of the girl. That was fine by him. He did not want her to mingle with someone like Leng Haoyun. It was too dangerous for her.

    It was probably for the best for Leng Haoyun to take her away. It had been torture to him to take care of Leng Xiyao.

    He disliked having physical contact with any women other than Mo Suqing. So, he said calmly, ¡°Be my guest, President Leng.¡±

    Leng Haoyun nced at him. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, ¡°for taking care of my niece.¡±

    With Leng Xiyao in his arms, he walked away.

    Ye Zhongjue watched him, his expression thoughtful.

    After Mo Suqing had found her and Leng Xiyao¡¯s purses, she quickly walked out of the private room.

    When she saw Ye Zhongjue standing alone on the spot, she asked frantically, ¡°Where¡¯s Yao?¡±

    ¡°Her uncle took her away!¡± Ye Zhongjue informed her in a level tone.

    ¡°What...¡± Mo Suqing was utterly baffled. <i>Her uncle took her away?</i>

    ¡°You know her uncle?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    <i>Why would Ye Zhongjue know her uncle??</i>Mo Suqing found the whole thing even more bewildering. <i>He met Leng Xiyao for the first time only a couple of days ago.</i>

    ¡°I have known her for ages and never met her uncle before. Howe <i>you?</i>would?¡±

    Mo Suqing gave him a perplexed look.

    Ye Zhongjue felt he had shot himself in the foot. He wished Mo Suqing were still hammered and not this clear-headed.

    ¡°You¡¯ve had a lot to drink tonight. Let my drive you home first. Don¡¯t worry, I know it was her uncle. Otherwise, I won¡¯t have given her up to him.¡±

    ¡°What does her uncle look like?¡± Mo Suqing was not ready to let it go.

    Ye Zhongjue sighed inwardly. Despite her sober appearance, Mo Suqing must have been a little drunk still. She was not usually this talkative.

    ¡°You can ask Leng Xiyao about it tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Mo Suqing nodded, realizing that Ye Zhongjue did not want to talk about it. Following Ye Zhongjue, she hung her head and went silent.

    Lin Ran went back into the private room after Ye Zhongjue and Mo Suqing left.

    The men hurriedly exined?themselves as soon as they caught sight of him.

    ¡°Mr. Lin, who was that woman?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Lin, please tell President Ye I am really sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to do anything. I didn¡¯t know the two drunk women were friends of President Ye¡¯s¡±

    The man who hadid his finger on Mo Suqing looked extremely regretful. Unfortunately, you couldn¡¯t turn back time.

    Lin Ran gave him a steely look. ¡°President Zhao, you?are always so rash.?There is no need to purposely deny your actions!¡±

    President Zhao¡¯s face reddened at his usation.

    He knew then and there that they were not going to let him go easily. It was known that anyone who had fallen foul of Ye Jue had ended badly.

    He could still recall the incident two months ago when apany, who did not know who they were dealing with, had nned to force Ye Jue to give in by adding aphrodisiac in his drink.

    In the end, thepany went broke in a few days and the one who had tampered with Ye Jue¡¯s drink was killed. His body was disposed of in the wilderness.

    Everyone knew about it in the business world.

    However, no one dared to step up, or, to be more precise, no one dared to mess with Ye Jue. Everybody was afraid of his cold-bloodedness and callousness.

    President Zhao was going to run for it when Lin Ran shot out of his foot to trip him. Lin Ran smirked. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    Four well-trained, ck-d men rushed into the room. They taped his mouth up and dragged him out of the room.

    The whole processsted less than a minute. The others were dumbfounded, holding their breath.

    Lin Ran turned around to face them, with a malicious smile on his face.

    ¡°Thedy is very important to President Ye. I hope what happened here tonight will never spread beyond this room. Otherwise, you will all end up like President Zhao!¡±

    He gave them a meaningful smile.

    The others nodded vigorously. ¡°Mr. Lin, it won¡¯t! If someone asks, we didn¡¯t see anything!¡±

    ¡°Yes, nothing happened here tonight. Nothing!¡± some echoed.

    Satisfied, Lin Ran spoke, ¡°Alright then. Since you are all very sensible, I will not give you a hard time. Anyone who is interested in the partnership we talked about tonight, you maye to sign the contract with us tomorrow at the headquarters of Mighty Empire.¡±

    The men immediately put on their best smiles. ¡°Yes, yes. Thank you, Mr. Lin. Take care, Mr. Lin¡­¡±

    After Lin Ran left, they sighed in unison. Everyone was thinking how?they could have?been?the one?dragged away in ce of President Zhao if?they?had been the rash one.

    After getting?in the car, Ye Zhongjue noticed there was something wrong with Mo Suqing.

    Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes were bleary. She looked just lovely.

    ¡°Ye Zhongjue, hug me!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was not a little surprised. <i>Hug me??</i>Mo Suqing had never talked to him like this ever since they had registered their marriage. The alcohol was working big time.

    Back in the private room, she had sobered up out of horror.

    Now she was safe, she became muddle-headed again.

    Knowing that he was capable of making her feel safe, Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression softened.

    Mo Suqing had been extending her arms toward Ye Zhongjue, but he didn¡¯t return her gesture. She became upset.

    She looked at him as if severely wronged, as if it was evil of Ye Zhongjue?to?not extend his arms toward her too.

    Seeing her childlike behavior, Ye Zhongjue felt his heart melt. It was strange yet incredible to be treated thus by her.

    He extended his arms and hugged her.

    Mo Suqing was apparently not content. Her hands kept groping about on his chest.

    Then,?she?found a small lump. Mo Suqing yed with it, frowning like a curious kid as if she did not understand what the thing was doing there.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s body shook violently and tensed.

    <i>Does she know what she¡¯s doing?</i><i>?She</i>¡¯<i>s practically ying with fire!</i>

    Nevertheless, they were in the car and she was drunk¡­ It was an inconvenient time.

 Chapter 58 â€“ The Force is with Me

    <h4>Chapter 58 ¨C The Force is with Me</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue forced his breathing to slow down. He gently pushed Mo Suqing away and ced his hands on her shoulders.

    Away from his warm chest, Mo Suqing looked quite unhappy. She pouted her lips and screwed up her face like a child who didn¡¯t get the candy she had asked for. It was a pitiful sight.

    The self-control that had been Ye Zhongjue¡¯s pride instantly copsed in front of her.

    He was indecisive whether or not to go home right away.

    Meanwhile, Mo Suqing was watching him piteously with her big, sparkling eyes filled with mist. It seemed she could burst into tears any moment

    Ye Zhongjue found himself unable to reject her. He extended his arms and tenderly hugged her. In a soft,forting voice, he said, ¡°Suqing, can you be a good girl for me? Let¡¯s go home first, okay? I can hug you once we are home. Now we are in the car and it¡¯s not very convenient to do that.¡± He soothed, regardless of whether she could understand.

    Mo Suqing?appeared to?understand. After a brief silence, she nodded into Ye Zhongjue¡¯s chest.

    Relieved, Ye Zhongjue carefully rolled Mo Suqing back to the passenger¡¯s seat. His body pressed against hers the whole time, lest she should be unhappy again as soon as he pulled away.

    Then, he gently helped her put on the seatbelt. In case she would move about, he stuffed a cushion on herp and ced her hands on it.

    Mo Suqing seemed to like the arrangement. She hugged the cushion, her eyes brightened.

    Ye Zhongjue let out a sigh of relief. The car pulled away from the curb and headed toward their home at a high speed.

    After ying with cushion for a while, Mo Suqing was bored again. She pushed the cushion away and waved her arm wildly until itnded on Ye Zhongjue¡¯s.

    Feeling her hand on his arm, Ye Zhongjue brushed it away; it was the best he could do under the circumstances.

    However, as soon as he brushed her hand away, it crept across the gear lever again. This time, it aimed not at Ye Zhongjue¡¯s arm, but his thigh.

    Ye Zhongjue stiffened. A blue vein bulged in his forehead. As if reying his previous movement in slow-mo, he put her hand back to its ce once more.

    When they almost reached the apartment, Mo Suqing somehow freed herself from the seatbelt.

    The seatbelt had been securely attached, but now it was under her. It was a puzzle as to how she had done it.

    Ye Zhongjue nced at her, but did not do anything about it. They were nearly home.

    Mo Suqing, her body rocking back and forth, seemed to be very ufortable and kept moving about. Ye Zhongjue put out his arm to steady her.

    However, at that moment, Mo Suqing fell toward him. Ye Zhongjue, caught off guard, helplessly watched her fall down between his thighs.

    For a split second, he wentpletely rigid.

    Then, he felt the woman lying on hisp facedown started to grope about with her hands.

    Ye Zhongjue was about to stop her, but it was toote.

    Her warm breath rushed forward, just when her soft hand grabbed his thing. The car jolted and almost smashed into the curb.

    He righted it in time. He could feel his whole body tighten and his pulse racing.

    He breathed heavily and said in a sexy, husky voice, ¡°Suqing, stop it! Be good. We are almost home.¡±

    But Mo Suqing did not heed. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity, as if the thing in her hand was fascinated.

    Ye Zhongjue was still very rigid and the veins throbbed in his forehead. On one hand, he wanted to stop her from touching him. On the other hand, he did not want to pull her up.

    Mo Suqing was in high spirits ying with it.

    Ye Zhongjue was tingling all over. Mo Suqing¡¯s warm breath was tickling his thing and he was on the edge of losing his control.

    He quickly pulled her up. Then, he drove with one hand and propped her up with the other.

    The car advanced towards their destination at full speed.

    Finally, just when Ye Zhongjue could no longer suppress his desire, the car took them into the underground garage.

    After Ye Zhongjue quickly parked the car, the first thing he was going to do was to get Mo Suqing out of it.

    The girl had been a torture, had been ying with fire, so to speak. He could not let her drink like this anymore.

    He was very restless now, but it was impossible to make aint to a drunkard. How could you reason with someone who was hammered?

    The only solution was tit for tat.

    Ye Zhongjue sat Mo Suqing up. His eyes were deep and dark like ck holes. He got off the car first and carried Mo Suqing out of the passenger¡¯s seat.

    When they were in the elevator, Mo Suqing¡¯s hand groped about on his chest. Ye Zhongjue could feel his patience draining, but since there were others in thepartment, he needed to force himself not to kiss her.

    The man of the couple in the elevator with them asked good-humoredly, ¡°Drunk?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Yeah,¡± he nodded and replied.

    The man could see Ye Zhongjue was not in a talkative mood, so he did not say anything more.

    Finally, the elevator opened to his floor. Ye Zhongjue quickly walked out and towards the door to their apartment.

    The moment he entered it, he pressed Mo Suqing up against the door and kissed her on the mouth. He hadn¡¯t even bothered to turn on the light.

    At first, Mo Suqing had stuck out her tongue with a silly smile on her face, as if she had thought she was eating something.

    Then, in the middle of the prolonged kiss, Ye Zhongjue felt something was wrong.

    Amazed, he turned on the light to find that Mo Suqing had fallen asleep.

    She had aroused him and then fallen asleep!

    Ye Zhongjue was exasperated and amused and speechless, all at the same time.

    He had never expected she would be such a torture when drunk. She had almost driven him crazy. He swore he would never let her get drunk ever again.

    With her innocent and peaceful face resting on his shoulder, the girl was soundly asleep and even snorting slightly. Once or twice, she changed her position to get morefortable.

    Although Ye Zhongjue was very horny right now,?he wouldn¡¯t?wake her up.

    Sighing, he gently carried her to the bedroom. Then, he fetched some water from the bathroom and wiped her face with the help of a towel.

    After washing her body in this way and changing her into the pajamas, Ye Zhongjue felt like he had stood under the sun for hours ¨C he was drenched in his sweat.

    Fleeing from the scene, he took the basin with the dirty water to the bathroom, then took a cold shower for a long time to cool down.

    When he returned to the bedroom, he brought chilliness with him.

    So, when he got into bed, Mo Suqing?subconsciously?shrank away from him and the cold.

    Ye Zhongjue knitted his brows together. After lying down for a while and having time to warm up a little, he set the AC at a lower temperature.

    It waste fall, which meant temperature was gradually dropping in A?City. Therefore, when he lowered the AC temperature, the room quickly cooled down.

    Mo Suqing felt it and curled into a ball. Then, she migrated closer and closer to Ye Zhongjue¡¯s warm body.

    Eventually, she found the origin of the warmth and hugged it casually. After changing into afortable position, she stopped moving and fell into a deep sleep.

    Ye Zhongjue felt his heart melt watching the small figure against his body.

    Satisfied, he hugged her in return and turned the AC temperature up.

    The next day when she woke up, Mo Suqing felt extremely unwell. In particr, her head felt like it was going to explode.

    She was rubbing her temple when Ye Zhongjue pushed open the door with a bowl in his hand.

    He walked over and gave the bowl to her. ¡°You drank quite a lot of alcohol yesterday. Finish this and you will get much better.¡±

    ¡°You made it?¡± Mo Suqing asked doubtfully

    Ye Zhongjue looked away, embarrassed. He would never tell her he had got up early and searched the recipe on the Inte, in case she would wake up in a headache. <i>Humph, this ungrateful girl!</i>

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied.

    Mo Suqing stretched her neck to observe him more closely and felt she detected a suspicious blush on his face.

    ¡°Just finish it already,¡± Ye Zhongjue said uneasily.

    Although he sounded calm, Mo Suqing caught something unusual in his tone.

    However, she didn¡¯t have the gut to say no to him when she was sober. She had no idea why ¨C probably because she had fallen deeper for him? ¨C but she found it more and more difficult to reject him anything.

    Mo Suqing finished the soup and handed the empty bowl to him. Ye Zhongjue pressed his lips together and walked out of the room without a word.

    Notwithstanding, Mo Suqing felt warmth swell in her. She was still bathed in the morning sunlight that was Ye Zhongjue¡¯s loving care when her phone made a sound. She almost fell from the bed.

    Turning this way and that, she found her phone underneath her. It was a WeChat message from Leng Xiyao.

    LIsForLeng: Suqing, what u doin?

    FarAway: Just?got?up. Headache from too?many?drinks yesterday.

    LIsForLeng: *Crying* Me, I was knocked out! Don¡¯t even know how I got home!

    FarAway: Ye Zhongjue said ur uncle took u home. He seems to know him.

    LIsForLeng: ???

    FarAway: While I went to fetch our purses, I asked Ye Zhongjue to look after u. When I went back, u were gone. He said ur uncle took u away.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s hands jerked violently. <i>Ye Zhongjue knows Uncle? Did he tell Suqing who she is?</i>

    While she was hesitating whether or not to confess to the truth, Mo Suqing sent another message.

    FarAway: Where r u? Dead?

    LIsForLeng: !!! The Force is with me and I don¡¯t know how to control it, so don¡¯t you provoke me!

 Chapter 59 â€“ PDA Early in the Morning

    <h4>Chapter 59 ¨C PDA Early in the Morning</h4>

    FarAway: Hahaha!

    LIsForLeng: Tell me about it! Did ur man tell u how I was dragged awayst night?

    Leng Xiyao chose her words carefully. What she really wanted to ask is, <i>Did your man tell you who my uncle is?</i>

    However, she dared not ask her this, so she detoured around the subject.

    Mo Suqing thought for a moment before typing into her phone.

    FarAway: No, but I seemed to have a feeling he didn¡¯t want to talk about it.

    LIsForLeng: ¡°Seemed?¡± Were you drunk too?

    FarAway: Of course! I couldn¡¯t be much better when u were that wasted, could I?

    LIsForLeng: Well, I¡¯m sorry. Have u sobered up yet?

    FarAway: Sure, Ye Zhongjue prepared something for me to drink!

    LIsForLeng: What are u doin, showing me PDA early in the morning! But I must say, Ye Zhongjue really is a great hubby 24/7! Also, he¡¯s handsome and loving. What a huge waste, matching him with you!

    FarAway: *Shy* *Angry* *Crazy* !!! R u jealous?

    LIsForLeng: I ignore ur PDA, I strike u on the head, I re at u, and I m the door in ur face!!!

    A sinister smile crept across Mo Suqing¡¯s face.

    FarAway: LIsForLeng, u r dead meat!

    LIsForLeng: After giving it some thoughts, I realize I was being petty. Forgive me, Suqing. It¡¯s because I was still too emotional! Ur PDA reminded me ofst night! The humiliation of it is just indescribable! *Sobbing*

    FarAway: What happenedst night?

    LIsForLeng: I was too drunk so uncle had to carried me home. It was a humiliating experience, I assure u!

    Mo Suqing remembered that the day she met Ye Zhongjue, she and Leng Xiyao also got very drunk.

    Leng Xiyao told her that her uncle had smacked her on the buttocks for it. Even now, she found it difficult to get her head around this kind of uncle-niece interaction.

    Mo Suqing was going to ask some further questions when the door opened.

    She looked up to see Ye Zhongjueing inside the room. His handsome eyebrows drew together at the sight of her. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you up already?¡±

    Mo Suqing batted her eyes, her lively eyshes waving up and down like a pair of hand fans.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it Saturday?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was dazed. Apparently, he couldn¡¯t understand why her not getting up yet had anything to do with it being a Saturday.

    Mo Suqing was about to say something more when her phone vibrated again.

    She lowered her head and read the message.

    LIsForLeng: Where r u? Dead?

    The girl was imitating her words from earlier!

    Meanwhile, Ye Zhongjue hade near. He lowered his head, but could not figure out what Mo Suqing was doing.

    Mo Suqing felt his shadow over her head. She took one look at the conversation between her and Leng Xiyao and quickly covered the screen with her hand.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face darkened.

    Mo Suqing looked up at him, feeling somewhat guilty. Laughing nervously, she said, ¡°I¡¯m just chatting with Yao.¡±

    ¡°Chatting?¡±

    Although he had only a brief nce at the screen, he was sure it was not the text app. Looking at the open doubt on his face, Mo Suqing did not know what to say.

    Somehow, she felt that the man had turned into a na?ve, curious kid before her very eyes.

    She pressed the?back key when Ye Zhongjue was not looking and raised up the phone.

    ¡°See, I¡¯m chatting with her. I¡¯m not lying.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at the screen and seemed puzzled.

    ¡°WeChat?¡±

    <i>He doesn¡¯t know what WeChat is??</i>Mo Suqing thought, a little shocked.

    She could not help but feel a bit weird, too. Her husband was not from <i>Mars</i>, was he?

    Then, she let go of her judgment. It was not that unusual for a man not to know about these social media apps.

    She smiled and got up from the bed. ¡°Yeah, this is WeChat. It¡¯s great for chatting with your friends!¡±

    But Ye Zhongjue just gave it a nce then turned away.

    ¡°Pack your handbag and have fun somewhere today. I¡¯ll go pick you up after sunset.¡±

    ¡°Have fun somewhere?¡± Mo Suqing repeated in a baffled tone.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ye Zhongjue nodded.

    He had nned to wait for her to get up and take her somewhere after breakfast. They hadn¡¯t gone anywhere together before.

    Every weekend, it had been either that he needed to take care of something, or that she needed to gather the material for some story.

    However, his n was ruined by a phone call from his father.

    His father had somehow got wind of his getting married and demanded that he bring Mo Suqing home today. He could feel that he was not in a good mood.

    He knew that his father was angry.

    His parents had always urged him to find a girlfriend, but the fact that he just got married without telling them still gave them quite a shock.

    His father, if he wanted, was capable of finding out where he lived.

    It would be simpler if Mo Suqing had already known who he was and was willing to face them with him, but the point was she hadn¡¯t. In her eyes, he was just an assistant.

    How could he tell her now that he had lied to her all this time, that he was President Ye Jue of Mighty Empire, the group that dominated the business world in A?City?

    He knew he couldn¡¯t do it. He was too afraid of scaring her away to say anything.

    He chuckled bitterly. He was no better than some despicable man who lied to get a woman to marry him.

    However, he must go home and make a clean breast of it to his parents today.

    He was not afraid of going home. He just feared that, since his father knew him very well, he had known he would not bring Mo Suqing with him and set a trap for him to go home, so that he could take Mo Suqing away from the house.

    That was why he must persuade her to go out today. Any ce would do, as long as she did not stay in the house.

    Mo Suqing gave him a quizzical look. ¡°Why must I go out? Can¡¯t I just stay at home and rest all day? I¡¯m tired!¡±

    Mo Suqing pouted, obviously reluctant to go anywhere.

    Ye Zhongjue wavered from his decision. Then, he forced himself to cast aside every doubt.

    He looked Mo Suqing in the eye and said in a voice that allowed for no objection, ¡°No. I have something that I need to deal with and you don¡¯t know how to take care of yourself alone here. Besides, you will be very bored?staying home. We need to buy some groceries too, but I haven¡¯t got time to do it. Can you be a good girl and go shopping?¡±

    Mo Suqing wavered between beingzybones at home and going out for a while. In the end, she decided to listen to Ye Zhongjue.

    It was mainly because Ye Zhongjue said he hadn¡¯t got around with the groceries.

    Alright then! She supposed she could do it. After all, she was free today.

    Mo Suqing finally agreed to go out. Ye Zhongjue felt immensely relieved.

    After they had breakfast, Mo Suqing called Leng Xiyao to go out with her.

    Leng Xiyao, who was in the living room at home, cast a nce at the man reading the newspaper on the sofa.

    Her butt was still stinging from the spankst night,?but?she replied?to?Mo Suqing¡¯s invitation in a fearless tone, ¡°Okay! Let¡¯s meet up in the wend park!¡±

    Leng Xiyao took her handbag and began to sneak out.

    However, a pair of long legs blocked her way squarely when she reached the door.

    She looked up at Leng Haoyun¡¯s poker face, hers gloomy.

    <i>Wasn¡¯t he reading the newspaper? How did he appear at the door in the blink of an eye?</i>

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Leng Haoyun demanded coldly, his tone almost inhumane.

    Leng Xiyao was pissed off. <i>Why should I tell him wherever I go?</i>

    Keeping in mind how he had smacked herst night, she swore she would never want to see this cold-blooded, suffocating person ever again. Or at least not for a couple of days.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to tell you my whereabouts!¡±

    Like a rebellious teenager, Leng Xiyao held her head high and red at Leng Haoyun unyieldingly.

    ¡°I am a grownup, not a kid anymore! Please stop treating me like I¡¯m a ten-year-old, uncle!¡±

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s face tightened. <i>She resent</i><i>s</i><i>?me for telling her what to do?</i>

    It hit him that she had been suppressing her feelings. Until today, when she was fed up.

    He had thought they could stay at home and spend time with each other today, since he had finally had some free time. Nevertheless, Leng Xiyao had been like a cat whose tail was stepped on, hissing and growling.

    ¡°Okay. So¡­ don¡¯te home toote. And be careful!¡±

    Leng Haoyun sounded gruffly, betraying no emotions.

    Leng Xiyao was taken aback. He was unusually amiable today! He just let her go without requesting anything from her. That was new.

    Since he had said yes, she¡¯d better?leave?immediately. Otherwise, if he regretted it, she would have to beg him again!

    Making up her mind, Leng Xiyao ran out cheerfully like a bird who had been freed.

    Watching her, Leng Haoyun felt a headache developing and rubbed his forehead. Maybe¡­ he needed to change the way he treated her.

    When something was pushed to the extreme, it might backfire. Simrly, he had been too strict to her, so now she became rebellious.

    Maybe no one would believe him, but Leng Haoyun could feel that his niece had just entered the teenage phase.

    Looking at her jaunty steps, Leng Haoyun¡¯s eyes became deeper and darker.

    When Leng Xiyao showed up, Mo Suqing had already been there. She noticed that Mo Suqing was wearing a grudging expression.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Didn¡¯t your man please you wellst night?¡± Leng Xiyao asked yfully.

    Mo Suqing rolled her eyes. ¡°Can your imagination be any more overactive?¡±

    ¡°Sure! How is he in bed?¡±

    Mo Suqing sighed. <i>Why would I choose to</i><i>?</i><i>spend my wonderful weekend with?</i><i>her?</i><i>and?</i><i>be forced to discuss something so dirty?</i>

    Leng Xiyao, seeing that Mo Suqing was speechless, waved her arm happily and found her own spirit lift.

    ¡°I¡¯m joking! I can see you are in a bad mood, so I purposefully made a joke.¡±

    Mo Suqing gave her a look and said, ¡°I knew you did it on purpose¡­¡±

    It was Leng Xiyao¡¯s turn to be speechless. She didn¡¯t know what one could possibly have to say to that!

 Chapter 60 â€“ I Love Her like I Love My Own Life

    <h4>Chapter 60 ¨C I Love Her like I Love My Own Life</h4>

    Mo Suqing kept shaking her head as if in disbelief, feeling mncholy. She could not understand what could make Ye Zhongjue, usually as unruffled as he could be, leave her on the side of the road like that and hurriedly drive away.

    The strangest of all, he insisted that she leave the house. It was almost like he was afraid she would sell the furniture for money!

    She felt so sorry for herself¡­ But then again, could she not feel rueful and unhappy?

    It hit her that since they had got together, she became more and more sentimental.

    <i>No, this will not do!</i> Mo Suqing shook her head vigorously, trying to dispel the feelings from her mind.

    ¡°Hey, stop thinking about whatever is making you unhappy. Let¡¯s go shopping!¡±

    Leng Xiyao waved Mo Suqing¡¯s arm back and forth. Mo Suqing¡¯s expression softened. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Leng Xiyao, grabbing her handbag in one hand and Mo Suqing¡¯s arm in the other, ran toward the shopping mall.

    The Ye Residence was located in the Firmament Garden, also thergest estate in A?City.

    The whole estate belonged to the family; it was their ancestral home.

    The view from the estate was spectacr and the location was the most auspicious, too. There were two ancient vis in thend. The owners of the family lived in the main one, while the servants lived in the smaller one behind it.

    From the rose garden, the most beautiful spot in the estate, the fragrance of the followers spread far and wide.

    Ye Zhongjue did not live here anymore, but he used toe back twice every month. However,?ever?since he?had?got married with Mo Suqing, he hadn¡¯te home once.

    His prolonged absence had sown a seed of doubt in Ye Wentian. He had promptly instructed someone to check up on him and found that his son had got married without telling anyone.

    After giving Mo Suqing a lift to the wend park, Ye Zhongjue quickly headed towards the Ye Residence.

    He knew his father was pissed off for real.

    When he stopped the car in front of the gate of the estate, the sweet aroma of roses filled his nostrils.

    The obsidian orbs that were his eyes dimmed a little. It was almost two months?ago?when he came homest time.

    Meanwhile, the servants of the residence just looked on as the white Volkswagen parked in front of their gate.

    No one opened the gate for him. Although they were notified of his homeing today, it never urred to them that their noble, proud young master would be driving such a shabby car.

    After waiting for a while, Ye Zhongjue realized something was wrong.

    Every time he went home, the gate would begin to open before he reached it. Today, he waspletely ignored.

    Ye Zhongjue lowered the window and looked towards the security booth.

    ¡°Open the gate!¡± came a chilling voice, sending shivers down the hearers¡¯ spines.

    The servants gathering near the gate finally realized it was their young master who had been sitting in the white car.

    The guard in the security booth quickly pressed the button and opened the gate.

    Ye Zhongjue brought the car to the main vi. From the gate to the vi, two columns of trees nked a wide driveway paved with marble. It was a refreshing sight.

    The moment Ye Zhongjue got off the car, Ming Jinhua emerged from the house.

    From her?expression, it seemed she wanted to say something but thought better of it. In the end, she just shook her head at the sight of the car. As his mother, how could she not know he had changed so much?

    She should have known something was off when he had asked her about menstrual cramps.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her calmly. ¡°Mom.¡±

    Ming Jinhua nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t pick up a fight with your father. Speak carefully.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression changed a little. He nodded and strode towards the vi.

    Ming Jinhua followed behind him, looking worried.

    Ye Zhongjue had no sooner stepped into the house when Ye Wentian brought the newspaper in his hand down with a whack upon the coffee table.

    His glower made it pretty clear that he was in a terrible rage. ¡°Come to the study with me!¡±

    Ye Wentian red at Ye Zhongjue once and?stormed?upstairs to his study.

    Ye Zhongjue gave his mother aforting look and followed suit.

    Ming Jinhua had barely sat down on the sofa when another whack came from the second floor. Needless to say, the old man had thrown something again.

    Ming Jinhua stood up, wanting to go and stop the fight. Then, she thought better of it when she told herself that there must be a good motive behind her son¡¯s action.

    Besides, she shouldn¡¯te between father and son every time they had a conflict. They needed to learn how to solve it themselves.

    She sat back down, then began reading the newspaper on the coffee table?while?paying attention to any sounds from upstairs.

    <strong>In the study upstairs.</strong>

    Ye Wentian stared at an aloof Ye Zhongjue angrily.

    His teeth chattered out of fury.

    ¡°You son of a bitch, getting married without telling me and your mother! Am I still your fucking father in your eyes?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was used to his father¡¯s fiery temper. When his father flipped out, he would remain silent as the grave. He was never a fireball himself and hated exining himself.

    Every time Ye Wentian jumped up and down with rage, he just stood there expressionlessly like it?had?nothing to do with him.

    This would make Ye Wentian even angrier. More often than not, it was Ming Jinhua who calmed him down.

    ¡°What? Can¡¯t you speak? ying mute now, are you? What¡¯s that expression supposed to mean? Did I say anything wrong about you? And didn¡¯t I tell you to bring that woman home? So you dared marry her, but dare not bring her back?¡±

    At the mention of her name, Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression finally shifted.

    He looked up and met his father¡¯s eye.

    ¡°I will if you promise not to give her a hard time.¡±

    Ye Wentian was so angry he was having trouble breathing. <i>No doubt the bastard was born to be the bane of his life! ¡°I will if you promise not to give her a hard time¡±? But he hasn¡¯t even brought her home yet! How dare he threaten him?</i>

    Ye Wentian picked up a copybook for calligraphy on the desk and threw it at Ye Zhongjue.

    ¡°This is rebellion! Humph, now you begin talking at the mention of her! What about all the mute acting?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue knew Mo Suqing would have to meet his parents one day, so he had got to make them ept her first before bringing her home.

    He looked straight at Ye Wentian and said the longest string of words ever since he came home today, ¡°Dad, I know the fault lies with me when I got married behind you and mom¡¯s back. But the truth is, I did get married; there¡¯s no turning back. I hope you can trust in my taste. The woman I choose to be my wife is definitely a decent woman.¡±

    Ye Wentian sneered. ¡°You want me to trust you? How can I do that when you don¡¯t ever dare to bring her home? I have already done my homework about that girl. I¡¯m telling you, I don¡¯t approve of that kind of woman. Don¡¯t expect me to wee her into our house. Even if you are married, I won¡¯t acknowledge her as my daughter-inw!¡±

    Hearing Ye Wentian¡¯s words, Ye Zhongjue fumed.

    His cold eyes sparkled with rage, his expression gloomy.

    ¡°Why did you do that? Dad, can you please respect my decision? She is my wife and will still be even if you don¡¯t approve of ¡®that kind of woman.¡¯ Besides, what kind of women do you approve?of? What kind of woman, in your opinion, should I marry? Those pretentious upper-ssdies? I am disgusted?by?them! I¡¯m telling you, dad, I can never ept anyone other than her!¡±

    To his surprise, Ye Wentian did not flip out.

    He stared at Ye Zhongjue for a while and said, ¡°What about Jian Jie? She is such a good girl. You grew up together and, when you studied abroad, she just went with you without hesitation. After you went back, she told me on the phone that she would like to study a few more years, so that she could really help you with your business in the future. Is this how you pay her back?¡±

    Reluctance crossed Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face. He said with difficulty, ¡°Dad, I have always thought about her as my little sister. Mo Suqing is different. She is a part of me¡­¡±

    Then, he looked at Ye Wentian pleadingly before dering, ¡°I love her like I love my own life!¡±

    Ye Wentian¡¯s body shook when he heard his words.

    He stared at Ye Zhongjue in disbelief.

    ¡°You are so unfilial! How can you be this stupid? Your life, your mother and I gave it to you! You can¡¯t talk to me like that! You see Jian Jie as a sister, but have you asked her how she feels about you? I believe you know about her feelings very well.¡±

    Sensing that Ye Wentian was about to fly into another rage, Ming Jinhua quickly came in from outside.

    Shaking her head, she cast a nce at her son. Then, she patted Ye Wentian on the back and gave him an exasperated look.

    ¡°What are you doing, getting so worked up? They have registered the marriage. It won¡¯t change no matter how angry you are.¡±

    Ye Wentian pped his palm against the desk and said agitatedly, ¡°This unfilial son of yours is going to give me a heart attack! I swear that girl is just coveting after our money!¡±

    Concern shed across Ming Jinhua¡¯s eyes. She had considered the possibility, too.

    After all, they were a powerful family in A?City. Everyone who got closer wanted something from them.

    The fact was, they reserved their views on this girl simply because they didn¡¯t want their son to get hurt.

    Seeing his mother¡¯s worried look, Ye Zhongjue blurted out, ¡°She doesn¡¯t even know who I am!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s words were a shock to Ye Wentian and Ming Jinhua.

    Recovering from the shock, Ye Wentian insisted, ¡°Don¡¯t you see how calctive she is? She must have guessed how rich you are from your clothes and expenditure. I bet she is one of those maniptive women. How can you believe that she doesn¡¯t already know about your identity? And why do I have such an unfilial son, who got married without informing me and your mother?¡±

    Ye Wentian once again mmed his palm against the desk angrily.

 Chapter 61 â€“ A Really Gorgeous Person with a Pig

    <h4>Chapter 61 ¨C A Really Gorgeous Person with a Pig</h4>

    Ming Jinhua grabbed his hand. ¡°What are you doing, hurting your hand like this?¡±

    She turned to look at Ye Zhongjue. Somehow, she didn¡¯t doubt it when her son said the girl didn¡¯t know who he was.

    Anyway, it was too soon to reach any definitive judgement about the girl when they hadn¡¯t even met her.

    ¡°We should trust our son is capable of taking care of himself,¡± she said in a gentle tone.

    She gave Ye Wentian a tug, telling him to let it go.

    ¡°He seldomes home. Instead of spoiling the family time, we should all have a meal together happily.¡±

    Ye Wentian glowered at Ye Zhongjue again before going downstairs.

    Ming Jinhua walked over to Ye Zhongjue, who looked up. Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression softened in front of his mother.

    He looked at her and said genuinely, ¡°Mom, what I said is the truth. She hates wealthy families and their power struggles. Her ideal husband is a regr person. That¡¯s why I hide my identity from her; she doesn¡¯t know anything about my family background. I hope you and dad can try not to prejudice yourselves against her. I really like her. I admit that I made a mistake by getting married without telling you, but please believe that I do like her a lot and I want her to be my wife, so I can take care of her forever.¡±

    Suddenly, Ming Jinhua felt that her son had not only grown up, but alsoe out of his shell a little.

    <i>Was it all because of the girl?</i>

    She took Ye Zhongjue¡¯s hand and said softly, ¡°I am not against your marriage and believe that you have found yourself a good woman. Don¡¯t take your father¡¯s words to heart; sometimes he can be a little conservative and stubborn. Since you are back, we should all have a happy meal together. Tell me when you are ready to bring her home. I won¡¯t give her a hard time.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue gave Ming Jinhua a hug.

    He had always known he had the most considerate mother in the whole world.

    For the rest of the morning, Ye Zhongjue yed chess with Ye Wentian. In the afternoon, he and his mother had a chat for a while, then he gave his father an update on thepany in his study.

    Ye Wentian had not interfered with the affairs in thepany for a long time, but once in a while, he would ask about them.

    Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t leave the house until after dinner.

    When Ye Wentian saw the white Volkswagen Ye Zhongjue got on, thoughts went through his mind and his expression became gloomy.

    After some soothing from Ming Jinhua, he calmed down. By then, Ye Zhongjue¡¯s car was no longer in sight.

    Meanwhile, Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao shopped all morning in the mall.

    Mo Suqing bought a lot of necessary things for the house. She realized Ye Zhongjue?was?right.

    The two of them usually had little free time, bute to think of it, they didck quite a fewmodities.

    The disquiet and self-pity she had harbored in the morning were gone now. One of her merits was that she never let herself think about trivial stuff for too long. So long as her principles weren¡¯tpromised, she didn¡¯t fuss.

    Otherwise, it was impossible for her to have tolerated someone like Gu Jiannan for so many years.

    In other words, she was too nice a person.

    By noon, Leng Xiyao?was?starving.

    Enthusiastically, she took Mo Suqing¡¯s hand and headed towards a nearby Hunan restaurant called ¡°Taste of Hunan.¡±

    Mo Suqing was taken aback by her enthusiasm. ¡°My uncle often takes me to dinner here,¡± Leng Xiyao beamed.

    Mo Suqing nodded. Again, it was about the mysterious uncle of hers. From her expression, Mo Suqing could see how much she liked the dishes here.

    She followed Leng Xiyao into the restaurant.

    Because they had arranged everything they had bought in the morning to be sent to Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue¡¯s ce, they had few items in their hands.

    Mo Suqing walked in and found Leng Xiyao standing near the door without moving.

    Mo Suqing came near and looked in the direction of her eyes. A pot of nt partially blocked her view, but when she tilted her head a little, she found that they had bumped into someone they knew.

    It was their boss An Huilin, aka Abbess Miejue. Across from her sat a fierce-looking and wickedly beautiful man. He was gorgeous.

    He looked familiar to Mo Suqing.

    Mo Suqing stared at him more closely. <i>Isn¡¯t he the man they saw at Silk Empire?</i><i>International the previous evening?</i>

    She remembered she had told Leng Xiyao that he was wickedly beautiful and seemed to look at her when they passed each other by.

    Now, it seemed that the person he had been looking at was An Huilin, rather than Leng Xiyao.

    So they had known each other. But why hadn¡¯t they said hello to each other when they could have lunch alone?

    How weird.

    Mo Suqing turned to look at Leng Xiyao, whose face had gone pale as if her favorite toy had been stolen.

    She tugged her on her sleeves and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Yao.¡±

    From where they stood, the pot of nt hid them from the two people sitting by the window, but if they tilted their heads just an inch, they could see them clearly.

    Tugging Leng Xiyao one more time, Mo Suqing realized Leng Xiyao had a very strange look on her face.

    Then she thought to herself, <i>Maybe it is because we bumped into An Huilin. After all, she has been giving Leng Xiyao a hard time recently.</i>

    Once again, she tugged the girl by her side.

    Leng Xiyao had been clenching her fists. Her fingernails pressed into her flesh hard.

    Now, she forced into a smile, although Mo Suqing could see it was managed with difficulty.

    She took Mo Suqing¡¯s hand and dragged her out of the ce. ¡°Let¡¯s leave here, Suqing. I don¡¯t want to eat here anymore. I¡¯ve lost my appetite.¡±

    As her best friend, Mo Suqing just followed her out without asking any questions.

    After they left Taste of Hunan, Leng Xiyao became sulky and kept walking ahead.

    Mo Suqing followed behind and did not say anything. She knew what Leng Xiyao needed most right now was herpany.

    Leng Xiyao walked and walked. Eventually, probably tired from all the walk, she sat down on a bench on the sidewalk.

    After a lengthy silence, she finally spoke. Her tone was sarcastic and her expression was sad.

    Mo Suqing had no idea why she acted like this.

    <i>Could it simply be because of An Huilin?</i>

    ¡°Suqing, why are we so luckless today, as to bump into someone we hate to see?¡±

    Mo Suqing immediately decided it was indeed because of An Huilin that Leng Xiyao became so depressed.

    An Huilin did give her a lot of trouble recently.

    She hugged Leng Xiyao andforted her, ¡°Yao, don¡¯t get all upset because of her! Besides, we are not even at work now. She shouldn¡¯t be able to spoil our fun day out.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing could see the sarcasm and coolness lingering at the corner of Leng Xiyao¡¯s mouth.

    They had been friends for a very long time, but Mo Suqing had never seen her like this.

    Out of nowhere, Leng Xiyao looked at Mo Suqing and said, ¡°Suqing, I feel as if I saw a really gorgeous person with a pig! I¡¯m so unhappy. Can you tell me what to do?¡±

    Mo Suqing burst outughing. ¡°A gorgeous person? Do you mean An Huilin is that gorgeous person and the good-looking guy is the pig?¡±

    Based on?Mo Suqing¡¯s understanding, it was the only exnation.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s mouth twitched. Suqing did not know who she was and she had no intention to let her know that what she had meant by a gorgeous person was actually the good-looking man.

    As for the pig, she was talking about the pretentious An Huilin.

    That¡¯s right. The smile An Huilin wore on her face when she was sitting there with her uncle was especially offending in her eyes.

    <i>I thought she was proud of her attractive yet icy air? What¡¯s with that disgusting smile then?</i>

    Anyone could see that the stern-looking man across from her was the reason behind it.

    She had never known they knew each other. She would probably never know if she hadn¡¯t seen it with her own eyes.

    When Leng Xiyao didn¡¯t answer, Mo Suqing thought it was because she was in a bad mood.

    ¡°It is quite unexpected that the cute guy we saw yesterday is a friend of Abbess Miejue¡¯s,¡± she said half-jokingly. ¡°What a small world! And it¡¯s so weird that they didn¡¯t say hello to each other while they seemed to know each other pretty well.¡±

    Leng Xiyao remembered Leng Haoyun had been reading?the?newspaper on the sofa when she left the house today.

    Thinking of him made her even more upset.

    She stood up and said, ¡°Suqing, let¡¯s go have Sichuan hot pot for lunch! I want to eat something extra-spicy!¡±

    Mo Suqing let her do whatever she wanted to. The two girls went to a Sichuan hot pot restaurant and ordered two pots that were extra-spicy. It was so spicy they kept drinking water.

    Though Mo Suqing¡¯s face had turned bright red out of the spicy taste, she didn¡¯t want Leng Xiyao to feel left out.

    After lunch, they went to an entertainment park nearby and spent the afternoon going through all the rides and attractions.

    It was getting dark, but Leng Xiyao didn¡¯t seem to want to get off the merry-go-round.

    She seemed to be lost in sad memories from the past. Mo Suqing did not say anything to disturb her.

    When Ye Zhongjue got home, he could see the lock had been picked before.

    A smirk crossed her face. He didn¡¯t need much thinking to know who had broken into the house.

    It was fortunate he had expected this and forced Mo Suqing to go out. Otherwise, his father was unlikely to have let it go so easily today. If Mo Suqing had found out about so many secrets all at once, she might leave him again.

    He must be more cautious from now on. He couldn¡¯t afford any risks when he was not sure about what her reaction might be.

    Ye Zhongjue did a thorough check of the house and found everything was as it used to be. However, Mo Suqing was still not home.

    He had brought the things she bought back to the apartment from the janitor and put them away. Then, he made a call to Mo Suqing.

 Chapter 62 â€“ Acute Gastroenteritis

    <h4>Chapter 62 ¨C Acute Gastroenteritis</h4>

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao were justing out of the park when Ye Zhongjue called.

    ¡°Where are you?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue sounded tired. Mo Suqing gave Leng Xiyao a worried look and told Ye Zhongjue their location.

    Ye Zhongjue said in his calm voice, ¡°Stay right where you are. I¡¯ll go pick you up now.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue could hear Mo Suqing was not in a particrly positive mood. He quickly took the keys and went out.

    During all these years, it?always?got on his nerves when something happened to her.

    Thinking back, he had decided to leave the country simply because he found out that she had gotten together with someone else.

    Sometimes, Ye Zhongjue regretted it. However, when he thought about how heartbroken she would be if he had tried to break them up, he assured himself he had done the right thing after all.

    For her, he had been a total stranger.

    Ye Zhongjue saw the two girls sitting on a stone bench near the entrance of the park.

    He parked the car and quickly walked over. Mo Suqing¡¯s face lit up when she saw him.

    Although Leng Xiyao had heard Mo Suqing talking with Ye Zhongjue on the phone, when his footsteps approached towards them, all she did was cast him a nce.

    She had a numb and lifeless expression of a wooden toy.

    Ye Zhongjue came over. Mo Suqing hauled Leng Xiyao up.

    Ye Zhongjue observed the two women. Mo Suqing was a little pale, but now that she was in front of him, he felt much more relieved.

    As for Leng Xiyao, he frowned at the sight of her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get your friend home first.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was addressing Mo Suqing since he could see Leng Xiyao was in a very bad shape?at?the moment.

    Hearing his words, Leng Xiyao¡¯s empty gaze finally shifted.

    ¡°No, I can take a taxi home,¡± she said slowly. Her voice was low, but her tone was insistent.

    Mo Suqing frowned in disapproval.

    ¡°No. I can¡¯t let you go home by myself like this!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue remembered how?Leng Haoyun hurriedly took offst night. Leng Xiyao probably didn¡¯t want Suqing to know her true identity.

    Leng Xiyao stood on the spot, as stubborn as a mule.

    After some consideration, Ye Zhongjue said, ¡°Suqing, if Miss Leng insists on going home by herself, we can watch her get on the taxi and ask her to tell us when she gets home.¡±

    Leng Xiyao was surprised that Ye Zhongjue had spoken to her as well. She raised her head and gave him a puzzled look before hanging her head low again.

    Mo Suqing hesitated. However, it seemed that Leng Xiyao was not going to change her mind, so she could only agree with the proposal.

    They watched Leng Xiyao?get?on the taxi before they left for home, too.

    On the way home, Mo Suqing did not ask Ye Zhongjue where he had been the whole day and Ye Zhongjue did not speak a word either.

    After going back home and taking a shower, Mo Suqingy awake on the bed.

    Before long, she felt the space next to her sag a little.

    In the dark, cold room, their gentle breathing was the only sound.

    Ye Zhongjue knew Mo Suqing was awake because if she was asleep, her body would lean closer to him involuntarily. Now, he could feel it was stiff and she did not want to get close to him.

    Ye Zhongjue sighed softly. He wanted to tell her everything, only he didn¡¯t know how.

    Should he tell her that he had lied to her from the very beginning and instantly scare her away?

    Ye Zhongjue shook his head. He couldn¡¯t do that. He dared not. He wouldn¡¯t be able to afford it.

    On the other hand, his heart hurt when he saw her struggling alone. His heart hurt for <i>her</i>.

    After some anxious moments, Ye Zhongjue said, ¡°Suqing¡­¡±

    She did not answer.

    Ye Zhongjue extended his arm and slowly pulled her closer.

    He immediately felt something was very wrong with her. Her body was rigid as if she was enduring great pain.

    Ye Zhongjue touched her face to find cold sweat all over it.

    rmed, he quickly turned on the light and saw that Mo Suqing¡¯s face was extremely pale. She had curled into a ball and was hugging her stomach in pain, but she did not make a sound lest Ye Zhongjue should find out about it.

    Ye Zhongjue quickly got off the bed and carried her in his arms.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked in panic. ¡°Is it your period?¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head ufortably. A moan of pain slipped out of her lips.

    ¡°It¡¯s probably because we had extra-spicy Sichuan hot pot for lunch and a lot of cold beverages in the afternoon¡­ My stomach¡­ it hurts a lot!¡±

    Beads of cold sweat trickled down from her forehead.

    Ye Zhongjue did not hesitate.

    He quickly changed into clean clothes. Then, he wrapped arge nket around Mo Suqing and carried her downstairs.

    It was past ten o¡¯clock in the evening. There were still many people on the street.

    Ye Zhongjue ran one red light after another. When they arrived?at?the hospital, he hurriedly took Mo Suqing into the ER.

    The doctor did his inspection. Frowning, he told Ye Zhongjue, ¡°As it is, the patient¡¯s gastrointestinal tract is quite sensitive. Then she took in a lot of food that could upset it. The result is acute gastroenteritis, which means she needs to undergo an operation immediately. A family member has to sign the surgical consent form.¡±

    He handed the form to Ye Zhongjue.

    Ye Zhongjue quickly browsed the content and signed his name.

    He knitted his brows. He had set his mind on getting her out of the house to evade his father, but had not thought of another person she should evade. Now she was sick.?He shouldn¡¯t have let her go out with Leng Xiyao.

    Ye Zhongjue stayed outside the operating?room during the surgery.

    He gave Lin Ran a call, and gave him instructions on what he needed to do for him tomorrow and asked him to bring some papers to the hospital. When Lin Ran arrived at the hospital, he added, just give him a call.

    By now, Lin Ran had known about Ye Zhongjue and Mo Suqing and that Ye Zhongjue was hiding his identity from her. Moreover, Lin Ran was a sensible man.

    Even if Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t mention it, he would try his best to help his boss conceal his identity.

    Meanwhile.

    Leng Xiyao stood in front of Leng Haoyun and stared at him expressionlessly. Her eyes bored into his.

    Leng Haoyun did not respond.

    The deadlock hadsted for almost two hours. Finally, Leng Xiyao could stand it no longer.

    She had been standing there since she came home, but her uncle had?not?said a?word. He hadn¡¯t asked where she had been or told her what he had done today. It was as if she did not exist.

    ¡°Uncle, can I ask you a question?¡±

    Leng Haoyun finally looked up at her, suggesting her to continue.

    ¡°All these years¡­ how do you see me? As a kid, as your little princess, as your brother¡¯s child, or¡­ or just someone whom you are responsible for and nothing more?¡±

    Leng Haoyun frowned. He had no idea why Leng Xiyao would ask him such a question.

    The truth was, he didn¡¯t know the answer himself.

    Was it a kid? Maybe he had seen her as a kid at first, a little princess he had protected carefully.

    As time went on, she grew up gradually.

    When her first period came, she had thought she was going to die and called him, telling him toe back home tearfully.

    It was probably at that time that he had unknowingly changed his attitude towards her and no longer?saw?her as a kid.

    She had left?childhood?with her first period.

    Later on, she became more and more womanly.

    Then, she was eighteen years old. He could still remember her eighteenth birthday. He hade home earlier.

    She had just taken shower after a nap and he had bumped right into a naked her when he opened the door.

    Her soft, fair skin was very smooth. She had got all the curves, too. In that split second, her beautiful body was seared into his brain.

    Although he immediately closed the door, the image had stayed with him for a very long time.

    He had known this was so unlike him.

    That evening, she dressed up like a princess in a white dress at her birthday party. All night, he saw only her. His little princess?had grown up.

    That night, he had a dirty dream about her.

    Sometimes, he found it hard to admit even to himself that he had fallen in love with the girl he raised alone. Yet, that was the truth.

    Of course, he knew she was his brother¡¯s child.

    But he also knew they were not rted by blood. When he was much younger, he had overheard what his brother and his wife said, about the truth behind the little princess of the family.?She was not actually their child.

    So, he let his desire burn.

    That being said, he had always kept his feelings under control so as not to scare her.

    He workedte every night not because he didn¡¯t want to see her, but because he was afraid he would do something that frightened her.

    After she graduated from college, she seemed to be more and more out of his control and emotional.

    Sometimes he would wonder if he was too protective of her, if he had spoilt her.

    But, other than spoiling her, he did not know how else?to interact with her.

    Besides, it was his responsibility to protect her from any harm.

    After a long time, he asked her a question in response, ¡°What¡¯s up with you today?¡±

    Leng Xiyao sneered. <i>Looks like he doesn¡¯t want to answer her question, so he changed the subject.</i>

    She decided to just pour it out without beating about the bush.

    ¡°I saw you?in?Taste of Hunan. With An Huilin. I never knew you two knew each other.¡±

    Leng Xiyao chuckled.

    ¡°She has been giving me a hard time recently, are you aware of that? I kept thinking?about?what I could possibly have done to enrage her, but as far as I knew, I couldn¡¯t have any link with her outside work. Until today. I saw you with her. The tone and expression you had when you were talking told me you have known each other for a long time.?As for me, I have been a fool facing her wrath every day all these time!¡±

    Leng Haoyun frowned, a hint of irritation crossing his face.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask her about it.¡±

    Somehow, Leng Xiyao felt even angrier to hear him say that.

    ¡°Uncle, you are the reason she is giving me a hard time, aren¡¯t you?¡±

 Chapter 63 â€“ WeChat Catches up with President Ye

    <h4>Chapter 63 ¨C WeChat Catches up with President Ye</h4>

    Leng Haoyun frowned. He didn¡¯t understand why Leng Xiyao was having such a mood swing.

    ¡°Yao, be a good girl. We are just college ssmates,¡± he exined. ¡°We met each other abroad.¡±

    Looking at him, Leng Xiyao was reminded of the period before she was ten years old.

    She had always known she had a younger uncle. They had met when she was really little so she had no recollection of it. By the time she was at an age where she could retain her memories, he had already left to study abroad.

    She remembered her parents had told her about how smart her uncle was; he had got himself a PhD degree at Cambridge when he was only sixteen years old.

    At that time, although she had never seen him before, he was a super idol in her eyes.

    She?knew?her uncle hadn¡¯t got along with her grandfather. That was why he didn¡¯t?return?home; he had wanted to achieve something big abroad to show his ability beforeing back.

    Unfortunately, hispany had just begun to grow when something happened at home.

    Her parents had died from a car ident and her grandfather passed away soon afterwards, not able to recover from the blow.

    She was all alone all of a sudden. Her uncle was forced to give up hispany and took on The Unparalleled and her.

    Sometimes, when she looked at that poker face of his, she would wonder if he had med her all these years.

    After all, she and their family business were what kept him from achieving his dream and getting his revenge.

    However, she knew it was probably impossible to hear the answers from her uncle.

    Thinking of An Huilin¡¯s cold?and?beautiful face, hatred shed through Leng Xiyao¡¯s eyes.

    Somehow, the fact that the woman and her uncle had known each other for such a long time made her hate her even more.

    But, she gave Leng Haoyun a smile instead.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You should just think of me as a crazy girl who asks crazy questions. Don¡¯t waste your time talking to the editor-in-chief about it; otherwise, I¡¯ll only make a fool of myself.¡±

    Leng Haoyun looked at her, but did not?dwell on?it.

    He remembered that she had expressed her wish to dig out some stories about Mighty Empire, so he said, ¡°Two weeks from now, The Unparalleled and Mighty Empire are going to talk business at Jazz Club. If youe along, you can probably find something useful. However¡­¡±

    He rememberedst night when he had bumped into Ye Zhongjue at Silk Empire International. He frowned, feeling stuck in a difficult situation he¡¯d got himself into.

    ¡°Don¡¯t invite you best friend.¡±

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s words didn¡¯t seem to make sense, and he did not make further exnation either. Leng Xiyao had no idea why he would say that.

    However, Leng Haoyun seemed to think that ¡°silence is golden.¡± Leng Xiyao exploded with anger.

    <i>What makes him think he can boss me around?</i><i>?I¡¯m going to invite?</i><i>whoever I want! I¡¯m going to bring?</i><i>Suqing!</i>

    She stormed into her room and?mmed?the door shut.

    Leng Haoyun allowed himself to show exhaustion on his face. She didn¡¯t know that he had been sitting here waiting for her since lunch ended.

    ¡­¡­

    Time passed.

    After the operation, Mo Suqing was transferred to a general ward. Ye Zhongjue had stayed at her bedside since then.

    After the effect of the anesthesia wore off, Mo Suqing had woken up once around two in the morning to find Ye Zhongjue by her bedside. A weak smile spread across her face. She felt very safe.

    Watching him lean against the chair, sound asleep, she felt her heart ache for him.

    However, exhausted after the operation, she drifted into sleep after a while.

    The next day when Mo Suqing woke up, Ye Zhongjue was not there.

    After a while, the door to the ward opened.

    Ye Zhongjue had bought some pork buns and fried dumplings, as well as porridge for Mo Suqing.

    They enjoyed cosypany of each other during breakfast, determined not to bring up what had happened yesterday.

    After breakfast, Mo Suqing remembered she hadn¡¯t called in sick.

    Watching her panicked expression, Ye Zhongjue told her tenderly, ¡°I have already done that for you.¡±

    Mo Suqing looked bewildered. Ye Zhongjue tousled her hair.

    ¡°I used your phone to call your boss.¡±

    Reassured and satiated, Mo Suqing yed with her phone idly while Ye Zhongjue worked through his papers.

    She kept ncing at Ye Zhongjue. Finally,?after?the hundredth time, Ye Zhongjue looked up.

    ¡°I would think the reason you keep looking at me is because you want to¡­¡±

    His voice trailed off in a sexy note. Mo Suqing immediately thought of some dirty stuff.

    ¡°Rascal!¡± she reprimanded.

    Ye Zhongjue did not care. He immersed himself in his work again.

    Mo Suqing was so bored. Inside, she had been mourning over the fact that she had ended up in a hospital for a Sichuan hot pot. What a stupid reason to be admitted to a hospital!

    She looked at Ye Zhongjue curiously.

    ¡°Ye Zhongjue, sometimes I feel that you are busier than my boss!¡±

    Although she said it without any intention, Ye Zhongjue was rmed.

    His expression changed a little.

    The corner of his mouth twitched. ¡°Mighty Empire is very big. As an assistant, I need to categorize and go through every paper before I can submit it for the president¡¯s perusal. Don¡¯t you understand?¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded understandingly. She took up her phone again.

    A message came in.

    LIsForLeng: What happened to u? I heard u were sick as soon as I arrived at the office. U have had a very inauspicious year!

    FarAway: Yeah, u r right! Inauspicious and unlucky!

    LIsForLeng: Did u get a cold? Or is it a fever?

    FarAway: I don¡¯t want to say. I don¡¯t want to make u feel guilty.

    LIsForLeng: Just say it! I can take it. I¡¯m very resilient!

    FarAway: Well, I¡¯m going to say it then¡­

    LIsForLeng: Say it!

    FarAway: I had acute gastroenteritisst night because of the extra-spicy Sichuan hot pot and the extrarge ice cream. Ye Zhongjue quickly took me to the hospital.

    Reading Mo Suqing¡¯s messages, the girl who had said she could take it had guilt written all over her face.

    It was all because of her. Suqing had supported her every dietary decision to make her happy.

    And she had known that Suqing¡¯s gastrointestinal tract was sensitive!

    LIsForLeng: I wish someone could punish me for what I did to u! It¡¯s all because of me that u r in the hospital. I¡¯m going to visit u right now!

    Leng Xiyao started to put her stuff away before heading to the hospital.

    Mo Suqing sent more messages.

    FarAway: I won¡¯t be friends with u anymore if you skip a day at work for me!!!

    Leng Xiyao pulled a long face. <i>How can she threaten me like that!</i>

    LIsForLeng: I¡¯m worried about u being alone! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m very willing to sacrifice myself to take care of u!

    Mo Suqing burst outughing.

    Ye Zhongjue eyed her curiously, then looked at her phone.

    WeChat¡­ She really liked to spend time on it.

    FarAway: Who told you I was alone?

    LIsForLeng: *Surprised* Ye Zhongjue is there? No wonder u don¡¯t want me there! U don¡¯t want a third wheel, do u? Fine, I¡¯ll stay right here. I¡¯ll go visit during noon break.

    FarAway: Okay. Now go back to ur work!

    LIsForLeng: Kay.

    Mo Suqing put her phone away and began to stare at the white ceiling, feeling bored.

    ¡°Are you bored?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue asked, breaking her reverie. Mo Suqing frowned embarrassedly. ¡°Not really. It¡¯s just been a long time?since I had?so much spare time. You should go back to your papers. I have forced you to call in sick enough times.¡±

    Looking at her guilty expression, Ye Zhongjue caressed her hair.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. I can work anywhere. I am just an assistant. Thepany will be fine without me.¡±

    Feeling reassured, Mo Suqing closed her eyes andy on the bed quietly like azy cat.

    At noon, Leng Xiyao came to visit her. She brought several magazines for her to while away the time.

    Mo Suqing felt grateful. Leng Xiyao was indeed her bestie! She always knew what she needed.

    Ye Zhongjue ordered?a?light meal for lunch. The three of them finished it in the ward.

    Leng Xiyao needed to go back to work, so she left hurriedly.

    Mo Suqing was hospitalized for four days. Ye Zhongjue never went into work in order to take care of her.

    In fact, Mo Suqing told him more than once that she would be fine by herself and that he should go back to work.

    However, Ye Zhongjue was just too worried about her.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s heart gradually melted at his tenderness. Gratitude and the fact that?she cared about him had added to the initial feelings and transformed them into something deeper. It became her secret; no one knew about it.

    After all, they had only three years.

    Eventually, Mo Suqing insisted on going home. Ye Zhongjue relented and began to prepare her discharge.

    The doctor agreed that she could be discharged, only she needed to rest for a couple of days more.

    After they went home, Mo Suqing conducted some serious persuasion. Finally, Ye Zhongjue agreed to go back to work the next day.

    After a morning¡¯s work, Ye Zhongjue ordered some takeout for Mo Suqing.

    Soon after he hung up the phone, Song Pingting brought his lunch into his office.

    Ye Zhongjue was reading the news while having his lunch. Suddenly, he thought of how Mo Suqing had chatted with Leng Xiyao on the phone.

    He downloaded WeChat from the App Store, then hastened to register an ount and log in.

    Once he had done all that, he found himself at sea.

    Ye Zhongjue had never used a social media app before, so he hadn¡¯t a clue how to add someone to his contact.

    He had just pushed his lunch away when Lin Ran entered with a pile of project proposals.

    Because Ye Zhongjue hadn¡¯t been to his office for thest few days, work had umted. Lin Ran had been working overtime to help him. Sometimes, he would quickly finish his lunch and began working again even though it was still lunch break.

    Ye Zhongjue asked him to put the documents on the desk.

    Lin Ran, after putting down the proposals, turned to leave.

    ¡°Lin Ran¡­¡± Ye Zhongjue called out.

    He sounded a little hesitant. Lin Ran stopped and looked at Ye Zhongjue curiously.

    ¡°What¡¯s up, Boss?¡±

    Lin Ran asked, expecting him to give him some tasks.

 Chapter 64 â€“ The Heartless Cruelty and the Heartfelt Tenderness

    <h4>Chapter 64 ¨C The Heartless Cruelty and the Heartfelt Tenderness</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue wanted to tell him it was nothing, but the words wouldn¡¯te out.

    ¡°Well, ahem, do you know WeChat?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sure! I use it all the time. Is there a problem?¡±

    He said it in a smooth tone, although he was actually very surprised.

    Ye Zhongjue never expressed an interest in any apps whatsoever.

    For him, the only function of a cell phone was to make phone calls. So the question was, why would he take an interest in this app all of a sudden?

    Somehow, Lin Ran believed it had something to do with Miss Mo.

    Ever since Miss Mo showed up, Ye Zhongjue¡¯s life had undergone many unimaginable changes.

    Embarrassment crept across Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face. Now, Lin Ran was utterly astonished. This had got to be the third expression he had ever read on his face!

    An expression apart from coldness and anger.

    His?boss?was embarrassed. This was totally unheard of!

    Seeing Lin Ran¡¯s stunned face, Ye Zhongjue immediately switched to his coldness mode. He gave him a steely nce and asked in a stiff tone, ¡°How do you add someone to your contact with WeChat?¡±

    Although Ye Zhongjue had put on his poker face, Lin Ran was no longer afraid of it. After all, his?boss?just showed another side of himself!

    This was?enough?evidence that his current expression was actually a cover for his real emotions.

    However, Lin Ran was still a verypetent assistant. After he heard Ye Zhongjue¡¯s question, he quickly walked over.

    ¡°Boss, do you see this? It¡¯s your WeChat contact list. When you press this button up here, you can add new friends.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face darkened. It was as simple as that. He should have tried the button first before asking for help.

    He sounded uneasy when he said, ¡°Alright, I?understand. You can go.¡±

    Lin Ran, with a sly smile like a fox, turned to leave.

    He bumped into Song Pingting outside the door to the office. She was standing there, holding a cup of coffee.

    Lin Ran¡¯s smile vanished. She must have heard the conversation between him and the president.

    To be honest, sometimes he really disliked her.

    His?boss?treated her no differently from the others, but she kept using her title as the head secretary to try to seek more favor from Ye Zhongjue.

    However, he was in no position to tell her this; his?boss must be the one to make things clear with?her.

    Ye Zhongjue gave her a look and said sternly, ¡°Lin Ran, you can go. Miss Song,e in.¡±

    Song Pingting walked in with the cup of coffee. When Ye Zhongjue was going to work overtime, he usually drank some after lunch.

    However, Song Pingting came at the wrong time. She obviously heard him talking to Lin Ran, but had decided to eavesdrop at the door.

    <i>What if they were not talking about WeChat, but something highly confidential?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue frowned at the thought. ¡°Miss Song, don¡¯t forget to knock when you are at the door!¡±

    It was just a simple order, but tears immediately sprang into Song Pingting¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°President Ye, I didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop. It¡¯s just¡­¡±

    The more she tried to exin, the more she didn¡¯t know how. You would think Ye Zhongjue had just given her a death sentence.

    In the end, she said in a grieved tone, ¡°I just wanted to bring you your coffee¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s brows knitted together at her distressed tone.

    As a rule, Song Pingting was apetent and efficient secretary who seldom, if ever, made a show of herself. Though he was being a little stern to her, it was absolutely necessary under the circumstances.

    It looked like he had to find a new head secretary if she couldn¡¯t learn her lesson.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her coldly and said the following words that practically broke her, ¡°If this is too difficult for you, you can stoping in from tomorrow!¡±

    Song Pingting¡¯s face went pale. She looked at Ye Zhongjue in disbelief. She had worked for him for so long. How could he just fire her like that?

    She had always known the man was heartless, she thought mournfully, but she had still let herself fall for him, hadn¡¯t she?

    What Song Pingting didn¡¯t realize was, Ye Zhongjue¡¯s heartless cruelty was only directed towards other women; he could never do that to Mo Suqing.

    Song Pingting¡¯s tone was very reluctant with a hint of suppressed emotions when she replied, ¡°President Ye, I¡¯ll never make the same mistake again. Please give me another chance.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue lowered his head to check his WeChat and tap open the contact list.

    A screen?name ¡°FarAway¡± appeared above the mobile contact that he had named ¡°Honey.¡±

    A tender smile spread across Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face. He tapped ¡°Add.¡±

    <i>So, her screen</i><i>?</i><i>name is FarAway. FarAway¡­</i> Ye Zhongjue muttered to himself. It was so cute.

    He thought he must have been under some spell. Otherwise, how could a screen?name create such a turmoil in his heart?

    When he finally looked up after a while, he realized Song Pingting was still standing there piteously.

    He cleared his throat and said, ¡°Okay. You can go now. Watch your behavior.¡±

    Song Pingting grunted a polite answer, then turned to leave. She closed the door behind her, a vicious expression on her face.

    <i>He uses WeChat? Why would he want to use it?</i> She had a feeling it was because of the woman who bought him that overcoat.

    She couldn¡¯t bear the thought that he was willing to change himself for some woman. She couldn¡¯t bear it at all!

    Song Pingting clenched her fists so tightly that her nails punctured her flesh.

    Lin Ran walked by and asked, ¡°What are you still doing here?¡±

    Song Pingting tucked away her emotions. When she looked up, she had put herself together as if nothing had happened.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m just leaving, Mr. Lin.¡±

    Then, she walked past Lin Ran.

    Watching her go, Lin Ran couldn¡¯t help but frown. Somehow, he just didn¡¯t like Song Pingting.

    Although he and Song Pingting were the two most capable employees in thepany (albeit the fact that he was the real right-hand man of Ye Zhongjue) and they were supposed to get along quite well, the truth was he did not want to see the woman at all.

    He shook his head. <i>Never mind. As long as she doesn¡¯t do anything thatpromises thepany, he shouldn¡¯t interfere.</i>

    Two dayster, Ye Zhongjue finally agreed to let Mo Suqing go to work.

    Like a happy bird who had just been freed, she kept chattering on the way to her office.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her fondly. He could see she had been bored to death staying at home and was very happy to be able to get back to work.

    When she got off the car, Ye Zhongjue reminded her to be careful with the wound and to have?a?light meal for lunch.

    Mo Suqing smiled and nodded before running into the building.

    With Mo Suqing back in the office, Leng Xiyao came back to life and was her usual self again.

    She waved Mo Suqing¡¯s hand happily. Then, cupping her ear with one hand, she leaned closer and whispered into her ear, ¡°Suqing, I have insider information that a week from now, The Unparalleled and Mighty Empire are going to talk business at Jazz Club!

    We know that the presidents of the twopanies have always been very mysterious; they¡¯ve never shown?up at any public events. If we can take some photos of either of them, the story will definitely generate record profits for our magazine! An Huilin will not push us around anymore,¡± Leng Xiyao said, although she was aware that An Huilin had not been giving her a hard time since she told Leng Haoyun about it the other night.

    However, she had thrown caution to the wind and decided to fight him until she won, even if it meant his identity would be revealed and she could benefit from it.

    Mo Suqing quickly turned to look at her, her eyes huge with surprise.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°You bet I am!¡± Leng Xiyao nodded.

    Mo Suqing considered for a moment and frowned. ¡°This is a great piece of information, no doubt. But, we don¡¯t have a member card of Jazz Club. Without it, we won¡¯t be able to get inside.¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s eyes widened. Then, she rolled them around mischievously.

    She lowered her voice and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it. I have a friend who might be able to get us a card, so we can enter the club without a hassle.¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked at Mo Suqing expectantly, as if she was waiting for herpliment.

    Laughing, Mo Suqing gave her hair a tousle. ¡°I knew you always have a lot of ideas and woulde up with a solution.¡±

    Mo Suqing never mentioned the other day when Leng Xiyao had felt really down.

    She knew Leng Xiyao would tell her when she wanted to.

    In the afternoon, Ye Zhongjue was having an international online meeting when Lin Ran knocked on the door and walked in.

    Lin Ran had expected the meeting to be over by now. However, Ye Zhongjue had prolonged the meeting to discuss more issues.

    Lin Ran waited patiently until Ye Zhongjue wrapped it up ten minutester.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Boss,¡± Lin Ran said, ¡°there¡¯s a party you need to attend this evening.¡±

    He paused before continuing, his brow knitted together, ¡°The problem is, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t be there with you tonight. I¡¯ll need to pass it this time.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue considered this for a moment. ¡°Ask Miss Song to get ready and go to the party with me in the evening.¡±

    Lin Ran nodded. ¡°Okay, Boss, I¡¯ll tell her.¡±

    After Lin Ran left, Ye Zhongjue rubbed his temple. He had a mild headache due to the long hours he had put in at work.

    He called Mo Suqing to tell her that he would go homete today.

    Mo Suqing went to the restroom to answer the phone. She lowered her voice and asked, ¡°Are you going to work overtime again?¡±

    She knew Ye Zhongjue had quite a lot of unfinished work from the week he busied himself to take care of her and that he had been workingte these few days to catch up with it.

    Ye Zhongjue was not going to hide it from her, so he answered, ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. There is a dinner party I have to go to this evening. It will probably bete when I get home. Don¡¯t wait up.¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded, a little downcast. ¡°Alright then. Don¡¯t drink too much!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue promised her he wouldn¡¯t and then hung up the phone.

    Not long after he put his phone down, he picked it up again. As he had expected, Mo Suqing had shared a status in Moments.

    He had found out that Mo Suqing just loved to use WeChat.

 Chapter 65 â€“ The Sin Eliminators and The Dark Night

    <h4>Chapter 65 ¨C The Sin Eliminators and The Dark Night</h4>

    Yesterday, Ye Zhongjue had sent a friend request to Mo Suqing. When he went back homest night, Mo Suqing had been sleeping since noon. Her phone was next to her.

    He didn¡¯t wake Mo Suqing until he had pressed ¡°ept¡± on the screen and tossed the phone back to its original ce.

    Therefore, Mo Suqing probably didn¡¯t know that he had begun to use WeChat and even added her to his contact.

    It was obvious Mo Suqing updated her Moments frequently.

    Almost every day, she would post something.

    Just now, she had shared another status which read, <i>Will be alone by myself tonight¡­ again.</i>

    The picture showed a lonely figure from behind.

    Somehow, Ye Zhongjue felt a sudden pang of sadness at the sight of it.

    He had always known that Mo Suqing hated loneliness. She was a very sensitive and fragile girl inside.

    All the toughness was just an act. Because of this, his heart easily went to her.

    She had undergone a huge transformation. He had?found out?when he asked Lin Ran to do some research on her.

    It happened in the year when her mother passed away. Since then, her whole world had changed a lot.

    After her mother died, her father¡¯s mistress started to live with them and she had been pushed around.

    For this, Ye Zhongjue was actually grateful for Gu Jiannan. Yes, he was an asshole. However, he had also helped Mo Suqing get out of her rock bottom. That was why he just gave the Gu Group a bit of a hard time without being too ruthless.

    When he was going through her Moments updatesst night, he saw a post she had posted three years ago. She had been in her sophomore year.

    The post read, <i>My world copsed the moment my mother left me. I will never forget the sight of her when she died, soaking in her own blood¡­</i>

    How Ye Zhongjue had wanted to turn back time and be there with her when he read the post!

    Another post that stirred his emotions was the one she had posted the day they got married.

    <i>Speed marriage is not umon, but I have never thought it would happen to me. However, when he promised he would give me a home, I was moved. Home¡­ what a wonderful word it is.</i>

    The picture was of two rings that were linked together. It was very romantic.

    When he read it, Ye Zhongjue truly understood what Mo Suqing had felt that day.

    It was the word ¡°home¡± that had prompted her to take his offer. She had badly wanted to have a real home.

    After taking a look, Ye Zhongjue put his phone away.

    He began to make arrangements for the evening. To be honest, he didn¡¯t want to go to the dinner party. All he wanted to do was to spend more time with her.

    Nevertheless, he had made a promise and he never went back on his word.

    So, at seven o¡¯clock in the evening, Song Pingting and Ye Zhongjue both appeared in the underground garage of Mighty Empire.

    Song Pingting had put on some exquisite make-up which made her already pretty face even more stunning.

    The ck dress entuated the curves of her body, so she looked both sexy and elegant.

    It was obvious she had taken great care to dress herself up.

    Ceng Hanyu arrived at the party just before they did.

    When he saw them, he smiled and walked towards Ye Zhongjue. They hugged each other with brotherly affection.

    Ceng Hanyu looked at him and said, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time!¡±

    There ¡°seemed¡± to be a smile on Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face when he replied, ¡°It hasn¡¯t been that long!¡±

    ¡°You cold-blooded bastard! The beautifuldy is going to freeze!¡±

    Song Pingting hung her head in shyness at his words.

    ¡°Watch your mouth! I am a married man now,¡± Ye Zhongjue scolded.

    Ceng Hanyu was taken aback. Then, he came to himself and said, ¡°For real? Way to go! I can¡¯t believe you didn¡¯t tell me.¡±

    Compared to Ceng Hanyu¡¯s rtively mild reaction, Ye Zhongjue¡¯s words struck Song Pingting hard.

    She quickly lowered her head in disbelief, not wanting anyone to see her troubled expression.

    All she could think about was, <i>He is married! He is married!</i>

    <i>He is married¡­ do I?</i><i>still have a</i><i>?chance now??</i>Song Pingting had a bitter smile on her face, in stark contrast to?the?superior attitude she had taken on arrival.

    Even more so, she felt all the women who?gave her envious looks?were ridiculing her.

    In fact,?Ye Zhongjue said it not only because he wanted Ceng Hanyu to know about it, but also because he wanted Song Pingting to give up her hope for good.

    Now, Ye Zhongjue?could tell?that Ceng Hanyu?wanted?to say something more, so he told Song Pingting, ¡°Leave us alone for a while, will you? I need to talk to Mr. Ceng.¡±

    Then, he walked to a balcony with Ceng Hanyu.

    Song Pingting looked at Ye Zhongjue forlornly. The sparkle in her eyes waspletely gone.

    She went to a corner and began to drink wine ss after ss.

    Ceng Hanyu leaned against the balcony, his seductive eyes without a care in the world.

    In fact, one of the reasons Ye Zhongjue hade to the party tonight was to meet Ceng Hanyu. They were expanding Sin Eliminators, an organization they had founded when they were younger.

    Another underworld organization, The Dark Night, used to be the biggest of its kind in the world, making huge amounts of money from gunrunning, drug trafficking and other illegal activities.

    However, ever since Sin Eliminators appeared on the scene seven years ago, they had gradually gained power and caught up with The Dark Night.

    Currently, The Dark Night was no opponent to Sin Eliminators in the gunrunning market.

    Despite the gunrunning business, Sin Eliminators never sold drugs. Moreover, they never showed any mercy to anyone selling drugs on their turf.

    In addition to ammunition. Sin Eliminators also made money from diamond smuggling and moneyundering.

    They had even got their ownboratory, agent training ground and ammunition factory.

    Within seven years, they became more and more powerful. It was all very impressive, but the Interpol also began to divert its attention away from The Dark Night and turn it to Sin Eliminators.

    Ceng Hanyu was the president of a small listedpany on the outside and one of the heads of Sin Eliminators on the inside.

    Ye Zhongjue, who was so mysterious that no one had ever seen him in public, was of course the other head of Sin Eliminators.

    All these years, the two of them dealt with affairs of the organization in their own ways, one secretly while the other openly. Together, they made Sin Eliminators strong.

    The other day, Ceng Hanyu went abroad to deal with something on Ye Zhongjue¡¯s behalf. Ye Zhongjue couldn¡¯t do it because Mo Suqing was sick and naturally, he thought of Ceng Hanyu.

    Ceng Hanyu and Ye Zhongjue were pals. They were best friends and as close as real brothers.

    They had worked together for seven years and made Sin Eliminators what it was today.

    Ceng Hanyu took a sip of his wine and cast a casual nce at the man smoking next to him. ¡°You said it intentionally, right? Her expression changed immediately at your words.¡±

    ¡°She needs to give up her hope and stop thinking about things she shouldn¡¯t be thinking,¡± Ye Zhongjue said darkly and blew out a smoke ring.

    ¡°Well, I still find it unbelievable that you just got married like that. Aren¡¯t you going to wait for your girl?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression changed.

    ¡°Now I often wonder¡­ If I didn¡¯t choose to back off, would she have experienced less pain? Would I have been the one by her side when she was sad?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu gave him a puzzled look and swirled the wine in the ss. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at him and said, ¡°You know how I have always controlled myself, so as not to disturb her life. But our fate led us to meet each other in the end. When I saw her once again, she was in a very bad shape, being betrayed by her stepsister and boyfriend at the same time.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu shook his head. ¡°Wow, that must have been one hell of a shock for her.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue continued, ¡°At that time, I just wanted her to stay, you know? So I made a brilliant yet foolish decision ¨C to marry her.¡±

    ¡°Speed marriage?¡± Ceng Hanyu was a little taken aback. Then, he gave Ye Zhongjue a good smack on the shoulder and remarked, ¡°My brother, that¡¯s very trendy!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue scowled at him. The guy could only make jokes.

    He turned his gaze toward the moon and wondered what Mo Suqing was doing at that moment.

    A bitter smile crossed his face. ¡°She doesn¡¯t know who I am. What¡¯s more, my parents don¡¯t approve of the marriage.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu looked at him, bewildered. ¡°She doesn¡¯t know who you are? You mean, she doesn¡¯t know about Sin Eliminators?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue shook his head. ¡°The?thing about Sin Eliminators, it can wait. Right now, she doesn¡¯t even know I am the president of Mighty Empire. I have no idea how I can exin it to her in the future, too. I made a fatal mistake at the very beginning of this marriage when I decided to lie to her. Little did I expect that you need to tell more lies to cover the first one. It¡¯s like rolling a snowball ¨C it will only be bigger and bigger! Now, I don¡¯t know where to start even if I want to tell her the truth. And I have to tell her the truth one day; it¡¯s impossible for me to lie to her for the rest of my life.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s face was a little contorted when he said, ¡°Bro, to be honest, I would never expect you to do something like this. I can¡¯t believe this. But, I¡¯m really sorry about your situation.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue did not reply. He seemed to be lost in thought.

    Ceng Hanyu asked, ¡°So what are you gonna do next?¡±

    ¡°What am I gonna do?¡± Ye Zhongjue muttered. ¡°I am taking bets on her falling in love with me before telling her everything. However, sometimes things don¡¯t work out the way you¡¯d thought they would. I never worry about the unpredictability of the future, but when it is rted to her¡­ I am at a loss.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s expression became sad. ¡°Actually, you are lucky. After seven years, your love is back in your life. And I believe she won¡¯t leave you even if she knows who you are. Unlike you, I still don¡¯t know where my Anne is¡­ I have no confidence to find my wife ever again.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue sighed. When ites to love, everyone was the same. We gave our whole hearts and got hurt, but we could never truly let it go.

    He had known about Ceng Hanyu¡¯s fianc¨¦e. The two families had been old friends, so when Anne, the daughter of the An family, was born, her parents had decided to betroth her to Ceng Hanyu, the only son of the Ceng family who had been three years old at the time.

 Chapter 66 â€“ The Lipstick Smudge on His Shirt

    <h4>Chapter 66 ¨C The Lipstick Smudge on His Shirt</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue remembered Ceng Hanyu had told him that Anne liked to be carried by him. She would cry in protest in somebody else¡¯s arms, but never in his.

    Sadly, the baby had not been born for a month when she was taken in the hospital.

    The two families had searched for her for many years without any sess.

    Although it was not a formal engagement, Ceng Hanyu, with single-minded devotion to the girl, never gave up the hope that he would one day find her again.

    An Zhenguo, the wealthiest man in the world, was Anne¡¯s grandfather. To be honest, if it hadn¡¯t been for Ceng Hanyu¡¯s financial aid all these years, the An Group probably wouldn¡¯t be this prosperous.

    The probability of An Zhenguo bing the richest man in the world would be incredibly low.

    As it had turned out, this was exactly what the loyal Ceng Hanyu had helped achieve for the fianc¨¦e he had never really known.

    As an outsider, Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t deem it proper to give anyment on it.

    Now, he turned to look at his friend and asked, ¡°How did it go, the thing you dealt with the other day?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu gave him a sly smile. With thin lips, seductive eyes and a straight nose, he was quite good-looking. No, you could say he was an extremely handsome guy.

    Adding that sly smile, there was only one term that could be used to describe him: a yuppie.

    ¡°It was a piece of cake! A few gangsters were fighting for their territories and caused a little disruption to our transactions of ammunition, but it was no big deal.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nodded. ¡°Great. Well, I¡¯m going to take off then.¡±

    ¡°Sure. Do you remember what Madame Melissa said about us?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue replied, ¡°Yes. What about it?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu said, ¡°She said that I¡¯m dashing with a bit of?a?yuppie vibe while you are aloof with a noble quality. I used to disagree with her, but now I can totally rte!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at him, not knowing why he had brought it up.

    Ceng Hanyu smiled. ¡°Can¡¯t you see? You are a noble; I am a yuppie! Every woman turned their attention to you when you walked in here. Do you know how hurt I am?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue smiled a little. He knew his friend was trying to liven up the atmosphere and lighten their moods, but he didn¡¯t say it.

    ¡°You just keep making jokes. I¡¯m out of here!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu nodded and walked toward the hub of the party.

    Ye Zhongjue did not linger. He firmly turned down every offer of drinks from the other presidents and was determined to go back home after he found Song Pingting.

    When he found her, Song Pingting had one hand on the countertop of the bar for support and a ss of wine on the other hand, trying to stand up straight.

    Ye Zhongjue frowned, looking irritated.

    He had known it wasn¡¯t a good idea to take her with him. Now she was totally wasted.

    Though he was annoyed, he was still a gentleman. He couldn¡¯t just leave her here, drunk as a lord.

    Supporting her, Ye Zhongjue began to walk while calling Lin Ran to take the woman home. He himself had to go back to his own house now, or Mo Suqing would stay upte and wait for him.

    He did not want her to sacrifice her sleep for him.

    Lin Ran set off immediately after he hung up.

    Meanwhile in the elevator, Ye Zhongjue was supporting Song Pingting with one hand. Suddenly, she lost her bnce and stumbled onto his chest.

    Frowning, Ye Zhongjue put his phone away and pushed her away from him.

    However, he didn¡¯t know Song Pingting had left a lipstick smudge on his shirt. It was quite noticeable if you looked carefully enough.

    After Lin Ran arrived and took Song Pingting away, Ye Zhongjue quickly headed home.

    When he got home, all the lights were on in the apartment.

    He saw Mo Suqing curling into a semi-ball on the sofa, sound asleep. His heart melted at the sight and all the anxiety from before ebbed away.

    Then, he felt his heart ache a little. She had just be well, but she still wanted to wait for him on the sofa. <i>What a silly girl.</i>

    He walked over soundlessly to carry her back to the bedroom.

    When he bent down, Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes fluttered open.

    Her eyes were full of sleepiness. She stared at him foolishly for a while before her mind cleared up and she said in a hoarse voice, ¡°You are back¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nodded and gathered her in his arms.

    Mo Suqing did not protest. Nestling in his arms like azy cat, she let him carry her to the bedroom.

    Her eyelids were half open, half closed. It was obvious she was very tired.

    All of a sudden, she caught sight of the red mark on his shirt.

    Her eyelids fully opened in an instant.

    She was no fool. It was no doubt a?lipstick?stain!

    She remembered Ye Zhongjue had told her he was going to a dinner party. <i>Is this from his so-called dinner party?</i>

    Suddenly, her sense of smell became heightened, too. She could smell perfume and she was sure she had never smelt any kind of fragrance on him before.

    Ye Zhongjue always smelt fresh and she never used perfume herself. So, there was only one exnation.

    He had carried another woman in his arms tonight and the woman left the smell of her perfume and a lipstick smudge on his shirt!

    Mo Suqing felt a lump in her throat. <i>Should I ask him about it?</i>

    She looked up at him. He had a very handsome face. It could well have been the most perfect work God had ever created; yes, this was how blessed he was. With this asset, he could easily attract a lot of women.

    <i>Should I pretend that nothing had happened?</i>

    She felt it would be stupid to ask him about it, but she couldn¡¯t pretend she didn¡¯t see it, either.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t know what to do. She justy there on the bed and listened to the sound of the pouring water ¨C Ye Zhongjue was taking a shower.

    Confusion seized her heart and turned it into a tight knot.

    Someone once said that in a rtionship, the one who fell in love first was the loser. They had relinquished their control.

    Mo Suqing turned over and looked at the door to the bathroom. All they had been through during the short time they had known each other popped up in her mind.

    It felt like everything had happened only yesterday.

    Their speed marriage, their getting to know one another, his care for her¡­ Time had passed by quickly; it was almost three months.

    However, now she realized she had never truly known him.

    In addition to his family, there was a lot of the other stuff she didn¡¯t know.

    Although they had the three-year agreement, she still took him home to meet her father.

    On the contrary, Ye Zhongjue never really talked about his family.

    Mo Suqing felt so upset. It was as if her heart no longer belonged to her.

    The lipstick smudge gave her such a shock, she almost forgot her initial resolution to stay detached.

    She chuckled bitterly, realizing btedly that she had, without her knowing, fallen in love with the man she had married on impulse and whom she had only known for three months.

    Yet, she thought pathetically, she didn¡¯t even know anything about him. With the exception of the house where they lived together, they didn¡¯t seem to have anything inmon.

    Ye Zhongjue got into the bed after taking the shower. He called her name softly, ¡°Suqing¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing feigned sleep and did not answer.

    Ye Zhongjuey down quietly and switched the light off.

    Lying in the dark, Mo Suqing kept her eyes wide open. A teardrop slid down her face, through a tuft of her hair, and into her pillow.

    The next day, Mo Suqing was still feeling pretty low. Even when Leng Xiyao told her she had got hold of the Jazz Club member card, Mo Suqing did not look particrly excited.

    During lunch break, Leng Xiyao made Mo Suqing go out with her and demanded to know what was wrong with her.

    Support us at Innread.

    Finally, Mo Suqing relented and told her everything.

    ¡°Yesterday, he had a dinner party that he needed to attend, so he didn¡¯t pick me up. He took meticulous care of me the past few days when I was sick. I worried about his health, so I waited for him on the sofa. He dide home safely, but¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s voice faltered. Leng Xiyao was eager to know the rest of the story.

    ¡°But what? Just say it! I¡¯m worried sick, you know!¡±

    Mo Suqing took a deep breath. She wanted to give her friend a smile, but she couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°But, I found a lipstick stain on his shirt and he smelt like perfume. If he didn¡¯t do anything intimate with another woman, howe there were the smell of perfume and the lipstick stain?¡±

    Leng Xiyao flew into a rage. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just ask him? Did he cheat on you and decide not toe clean? What kind of a man is he?¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head miserably. ¡°I dared not ask him about it!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Leng Xiyao demanded in exasperation.

    ¡°You want to know why?¡± Mo Suqing gave her a bitter smile.

    ¡°Because I realized I have fallen in love! I have fucking fallen in love with him, a man whom I don¡¯t know anything about! You know what? Come to think of it, I don¡¯t really know who he is. What kind of a marriage is this?¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s words lost their edge when she heard Mo Suqing¡¯s confession of love.

    ¡°When you fall in love, you lose your advantage. Don¡¯t be sad, though. If you could fall for someone like Gu Jiannan, of course you would fall for Ye Zhongjue. In fact, I can go on and say that nine out of ten women will be attracted to his appearance, and if he were to be a little kind to one of them, anyone would fall for him.¡±

    Mo Suqing knew what Leng Xiyao said was true, but she could not help but pout her lips a little.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Leng Xiyao waved Mo Suqing¡¯s arm and said, ¡°We¡¯ll go have a drink tonight and forget about the whole thing, okay?¡±

    Mo Suqing could not stand the thought of facing Ye Zhongjue after work.

    If she hung out with Leng Xiyao and rxed herself, she thought, maybe she would be able to do that.

    When it was almost time to get off work, Ye Zhongjue called.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t pick it up. Instead, she sent him a message telling him she would hang out with Leng Xiyao in the evening.

    When Ye Zhongjue called her once again, she had turned off her phone.

 Chapter 67 â€“ Suqing and Xiyao vs. Ruffians

    <h4>Chapter 67 ¨C Suqing and Xiyao vs. Ruffians</h4>

    The recorded voice from the other end of the line said, ¡°The number you have dialed has been disconnected or is no longer in service¡­¡±

    After hanging up, he grew restless. He went to Moments on WeChat and found that Mo Suqing had just shared an update a few minutes ago.

    After reading it, he finally understood why Mo Suqing had been in such a bad mood.

    Her update read, ¡°The perfume was faint, but I smelt it; the lipstick stain was light, but I saw it. I feel so sad, but I don¡¯t know why¡­¡±

    When Ye Zhongjue finished reading it, he knew two things: First, Mo Suqing was sulking because of Song Pingting¡¯s lipstick mark; second, it showed that she might have some feelings for him.

    <i>Can I safely conclude that she is jealous?</i>

    At the thought, Ye Zhongjue picked up his car keys and headed to the headquarters of Trend Magazine.

    However, when he arrived there, the security told him that everyone had?already?got off work. Moreover, Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao had left before everyone else.

    Ye Zhongjue wanted to talk to her but didn¡¯t even know where she had gone.

    He called her again, but it went to voicemail right away.

    In the end, he went back home to wait for her. Two hours passed, and Mo Suqing still hadn¡¯te home.

    Ye Zhongjue considered sending someone to look for her, but it was very likely that his true identity woulde out. She finally had some feelings for him. Thest thing he wanted to do was to drive her away.

    All he could do now was to wait patiently.

    <strong>In the pub August Hasn¡¯t Ended Yet.</strong>

    Two pretty women sat at the bar. One had an innocent face and the other had an aloof expression.

    They drank one ss after the other, as if they needed to drown their sadness.

    Yes, they were no one else but Leng Xiyao and Mo Suqing.

    Although Leng Xiyao had said she was just helping Mo Suqing forget about the whole thing, she actually drank more beer than her.

    She herself was in a gloomy mood, too. As a matter of fact, her every smile had been forced recently.

    No one knew about it, but ever since she found out that her uncle and An Huilin were old friends, she had been very unhappy.

    They were two dejected women who hade to the pub to drink their sorrows away.

    At a table not far from the bar, a couple of men were chilling out with beautiful women around them. One of them was leaning against the sofazily, looking carefree.

    The others kept payingpliments and giving tteries to him.

    Presently, one of them addressed him, saying, ¡°Mr. Ceng, what do you think about the two women over there?¡±

    Indeed, the man sitting on the middle of the sofa was Ceng Hanyu.

    He turned his seductive eyes towards Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao at the bar.

    All he could see was one side of Mo Suqing¡¯s face and the back of Leng Xiyao.

    He chuckled, sounding charming and elegant. ¡°What do I think about them? But they have nothing to do with me!¡±

    The man who had spoken looked crestfallen. He had heard that Ceng Hanyu was difficult to please, but this he had not expected. He had said something that had meant well, but somehow the other man¡¯s response was cryptic.

    Heughed nervously and said, ¡°Right, of course you are right¡­¡±

    At that moment, a burly, dark-skinned man with three followers tagging behind approached Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao. He had the most obscene smile on his face.

    He put a hand on Mo Suqing¡¯s shoulder, startling her. Mo Suqing stood up and looked at him warily.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she demanded.

    Seeing that she had a stunning face, the man¡¯s eyes sparkled. He had expected her to be average-looking before she had turned around. However, it looked like he was in luck!

    ¡°What am I doing?¡± he chuckled disgustingly. ¡°Beauty, you should have asked what I <i>would like</i> to do!¡±

    Perplexed, Mo Suqing frowned. ¡°What would you like to do then?¡±

    The man came a step closer. He had barely touched her chin when Mo Suqing shrank away.

    ¡°I clearly want to¡­ do things to you!¡± he said in a lewd voice.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s face darkened. She hadn¡¯t expected to bump into a bunch of ruffians in the pub.

    One of the man¡¯s followers said, ¡°Chick, you are fortunate to be favored by my brother. How dare you shrank from him!¡±

    Then, he extended his hand to grab her arm.

    The burly man stopped him. ¡°Hey, what are you doing? We have to be gentle to beautiful women. Someone as crude as you would never give them a good impression. We want to conquer their hearts as well as their bodies, understand?¡±

    His follower nodded his head in agreement.

    Listening to their conversation, Mo Suqing felt she could not endure it anymore. However, just when she was about to say something, Leng Xiyao, who had been drinking quietly, stood up all of a sudden.

    She looked straight at the burly man in the eye and smiled eerily.

    ¡°Oh? So this is what you would like to do to us¡­¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s voice, bewitching, aroused the burly man. But somehow, he was also afraid of her.

    Mo Suqing looked around and frowned. People had gathered around them, but no one wasing to their rescue.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he ck Dragon ¨C the most respectable gangster in the area?¡± one of the onlookers whispered.

    ¡°You bet your ass he is! They are going to sumb to him tonight!¡±

    Overhearing their talk, Mo Suqing¡¯s face darkened even further. No wonder everyone just stood there and watched. It was because they didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with the man.

    She saw that there was something wrong with Leng Xiyao, but when she realized what it was, it was toote.

    Leng Xiyao scooped up a beer bottle and swung it at the face of the burly man, or ck Dragon.

    The bottle shattered on impact. Before anyone could do anything, a string of blood began to flow freely from his temple.

    Mo Suqing was shocked, but the spectators were horrified. No one had expected Leng Xiyao to do such a violent act.

    Mo Suqing knew they were in big trouble now. She tugged at Leng Xiyao, wanting to take flight.

    Nevertheless, Leng Xiyao was having none of it.

    She sneered at ck Dragon contemptuously and teased, ¡°What are you gonna do now, huh? That¡¯s right, I just fucking hit you on the face! Let me tell you something, if you darey a finger on me¡­ you are going to die a violent death! Your body will be thrown away like trash and you probably won¡¯t even know how you die, either.¡±

    Everyone present, including ck Dragon and his followers, was awed into silence by her frightening threat.

    No one said anything while Leng Xiyao red at ck Dragon as if she would like to tear him up into shreds.

    Mo Suqing knew well that two women could never beat four strong men. They were at a distinct disadvantage.

    She started to drag Leng Xiyao away while everyone hadn¡¯t got time to react. ¡°Yao, let¡¯s go!¡±

    At first, ck Dragon just stood there and let the blood gush from his temple, not sure what to do.

    He had never been treated like this before in this part of A?City.

    However, what if it was not just an idle threat from a girl? What if he took revenge and did offend someone he shouldn¡¯t have offended? That wouldn¡¯t do.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s tone was too arrogant and confident to be faked.

    It gave ck Dragon the shivers and prevented him from acting.

    However, now he saw the two women were going to run away, he sprang into action.

    <i>I don¡¯t care! She¡¯s just bluffing!</i>

    He rushed forward and grabbed Mo Suqing¡¯s hair to drag her back.

    Mo Suqing felt like her hair was going to be separated from her scalp. Meanwhile, Leng Xiyao looked over her shoulder and saw ck Dragon¡¯s savage face.

    Sobering up all of a sudden, she cried out, ¡°Suqing!¡±

    She turned around to confront ck Dragon.

    ¡°Let her go! Otherwise, you are going to regret?it!¡± shemanded.

    ck Dragon sneered, not at all disturbed.

    ¡°Drop it! I am not afraid of you! You can stop your fucking bluffing now. It¡¯s not gonna work on me! Do you have any idea who I am? Do you really think you can dupe me into believing you with such an absurd lie?¡±

    Leng Xiyao, seeing that threatening alone was not enough, started to make the call with her phone in the pocket.

    ck Dragon glowered at Leng Xiyao and began to waver. She was way too calm.

    <i>Have I made a mistake?</i>

    ¡°Hey, she¡¯s making a call!¡± one of his followers warned.

    ck Dragon flew into a rage at this. He assumed that Leng Xiyao was calling the police.

    ¡°Catch her!¡± he yelled. ¡°You fucking chick, how dared you call the police in front of me!¡±

    Two of his followers each grabbed one of Leng Xiyao¡¯s arms. Then, ck Dragon snatched the phone out of her hand and threw it down on the floor.

    Leng Xiyao panicked. She had called her uncle just now, but she doubted he would be here anytime soon.

    And now, ck Dragon was desperate because he thought she had called the police!

    Leng Xiyao struggled to free herself, but she was not strong enough to get rid of the two men.

    Seeing that the situation was getting out of control, some of those who had been with Ceng Hanyu became antsy.

    After all, they were all gentlemen by heart. They couldn¡¯t just sit there and watch two women get hurt.

    However, Ceng Hanyu raised his hand to stop them from doing anything.

    Suddenly, a wail and a cry came one after the other. It turned out Leng Xiyao had stamped on the two men¡¯s feet in quick session, forcing them to loosen their grip on her to rub their feet.

    She had summoned up all her strength. Their feet were going to hurt for a very long time.

    Then, she threw caution to the wind and picked up another bottle on the table nearby and swung it at ck Dragon.

    At the same time, Mo Suqing elbowed him in the stomach and gave his private parts a hard kick.

 Chapter 68 â€“ Hero Comes to the Rescue

    <h4>Chapter 68 ¨C Hero Comes to the Rescue</h4>

    ck Dragon had been fixing his eyes on Leng Xiyao. When she sessfully got rid of his two followers, he had been too surprised to pay any heed of what Mo Suqing was doing.

    Mo Suqing pulled free of the man and ran towards Leng Xiyao.

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s eyebrows arched. He had been looking on with an amused expression because he could see that the two women would definitely put up a fight.

    He gave the men around him a look, as if to say, <i>See, I knew the climax was yet toe!</i>

    If he had known one of the women was Ye Zhongjue¡¯s wife, he wouldn¡¯t have amused himself as an onlooker.

    In another corner of the pub where the light was dim, a figure sat on the sofazily. He had also been watching it all, with an amused smile on his face.

    He was no one but Guan Zixuan, who hade to the pub to have a drink.

    To avoid gossip journalists ¨C but, of course, by gossip journalists he didn¡¯t mean the two women who were just teased by a bunch of ruffians ¨C he had put on a ck jacket with a hood and a pair of ck trousers. Then, he had tucked himself away in a dimly-lighted corner.

    Being treated like a fool by two women and nowughed at by the onlookers, ck Dragon had beenpletely humiliated.

    <i>Fuck! This is so humiliating! How dare those peopleugh at me!</i>

    ¡°Stopughing, you mother fuckers!¡± he roared. ¡°I¡¯ll cut off the tongue of those who can¡¯t stop theirughter!¡±

    Leng Xiyao grasped Mo Suqing¡¯s arm. She could feel Mo Suqing was shaking all over. In fact, she was trembling too.

    She had never seen the dark side of the real world; her uncle had always protected her from it.

    She needed to buy some time and hoped that her uncle woulde to her rescue as soon as possible.

    Otherwise, she and Suqing were really going to sumb to the ruffians tonight!

    ck Dragon was approaching them step by step.

    Leng Xiyao and Mo Suqing were backing away step by step too, until they hit the wall.

    ¡°You should go and find help! I¡¯ll stay here and buy some time,¡± Leng Xiyao whispered into Mo Suqing¡¯s ear.

    Mo Suqing was having none of it. It was impossible that she would leave Leng Xiyao alone with those bastards!

    She firmly shook her head and said, ¡°I won¡¯t leave you! I know what you are nning to do!¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s better than you and me both getting into trouble!¡± Leng Xiyao argued.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s grip on the other woman¡¯s arm was as firm as her voice when she said, ¡°Yao, do not push me away. We will deal with them together! Let¡¯s see how much harm a mere ruffian can cause!¡±

    Leng Xiyao couldn¡¯t change her mind. All she could do was to watch helplessly as ck Dragon got closer and closer until he stopped right in front of them.

    A gruff came from his throat, like a rusty steel door was scraping across the floor. Not a very pleasant sound, that much was sure.

    On top of that, there was the blood gushing from his forehead. It was an extremely frightening sight.

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao appeared calm on the outside while they both knew that without help, they wouldn¡¯t be able to get out of here.

    ck Dragon grabbed their hair in each of his hands. No matter how much they struggled, he did not let go.

    Meanwhile, he hurled obscenities at them, saying, ¡°I¡¯m gonna finish you off tonight! Let¡¯s see who dares raise any objections!¡±

    Then, with Mo Suqing¡¯s and Leng Xiyao¡¯s hair in his hands, he dragged them toward the exit. His three followers limped along.

    Just before they reached the exit of the pub, there seemed to be a strange winding from behind. Before ck Dragon could tell what was going on, his three followers yelped and fell to the ground.

    A shadow appeared out of nowhere and ck Dragon felt a numbing sensation on his neck. His whole body, along with his hands, felt weak and he, too, fell to the ground.

    Guan Zixuan, who was dressed entirely in ck, quickly pushed Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao out of the door before they knew what was going on.

    At that critical moment, Ceng Hanyu had also wanted to interfere. However, someone else beat him to it and went to the rescue of thedies.

    Watching the dark figure that was Guan Zixuan, he shook his head in amusement and thought, <i>Things are always more fun here?</i><i>back</i><i>?home.</i>

    He had watched a brilliant show for free again.

    Although people had seen it was a man in ck who had saved the women, none of them saw clearly who he was.

    Guan Zixuan not only wore ck clothes, but he had also pulled up the hood and covered his face with a pair of sunsses. Most importantly, he acted very fast. In the blink of an eye, he had left the pub with Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao.

    Before Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao could let out a breath, they were outside the building.

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao turned to the man and recognized him at the same time.

    ¡°Guan Zixuan!¡± they chorused.

    Guan Zixuan took off his sunsses to reveal a yful expression on his face. ¡°You are good at recognizing people!¡±

    He looked around and put the sunsses back on.

    ¡°Come, I¡¯ll take you home. You¡¯ll definitely get into trouble when you get home like this!¡±

    Mo Suqing followed his gaze to her own shoulder. It was bare, partly showing thece of her ck bra. ck Dragon had somehow torn her clothes open a little when she was struggling. She quickly rearranged her blouse.

    Guan Zixuan turned his gaze away and said casually, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand here. Let¡¯s go, our great gossip journalists!¡±

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao?were?a little surprised at his choice of words. He had deliberately said that.

    Even so, they were still very grateful for him for what he did tonight.

    Mo Suqing was about to ask him to take Leng Xiyao home when two ck-d men approached them. They had this steady walk that made them look powerful and forceful.

    They stopped in front of Leng Xiyao and said, ¡°Miss, the young master hase to pick you up. He is in the car not far away.¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked into the night at the ck Rolls-Royce Phantom parked not far away. She tightened her lips and felt that they were so dry as if she hadn¡¯t drunk for a long time.

    She was truly shaken by the event tonight; all theposure was just an act.

    ¡°Well, Guan Zixuan, I want to say thank you. If it weren¡¯t for you, Suqing and I would probably?have got?hurt. Take her home, will you? I¡¯ll be too worried if she is all by herself. My uncle hase to pick me up, so I¡¯m going to take off now.¡±

    Leng Xiyao turned and left with the two ck-d men.

    Until now, Mo Suqing hadn¡¯t paused to consider the possibility that Leng Xiyao might not be what she thought she was.

    She used to think that the reason Leng Xiyao didn¡¯t like to talk about her family was simply because she had lost both her parents. However, now she had a feeling that they didn¡¯t share the same world. No wonder she dared threaten ck Dragon like that.

    Guan Zixuan noticed it, too.

    His chuckled was full of meaning when hemented, ¡°Looks like your friend is not someone you would want to mess around with!¡±

    Mo Suqing did not reply. She turned around and walked in the opposite direction.

    Guan Zixuan trotted along after her. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t go! I want to ask you something. My car is parked somewhere nearby. How about I give you a lift? You are not going to hail a taxi easily looking like this anyway.¡±

    Mo Suqing considered it and stopped.

    She turned to look at Guan Zixuan and said expressionlessly, ¡°Alright then.¡±

    In the car, Mo Suqing was reduced to silence. For someone who had just been harassed by a bunch of ruffians, she was surprisingly calm.

    After a while, Guan Zixuan remarked, ¡°You are a strange woman!¡±

    Then, he watched Mo Suqing for any reactions. However, she still did not say anything.

    Having no choice, Guan Zixuan decided to just blurt it out.

    ¡°I already?found out what happened. What did you do that? Why didn¡¯t you?exin yourself?¡±

    His out-of-the-blue question puzzled Mo Suqing. However, she just stared at him nkly without saying anything.

    Guan Zixuan felt incredible. <i>Howe I have never found out she¡¯s such a cold person? Or, am I being too talkative today?</i>

    Guan Zixuan cleared his throat and said rather bashfully, ¡°What I meant is, the picture you took at the airport¡­ I know you were not the one who published it. So why didn¡¯t you say something when I asked you?¡±

    Mo Suqing finally looked at him. Guan Zixuan almost choked on her words when she said, ¡°¡®Asked¡¯ me? You didn¡¯t ask me anything! You were <i>telling</i> all of the gossip journalists present that you had bought sanitary napkins for me and misleading them to think that we were having an affair! You wanted to wreak havoc in my life! And you call it ¡®asking¡¯?¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s face was expressionless when she said this.

    Guan Zixuan felt panicked. <i>Why would I think she was a vulnerable woman back in the pub? Look at her! She¡¯s totally back in the game!</i>

    Heughed nervously and said, ¡°I¡­ I thought you were the one who published the picture! How can you me me? <i>You</i> didn¡¯t say anything! I deleted all the photos in your camera, but somehow the picture still got out. It makes perfect sense to have suspected it was you.¡±

    ¡°Ha, right!¡± Mo Suqing sneered. ¡°It makes perfect sense to have sent those gossip journalists my way, without any substantial evidence that I did it! Mr. Guan, I must say amoner like me can¡¯t seem to understand how it makes sense!¡±

    Guan Zixuan knew he was in the wrong here, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel that she was a bit too harsh.

    <i>Moreover, why does she keep speaking of ¡°those gossip journalists¡± like she isn¡¯t one herself?</i>

    ¡°Well, can we not talk about the incident anymore? I did save your butt tonight, didn¡¯t I? How about we let bygones be bygones and call it even?¡±

    A captivating smile appeared on Mo Suqing¡¯s face.

    ¡°Oh, so should I thank you then, my savior? Yes, I should thank you for saving us, after you watched us get bullied to your heart¡¯s content first!¡±

    Guan Zixuan was stunned. <i>My god! She knew I was there all along!</i>

    That¡¯s right. Although Mo Suqing was very scared at that time, she had kept herself together enough to see Guan Zixuan when ck Dragon dragged her around.

 Chapter 69 â€“ Is This Revenge?

    <h4>Chapter 69 ¨C Is This Revenge?</h4>

    Although they didn¡¯t exactly get along, somehow Mo Suqing had known this man would save Leng Xiyao and her.

    She was right. In the end, he did.

    After a moment of silence, Guan Zixuan said, ¡°Who else would treat her savior like this?¡±

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t know what to say. She seriously could not understand the guy. <i>Why is he changing the subject all the time? Or, am I just too stupid to catch up with his thinking process?</i>

    She cast him a sidelong nce. She was reminded of the first time they had met each other in the restroom at the airport and found it absurd that they could sit in the same car amicably now.

    What an unexpected turn of events!

    ¡°I should thank you then, for nearly thrusting me and my private life into the limelight, merely because I took a picture of you and incurred your wrath!¡±

    Guan Zixuanughed embarrassingly. He knew he had yed a low trick, but somehow he just did it without thinking.

    ¡°But I have also rified everything at the press conference.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right, you did rify everything. Otherwise, I bet I¡¯m still wearing sunsses and a mask every time I go out!¡±

    Mo Suqing gave him an exasperated look.

    Thus, the hostility between them had gradually transformed into jokes and banter.

    Soon, they arrived at the entrance of Mo Suqing¡¯s apartment. Mo Suqing and Guan Zixuan both got off the car.

    Mo Suqing turned around and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to see me off. Go home now!¡±

    Guan Zixuan waved his hand dismissively. ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll go after I see you enter the building. I don¡¯t have better things to do anyway! Remember to tell your friend you¡¯re home. Otherwise, she might think I have done anything to you!¡±

    Mo Suqing chuckled. <i>Howe I never knew he had some humor in him?</i>

    ¡°Alright, I will!¡±

    Guan Zixuan got in the car and drove away after watching Mo Suqing reach the entrance.

    Mo Suqing had barely entered the building and begun to walk toward the elevator when she felt an intense looking from her left. She snapped her head around and saw Ye Zhongjue watching her with a dark expression.

    She had never?seen?him with such an expression before.

    It was dark and vicious and mingled with different emotions, as if she had done something unforgivable.

    ¡°You¡­ are you okay?¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s tone was rigid. She didn¡¯t know why Ye Zhongjue was here, but then all of a sudden, she remembered what had happenedst night. Her expression became cold.

    <i>Humph! Why should I feel guilty??</i><i>He</i><i>?</i><i>did something wrong first!?</i><i>He</i><i>?</i><i>is hiding something from me! Now, what is that expression of his supposed to mean?</i>

    However, Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue had never had a real fight before. She didn¡¯t know what expression?she should?put on or what attitude?she should?adopt to face him. One thing was sure though: she was very unhappy.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression did not change one bit. Mo Suqing turned?and walked?away, not wanting to waste time on this.

    Ye Zhongjue grabbed her arm in response, which infuriated her.

    <i>You are not talking, but you don¡¯t want to let me go, either. What do you want?</i>

    ¡°Ye Zhongjue, enough of this! I need to go to work in the morning!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue stared at her as if he wanted to read her mind.

    ¡°Oh? I thought you were having such a good time that you didn¡¯t remember you had to go to work!¡± he said darkly.

    His unemotional voice only made Mo Suqing?more furious. She threw off his arm angrily.

    ¡°If you want to waste your time standing here, you can do that. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to sleep!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue had waited for Mo Suqing to return upstairs in the apartment. But after a long time, she still hadn¡¯te home. Worried sick, he decided to wait downstairs. She didn¡¯te back until almost an hourter.

    Most importantly, a man took her home. And, to his irritation, the man was no one but Guan Zixuan!

    <i>Hasn¡¯t she learned the lesson?</i><i>to?</i><i>not get close to him, after what happened at theunch event a few days ago, when he intentionally made her the target of gossip by holding her in his arm</i><i>s</i><i>?</i>

    He was fuming with a reason!

    He had got off work early today because he wanted to exin to her what exactly had happenedst night.

    He had guessed from her update on Moments that she was upset with the lipstick stain Song Pingting had left on his shirt.

    As a matter of fact, he hadn¡¯t noticed it until then.

    Of course, he was d to know she cared enough to be jealous. But, how could she go out with another man because of it? He was really pissed off.

    Everything that he had wanted to tell her couldn¡¯te out now. Instead, all he showed was rage andck of control.

    He had been standing in the building and looking out of the ss doors.

    He saw the look Guan Zixuan gave Mo Suqing when he sent her home. It was obvious he had taken an interest in her!

    However, Mo Suqing had acted as if she didn¡¯t know about it.

    Who could me him for getting angry?

    All his life, before he got married?to?Mo Suqing, there was almost no one who dared disobey him. He had always done and got anything he wanted to.

    However, with Mo Suqing, he was destined to meet some setbacks.

    Mo Suqing could be stubborn, too. Besides, she was annoyed aboutst night right now.

    What¡¯s more, Ye Zhongjue just got angry the moment he saw her without ever asking her what had happened. <i>Can¡¯t he see my hair has been grabbed and my clothes are torn?</i>

    Mo Suqing felt furious and wronged.

    That was why either of them wanted to give in first.

    They were deadlocked for a few minutes. Seeing that Ye Zhongjue just stood there with that sullen expression and still did not want to say anything, Mo Suqing turned away and walked into the elevator.

    To do his justice, in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes, her hair that had been grabbed and the tears on her clothes were all evidence that Mo Suqing had had a crazy time with Guan Zixuan.

    It never urred to him that she had been bullied and almost¡­

    After smoking for a long time alone, Ye Zhongjue finally went upstairs.

    When he entered the bedroom, Mo Suqing had already taken a shower and was sleeping.

    Ye Zhongjue took a shower himself andy down on the bed. He could feel Mo Suqing go rigid instantly.

    He felt angry once again. She had been out all night without giving him any exnation. God knows how long he had been looking for her and how many calls he had made!

    And now, this was the attitude she gave him.

    At the thought, our President Ye could no longer suppress his anger.

    <i>I was worried sick while she was flirting with another man!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue was very upset, but he didn¡¯t want to have a fight with her. So, he got all childish and did something unexpected.

    He pulled Mo Suqing into his chest, rubbed his face against her hair and said in a piteous tone, ¡°You have tofort me! Because you made me so worried about you tonight!¡±

    Mo Suqing, still sulking, could not believe the man had got all childish.

    She tried to push Ye Zhongjue away, but it was futile.

    ¡°Ye Zhongjue, this is not what a man should do!¡± she protested in a cold voice while her cheeks burned.

    Ye Zhongjue could not understand what she had meant by that. No wonder people always said that women were unfathomable.

    Before he could react, Mo Suqing continued, ¡°If you want to have fun, like to have fun, go find another woman, okay? I¡¯m not in the mood!¡±

    Mo Suqing knew all men were a little bit childish sometimes, but since she was still angry with him, she could not help but say what she didn¡¯t really mean to.

    As expected, Ye Zhongjue went rigid. The temperature seemed to plummet with his mood. His tone also went cold.

    <i>I¡¯m trying to give both of us an out because I don¡¯t want to pick a fight! How could she say something like that?</i>

    He gave Mo Suqing a cold look. ¡°I like to have fun?¡± his voice went up several degrees. ¡°Which of us is the one who likes to have the fucking fun! You had another man take you home tonight! Without giving me any exnation! And now you are using me of being childish? Mo Suqing, you are such a heartless woman!¡±

    Mo Suqing was taken aback. <i>So this is why he got angry tonight?</i>

    <i>But what about the fact that you gave me a hard time right away without ever asking what happened to me? I am not a sandbag you can give vent to your rage anytime!</i>

    ¡°What about the fact you came back home yesterday with perfume smells and lipstick stains all over your shirt? Have you thought about what <i>I?</i>felt?¡± she countered in the same cold voice.

    Probably because Mo Suqing had pushed it too far and said all those words with a cutting tone and expression so that Ye Zhongjue felt his self-esteem was jeopardized, he gave her a dark look and murmured, ¡°So is it what it is? A revenge?¡±

    Mo Suqing, her reason thrown to the wind, answered on impulse, ¡°You bet it is!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression and vibepletely changed. He red at Mo Suqing angrily as if he would like to swallow her whole.

    Mo Suqing felt a little afraid, but, remembering what he had said and did tonight, she forced herself to hold her head high and re back at him defiantly, as if to say, <i>I am not afraid of you!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue did not loosen his embrace the whole time. Seeing that she was like a cat bristling with anger, he could not help but chuckle.

    ¡°Good, very good! Mo Suqing, I am going to show you how you are just a fucking nobody to me if I don¡¯t want to cherish you!¡±

    Mo Suqing was stunned, not expecting to hear him say such a thing.

    However, what she hadn¡¯t anticipated was yet toe.

    Ye Zhongjue, disregarding her struggle, had his way with her by force.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s mind went nk. She felt both unanchored, as if she were a kite whose string had been cut off, and unemotional, as if she were a lifeless, wooden puppet.

    As for Ye Zhongjue, he had practically gone mad. Not caring one bit about Mo Suqing¡¯s feelings, he did it with such force that every thrust hurt Mo Suqing badly, trying to make her submit to him.

    Suddenly, sheughed and stopped struggling.

    Tears began streaming down her face and into the pillow.

    She stared at the chandelier overhead nkly. <i>Yeah, I shouldn¡¯t struggle. All of this, it¡¯s my choice, isn¡¯t it? I have only myself to me¡­</i>

 Chapter 70 â€“ Disastrous Possessiveness

    <h4>Chapter 70 ¨C Disastrous Possessiveness</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue hadpletely lost his reason. When he finally noticed that Mo Suqing had be all wooden and expressionless, he stopped dead.

    At that moment, he really wanted to kill himself.

    When he went upstairs, he had been determined to talk to her like a grownup. Howe everything hade to this?

    He lowered his voice like a child who had done something wrong. ¡°Suqing¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at him as if he was a total stranger.

    ¡°Are you done? If so, I¡¯m going to sleep!¡± she said in a cold and distant tone.

    Without looking at his stunned face, Mo Suqing turned her back to him.

    Ye Zhongjue could not believe she had just asked him if ¡°he was done yet.¡±

    He had just done something beastly to her! <i>She¡¯ll never forgive me¡­ After yearning for so many years, she is still going to slip away from him¡­</i>

    Ye Zhongjue knew very well that she was not sleeping. He also knew that she wouldn¡¯t be able to if he was here in the same bed with her.

    He got up slowly, opened the door and walked into his study.

    Everything that had happened tonight was as unrealistic as a dream. He had pushed her further away.

    Ye Zhongjue knew he shouldn¡¯t have done such a thing, but that was exactly what he had done. <i>Am I too possessive?</i>

    <i>Otherwise, why would I flip out every time I see her with another man?</i>

    Annoyed with himself, Ye Zhongjue put his hands over his head and his body slid down against the door.

    ¡­¡­

    The next day.

    Mo Suqing got up in the morning and noticed that the door to the study was closed. She didn¡¯t pay much attention to it and went to work.

    The dark circles under her eyes indicated that she had not slept wellst night.

    But even so, she didn¡¯t care.

    Nothing made her more helpless than being?unable to hate the person she liked?despite the fact he?had forced his way with her.

    That¡¯s right. She couldn¡¯t hate Ye Zhongjue because now she knew very well he had walked into her heart.

    Nevertheless, she couldn¡¯t pretend nothing had happened, either. She was no saint; she couldn¡¯t endure so much grievance and anger.

    Therefore, she chose not to say anything.

    She did not want to speak to or see Ye Zhongjue, at least not now.

    Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t go to work that day. At noon, Ye Wentian happened to call him at the office. Lin Ran answered the phone, but even a skillful liar like him couldn¡¯t deceive the older man.

    He couldn¡¯t do anything but tell Ye Wentian the truth meekly ¨C the president did note to work today.

    <i>Boss</i><i>?will kill me if he knows!?</i>he thought with apprehension.

    Ye Wentian called his son and found that he didn¡¯t go to work. Hearing about it, Ming Jinhua immediately started to fret.

    ¡°I hope everything is alright with him.¡±

    Ye Wentian gave her an exasperated look. ¡°He¡¯s a big boy. Don¡¯t you worry so much!¡±

    However, Ming Jinhua was still disturbed. Her eyelid had been twitching nonstop, signaling bad luck. That was why she had asked Ye Wentian to call Ye Zhongjue, who had not picked it up. In the end, they had decided to call him at the office.

    It turned out he didn¡¯t even go to work.

    This made Ming Jinhua even more worried. Her instinct told her something must have happened.

    Heedless of Ye Wentian¡¯s attempts to soothe her, she changed her clothes and asked their chauffeur to drive her to Ye Zhongjue¡¯s ce.

    Ming Jinhua went up to his apartment and knocked on the door, but no one answered. She found the security and told him what had happened.

    ¡°My son lives here. He didn¡¯t go to work today and I¡¯m really worried about him, so I came here. Could you please open the door for me?¡±

    The security could see that she was genuinely dismayed and didn¡¯t seem to be lying. ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡±

    ¡°Ye Zhongjue!¡±

    The security looked the name up. After determining there was nothing wrong about the identity of the resident, he opened the door.

    The moment Ming Jinhua entered the apartment, she could sense something was not right. The ce was filled with an acrid smell, although it was not as strong as the smoke from a fire.

    Following the smell, she went to the study.

    She was sure the smell wasing from the study. She knocked on the door, but no one answered. She twisted the doorknob and found that it was not locked.

    The scene that greeted her after she opened the door nearly made her cry.

    Ye Zhongjue was sitting on the floor with his back against the couch and his pajamas on, looking utterly dejected. The window was closed, making the smoke even more acrid. It looked like the study had caught a fire.

    Ming Jinhua held back her tears and took a closer look. Her son was asleep. He looked like an awful mess. Although they had just seen each other a few days before, Ming Jinhua felt he had be much thinner.

    It?pained?Ming Jinhua¡¯s heart to see him like this.

    She bent down to caress his face. It grieved her greatly to see him doing this to himself.

    The moment Ming Jinhua¡¯s hand touched his face, Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes snapped open. He grabbed her hand and cried out, ¡°Suqing!¡±

    When he saw that it was Ming Jinhua, the light in his eyes immediately extinguished.

    Ming Jinhua¡¯s heart ached. <i>Just how much does he care about the girl to make such a mess to himself?</i>

    Except for the time when he ran away from home after a fight over the choice of high school, Ye Zhongjue had never worried her.

    Even during their?high school?argument, she had not been this distraught with worry.

    Although the happiness and spark in his eyes vanished immediately when Ye Zhongjue saw it was?his mother?rather than Mo Suqing, he did get up from the floor.

    He ced a hand on the couch for support and stood up before looking at Ming Jinhua calmly. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sorry for making you so worried. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m just feeling a little down. It¡¯s no big deal. Don¡¯t worry about me too much.¡±

    Ming Jinhua shook her head sadly. She knew her son was saying this because he wanted to make her feel better.

    However, somehow she felt even worse.

    When Ye Zhongjue returned home after running away, he had seemed to grow up overnight. He had epted her and Ye Wentian¡¯s idea and gone abroad.

    However, with him acting more like an adult, she tended to worry about him more.

    After some hesitation, she asked it anyway, ¡°Honey, would you like to tell me what happened?¡±

    It was difficult to see Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face in the dark room, but Ming Jinhua could discern a choking sound in his voice when he said, ¡°Mom, I made a mistake!¡±

    Ming Jinhua burst into tears. She embraced Ye Zhongjue and patted him on the back, trying tofort him.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s tall figure was clouded in sadness.

    ¡°Mom, I am such a beast! I forced her to¡­ Is she ever going to forgive me?¡±

    Ming Jinhua could hear the despair in his voice.

    She felt as if her heart was filled with water, making it hard to breath. Tears poured down her face.

    ¡°I can understand how you feel, but you are too possessive of the girl. I know this because otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t set yourself against your father or lose your reason and harm her in any way. Son, you have to realize that you are hurting her with the name of caring about her. I think it best if you separate for a few days and calm down yourselves before you talk to her. Maybe she will begin to understand and forgive you.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked dejected. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s all my fault that you worry yourself so much and be upset too.¡±

    Ming Jinhua shook her head.

    ¡°Honey, don¡¯t say that. You don¡¯t have to force cheerfulness in front of me, okay? I know you are very sad right now, but listen to me. Go take a shower and change into clean clothes. I¡¯m going to cook something for you.¡±

    Before Ye Zhongjue could say no, Ming Jinhua had walked out of the study.

    Ye Zhongjue watched her leave and stood on the spot for a long time. Then, he walked over to the window to pull back the curtain and tidied up the mess he had created.

    No matter what his mother said, it was his fault that she became upset.

    While Ye Zhongjue was taking a shower and cleaning the study, Ming Jinhua fried an egg, stir-fried two dishes and cooked some porridge for him.

    When Ye Zhongjue emerged from the study, he had returned to his usual, aloof self. But if one took a closer look, they could see the dark circles under his eyes.

    Seeing that he had put himself together, Ming Jinhua forced herself to smile.

    ¡°Dear, I have made you something to eat. Come and have some. Otherwise, you¡¯ll upset your stomach.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue answered with a grunt before sitting down and starting to eat the food quietly.

    Ye Zhongjue remained silent throughout the meal. When he had eaten most of the food, a faint smile finally appeared on Ming Jinhua¡¯s face.

    No matter what happened, one had to eat. Health was always the most important thing.

    When he was about to finish the meal, Ye Zhongjue announced, ¡°Mom, I would like to go back home and stay for a few nights.¡±

    Ming Jinhua agreed with his decision after a momentary shock.

    ¡°Good, good! I¡¯m happy if you want to stay home for a while.¡±

    After the meal, Ming Jinhua went to clear up the kitchen while Ye Zhongjue made some preparations. Then, the two of them went back to his childhood home together.

    When Mo Suqing went home in the evening, no one was there. She went to the study and discovered that it was all tidied up. Ye Zhongjue was nowhere to be found.

    She had got off work for a long while, but because she didn¡¯t want to face Ye Zhongjue, she had wandered in the streets until they became neon-lit and she realized it was time to go home.

    Little had she expected there would be no one when she got home.

    Mo Suqing felt somehow disappointed.

    Of course, she was unhappy with Ye Zhongjue for what had happenedst night. However, when she pictured the helplessness and struggle in his face and the sad, furious and defeated tone in his voice, she found it hard to really hate him.

    She hadn¡¯t got the chance to ask him about the lipstick smudge on his shirt, and now another mishap had happened.

 Chapter 71 â€“ Thatâ€™s My Wife

    <h4>Chapter 71 ¨C That¡¯s My Wife</h4>

    Afterst night, Mo Suqing?took some time to reflect.

    If she had not lost her temper and dumped all her fury on him, maybe everything could be well under control.

    <i>We are both too stubborn.</i>

    However,?even if they weren¡¯t on speaking terms, he didn¡¯t have to avoid home.

    Night turned into day. When Mo Suqing woke up the next day and faced the empty room, she was once again reminded of the harsh fact that Ye Zhongjue?had not returned.

    For three days, Mo Suqing did not see Ye Zhongjue once.

    On the third day, she called him on his phone, but it was not turned on. She called several times with the same result.

    Mo Suqing realized, sadly, that she didn¡¯t know anything about Ye Zhongjue except for the fact that he worked at?Mighty Empire.

    Now that she was desperate to find him, she didn¡¯t even know whom to turn to.

    This made Mo Suqing panic.

    The next day, after a sleepless night, Mo Suqing headed to Mighty Empire¡¯s HQ after having her breakfast and waiting for the usual work day to start.

    Standing?in front of the building with a hundred floors, Mo Suqing felt for the first time?ever,?how small she?truly?was.

    It was Monday. She had taken a morning off toe here.

    Plucking up her courage, she entered the building.

    She was instantly drawn by the low-key yet luxurious and exquisite decorations. No wonder people were dying to get in here. Mighty Empire was indeed extraordinary.

    She didn¡¯t want to be seen as a country bumpkin, so she did not spend too much time gawking at the interior.

    She walked to the receptionist, who was a petite woman, and said politely, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m looking for someone.¡±

    The receptionist looked up from her phone.

    She smiled politely, revealing eight neat teeth.

    ¡°Hi, may I ask who you are looking for and have you made an appointment beforehand?¡±

    Mo Suqing smiled embarrassingly. ¡°My husband, Ye Zhongjue, works here. I¡¯m looking for him. I can¡¯t get through to him and I have something to tell him. So, I came. Could you please help me?¡±

    ¡°Ye Zhongjue?¡± At the name, the woman furrowed her brows and considered for a moment.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone with that name in ourpany. Of course, there are a lot of people working here, but as the receptionist, I know everyone in every department.¡±

    The woman was well-mannered, but somehow she said she didn¡¯t know Ye Zhongjue.

    Mo Suqing stood there, not knowing what to do. Suddenly, a thought struck her and she asked, ¡°He is the assistant of Manager Lin. Can you look him up for me? Please?¡±

    She was so earnest in her request that the receptionist didn¡¯t want to make things difficult for her.

    She did some searching?and said, ¡°There are six managers with?the?surname of Lin in ourpany. They are Lin Haoran, Lin Zeng, Lin Peng¡­ However, none of them has an assistant called Ye Zhongjue.¡±

    She could see the news made Mo Suqing downcast.

    Feeling sorry for her, she said, ¡°Miss, to be honest with you, I didn¡¯t have to check to know there is no such person in the entire Mighty Empire. How do you think I made it here? It¡¯s because I can remember a person with just one look.¡±

    Mo Suqing opened her mouth but couldn¡¯t say anything.

    She could tell the woman was not lying. However, if she wasn¡¯t lying, it meant it was the man who had registered marriage and slept on the same bed with her for three months before doing a vanishing act that was lying.

    <i>But why? Why would he lie to me?</i> Mo Suqing could not understand it. She felt weak, as if the belief that had been supporting her was suddenly gone.

    Mo Suqing emerged from the building. Outside, the sunlight was particrly harsh.

    Meanwhile, a visitor was visiting the office on the hundredth floor in Mighty Empire.

    Ceng Hanyu was sitting on the couch, not a care in the world.

    ¡°So what¡¯s up? I have been back for a couple of days now with no luck of seeing you again. Who is this wife of yours that makes you so obedient?¡± Ceng Hanyu asked jokingly.

    Ye Zhongjue shot him a cold look, which shut his mouth right up.

    ¡°Alright, alright! I¡¯ll stop messing around!¡±

    After sitting on the couch cross-leggedly for a while, he gave Ye Zhongjue an amused look, remembering something.

    ¡°Hey, stop working! I have a story for you. So the other night, I saw two?aggressive?women in August Hasn¡¯t Ended Yet?and¡­¡±

    Ceng Hanyu recounted the whole thing with a keen interest. On the other hand, Ye Zhongjue just stared out of the window, deep in thought.

    Ceng Hanyu stopped mid?sentence. ¡°Ye Zhongjue, are you listening to my story or not! Do you not believe what I¡¯ve said? I have recorded the scene on my phone. You are so gonna believe me!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu strode over to Ye Zhongjue¡¯s?desk and handed him his phone.

    Ye Zhongjue had wanted to ignore him, but when he saw who the women were in the video, he could no longer feigned coolness.

    He forced himself to finish the video. When he saw the ck-d man appear near the end of the video, he understood everything.

    He had assumed everything. The truth waspletely different from what he had thought!

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression had gone from the initial apathy and the sudden solemnness, to pain, anger and remorse, allbined.

    Ceng Hanyu was utterly perplexed.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He took his phone back and looked at Ye Zhongjue, who had fixated his eyes at a point in the air.

    Ye Zhongjue stood up and gripped Ceng Hanyu¡¯s arm. ¡°Is this three days ago?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ceng Hanyu¡¯s eyes twinkled a little. ¡°Why? What¡¯s the matter? Now you can see that I am not lying! The two women were so fierce¡ª¡±

    Ye Zhongjue cut him off with a roar.

    ¡°Ceng Hanyu, that¡¯s my wife!¡±

    ¡°Your wife. Hehe, your wife¡­¡± Ceng Hanyu murmured. Suddenly, his face seemed to freeze and then became contorted. He was dumbstruck.

    ¡°What?!¡± he eximed, his voice going up several decibels. ¡°That¡¯s your wife? Fuck! Why didn¡¯t you introduce her to me earlier, so I wouldn¡¯t just sit there and watch! Tell me, which one is she? The long-haired one or the short-haired one?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue actually admired himself for being able to answer the question.

    ¡°The short-haired one is her bestie!¡±

    With just one sentence, he sinctly got Ceng Hanyu to know who his wife and the other woman were.

    Ceng Hanyu was still digesting the astounding information when Ye Zhongjue, who had just been talking to him in a calm voice a second before, slunk off and disappeared.?Ceng Hanyu?stared at the ce where he had been, dumb-founded.

    He had never seen Ye Zhongjue acting like this.

    He reyed the scene that night in his mind. Mo Suqing gave him an impression of a gentle kitten that would never scratch but would catch you unawares and attack your weak point when threatened.

    <i>So this is Ye Zhongjue¡¯s type!?</i>A wry smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

    Meanwhile, Ye Zhongjue was driving toward his house?at?a high speed.

    When he parked the car in the garage, he realized btedly that it was his Bentley.

    He had been staying at the Ye residence the past few days and had not been driving his white Volkswagen.

    He couldn¡¯t believe that he had not only wrongly used Mo Suqing, but also done something so evil to her when she needed to beforted.

    His mind was in a turmoil. All he wanted to do now was to pull her into his chest and protect her.

    Ye Zhongjue got off the car and thrusted the key of the Bentley into his pocket. Then, he quickly headed to his apartment.

    When he unlocked the door and saw no one there, disappointment was written all over his face.

    Then, he remembered it was a Monday. Of course she was at work.

    Ye Zhongjue walked into the study to pick up his phone that he had put on the desk and turned it on.

    Immediately, countless messages came in. Almost all of them were notifications of missed calls from Mo Suqing.

    Ye Zhongjue felt a pang of regret. Self-reproach could be seen in his face.

    At that time, all he had thought was they needed to cool off. Little had he known that the truth waspletely different from what he had assumed. She must have gone through a lot of grievances the past few days.

    Ye Zhongjue opened WeChat. As he expected, Mo Suqing had been posting on her Moments.

    <i>I am so disappointed¡­?</i>she wrote the day after the night.

    At her words, Ye Zhongjue¡¯s heart ached. A hint of bitterness crossed his mouth and his expression was intive.

    On the second day, she wrote, <i>I know I¡¯m angry, but I also cannot help but miss him¡­</i>

    On the third day, <i>I feel panic. I want to find him! Although we have been together for three months only, somehow it feels like many years have passed. I hate that I am so pathetic that I can¡¯t seem to resist the overwhelming feeling of wanting to see him. I guess I have fallen hard this time¡­ I just realized not only can</i><i>?I?</i><i>not reach him by phone, but I also don¡¯t know any of his friends. It¡¯s like he just vanished into thin air and disappeared from my world.</i>

    <i>This makes me feel utterly lost and panic, which is unprecedented. I don¡¯t know what to do¡­</i>

    Today, she had also posted something.

    <i>I think he has?</i><i>decided he no longer wants to be with me</i><i>. That¡¯s why he just walked out on me. When I went to look for him, I was told there was no such person. I feel like a big joke!</i>

    If Ye Zhongjue still didn¡¯t acknowledge that he had made a huge mistake, he was not a real man. Fortunately, he did. He covered his heart with the phone and sank to the ground. Ever since he had founded Sin Eliminators with Ceng Hanyu, they had braved numerous tempests of shot and shell together. However, never had he been this painful as he was right now.

    Every word and every sentence from Mo Suqing was a knife that stabbed into his heart, hurting it in an unimaginable way¡­

 Chapter 72 â€“ Casting His Friend Aside for a Woman

    <h4>Chapter 72 ¨C Casting His Friend Aside for a Woman</h4>

    Mo Suqing¡¯s Moments posts were filled with sadness.

    Ye Zhongjue swore he would never walk out on her ever again and leave her alone.

    While he was tapping away, an idea popped into his head. He published a post on his Moments with nothing but a short sentence: <i>Honey,</i><i>?I¡¯m sorry.</i>

    When he thought about how panicky and worried Mo Suqing must have been, Ye Zhongjue?suddenly?felt that his own misery was nothing.

    Remembering the eye-catching Bentley parked in the garage, he considered for a moment and took the SIM card out of his phone. Then, he inserted it into another phone that he used to contact his parents. He would never do anything stupid and hurt his girl in any way.

    After that, he locked the door and went downstairs.

    Meanwhile, Mo Suqing had hurried to the magazine HQ after the visit to Mighty Empire. However, she still felt blue and could not concentrate on her job.

    Leng Xiyao quizzed her about it, but she didn¡¯t even hear her. After a while, Leng Xiyao gave up and returned to her seat.

    Mo Suqing had been like this for the past few days. Although she had begun to get used to it, she still felt sorry for her.

    Presently, Mo Suqing picked up her phone and opened WeChat to check her Moments out of pure habit. She was immediately shocked by a new post.

    It was by Ye Zhongjue. That¡¯s right, his screen name was exactly Ye Zhongjue and he had posted a simple sentence that read: <i>Honey, I¡¯m wrong.</i>

    Mo Suqing, panicked, closed the app. She told herself that she must have hallucinated! After all, she had been in a state of delirium for the past few days.

    And she knew Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t use WeChat.

    Yet, before she could calm herself down, she couldn¡¯t help but open the app again. She stared at the post and tapped into his Moments.

    There was only one single post there.

    Still in disbelief, Mo Suqing opened up her contacts and discovered that she had added Ye Zhongjue as a friend for more than a week.

    Which meant they had been friends on WeChat before they had the fight.

    <i>When did he start to use WeChat? And when did he friend me? I don¡¯t remember?</i><i>friending</i><i>?him back!</i>

    Mo Suqing couldn¡¯t understand any of this.

    After some hesitation, she plucked up her courage to call him,?even though he?had not turned on his phone for the past few days.

    The phone was getting through!

    Mo Suqing felt her heart jumping up and down like a rabbit. She was so nervous.

    <i>He really turned on the phone! I can finally?</i><i>reach him!</i>

    After three rings, the person on the other end of the line picked it up.

    She hadn¡¯t heard this voice for a long time. It came through the other end and was so familiar that Mo Suqing almost cried.

    ¡°Hello¡­¡±

    She tried to fight back her tears, but hearing his elegant and charming voice, she could no longer hold it.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t reply. Ye Zhongjue¡¯s sexy voice came again.

    He didn¡¯t call her by name like before. Instead, he said, ¡°Honey¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing began to tremble uncontrobly. Joy, along with all the grievance, confusion and chaos umted for the past few days, was released.

    She choked a little when she asked, ¡°Where are you?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue knew from her voice that she was crying very hard, although her pride forced her to suppress it as much as possible.

    Ye Zhongjue was driving while talking to her. Sorrow was written all over his face. He could only imagine how panicked she had been, trying to locate him. How he wanted to kill himself now!

    <i>What have I been doing, hurting her like this?</i>

    He put himself together and steered the car into the garage of Mighty Empire. After locking the car, he started to walk and talk.

    ¡°I was driving and?had?just arrived in thepany. I¡¯ll go pick you upter, okay?¡±

    At his words, Mo Suqing was going to ask him where hispany was and why he had been lying to her. However, they had just reconciled. She didn¡¯t want to ruin everything.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± No amount of words could beat this simple sentence.

    A happy smile spread across Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face. He had been longing for this moment so many years. Finally, he had won her heart.

    No one could know his feelings at this moment. He would never, ever hurt her again.

    Ye Zhongjue kept swearing to himself. But little did he expect that he would repeatedly cause harm to her in the future.

    After ringing off, Ye Zhongjue quickly headed upstairs.

    The elevator barely opened when he heard Ceng Hanyu talking to Lin Ran inside his office.

    ¡°Where the hell is President Ye? It¡¯s so inhuman of him to just cast me aside for a woman!¡±

    Lin Ran¡¯s mouth twitched a little. <i>You are the one who was with Big Bro. How?</i><i>would</i><i>?I know where he is?</i>

    <i>Besides, every agent in the organization and employee in Mighty Empire knows very well that Big Bro is indeed inhuman!</i>

    When he was truly angry, he became a devil incarnate and would take care of whoever it was. No one ever dared incur his wrath. In thepany, he was the God that everyone looked up to. He was not only a merciless and resolute businessman, but had also got a keen eye for investment. Moreover, when he wanted to, he could be extremely hardworking.

    Nobody dared challenge him.

    ¡°How about you call the president yourself¡­?¡± Lin Ran suggested tentatively.

    ¡°Huh, serious?¡± Ceng Hanyu looked at Lin Ran with a weird smile and his seductive eyes. Lin Ran felt quite uneasy under his stare.

    ¡°You are always by his side all day long, and you don¡¯t know where he is?¡±

    Lin Ran moaned inwardly. <i>That is so not true! When have I been by his side all day long??</i>

    <i>Also, after Big Bro married Miss Mo, I was relegated to a minor role in his life.</i>

    When Ye Zhongjue needed him, he would work hard and look up information for him; once his job was done, Ye Zhongjue would kick him away. <i>This is how poor I am!</i>

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I seriously don¡¯t know where he is. Don¡¯t look at me like that; it makes me so nervous! People would think I have done something wrong to anger you!¡±

    ¡°No, no, no!¡± Ceng Hanyu wagged his finger. ¡°Of course you didn¡¯t anger me. To be honest, I actually have something to ask you¡­¡±

    A conspiratorial smile yed across his face.

    ¡°You see, I think I have somehow angered your boss¡­¡±

    Lin Ran immediately wanted to get away. <i>I knew Brother Ceng came looking for me for a reason! He is trying to put all the me on me! I am so unfortunate to have met him.</i>

    Ceng Hanyu grasped his arm. Lin Ranughed nervously and forestalled his words by saying, ¡°Big Bro, please just let me go!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu was about to threaten Lin Ran when the door to the office was opened.

    Ye Zhongjue walked in and looked at Ceng Hanyu expressionlessly. ¡°What are you doing, grasping my assistant¡¯s arm?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu, beaming, loosened his grip. Lin Ran wasn¡¯t prepared and started to fall.

    Luckily, he grabbed the pants of someone who was standing nearby in time before hitting the floor.

    The man made such a terrible cry that sounded like a pig being ughtered and that resonated throughout the hundredth floor. Lin Ran, who had picked himself up, looked up to see who had saved him.

    It was Manager Lin Zeng, or Lanky Lin, of the Jewelry Design Department, who was looking at Lin Ran bitterly. Lin Ran realized the pants he had grabbed were on the floor now.

    Ceng Hanyu turned his face away. Even Ye Zhongjue was hiding a smile.

    Lin Ran waspletely jaw-dropped. Lanky Lin wasnky, but how could he be <i>so</i>nky that his pants just dropped off with a tug? That was ridiculous!

    He stared at his bright red underwear and those broomstick legs.

    After about three seconds, he could no longer help it but burst outughing. It was totally indecent, considering how?he was the one?who had done this to him.

    The smile on Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face grew bigger.

    As for Ceng Hanyu, he was already grinning cheerfully.

    Song Pingting, having heard the cry from the office, hastened to see what had happened.

    All she saw was Lin Zeng in his red underwear bending over to pick up his pants.

    Song Pingting screamed, covered her eyes with her hands and ran away.

    Lin Zeng felt like a maiden who had just been vited. Regardless of Ye Zhongjue¡¯s presence, he rushed out of the office.

    Lin Ranughed heartily.

    There were tears in his eyes when he said, ¡°Did you see his red underwear? I can¡¯t believe our Manager Lin likes to wear red underwear! Hahaha¡­¡±

    Heughed so hard that he was almost gasping. Ye Zhongjue cast him a cool nce.

    ¡°You are very happy, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Lin Ran shut his mouth and his smile disappeared altogether, though his uncontrobleughter was still lingering.

    He quickly made a decision to flee the scene right away.

    A secondter, he had vanished from Ye Zhongjue and Ceng Hanyu¡¯s sight.

    That day, the whole Mighty Empire knew that their Manager Lin of the Jewelry Design Department had an untoward hobby of wearing?red undergarments.

    Lin Zeng almost killed Lin Ran for spreading the rumor.

    ¡­¡­

    After Lin Ran had fled, Ye Zhongjue turned to look at Ceng Hanyu.

    ¡°I¡¯m inhuman because I cast a friend aside for a woman?¡±

    His rhetorical question sent shivers down Ceng Hanyu¡¯s spine. He felt chilly all of a sudden.

    ¡°Well¡­ I have this thing¡­ I need to take off now. Let¡¯s catch upter, okay?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu put on a fake smile and waved his hand before turning around to leave.

    Ye Zhongjue stopped him with just a sentence.

    ¡°You want me to tell Selina about your whereabouts?¡±

    His tone was amused and casual.

 Chapter 73 â€“ You Donâ€™t Flirt with Your Friendâ€™s Wife

    <h4>Chapter 73 ¨C You Don¡¯t Flirt with Your Friend¡¯s Wife</h4>

    Ceng Hanyu turned around stiffly. His expression was contorted and hideous when he smiled, grinding his teeth.

    ¡°Fine! Ye Zhongjue, you are so cruel! Just say it: what are you going to do to me for having not saved your goddess in time? Humph, a friend is no longer importantpared to a lover these days!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu gradually digressed from the subject and avoided Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes.

    Even though Ye Zhongjue had only mentioned her name, it made him tremble inside.

    Every time he thought of Selina, he could hardly control himself.

    Selina?was the head of assassination in Sin Eliminators. She was absolutely stunning, striking, drop-dead gorgeous and anything else you could use to describe a beautiful woman.

    She was also as passionate as fire and a skillful heart-stealer. Ceng Hanyu?was no match for?her.

    He truly believed that if he kept working with her, something would happen one day.

    However, he was determined not to let it happen, to keep his virginity for his fianc¨¦e that he had never seen.

    That was why he always gave Selina a wide berth whenever they needed to be in the same ce.

    Ye Zhongjue gave him a look before seating himself in his chair.

    ¡°Sit!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu nced at him, rolled his seductive eyes, and plumped down on the couch.

    Ye Zhongjue began to browse the documents on his desk, paying no attention to the man who was waiting for him to say something.

    One minute, then two minutes had passed¡­

    After ten minutes, Ye Zhongjue was still reading the papers without giving a look at Ceng Hanyu.

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s handsome face darkened. <i>Come on! Can you not hold a grudge for so long? It¡¯s just a trivial matter, not having helped your wife! And that¡¯s all because I didn¡¯t know who she was!</i>

    <i>Your attitude ispletely inappropriate.</i>

    Ceng Hanyu, fed up with waiting for him to talk, stood up and walked over to the desk.

    ¡°Just spit it out, Jue. Don¡¯t ignore me like that. I promise I¡¯ll be the first one who stands up for your wife the next time she encounters a simr situation. I won¡¯t look on for even a second.¡±

    Finally, Ye Zhongjue gave him a look. However, it was cold enough to have been a steel arrow that?pierced?his heart. Ceng Hanyu trembled under his stare.

    It was icy enough to freeze him into a giant popsicle. Then, he realized why Ye Zhongjue was giving him a chilly look.

    Albeit his good intentions, he had just inadvertently implied that his wife would encounter simr situations again! No wonder Ye Zhongjue wasn¡¯t too happy.

    He put on a regretful look. ¡°Bro, you know how I don¡¯t use my brain when talking. I didn¡¯t mean she would get into trouble again. Please don¡¯t think too much about it.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s words became more and more exaggerated, his expression ever changing.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at him in resignation. ¡°Stop horsing around. I won¡¯t pick on you for it anymore. Just watch your mouth when I bring her to dinner tonight.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu didn¡¯t understand what he meant until a momentter.

    ¡°You mean your wife? You are going to introduce her to me?¡±

    ¡°Get serious! I know what you¡¯re thinking. Don¡¯t you dare covet after her, otherwise¡­¡± Ye Zhongjue hurled the document in his hand at the other man.

    Ceng Hanyu dodged and quickly replied, ¡°Jue, don¡¯t you worry about a thing! I¡¯ll totally behave! I am educated enough to know that you don¡¯t flirt with your friend¡¯s wife¡­¡±

    Then, he held up his crossed fingers.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face darkened. He picked up a book nearby and aimed it at him. Ceng Hanyu didn¡¯t expect he would throw something else again and was hit square in the arm.

    The smile on his face went out in an instant and was reced by a grieved look.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember we are brothers who share weal and woe with each other? How can you ditch me for that woman¡­¡±

    Ceng Hanyu feigned resentment. Ye Zhongjue seriously wanted to pinch him hard.

    ¡°Stop it, or I¡¯ll summon Selina here!¡±

    As he had expected, the Selina card worked. At the mention of her name, Ceng Hanyu became scared.

    ¡°No, please don¡¯t! I¡¯ll do whatever you want me to do! I can even teach you all the sex positions I know and make a sex master out of you!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue could really kick some butt right now. <i>How can he make everything dirty? Maybe I should reconsider introducing Mo Suqing to him.</i>

    As his best friend for years, Ceng Hanyu surely knew what Ye Zhongjue was thinking. He immediately turned into someone who could have been the best student in a school.

    ¡°Jue, don¡¯t change your mind! I promise I¡¯ll behave in front of her. I¡¯ll get all serious and not disgrace you.¡±

    Seriously, Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t not know what to do with him.

    However, he knew that if he still didn¡¯t introduce his friends to Mo Suqing, she would get suspicious sooner orter and be even more insecure if something of the sorts happened again.

    He could totally understand how worried she had been when she couldn¡¯t find him.

    At the thought, he looked at Ceng Hanyu and said, ¡°Don¡¯t say anything about me at dinner. She doesn¡¯t know who I am. I want to hide my identity for now and tell her the truth when the time is right.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu nodded knowingly. ¡°Sure. It¡¯s better if she doesn¡¯t know about Sin Eliminators for now.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue shook his head. ¡°No, I mean she doesn¡¯t even know I am the president of Mighty Empire. She thinks I am just an assistant.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s mouth was shaped into an ¡°O¡± at this. You could even put an egg in it.

    He eximed in rm, ¡°How are you doing that? And what are you thinking? Aren¡¯t you afraid she¡¯s gonna flip out on you for lying?¡±

    ¡°You weren¡¯t there! It¡¯s a long story,¡± Ye Zhongjue said. ¡°Anyway, I just didn¡¯t want to scare her off, so I lied instinctively. Of course, if she knows about it, she will probably leave me¡­ Do you think it¡¯s easy for me?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s expression had turned back to normal, although he still didn¡¯t know what to say.

    ¡°Well, this is not my business; I have no right to put in my two pennies worth. But I have to say, I¡¯m really worried about you. I have never seen you?act?like this for a girl before.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue justughed at himself without replying.

    Actually, Ceng Hanyu didn¡¯t know that as early as seven years ago, he had already changed for her. She didn¡¯t know that, either.

    If it was possible, he hoped she would never?find out.

    Ye Zhongjue had returned to his serene and calm self when he once again looked at Ceng Hanyu, though the other person was giving him a concerned look.

    ¡°So, August Hasn''t Ended Yet at seven-thirty in the evening. I¡¯ll introduce her to you.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Ceng Hanyu nodded before waving his hand and taking off.

    Ye Zhongjue stood up and walked over to the window. He was holding a cigarette between his fingers with an obscure expression.

    ¡­¡­

    Meanwhile, Mo Suqing was still in reverie, thinking about that call just now. However, her expression was no longer sad.

    Because she had finally heard that familiar voice. Even what had happened that night became faded in her memory. Now that she knew about her feelings, she no longer cared who was right and who was wrong.

    She preferred forgetting about that night to losing him.

    In the past, she had never thought she could sacrifice so much for love. But reality told her that, yes, she could.

    No one knew how she had survived the past few days. It was not an exaggeration to say that a day without him was as long as a year.

    She knew she had fallen hard, but what could she do other than watch herself fall deeper and deeper for that man?

    Now it was toote to turn back, she would indulge herself in love.

    Mo Suqing thusforted herself and dispelled all the unhappiness from her mind.

    Leng Xiyao, seeing that she had turned back to normal after talking on the phone, leaned closer and asked, ¡°Suqing, who were you talking to? How tender your tone was!¡±

    A nosy Leng Xiyao beamed at her.

    ¡°Go back to your work!¡± Mo Suqing reprimanded her in exasperation. She didn¡¯t tell anyone about what had happened between Ye Zhongjue and her.

    In fact, Leng Xiyao wasn¡¯t in too good a mood herself either.

    Everyone had their own sorrow. Mo Suqing didn¡¯t want to burden Leng Xiyao with her sadness and make the other girlfort her.

    They were fellow sufferers who had their own miseries. No wonder they were besties.

    ¡°Work is just boring! Even if you don¡¯t say anything, I can tell by those Moments posts you wrote. You had a fight with him, right? I noticed you were a bit down when we went to the pub, and then I could see things had got worse; I just didn¡¯t want to pry. Anyway, I just want to tell you that I care about you. Whenever you need me, I am right here.¡±

    <i>Whenever you need me, I am right here.</i>

    Mo Suqing basked in the warmth of her words. With a friend like?Leng Xiyao, she was the richest person in the world.

    She looked at Leng Xiyao and said genuinely, ¡°You too. Whenever you need me, I am here. We are both going to be happy! Okay, let¡¯s go back to work. Otherwise, Abbess Miejue will pick on us again.¡±

    Leng Xiyao chuckled. ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed that Abbess Miejue has called a truce? She has been ignoring us recently.¡±

    Mo Suqing raised her eyebrows. ¡°Is that so? I have been too blue to notice it¡­¡±

    She chuckled a little embarrassingly.

    Leng Xiyao teased, ¡°I know. Because of a rtionship crisis, someone hasn¡¯t even concentrated on her job, let alone paid any attention to her boss!¡±

    Mo Suqing kept giving Leng Xiyao a warning look.

    Leng Xiyao asked innocently, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Your mood has just lifted and now it¡¯s your eyes? But I was serious: who the hell is Abbess Miejue but a sulky old maid who doesn¡¯t have any sex life? Our happiness is much more important than hers!¡±

 Chapter 74 â€“ Some Slut is just Pretentious

    <h4>Chapter 74 ¨C Some Slut is just Pretentious</h4>

    Leng Xiyao grinned at Mo Suqing, who was looking pointedly at something behind her.

    Leng Xiyao looked over her shoulder and stopped smiling immediately.

    An Huilin was standing five steps away from her!

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s smile froze over. She turned her head back in slo-mo and closed her eyes as if in pain. Her face waspletely contorted.

    <i>I am dead meat!</i>

    She had literally spoken evil of her right behind her back! She must have heard everything.

    Mo Suqing gave her a sympathetic look, as if to say, <i>Please ept my condolences!</i>

    <i>I did try to warn you with m</i><i>y</i><i>?eyes!?</i>Mo Suqing thought. <i>It couldn¡¯t be helped that you didn¡¯t understand my gesture!</i>

    Leng Xiyao put her head on the desk, face down, hoping to get away with it.

    An Huilin¡¯s icy voice came from behind, ¡°I¡¯m a sulky old maid who doesn¡¯t have any sex life?¡±

    Several coworkers burst outughing. They were all enjoying themselves with the drama.

    Only Mo Suqing couldn¡¯tugh out loud.

    Leng Xiyao kept her head on the desk. There was nothing more embarrassing than speaking ill of someone when they were right beside you!

    Fortunately, An Huilin was just going to leave it at that. She gave Leng Xiyao a look with an emotion that Mo Suqing couldn¡¯t quite read and then walked away.

    Mo Suqing couldn¡¯t tell if she sensed it wrong or she was on the right track, but it seemed to her that the look An Huilin gave Leng Xiyao was full of jealousy and bitterness.

    She shook her head. She must be?overthinking. An Huilin was the editor-in-chief. She had no reason to be jealous of any of them!

    After An Huilin had gone for a long time, Leng Xiyao finally raised her head.

    ¡°Suqing, why didn¡¯t you warn me¡­¡± she gave Mo Suqing a forlorn look.

    Although Mo Suqing felt sorry for her, she couldn¡¯t help butugh a little.

    She protested, ¡°I did try to warn you with my eyes, but you thought there was something wrong with them. I¡¯m innocent!¡±

    Leng Xiyao pouted her lips, looking like she was going to cry.

    Mo Suqing immediately softened. She slid over on her chair and soothed, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s not a big deal. Come on now. Don¡¯t cry.¡±

    Bai Tingnan sneered, ¡°Someone was so arrogant that she dared to speak ill of the editor-in-chief! She¡¯s gonna be killed without her knowing one of these days¡­¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s face darkened at her words. <i>A filthy mouth will not utter decentnguage!</i>

    Not wanting to lose, she retorted, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, unlike some slut who is double-faced, I am too authentic and outspoken!¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s voice grew louder and louder. Bai Tingnan¡¯s face alternately burned with anger and paled with embarrassment.

    Leng Xiyao wasn¡¯t finished yet. <i>You are not going to win me in a verbal fight!</i>

    She waved Mo Suqing¡¯s arm and said loudly, ¡°Some slut is just pretentious and hypocritical! I¡¯m telling you, I am not going to swallow any insult from that kind of person!¡±

    Mo Suqing could no longer suppress herughter. Yao was such a fighter!

    ¡°You¡­ You¡­¡± Bai Tingnan couldn¡¯t say anything more than a single syble. Compared to her, Leng Xiyao obviously got the upper hand. People were snickering.

    Bai Tingnan¡¯s face had be the color of a pig¡¯s liver. She snorted and then stormed out of the room.

    Leng Xiyao looked up at Mo Suqing, as if waiting for her praise.

    Mo Suqing pinched her cute little face yfully and said, ¡°You are so naughty!¡±

    Leng Xiyao winked at her cheerfully. ¡°You bet I am! I won¡¯t let anyone call me names

    like that for no reason! Uncle has never said anything harsh to me in my life.¡±

    Mo Suqing found that every time Leng Xiyao mentioned her uncle, there was a sparkle in her eyes.

    ¡°Oh!¡± Leng Xiyao suddenly struck her own thigh. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going on a date with your hubby tonight?¡±

    Mo Suqing thought of Ye Zhongjue, who had indeed told her he would pick her up after work. ¡°How do you know?¡±

    Leng Xiyao smiled mischievously. ¡°I can guess it from your?expression! Come, I¡¯ll take you out!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Mo Suqing found it hard to follow the elfish girl¡¯s logic.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you having a date? It won¡¯t do to wear your officedy¡¯s outfit on a date! Today¡¯s work is finished anyway. I can take you out and buy some clothes. You need to dress up and show your best self. What do you say?¡±

    Mo Suqing had been smiling at her words, thinking that it was a pretty good idea. However, when she heard thest part, her face darkened. <i>What is that supposed to mean, I need to show my best self?</i>

    <i>I can¡¯t believe her!</i>

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Leng Xiyao took her arm and started to head out. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to consider. This is the first time you are going to meet him after you guys made up. You must show him how gorgeous you are, so that he will never want to pick a fight with you!¡±

    Mo Suqing found her words quite sensible.

    Thus, the two of them <i>sensibly</i> ditched work.

    In the mall, Leng Xiyao took Mo Suqing to try on one item after another. She seemed to be more enthusiastic about the whole thing than Mo Suqing!

    <i>But since she is excited about the date for me,?</i>Mo Suqing thought, <i>I¡¯ll just let it go.</i>

    Leng Xiyao took Mo Suqing to turn a corner. A white dress caught their eyes.

    Leng Xiyao estimated that the length of the dress would go all the way down to Mo Suqing¡¯s ankles, which was perfect for the weather when it was neither too cold nor too hot.

    Most importantly, the dress matched Mo Suqing very well. Leng Xiyao had a feeling it would be very suitable for her.

    Leng Xiyao took Mo Suqing¡¯s arm and ran toward it.

    She pointed at the dress and asked the clerk to take it down for them.

    The clerk hesitated. ¡°What is the matter?¡± Leng Xiyao demanded. ¡°Customers are supposed to be of utmost importance! We are going to buy that dress, but it seems you don¡¯t want to sell it to us. May I ask you why?¡±

    The clerk exined patiently, ¡°This is thest one and someone has reserved it.¡±

    Leng Xiyao waved her hand dismissively. ¡°I don¡¯t care! Quickly take it down. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t have the money to buy it.¡±

    After weighing the pros and cons, the clerk took the dress down in the end. Pleasing the customers was always the right way to go.

    While Mo Suqing was still looking on, Leng Xiyao tore the price tag off the dress stealthily. Mo Suqing would never buy it if she saw how expensive it was.

    ¡°Suqing, try it on. I think it will definitely look great on you!¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at the dress and nodded in resignation. ¡°Fine. However, this is thest one I¡¯m going to try. If it¡¯s still not suitable, I¡¯m going to give up. I¡¯m tired as a dog!¡±

    Leng Xiyao chuckled. ¡°Alright, alright! Try it on first. If it¡¯s no good, we¡¯ll leave.¡±

    Though having said so, Leng Xiyao quickly paid for it with her card when Mo Suqing was changing.

    When a rustling sound came from the dressing room, Leng Xiyao and the other clerks turned their heads at the same time.

    They couldn¡¯t turn away. The dress was so bing on Mo Squing it seemed to have been made just for her.

    Not only did the dress entuate her curves, it also brought out her innocence and ethereality.

    In it, she looked like a pure white lotus blossom. She was so beautiful that no one could shift their eyes away from her.

    The clerk,?who had hesitated,?eximed, ¡°My god! The dress seems to have been made for thisdy. You look so beautiful!¡±

    The others nodded in agreement. Mo Suqing blushed. She felt embarrassed?by?their praise.

    Leng Xiyao walked over cheerfully and took her arm. ¡°Suqing, you are really beautiful.

    We can go now!¡±

    ¡°But it must be quite pricey¡­¡± Mo Suqing hesitated.

    ¡°Keep it on. And it¡¯s not pricey at all. I have already paid for it. You can think?of?it as my wedding gift for you! I just hope you like it,¡± Leng Xiyao reassured.

    Mo Suqing felt a lot relieved at her words.

    The two of them were just leaving the store when they heard a familiar voice.

    ¡°Bring me the dress I have reserved.¡±

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao immediately saw that it was Bai Tingnan and Mo Sulian. Mo Sulian looked as arrogant as a peacock.

    The clerk looked at the direction where Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao were standing.

    Leng Xiyao suddenly understood what had happened. So the clerk didn¡¯t lie. The dress had been reserved all right. And the person who had reserved it was no one but that hateful woman.

    Mo Sulian turned around and saw Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao.

    On Mo Suqing was the dress she had reserved a few days ago.

    Her face darkened. Initially, she had been pretty interested in Mo Suqing¡¯s husband. But after searching for more information about Ye Zhongjue in vain, she had dropped it temporarily.

    Also, she had been too busy fooling around with a venture capitalist recently to chase after Ye Zhongjue.

    However, Mo Suqing¡¯s presence instantly put her in a foul mood.

    She smiled darkly and said, ¡°Ah, sis, it¡¯s you! If you want that dress, you should have just told me! I can give it to you! Why did you have to buy it yourself?¡±

    At her pretentious tone, Mo Suqing furrowed her brow. She really didn¡¯t want to get into?a?fight with her; it was not worth it.

    However, before she could say anything, Leng Xiyao rose to the challenge. She could never look on when Mo Suqing was being bullied.

    ¡°Ah, bitch, it¡¯s you! And not just you alone, but with another bitch! No wonder I can smell something really pungent!¡±

    She waved her hand in front of her nose, as if she really smelt something bad and was trying to dispel the odor.

    Initially, Bai Tingnan¡¯s face had gone dark when she saw the two women and remembered how she had been humiliated in the office. But now, her expression became even uglier.

    As for Mo Sulian, her face wentpletely pale.

 Chapter 75 â€“ Some Slut with Horribly Heavy Makeup

    <h4>Chapter 75 ¨C Some Slut with Horribly Heavy Makeup</h4>

    Leng Xiyao looked like she hadn¡¯t said enough.

    She nced at the dress Mo Suqing was wearing and said unapologetically,

    ¡°The dress is obviously made for Suqing, okay? You shouldn¡¯t even think about getting it for yourself. Ha, when I imagine how you will look like in it, I feel disgusted! Look at Suqing. How bing the dress is for her,pared to some slut with horribly heavy makeup!¡±

    Mo Suqing was speechless.

    Leng Xiyao was such a fighter, she could just look on without speaking.

    <i>I¡¯m so lucky to have her as my best friend!</i>

    Mo Sulian, knowing that she couldn¡¯t possibly win in a verbal fight with Leng Xiyao, turned her target to Mo Suqing and sneered, ¡°I doubt she can afford the dress!¡±

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t quite understand what she meant. On the other hand, Leng Xiyao¡¯s expression changed dramatically.

    Mo Sulian gave Mo Suqing a steely look. That dress was a limited edition. Even she, who ranked high in the Mo family, couldn¡¯t hardly afford it. In fact, it was only because the venture capitalist was willing to invest on her that she could get it. It would be impossible for Mo Suqing, who had long stopped taking money from her dad, to have that kind of money.

    She thought the dress hadn¡¯t been paid yet.

    Changing tactics, an evil smile spread across her face. <i>Mo Suqing, don¡¯t me me if you want to make aughing-stock of yourself!</i>

    She looked at Mo Suqing proudly and said, ¡°Fine. I¡¯m not fighting you over a dress. You can have it if you want ¨C if you are able to.¡±

    Mo Suqing turned to look at Leng Xiyao, who tugged at Mo Suqing and said, ¡°Suqing, let¡¯s go. You know how filthy that woman¡¯s mouth is!¡±

    Then, she quickly dragged Mo Suqing away.

    Mo Sulian was taken aback. <i>They just left? Have they paid?</i>

    She didn¡¯t believe it!

    She couldn¡¯t ept the truth until Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao had disappeared from her sight.

    Suddenly, she just lost it. ¡°Hey! Have they paid? Why did you let them go just like that?¡± She screamed at one of the clerks.

    The clerk didn¡¯t expect that the woman with exquisite makeup would turn into a mad woman in an instant.

    However, she knew she couldn¡¯t afford to anger her, so she only said calmly, ¡°Miss, they did pay for it with a card.¡±

    Mo Sulian felt stunned. <i>They paid for it with a card?</i>

    The clerk was eying her with disgust. Although Mo Sulian did make a reservation for the dress and she did reserve it for her (she was an actress, after all!), she hadn¡¯t even paid a deposit! She had every right to sell it to another person.

    Bai Tingnan could no longer stand the on-lookers¡¯ whispers. She tugged at Mo Sulian and said, ¡°Sulian, let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t make a scene!¡±

    Mo Sulian pushed her away and red at her, ¡°Of course you can just drop it. you are not the one who has been humiliated!¡±

    Bai Tingnan was bbergasted. <i>Who says I haven¡¯t been humiliated? I was insulted by Leng Xiyao today, too! In the office!</i>

    She had snuck out thepany for some fresh air, and Mo Sulian had taken her here to see the dress.

    <i>You thought no one could afford it but you. However, they have already paid for it! Now you are dealing with the fact with bad grace by venting your rage on me? Ha! Do you really think you are Her Highness?</i>

    <i>You are more like a rabid dog that bites whoever?</i><i>approaches you</i><i>!</i>

    Bai Tingnan couldn¡¯t endure it anymore, so she just walked away.

    Mo Sulian watched her go, her expression changing from disbelief to fury. <i>Everyone?</i><i>bullies</i><i>?me!</i>

    She shouted after Bai Tingnan, totally ignoring how people would see her, ¡°Bai Tingnan, you are so ungrateful! When you ask me for something, you are a different person! If you leave me behind now, don¡¯t you daree to see me anymore!¡±

    Bai Tingnan paused a moment and then walked away without looking back.

    ¡­¡­

    Mo Suqing was on edge the entire afternoon. She was like a young girl who was going to meet her lover soon. Her heart beat so fast it felt like a rabbit was living in there.

    Leng Xiyao kept teasing her, but whenever Mo Suqing asked her what Mo Sulian was talking about back in the mall, she would immediately turn her back to her and pretend she didn¡¯t hear her.

    Mo Suqing would probably kill her for spending so much money on a dress for her.

    Finally, it was time to get off work. However, Ye Zhongjue hadn¡¯t called. Feeling skittish, Mo Suqing decided to open up the post he had?written?on Moments.

    The simple sentence warmed her heart whenever she read it. She just couldn¡¯t get enough of it.

    Just when she was staring at the post, lost in reverie, her phone rang.

    It made her jump and she almost dropped it. But, when she saw who the caller was, she became all shy.

    She answered the phone and heard Ye Zhongjue say, ¡°Honey¡­¡±

    His voice was husky and filled with infinite love and tenderness. It felt so, so sweet.

    Leng Xiyao could see from her face that Ye Zhongjue had called. She gave her a look and said, ¡°You are weak. It¡¯s just a guy!¡±

    Mo Suqing red at her without reply.

    ¡°Fine, pretend I didn¡¯t say anything and go back to your call. I¡¯m out of here!¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded. Leng Xiyao took her purse and left.

    ¡°Is that Leng Xiyao?¡± Ye Zhongjue asked.

    ¡°Yeah, she was just talking to me before going home.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t say anything else but, ¡°You cane out now. I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ming.¡±

    Mo Suqing hung up and walked?out.

    She saw the familiar white Volkswagen and the handsome man right away.

    Slowing down, she approached him.

    When Ye Zhongjue saw her in that white dress, he suddenly regretted having to introduce her to Ceng Hanyu.

    She was so beautiful, like a nymph who had stumbled into themoners¡¯ world or a pure white lotus blossom.

    How lucky he was to have met and be together with her!

    Her beauty was of the most stainless and touching kind.

    Ye Zhongjue found it hard to breathe all of a sudden. All he wanted to do was to put her in a treasure chest and never let anyone see her.

    He didn¡¯te back to his senses until Mo Suqing was right in front of him.

    ¡°Honey!¡± he called out softly.

    Somehow, Mo Suqing could hear a hint of grievance in his tone.

    She put on a poker face and stared at Ye Zhongjue.

    Ye Zhongjue hastened to apologize, ¡°Honey, I¡¯m?sorry!¡±

    Mo Suqing softened at his sincere expression and conceded, ¡°Let¡¯s get into the car first.¡±

    Her voice sounded even, with no emotions betrayed.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression was a little sad. He got in the car after Mo Suqing.

    However, he didn¡¯t start the car right away. Instead, he turned to look at Mo Suqing and cooed yet again, ¡°Honey¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing felt her heart missing a beat. <i>Can you stop calling me that? My heart is a mess now.</i>

    She feigned exasperation and looked at him.

    ¡°Why do you keep calling me? Drive your car!¡±

    ¡°Honey, I won¡¯t start the car unless you forgive me!¡±

    Mo Suqing was speechless. The man was practically threatening her! <i>I¡¯m not gonna fall for that!</i>

    <i>Let¡¯s see who can hold out longer!</i>

    It was Ye Zhongjue¡¯s turn to feel speechless. Lin Ran had clearly told him that it was the easiest way to soften a girl¡¯s heart!

    Yet Mo Suqing just kept the poker face on, unwavering. Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face darkened. <i>I¡¯m going to catapult Lin Ran to Africa when I see him next time!</i>

    But, what about now? He couldn¡¯t?remain?here forever with his wife, could he?

    So, he turned around and looked at Mo Suqing in earnest.

    ¡°Honey, please don¡¯t be mad with me anymore. It was all my fault. I was such a bastard to have flipped out without hearing you out! Please, be the bigger person and forgive me¡­¡±

    As a matter of fact, Mo Suqing had already softened; she was just acting like she hadn¡¯t. But hearing what he had said just now, she couldn¡¯t help but act otherwise.

    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s go to dinner. I¡¯m so hungry!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was overjoyed. He hastened to reply in an excited tone, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go! I don¡¯t want my wife to starve!¡±

    Mo Suqing was a little awkward. <i>Howe he has be so smooth and suave after only a few days?</i>

    They arrived at a steakhouse called The Waltz House.

    Mo Suqing knew it was quite a high-end ce. She looked at Ye Zhongjue, who gave her a reassured look in return.

    Mo Suqing walked in.

    A waiter came over and acted like he was going to greet Ye Zhongjue. However, Ye Zhongjue stopped him and sent him away.

    Mo Suqing was a little surprised, but soon forgot about it.

    They chose a table by the window to admire the view. After ordering, they just sat there in silence.

    Mo Suqing was very quiet, which confused Ye Zhongjue.

    He couldn¡¯t be sure whether she had truly forgiven him or not, and he dared not speak lest he should say something that upset her again.

    Atst, Mo Suqing could not stand the silence anymore.

    She coughed a little and cleared her throat.

    ¡°Umm¡­ So this is quite a expensive ce!¡±

    Mo Suqing wanted to cut her tongue off. <i>What a stupidment</i><i>!</i><i>?You have finally plucked up your courage to speak, and this is what you came up with?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue felt the same way, too. <i>What is she thinking?</i>

    <i>I took her for dinner after we just made up, and the only thing she cares about is the price of the meal? Who would do that?</i>

    He didn¡¯t know what to say¡­

    Mo Suqing knew she had spoiled the atmosphere, so she turned her head toward the window.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her, as if expecting something from her.

    Under his fervent gaze, it was impossible for Mo Suqing not to react.

    She turned around with a smile that was a little unnatural.

 Chapter 76 â€“ What They Called a Hacker

    <h4>Chapter 76 ¨C What They Called a Hacker</h4>

    Mo Suqing kept smiling; Ye Zhongjue kept staring.

    In the end, Mo Suqing stopped smiling and looked at him reproachfully. ¡°Do you want to bore a hole into my head with your eyes?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue, his expression unchanging, gazed at her and said sincerely, ¡°I want to look at you and never shift my eyes away. Is that okay?¡±

    His voice was so loving and tender that Mo Suqing almost felt lost in it.

    She quickly shook her head. <i>What a close call! Although he does show his sincerity, I can¡¯t just forgive him so easily! She won¡¯t allow him to treat her like that ever again!</i>

    Leng Xiyao had told her that it wouldn¡¯t do to spoil a man too much.

    ¡°Ahem!¡± Mo Suqing cleared her throat again.

    ¡°So¡­ where have you been?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue had expected this question from her.

    He had prepared an answer in advance.

    ¡°I was angry that night, so I didn¡¯t tell you I was going on a business trip to B City the next day. I also forgot to bring my phone with me; it was in my study the whole time. I found it when I went home today. When I saw that you have called for so many times, I just wanted to kill myself¡­ I¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing reached over and put a hand on his arm.

    ¡°Hey, say no more. I can understand.¡±

    However, she was also thinking, <i>He said he went on a business trip. But even if it¡¯s true, howe no one in hispany knows who he is?</i>

    <i>Why is he lying to me?</i>

    Mo Suqing peered at his deep, sincere eyes and his earnest expression closely. She couldn¡¯t believe Ye Zhongjue would lie to her.

    In the end, she still didn¡¯t ask all those questions she was harboring.

    Seeing that Mo Suqing had fallen into silence once again, Ye Zhongjue panicked.

    ¡°Honey, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Mo Suqing came back to her senses.

    ¡°Oh, no, nothing. I was just thinking about something else. By the way, when did you start to use WeChat and how did you be my friend? I don¡¯t remember adding you.¡±

    Question marks were written all over Mo Suqing¡¯s face.

    Ye Zhongjue touched her nose slightly and chuckled. ¡°When you were hospitalized due to acute gastroenteritis, I noticed that you really liked to use it, so I downloaded it and added you.¡±

    ¡°But howe you were epted?¡±

    Her innocent expression made Ye Zhongjue want to fool her a bit.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know who hackers are? They can control people¡¯s phones as they please. I hacked into your phone and epted the friend request. What about that?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue arched his eyebrows, as if to say, <i>Am I not clever?</i>

    Mo Suqing looked at his confident face admiringly. Ye Zhongjue felt very pleased.

    ¡°Oh! So you are what they called a hacker?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression seemed to confirm her question. Mo Suqing just believed him then and there.

    ¡°Can you teach me how to hack tonight?¡±

    <i>Tonight? No way! Tonight is canoodling time. We haven¡¯t seen each other for a couple of days. How can I waste the nighttime on that?</i>

    So, he shook his head firmly and said in a serious tone. ¡°No, I can teach you something else!¡±

    Mo Suqing gave him a curious look. ¡°Something else? What is it? Is it?rted toputers?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her solemnly and replied, ¡°No, I can teach you different sex positions!¡±

    Mo Suqing couldn¡¯t believe her ears. <i>An aloof and elegant man like Ye Zhongjue is talking dirty to me in a public ce?</i>

    ¡°I¡­¡± she stammered for a while, not knowing what to say.

    Then, she blushed and lowered her head before saying in a voice so low it sounded like it was muffled, ¡°Ye Zhongjue, you are such a big cad!¡±

    A smile tugged at Ye Zhongjue¡¯s mouth. He chuckled and said in the most affectionate tone, ¡°I would rather you call me honey!¡±

    Mo Suqing gave him an exasperated look. ¡°Do not horse around! I highly doubt you are a hacker like you said!¡±

    As a matter of fact, Ye Zhongjue was indeed a topnotch hacker. His tech skills were second to none in the world.

    However, he wasn¡¯t too eager to teach his wife that.

    He preferred canoodling with her!

    He made a hollow fist against his mouth and cleared his throat, deciding to get serious and stopped messing around with her, who was starting to suspect his words.

    ¡°It¡¯s true I know how to hack, but to be honest with you in regard to the WeChat thing¡­ Well, after I went home the day added you, I found that you had fallen asleep so I picked up your phone and epted my own request.¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at him in disgust. <i>How dare you lie to me!</i>

    <i>And why would I just believe what you said? God, I¡¯m hopeless!</i>

    Grinding her teeth in anger, Mo Suqing red at the maniptive man in front of her.

    ¡°Ye Zhongjue! You are enjoying this, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue answered with honesty this time, ¡°Yes!¡±

    Mo Suqing could kill the man right then if not for the fact the steaks were there precisely at that moment.

    Mo Suqing, who was starving, nced at the food and said proudly, ¡°I¡¯ll let it go for now, for the sake of the delicious-looking food!¡±

    Looking at her exasperated expression, Ye Zhongjue felt even more affectionate and the smile on his face grew bigger.

    ¡°Right! Everything you say is right!¡± he said smilingly.

    Mo Suqing tucked in the meat.

    After dinner, Ye Zhongjue ordered desserts. Mo Suqing was very satiated.

    Ye Zhongjue paid for the meal with his card. Mo Suqing didn¡¯t ask him how much the dinner had cost; it was only going to spoil the atmosphere.

    Soon after they walked out of the restaurant, someone called out, ¡°What a coincidence! You are having dinner here too, Sir?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue and Mo Suqing turned to the sound at the same time.

    It was a man with greasy hair and powdered face. A minor celebrity was standing beside him.

    Mo Suqing immediately recognized the celebrity. She had seen her in a TV show.

    Ye Zhongjue went stiff. <i>I have been in so much bad luck recently, keeping bumping into acquaintances!</i>

    He recalled the man to be the one who had won the bidding to buy thend up north prior to the New Year.

    He was Li Ming, the eldest son of the Li family.

    Ye Zhongjue seldom familiarized himself with the upper ss in A City. He had no need to. The Ye family was so eminent it was always for others to toady to him.

    ¡°It¡¯s you, Mr. Li,¡± Ye Zhongjue greeted back curtly, trying not to get Mo Suqing suspicious.

    Li Ming saw that Ye Zhongjue obviously didn¡¯t want to talk to him, so he said aptly, ¡°So I¡¯m going in now. Take care, Sir.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    During the whole exchange, Ye Zhongjue did not utter more than a few words.

    Mo Suqing could see that Mr. Li was no small figure. He had to be at least a wealthy person to be with a celebrity.

    Yet somehow, the look he gave Ye Zhongjue betrayed a hint of deference.

    Mo Suqing was perplexed. Her head was full of smidgens of information that she was trying hard to piece together but couldn¡¯t.

    Back in the car, Mo Suqing asked Ye Zhongjue.

    ¡°Where are we going now? Home?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue shook his head. ¡°No, I want you to meet my friends.¡±

    Mo Suqing was surprised. <i>Meet his friends? Does that mean he wants people to know about her?</i>

    A secret joy surged in her.

    The car headed toward August Hasn''t Ended Yet.

    On the way, Mo Suqing asked Ye Zhongjue out of the blue, ¡°Who was that Mr. Li?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was going to make something up, but thought better of it. He couldn¡¯t possibly make things up every time they met someone he knew. If he did that, Mo Suqing would know something was wrong sooner orter.

    So, he spoke the truth.

    ¡°He¡¯s Li Ming, the eldest son of the Li family,¡± he said simply.

    ¡°You mean the Li family who began their business by manufacturing paper products and now sells all kinds of daily supplies?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was a little surprised at how well Mo Suqing knew about them.

    He was d he hadn¡¯t lied.

    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± he nodded.

    Mo Suqing could see that Ye Zhongjue did not want to talk about it, but she couldn¡¯t suppress all her questions any longer.

    ¡°Why do I have a feeling that he was trying to please you?¡± she asked casually. ¡°And he even called you Sir¡­¡±

    Although she asked the questions nonchntly, Ye Zhongjue took it as an usation.

    His heart skipped a beat and?his hand nearly jerked?on the steering wheel.

    Calming himself, he answered, ¡°Well, people use the honorific all the time nowadays! He is an important person; he wouldn¡¯t want to please me. You must have?misinterpreted. We met before at some work-rted event, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Mo Suqing considered his words. He must be telling the truth. Otherwise, how else could you exin it?

    Ye Zhongjue pressed his foot on the elerator to get to the pub faster, afraid she might ask more questions that he couldn¡¯t handle.

    The car arrived in front of August Hasn''t Ended Yet. Remembering what had happened here the other night, Mo Suqing remained in the car.

    Ye Zhongjue knew what she was thinking, so he got off first and walked around the car to open the door for her.

    Then, he reached over to hold Mo Suqing¡¯s hand in his and gave her a reassured look.

    Mo Suqing, feeling the warmth from his slightly-callused big hand, began to rx.

    <i>I have him now. I don¡¯t need to be afraid.</i>

    Ye Zhongjue held her hand all the way into the pub.

    Upon entering, the manager rushed over and gave them his best ttering face.

 Chapter 77 â€“ An Endless Curse

    <h4>Chapter 77 ¨C An Endless Curse</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue gave the manager a stern stare to prevent him from saying anything stupid. The manager stopped in his tracks and dared note any closer.

    Then, suddenly, he noticed the woman beside Ye Zhongjue.

    <i>Isn¡¯t she one of the girls who have fallen out with ck Dragon the other night??</i>he thought in rm.

    Seeing how their fingers were entwined, the manager immediately felt he had made a huge mistake.

    <i>Why didn¡¯t I call the security to stop ck Dragon? She is no one but the president¡¯s woman!</i>

    He looked like he was gonna cry. Thinking back, he remembered that ck Dragon had gone missing afterwards. Rumor had it that he had incurred the wrath of someone unoffendable.

    But little had he expected the ¡°someone¡± was the man right in front of him.

    In fact, the manager didn¡¯t know ck Dragon had incurred the wrath of more than one unoffendable person that night.

    After all, Ye Zhongjue hadn¡¯t known about the truth until earlier today. When he sent people to hunt down ck Dragon, they couldn¡¯t find him anymore.

    They only knew that Leng Xiyao had been taken home by Leng Haoyun from the pub.

    Knowing how much Leng Haoyun cared about his niece, Ye Zhongjue reckoned ck Dragon was either dead or handicapped now.

    Ye Zhongjue tugged Mo Suqing¡¯s hand and walked toward his VIP room, leaving the manager behind with nothing more than a simple instruction, ¡°Ask Ceng Hanyu to find me in my room when he arrives.¡±

    The manager nodded.

    It was only seven o¡¯clock when Ye Zhongjue and Mo Suqing walked into the room. Ceng Hanyu hadn¡¯t arrived yet.

    Although they seemed to have made up in the afternoon, when they were alone, Mo Suqing found herself a little unhappy with him still.

    After all, it was impossible not to be at least a little bit upset with him as he had gone missing for a few days. However, women were sentimental animals. All it took was some cation to curb her anger.

    But, she really didn¡¯t know how to tackle the work problem.

    Therefore, the two of them fell into silence again.

    Ye Zhongjue sighed in resignation. <i>Looks like it</i><i>¡¯s going to take</i><i>?a long time to appease her!</i>

    He came closer, held her hand and drew her into his chest.

    Then, he poked her nose slightly and asked, ¡°Honey, what¡¯s wrong? Are you unhappy? Where did I do wrong?¡±

    Suddenly, tears began to pour down Mo Suqing¡¯s face.

    She was never the crying type of a girl. However, Ye Zhongjue had sessively left her without saying anything and showed up all of a sudden. It had been like a roller-coaster ride, and she did not like it at all.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at a sobbing Mo Suqing, feeling ached. He leaned in and tenderly dried her tears with kisses.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes widened. She stared at him and stopped crying.

    Ye Zhongjue chuckled at her cute reaction.

    ¡°Silly! It¡¯s all my fault. I¡¯ll never pick fights?or get angry with you anymore, okay? Shh¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded obediently.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at the time. ¡°They should be here soon.¡±

    Mo Suqing stood up. ¡°I¡¯m going to freshen up. Otherwise, they willugh at you when they see my face!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue gazed at her tenderly and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t mind it¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing rolled her eyes. ¡°How about I do mind it?¡±

    Then, she walked into the restroom.

    When Ceng Hanyu and Gu Yi''an arrived, Mo Suqing was still?not back yet.

    They both brought a woman with them, so that Mo Suqing wouldn¡¯t feel ill at ease.

    Gu Yi''an was another good friend of Ye Zhongjue. He was a gentle creature and the least talkative among the three.

    Moreover, he was also a member of Sin Eliminators. He used to handle the affairs of the organization with Ceng Hanyu and Ye Zhongjue during unstable times.

    Nowadays, he seldom interfered?with?the business. He was a doctor in profession and preferred saving lives.

    Ye Zhongjue and Ceng Hanyu had supported his decision.

    After all, Sin Eliminators was stable now and kept expanding.

    Upon entering the room, Ceng Hanyu and Gu Yi¡¯an saw Ye Zhongjue was alone.

    Ceng Hanyu teased, ¡°What? You didn¡¯t bring your wife? I knew I was deceived! I even brought a date, so that she wouldn¡¯t be too lonely!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s mouth twitched and he stepped aside to separate himself from Ceng Hanyu.

    Ye Zhongjue gave Ceng Hanyu a despising look without replying. Ceng Hanyu sat down and crossed his legs, totally making himself at home. There was no need to behave when Ye Zhongjue¡¯s wife was not here.

    Gu Yi¡¯an, too, sat down casually. Ye Zhongjue had prepared some wine.

    Ceng Hanyu opened a Lafite and poured some in everyone¡¯s ss.

    Ye Zhongjue raised his eyebrows at his ss and ignored Ceng Hanyu¡¯s gesture.

    Ceng Hanyuined, ¡°Jue, why are you acting like this? Even though your wife didn¡¯te©¤©¤¡±

    The door to the restroom rustled before he could finish.

    He stared at the door in rm. <i>There¡¯s someone else here? Ye Zhongjue, why didn¡¯t?</i><i>you say anything!</i>

    He cursed endlessly, <i>Ye Zhongjue, you bastard! Why didn¡¯t you tell me!</i>

    Of course, he didn¡¯t say it out loud. If he did, Ye Zhongjue would most likely give him a good beating! No, hisbat skills were far poorer than Ye Zhongjue¡¯s. He would probably get killed!

    Yes, Ye Zhongjue¡¯sbat skills were so remarkable, even God would have been jealous.

    He could still remember when Sin Eliminators had first been founded and was in need of a lot of money. Ye Zhongjue had signed a ¡°life or death¡± agreement with someone in order to win the prize.

    It turned out he had worried about him for nothing. Ye Zhongjue had pinned the other guy down and beaten him to death.

    Ceng Hanyu looked toward the person who had just emerged from the restroom.

    He was d to see Ye Zhongjue had kept his promise and brought his wife.

    He smiled at the beautiful woman. However, she was so startled to see him that she rushed over to Ye Zhongjue¡¯s side, grabbed his arm, and looked at Ceng Hanyu warily.

    There was a reason for her reaction. It was because she remembered him to be among the group of men who just looked on merrily when she was being bullied by ck Dragon!

    Apparently, she didn¡¯t realize he was Ye Zhongjue¡¯s friend. All she could think of was what had happened that night.

    She thought he must have appeared in their room to pick on her.

    Ye Zhongjue, noticing Mo Suqing¡¯s unusually scared expression, red at Ceng Hanyu, as if to demand, <i>What have you done to my wife to frighten her thus?</i>

    Ceng Hanyu felt wronged. He stepped closer and said, ¡°Hey, sister, why are you so afraid of me? I don¡¯t think we have met before?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue gave him a look. <i>It¡¯s a pure lie! If he didn¡¯t meet her before, where?</i><i>did</i>? ? ?<i>?the video he showed?</i><i>mee from</i><i>?</i>

    Mo Suqing shrank away from him instinctively, although she understood what was happening now. The man was Ye Zhongjue¡¯s friend.

    Hiding herself behind Ye Zhongjue, she looked at Ceng Hanyu in exasperation and said, ¡°Humph, you weren¡¯t this friendly when you watched me get bullied the other night!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu was speechless. He had known the woman wasn¡¯t easy. How could she, in her predicament, have noticed the onlookers was beyond him.

    Even Gu Yi¡¯an, who was usually expressionless, smiled.

    Ceng Hanyu felt remorseful. This was what they called ¡°fry in one''s own grease¡±! s, and to think he had even recorded a video!

    He wanted to exin himself, but with Ye Zhongjue sitting there and staring at him,

    he could only resort to being nice, hoping they would take pity on him.

    ¡°Sister, I didn¡¯t know who you were at that time! Please, could you find it in your heart to forgive me?¡±

    Mo Suqing knew she must save his face because he was Ye Zhongjue¡¯s friend, although it wouldn¡¯t hurt to mess around with him a little.

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t forgive you?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll offer my life as an apology!¡± Ceng Hanyu swiped his hand across his neck as if it was a knife.

    Mo Suqingughed. She leaned against Ye Zhongjue¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll forgive you.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu quickly sat down and poured some wine in a ss.

    Handing her the wine, he said yfully, ¡°I knew you¡¯re a generous woman! You won¡¯t get petty with me.¡±

    Mo Suqing took the ss smilingly.

    The men began to drink and chat; Mo Suqing chipped in once in a while. The atmosphere was neither too jovial nor too dry.

    After a while, Ceng Hanyu suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s y truth or dare! I have a deck of cards here. Whoever draws the highest-valued card can ask whoever draws the lowest-valued card a question that must be answered truthfully or simply dare the person to do one thing. What do you think?¡±

    Mo Suqing raised her hand gleefully in agreement. ¡°Okay!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue seldom saw her this happy and wild.

    He cast Ceng Hanyu a nce. <i>This</i> <i>I can give him credit.</i>

    Excited, Mo Suqing was the first to draw a card from the deck. Then, Ye Zhongjue drew one with an aloof expression on his face.

    The others drew theirs one by one. As a result, Mo Suqing got a four of hearts, Ye Zhongjue a king of hearts, Ceng Hanyu an ace of clubs, Gu Yi¡¯an a ten of spades, and the two dates a six of spades and a queen of hearts respectively.

    Mo Suqing, unfortunately, was the one with the lowest-valued card.

    Ceng Hanyu, who got the highest-valued card, smiled slyly like a fox. Mo Suqing¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She felt something ominous was about to happen.

    Ceng Hanyu beamed at her. ¡°Sister, truth or dare?¡±

    Mo Suqing hesitated for a while. In the end, her dark past stopped her from choosing to reveal a truth about herself.

    Her expression was that of a martyr when she replied:

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with dare!¡±

 Chapter 78 â€“ Ye Zhongjueâ€™s First Love

    <h4>Chapter 78 ¨C Ye Zhongjue¡¯s First Love</h4>

    ¡°Alright! We¡¯ll do whichever you choose!¡± Ceng Hanyu smiled wickedly.

    After a few sses, Mo Suqing had opened up. She spread her arm and said, ¡°Just tell me what you want me to do already!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu nced at Ye Zhongjue and said, ¡°Sister,?leave the room now and kiss the first person that enters the pub ¨C no matter it¡¯s a he or she.¡±

    Then, he raised his eyebrows at Ye Zhongjue challengingly.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s handsome face darkened. <i>What a cheap trick!</i>

    The drunk Mo Suqing was very bold.

    She jumped up from the sofa and said, ¡°Okay I¡¯ll do it!¡±

    She didn¡¯t notice how dark Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression had be.

    Mo Suqing opened the door of the room and staggered toward the entrance of the pub. Ye Zhongjue immediately stood up and went after her.

    Ceng Hanyu quickly followed suit, not wanting to miss the show. The others trailed behind, curious.

    Mo Suqing was just reaching the entrance when Ye Zhongjue went past her and slipped out of the pub.

    Then, he walked back in, put his arms around Mo Suqing and gave her a French kiss.

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s jaw dropped.

    People in the pub began to apud. Mo Suqing felt dizzy and her face burned scarlet.

    Afterwards, Ye Zhongjue red at Ceng Hanyu and entered their room with Mo Suqing.

    Ceng Hanyu rubbed his nose. <i>What can I say?</i>

    <i>It¡¯s the cleverest cheating he has ever seen!</i>

    Ceng Hanyu went inside and protested, ¡°Jue, you are such a cheater!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked from the girl in his arms to Ceng Hanyu. ¡°What? You¡¯ve got a problem with that?¡±

    Seeing his expression, Ceng Hanyu instantly relented. Heughed nervously and waved his hand casually. ¡°No, of course not¡­¡±

    The game continued. Almost everyone had drawn the lowest-valued card at one time or another and had been punished to reveal a truth or ept a dare.

    Even Gu Yi¡¯an had been given the choice between truth and dare. Yet, Ye Zhongjue hadn¡¯t drawn the lowest-valued card for once.

    A new round began again. After everyone drew a card, Ceng Hanyu prompted, ¡°Show your cards already!¡±

    Mo Suqing keptughing and giggling in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s arms. <i>I can¡¯t believe he has such a cheerful friend! He is usually so aloof and cold!</i>

    Mo Suqing was stunned to see that?Ye Zhongjue had?the lowest-valued card?and Gu Yi¡¯an had?the highest-valued card.

    Gu Yi¡¯an asked, ¡°Jue, truth or dare?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue thought of the trick Ceng Hanyu had used thest time. Although it hadn¡¯t worked, he wasn¡¯t sure if Mo Suqing could handle it.

    ¡°Truth,¡± he answered after some deliberation.

    Gu Yi¡¯an raised his eyebrows at him. Apparently, he hadn¡¯t expected him to choose truth.

    He asked a random question, ¡°When was your first love and are you still in love with her?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at him and replied without any emotions, ¡°Seventeen, and only one question can be asked.¡±

    Mo Suqing watched him eagerly. She wanted to know the answer to the second question, too.

    <i>It is often said that first loves are the most intense in men¡¯s hearts. Does he still love her?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue stood up with Mo Suqing.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s call it a day. It¡¯s quitete; we should go home.

    Ceng Hanyu could see Ye Zhongjue was not in the mood anymore, so he left with his date obediently.

    After Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue went back home, she took a shower and felt much?more sober.

    The two of them were lying in bed when Mo Suqing said, ¡°Ye Zhongjue¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue reached over and covered her mouth with his hand. ¡°Do not call me by my full name anymore! Call me Jue or honey!¡±

    Then, Ye Zhongjue dropped his hand and waited. Mo Suqing hesitated for a moment and tried again, ¡°Jue¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue hugged her in satisfaction.

    However, Mo Suqing found herself sleepless. All those questions in her head prevented her from falling asleep.

    She asked tentatively, ¡°Jue, you do work in Mighty Empire, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, why?¡± Ye Zhongjue answered without thinking.

    Mo Suqing shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯m just asking.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t notice the change in her expression. He hugged her even more tightly. God, they hadn¡¯t seen each other for too long! He had missed her so much, but hadn¡¯t dared toe home in case she would break up with him.

    He was afraid to see the disappointed look on her face, but now that he was holding her, he began to feel aroused.

    Mo Suqing half-resisted, half-weed him. Eventually, they made love. It was as if Ye Zhongjue couldn¡¯t get enough of her. On and off, they did it for most of the night before he carried her to the bathroom to take a shower and fall into sound sleep in bed together.

    The next day when Mo Suqing woke up, she could hear the sound of the shower. She blushed, remembering what had happenedst night.

    She could feel their rtionship was deepening.

    How she wished they could keep going on?like?this! However, the thing about his job kept nagging at her.

    Although he wasn¡¯t telling her the truth about it, at least?he had introduced her to his friends. She wasn¡¯t totally ignorant of his private life anymore.

    After breakfast, Ye Zhongjue gave Mo Suqing a lift to her office and then headed to hispany.

    After the fight, Ye Zhongjue had stayed at home until Ming Jinhua came over and practically dragged him out of the study.

    The next day, he hadn¡¯t gone to work. Instead, he had stayed at the Ye residence the whole day.

    He hadn¡¯t gone in until the third day when he had instructed Lin Ran to ruin Guan Zixuan, using whatever method he could.

    He admitted he was an extreme person at times. He could never tolerate others to covet his properties, let alone his woman.

    Guan Zixuan hadpletely crossed the line.

    Then, the next day when he had just?found out the truth, Lin Ran informed him that Guan Xizuan was not someone to mess around.

    Though he had known the truth of that night, that Mo Suqing could very likely have been hurt if it hadn¡¯t been for Guan Zixuan, he still wanted to know why.

    A mere celebrity shouldn¡¯t have been able to cause any tumult, should he?

    However, Lin Ran told him that they had never really checked the background of Guan Xizuan and had always thought his family had some money to support him in the entertainment industry?but not that he was from a powerful family.

    Yet, when he tried to ce some obstacles in his path, Lin Ran could feel someone was stopping his work.

    So he had checked his background and found some astonishing facts.

    <i>Guan Zixuan is a prince!</i> In other words, he was a big deal who had grown up in the emperor¡¯s city. Since he had an elder brother, his parents didn¡¯t force him to give up acting after he had had a fight with them and left home to pursue his career.

    After all, he was still a prince and had to go home at some point. Therefore, his family had basically turned a blind eye to his willfulness for now.

    The news hade as a big surprise to Ye Zhongjue, too. <i>Looks like there are quite a few characters in Mighty Empire!</i>

    <i>A</i><i>?prince, huh??</i>Ye Zhongjue chuckled. <i>What an interesting development.?</i>Although?Ye Zhongjue?was not afraid of?Guan Zixuan¡¯s status, he needed to be more careful from now on.

    To be honest, he had even started to admire Guan Zixuan for achieving so much in the field without his family¡¯s support.

    Moreover, he was also grateful for what he had done for Mo Suqing.

    Now, Ye Zhongjue had just arrived in thepany. The door to the elevator had barely opened when Lin Ran rushed over, looking distressed.

    Ye Zhongjue frowned in annoyance. He had never seen him lose his cool like this for these years.

    Ye Zhongjue walked out of the elevator and gestured for him to put himself together first.

    Lin Ran followed Ye Zhongjue into the office. The door closed, he gave him aplicated look and said, ¡°Boss, it¡¯s bad!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue raised his eyebrows and looked at him calmly. ¡°What is the matter?¡±

    However, Lin Ran did not answer his question. Instead, he said, ¡°Big Bro, I¡¯m going to ask you one question and I hope you can tell me the truth.¡±

    ¡°Say it,¡± Ye Zhongjue said without any emotions.

    ¡°Are you really married?to?Miss Mo?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression finally shifted. He stood up from his chair and demanded, ¡°How do you know that? Did you investigate me?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s response had more or less answered the question. Lin Ran felt like crying. ¡°Big Bro, how do I dare? Last time when we were at Silk Empire International and you said she was your wife, I thought you were joking! I never thought it might be true.¡±

    ¡°What the hell happened? Can you fucking spit it out?¡±

    Face darkened, Ye Zhongjue hurled a folder at him.

    Lin Ran let it hit him. He had known he would lose hisposure and get irritable when it came to Miss Mo.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry with me. She came here yesterday. If I didn¡¯t chat with the receptionist girl longer than usual this morning, I would never have known that some woman came here to look for her husband with the name of Ye Zhongjue! Big Bro, what do you think I should do? To tell you about this or to keep silent?¡±

    Lin Ran¡¯s face darkened, too. <i>It seems he was trying to hide his identity from Miss Mo by calling me Manager Lin that day.</i>

    Now, it looked like the lie wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up.

    He looked at Ye Zhongjue meekly. ¡°Boss, can you tell me when you married?her? Do your parents know?¡±

    Lin Ran was very curious. He felt that Ye Zhongjue¡¯s father would never have approved of a daughter-inw that did not match their social status.

 Chapter 79 â€“ Ye Zhongjueâ€™s Little Sister

    <h4>Chapter 79 ¨C Ye Zhongjue¡¯s Little Sister</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue gave him a look before answering his question, ¡°We got married the day I asked you to procure an apartment in the Tri-ring Area. The old man didn¡¯t know about it until a few days ago. He didn¡¯t approve?of?it and wanted me to divorce her, but I just ignored him.¡±

    Lin Ran looked at Ye Zhongjue, speechless. He almost?gave him?a thumbs?up?and said, <i>Way to go, Big Bro! To steal the household register and get married with it? That¡¯s something only members of your family would do!</i>

    <i>You¡¯re just like your father!</i>

    Lin Ran happened to know why Ye Wentian did not approve of Ye Zhongjue and Mo Suqing because he had heard some rumors about his parents when he had first started to work for Ye Zhongjue.

    His father, Ye Wentian, did not care much about lineage and pedigree. As a matter of fact, his wife, Ming Jinhua, had been an actress at that time.

    In fact, when Ye Wentian began to go out with Ming Jinhua, he even had a fianc¨¦e. However, he had been young and reckless and hadn¡¯t had a care in the world. After all, as a member of the Ye family, he had never feared anyone.

    Soon, he broke off the engagement and married Ming Jinhua without telling his family.

    Nheless, he didn¡¯t know what he had done had disgraced the other family badly and sown a seed of revenge in their hearts, especially the heart of the woman whom he had ditched.

    He had never known how powerful a woman harboring a grudge could be.

    In the fifth year of their marriage, when Ye Zhongjue had been four and his sister, Ye Mingke, had just turned two, a servant stole the toddler and vanished. No one had heard of her hereafter.

    All Ye Wentian knew was that the servant had been working for the woman whom he had broken up with. Only after the tragedy had Ye Wentian realized btedly how disastrous the result of his behavior was.

    If he hadn¡¯t been so arrogant and insensitive to other people¡¯s feelings, things would never have?turned out like this. Today, he still didn¡¯t know whether his daughter was still alive.

    Little had he expected that Ye Zhongjue would make the same mistake.

    Although Ye Zhongjue hadn¡¯t been formally engaged with anyone, he and Jian Jie had looked after each other during the four years he studied?abroad.

    Anyone with a good sense could see that Jian Jie had feelings for Ye Zhongjue. That was why Ye Wentian was afraid the same tragedy would happen to Ye Zhongjue, too.

    Though the Ye family had always been very powerful, someone had still been able to steal the child from them, hadn¡¯t they? And even if he killed all those involved, he still couldn¡¯t get his daughter back.

    Thinking of this, Lin Ran re-focused his attention back to the present; he believed Ye Zhongjue must have considered all of it and was capable of dealing with it in his own way.

    What he needed to focus now was Mo Suqing¡¯s?visit?to thepany to ask for Ye Zhongjue. <i>He can¡¯t possibly pretend it didn¡¯t happen, can he?</i>

    ¡°Boss, what are you going to do now?¡± Lin Ran asked meekly.

    Ye Zhongjue?finally understood?why Mo Suqing had seemed to hold something back and asked him that weird questionst night.

    ¡°You do work in Mighty Empire, right?¡± she had asked. He remembered he had given her an affirmative answer.

    But now, he had to take her question seriously. She had begun to have doubts. If he couldn¡¯t handle it well, she probably wouldn¡¯t be able to eat and sleep properly every day. This he did not want to see.

    Ye Zhongjue rubbed his temple and said, ¡°I want to see the surveince recording from when she came here yesterday.¡±

    Lin Ran nodded and went to fetch it for him.

    Ye Zhongjue watched the footage attentively and felt a headache developing.

    To see Mo Suqing¡¯s wan look made his heart hurt so much. <i>My poor little girl,ing here to ask the receptionist if he works here!</i>

    He was the king of the skyscraper, for crying out loud! Yet he had closed the door on the woman he loved because of a stupid lie! Suddenly, Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t want to lie to her anymore.

    Lin Ran came in at this moment to inform Ye Zhongjue of a meeting with Jian Jie¡¯s family for a potential partnership.

    Ye Zhongjue nodded to indicate he had heard him.

    However, when he looked up, Lin Ran was still standing in the office.

    ¡°Anything else?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue sounded a bit cold.

    Lin Ran¡¯s face was contorted when he looked at him.

    ¡°Boss, are you going to the meeting in this outfit?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked down. He was wearing a suit that cost only a few hundred dors. After Mo Suing had?got?suspiciousst time when he wore the one that cost millions of dors, he became very careful about expensive clothes.

    If Mo Suqing knew a suit of his cost more money than she could?ever make?for the rest of her life, she would definitely know something was wrong.

    He nced at the video and waved at Lin Ran.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve got spare suits in the lounge.¡±

    At his words, Lin Ran left the room feeling reassured. Sometimes he felt like Ye Zhongjue¡¯s nanny 24/7, although?his boss?did change a lot after getting married.

    The meeting wasn¡¯t over until noon. Mo Suqing had sent a message, asking if he would like to have lunch together.

    Ye Zhongjue dly agreed without thinking. However, it was well past noon when he emerged from the meeting room. With little time left, he quickly rushed to the garage and headed to the magazinepany.

    When he arrived, Leng Xiyao and Mo Suqing were standing arm in arm in front of the building.

    Leng Xiyao was about to leave them alone when she seemed to notice something about Ye Zhongjue. She picked up her phone and took a picture of him.

    Mo Suqing was bewildered at her behavior. But, before she could say anything, Leng Xiyao had fled the scene.

    Shaking her head in resignation, Mo Suqing approached Ye Zhongjue with big smiles.

    They went to a nearby restaurant where Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao were regr patrons.?Mo Suqing wanted?the meal to be a celebration of their?reconciliation?and a promise that they would never fight again.

    Even if they did fight, they should never disappear and make the other person feel worried and insecure.

    Ye Zhongjue apologized once more. Mo Suqing epted it readily. As to the question she had in her mind, she decided she would put it aside for now.

    After the fight, she had begun to know Ye Zhongjue better. Although it looked like he was alwaysposed and unruffled, she was no opponent against him once he red up.

    So, she preferred glossing over the difficulties.

    They had a wonderful lunch, with the elegant violin music and the romantic atmosphere.

    Ye Zhongjue had nned to tell her everything. Yet, when he saw how content she was, he once again wavered and thought better of it.

    He knew more than anyone else how devastating the truth would be for her.

    In the end, he persuaded himself to dy it.

    He had no courage to disclose the pack of lies in front of a happy her.

    After they had eaten, Ye Zhongjue took out a bouquet of roses out of nowhere and gave it to her. All the doubt and disquiet in her heart faded away with the unexpected surprise.

    After saying goodbye, Mo Suqing walked into the office with the flowers and a merry smile on her face.

    Seeing the red roses in her arms, Leng Xiyao felt reluctant to shatter her.

    ¡°Suqing, you seem to be delighted!¡±

    Mo Suqing rolled her eyes. ¡°What? You don¡¯t want me to be delighted?¡±

    Leng Xiyao felt speechless. <i>That was not at all what I meant!</i> She merely suspected something was wrong, although she couldn¡¯t really?figure it out.

    She had wanted to ask her uncle to look up Ye Zhongjue, but as soon as she thought of their interactions these days, she thought better of it.

    <i>Is Ye Zhongjue really?</i><i>who he appears to be</i><i>?on the surface?</i>

    <i>Howe I keep thinking something?</i><i>is</i><i>?out of ce? An assistant who drives a Volkswagen but wears an Armani? Isn¡¯t that a disturbingbination?</i>

    <i>But, if I tell Suqing what I¡¯m thinking, is it going to spoil her happiness?</i>

    Leng Xiyao continued to suppress all these questions until it was almost time to go home, when she could no longer help it.

    ¡°Suqing, let me show you something.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Mo Suqing asked casually while typing furiously.

    Leng Xiyao went to the album on her phone and found the photo she had taken at noon.

    ¡°Here.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the photo you took of Ye Zhongjue today?¡±

    Leng Xiyao felt impatient. <i>Suqing, how can you be so stupid?!</i>

    ¡°Look closer!¡± she urged.

    Mo Suqing looked carefully, then shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t see your point; but I do see a cute guy in there!¡± Mo Suqing chuckled, handing back the phone.

    ¡°Oh my god!¡± Leng Xiyao facepalmed.

    ¡°Suqing, why is it that your focus is so different from a normal person? Do you have any idea why I took the photo?¡±

    Mo Suqing felt utterly puzzled by her words. She shook her head foolishly.

    ¡°Why did you take it? I wanted to ask you, but you fled faster than a rabbit!¡±

    ¡°Look at this!¡± Leng Xiyao pointed at the man in the photo. ¡°What was he wearing?¡±

    ¡°A suit!¡± Mo Suqing replied matter-of-factly.

    Leng Xiyao looked at her, exasperated. ¡°For god¡¯s sake, this is thetest Armani suit! Didn¡¯t you say Ye Zhongjue was just an assistant? But how can he be wearing a suit that costs more than your annual sry? Use your brain!¡±

    Mo Suqing was struck dumb. She stared at Leng Xiyao¡¯s phone. <i>Thetest Armani suit?</i>

    She was never interested in fashion brands, so how could she recognize it with one look?

    She looked at the man in the photo carefully, bafflement shing through her eyes.

    It was as if she had got all the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle except the one key piece, so she couldn¡¯t see what theplete picture was.

    Leng Xiyao continued, ¡°Last time when I said he was wearing an expensive suit, I thought I made it a mistake. I didn¡¯t have a photo of it anyway. But this time, I made sure to take a photo as the proof!¡±

 Chapter 80 â€“ The Latest Armani Suit

    <h4>Chapter 80 ¨C The Latest Armani Suit</h4>

    When Leng Xiyao saw Ye Zhongjue today, she immediately recognized that suit because her uncle had been wearing the same one recently.

    It was impossible for her not to recognize it.

    Mo Suqing still refused to see the truth. ¡°Maybe¡­ maybe it was a fake!¡±

    Leng Xiyao was being driven mad at this point. <i>A fake, you say? I would know if it¡¯s a fake!?</i>She kept thinking there was something?strange?about?Ye Zhongjue. She just didn¡¯t want Mo Suqing to get hurt.

    ¡°Then?try?googling?it and see if you can really find a fake of Armani out there! I can¡¯t believe you!¡± Leng Xiyao said in exasperation and sent the photo to her via WeChat.

    Mo Suqing looked at the photo. Should she google or not?

    She didn¡¯t know much about brands and their logos, but she did remember that Ye Zhongjue hadn¡¯t worn that suit at home this morning.

    She shook her head. She felt guilty about her doubts; she was supposed to trust that man with all her heart. <i>However, he did lie to her about his job, didn¡¯t he?</i>

    Mo Suqing felt helpless and confused. The doubts were driving her crazy!

    In the end, she googled it anyway. It was true. Thetest Armani suit looked exactly like the one on Ye Zhongjue. They were identical, even in the excellent workmanship.

    No fake could be as good as that.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t want to deceive herself, but she also wanted to believe the man whom she shared the same bed?with.

    She was never the kind of woman who would get lost in love, but right now, she actually wished she was. That way, she would be able to trust him wholeheartedly.

    When Leng Xiyao was about to get off work, she peered at her and asked, ¡°Did you google it?¡±

    Mo Suqing looked a little distracted. She looked at Leng Xiyao and said firmly, ¡°I believe him!¡±

    ¡°Fine¡­ You¡­¡± Leng Xiyao faltered. Then, ¡°You are on your own, I guess,¡± she said eventually.

    She turned around and walked away. She had said everything she had to say; she would leave the choice with Mo Suqing.

    After Leng Xiyao left, Mo Suqing stared into the empty office space in a daze.

    Her phone rang, pulling her back to reality.

    ¡°Hello¡­¡± she answered the phone with a downcast tone.

    ¡°Are you alright? I¡¯m here,¡± Ye Zhongjue¡¯s voice came from the other end, sounding worried.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t answer his question. Instead, she said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯m?heading?out now.¡±

    She put down her phone and took a deep breath. After putting away her feelings and forcing a smile on her face, she walked out of the building.

    At the sight of Ye Zhongjue, Mo Suqing kept reminding herself that she must trust him, that she had to believe the man in front of her would never lie to her.

    For dinner, Ye Zhongjue once again took her out. Mo Suqing noticed that the suit he was wearing was different from the one he had worn at lunch; she was sure it was what he had put on this morning.

    She thought about confronting him, but could not bring herself to do it in the end. Asking him about it felt so paranoid, yet she couldn¡¯t really let it go, either.

    If it wasn¡¯t for Leng Xiyao, she would never notice there was anything wrong with his suit.

    They had just seated themselves and ordered their dishes when Ye Zhongjue spoke.

    What she hadn¡¯t expected was Ye Zhongjue had decided to clear up her doubts unasked.

    ¡°Honey¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s mouth twitched. She found that Ye Zhongjue somehow had made a habit of calling her that after their big fight.

    Shy, she coughed a little and said, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°I heard that you came to mypany to look for me.¡±

    Mo Suqing was surprised. <i>He knows??</i>She racked her brain. <i>So he really didn¡¯t lie to me. He does work in Mighty Empire!</i>

    ¡°But howe the receptionist doesn¡¯t know?who you are?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue reached out and took her hand firmly, as if fearing she would just disappear. ¡°Please don¡¯t be angry if I tell you the truth!¡± he said.

    Mo Suqing made an effort to keep herposure and replied calmly, ¡°I won¡¯t. Just tell me.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Ye Zhongjue hesitated before continuing, ¡°I don¡¯t use the name Ye Zhongjue at work.¡±

    Mo Suqing was taken aback. <i>He doesn¡¯t use the name Ye Zhongjue at work? Then what name does he use?</i>

    She remembered when they registered their marriage, it was indeed Ye Zhongjue that had appeared on his household register. <i>But now, he is telling me his name is not Ye Zhongjue after all? Who is he then??</i>She felt so confused and befuddled.

    Ye Zhongjue knitted his brows. Remembering how much she hated wealthy families, he wavered.

    ¡°The bottom line is, I didn¡¯t lie. I do work in Mighty Empire. As for the details¡­ Can you give me a week to think things over before telling you everything?¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s head was full of questions, but she thought for a moment and nodded.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue breathed out a sigh of relief. Though the truly thorny issue was yet toe, at least he had survived today.

    However, he hadn¡¯t expected Mo Suqing would have another scary question.

    ¡°Yao told me that the suit you wore at noon is thetest Armani. Is that so? I want to know the truth.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue had never had this feeling before: it was as if he was given a roller-coaster ride. The moment he felt relieved, another plummet came along.

    The fact was, as long as it was something about Mo Suqing, it was a very big deal to him.

    He remembered Leng Xiyao had taken a photo of him with her phone, but he hadn¡¯t thought much about it. After all, she was a friend of Mo Suqing.

    However, he hadpletely forgotten that Leng Xiyao was Leng Haoyun¡¯s niece and it was a piece of cake for her to recognize the brand of his suit.

    He couldn¡¯t believe he would meet with the same setback twice.

    Ye Zhongjue forced a smile, vaciting betweening clean and concealing the truth. He had just prevented one thing from blowing up and promised her he would tell her everything in a week, and now this. He didn¡¯t know what to do.

    In the end, he chose to tell another lie.

    He chuckled bitterly. <i>s! It is true that to hide a lie, a thousand lies are needed!</i>

    <i>I am constantly shooting myself in the foot!</i>

    ¡°Well, we had a meeting with the Jian Group today. I got coffee spilled on my suit, so my boss lent me his for the meeting¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked very uneasy. He knew he had told a good lie, but that didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t feel guilty about it.

    He felt Mo Suqing seemed to have detected something.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Mo Suqing didn¡¯t seem to be interested in his story, either.

    At this moment, their dishes came, so they began to eat.

    On their way home, Mo Suqing didn¡¯t say anything. She just looked out of the window, deep in thought.

    ¡­¡­

    The next day, Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao didn¡¯t talk to each other the entire morning.

    Mo Suqing could see Leng Xiyao was not happy with her regarding what happened yesterday.

    She knew Leng Xiyao had been trying to be a good friend, but she just didn¡¯t want to believe Ye Zhongjue was a bad person.

    In fact, she herself couldn¡¯t understand why she would fall for him when he had hidden so much from her in the beginning of their rtionship.

    She could only conclude that it was because of his tenderness. He was too tender for her to resist.

    At lunchtime, Mo Suqing ced a hand on Leng Xiyao¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Yao, don¡¯t be mad anymore. It¡¯s all my fault. You were just trying to help me; I shouldn¡¯t have reacted like that. My kind and considerate Yao wouldn¡¯t be angry with me because of it, right?

    Although Leng Xiyao was upset and also felt a bit wronged, of course she would never hold a grudge against Mo Suqing.

    She gave Mo Suqing an exasperated look and said, ¡°So you do know I was trying to help you!¡±

    Mo Suqing knew the girl was unhappy and that she had better cate her.

    ¡°Of course I know. You are just like my family¡­ No, you are more than that to me! How can I not understand you? So, my dearest, beautiful Yao, can you stop being angry with me now? Please?¡±

    ¡°Humph!¡± Leng Xiyao tilted her head upward proudly. ¡°I¡¯ll credit you with a good sense to cate me! Otherwise, I won¡¯t forgive you this easily!¡±

    ¡°Sure! My Yao is the most precious treasure that should be cherished well! Let¡¯s go grab some lunch, shall we?¡±

    Mo Suqing beamed at her.

    However, Leng Xiyao dragged her handbag over and said, ¡°Wait a second. I want to give you something.¡±

    Mo Suqing watched Leng Xiyao groping for the thing in her bag, feeling speechless. The girl was very unorganized; every time she wanted to find something, she would fumble like this.

    ¡°Ta-da!¡± Leng Xiyao shouted gleefully. ¡°Here it is. Take it!¡±

    Leng Xiyao handed two golden cards to Mo Suqing with a proud smile on her face.

    Mo Suqing observed the cards. They looked very ssy and had just two words inscribed on it: <i>Jazz Club</i>.

    She gaped at her. ¡°Are these member cards of Jazz Club? How did you get them? I heard they were extremely difficult to get hold of!¡±

    Leng Xiyao batted her eyes at Mo Suqing with a naughty expression. ¡°Hehe. I have my own way! Now we can go to the club and dig up something big!¡±

    Leng Xiyao skipped along at her side. Looking at her, Mo Suqing could feel a spring in her step, too.

    <i>What have I done to deserve a friend like this, who is so innocent and honest and trusting and who loves her with all her heart?</i>

    Mo Suqing shook her head sentimentally and left the office with Leng Xiyao.

 Chapter 81 â€“ An Huilinâ€™s Secret

    <h4>Chapter 81 ¨C An Huilin¡¯s Secret</h4>

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao were chatting while having their lunch.

    Though Leng Xiyao had been upset with what had happened yesterday, she didn¡¯t forget to ask?Mo Suqing?about it.

    With food stuffing in her mouth, she asked, ¡°So, did you confront Ye Zhongjue yesterday?¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s hand came to a halt midway. She nodded.

    ¡°Yes, I asked him about it at dinner.¡±

    ¡°What did he say?¡±

    Leng Xiyao fixed her eyes at her while chewing furiously.

    ¡°He said he had this meeting to attend to, but he got coffee spilled on his suit, so his boss lent his?suit?to him.¡±

    Leng Xiyao rolled her eyes in disbelief.

    Mo Suqing still believed him with all her heart, so she hastened to exin, ¡°It¡¯s not what you think. I think he told me the truth. I have met his boss, Manager Lin, before.¡±

    Leng Xiyao pondered over it and said, ¡°Manager Lin¡­ when did you meet him?¡±

    ¡°Do you remember the time when we had a drink with the others at Silk Empire International and we walked into the wrong room? It was actually the room where Ye Zhongjue and his boss were talking business! It was Manager Lin who helped us. You were taken away by your uncle soon after that.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Leng Xiyao nodded. ¡°Well, it sounds quite usible.¡±

    They went back to the office after lunch.

    Leng Xiyao had hardly sat down when she covered her belly with her hands and said, ¡°I had too much at lunch¡­ Suqing,e to the restroom with me!¡±

    Mo Suqing stood up from the chair. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Zhang Yubin had just walked into the office, wanting to talk to Mo Suqing alone. However, the two women were heading to the restroom together.

    He stood on the spot, perplexed. <i>Why do they have to go to the restroom together? Are they such good friends as to wear the same pair of trousers even?</i>

    Men could never understand why girls liked to apany each other to the restroom.

    Leng Xiyao ran into one of the cubicles, while Mo Suqing washed her hands and waited for her by the sink.

    A white purse grabbed her attention. She picked it up and looked at it curiously.

    <i>Who left her purse here, so carelessly?</i>

    She opened it and immediately saw the photo of a handsome, steely man.

    She was shocked to see it was no one but the wickedly beautiful man they had met at Silk Empire International! When she and Leng Xiyao had lunch at Taste of Hunan, they had also seen him with An Huilin.

    <i>This must be An Huilin¡¯s purse then!</i>

    <i>To be honest, the man is really good-looking,?</i>Mo Suqing thought. It was said that you could almost always find the photo of a man¡¯s love in his wallet. But somehow it was a man¡¯s photo that she had found in An Huilin¡¯s purse.

    Mo Suqing had an intuition that An Huilin must love the man very much.

    Presently, Leng Xiyao emerged from the cubicle. She saw that Mo Suqing was examining a purse in her hand, but?Leng Xiyao?knew her purse was not white.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Mo Suqing handed the purse to Leng Xiyao and said, ¡°See, someone left her purse here. I am positive it belongs to Abbess Miejue.¡±

    Leng Xiyao turned her head to look at the photo while washing her hands.

    When she saw the wickedly beautiful man in it, her smile disappeared at once.

    Actually, she had gone a little stiff.

    However, Mo Suqing didn¡¯t notice all these changes in her expression. She continued to say, ¡°The way I see it, the man must be the reason why the editor-in-chief hasn¡¯t got married past thirty. Who would put a photo of a man in her purse where she can see it anytime, unless she is deeply in love with him? I have never thought Abbess Miejue to be a woman who loves so deeply. Looks like I had misjudged her.¡±

    Having finished what she had got to say, Mo Suqing turned around and saw a lethargic Leng Xiyao standing there with her hands still under the faucet.

    Mo Suqing finally realized something was wrong. She turned off the faucet and called out, ¡°Yao, what¡¯s with you?¡±

    Leng Xiyao was back to herself in an instant. Sheughed a little and shook her head, ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m just a little tired.¡±

    Leng Xiyao said in an empty voice.

    Just when Mo Suqing was about to ask her more questions, the door to the restroom banged open and An Huilin rushed inside, looking panicked.

    She immediately saw the purse in Mo Suqing¡¯s hand. Then, she nced at Leng Xiyao, walked over to Mo Suqing, and grabbed the purse from her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have anymon sense? How can you peek into other people¡¯s stuff!¡±

    Embarrassed, Mo Suqing tried to exin ? ? ?herself, ¡°No, Ma¡¯am¡­ I was just checking whose purse it is¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t what?¡± An Huilin exploded with rage and yelled at Mo Suqing.

    Mo Suqing found herself in a very difficult situation. ¡°It¡¯s not like I stole it. How can you speak to me like this? I never wanted to invade your privacy. You¡­¡±

    ¡°What about me? And how can it justify your behavior even if you didn¡¯t steal it? If you didn¡¯t want to invade my privacy, howe you decided to open it? What about the way I speak to you? You do know I can sue you for this, right?¡±

    Leng Xiyao, whose expression had changed upon An Huilin¡¯s entrance, darkened her face at the woman¡¯s furious and unreasonable venom.

    ¡°Editor-in-Chief, please take a look at yourself. You are just like a fishwife!¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s jaw dropped. She couldn¡¯t believe Leng Xiyao would say something this bold to her. Both admiration and fear rose in her.

    To her surprise, An Huilin quieted down at Leng Xiyao¡¯s outburst.

    She stared hard at Leng Xiyao, as if she wanted to remember her expression.

    On the other hand, Leng Xiyao totally ignored her. She took Mo Suqing¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Suqing, let¡¯s go!¡±

    Leng Xiyao took Mo Suqing out of the building and still she didn¡¯t stop walking. It was like she had be a doll without a mind of its own, and the only thing it did was walking.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s wrist hurt from her grip, but she dared not disturb her.

    Something was very wrong about Leng Xiyao, but Mo Suqing didn¡¯t know what it was.

    Lunch break would soon be over, but the building was farther and farther away with their every step. Mo Suqing looked at her wrist, reddish from Leng Xiyao¡¯s clutch, and ced the other hand on her.

    ¡°Yao, where are you going? What is wrong with you? Can you tell me? You have been in a bad mood recently, but I don¡¯t know how to talk to you about it. Do you know how worried I am?¡±

    However, Leng Xiyao just kept walking ahead, like she didn¡¯t hear her.

    Eventually, Mo Suqing had had enough.

    ¡°Yao!¡± she shouted.

    She stood firmly on the spot and watched Leng Xiyao¡¯s lonely figure, feeling sad.

    Leng Xiyao finally came back to reality and asked, ¡°Suqing, did you call my name?¡±

    Mo Suqing gave her a worried look. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked around. Then, she lowered her head and shook it. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I was just walking aimlessly. Let¡¯s go back.¡±

    Before Mo Suqing could ask any more questions, Leng Xiyao had loosened her grip on her wrist and started walking toward thepany.

    Mo Suqing caught up with her and stopped Leng Xiyao short.

    ¡°Yao, what¡¯s wrong with you? It¡¯s me! Why won¡¯t you talk to me? Why won¡¯t you share your grievance and sadness with me? Don¡¯t you know how much I worry about you? Can¡¯t you understand I am concerned about you, just like you are concerned about me?¡±

    Tears ran down Mo Suqing¡¯s cheeks.

    Leng Xiyao looked at her and burst into tears herself.

    ¡°Suqing, I hate An Huilin. I hate her! I feel ufortable every time I see her! I¡¯m depressed. I¡¯m so depressed¡­¡±

    Leng Xiyao wrapped her arms around Mo Suqing and sputtered. She was crying to get all the sadness off her chest.

    Mo Suqing patted on her back and said, ¡°Yao, don¡¯t cry. I know how much you hate her. I hate her, too! I hate her so much because she always upsets my dear Yao!¡±

    Leng Xiyao sobbed into Mo Suqing¡¯s clothes. She was sobbing so hard, her whole body trembled.

    Her voice was very nasal from all the crying when she said, ¡°No, Suqing, you don¡¯t understand. The hate I feel toward her is totally different than the hate you feel toward her! I am so depressed from all the suppressed feelings. You don¡¯t understand¡­¡±

    Leng Xiyao copsed on Mo Suqing and wept and kept saying she didn¡¯t understand.

    Mo Suqing wouldn¡¯t be able to know why Leng Xiyao kept saying she didn¡¯t understand and that they hated An Huilin for different reasons until muchter, when Leng Xiyao would be hurt badly by love and the proud man would stoop to begging her to tell him where the girl was. Then, she would realize, <i>Yes, I didn¡¯t understand it.</i>

    Right now, Mo Suqing didn¡¯t know what to say. Leng Xiyao kept crying and wouldn¡¯t tell her why.

    All she could do was to hold Leng Xiyao tight andfort her.

    They stood on the spot for a long time. Sometimes, passersby would stare at them or look curiously at the wailing woman.

    Mo Suqing hid Leng Xiyao¡¯s head in her chest, not wanting anyone to see her face.

    When Leng Xiyao was exhausted from the crying, Mo Suqing took her to a nearby mall and went to the restroom to freshen up.

    Leng Xiyao washed her face with some cool water. However, it didn¡¯t help with her swollen eyes.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t tell her that. <i>As long as she has got all the negative feelings off her chest.</i>

    Not far from the magazine HQ, Mo Suqing took Leng Xiyao¡¯s hand and said in a serious tone, ¡°Yao, I know you don¡¯t want to tell me what happened to you, but I also know you are a straightforward person who always expresses?your?feelings explicitly. I¡¯m not gonna ask you about it anymore, but it doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t care about you. I¡¯m waiting, waiting for you to be ready and tell me about it of your own ord. I¡¯ll wait for you to let me know why you are unhappy and crying like this. We have known each other for a long time. So long that seeing you cry?causes me a lot of pain!¡±

    Mo Suqing pointed at where her heart would be and tears almost poured down her face again.

 Chapter 82 â€“ Here Comes the Boss

    <h4>Chapter 82 ¨C Here Comes the Boss</h4>

    Leng Xiyao looked at Mo Suqing, guilty. She moved her lips, then said, ¡°Suqing, I¡¯m so sorry!¡±

    Mo Suqing stroked her hair and said, ¡°Silly, what are you apologizing to me for? Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±

    It was well past the time they should have started working when Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao went back to the office. However, An Huilin didn¡¯t give them a dressing-down.

    Mo Suqing asked Liu Siran where?An Huilin?had gone, and?Liu Siran?replied in her high-pitched voice, ¡°The editor-in-chief has no time for you! It is said that our boss ¨C the man who bought the magazinepany ¨C ising this afternoon. She is busy preparing for his arrival.¡±

    Mo Suqing let out a sigh of relief. <i>As long as she didn¡¯t ask about us.</i>

    As for Leng Xiyao, she just stared nkly at her desktop. It was impossible to know what she was thinking.

    About four in the afternoon, An Huilin emerged from her office.

    She cleared her throat and announced, ¡°The president is going to visit our office today. If you work hard and show your best side, he will merge all the magazinepanies he owns and rename them Trend Magazine, and we will be the motherpany. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Editor-in-chief, we¡¯ll do our best!¡± Everyone cheered in a confident voice, except for Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao, who had remained silent.

    ¡°He will be here any minute. Let¡¯s go outside to wee him,¡± An Huilin said, leading the way out of the office.

    The others followed her. It was quite a lively crowd.

    Hearing that the magazines were likely to be merged under theirpany¡¯s name, people became excited. If it came true, Trend Magazine would be one of the magnates in the field.

    Maybe there would be a sry increase, too!

    All editors from the other departments went out of the office, too.

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao tagged along at the back. Even though they were not enthusiastic about the whole thing, they couldn¡¯t just stay behind and be the subject of future gossip as ¡°those exceptions.¡±

    After all, it was the mysterious boss they were talking about!

    The staff stood in two lines in front of the entrance, with the editors in between.

    Presently, a ck Rolls-Royce Phantom stopped in front of them.

    The chauffeur got off the car. He was a young man who looked outdoorsy.

    He walked to the backseat and opened the door.

    First, a pair of long legs appeared before their eyes. The shiny, leather shoes were obviously very expensive, handmade with real cow skins.

    Then, the person slowly emerged from the car and slowly raised his head.

    For a second, all Mo Suqing could hear was the gasps from her colleagues.

    She had to admit that she, too, was struck dumb.

    <i>Isn¡¯t he the man in the photo in Abbess Miejue¡¯s purse?</i>

    <i>He is our mysterious boss?</i>

    The others were shocked because of a totally different reason.

    No one remembered seeing Leng Haoyun at Silk Empire International. With two-third of the staff being females, no wonder the crowd was shocked ¨C no, they were thrilled ¨C because they just found out their president was a wealthy handsome young man.

    Leng Haoyun approached them. Some of the editors greeted him politely, ¡°President Leng, pleasee in!¡±

    Mo Suqing noticed the man seemed to be emanating an unusually powerful air. His ice-cold expression made Ye Zhongjue¡¯s a sunny disposition.

    Leng Haoyun responded with a single-syble word in a low voice, ¡°Sure.¡±

    His husky voice once again melted the hearts of the young women present.

    Leng Xiyao, who had hung her head low, snapped it up at the familiar voice.

    Her eyes met with Leng Haoyun¡¯s across the crowd.

    Leng Xiyao gasped. <i>Uncle is the one who bought Trend Magazine?</i>

    Looking at Leng Haoyun, who was only a couple of steps away from her, and listening to the excited whispers from her colleagues, Leng Xiyao suddenly remembered her red, swollen eyes. She quickly lowered her head.

    Leng Haoyun was seized with a sudden pang. <i>Did something happen to my girl? Why are her eyes red? It¡¯s obvious she had been crying.</i>

    <i>Could it be that someone mistreated her?</i>

    Leng Haoyun approached and stood in front of her.

    Behind him, An Huilin was ring at Leng Xiyao with rage. <i>It¡¯s not fair. Why is the first thing he sees always this woman?</i>

    She clenched her fists so hard her fingernails almost punctured her palm.

    To be honest, An Huilin didn¡¯tck for suitors. However, she had long before given her heart to the man in front of her.

    When he bought Trend Magazine and asked her to be the editor-in-chief, she hadn¡¯t known why. She just did what he wanted her to do.

    She had figured he was expanding his business and he had chosen her because he had seen her as someone he trusted most, his right-hand person.

    Then, one day when they had finished dinner together and the waiter came to give them the receipt, she opened his wallet that he had left on the table since she had forgotten to bring her own purse and saw it.

    It was a picture of Leng Xiyao copsing on Leng Haoyun¡¯s shoulder with a big smile on her face.

    She didn¡¯t know how she had gone home that day. At that moment, she finally realized why Leng Haoyun would buy the magazinepany.

    Her love for him was turned into hatred that filled her bosom. She had never expected it to be for a woman that he bought Trend Magazine.

    <i>How could I take it?</i>

    That was why she kept picking on Leng Xiyao and giving her a hard time at work. However, not long ago, Leng Haoyun had told her to leave Leng Xiyao alone out of the blue.

    She had felt her heart break. She had been waiting for him for so many years! She had rejected every suitor and proposal of marriage, even though she was past thirty.

    <i>How can he be so cruel? Does he have any idea how people talk about her?</i>

    He had never tried to understand her feelings¡­

    And now, he had barely arrived before he rushed over to Leng Xiyao¡¯s side. <i>What does she do to deserve his whole heart?</i>

    An Huilin red at the girl in front of Leng Haoyun with envy.

    Leng Haoyun fixed his eyes at Leng Xiyao, heedless of the others and their whispers.

    ¡°Have you been crying?¡±

    Leng Xiyao, her head still hung low, replied chokingly, ¡°No, it¡¯s not what you think, Mr. President.¡±

    Mo Suqing gave her a concerned look. <i>The man is the president! Why didn¡¯t she look up when talking to him?</i>

    Everyone thought Leng Haoyun would let it go at Leng Xiyao¡¯s assurance.

    After all, she was just a gossip journalist, a nobody who somehow didn¡¯t know her ce and was being really rude to their boss. And a super cute boss at that!

    Yes, he was a bit aloof, but he was so good-looking and rich that all?his negative qualities?were nothing.

    To their surprise, not only did Leng Haoyun stay where he was, he even reached out and lifted the girl¡¯s chin up.

    All the women looked at Leng Xiyao jealously, thinking, <i>If only?</i><i>Leng Haoyun would?</i><i>touch my chin instead!</i>

    Only Mo Suqing was feeling nervous for Leng Xiyao.

    <i>Silly girl! This is THE boss! You can¡¯t afford to offend him!</i>

    However, Leng Xiyao just stared at Leng Haoyun with those swollen eyes, stubborn and fearless.

    The mysterious president sighed heavily.

    ¡°Say it if you were wronged; don¡¯t cry so. I hope thepany doesn¡¯t abuse their staff!¡±

    Leng Xiyao didn¡¯t respond. An Huilin, on the other hand, darkened her face at his words.

    Leng Haoyun dropped his hand and headed inside.

    Mo Suqing once again felt she was under an illusion. She thought she had detected a hint of affection and resignation in the eyes of their boss?when he looked at Leng Xiyao.

    She shook her head. <i>Is my sight getting weak? I should probably get a pair of sses!</i>

    After Leng Haoyun disappeared inside, Leng Xiyao was still standing on the spot. The other fangirls had already followed behind Leng Haoyun, as if they had never seen a man before.

    Mo Suqing could catch some of the whispers.

    ¡°President Leng is so handsome!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and he was really manly and gentlemanlike just now!¡±

    Someone even said, ¡°I think I¡¯m falling in love with him. What do I do? What do I do?¡±

    Mo Suqing almostughed out loud.

    She admitted that Leng Haoyun was indeed very good-looking, but she preferred Ye Zhongjue¡¯s type.

    He was dictatorial yet tender, had a dark side but also a loving side, and was as elegant as he was aloof. To her, these constituted an irresistiblebination.

    When everyone had gone inside, Mo Suqing tugged at Leng Xiyao¡¯s elbow.

    ¡°Yao,e on. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°But, I don¡¯t want to go inside.¡±

    Leng Xiyao was in a tantrum-throwing mood. She pursed her lips and looked at Mo Suqing with sad eyes glinting with tears.

    She was sad. Even sadder now that her uncle showed up. She just wanted to have a good cry.

    Seeing that the waterworks were going to be turned on again, Mo Suqing stole a furtive nce into the office and then began to run, grabbing Leng Xiyao¡¯s hand on the way.

    ¡°Alright then. If you are unhappy, let¡¯s go AWOL! I don¡¯t believe Abbess Miejue can do anything to us just because we skip work once.¡±

    Turning her tears?intoughter,?Leng Xiyao?reminded Mo Suqing, ¡°Actually, this is the fourth time we have skipped work in a month!¡±

    Mo Suqing smiled, embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t care how many times we have done it, as long as you are happy!¡±

    She dragged Leng Xiyao and ran out of the building.

    Leng Xiyao turned to look at the ck Rolls-Royce Phantom.

    Mo Suqing tugged at her and said, ¡°Come on now. We can¡¯t possibly afford that!¡±

    Leng Xiyao smiled thinly without replying. Then, she started to run.

 Chapter 83 â€“ The Unforeseen Truth

    <h4>Chapter 83 ¨C The Unforeseen Truth</h4>

    When Leng Haoyun came out of An Huilin¡¯s office, his eyes swept through the gossip journalists one by one. However, Leng Xiyao was nowhere to be seen, and so was her best friend Mo Suqing.

    He didn¡¯tment on this. After all, it was not like he had just found out his girl was willful.

    It looked like something had indeed happened to her. He had never seen her crying so much.

    After inspecting the office and staying in An Huilin¡¯s private office for some time, Leng Haoyun took leave, also leaving the bunch of fangirls whose eyes followed him behind.

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao headed to the popr street food area in A City.

    They had loved the food here since college. It was right outside the campus of A University and the two girls had always gone there to find something to eat every evening.

    Once?they arrived, Mo Suqing felt it had been a very long time since she hadste here.

    They ate to their hearts¡¯ content from one end of the street to the other.

    It was well past eight when they were full.

    Mo Suqing fished out her phone and discovered that it had run out of battery. Leng Xiyao¡¯s phone had been turned off, too.

    Mo Suqing felt panic. Ye Zhongjue must be very worried?about?not being able to reach her.

    After saying goodbye to Leng Xiyao, Mo Suqing quickly hailed a taxi home.

    She saw him in front of the apartment the moment she got off the car.

    His presence warmed her heart. <i>How can I keep suspecting him when he cares about me so much? If he is hiding something from me, there must be a reason. How can I suspect him so easily?</i>

    Mo Suqing felt quite emotional today. She spread out her arms and ran toward Ye Zhongjue cheerfully like a child.

    Afraid that she might fall, Ye Zhongjue quickly pulled her into an embrace.

    Mo Suqing giggled heartily, reminding Ye Zhongjue of the carefree girl he had first met seven years ago.

    He had scolded himself more than once for not plucking up his courage and looking for her immediately after he returned to the country. If he had done so, she wouldn¡¯t need to suffer all those pain.

    Carrying her in his arms with these thoughts, he walked toward their home.

    From the entrance of the apartment to the elevator, Ye Zhongjue never put her down for one second.

    All the way, Mo Suqing giggled in his arms and rubbed his broad chest with her little nose like a puppy.

    Ye Zhongjue felt very hot, like there was a fire inside him that he couldn¡¯t put out.

    He had cooked dinner and was going to have it with her when she came home. However, the girl kept arousing him.

    When the door closed behind them, Ye Zhongjue could no longer bear it. He lowered his head and kissed the girl in his arms.

    This time, Mo Suqing didn¡¯t resist at all. Instead, she kissed him back.

    Ye Zhongjue carried her to the bathroom. They fooled around while taking a shower,?by the time they came out, Mo Suqing could barely keep her eyes open.

    Ye Zhongjue patted her round belly, knowing she had eaten a lot.

    <i>To think I havee home early and prepared a delicious dinner for you! You rotten?</i><i>girl who didn¡¯t even call! I should give you a good spank!</i>

    However, he?couldn¡¯t bear to hit?her as he watched the figure on the bed with tenderness.

    Mo Suqing soon fell asleep. It seemed that she was having a sweet dream because she kept smacking her lips as if enjoying something delectable.

    Remembering he needed to fulfil his promise to her in a week, he felt his head begin to ache and throb.

    Ye Zhongjue tucked in her nket and walked out of the room to heat up his dinner. After the meal, he went into his study to read through papers for a long time before going to sleep.

    When Mo Suqing arrived at the office the next day, she found that Leng Xiyao hade back to her usual, chattering self overnight.

    She didn¡¯t seem to notice the jealous look people were casting her way.

    When Mo Suqing told her this, she pursed her lips in puzzlement. ¡°Why are they jealous of me?¡±

    ¡°Because the boss treated you well yesterday, that¡¯s why!¡± Mo Suqing said in exasperation.

    ¡°What?¡± Leng Xiyao gaped at her, her mouth wide enough to ce an egg.

    ¡°Idiots!¡± she added, looking up at the ceiling.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t continue on that subject. Rather, she asked, ¡°When are we going to Jazz Club?¡±

    Leng Xiyao tilted her head while deliberating upon her question and talking to herself. ¡°Well, they are going to meet at ten thirty¡­ and it takes thirty minutes to go there¡­

    We have to arrive before them, otherwise we may give ourselves away¡­¡±

    Leng Xiyao batted her eyes, which had sparkled with cleverness.

    ¡°Right, I decide we¡¯ll head out at nine thirty!¡±

    Leng Xiyao sat down in her chair and crossed her legs, then started to read a magazine.

    Mo Suqing checked the time. This meant they would have to leave in twenty minutes.

    When it was time, Leng Xiyao announced, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    They didn¡¯t bring their cameras; they just upped and left the office.

    On the way, Mo Suqing asked Leng Xiyao in a worried tone, ¡°Do you really think our phones are enough?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Suqing! My camera phone produces very clear photos. We¡¯re not going to ruin the evidence!¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s mouth twitched withughter. <i>Ruin the evidence? What a hrious exaggeration!</i>

    <i>Anyway, it¡¯s not like we haven¡¯t taken photos with phones before. It should be alright.</i>

    The two of them arrived at the front door of Jazz Club. They sauntered over confidently and showed the member cards to the doorman.

    After checking the cards, the doorman bowed deeply to them then ushered them in.

    Leng Xiyao wrapped her arm around Mo Suqing¡¯s and they walked inside.

    The interior design was very tasteful with exquisite and extravagant decorations everywhere.

    On the first floor, there were tea-drinking areas surrounded withrge pots of nts, so that it didn¡¯t feel stifling, nor did it look dull.

    On the second floor, there were chess and poker tables; on the third floor, there was a billiard room. ording to Leng Xiyao, there were lounges and gyms and many other facilities on the upper floors. Mo Suqing was stunned.

    However, they were not going to any of them today. The meeting would take ce on the first floor.

    Leng Xiyao saw two tables by the window which were separated by particrly big pots of nts. She pulled Mo Suqing to the one in the corner and the two women seated themselves.

    Leng Xiyao had checked with Leng Haoyun the previous evening. He and President Ye from Mighty Empire would sit at the adjacent table.

    Leng Haoyun hadn¡¯t realized Leng Xiyao would bring her best friend Mo Suqing with her when she had promised not to do so.

    The privacy of their patrons was of great importance to Jazz Club. All the windows were tinted, so that one could look out of them but?others?could not see anything from?the?outside.

    While they waited, Mo Suqing swiped her phone with nothing better to do.

    Leng Xiyao, too, was hanging her head, using her phone while chatting with Mo Suqing intermittently.

    Suddenly, Mo Suqing snapped up and peered at a seat not far away from them. ¡°Why do I have a feeling that someone is watching us?¡±

    Leng Xiyao waved her hand dismissively. ¡°No way! This is a secluded corner and the club ces high importance to their members¡¯ privacy. No one would notice us. Besides, we are just two gossip journalists. We don¡¯t care if people are watching!¡±

    Mo Suqing admitted to herself that she had a point. Maybe she was just being paranoid! She went back to ying with her phone.

    Presently, a steely voice came from the adjacent table, ¡°President Ye, take a seat please.¡±

    At Leng Haoyun¡¯s voice, Leng Xiyao gestured excitedly to Mo Suqing, indicating that their targets had arrived.

    Mo Suqing frowned. <i>Have I heard this voice before?</i>

    Then, another voice came, freezing all the blood in her.

    ¡°You, too, President Leng.¡±

    She looked up stiffly to the nts that separated them from the other table.

    Although she couldn¡¯t see clearly what the men looked like, she recognized that voice. It belonged to no one but the person whom she had shared a bed with for three months¡­

    She would never mistake someone else¡¯s voice for his!

    Mo Suqing tried to reassure herself. <i>Maybe Ye Zhongjue is representing his boss??</i>However, she knew it was ame excuse. After all, how could an assistant sign a contract with an important person like the president of The Unparalleled on behalf of his boss?

    Leng Xiyao, having?only?met Ye Zhongjue once, did?not recognize?his voice. Instead, she?perked up her ears to catch what they were going to say next.

    She didn¡¯t notice that Mo Suqing¡¯s face had gonepletely pale.

    Oh, how she wanted to trust him! But the voices and the conversation forced her to face the cruel reality.

    The man who had promised to tell her the truth in a week was Ye Jue, the president of Mighty Empire.

    <i>This is so absurd! Ye Jue and Ye Zhongjue¡­ Why didn¡¯t I?</i><i>notice</i><i>?how simr the two names are?</i>

    Listening to the conversation going on at the next table, Mo Suqing felt every word was a p in the face to the stupid her.

    Three months¡­ He had tricked her for three months! How did he do it?

    <i>He actually is the president of the renowned Mighty Empire, which controls the economic lifeline of A City. Why does he condescend to mingle with the likes of me and live in a small apartment in the Tri-ring Area?</i>

    Self-mockery was written all over her face. <i>He must find it quite amusing, ying me like this!</i>

    <i>I am just a prey that falls deeper and deeper into his trap¡­ while he, the most sessful hunter of all time, watches as I do all those ridiculous things he wants me to do!</i>

    <i>He must be having a whale of a time. As for me, I am a big fool to have yed along and lost my body and my heart¡­ What is there left for me now?</i>

    Mo Suqing wanted to roar with anger. She wanted to cry furious tears. But at the same time, she felt numb and she couldn¡¯t do either of that.

    She could understand how someone might get tired of delicacies and long for mon food¡± once in a while. <i>But why, why me? Because I am easy?</i>

    <i>Why would I ever fall in love with someone who tells nothing other than lies? Why?</i>

 Chapter 84 â€“ Games for the Wealthy

    <h4>Chapter 84 ¨C Games for the Wealthy</h4>

    The veins around Mo Suqing¡¯s scarlet eyes bulged; her hands had been clenched so tightly that they started to bleed.

    Leng Xiyao finally noticed there was something wrong with her. She dared not say anything lest the men at the next table hear them, she quietly slid over to Mo Suqing¡¯s side and found out what she had done to herself. Blood was all over her hands.

    Horrified, Leng Xiyao felt pained and afraid.

    Mo Suqing was staring into space with empty eyes, like a wooden puppet.

    She understood all of it now.

    <i>I am such an idiot. I have willingly done it to myself; I have only myself to me. Who else can I me?</i>

    Everything she was confused about was clear now. All the questions in her head, she had found an answer.

    When Mo Group was in danger and her father tricked her to a match-making dinner, she had poured out her trouble to him. Then, Mo Group was saved within a day.

    And the way he had insisted that she use his card! She had forgotten this was what wealthy people loved to do. <i>He must have sneered at her, thinking I was ¡°bought¡± by him.</i>

    She was so stupid. She should have checked how much he had to his credit a long time ago. <i>I guess he must have a huge amount of money in his ount! To think I have been careful to save money for him when he probably doesn¡¯t even care.</i>

    The president of Mighty Empire would never care about money. She was nothing more than a joke to him.

    Moreover, she remembered the time when she had bumped into him at Silk Empire International and how the man had seemed to be afraid of him. She had thought she made a wrong assumption.

    Also, he always had so much work to do. She had thought his boss was abusing his subordinate, but the truth was he himself was the boss! <i>Silly, foolish me!</i>

    And there were his clothes. Yao had mentioned it twice, but she had chosen to believe him, to believe that he was just an assistant.

    And the time when they had bumped into Li Ming, who had seemed to show trepidation and deference to him. <i>How could I be so blind, when all his friends look rich and respectable?</i>

    When she went to look for him in Mighty Empire, she had not thought about the possibility that he was the emperor himself. <i>And I¡­ I was there at the bottom of the building, wanting to see him but could not. This is how different we are¡­</i>

    ¡­¡­

    Why hadn¡¯t she figured it all out until now?

    Mo Suqing broke down. The man she loved, his tenderness, his affection, his sweet words ¨C all of these were fake. They were all but a fucking lie!

    She trembled uncontrobly. <i>Why? Howe I have suddenly be a clown?</i>

    She had lost itpletely.

    When her mother died, she hadn¡¯t felt despair because she had Gu Jiannan; when Gu Jiannan betrayed her, it hadn¡¯t really hurt that much because she met Ye Zhongjue soon afterwards.

    But now, she could feel an overwhelming hopelessness drowning her.

    She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

    Seeing that there was more and more blood on Mo Suqing¡¯s hands, Leng Xiyao could not remain silent anymore.

    She almost cried when she shrieked, ¡°Uncle, help!¡±

    Hearing her shout, Leng Haoyun jumped up, strode past the nts and rushed over.

    Support us at Innread.

    He was shocked to see what had happened.

    It was as if Mo Suqing was under a spell or a demon¡¯s control. She was harming herself and trembling all over without knowing she was.

    Ye Zhongjue had followed Leng Haoyun to the adjacent table, though he wasn¡¯t really rmed.

    Then, he saw it. He froze at the sight of Mo Suqing, who was held tight by Leng Xiyao.

    A thought shot through his mind. <i>She knows. She must have?</i><i>found out</i><i>?everything. Otherwise, what would she do this?</i>

    Leng Haoyun ran his palm across his face. He had told Leng Xiyao not to bring Mo Suqing with her, but the girl had decided to ignore his words. Now, something tragic happened.

    And what a tragedy it was!

    He could understand why Ye Zhongjue would hide his identity from her, but he could also see how it would be regarded as a betrayal to Mo Suqing.

    When Leng Xiyao saw Ye Zhongjue, she immediately understood what had happened.

    <i>Ye Zhongjue is the president of Mighty Empire! My suspicions are right then.</i>

    <i>Suqing must have recognized his voice!</i>

    She knew Mo Suqing very well. The extreme personality seldom showed itself unless the circumstances were serious enough.

    How could she take it, discovering the truth so suddenly?

    No wonder¡­ No wonder¡­

    Leng Xiyao burst into tears. <i>It¡¯s all my fault! I shouldn¡¯t have brought her here today!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue took in a sharp gasp at the sight of the blood on Mo Suqing¡¯s hands. Deadly fury and regret filled up his eyes. <i>It¡¯s all my fault. I didn¡¯t tell her soon enough,?</i><i>and now the truth has been thrown at her face all at once.</i>

    Without further ado, he rushed forward to take Mo Suqing from Leng Xiyao. However, Leng Xiyao pushed him away.

    ¡°President Ye, haven¡¯t you done enough? As the president of Mighty Empire, you can get any woman you want. Why won¡¯t you just let Suqing go? Enough is enough!¡±

    Leng Xiyao was as protective of Mo Suqing as a tiger with her cubs. However, she was not strong enough to stop Mo Suqing from hurting herself.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s tone was ice-cold when he spoke again. It was low and hoarse, with menace only a malevolent spirit from hell could muster.

    However, to Leng Haoyun¡¯s ears, it also contained a man¡¯s great pain and sadness.

    ¡°Leng Xiyao, you never told her your true identity, either. If it wasn¡¯t for your uncle Leng Haoyun, how would you know we woulde here today? If it wasn¡¯t for your arbitrary decision, how would things have gone the way they are?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s words seemed like a wake-up call for Mo Suqing.

    She looked at Leng Xiyao, shocked. Then, she looked at Leng Haoyun. Realization came to her eyes.

    Self-contempt showed on her face. She began tough a piteousugh.

    She pushed Leng Xiyao away and stood by a giant pot of nts.

    What had transpired today, it was like a nightmare to her. Could anyone tell her if there was anything more absurd than this?

    Her best friend, whom she had known for five years, was the niece of an illustriouspany. She had deceived her all this time.

    And her husband, whom she had shared a bed with for three months, was the president of Mighty Empire instead of the assistant she had thought he was. Her life was such a fucking joke, full of lies and secrets!

    Was there anyone else who was more pathetic than her?

    Leng Xiyao watched her miserably, tears streaming down her face nonstop. Leng Haoyun, frowning, pulled her into his chest.

    ¡°Honey, don¡¯t act like this. Please hear me out!¡± Ye Zhongjue said, panicky and remorseful.

    He held Mo Suqing in his arms and felt that she was trembling all over, which made his heart ache so much it could well have exploded. He hated to see her like this.

    Blood trickled from her wounds and spread across his heart.

    Right now, she was in despair and he was in pain.

    He had not thought it woulde to this.

    Upon hearing his voice, a bomb had detonated and lit up all her sadness, her rage and her despair.

    The look she gave Ye Zhongjue was icy. He might well be some stranger totally unrted to her.

    Remorse was all Ye Zhongjue could feel. What could he say to her under the circumstances?

    Mo Suqing freed herself from his embrace. Coldness and anger showed in her eyes. With all the emotions she was feeling, she didn¡¯t know how to face him.

    She knew more than anyone else that she had already relinquished everything to him, for this marriage that was supposed tost only three years.

    She said coldly with a sneer on her face:

    ¡°Ye Zhongjue, you find it funny, don¡¯t you? Honestly, I don¡¯t get these games for wealthy people like you. Do you just like the feeling of manipting someone, or have I done anything to you in the past so that you want to see me heartbroken? If that is your purpose, I can tell you that you have?achieved?it! You have achieved your goal! I am heartbroken. My heart hurts so much, I don¡¯t feel like it¡¯s mine anymore. are you happy now?¡±

    Mo Suqing pointed at her heart and red at Ye Zhongjue, despair and fury showing in her eyes in equal measure. She was like a beast that had been cornered and was struggling in vain.

    Ye Zhongjue, pained, reached out to touch her, but Mo Suqing dodged.

    She gave him a cold look and sneered, ¡°What should I call you, President Ye, Ye Zhongjue, or Ye Jue?¡±

    Her words stung Ye Zhongjue, who put his hands on his head in anguish.

    ¡°Suqing, don¡¯t do this to me. Please hear me out. I didn¡¯t mean to lie to you. I didn¡¯t do it on purpose! I didn¡¯t know I would bump into you that night, nor did I expect things woulde to this. I didn¡¯t mean it¡­ My name really is Ye Zhongjue. I have never lied to you about it. Ye Jue is just the name I registered for the corporation. Surely you can understand how people like me would need another identity? I admit I have hidden it from you, but I never really meant to¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s voice was full of pain. He stammered incoherently and kept emphasizing that he hadn¡¯t meant it.

    Leng Haoyun could see how much this was hurting him. However, Mo Suqing was having none of it. She couldn¡¯t just ept the truth. To her, a lie was a lie.

    As for the girl in his arms, she was trembling violently. She had never thought things woulde to this.

    Mo Suqing looked at Ye Zhongjue icily and said to him in a hollow tone, ¡°Right, you didn¡¯t mean it. Except you totally did. Why would a president want to drive a shabby Volkswagen and live in a shabby apartment and y along with a woman like me then? I¡¯m sorry you have gone to so much trouble for me. I¡¯m really sorry.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face reddened. <i>For god¡¯s sake, I don¡¯t mean any of that! Why does she keep contorting his words?</i>

    ¡°Suqing, don¡¯t?be like?this¡­¡±

    ¡°Stop calling my name! It¡¯s disgusting!¡± Mo Suqing¡¯s words bit his heart like a snake.

    His heart hurt so much¡­

    He couldn¡¯t believe she would say that.

 Chapter 85 â€“ First Getting Married, Then Falling in Love

    <h4>Chapter 85 ¨C First Getting Married, Then Falling in Love</h4>

    Mo Suqing, not wanting to see him anymore, pushed away Ye Zhongjue and stormed out.

    Ye Zhongjue was going to run after her but checked his impulse in time, remembering what she had said just now. Even though he knew very well it had been uttered emotionally, that she had lost her control, he still felt badly hurt.

    He knew it was all his own doing, but still his heart felt like it had been broken into tiny pieces. No one could understand what it felt like to watch yourself die inside. His whole world had been turned into a vast wastnd in an instant.

    He could see in Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes that she would never forgive him. She hated him for lying and would not listen to him at all.

    Ye Zhongjue slid to the floor in agony, putting his hands over his head. Leng Haoyun turned away to give him some space.

    He knew Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t want anyone to see him like this.

    He knew he dared not run after Mo Suqing, lest she attack him with fiercer, crueler words.

    It was all because he cared too much. He couldn¡¯t make himself invincible in front of her; in fact, a word from her could kill him like a deadly poison. Yes, he knew his feelings. He knew it well.

    They were both men with a weakness.

    They were the same kind, so he could rte.

    Probably for the better, after Mo Suqing stormed out, Leng Xiyao went after her too. Though he was a little worried about his girl, he knew it would be better if Yao was the one to do that.

    Now was not the time for Ye Zhongjue to catch up with her and try to make her listen.

    Mo Suqing was out of her emotional control; it wouldn¡¯t help to talk reason with her.

    In another corner, Bai Tingnan was grinning widely. It was an evil grin that made her look like a cold-blooded snake.

    <i>It¡¯s totally worth it that I decided toe here today!</i>

    ¡­¡­

    After walking out of Jazz Club, Mo Suqing wandered aimlessly in the streets like a kite whose string had been cut, leaving it adrift.

    Leng Xiyao followed behind her out of concern, but dared not speak to her. She knew Suqing must be angry with her for lying to and hiding things from her, although her deception was notparable to Ye Zhongjue¡¯s. After all, she had never had ill intentions.

    She couldn¡¯t tell if Ye Zhongjue¡¯s behavior was based on malice or not, so it must be even more confusing for Suqing.

    Why would a man, and a handsome, rich man who charmed countless women at that, hide his true identity from his woman?

    She couldn¡¯t think of any reasons other than searching for amusement and excitement.

    However, there was one thing she couldn¡¯t understand. If he was just amusing himself, why?did he get?married?

    It was just a fling at most. What exactly had motivated him to decide to marry her? What was his real purpose?

    Leng Xiyao found herself more and more confused and frantic, too. She was so worried that Mo Suqing would never forgive her.

    Aside from?her uncle, Mo Suqing was her only beloved one.

    <i>She can¡¯t abandon me. She can¡¯t leave me!</i>

    This was the state of mind ¨C full of grievance and guilt ¨C Leng Xiyao was in when she followed Mo Suqing closely in case she would lose her.

    Suddenly, Mo Suqing turned around and looked at her with ice-cold eyes. Leng Xiyao had never seen her like this before. At least, Mo Suqing had never given <i>her</i> such a look.

    ¡°Miss Leng, you are the niece of the president of?The Unparalleled. What are you following me for? Mo Group is just a smallpany that you can extinguish overnight. It must be very amusing, to have uspletely under your thumb,?isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s eyes widened with disbelief. She couldn¡¯t believe Mo Suqing would say something like that to her.

    She knew she was venting her anger toward Ye Zhongjue on her, but it still hurt her a lot.

    She wanted to tell Suqing how hurt she was, but she dared not.

    Mo Suqing turned back and kept walking, a lonely soul drifting in the vast world.

    Leng Xiyao stubbornly followed. She could say all she wanted, but she would not react to her emotional words; she would just follow behind her.

    Mo Suqing snapped around again and shouted vehemently, ¡°Get away from me! Leng Xiyao, I don¡¯t want to see you! Just go away! Can¡¯t a person be left alone? All of you are pushing me and lying to me!¡±

    ¡°You are all fucking liars!¡± Mo Suqing yelled thest sentence with all her might.

    Leng Xiyao stood on the spot and looked at her sadly.

    She knew Mo Suqing wanted to be alone right now, but she couldn¡¯t let her, not in this state. If something happened to her, she wouldn¡¯t be able to live with that.

    ¡°Suqing,¡± she pleaded, ¡°don¡¯t?be like? ? ??this. I didn¡¯t want to deceive you, but Uncle is always telling me how many times I have been kidnapped when I was little and?had?forbidden?me to reveal my true identity to anyone. I didn¡¯t mean to lie to you, seriously. I wanted to tell you, but every time I did, the words would just get stuck in my throat, you know? I¡¯m sorry. I should have told you the truth earlier. It¡¯s wrong of Ye Zhongjue to have deceived you, too. We are both wrong; we shouldn¡¯t have done it. But don¡¯t punish yourself for our faults! Pleasee back with me. I¡¯m so worried about you¡­¡±

    Leng Xiyao said, tears streaming down her face all the while.

    Mo Suqing stood across from her, her expression numb, as if what Leng Xiyao had said didn¡¯t quite register.

    Meanwhile, Guan Zixuan happened to be sitting in the car at the nearest intersection and looking out of the window casually.

    He saw the two familiar figures on the sidewalk. <i>Aren¡¯t they Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao?</i>

    Guan Xizuan frowned. The two women were so close, they probably even shared the same pair of trousers. <i>But it looks like they are having a fight?</i>

    Guan Xizuan rubbed his eyes. <i>No way!</i>

    No wonder people said women were difficult creatures. How true it was! If best friends could get into a fight, women were indeed difficult.

    Guan Zixuan did not want to get off the car if he could help it, lest some gossip journalist take a picture of him.

    But then, he found that Mo Suqing didn¡¯t look quite right.

    After a moment¡¯s deliberation, he asked Yuan to pull over and, having put on a pair of sunsses, got off the car. Yuan watched him approach the women worriedly.

    Guan Zixuan couldn¡¯t hear what Leng Xiyao was saying until he was closer. She sounded apologetic while Mo Suqing stared at her coldly like an unemotional machine:

    ¡°Suqing, say something. I really didn¡¯t mean it. If you are going to sentence me, at least let me defend myself first! Don¡¯t do this to me. I can¡¯t take it¡­¡±

    Leng Xiyao was crying uncontrobly and gasping for air.

    Her words finally induced some reaction from Mo Suqing. She stared at Leng Xiyao with a look sharp enough to stab the other woman¡¯s heart like a knife.

    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business what would be of me. I can¡¯t say what will happen in the future, but right now, I don¡¯t want to see you!¡±

    ¡°But, I can¡¯t leave you alone like this¡­¡± Leng Xiyao sounded desperate and sad.

    Amused, Guan Zixuan walked over and interrupted them, ¡°I can take her away.¡±

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao turned to look at him at the same time.

    Mo Suqing moved her mouth and said in an extremely strained voice, ¡°I¡¯ll go¡­¡±

    Her voice was resolute and serious, although it seemed to have taken her considerable effort to say the words.

    The next second, her body went limp and she passed out.

    ¡°Suqing!¡± Leng Xiyao screamed.

    Guan Zixuan moved fast. He caught her waist and stopped her from falling to the ground.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s eyes were red from the crying. Misery was written all over her face.

    <i>Does she really hate me so much that she would rather be taken away by a guy she has known for only a few days than let me follow her around?</i>

    The thought led to more tears.

    Guan Zixuan, who couldn¡¯t stand to see women cry, frowned at Leng Xiyao.

    ¡°She has passed out. I think it¡¯s better if I take her away right now; I can¡¯t stay here for too long either. Give her some time to calm down and then you cane see her in my?vi?at number fifteen of Shallow Sea tomorrow. I¡¯ll take off now.¡±

    Leng Xiyao sniffed and watched Guan Zixuan carry Mo Suqing away. Her eyes welled up again.

    She wanted to stop him. However, with Mo Suqing¡¯s words from before she had passed out still resonating, she was unable to.

    When Ye Zhongjue and Leng Haoyun found her, Leng Xiyao had stood on the spot for a long time. Her tears were already dried, although her mood was nowhere near getting better.

    She kept reying Mo Suqing¡¯s cold attitude toward her and those words.

    Ye Zhongjue looked like he had returned to normal. Nheless, Leng Xiyao felt that he was still hurting inside, just like herself, maybe even more.

    She didn¡¯t know why she felt this way. Maybe it was because Ye Zhongjue did care about Mo Suqing a lot!

    He?immediately?asked Leng Xiyao where Mo Suqing had gone.

    Leng Xiyao could only tell him the truth. ¡°Guan Zixuan took her away!¡±

    ¡°Guan Zixuan?¡± Ye Zhongjue frowned. His expression clouded over.

    He immediately called Lin Ran and instructed him to look up where Guan Zixuan lived.

    Leng Xiyao said coolly, ¡°President Ye, don¡¯t waste your energy. Suqing wanted to go with him! Guan Zixuan saved us before; he is trustworthy. Besides, do you think she wille back with you, even if you find out where she is? Do you think you should appear before her, considering her state of mind now? Do you think she¡¯ll forgive you?¡±

    Leng Xiyaoughed bitterly. Ye Zhongjue had lied to her, and so had she. How could Mo Suqing forgive both of them and their double deception easily?

    She knew Suqing only too well. She was the kind of person who could be a totally docile horse but would be extremely wild and feral once provoked.

    And they had not only provoked her but basically betrayed her.

    She had betrayed her by hiding the truth from her for five whole years.

    He had betrayed her by tricking her first into getting married then into falling in love with him.

    Leng Xiyao could not, dared not imagine whether Mo Suqing would choose to forgive¡­

 Chapter 86 â€“ Saucy Headlines

    <h4>Chapter 86 ¨C Saucy Headlines</h4>

    The next morning, Mo Suqing was still asleep.

    On the other hand, Guan Zixuan had got up early and asked Yuan to prepare some breakfast. Yesterday, he had also sent for a doctor to check if she was alright. The doctor said she had been too worked up when she passed out.

    However, there was no need to worry about her health, as long as she got some rest.

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s beautiful eyes twinkled as he recalled how miserable she had looked when he took her home and how she and Leng Xiyao were arguing.

    He didn¡¯t know what had happened, but he could see that she was really upset. What could possibly have happened that turned a person into such a miserable creature?

    He remembered when he first met Mo Suqing that she had given him the impression of a clever and bright woman.

    Of course, he was mad at her at first because he thought she had lied to him. But then, after he found out the truth at the hotpot ce, he became a little baffled and even a bit angry. Angry about what? He didn¡¯t know the answer himself.

    Usually, women loved to chase after him and would definitely not want him to misunderstand them.

    On the contrary, Mo Suqing not only had not wanted to clear up the misunderstanding, but she had also not cared at all if he misunderstood her. Moreover, she had tried to give him a wide berth. This really pissed him off!

    But it piqued his curiosity about her, too.

    <i>The woman is very interesting!</i>

    Guan Zixuan opened the door of the room where she was staying. She had woken up.

    However, she just sat there on the bed like a soulless wooden puppet, staring into space.

    Guan Zixuan could not link this woman to the one he had met at the airport restroom and who had threatened him to buy some sanitary napkins for her.

    Somehow, he felt a little annoyed.

    <i>Who did this to her?</i>

    <i>Is it Leng Xiyao or someone else?</i>

    Suddenly, a phone began to ring.

    Guan Zixuan found that it was Mo Suqing¡¯s phone that was ringing. Her phone had not stopped ringing after he took her home yesterday.

    Therefore, he had turned it off. He turned it on again when he checked on her earlier in the morning, not wanting her to miss important calls.

    He didn¡¯t know why he was being kind to her. Not only had he brought her, practically a stranger to him, home, he had also looked after her. <i>I should get a Good Man of the Year title!</i>

    The phone was still ringing nonstop; Mo Suqing had no intention?of?picking?it up.

    Guan Zixuan, sick of it, walked over and took a look at the caller ID.

    It was Leng Xiyao.

    <i>It is her!?</i>Guan Zixuan nced at a spiritless Mo Suqing and picked up the phone.

    Then, he walked out of the room and answered it on the balcony.

    Leng Xiyao felt immense relief when the phone was finally picked up.

    ¡°Suqing,¡± she said in a remorseful and grievous voice. ¡°You finally picked up! You didn¡¯t reply?to?my WeChat message and your phone was off when I called you. I thought you would never talk to me!¡±

    Leng Xiyao was so earnest, Guan Zixuan really didn¡¯t want to spoil her happiness.

    However, he couldn¡¯t just listen to her apology that was directed to Mo Suqing.

    ¡°Ahem¡­¡± Guan Zixuan cleared his throat.

    ¡°Mo Suqing doesn¡¯t want to answer her phone right now. I saw it was you who called, so I picked it up. What do you want?¡±

    Leng Xiyao was surprised to hear it was not Suqing at all. Her face fell, sadness and sorrow written all over it.

    ¡°She?really?doesn¡¯t want to talk to me?¡±

    Guan Zixuan hadn¡¯t the heart to say anything cruel to her, so he replied after a moment, ¡°Well, she¡¯s not in a good mood now. But I think she will get better after a couple of days. She will talk to you after she calms down, I think.¡±

    Then, he remembered why he had answered the phone in the first ce and asked, ¡°So why did you call?¡±

    Leng Xiyao hesitated, like she didn¡¯t know if she would like to tell him about it.

    Guan Zixuan turned his eyes to the garden below and said impatiently, ¡°I¡¯m going to hang up if you don¡¯t want to say it!¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Leng Xiyao replied. ¡°Something happened today, so I have helped her take a day off. Tell her not to go to work! Also, I¡¯ll go see her tomorrow and the day after that; it¡¯s the weekend.¡±

    Guan Zixuan pursed his lips and said, ¡°Whatever!¡±

    He continued, ¡°And don¡¯t call her anymore. I don¡¯t want to say it, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll answer the phone if you call. To stabilize her mood and to protect myself, I hope you don¡¯t mind that I¡¯m going to turn off her phone hereafter! But I¡¯ll give you my number, which is¡­¡±

    Leng Xiyao hastened to write it down. Then, she asked, ¡°I can see the point of stabilizing her mood, but what about the shit about protecting yourself?¡±

    Guan Zixuan replied matter-of-factly, ¡°Hey, have you forgotten what you two have done in August Hasn''t Ended Yet? You were so violent! I do not want to face the risk of letting people know I am beaten in my own house, by a woman! I have my reputation to think about, you know.¡±

    Leng Xiyaoughed despite her situation. She had never thought the guy who always acted sincere and serious on screen was quite funny in private.

    She was still very thankful for his help the other night. Since then, she had looked at him with different eyes, and it was also why she was willing to put Mo Suqing into his care.

    ¡°Anyway, I want to thank you for helping us again. After everything settles and returns back to normal, Suqing and I will treat you to dinner!¡±

    ¡°Great. I¡¯ll look forward to it!¡±

    Guan Zixuan hung up and walked back into the house in his careless way.

    Yuan was standing by the door to the guestroom and gaping at Mo Suqing with a widened mouth.

    Hearing a rustle, he turned around to look at Guan Zixuan with a shocked expression.

    ¡°Boss, why is she still here?¡±

    Guan Zixuan gave him an embarrassed look and scratched his nose. <i>Humph! What is that supposed to mean?</i>

    When he took Mo Suqing home yesterday, Yuan had told him to ask Mo Suqing to leave once she woke up, in case he would bring some unnecessary trouble to himself. Even though themittee of Shallow Sea Area put a lot of emphasis on the vi owners¡¯ privacy, sometimes you couldn¡¯t keep out all the trouble-makers.

    However, he just couldn¡¯t bring himself to ask Mo Suqing to leave when she was in this condition.

    Moreover, he found himself actually reluctant to do so.

    ¡°Boss, it is because of her that you asked me to prepare so much breakfast, right?¡± Yuan¡¯s face clouded, which puzzled Guan Zixuan.

    Usually, Yuan didn¡¯t care much about his personal affairs or do anything out of line.

    But why was he acting like he cared a great deal about the fact that Mo Suqing was in his house?

    Guan Zixuan cleared his throat and turned toward the window.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good day. Let¡¯s have breakfast.¡±

    Yuan said, ¡°Boss, you are not changing the subject! I don¡¯t intend to interfere with your personal affairs, but god knows how many scandals you have had! We don¡¯t need yet another set of headlines that put you in a negative light.¡±

    ¡°Yet another set of headlines that put me in a negative light?¡± Guan Zixuan frowned at him.

    Yuan sighed heavily and handed the rolled-up newspaper in his hand to Guan Zixuan.

    ¡°Take a look yourself!¡±

    Guan Zixuan spread out the paper and saw huge letters staring up at him.

    There were three whole pages that held three different stories, each with a saucy headline. Even Guan Zixuan felt it was too much.

    <i>Mighty Empire: Identity of Mysterious Boss Exposed; Journalist Obsessed with Him</i>

    <i>Clown Character: Journalist Covets After the Rich and Harms Self to Win Sympathy</i>

    <i>The Unparalleled: Identity of Legendary President and His Spoiled Niece Exposed</i>

    Apanying each of the stories was a very suggestive picture.

    For the first story, it was a picture of Ye Zhongjue holding Mo Suqing in his arms. Mo Suqing¡¯s face was obscured, but Ye Zhongjue¡¯s handsome face was very clear.

    It was obvious that the woman was the said obsessive journalist.

    The picture for the second story served to be the proof.

    It was a picture of Mo Suqing, who had an extreme despair and grief on her face and whose hands were horribly bloodied.

    Somehow, Guan Zixuan felt a sharp pang in his heart.

    <i>The journalist is Mo Suqing!</i>

    No wonder Yuan would react like that. Everyone would think Mo Suqing was a nobody who craved fame and anyone who got in touch with her would be implicated, not to mention a celebrity like him.

    It made sense that Yuan was worried. However, now he was aware of it, it only made him more concerned for her. It was impossible for him to abandon her.

    This, he realized, was the first time he truly wanted to protect someone.

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s mouth curved into a smile when he read the third story.

    <i>Leng Xiyao is the niece of the president of The Unparalleled?</i>

    <i>Ha, Interesting!?</i>Although he had known she was nomon person ¨C he had known it the day he saved her and Mo Suqing at the pub ¨C he hadn¡¯t realized she would be this umon.

    <i>So the wickedly beautiful man who was holding her in the picture must be Leng Haoyun, the legendary president of The Unparalleled!</i>

    Guan Zixuan looked at the newspaper thoughtfully. Suddenly, he felt sorry for the person who had exposed the stories.

    The person was in stupid to have offended Mighty Empire and The Unparalleled at the same time. They were dead meat.

    Never had the presidents of the twopanies shown themselves on newspaper or TV. Their identities had been a mystery and they had always been mentioned by names only.

    It was obvious they did not want to show their faces in public. And they were certainly capable of preventing that, too.

 Chapter 87 â€“ I Always Guess Correctly about Everything

    <h4>Chapter 87 ¨C I Always Guess Correctly about Everything</h4>

    Guan Zixuan shook his head again. <i>The person is an idiot.</i>

    Everyone knew how precious the niece was to the president of The Unparalleled. For so many years, Leng Haoyun had never once let her appear in public. This was how protective he was of her.

    The person who had exposed the pictures was simply crazy!

    Guan Zixuan looked at the newspaper, speechless. <i>Nowadays, there are all kinds of people, even those who are not afraid of death!</i>

    Having said that, having been in the entertainment industry for so many years, he knew there were some gossip journalists who could sacrifice a lot for valuable scandals. He could more or less understand why someone would want to go down that path.

    But even so, he still believed the journalist who had published the stories was a fool.

    He figured that even Mo Suqing had not known the true identity of Leng Xiyao. This showed how well Leng Haoyun had been protecting her.

    The guy would definitely find out who the person was and make them pay.

    The saucy storiespletely stole the focus of today¡¯s entertainment section.

    Guan Zixuan guessed the reason Mo Suqing had lost her control yesterday must have been rted to them. He looked at the picture of Ye Zhongjue holding Mo Suqing again, and somehow felt annoyed.

    The president of Mighty Empire was famous for his ruthlessness; he was one the dominant yers in the economics of A City. <i>How could he possibly have anything to do with Mo Suqing?</i>

    Guan Zixuan was perplexed. However, he was not the kind of person who would rack his brains for something he couldn¡¯t understand. The only way was to ask someone who would know the answer.

    At this moment, he looked up and saw Yuan looking at him with sparkling eyes. They seemed to be saying, <i>Boss, now you know what I meant! You can finally understand my concerns,?</i><i>right</i><i>?</i>

    Guan Zixuan gave him an exasperated look. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with watery eyes. I am not fond of cute animals.¡±

    Yuan almost died inside. ¡°Boss, you know what I mean. You have to send her away. She is like a bomb that can explode anytime! Once she does, there will be more scandals about you and Linda will kill me!¡±

    Guan Zixuan smiled slyly at Yuan and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you worry about it! Even if the sky falls on us, I am the taller one and can cover it for you. You have nothing to be afraid of. Besides, just like what you said, I have way too many scandals already. There won¡¯t be any difference if there are more. You should just do your job as my agent and not worry about the other stuff. Also, tell Linda she is here. Otherwise, you know the consequence¡­¡±

    Guan Zixaun said threateningly and gave Yuan a smile that sent shivers down his spine.

    <i>Such a frightening smile! I can¡¯t take it!</i>

    Guan Zixuan folded up the newspaper and cast a smiling nce at Yuan. ¡°Take this away when you leave. I don¡¯t want her to see it and affect her mood.¡±

    Yuan¡¯s face crumpled. Though reluctant, he still did as told.

    Guan Zixuan walked over to the door to the guest room. Mo Suqing was still sitting rigidly on the bed with nk eyes.

    He closed the door lightly and called Leng Xiyao with his phone.

    Leng Xiyao was shocked when she saw who the caller was. She had just exchanged numbers with Guan Zixuan and now he was calling her already.?<i>Could something have happened to Suqing?</i>

    Leng Xiyao quickly answered the phone and walked outside.

    Because of the headlines, she took a day off today. Her uncle was tackling the issue now and asked her not to go to work until everything was settled.

    Leng Xiyao seated herself on the porch swing and said, ¡°Guan Zixuan, is everything alright?¡±

    Guan Zixuan chuckled, as if he had discovered evidence that held her culprit of something. Leng Xiyao felt guilty.

    ¡°What? What are youughing at? Guan Zixaun, is your mouth having a cramp? Say something!¡±

    Leng Xiyao taunted him, trying to get him to drop the attitude that was making her very uneasy.

    Guan Zixuan did not heed her words at all.

    ¡°Leng Xiyao, are you forgetting to tell me something? Like the fact that you are the niece of the president of The Unparalleled?¡±

    Leng Xiyao went rigid. <i>He knows!</i>

    She deted like a balloon. <i>Of course. I should have expected it.</i>

    ¡°Why are you asking if you already know?¡± Leng Xiyao demanded, her tone a little aggressive.

    Guan Zixuan chuckled. ¡°Ha! Someone is pissed when I should be the one who is! Even though I don¡¯t mind Mo Suqing staying in my ce, I should at least have been briefed on what happened yesterday. You are a gossip journalist yourself and know best how it would make me look if people find out she is in my house. And I¡¯m pretty sure everyone is looking for her now, with all the headlines and stuff. So you aren¡¯t really supposed to get angry with me when I haven¡¯t even said anything!¡±

    Leng Xiyao was unable to refute.

    Of course she was aware of these things. It was exactly because she knew how delicate Guan Zixuan¡¯s reputation was and how the fact that Suqing was staying with him would affect it that she was feeling guilty!

    Otherwise, why would she feel guilty?

    If you ask her, she didn¡¯t want Mo Suqing to stay with Guan Zixuan either. However, Suqing didn¡¯t want to see her and preferred him over her.

    The thought saddened Leng Xiyao, who screwed up her face.

    She was a victim in the whole thing, too! Last night, she even had a fight with her uncle. She med him for making her hide her true identity and thereby turning Suqing against her.

    However, her uncle had called her a little brat who was ungrateful and heartless.

    She knew he had been right, but she just couldn¡¯t help but get angry with her uncle. To be honest, she med herself more.

    Then, her uncle had talked her around by exining to her how Mo Suqing was just venting her rage toward Ye Zhongjue on her; it was not that she was angry with her per se.

    Of course she knew it. But it was such an unfortunate coincidence that everything had chosen to blow up at the same time!

    Now it hade to this, she was really sad.

    ¡°What? Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Are you mute? Leng Xiyao!¡± Guan Zixuan said coldly.

    Leng Xiyao pursed her lips. ¡°So what are you going to do? Are you going to kick Suqing out at such a critical time? ?Those gossip journalists are going to eat her alive!¡±

    Leng Xiyao kept falling deeper and deeper into the trap Guan Zixuan had set.

    Satisfied with what she had been tricked to say, Guan Zixuan replied, ¡°What do you think I¡¯m going to do? If you don¡¯t tell me everything I want to know, I¡¯ll do just what you said ¨C kick her out!¡±

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t do that!¡± Leng Xiyao protested like an angry lion cub.

    ¡°Enlighten me. Why exactly can¡¯t I do that?¡± Guan Zixuan asked in a light tone that made Leng Xiyao grind her teeth.

    ¡°Well¡­ I¡­ I¡¯ll tell you everything! Only if you don¡¯t kick Suqing out! She doesn¡¯t want to go home or stay with me, and people will immediately recognize her if she leaves your house,¡± she pleaded.

    Guan Zixuan, satisfied, finally conceded, ¡°Alright then. If you do a good job with telling me the truth, I can promise you not even a single hair of hers will be harmed!¡±

    Leng Xiyao organized her thoughts before telling him what had happened.

    ¡°There is this man named Ye Zhongjue, whose true identity is Ye Jue, the president of Mighty Empire ¨C you know how easy it is for people like him to make up another identity. Poor Suqing didn¡¯t know that and fell in love with him. She didn¡¯t find out about it until yesterday, after they have been married for three months.¡±

    Guan Zixuan was not pleased to hear that she had got married.

    <i>Three months? So she was already married when I met her.?</i><i>Fate likes to y trick</i><i>s</i><i>?on us!</i>

    Although he was troubled by the news, he didn¡¯t show it.

    At least, Leng Xiyao couldn¡¯t detect anything unusual in his voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just Ye Zhongjue, right?¡± he asked coolly. ¡°I can see she also didn¡¯t know your true identity until yesterday. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t avoid you.¡±

    His words hit like a thunder.

    Leng Xiyaomented inwardly, <i>Is he a mind reader? How did he guess it?¡±</i>

    ¡°You guess correctly, again! I am already upset. Stop being a scoundrel!¡±

    Guan Zixuan said unabashedly, ¡°I always guess correctly about everything!¡±

    ¡°Do you know how to be modest?¡± Leng Xiyao said, wanting more than anything to tear him up and grind him into bits with her teeth.

    ¡°Right back at you!¡± Guan Zixuan retorted smilingly.

    Leng Xiyao pressed her lips into a thin line and looked out the vi. Being stuck at home like a canary in a cage made her even more blue.

    ¡°Guan Zixuan, are you going to help or not? You don¡¯t have to threaten me anymore; I have told you everything. Just say if you¡¯re going to help her or not!¡±

    ¡°Tut! You sound like a brigand! Is this the tone of someone who is asking for help? I guess you think I¡¯ll help her no matter what?¡±

    Leng Xiyao rolled her eyes. <i>If you were right in front of me, I could kill you with a look! Your fans have liked the wrong man! You have no conscience, you bully only the weak and little, you are the minion of Satan¡­</i>

    Leng Xiyao cursed him vehemently inside with all the bad phrases she could think of, before she finally replied, ¡°Of course I don¡¯t think that! How do I dare?¡±

    Guan Zixuan sat on the sofa in the living roomzily and a half-hearted smile appeared on his face.

    ¡°I am the one who dares not make you unhappy! Leng Haoyun would kill me! Anyway, your friend is still gazing into the void without touching her breakfast. You shoulde when you¡¯ve got some time. I guess she¡¯ll forgive you soon enough. After all, friendship is different from rtionship.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s for sure! Suqing will never abandon me!¡± Leng Xiyao pouted her lips and said indignantly.

    ¡°Okay, okay! I wonder who it was that wanted to know if Mo Suqing would ever talk to her again just now?¡± Guan Zixuan arched his eyebrows.

 Chapter 88 â€“ You are Made of Cement

    <h4>Chapter 88 ¨C You are Made of Cement</h4>

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s words made Leng Xiyao blush.

    She swore with such vehemence that Guan Zixuan seemed to hear her teeth grinding together, ¡°Guan Zixuan! You scoundrel with the vicious tongue! I curse you to have daughters with no tits and sons with no tats!!!¡±

    Guan Zixuan was speechless.

    <i>Why is he arguing with a nonsensical woman?</i>

    He countered, ¡°Leng Xiyao, it is said that women are made of water and men of?mud¡­¡±

    Then, he trailed off. Leng Xiyao, baffled and curious, couldn¡¯t resist the temptation and asked eventually, ¡°What¡¯s that got to do with anything?¡±

    ¡°I think you are made of cement, thebination of water and?mud, because you are so coarse and thick-skinned and a hard-ass!¡±

    He finished and quickly hung up the phone.

    Before Leng Xiyao could react, the disconnect tone came from the other end of the line. She instantly flipped.

    ¡°Guan Zixuan, you brat! If I am made of cement, you are made of crude iron! I am pretty as a flower. You are blind if you can¡¯t see that!¡±

    The servants in the vi saw that their youngdy was throwing a tantrum and all began to tiptoe around her.

    After Guan Zixuan hung up the phone, Leng Xiyao called again. He threw his phone on the sofa and?acted as if?the ringing tone?was?the background music.

    Then, he hummed to the music and went to the guestroom to tell Mo Suqing to get some breakfast.

    He was extremely satisfied with himself.

    After calling Guan Zixuan for a couple of times in vain, Leng Xiyao sulked on the swing.

    <i>I must go to see Suqing this very afternoon! Otherwise, the scoundrel might lead Suqing astray!</i>

    Guan Zixuan walked into the room and found Mo Suqing in the same rigid position as before.

    He thought for a moment and walked out again. Bringing the breakfast back into the room, he put it on the?bedside cab.

    ¡°Have some. After that, take?a nap?if you are tired.¡±

    Guan Zixuan said in the gentlest tone he could muster as if he was talking to a child.

    He could see Mo Suqing was very fragile right now.

    Or, it was more fitting to describe her as despairing. She had shut her heart to all outsiders like an autistic.

    Mo Suqing did not seem to hear him. Her expression did not shift at all.

    Guan Zixuan sighed. ¡°You have to stop this,¡± he said, regardless of whether or not she could hear him. ¡°Getting your meals is the most important thing in the world. You shouldn¡¯t punish yourself for other people¡¯s faults. You haven¡¯t eaten anything since

    yesterday. At this rate, you are going to fall ill even if you are very healthy and strong! You need to build up your strength, even if it is only that you can keep wallowing in sadness and anger. I won¡¯t call myself a kind person, but I?saw a?part of me?from your reaction yesterday. That¡¯s why I decided to do something good and?brought?you home. You can¡¯t starve yourself to death! Otherwise, I¡¯ll be med for it and that¡¯s just not worth it after I have done so much for you¡­¡±

    Guan Zixuan didn¡¯t really know what he was talking about; he just talked and talked.

    Finally, Mo Suqing responded. She turned her head toward him stiffly and said in a gravelly voice that seemed to belong to someone who had been walking in the desert for many days, ¡°Thank you, Guan Zixuan¡­¡±

    Then, she went quiet again.

    However, Guan Zixuan felt a prick of excitement and grinned. <i>She finally responded! I didn¡¯t waste my breath talking so much then!</i>

    However, her voice did sound like an iron door scraping the floor. It was probably because she hadn¡¯t drunk much and had cried too much. Last night when he came to see her, tears had been streaming down her face.

    <i>Right! Water!?</i>Guan Zixuan whacked himself on the head. <i>She must be quite dehydrated.</i>

    He hastened out and brought a ss of water back to the room. Then, he tested it to ensure that the temperature was lukewarm. Finally, he stuck a straw in it and handed it to her.

    ¡°Drink it, then have some porridge. Semi-liquid diet is good for your stomach when you haven¡¯t eaten for a prolonged?period. I¡¯ll ask Yuan to bring something delicious for you for lunch, okay?¡±

    For all his life, Guan Zixuan was always the one being taken care of. Until now, he had never looked after anyone in his life, so he was happy and expectant to see her reaction.

    Even if it was just a smile from her, he would be d.

    Mo Suqing took a few sips and looked up at him. Her movement was rigid, kind of like that of zombies in a movie.

    Nevertheless, it made Guan Zixuan very proud of himself. It was much better than yesterday, when she had beenpletely lifeless.

    Mo Suqing was only able to drink half of the water.

    Slowly, she spoke in a less hoarse voice, ¡°Thank you for taking me in. I¡¯m going to work after lunch.¡±

    Remembering those headlines in the newspaper, Guan Zixuan quickly said, ¡°You can¡¯t go to work like this. I want you to rest for a few days. I don¡¯t usually live here anyway. Also, don¡¯t feel like you are causing me any trouble. Who doesn¡¯t need some help now and then? If you do want to repay me, just help me in return when I need your help in the future!¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at him gratefully.

    She had never expected the man,?whom she had such a melodramatic encounter with at the airport,?would be her savior during her most despairing moment.

    Then, another face shed across her mind.

    Pain gripped her heart.

    How she had wanted to give him a p across the face yesterday! But with the wounds on her hands, she couldn¡¯t do that.

    She hated that he had lied to her. Moreover, she hated that she had believed him and allowed herself to be manipted like a circus animal.

    She didn¡¯t think she would be able to experience the same pain ever again. No one understood how it had felt like when she found out about everything at once so unexpectedly. It hade as a crushing blow that sent her head into a muddled state.

    And her heart¡­ it hurt?so much.

    Maybe this was the price you had to pay at one time or another when you loved someone.

    She had taken his game seriously. He had wanted her to give him a chance to exin. Yet, who could give <i>her</i> a chance to start over?

    She couldn¡¯t forgive him, but she couldn¡¯t forget about him either. Really, she felt she was going crazy¡­

    ¡°Mo Suqing!¡± Guan Zixuan shouted. ¡°What are you thinking?¡±

    In fact, he could guess it from the painful expression on her face. She must be thinking about yesterday.

    He didn¡¯t know Ye Zhongjue, but?Guan Zixuan?guessed?he must have been the one?who had ordered hispany to force him to hold the press conference and rify his rtionship with Mo Suqing.

    To be honest, if it wasn¡¯t because his family didn¡¯t approve of his actor dream, he would have gone back to the emperor¡¯s city and pursued his career there long ago.

    Mo Suqing looked at him calmly and shook her head. ¡°Nothing. By the way, I can¡¯t just stay in your house forever. I¡¯ll go apartment hunting and move in as soon as possible. I¡¯m going to take a day off from work and start the search today.¡±

    She was exceedingly calm when she said this.

    However, Guan Zixuan couldn¡¯t let her go out alone like this now that he had known what had happened to her.

    He thought for a moment and said, ¡°How about this? Rest some more now and we¡¯ll see if you are fit to go apartment hunting in the afternoon. You don¡¯t need to call yourpany. Leng Xiyao said she had taken a day off for you.¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s face clouded. Guan Zixuan felt like a moron.

    <i>Why would I so carelessly mention her?</i>

    ¡°Umm¡­ Have some breakfast! It¡¯s getting cool,¡± he quickly changed the subject.

    Mo Suqing nced at him without saying anything and began to eat the porridge.

    It was as if she didn¡¯t hear what Guan Zixuan had said.

    After breakfast, Guan Zixuan left the house. He had been shooting a movie recently. Yesterday when he saw Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao, he was on his way home from the studio.

    Before he went to work, he had asked the janitor to call him if he saw Mo Suqinging out.

    Not long after Guan Zixuan left, the doorbell rang.

    Mo Suqing was deep in thought by the window when it rang, again and again. She figured it was Guan Zixuan who had probably forgotten his keys.

    No matter how sad she was, she was never fragile and frail.

    No matter how life yed a trick on her, she could always put herself together.

    Sadness was just a feeling that would pass, but she still got a life to live.

    That was why she was still able to walk over and open the door.

    However, she was hanging her head low when she opened it. Then, she turned and walked back inside the house without looking?to see?who it was.

    Ye Zhongjue felt his heart break again, seeing her like this.

    Leng Xiyao had said that he shouldn¡¯te to see her, that she wouldn¡¯t listen to him, and that he would only make her more upset.

    However, he couldn¡¯t sit still and wait. He just couldn¡¯t.

    He knew it was all his fault, but he just couldn¡¯t endure the idea of her staying in the house of a single man. It made him burn inside.

    He had been a proud man all his life. No one had ever talked to him like Mo Suqing had done yesterday. What¡¯s more, he cared about what Mo Suqing thought more than anyone else!

    Her words, therefore, were like arrows that had been shot into his heart.

    Even so, he still couldn¡¯t help bute to find her.

    He had kept vigil outside Guan Zixuan¡¯s vi all night, during which he turned a lot of things over in his head. He thought of seven years ago, when he had first met her, and of the three months they had been together.

    She hadn¡¯t even known his existence seven years ago, but that was when he started to like her.

    He wanted to tell her all of it, but her hateful look had made any exnation look like excuses.

    When he saw Guan Zixuan leave the house, he could no longer stay put. So, he knocked on the door.

    He had expected that she wouldn¡¯t answer it, that she would not let him in.

    But all he really wanted was to see her face or hear her voice, to reassure himself that she was okay.

    He followed Mo Suqing into the living room. Mo Suqing walked toward the sofa,pletely unaware that the person behind her was her husband.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her back and said, ¡°Suqing¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing, who was about to sit down, froze on the spot.

 Chapter 89 â€“ Donâ€™t Make Me Hate You

    <h4>Chapter 89 ¨C Don¡¯t Make Me Hate You</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue suddenly realized that she didn¡¯t even see who was at the door. He felt like thousands of ants were gnawing at his heart, making it hurt more than it already did.

    <i>If she had known it was me, it¡¯s very likely she wouldn¡¯t have opened the door.</i>

    Mo Suqing slowly turned around. The slow motion made Ye Zhongjue extremely anxious, as if he was waiting for the Last Judgement from her.

    With just a nce, Mo Suqing took in all the details at once.

    Ye Zhongjue was still wearing the suit from yesterday. It was the one Yao had pointed out to her, thetest Armani, a suit she couldn¡¯t afford with all the money she could make in a year.

    Despite it, his appearance was disheveled. There were two huge dark circles under his eye and some stubble on his chin. Mo Suqing had never seen him this slovenly.

    Although she had only known him for three months, she knew he was a sort of clean freak who?was?a little obsessed with cleanliness and tidiness.

    In other words, he never allowed himself to be unkempt.

    Thus, his messy appearance somehow made her feel?like?he was the one who was hurting the most, even though he had deceived her.

    She began to feel her heart ache, seeing him like this. So, she looked away and forced herself not to get softened, not to look at him and fall into his trap.

    He had had numerous chances to tell her everything, but each time he had chosen not to. If he didn¡¯t mean to deceive her, why would he do that?

    Yesterday, he had asked her to give him a chance. But then, who would give her a chance to take back her love?

    Mo Suqing turned her back to Ye Zhongjue and said coldly, ¡°What are you doing here? Go away. I don¡¯t want to see you.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue reminded himself that she was in a bad mood and that he needed to show some sympathy.

    But her words still killed him, no matter how well prepared he was.

    ¡°Honey, do we have to?be like?this?¡± he pleaded.

    ¡°I¡¯m not your honey!¡± Mo Suqing became worked up again. ¡°Ye Zhongjue, you have no right to say that to me. I was kind enough not to p you on the face in front of the others yesterday. What do you want from me now? You should have told me early that you are the president of Mighty Empire. Even if I dare not incur your wrath, I can always hide myself from you! Why did you want to fool around with me? Why? And now, you are acting the poor man¡¯s character, thinking you can exploit me as much as you like because I have no power. You are wrong if you think that way, Ye Zhongjue! I am not a pushover! If I¡¯m going down, I¡¯m taking you with me!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face darkened. The gentlemb he had always thought her to be had turned into a heartless woman.

    Must they hurt each other like this if he wanted to be with her?

    On the other hand, did she know that nothing was more important to him than her? He could die for her if he had to.

    He stared at her and said in a low voice, ¡°Mo Suqing, take back your word before I get angry. You know very well none of what you have used me of is true. Look me in the eye and tell me whether I have done anything bad to you¡­¡±

    He hadn¡¯t finished when Mo Suqing interrupted him, ¡°Look you in the eye? Ha¡­¡±

    She looked at him mockingly. ¡°I do not want to know what you truly feel and think!

    How can you imply you haven¡¯t done anything bad to me? Are you saying you didn¡¯t lie to me? Do I deserve to be deceived? Besides, who knows if this isn¡¯t some kind of a sick game that you wealthy people like to y? A game where you abuse one¡¯s heart again and again to obtain a sense of achievement!¡±

    The veins on Ye Zhongjue¡¯s hands bulged; his face clouded. Suddenly, Mo Suqing felt suppressive, almost stifled.

    He went on to say, ¡°Mo Suqing, where is your heart? I admit it is wrong of me to have lied to you, but are you really going to sentence me because of it? You need toe back with me today no matter what. You¡¯re not allowed to stay in another man¡¯s house!¡±

    Before Mo Suqing could reply, Ye Zhongjue scooped her up in his arms, regardless of her shocked and angry expression.

    Mo Suqing struggled violently. ¡°Ye Zhongjue, you scoundrel! Let me go! You have already lied to me, and now you want to force me to do something I don¡¯t want to! Have you thought about my feelings?¡±

    Mo Suqing pushed him hard, but she was not strong enough.

    Ye Zhongjue held her tightly in his arms and began to walk toward the door.

    Panicked, Mo Suqing bit him on the shoulder. However, Ye Zhongjue did not pause at all.

    When they were almost at the door, Mo Suqing blurted out, ¡°Ye Zhongjue, let me go! Don¡¯t make me hate you!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue finally stopped. ¡°Hate me?¡± he repeated her words coldly. ¡°Mo Suqing, didn¡¯t you just say I am fooling around with you? If I fucking am, why would I care if you hate me or not?¡±

    Mo Suqing considered this.

    <i>Yeah, if he lied to her because he has been fooling around with her, why would he care if I hate him or not?</i>

    At the thought, Mo Suqing stopped struggling. On the other hand, Ye Zhongjue felt like his legs had turned into stones so heavy that he couldn¡¯t lift them and take another stride.

    He hesitated. Now that he had time to calm a little, his resolution and courage that had propelled him to take her with him no matter what ¨C even if it meant death or her hatred ¨C wavered.

    He was afraid after all. He was afraid that she would hate and condemn him.

    How could he not think about her feelings, when he cared about her so much?

    Eventually, he couldn¡¯t be hard on her.

    If he was the kind of man who would force her to do anything, regardless of her feelings, he would have already forced her to be with him seven years ago! He wouldn¡¯t have needed to wait for her and tell her those lies, so that she would want to get married with him voluntarily.

    A bitter smile crossed Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face. <i>No one would understand¡­</i>

    He gently put Mo Suqing down and turned around.

    ¡°I won¡¯t force you. However¡­¡±

    Just when Mo Suqing thought he was going to give her up and that she would be free, Ye Zhongjue changed his tone and said,

    ¡°However,¡± he turned around and, looking at Mo Suqing seriously, enunciated his every word. ¡°There is a limit to my tolerance. I will not allow you to be with another man. If you dare do so, he is going to suffer greatly. Mo Suqing, know that I am capable of that!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue turned and walked out of the door.

    Mo Suqing protested angrily, ¡°Ye Zhongjue, you wretch! You have no right to do that!¡±

    Hearing her words, Ye Zhongjue paused for an imperceptible moment and continued?to walk.

    <i>Yeah, maybe I am a wretch. Otherwise, why would I threaten her like this?</i>

    <i>Is it true I have no right? Even though I have loved her for seven years?</i>

    He had thought about telling her how he had loved her since seven years ago, but it would just bring humiliation to himself!

    Besides, what he wanted was her love, not herpassion for the fact that he had loved her for so long.

    He didn¡¯t need anyone¡¯spassion. He was Ye Zhongjue, a proud man. And that was why he left without saying anything.

    The moment Ye Zhongjue crossed the threshold, Mo Suqing slid down from the sofa and began to weep.

    <i>Why do I still love him, regardless of what he has done? Deception and threats, is this his love?</i>

    She couldn¡¯t bring herself to try to understand it. She felt like a fool in love, a clown!

    Hugging her knees, Mo Suqing cried for a long time then fell asleep from exhaustion.

    Ye Zhongjue turned on his cell phone after leaving Guan Zixuan¡¯s vi.

    Yesterday after Guan Zixuan took Mo Suqing away, he had failed to resist the urge and called her. However, her phone had been turned off. He had tried again and again, until his phone almost ran out of battery.

    Defeated, he had turned it off to save some battery and just stood outside Guan Zixuan¡¯s house like a sentinel.

    Standing there and knowing she was nearby had made his heart less hollow.

    Now, he turned on his phone again. Countless notifications for missed calls came in.

    Before he could tap on any of them, Lin Ran called.

    ¡°Boss, I finally got through to you! I have bad news. Your identity has been exposed, and so has Miss Mo¡¯s¡­¡±

    The battery went out before Lin Ran could finish.

    Ye Zhongjue had caught the phrase ¡°Miss Mo.¡± He turned to look at the vi behind him, wondering what exactly had happened. It seemed that it had something to do with Mo Suqing. He needed to get to his office.

    Ye Zhongjue arrived at thepany. He didn¡¯t see a soul in the elevator from the underground garage to the hundredth floor.

    The elevator had barely reached the hundredth floor and opened its door when he saw Lin Ran walk toward him.

    Lin Ran was astounded to see Ye Zhongjue¡¯s bedraggled appearance.

    Even back when The Sin Eliminators had first been founded and being sought?after by enemies had been part of their routine, Ye Zhongjue had never looked so unkempt.

    It was as if he had been seriously ill. He was wearing the same clothes from yesterday, with stubble on his face, and looked utterly pallid and tired. It was a horrible sight to behold.

    Lin Ran could not help but asked curiously, ¡°What happened to you, Boss?¡±

    Instead of answering the question, Ye Zhongjue threw one back to Lin Ran, ¡°What were you going to tell me on the phone?¡±

    Even though his appearance was a little sorry at the moment, his stern expression and ice-cold voice were still very powerful.

    Lin Ran quickly recounted everything to him.

    ¡°Mo Suqing¡¯s identity is exposed?¡± Ye Zhongjue had a dangerous look on his face. Anyone who knew him would get the impression that he was about to fly into a rage.

    Lin Ran didn¡¯t look happy, either. ¡°Yes! And the photo was obviously taken in Jazz Club!¡±

 Chapter 90 â€“ What about Miss Mo

    <h4>Chapter 90 ¨C What about Miss Mo</h4>

    Lin Ran knew that Ye Zhongjue had gone to Jazz Club to talk business with Leng Haoyun yesterday. Normally, Jazz Club was very good at keeping the privacy of their clients. So, why would photos like this be taken there? It was beyondprehension.

    What was more shocking, the person who had found out about their true identities had decided to risk their life and expose the information. That was brave!

    Ye Zhongjue walked towards his office. ¡°Who published it first?¡±

    ¡°Trend Magazine!¡± Lin Ran replied at once.

    ¡°Oh my god!¡± Song Pingting gave a squeal of fright when she saw Ye Zhongjue. She almost dropped the papers in her hands.

    <i>What happened to the president? Was he robbed?</i>

    ¡°President, what happened to you?¡± Song Pingting asked worriedly, her eyes full of shock and concern as well as tenderness and kindness.

    She was making such a fuss because she wanted Ye Zhongjue?to?see how much she cared.

    However, Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t even favor her with so much as a nce before disappearing into the office.

    Song Pingting watched after him, her furious stare seeming to be able to bore a hole on his suit. She had done so much, always racking her brains to please him and express her care and not heeding how people were looking at her!

    But, he kept ignoring her.

    <i>Am I any less than that gossip journalist? I don¡¯t believe it!</i>

    Song Pingting bit her lower lip, her eyes brimming with angry tears.

    Ye Zhongjue immediately went for a shower in the lounge adjoining his office. Water poured down while he ruminated on the stubborn and sad face of Mo Suqing.

    It was fortunate he had not taken Mo Suqing away from the house. He was not aware of what had happened until now. If he had indeed taken her away and they had bumped into journalists, they would definitely call her names.

    It would only make things worse for the two of them, which?was what he was trying to avoid.

    Also, he could?tell?Mo Suqing hadn¡¯t found out about the news.

    It was better this way, of course. He had read the newspaper and the journalists had nothing nice to say about her.

    <i>They are all going to pay for it.?</i>He would do his best to suppress the news from spreading before Mo Suqing could?find out?about it.

    He crumpled up the newspaper and threw it into the bin.

    Lin Ran opened the door and put a pile of documents on his desk.

    ¡°Boss, I have done some research on Trend Magazine. I didn¡¯t realize the magazine had been bought by The Unparalleled, who is going to merge several other magazines and make Trend the motherpany soon.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked up and murmured, ¡°The Unparalleled!¡±

    ¡°Yes, The Unparalleled was thepany that bought Trend Magazine. However, we don¡¯t know how the stories have got published. After all, all of them are supposed to be edited and?approved?before the printing¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue saw where this was going. He waved his hand dismissively.

    ¡°You can go now. Leng Haoyun would never have agreed to expose the identity of Leng Xiyao. It must be the doing of one of the staff. I¡¯ll make some calls to find out the truth.¡±

    After Lin Ran left, Ye Zhongjue called Leng Haoyun.

    Before he had said anything, Leng Haoyun began, ¡°I am responsible for it. I¡¯ll handle it well and suppress the news as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Ye Zhongjue shook his head. ¡°I know you are not really responsible. Suppress the news about Leng Xiyao first; I can deal with the rest about Suqing and me. They can write all they want now, but they¡¯ll regret itter!¡±

    Leng Haoyun was going to remind him that he should be careful not to ruin Mo Suqing¡¯s reputation ¨C He could see that Ye Zhongjue cared a great deal about the woman.

    But then, he thought better of it. Ye Zhongjue would have taken it into ount without his reminder.

    ¡°No matter what you say, Trend is my subsidiary and I should have done better. I¡¯ll definitely give you a full report on this.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Ye Zhongjue replied, then rang off.

    <strong>At The Unparalleled.</strong>

    Leng Haoyun rubbed his temple, mulling the whole fiasco over.

    His and Ye Zhongjue¡¯s true identities had been a secret all these years partly because no one had dared to expose it. However, when it was exposed, the culprit hade from his ownpany. This wasughingstock material!

    Even so, he couldn¡¯t over-punish the wrongdoer.

    He had been very angry when he first read the newspaper. For so many years, he had protected Leng Xiyao well and kept her identity a secret. With the exposure, there would be a lot of new inconveniences and constraints in her life; what¡¯s worse, she might face more dangers.

    He couldn¡¯t endure it.

    Someone had to take the full responsibility for this and he needed to give Yao a satisfactory exnation.

    He could still remember thest words of his brother, asking him to take good care of the girl. If anything happened to her, he wouldn¡¯t be able to face his brother and his wife in heaven. But that was not the real reason. The girl was the most important thing in his life. He himself could not bear to hurt her. If anyone else did so much as to upset her, he would let them pay.

    The problem was, he knew very well that An Huilin was the person in charge of the censorship of stories. If she hadn¡¯t approved them, none of it would appear in the newspaper.

    But, what could he do about her?

    He had known her for years. If it wasn¡¯t for Yao, he might have already got married with An Huilin long ago.

    To be honest, he was never interested in romance or love. He just wanted to lead a peaceful life, where he would take a wife and have children of his own one day.

    He had always known that An Huilin was waiting for him, but he had used the fact that Yao hadn¡¯t grown up as an excuse.

    After Yao started working in the magazine, he bought thepany and inserted An Huilin, who had just returned from abroad at that time, in it, hoping the two women could get along with each other first.

    He didn¡¯t really care who his wife might be, as long as she treated Yao well.

    However, he never told An Huilin the true identity of Yao, in case she would try too hard to impress the girl, thus making Yao dislike her.

    Never had he expected things would havee to this. Now, it would be difficult for An Huilin and Yao to get along.

    Leng Haoyun rubbed his temple again, his expression gloomy. He really didn¡¯t want to punish An Huilin for this; there was?a?long history between them.

    But since someone had dared to bring trouble to his Yao, he must do something.

    The real culprit who had taken those photos must pay, that was for sure. At the very least, he still had Ye Zhongjue to think about, although the guy had told him not to trouble himself.

    Yet, he couldn¡¯t just drop it. After ck Dragon bullied Yao and Mo Suqing, he had ordered his subordinates to deal with the man right away. However, a few dayster,

    they had reported to him that ck Dragon was nowhere to be found.

    It was like he had just vanished into thin air.

    He was no fool. He didn¡¯t think ck Dragon could have gone into hiding and sessfully evaded his people.

    Later, he discovered that it had been Ye Zhongjue. When he saw him at Silk Empire International, Ye Zhongjue had been waiting for Mo Suqing. It had all made sense.

    If Ye Zhongjue was willing to take the trouble and deal with ck Dragon, he must really care about Mo Suqing.

    After yesterday, he knew he had been right.

    How important could a woman be to a man? Suffice it to say that Ye Zhongjue¡¯s love for her was deep-rooted.

    Thinking about other people¡¯s rtionship reminded Leng Haoyun of the innocent yet naughty face.

    <i>I wonder if she is bored, being stuck at home?</i>

    -

    After speaking with Leng Haoyun on the phone, Ye Zhongjue summoned Lin Ran to his office and instructed him to clean up his vi at Number 8, Shallow Sea. He would live there from now on.

    Startled, Lin Ran asked, ¡°Boss, you are not going back to the apartment in the Tri-ring Area?¡±

    Despite what the newspaper said, Lin Ran knew that Ye Zhongjue was married to Mo Suqing. Could it simply be because of the rumors that he had decided to move out?

    <i>And why didn¡¯t he say or do anything about the defamation about Miss Mo?</i><i>i</i><i>n the newspaper?</i> The insults were all over the ce and the situation was getting out of hand.

    So, the underlying meaning of his question was, <i>Boss, if you are not going home, what about Miss Mo?</i>

    He had checked. Ye Zhongjue hade to thepany in his white Volkswagen. No wonder the journalists who were gathering out front hadn¡¯t been able to recognize him.

    They would never have expected the president would drive such a shabby car.

    Therefore, after surrounding the building for the entire morning, the journalists didn¡¯t even catch a glimpse of Ye Zhongjue¡¯s head.

    Now, Ye Zhongjue looked up from his desk. Despite having taken a shower and changed into a new suit,ck of sleep was still apparent on his pallid face.

    His dark eyes gleamed with something Lin Ran couldn¡¯t fathom.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going to live in the house at Shallow Sea from now on.¡±

    His totalposure made Lin Ran even more panicked.

    ¡°But, what about Miss Mo?¡±

    Other than telling Lin Ran to investigate her background and pay attention to the affairs within Mo Group, Ye Zhongjue rarely talked about him and Mo Suqing.

    Now he had asked, Ye Zhongjue felt a little dazed.

    He thought back to the morning when he had been in Guan Zixuan¡¯s vi.

    He admitted he had been acting on impulse back then.

    It was true when people said impulsive actions wreaked havoc like a devil did. To give him some credit, he had never done anything impulsive except for the one time when he ran away from home seven years ago.

    He was alwaysposed and unruffled. The times when people guessed what he was thinking could be counted on one hand.

    Yet, whenever it had something to do with Mo Suqing, he messed up.

    This was all because he cared about her too much. Otherwise, what could be the reason behind his loss of self-control?

    He had known it was bad timing to see her. She was in a foul mood and could help but snap at him; he was a proud man who had never been snapped all his life.

    Then, she had provoked him on purpose and he had lost it.

    He had lost it big time, unable to contain the fury and jealousy in his heart.

 Chapter 91 â€“ Handsome to the Point of Being Sinful

    <h4>Chapter 91 ¨C Handsome to the Point of Being Sinful</h4>

    He had found his sense in time when Mo Suqing said, <i>Don¡¯t make me hate you!</i>

    But he could still taste the resentment.

    He had been careful to approach her one step at a time, and now some other guy had suddenly showed up in her vicinity. How could he cope?

    The reality was even more cruel than that. She had decided she trusted the guy she barely knew more than him, just because he had hidden something from her!

    A bitter smile tugged at the corner of Ye Zhongjue¡¯s mouth. He found himself in a cul-de-sac.

    Leng Xiyao had said it wasn¡¯t time for exnations. But, when would be an appropriate time then?

    Did he have to keep waiting? For her to calm down?

    <i>And who can understand what a torture every single second of the waiting is for me?</i>

    ¡°Boss, what are you thinking? Are we really not going to do anything about the newspaper?¡±

    Lin Ran¡¯s anxious voice brought Ye Zhongjue back from his painful thoughts.

    His calm exterior creeped Lin Ran out; his silence almost choked him.

    <i>What¡¯s the matter? Is he really not going to help Miss Mo out of the predicament?</i>

    After a while, Ye Zhongjue finally replied, ¡°Hold a press conference on the tenth floor at ten a.m.?in?three days.¡±

    Lin Ran breathed out a sigh of relief. He had seriously thought he would turn a blind eye. However, he still couldn¡¯t understand why it would take him three days to resolve this.

    After finishing somepany affairs, Ye Zhongjue headed toward the filming studio where Guan Zixuan was working.

    He was in his white Volkswagen again and literally hid himself in in sight; no one knew the driver was the head of Mighty Empire.

    His presence caused quite a stir at the studio.

    At first, nobody paid particr attention to him. It was when he asked to see Guan Zixuan that people started to notice him.

    Beautiful people were fixtures in a filming studio, so it wasn¡¯t so much as his good look that caused a stir.

    Everyone was stunned when they recognized who he was.

    <i>He was their boss! The man who appeared in the morning newspaper!</i>

    Showing up so unexpectedly without any pronouncement, he came as a shock to the many part-time frencers.

    On a side note, every staff in the movie, from the screenwriters, the director and the actors, to the investors and the members of the post-production team, were all hired by Mighty Empire.

    The entertainment department of Mighty Empire was full-fledged. To puff up a newbie into a superstar was a piece of cake for them.

    However, their mysterious boss never showed up.

    He could well be as mysterious as ssified information.

    But now, after his identity had just been exposed, here he was in their studio. No wonder it was seen as a big deal.

    Of course, Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t give it a shit. He just stood there expressionlessly while everyone avoided looking at him directly.

    They would cast a nce at him and quickly lowered their head and then?steal?another look before turning away, afraid to be caught in the act.

    All the actresses fell for him; their president was handsome to the point of being sinful!

    The picture of him on the newspaper had already shown him to be a match for the most popr TV personalities; in person, he was a hundred times more handsome. He had also got the elegant demeanor, the steady quality and the aloof aura ¨C all of which made their heartbeats quickened.

    The director, wiping the nervous sweat on his forehead, barked out orders to clear up the studio and for the journalists to leave.

    He rushed toward Ye Zhongjue, whose stern face and powerful air had him break out in a cold sweat even in a distance.

    He had hardly stopped in front of Ye Zhongjue when he said, ¡°I beg your pardon, sir. I didn¡¯t realize President Ye was going to pay a visit to our shabby studio and wasn¡¯t able to wee you at the door. Please do excuse me!¡±

    He cast a nce at Ye Zhongjue carefully. The man was emanating a suppressive air that made him very unlike himself.

    ¡°So¡­ what brought President Ye here, if I may ask?¡±

    The director immediately wanted to bite off his own tongue. It was like he was demanding! It could well have been directed to a stranger, asking why he was here interrupting their shooting work.

    The director broke into more cold sweat at the thought.

    He mopped the sweat from his forehead and cast a furtive nce at the man.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes slowly swept the studio. He did not see Guan Zixuan.

    However, he had checked. Guan Zixuan had been shooting for the film right here recently and had no time for other shows.

    He had heard the director, but had not cared to answer his question.

    Now that he couldn¡¯t find the man he wanted, he needed to ask someone.

    If that was the case, the guy before him would do.

    So, he said presently, ¡°I think you have been making way too many period dramas!¡±

    The director was taken aback and could not understand what Ye Zhongjue meant until several secondster.

    He recalled what he had just said, <i>To wee you at the door¡­ What brought you here¡­?</i>and would love to give himself a good p. President Ye apparently meant that he had be pretentious due to the period dramas he had made!

    The usation struck him hard. Yes, the movie he was making was indeed a period drama. Yes, he was indeed influenced by thenguage the characters used. However, he absolutely did not try to be pretentious!

    He began to exin, ¡°President Ye, I didn¡¯t mean¡­ I mean¡­¡±

    The more panicked he was, the more he didn¡¯t know how to exin himself.

    On the other hand, Ye Zhongjue had no intention to waste his time on this. ¡°I want to see Guan Zixuan!¡± he said.

    The director finally realized that the reason he was here was to look for Guan Zixuan.

    He quickly asked one of the staff who happened to be close by, ¡°Where¡¯s Guan Zixuan? Tell him toe here this second!¡±

    After a while, Guan Zixuan casually emerged from a lounge.

    Although Guan Zixuan hade to the studio, he hadn¡¯t been able to settle to work. He had been worried about Mo Suqing, who was at his house and in an unstable mood.

    He had instructed Yuan to go to his house and check up on her. Also, he had particrly asked him not to let Mo Suqing leave the house.

    After all, her news was all over the ce. She might well be trampled to death by the frenzied mob in the street if she was recognized.

    Later, he had called Leng Xiyao. This time, he hadn¡¯t trash-talked at all, but had told her to go see Mo Suqing when she¡¯d got some time.

    Guan Zixuan was an emotionally?intelligent person. He knew Mo Suqing would forgive Leng Xiyao sooner orter, although he couldn¡¯t say the same for Ye Zhongjue.

    Besides, Leng Xiyao would be an excellentpany for Mo Suqing. He would be too busy, and there was the fact that he and Yuan were both men and would not be the most suitable candidates for taking care of her, a woman.

    He had just rung off when another assistant entered the lounge in a hurry and told him that ¡°an important person¡± had asked to see him.

    <i>It¡¯s him!?</i>he thought, seeing Ye Zhongjue the moment he walked out of the lounge.

    He immediately regretteding out of the lounge so soon. If he had known it was Ye Zhongjue, he would have dawdled for a few more minutes.

    Then, he remembered how Mo Suqing would not forgive Ye Zhongjue. He knew very well it was all because she cared about him very much. That was why she couldn¡¯t stand to have been deceived.

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s face clouded. He had not known about Ye Zhongjue when he began to develop an interest in the woman.

    He wondered if he would allow himself to do so if he had.

    Guan Zixuan walked over and looked at Ye Zhongjue with his dark eyes.

    ¡°May I ask why President Ye wants to see me?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue took a look at the onlookers. They quickly looked away and pretended to be minding their own businesses.

    Ye Zhongjue replied, ¡°Let¡¯s find a quiet ce. I need you to help me with something.¡±

    Guan Zixuan sneered. <i>See? This is so typical for a high-ranking person! They think people are supposed to help them.</i>

    <i>But have they ever asked if the person they are asking for help wants to help them?</i>

    The director was observant. He could see that the two men weren¡¯t fond of each other, so he interfered?with?their conversation and suggested, ¡°President Ye, you can talk in the lounge over there. No one is inside.¡±

    The director smiled. Guan Zixuan smirked at him without saying anything.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at the director thoughtfully, as if he was trying to read his mind. He panicked. <i>Did I say anything wrong again? Or shouldn¡¯t I have interfered?</i>

    Fortunately, Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t utter a word. He walked toward the lounge the director was pointing at.

    Guan Zixuan was not happy to see Ye Zhongjue. It was already bad of him to be the reason Mo Suqing had be so sad, not to mention the fact that he was his romantic rival!

    He believed Ye Zhongjue?was aware of his feelings towards?Mo Suqing. Otherwise, why?would he be here?

    But if?Ye Zhongjue?knew, he was giving nothing away with that calm and careless expression.

    <i>Is it because he doesn¡¯t care about Mo Suqing at all, or because he doesn¡¯t give a shit about him?</i>

    Guan Zixuan, who usually didn¡¯t give a damn, showed slight anger at the thought. He red at Ye Zhongjue¡¯s back and followed him into the lounge.

    <i>Let¡¯s see what he wants!</i>

    Guan Zixuan closed the door behind him.

    He knew Ye Zhongjue hade to talk about Mo Suqing with him; there were no other possibilities. He didn¡¯t want anyone to find more reasons to gossip about her, either.

    As a celebrity himself, he hated those gossip journalists.

    Well, Mo Suqing was the only exception. She was different from the others.

    Guan Zixuan looked at the man who had his back to him and was emanating an aloof air.

    The lounge was very quiet. Chairs and sofas and a small bed constituted the furniture.

    Neither sat down. They just stood there, the atmosphere between them eerily silent. It was as if they were trying to make the other man break first.

    Guan Zixuan stared at Ye Zhongjue. <i>Didn¡¯t he want to see him?</i>

    <i>Now he is determined to remain silent.</i>

 Chapter 92 â€“ Stabbing Someone Tactfully without Showing Any Blood

    <h4>Chapter 92 ¨C Stabbing Someone Tactfully without Showing Any Blood</h4>

    Guan Zixuan felt gloomy. <i>What does he want? He asked him toe here but hasn¡¯t spoken a word since.</i>

    He couldn¡¯t leave the studio because he hadn¡¯t finished his scenes, but on the other hand, he was really worried about leaving Mo Suqing alone in his vi.

    Strictly speaking, he hadn¡¯t needed toe to the studio today. However, despite his yful manner and not-a-care-in-the-world attitude, he was very serious about his acting career. He had disobeyed his parents to pursue his dream and not for once had he neglected his work for personal affairs.

    The reason why he could win so many awards at such a young age was because of his hard work and sense of responsibility.

    Even though his parents did not approve of it, he had still made a name for himself in the entertainment industry.

    Now, he had finally found someone he could be crazy about, but she was already married. Ever since he had found out that Mo Suqing was a married woman, he had been feeling blue.

    But now, there was an advantage he could take and he did not intend to lose it. He didn¡¯t care what people might say.

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s expression became hard to read.

    <i>This is my romantic rival! I mustn¡¯t soften my heart.</i>

    He said mockingly, ¡°President Ye, there are myriads of things you need to attend every day. Howe you are here looking for me? I reckon it must be something of significance.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue detected the sneer in his voice. His eyebrows arched a little before he slowly turned to face Guan Zixuan with a calm expression.

    The aloof and arrogant air, the look that seemed to say he didn¡¯t give it a shit about anything and anyone, both made Guan Zixuan dislike him even more.

    He had just been nning how to make Ye Zhongjue leave Mo Suqing, and a look from him almost unsettled him.

    He quickly put himself together and returned Ye Zhongjue¡¯s undisturbed expression.

    <i>Humph! Let¡¯s see who is the moreposed one here!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue was a little taken aback at his tone. That¡¯s right, he was indeed taken aback.

    This was the first time in his life he had asked someone for help. However, he was just thinking about how to set about it when Guan Zixuan spoke with obvious acrimony.

    Usually, it would have made his face darken. But today, he felt guilty about what he¡¯d done.

    The bottom line was, he didn¡¯t want Mo Suqing to hate him.

    Now he had calmed down, remorse set in.

    He knew he had been jealous over nothing. He trusted that Mo Suqing was not the kind of woman who would sleep with anybody.

    She was his wife and he trusted that she wouldn¡¯t cheat on him. He could understand she was just having a hard timeing to terms with his deception.

    That was fine. He could wait for her toe around. He could even ask his romantic rival for help.

    Ye Zhongjue had never thought he would do so much for a woman.

    ¡°I think there¡¯s some misunderstanding.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue watched Guan Zixuan look at him with hostility.

    Somehow, he felt their roles had been switched. <i>He?</i>was the one who was supposed to get angry with <i>him</i>!

    After all, his wife was staying in his house. No matter what he had done wrong, no man was supposed to tolerate this.

    <i>He?</i>couldn¡¯t tolerate this, but he was bearing with them because he had wronged Mo Suqing.

    Ye Zhongjue continued, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I mean no harm. Suqing is my wife. I can understand why she would want to stay at your ce when she is angry with me. After all, you saved her before, so she naturally trusts you as a friend.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue paused, looking at Guan Zixuan for any reactions.

    Guan Zixuan had thought Ye Zhongjue was going to threaten him and force him to ask Mo Suqing to leave his house. That way, he could take her home matter-of-factly.

    In other words, he had not expected <i>this?</i>at all.

    <i>Suqing is my wife; you are her friend.?</i>With a few words, he had sessfully pointed out their rtionships with Mo Suqing. It was difficult to act on those.

    It was as if he had stabbed him so tactfully that no blood could be seen!

    It was pathetic! He had barely begun his attack before he waspletely destroyed by the enemy!

    Guan Zixuan, though engulfed by bitterness, kept up his appearance. <i>At least I¡¯ll save my face!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue eyed him for a moment and continued in his leisure tone, ¡°No matter how big a fight it is, it¡¯s between me and her and we shouldn¡¯t have troubled you. But now, Suqing has already stayed in your house for a night. Also, you are her friend and savior and I don¡¯t wish to make her sad by forcing her to leave.¡±

    Guan Zixuan was scowling stubbornly. Ye Zhongjue knew he was almost there.

    He continued, ¡°Then, the newspaper came out today. As her husband, I should protect her from any harm. But how can I do that when she is away from me? I want her toe home, but I am afraid she¡¯ll be reluctant. I don¡¯t know what to do!¡±

    Guan Zixuan could see what wasing. Inside, he was reproaching Ye Zhongjue for being so shameless as to act weak in front of his romantic?rival.

    <i>I am so gonna go berserk!</i>

    ¡°Mr. Guan, please don¡¯t look so reluctant. If you could take good care of Suqing and protect her from outside harassment, I will be very grateful. On the other hand, if you are careless and let her get wind of the news circting all over the city, I must take her home and protect her myself. I¡¯m sure you know how crazy those journalists can be!¡±

    Finally, Guan Zixuan could no longer stand it.

    ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± he stammered, his handsome face bright red. ¡°You shameless bastard, Ye Jue! How dare you threaten me that I should let you take her home if she gets wind of the news! This is all your fault that people say these bad things about her! See how appalling the stories are? You should take full responsibility for everything that happened!¡±

    Guan Zixuan drew in a sharp breath and continued angrily, ¡°Also, as her friend, am I not supposed to tell her the truth? Am I going to hide things from her, just like you did?¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s shoulders heaved with rage. The guy was detestable! However, as a matter of fact, he had already disconnected the Inte in his house and cklisted everyone except for him and Leng Xiyao on Mo Suqing¡¯s phone.

    He rubbed his nose, knowing it was not right to have done so. Nevertheless, in order not to let her know what the newspaper had written about, he had to resort to every method avable.

    He had even asked Yuan to buy a lot of magazines for her, in case she was bored.

    But! It was one thing he had done and quite another to have Ye Zhongjue threaten him to do it.

    He was not going to let him take all the credits with just a few verbal threats, while he had racked his brains and taken actual actions to protect the woman he liked!

    Meanwhile, Ye Zhongjue suffered a severe blow from Guan Zixuan¡¯sst question, <i>Am I going to hide things from her, just like you did??</i>He had been lying to her with dread, and the end result was not at all what he had hoped it would be.

    Hearing it from another man sounded like a cruelugh to him.

    However, he had to endure it for her sake.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face went a little pale, but he didn¡¯t seem to lose his cool ¨C he was used to hiding his true emotions, so Guan Zixuan did not detect any changes.

    Guan Zixuan?red at Ye Zhongjue, feeling resentful. He had already done what Ye Zhongjue had in mind and then seemingly refused his request. If the guy knew he had done what he wanted him to doter, he would think he was just bluffing!

    Guan Zixuan had never been so humiliated before, but all he could do was to turn his bitterness into a glower at Ye Zhongjue.

    Ye Zhongjue upheld the principle of ¡°stabbing someone without showing blood¡± by hiding his emotions well and giving Guan Zixuan a puzzled look, as if he didn¡¯t get why he was furious at him.

    ¡°Threaten you? No, of course I¡¯m not threatening you! I am just stating a <i>fact</i>, which is it¡¯s better if Suqing stays ignorant. This is the best way to protect her, don¡¯t you think? Or, have I been wrong about you ¨C as her friend, you don¡¯t want to protect her?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue put on an expression that seemed to say, <i>Huh, I didn¡¯t realize we are not on the same page!?</i>Guan Zixuan forced down his rage and said,

    ¡°You are good, Ye Jue! I¡¯ll admit defeat when ites to tricks and schemes! I¡¯m not talking to you anymore!¡±

    He finally understood how Ye Zhongjue would have been able to hide his true identity from Mo Suqing for three whole months. It was because he was simply full of tricks and schemes!

    An honest and innocent woman like Mo Suqing could never defeat him in that regard.

    ¡°I can understand why you won¡¯t talk to me anymore. That¡¯s fine by me, as long as you can take care of her for a while. The whole fiasco will be settled in three days.¡±

    Then, Ye Zhongjue walked away without waiting for Guan Zixuan to protest.

    Guan Zixuan got worked up again. <i>Why has he got to walk away from me, when it is I who don¡¯t want to talk to him anymore?</i>

    He felt he would definitely go mad if he was to deal with the guy a couple more times in the future.

    <i>Shameless and maniptive bastard who kills without batting an eyelid!</i>

    <i>Why would Mo Suqing fall in love with that kind of man?</i>

    <i>With my gant, dashing, handsome look, am I not every woman¡¯s first choice?</i>

    <i>God, I wish I met her first!</i>

    Guan Zixuan stood there with a sullen expression for a while before walking out of the lounge.

    <i>Humph! I must remember topose myself and not fall into his trap and lose my cool next time I see him!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue hade to the studio without telling anyone and then left without a trace.

    A lot of the staff had beenpletely oblivious of the fact that their boss hade and gone.

    For Ye Zhongjue, the purpose of his visit was not to make Guan Zixuan promise him anything, but to test him.

    What he could gather from their short exchange had confirmed his thought.?Guan Zixuan was indeed on the same page with him; he would do everything to prevent Mo Suqing from finding out what had happened.

    Ye Zhongjue thought he had nned everything to perfection. However, as the saying went, <i>There is always the possibility of something being overlooked.</i>

 Chapter 93 â€“ A Cuckold Who Can Tolerate Being Humiliated

    <h4>Chapter 93 ¨C A Cuckold Who Can Tolerate Being Humiliated</h4>

    In the meantime, after Guan Zixuan hung up, Leng Xiyao quickly picked up her purse and headed to Shallow Sea.

    Regardless of Ye Zhongjue, she herself must ask Suqing¡¯s forgiveness as soon as possible.

    They had known each other for nearly five years and never once had they had a fight.

    Now, the first proper fight they had ever had was threatening to destroy their friendship.

    At the thought, Leng Xiyao gave herself a pep talk. Then, she got off the car and hurried toward the vis ahead.

    Guan Zixuan had informed the janitor about Leng Xiyao, so she could effortlessly enter themunity where the security work was always carried out thoroughly.

    Standing in front of number 15, Leng Xiyao hesitated. Her expression was hard to read, her couragepletely gone.

    Remembering what Mo Suqing had said yesterday, Leng Xiyao felt forlorn and sad.

    God knows she didn¡¯t want the title of ¡°the niece of the president of The Unparalleled¡± at all; her uncle and Suqing were all she needed.

    However, Mo Suqing had told her to fuck off¡­ Aggrievance appeared on Leng Xiyao¡¯s face.

    She really hadn¡¯t meant any of this to happen. <i>What will it take for Suqing to forgive me?</i>

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s face crumpled as she tried to decide what to do.

    Mo Suqing, on the other hand, was still zoning out in the guestroom.

    Yuan decided there was nothing much he could do, so he headed out to buy some lunch as Guan Zixuan had repeatedly instructed.

    However, when he came out of the house, he saw a petite figure sneaking around like a thief.

    He quickly walked over and yelled, ¡°Who are you? How did you get in?¡±

    Yuan had put on a stern face and looked quite formidable.

    As Guan Zixuan¡¯s assistant, he had to deal with those annoying gossip journalists all the time. Now, with Mo Suqing staying here, it was not unlikely some bold journalist would have snuck in, albeit the fact that Shallow Sea had always done very well in regard to keeping the private lives of the vi owners private.

    That was why he had a grim look on his face.

    Leng Xiyao, startled, froze on the spot under his stern look.

    Then, she realized she was looking at Guan Zixuan¡¯s assistant. She instantly glowered at him and became formidable herself.

    <i>Humph! Even Guan Zixuan dares not treat me like this! You are quite brave, little man!</i>

    Since it was someone she knew, she had no reason to be afraid!

    ¡°I know you! Aren¡¯t you Guan Zixuan¡¯s assistant?¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked at Yuan in the eye, impudent. ¡°You look like you want to beat me up or kick me out of here! Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s your boss who told me toe?¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s nostrils red indignantly. Yuan was?shocked?beyond words.

    He had also recognized her by now. His face had gone back and forth between pale and red then decided it would be red.

    <i>It¡¯s Leng Xiyao, the other gossip journalist that is always with Mo Suqing!?</i>He hadn¡¯t known she was also the niece of the president of The Unparalleled until today.

    It was obvious her uncle spoilt and indulged her so much that she had be a little brat.

    Unruly and willful and arrogant, this was the first impression Leng Xiyao gave Yuan.

    However, there was no point?in arguing?with her. His expression?returned?back to normal,?and?he calmly?said, ¡°If Miss Leng is here to visit Miss Mo, please juste in; don¡¯t loiter around here. I thought?you were?a bold journalist who hade to dig some news! That¡¯s why I was a bit rude. Please forgive me.¡±

    Yuan said this in an aloof tone.

    Leng Xiyao had never been talked to like this before.

    She widened her eyes like a furious tiger.

    <i>A bold journalist? You¡¯re not being any less rude now, are you?</i>

    <i>Humph! Guan Zixuan¡¯s assistant is as bad as h</i><i>im</i><i>!</i>

    <i>What was that supposed to mean, a bold journalist? I am a journalist myself!</i>

    <i>Are you indirectly calling me names?</i>

    <i>I will not tolerate it!</i>

    <i>I am not a cuckold who can tolerate being humiliated!</i>

    Anger flushed Leng Xiyao¡¯s cheeks; sparks shed in her eyes.

    ¡°Humph! The rate people are getting more despicable is as fast as pork is getting more expensive! I think I just saw one who thought he was a guard dog, standing sentinel at the door and barking at whoeveres near! What a good job he did!¡± Leng Xiyao insulted him in an oblique way.

    Neither refused to step down.

    Suddenly, Yuan¡¯s phone began to ring. It was Guan Zixuan. He quickly stepped aside and answered the phone.

    Yuan listened and nced at Leng Xiyao once, then simply walked away.

    Leng Xiyao looked at the open door and rolled her eyes slyly.

    She slipped furtively in as if she really was a thief.

    Shortly afterwards, Ceng Hanyu arrived at the vi. He frowned at the open door and walked inside without thinking.

    Ye Zhongjue had asked him to check up on Mo Suqing. He had told Ceng Hanyu that Mo Suqing had found out about his true identity and did not want to see him, but that he didn¡¯t want her to be alone with Guan Zixuan, either.

    Therefore, he had told Ceng Hanyu to get in their way.

    Ceng Hanyu didn¡¯t have better things to do anyway, so he had agreed.

    After all, he had had a great time with Mo Suqing the evening when Ye Zhongjue had introduced Mo Suqing to him and Gu Yi¡¯an.

    He couldn¡¯t let him down when Ye Zhongjue had entrusted him with such an important task, could he?

    He must do his best to help a friend in trouble!

    A mischievous smile spread across his face as he entered the vi.

    Leng Xiyao had looked around in every room on the first floor and hadn¡¯t found Mo Suqing. She must be on the second floor.

    The fact that she was about to see her made Leng Xiyao nervous again and she paused on the stair leading to the upper floors.

    <i>Do I go up there now, or do I get a grip first?</i>

    <i>What if Mo Suqing says something harsh and she bursts into tears and runs away? That would be so shameful!</i>

    Her face was very important to her.

    Leng Xiyao tilted her head, deep in a jumble of thoughts. Thus, she waspletely unaware of the man behind her.

    Ceng Hanyu saw the woman on the stairs?right away.

    <i>Who is she??</i>he thought to himself.

    If there was another woman in Guan Zixuan¡¯s house, why would Ye Zhongjue ask him toe?

    Frowning with puzzlement, he approached Leng Xiyao.

    The reason he knew the woman was not Mo Suqing was simple enough. She was more petite than Mo Suqing, she wore her hair short, and, although she had her back to him, he could tell she was a very bright woman.

    Ceng Hanyu approached slowly.

    When he reached the bottom of the stairs, Leng Xiyao finally felt someone was behind her.

    She spun around. But she did it so fast that she not only sprained her waist, but also crossed her legs during the process. As a result, she began to fall forward.

    The moment Ceng Hanyu saw her face, his mind went nk for a split second and a sense of familiarity surged in him.

    <i>I seem to have met this petite woman somewhere before¡­</i>

    But before he could react, Leng Xiyao had hit him square on the belly.

    Caught off guard, he, too, fell backward.

    Consequently, he cushioned Leng Xiyao¡¯s fall. However, when she fell down on him, the impact made her head slide and itnded on his penis, hard.

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s face went white out of the pain. <i>Do you want to die?!</i>

    Leng Xiyao scrambled to her feet. She saw that Ceng Hanyu had curled into a ball on the floor with his hand on his crotch.

    Putting two and two together, she gaped at him in shock.

    She couldn¡¯t believe she had hit him on the private parts! She closed her eyes tightly and thought, <i>Oh god, I didn¡¯t mean it!</i>

    <i>What if he bes infertile? It will always be on my conscience!</i>

    After the pain subsided a little, Ceng Hanyu scrambled to his feet, his face ashen still, and saw the petite woman who had knocked him down was mumbling to herself with her eyes closed.

    He flipped out. <i>Who is this blundering woman?</i>

    <i>If only I didn¡¯t agree toe here! My reputation will be ruined if it is known that I was knocked down by a woman and got hit in that area.</i>

    Ceng Hanyu red at Leng Xiyao. <i>If you were a guy, I would definitely have cut your penis off for revenge!</i>

    Leng Xiyao opened her eyes and saw Ceng Hanyu¡¯s pissed expression. It seemed to use her of the horrible thing she had just done.

    She said, ¡°Sir, I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you!¡±

    She looked genuinely sorry. Ceng Hanyu looked at her in exasperation.

    To his surprise, he recognized that she was the other woman in the pub the other day with Mo Suqing. He remembered her to have been quite a fighter, mming a wine bottle on ck Dragon¡¯s head despite her petite appearance. Regr women would never do that.

    At the thought, he suddenly felt that her sorrowful expression was not that genuine.

    Now that he remembered her to be the woman at August Hasn¡¯t Ended Yet, he could no longer be sure whether she was faking it or was genuinely upset.

    Leng Xiyao watched Ceng Hanyu¡¯s ever-changing expression.

    She bent down and peered at him with a tilted head.

    ¡°Hey bro, are you alright?¡± she shouted.

    Ceng Hanyu snapped back to reality. <i>Bro? Does she call everyone that?</i>

    Ceng Hanyu didn¡¯t know what to say. <i>What a fierce and ky weirdo!</i>

    <i>Forget it. Since she is Mo Suqing¡¯s friend, I can let bygones b</i><i>e</i><i>?bygones.</i>

    ¡°I¡¯m alright!¡± he replied.

    Leng Xiyao was not convinced. She eyed him from head to toe and stopped at a certain area.

    ¡°Are you sure? Don¡¯t me me if something goes wrong in the future!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu was dumbstruck.

    <i>Can you?</i><i>imagine</i><i>?a petite woman?</i><i>saying</i><i>?something like that while staring?</i><i>at?</i><i>a man¡¯s crotch?</i>

 Chapter 94 â€“ You Havenâ€™t Had Enough of It

    <h4>Chapter 94 ¨C You Haven¡¯t Had Enough of It</h4>

    Leng Xiyao looked utterly unruffled and unabashed.

    Ceng Hanyu didn¡¯t know what to say. <i>Is she really a woman? She¡¯s more like a man in a woman¡¯s clothing!</i>

    Leng Xiyao noticed that Ceng Hanyu was gaping at her. Btedly realizing that she had said something inappropriate, she quickly looked away and stammered, ¡°Umm¡­ Well, I¡¯m going to find my friend now.¡±

    Then,?in spite?of the pain on her sprained waist, she ran up the stairs.

    Ceng Hanyu raised his handsome eyebrows at the petite woman who did and said things without a hesitation.

    <i>Interesting!</i>

    Leng Xiyao immediately found where Mo Suqing was.

    Mo Suqing had a magazine in her hands and a lost look on her face. Leng Xiyao stood in the doorframe and watched her for a while, but the other woman never turned a page.

    It was obvious her attention was not on the magazine.

    Leng Xiyao felt like a peeping Tom, secretly standing there and observing Mo Suqing¡¯s expression.

    However, it didn¡¯t change at all.

    Leng Xiyao was just going to sneak a look and leave her alone, but then she found she couldn¡¯t.

    She felt frustrated with herself for being such a coward.

    At this moment, a male voice came from behind. ¡°What are you doing, standing here like a thief?¡±

    Leng Xiyao instantly flipped out and wanted to yell at the man. Before she could get away, Mo Suqing had looked up.

    However, Mo Suqing¡¯s expression did not change much when she saw her.

    Yuan gave Leng Xiyao an odd look before brushing past her and entering the guestroom to give Mo Suqing her lunch.

    Mo Suqing thanked him politely.

    Yuan said in a toneless voice that it was no big deal and left the room.

    Leng Xiyao stood on the spot like a wooden stake.

    If she left now, it was too chicken. After all, Suqing had?already?seen her. To go now would be a in cowardly behavior.

    On the other hand, if she stayed right here and Suqing kept ignoring her, she would feel really sad.

    <i>s, it¡¯s all my fault. I should have listened to Uncle!</i>

    Leng Xiyao pouted her lips, angry at no one in particr.

    Reluctantly, she walked into the room wearing a proud face. She stopped in front of Mo Suqing, but didn¡¯t speak a word.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t say anything; neither did she.

    Suddenly, Mo Suqing picked up the lunch box on the nightstand and began to eat.

    After a while, Mo Suqing still did not acknowledge Leng Xiyao¡¯s presence.

    Leng Xiyao wanted to cry, but?her eyes were dry.

    She dabbed at her eyes and said in a grievous tone, ¡°Suqing¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s hand paused for a moment before resuming its movement. She was pretending she didn¡¯t hear her.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s face lit up a little. <i>She must still care about me!</i>

    She clearly saw that Mo Suqing¡¯s hand had paused for a second.

    So, she continued, ¡°Suqing, I haven¡¯t eaten anything since yesterday! I¡¯m hungry¡­¡±

    Finally, Mo Suqing stopped eating. She looked at Leng Xiyao and said in an utterly calm voice, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t havee!¡±

    ¡°Suqing, don¡¯t?be like this. I¡¯m sorry!¡± Leng Xiyao reached out to touch Mo Suqing¡¯s arm in panic, but she dodged.

    Seeing that she had repelled her so, Leng Xiyao froze on the spot and dared not move.

    <i>Suqing feels I¡¯m disgusted. Suqing is ming her. Suqing never wants to be my friend again¡­</i>

    Leng Xiyao stood there piteously like a child who had made a mistake.

    Mo Suqing had only eaten half of the rice and a little of the side dishes, but it seemed she couldn¡¯t have another bite. She pushed the box away,y down on the bed, covered herself with the nket, and turned her back toward the other woman.

    Leng Xiyao felt as if she was standing in the icy wind and couldn¡¯t find the way home; she was cold, hungry and lost.

    It was an unpleasant feeling, like¡­ like her heart had lost its sense of direction.

    In the end, Leng Xiyao left the room in silence and closed the door behind her.

    When she went downstairs, Yuan was ying with his phone on the sofa.

    Leng Xiyao sat down beside him, looking dejected.

    Yuan asked sarcastically while ying with his phone, ¡°What, you haven¡¯t had enough?of it? You want to keep trying?¡±

    Leng Xiyao had lost the energy to squabble. She gave Yuan an exasperated look, her liveliness upon arrivalpletely gone now.

    ¡°Humph, you can¡¯t even have ¡®it,¡¯ whatever it is you were referring to!¡± she said unenergetically.

    Yuan gave her a look and sneered, ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really want to have it. Unlike you, I don¡¯t have a taste for rejection!¡±

    Leng Xiyao did not retort this time. She just sat there, lost in thought.

    Meanwhile, Ceng Hanyu had immediately made a clean getaway after bumping into Leng Xiyao. After all, Leng Xiyao¡¯s presence had the same effect as his.

    All Ye Zhongjue wanted was to stop Guan Zixuan from making a move on Mo Suqing. It didn¡¯t matter how Ceng Hanyu would achieve that goal.

    Ceng Hanyu walked awkwardly, his crotch still hurting a little from the hit. However, the culprit had already forgotten about it.

    Leng Xiyao didn¡¯t seem to want to leave the sofa anytime soon. Yuan looked up a few times and decided to let her be.

    At around five in the afternoon, Mo Suqing got up to call the office and ask them for how many days Leng Xiyao had taken off for her.

    Whether it was being deceived or being dumped, she still had a life to live. Wallowing in self-pity was the privilege of those who were not in want of anything, and she wasn¡¯t one of those.

    Even though her heart was hurting like hell, she knew she still had to eat, sleep and live as usual.

    Life was like a rapist. If you didn¡¯t overpower it, it would overpower you.

    Mo Suqing knew very well that she didn¡¯t have the privilege to wallow in misery. The only thing life gave her was the will to keep fighting.

    She had to keep fighting, even if it was just for the fulfillment of her mother¡¯sst wish.

    She called herpany, but couldn¡¯t get through. She tried almost all of her colleagues, but still she didn¡¯t get through to any of them.

    Mo Suqing was certain there was nothing wrong with her phone.

    The only person who had touched it other than herself was Guan Zixuan. He had saved his number in her phone and told her to call him if she needed anything.

    As expected, she could get through with his number.

    However, Mo Suqing didn¡¯t wait for him to pick it up. Instead, she opened up the cklist and found that all numbers had been blocked except for Leng Xiyao¡¯s and Guan Zixuan¡¯s.

    He had even set it so that both the caller and the one who ced the call could not get through, unless the caller was removed from the list.

    Guan Zixuan probably hadn¡¯t expected she would find out about the issue so fast.

    Mo Suqing smiled almost imperceptibly. <i>His behavior is so childish.</i>

    She began to remove her contacts from the list one by one. Shortly after she had finished the task, her phone started to ring.

    A sneer appeared on Mo Suqing¡¯s face when she saw who the caller was.

    <i>I thought he has long forgotten he¡¯s got another daughter!</i>

    Mo Suqing answered the phone without saying anything. Mo Zhenfeng¡¯s joyous voice came from the other end of the line.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s mood was very tranquil. Actually, she couldn¡¯t quite understand why Mo Zhenfeng was talking to her in such a kind voice.

    ¡°Suqing, I finally got through to you! Your colleagues said you didn¡¯t go to work today. Where do you and Zhongjue live? I would like to drop by sometime.¡±

    Mo Suqing felt a little dazed at Ye Zhongjue¡¯s name. Then, she became puzzled.

    Her father had never checked up on them since dinner the other evening.

    After all, Bai Lian had almost threatened him with death, so afraid was she that Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue would take Mo Group from her.

    At that time, she had been surprised by Ye Zhongjue¡¯s outright rejection to her father¡¯s offer and had thought the man had got plenty of backbone. But now she could finally see it.

    <i>My assumption feels like such a big joke now!</i>

    It was not because he had backbone; it was simply because he didn¡¯t give a shit about the little money the Mo family had!

    ¡°I¡¯m not there now. And, don¡¯te look for me,¡± she replied in a cold voice now.

    ¡°Suqing,¡± Mo Zhenfeng quickly said, as if he was afraid to lose a wonderful opportunity. ¡°don¡¯t act like this. I know you have been upset with me ever since your mother died. But, sometimes I don¡¯t have any other choices!¡±

    ¡°Anyway¡­¡± It was obviously he was changing the subject to what he had called her for.

    ¡°You should have told me who Zhongjue is! Even though he is the president of Mighty Empire, I am his elder and he shouldn¡¯t have hidden his identity from me. Is he afraid we¡¯ll covet after his fortune?¡±

    ¡°On the other hand, my daughter is his wife and it makes perfect sense for him to help the Mo Group. Honestly, it¡¯s his duty as my son-inw, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Mo Zhenfeng continued his speech earnestly and tirelessly in the hope that Mo Suqing could say something nice for him in front of Ye Zhongjue.

    However, he didn¡¯t know that Mo Suqing¡¯s face had gone as pale as a ghost.

    She was clutching her phone so tightly that her wound from yesterday was bleeding again, although she didn¡¯t seem to notice it.

    She herself had just found out the truth yesterday. How could her father have already known? And he had acted quickly on it, calling her right away as if he feared he might miss the chance to make a profit.

    There was a slight quiver in Mo Suqing¡¯s voice as she spoke.

    Her father wouldn¡¯t have said all of this if he hadn¡¯t been certain about it.

    ¡°How did you know about this?¡±

    ¡°What, you don¡¯t know?¡± Mo Zhenfeng sounded shocked. Then, his tone became serious and steely.

    ¡°Suqing, you are still my daughter. Are you toying with me now? Everyone knows about it after the newspaper came out this morning! Don¡¯t you y the fool and try to shy away from helping your father now that you have climbed to the top of the socialdder!¡±

 Chapter 95 â€“ You Have Eaten Her Conscience

    <h4>Chapter 95 ¨C You Have Eaten Her Conscience</h4>

    Mo Zhenfeng sounded deeply annoyed.

    Mo Suqing could hear that Bai Lian was putting in her two cents next to him, although her high-pitched voice was a little obscured.

    ¡°Give me the phone. I am her stepmother at the very least! If she is married to a rich man, we ought to have a share¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing could not make out the rest of the sentence. She chuckled bitterly and dropped her phone onto the bed.

    Sheltering in Guan Zixuan¡¯s house, she had no idea she had caused amotion through the city.

    She tried to use her phone and found that there was no Inte connection.

    However, even if she didn¡¯t see it with her own eyes, she already knew what was on the newspaper.

    Guan Zixuan really didn¡¯t have to try every way to protect her from it.

    <i>See? Even if they want to protect me from it, there are still some people who can¡¯t wait to bring the ¡°good¡± news to her.</i>

    Mo Suqing¡¯s smile was very ugly due to the bitterness it contained.

    Downstairs, Leng Xiyao seemed to hear the sound of Mo Suqing speaking with someone. However, when she went upstairs, Mo Suqing had stopped talking.

    She walked over and opened the door quietly.

    Mo Suqing was sitting on the bed, her expression a mix of sadness, sorrow and self-mockery.

    The phone was ringing persistently, but Mo Suqing didn¡¯t pick it up.

    Hesitant, Leng Xiyao walked over to see who the caller was.

    She had thought it was Ye Zhongjue and had wanted to answer the phone and shout at him. But, it turned out to be Mo Suqing¡¯s father.

    Mo Suqing looked up and asked, ¡°What is on the newspaper?¡±

    Leng Xiyao was surprised that she was finally willing to talk to her.

    However, she became speechless once Mo Suqing¡¯s words registered.

    She had already discussed the matter with Guan Zixuan and the two of them had decided to hide the news from Mo Suqing. But now that she was asking about it, she didn¡¯t know how to get out of the situation.

    ¡°Tell me, or I¡¯ll find it out myself!¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s tone was below-zero cold. Leng Xiyao shivered a little. <i>Fine. I¡¯m a coward. I can¡¯t do it anymore.</i>

    She recounted everything on the newspaper to Mo Suqing. While she was doing so, she reviled the journalist who had fabricated most of the storylines.

    Mo Suqing listened quietly.

    ¡°What the hell? They are just making things up and mixing the truth with fiction! You are indeed Ye Zhongjue¡¯s wife; no one can refute it, whoever they are. I¡¯m going to sue every one of them who dare to say more bullshit like that!¡±

    Leng Xiyao was quite worked up. On the other hand, Mo Suqing just watched her calmly. Leng Xiyao could not read the emotion in her eyes.

    However, she sincerely wanted to stand up for Mo Suqing! Then, remembering what she was saying, Leng Xiyao stopped short.

    <i>No wonder Suqing keeps looking at me like that! It¡¯s because I am too carried away.</i>

    The look Mo Suqing gave her seemed to say, <i>I know you are a super-rich woman, but you don¡¯t have to behave like one.</i>

    Leng Xiyao hung her head in embarrassment.

    Mo Suqing thought bitterly, <i>So, the whole world knows what I have been ignorant of for so long!</i>

    <i>How absurd¡­</i>

    <i>Why is it I am always thest to know anything? Do I really deserve to be deceived? Or should I me myself for being so slow?</i>

    Mo Suqing clutched her phone hard and eventually answered it.

    Leng Xiyao opened her mouth but did not say anything. She just watched Mo Suqing in silence.

    She didn¡¯t know what Mo Zhenfeng had said, but Mo Suqing¡¯s voice was much colder than before when she spoke:

    ¡°Allow me to tell you that I also discovered his true identity just now. If you want to use me to get what you want, dream on. However, I won¡¯t help you! Besides, I have nothing to do with him now.¡±

    Leng Xiyao heard Mo Zhenfeng¡¯s voice boom with anger.

    ¡°I made you what you are, but now that you¡¯ve got rich, you want to get rid of me? Where is your conscience? Don¡¯t lie to me that you have nothing to do with Ye Zhongjue. He¡¯s your husband, for god¡¯s sake!¡±

    Leng Xiyao could not take it anymore.

    Regardless of the fact that she and Mo Suqing were not on speaking terms, she reached out to grab the phone from Mo Suqing¡¯s hand and then yelled into it,

    ¡°I call you Uncle Mo out of respect for the elders. However, you really don¡¯t deserve my respect. You know very well how you have treated Suqing these years! And now, the moment you have found out that Suqing is married to a rich guy, you start the ass-kissing without ever asking her if she wants her ass to be kissed by you. If I were Suqing, I would have disowned you a long time ago! If she doesn¡¯t have her conscience, it is because you ate it! You are unreasonably sick! What¡¯s that logic of yours, saying that she doesn¡¯t have conscience just because she doesn¡¯t want to be used by you? Aren¡¯t you afraid you will be sneered at, with that kind of talk? Stop calling her and ruining her mood!¡±

    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Mo Zhenfeng shouted at the other end of the line.

    However, Leng Xiyao had already hung up.

    Mo Suqing gaped at Leng Xiyao, not expecting her to flip out like this. As always, she had stood up for her.

    Yes, she was mad at Leng Xiyao for hiding her true identity from her. But could it be possible that she was just venting her rage toward Ye Zhongjue on her, more than she was angry at her for what she had done?

    <i>Silly girl. She just stands there, fearing that I will never talk to her ever again.</i>

    <i>But how can I never talk to her? It¡¯s just I don¡¯t have the mood to talk, that¡¯s all. The anger I felt has already faded after I calmed down a little.</i>

    After Leng Xiyao cooled down a bit, she sheepishly put the phone next to Mo Suqing¡¯s hand. She could sense that she had got herself into trouble.

    <i>How dared I talk to Suqing¡¯s father like that? I may well kill myself!</i>

    <i>Even though Mo Zhenfeng is a jerk to Suqing, I¡¯m really not in a position to lecture him. It¡¯s her father, after all, not mine.</i>

    <i>Oh no, it was audacious of me!?</i>Leng Xiyao screwed up her face and took flight.

    Before Mo Suqing could react, Leng Xiyao had fled from the room.

    Mo Suqing smiled. <i>No matter what happens, Yao is always here for me. I have never doubted her heart.</i>

    <i>I just need some time toe around.</i>

    As for her father, she had once again been disappointed. She would never get her hopes up about him.

    Leng Xiyao had spoken out about what she had kept in the bottom of her heart. Her father had always made her doubt her own feelings by utilizing those moral values. That was why she had endured him for so long.

    <i>Maybe, ever since mom died, he has no longer been my father.</i>

    ¡­¡­

    Leng Xiyao ran out of Guan Zixuan¡¯s vi and left the ce, her face hot.

    When she returned home, Leng Haoyun was already there. Seeing that she had got a guilty expression on her face, he asked coolly, ¡°Where have you been?¡±

    Previously, Leng Xiyao had thought it through and concluded that her uncle was just trying to protect her when he had asked her to hide her identity from everyone. It was her own fault that she hadn¡¯t handled it well with Mo Suqing.

    Therefore, she had stopped sulking at him.

    However, her anger exploded again when she remembered it was from Trend Magazine that the stories had first been published.

    She was absolutely incensed by the insulting words of choice in them: <i>a nobody who craved fame, an obsessed journalist¡­?</i>She thought angrily, <i>Who is obsessed with whom? How dare they say something like that?</i>

    Of course, she was also furious at the inaction of Ye Zhongjue. It had been a whole day, and he didn¡¯t seem to have done anything about it!

    Now, looking at Leng Haoyun¡¯s poker face, she suddenly felt a new wave of grievance and irritation surging in her.

    <i>Isn¡¯t he the boss of Trend Magazine? Howe those stories had a chance of being published then? Doesn¡¯t he always put my safety first and hide my identity as well as his own?</i>

    <i>Why would he ignore all of that at once in favor of An Huilin? Doesn¡¯t he know I¡¯ll be?</i><i>heartbroken?</i>

    The thought that An Huilin was more important than her in his eyes was just unbearable.

    Thus, she chose to go ballistic.

    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business! Why would you care? You wouldn¡¯t care if I die out there, would you?¡± Leng Xiyao said defiantly.

    At the word ¡°die,¡± Leng Haoyun¡¯s face became deadly serious.

    ¡°Leng Xiyao, take it back and I will let it go!¡± he said darkly.

    Thinking that he was treating her like this because of An Huilin, Leng Xiyao felt even more grievous.

    ¡°Why should I take back what I say every time you are not happy with what you hear? Why won¡¯t you tolerate me once in a while? If I am willful, it is because you have spoilt me! And aren¡¯t you going to exin yourself why you were willing to expose my true identity for a woman? Are you still the uncle who loves and protects me?¡±

    Leng Haoyun was taken aback to see Leng Xiyao indignant and grievous thus.

    A thought urred to him, <i>Am I wrong to have spoilt her so?</i>

    <i>Is it really because I always indulge her that she has be such a willful woman who never thinks twice before saying or doing anything?</i>

    <i>Well, if that¡¯s the case, it is indeed all my fault.</i>

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll take care of it,¡± Leng Xiyao interrupted him with a re. ¡°How are you going to do that? Can you fire that bitch, An Huilin? Because if it weren¡¯t for her, Suqing would not be¡­¡±

    A p across her face stopped her from finishing the sentence.

    Leng Xiyao was stunned. There was shock in her eyes and her face had gone pale. She put her hand on her face and looked at Leng Haoyun incredulously.

    She couldn¡¯t believe the person who had always indulged her and granted her every wish and loved her more than anyone in the world had just pped her because of a woman.

    Leng Haoyun was stunned, too.

    He had pped her, because he didn¡¯t want to hear more vulgar words from her. <i>Did I neglect her in some way? I remember her to be such a gentle soul. When did she be like this? A person who speaks vulgarities and can¡¯t tell right from wrong!</i>

 Chapter 96 â€“ A Devastating Slap

    <h4>Chapter 96 ¨C A Devastating p</h4>

    Leng Xiyao gave Leng Haoyun a meaningful look with her red-rimmed eyes and said calmly, ¡°You just pped me.¡±

    There was a tremor in her voice.

    Then, with her hand still on her cheek, she ran into her bedroom.

    Leng Haoyun was in a panic. His trembling right hand curled up into a fist, bulging the veins, while his face went pale and helpless.

    <i>God, what did I just do? I pped her, my little princess!</i>

    <i>It must hurt a lot. The look she gave me was filled with disappointment.</i>

    <i>I have disappointed her¡­</i>

    He hadn¡¯t meant to p her. Maybe it was indeed because he had brought her up in a wrong way, so that she had be like this.

    In the end, Leng Haoyun walked into his study, his face solemn.

    ----

    That night, Leng Xiyao wept under the cover of her nket.

    Her phone started to ring. She sniffed and plucked a sheet of tissue before picking it up.

    She couldn¡¯t stop trembling every time she recalled her uncle¡¯s expression when he had hit her. <i>Does he still care about me? I can¡¯t believe he pped me just because I spoke ill of An Huilin!</i>

    The news stories were her doing, but he had clearly decided to ignore it. Leng Xiyao had just wanted him to punish her a little, but he couldn¡¯t hear any of it.

    The sharp pain on her face forced the tears out of her eyes again.

    <i>I will never forgive him¡­</i>

    Tearful, she looked at the screen that had lit up to show that the caller was Guan Zixuan.

    She stopped crying and answered the phone. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Are you crying?¡± Guan Zixuan heard that she had got a hoarse and nasal voice.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just a cold,¡± Leng Xiyao lied unabashedly.

    Guan Zixuan didn¡¯t press the matter. He quickly told her the reason he had called.

    ¡°Mo Suqing is going apartment hunting tomorrow. You should go with her. I think her attitude toward you has improved since this afternoon.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Leng Xiyao wondered out loud. <i>Suqing obviously didn¡¯t want to talk to her?</i><i>today. Maybe Guan Zixuan is trying to make her feel better?</i>

    But even if he was, she could feel her mood getting better.

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be there tomorrow morning.¡±

    After hanging up, Leng Xiyao got under the nket again and cried herself to sleep.

    -

    At Guan Zixuan¡¯s vi.

    After calling Leng Xiyao, Guan Zixuan turned to Mo Suqing and said, ¡°Go to bed early tonight. I have told Leng Xiyao. She is going apartment hunting with you tomorrow.¡±

    Guan Zixuan took a look at Mo Suqing, who seemed deep in thought. He was going to say something else but thought better of it in the end. Sighing, he walked out of the room.

    After the footsteps were gone, Mo Suqing looked up.

    She didn¡¯t want to drag anyone into this mess, especially Guan Zixuan.

    When she came back with him yesterday, he had felt like a savior to her.

    But, after her fight with Ye Zhongjue this morning, she became worried that his awful possessiveness would lead him to harm Guan Zixuan. Guan Zixuan worked for Mighty Empire, after all. She didn¡¯t want to get him into trouble, she concluded. She must leave here as soon as possible.

    Mo Suqing got up and went to the window to draw the curtains.

    Then, she saw a figure outside the house.

    Even though it was some distance away, she recognized it.

    <i>What is he doing here? He threatened me and said confidently that he would make me leave this morning, didn¡¯t he?</i>

    <i>So what is he standing here for? To induce my sympathy?</i>

    <i>If he thinks he can soften my heart by standing there, he is very mistaken.</i>

    <i>Yes, I did fall in love with him helplessly, but I also have my principles! I just can¡¯t stand being lied to, particrly by someone I love!</i>

    Mo Suqing drew the curtains resolutely and turned away from the window. The moment she had done so, she plumped down on the floor and, hugging her knees, began to cry.

    <i>Why am I feeling so much pain? I want to not care about him anymore, but my heart won¡¯t listen!</i>

    Guan Zixuan was standing outside the room. He could hear the soft criesing from inside. He clenched his fist, sighed, then left her alone.

    In the middle of the night, Mo Suqing woke from a start. When she pulled back the curtains, the figure was no longer there.

    She sighed, relieved. However, just when she began to turn around, she saw a car not far from where Ye Zhongjue had stood.

    The figure was leaning against the car. It was dark, so she couldn¡¯t quite make it out except for an outline of the man and the glow of a cigarette in his hand.

    Despite the distance between them, she could sense the mncholy and sadness emanating from him.

    She tried to convince herself that he was doing it on purpose, that he was trying to get her?to?soften her heart. She mustn¡¯t be fooled again.

    Mo Suqing shook her head, forcing herself to numb her feelings. <i>It is just a part of the act! He is acting again. I can¡¯t let myself be duped.</i>

    <i>Have I forgotten how well he knows his stuff? For three months, he has managed to deceive her and hide everything that might</i><i>?have</i><i>?give</i><i>n</i><i>?him away.</i>

    At first, she had been confused about why he wouldn¡¯t introduce her to his friends and family. Now, she thought she knew what the reason was.

    <i>It¡¯s because he was afraid his lies would be exposed. That must be it¡­</i>

    <i>That must be it!</i>

    Mo Suqing kept convincing herself like this, until sleep found her. The next day when she woke up, the car outside the vi was gone.

    She got up and went downstairs, wanting to take a walk. She hadn¡¯t left the house in almost two days.

    When she went out, Guan Zixuan hadn¡¯t got up yet.

    There were a lot of cigarette butts on the ground near the house. They seemed to convey just how restless and upset the smoker had been.

    Mo Suqing looked around. Yes, he was truly gone.

    However, she had lost the mood of taking a walk. She turned back to the vi.

    Guan Zixuan wasing downstairs when she entered the living room.

    ¡°You went out?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mo Suqing replied and started to walk upstairs.

    When they passed each other, Guan Zixuan grabbed her arm.

    ¡°Talk with me for a while, won¡¯t you?¡±

    Surprised, Mo Suqing nodded.

    Right there, that was probably the first serious conversation she and Guan Zixuan had ever had.

    Guan Zixuan took Mo Suqing back to the sofa.

    ¡°Mo Suqing, do you know why I¡¯m helping you?¡± he asked without preamble.

    Mo Suqing shook her head and ventured, ¡°Because we know each other?¡±

    She didn¡¯t know why, but it was like the time at the pub when she had instinctively known that he would save her and Leng Xiyao.

    From the first time they had met at the airport, the time when he had found out that she was a gossip journalist and tried to take revenge on her, the time he had held the press conference and rified the scandal, to the time he had save her and Leng Xiyao in the pub, they really had experienced a lot together, as if they had known each other for a long, long time.

    They surely had be entangled in a way.

    Guan Zixuan interrupted her thought, ¡°At first, I was pissed off because I thought you had tricked me¡­¡±

    Guan Zixuan paused. He raised her brows to see how Mo Suqing would react.

    Mo Suqing, without looking up, only said, ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°I know you didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You?found out?¡± Mo Suqing was surprised.

    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Guan Zixuan replied lightly.

    ¡°I was pissed off at first, but then I found out by chance that someone had stolen the photo from you¡­¡± Guan Zixuan¡¯s mouth curved into a smile. He seemed to be enjoying this.

    ¡°Well, that was the first time a woman wanted to have nothing to do with me so badly that she would rather be mistaken. You are very special, do you know that?¡±

    ¡°So?¡± Mo Suqing looked at him cidly.

    ¡°So I began to take an interest in you!¡± Guan Zixuan spread his arms and shrugged casually.

    Mo Suqing said calmly, ¡°You have saved me twice and I am truly grateful for it. I owe you a lot. However, I have to say this: you are silly!¡±

    Guan Zixuan was taken aback. <i>Am I?</i>

    ¡°Why? What is wrong with me taking an interest in you? What if I tell you I like you?¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s words struck Mo Suqing like?lightning.

    After a while, she finally found her voice.

    ¡°But I am married.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Guan Zixuan said tly; he hated implicitness. Last night when he heard her crying, he could clearly?feel?his heart ache for her.

    He also knew that the best way to get someone out of a heartbreak was to get them to plunge into a new rtionship.

    He was confident he could help Mo Suqing forget about Ye Zhongjue, if she was willing to let him, of course.

    ¡°Although you are married, I think you above all others know that your marriage is one not approved by his family and full of lies. Do you really think it willst?¡±

    Guan Zixuan looked at her earnestly. ¡°I am trying to help you. Well, I admit I am thinking about myself, too, because I like you. I have to be a little selfish. However, if you¡¯ll let me, we can conquer all the unhappy memories from the past together.¡±

    Mo Suqing was speechless.

    After a while, she said, ¡°Guan Zixuan, is love a game to you? That you can love someone whenever you feel like loving her, and undo it whenever you don¡¯t love her anymore? If love is as simple as that, howe there are so many people being hurt by it?¡±

    Guan Zixuan couldn¡¯t understand. <i>Isn¡¯t love based on the mutual feelings of the two people involved?</i>

    <i>If she likes me and I like her, it makes perfect sense we should be together.</i>

    <i>Howe she would think I see it as a game?</i>

    Mo Suqing did not give Guan Zixuan a chance to exin himself. She immediately put an end to his fantasy in a merciless manner.

    ¡°You think you like me because you find me interesting, like you said; but, you don¡¯t really like me. Besides, I can¡¯t fall in love with another man in such a short time. Therefore, you should just put the idea out of your head.¡±

 Chapter 97 â€“ My Cell Phone is Innocent

    <h4>Chapter 97 ¨C My Cell Phone is Innocent</h4>

    Mo Suqing almost added, <i>Besides, I don¡¯t like men who treat rtionships lightly.</i>

    In the face of rtionships, Guan Zixuan was still a child.

    He didn¡¯t understand how one could not control whether to love someone or not. For him, love is just an ¡°interest¡± of a sudden whim.

    Guan Zixuan hadn¡¯t expected that Mo Suqing would reject him t out without thinking. After having some inner conflict for a while, he blurted out, ¡°If that¡¯s what you think, I¡¯ll prove to you I am better than Ye Jue!¡±

    Listening to his obviously rash statement, Mo Suqing felt even more speechless. <i>It¡¯s exactly what a child would say!</i>

    ¡°Looks like I do need to leave here as soon as possible. I don¡¯t want you to prove anything out of sheerpetitiveness and you don¡¯t have to prove anything to me!¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s cool tone knocked Guan Zixuan out. <i>I think I am probably too impulsive.</i>

    <i>This will aplish nothing but push her further away.</i>

    He considered this, then grabbed Mo Suqing, who had stood up, on the arm. ¡°You said yourself that I have helped you twice, so can¡¯t you at least see me as a friend?¡±

    Mo Suqing was amazed at how quickly Guan Zixuan had changed his attitude.

    Her expression didn¡¯t change much when she said, ¡°But I already see you as a friend. Otherwise, why would Ie with you?¡±

    Guan Zixuan grinned. It was a sunny smile with a hint of nonchnce and two cute dimples on either side of his cheeks.

    He had thought Mo Suqing hade with him because she had had no other choices. He surely hadn¡¯t thought she had already seen him as a friend. After all, he had not treated her well before.

    ¡°Well, we are friends then!¡± Guan Zixuan¡¯s eyes, pressed by the big smile on his face, narrowed to slits and sparkled with delight.

    ¡°Okay!¡± Mo Suqing replied.

    Then, she went upstairs and changed into outdoor clothes. When she went downstairs, Leng Xiyao was already there.

    Their expressions were very solemn.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t ask what had happened. If she was right, the headlines today were rted to her again and they had nothing nice to say about her.

    Otherwise, why would they look like shit?

    Leng Xiyao looked up and saw Mo Suqing watching her and Guan Zixuan.

    Then,?she?turned toward Guan Zixuan¡¯s phone on the coffee table.

    Leng Xiyao panicked. The first thing one would see on his phone would be the page they had been browsing, the page that contained the scandalous stories about Mo Suqing!

    Leng Xiyao scooped up the phone and looked around the living room frantically.

    The next moment, Guan Zixuan saw his phone fly through the air and plump right into the fish tank.

    The golden carp, sensing a foreign object fall into the water, jerked away and swam around the tank.

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s eyes widened. He red at Leng Xiyao and couldn¡¯t speak a word until a few secondster.

    ¡°My cell phone is innocent!¡±

    <i>Is she crazy?</i>

    As a matter of fact, they had been discussing how to deal with the situation.?They must stop people from?attacking Mo Suqing like that.

    He had thought about whether he should employ his family¡¯s connections. Then, in the next moment, he had looked up to find his phone being thrown by Leng Xiyao like a pitcher.

    <i>My cell phone didn¡¯t do anything wrong!</i>

    Leng Xiyao stood there, helpless. <i>I didn¡¯t have any other choice! If Suqing sees it, she¡¯s gonna be upset again.</i>

    She had hoped?that Ye Zhongjue would do something about it. However, he wasn¡¯t doing anything. Today, the situation had got worse. Almost everyone in A City had known that a gossip journalist named Mo Suqing was trying to get herself married into a super wealthy family. It wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if her whole lineage had been exposed.

    Yes,?Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t do anything about it at all. Leng Xiyao could not help but doubt if he really loved?Suqing.

    As for her uncle, Leng Xiyao would die before she begged him. He had pped herst night just because she had insulted An Huilin. If she did beg him, he would probably chastise her.

    She would never beg him for anything ever!

    She would not talk to him or forgive him!

    When she had left the house in the morning, he was already gone.

    She used to think that she was a precious treasure in his eyes, that no matter what she did, he would always, always stand by her side.

    Now?

    The p she had received from him made her see that she had been wrong. Nevertheless, what should she do about Suqing¡¯s scandals now?

    She had been misjudging peopletely. How could she not see that Ye Zhongjue¡¯s love for her best friend had all been a fucking act?

    <i>Why hasn¡¯t he done anything about Suqing¡¯s predicament?</i>

    The more she thought about it, the angrier she was. She gave Mo Suqing a sad look. <i>We have the same lot, you and me!</i>

    Finally, Guan Zixuan sensed something was wrong. He followed Leng Xiyao¡¯s gaze, turned around, and saw Mo Suqing standing not far away behind him.

    <i>No wonder she?</i><i>threw</i><i>?my phone away!?</i>Cold sweat broke out on his forehead when he thought of the stories showing on his phone.

    <i>Good job throwing my phone!</i>

    As long as Mo Suqing would not get upset and troubled, sacrificing his phone was no big deal.

    ¡°You are here! Why didn¡¯t you make a sound? Well, let¡¯s all go grab something to eat!¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s voice was a little constrained.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t respond. Instead, she looked Leng Xiyao in the eye.

    Leng Xiyao hung her head low and turned away.

    Mo Suqing walked over and asked, her voice betraying no emotions, ¡°Did you cry?¡±

    Leng Xiyao kept her head low and lied, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then what¡¯s the matter with your face?¡±

    Leng Xiyao was surprised. Mo Suqing noticed it.

    Yes, her face was a little swollen, but the swelling had considerably reduced now. Even Guan Zixuan, who had sat with her for some time, didn¡¯t notice anything.

    The thought that Mo Suqing still cared about her cheered Leng Xiyao a little.

    <i>Guan Zixuan is right. Suqing will forgive me soon!</i>

    She stole a nce at Mo Suqing and replied, ¡°I bumped into a wall.¡±

    Mo Suqing sneered, ¡°Humph, I don¡¯t know your face can swell like that from bumping into a wall!¡±

    Guan Zixuan hadn¡¯t noticed there was anything wrong about Leng Xiyao until Mo Suqing pointed it out.

    <i>Who hit her? She didn¡¯t say anything to me.</i>

    <i>She¡¯s the niece of the president of The Unparalleled. Nobody dares to hit her.</i>

    <i>But what if it was Leng Haoyun?</i>

    Guan Zixuan considered this. <i>It seems to be the only possibility.</i>

    <i>Leng Haoyun hit her.</i>

    <i>Why would Leng Haoyun hit her??</i>Guan Zixuan found it hard to believe.

    The atmosphere became eerily quiet and awkward.

    Leng Xiyao lowered her head in grievance. If Mo Suqing hadn¡¯t asked, she could just pretend nothing had happened. But now that she had, she suddenly felt like crying. Tears streamed down her face.

    Mo Suqing felt pained to see her like this.

    When they bumped into Leng Haoyun at Silk Empire International, she had felt he was looking at Leng Xiyao.

    When he paid a visit to Trend Magazine, he had favored Leng Xiyao.

    Now when she thought about it, Leng Xiyao¡¯s reactions to everything rted to him had also been great.

    When they ran into An Huilin and Leng Haoyun in Taste of Hunan, Leng Xiyao¡¯s mood had gone sour.

    When she saw his picture in An Huilin¡¯s purse, she had cried in herp until her voice was raw.

    She hadn¡¯t linked all of these unusual behaviors together, until now.

    She could see that Leng Haoyun cared a great deal about Leng Xiyao and that he had always taken her matters to his heart. Otherwise, he would never have hidden her identity so well.

    Nevertheless, the only person who could hit Leng Xiyao and made her this grievous yet unwilling to say anything, was also Leng Haoyun.

    Mo Suqing was very furious. She was furious because Leng Xiyao had lied to her face. She was even more furious that Leng Haoyun had hit her.

    <i>If he?</i><i>is</i><i>?so protective of her,?</i><i>how</i><i>?could he hit her?</i>

    Conflicting feelings fought each other inside Mo Suqing.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to have some breakfast first. After that, I¡¯m going to look for an apartment.¡±

    Leng Xiyao stopped crying and followed her without saying anything.

    Guan Zixuan stood up and took out three hats out of nowhere. They were two sun hats and one baseball cap.

    He handed the sun hats to Mo Suqing. ¡°You two put these on in case someone recognizes you.¡±

    Then, he put the baseball cap on himself.

    Mo Suqing sneered self-mockingly.

    It used to be her and Leng Xiyao who had dug up stories about other people. Now the wheel of fortune had turned and?they were the ones?being stalked by gossip journalists. Wasn¡¯t it ridiculous?

    The three of them left the house. Guan Zixuan took his ck Land Rover out of the garage and the women got on the vehicle.

    They asked for a private room at the restaurant so that no one could see them.

    After breakfast, Guan Zixuan told them to be careful before leaving for the filming studio.

    Mo Suqing walked on the street, zoning out. She hadn¡¯t been out for two days.

    Leng Xiyao followed behind her in silence, absent-minded too.

    After a while, Leng Xiyao felt a bit tired from all the walking.

    She asked timidly, ¡°Suqing, where are we going?¡±

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t reply. She didn¡¯t know the answer, either.

    She and Leng Xiyao had never hunted an apartment before and she didn¡¯t have a lot of money with her. They were likely to get duped into signing some treacherous contract.

    In the past, she would never have thought so low of herself. However, after what had happened with Ye Zhongjue, she suddenly found that she was actually very stupid, at leastpared to those sophisticated smart-asses.

    Seeing that she didn¡¯t n to reply, Leng Xiyao tugged at her sleeves tentatively.

    ¡°How about we go find an agent? It¡¯s more expensive, but it¡¯s safer.¡±

    Mo Suqing considered this and conceded eventually, ¡°Alright then. Let¡¯s find an agency nearby and see if there are any suitable?ces.¡±

    Leng Xiyao felt so happy that Mo Suqing had finally spoken to her. She kept her hand on her arm, not wanting to let go.

 Chapter 98 â€“ Leng Xiyao Had a Car Accident

    <h4>Chapter 98 ¨C Leng Xiyao Had a Car ident</h4>

    Mo Suqing felt a little ill at ease. She admitted she was going to forgive Leng Xiyao.

    However, ever since she found out about her true identity, she could no longer see her the way she had.

    At least not now. She couldn¡¯t pretend nothing had happened right away.

    Leng Xiyao didn¡¯t say anything. She just put her arm around Mo Suqing¡¯s, looking as happy as a child.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t pull away. She just let her be.

    The two of them kept walking, deep in their own thoughts.

    ¡­¡­

    Suddenly, Leng Xiyao pointed at a billboard on the right hand side of the street.

    ¡°Look! It¡¯s an estate agency.¡±

    Mo Suqing turned to look where she was pointing. Leng Xiyao beamed, her eyes sparkling.

    Then all of a sudden,?Leng Xiyao¡¯s?face went white?and?she shouted, ¡°Suqing, watch out!¡±

    Mo Suqing felt herself being pushed aside.

    While she fell backward, she could see a car going at full speed toward Leng Xiyao.

    Mo Suqing panicked. Her face had gonepletely white like a sheet of paper.

    In the driver¡¯s seat was no one but Bai Tingnan, who had never got along with them.

    Everything happened in an instant.

    Leng Xiyao had pushed her away and let herself be hit by the car. Her body flew across the air.

    Mo Suqing copsed on the ground. She felt weak and that her strength had gone out of her body. For a moment, she couldn¡¯t quite summon up her courage to check on Leng Xiyao.

    Her thoughts were in a whirl. No matter how much Bai Tingnan hated them, she couldn¡¯t understand why she would hit them with a car and want them dead, even if it meant she could die herself.

    Looking at Bai Tingnan¡¯s frenzied look, Mo Suqing felt there was only one possibility: the woman was crazy!

    She was crazy, so she had decided to crash her car and kill the three of them together.

    Mo Suqing could see blood spreading beneath Leng Xiyao. Her lips, her hands, and basically her whole body were trembling uncontrobly.

    She took out her phone?but?it was difficult to dial with all the trembling.

    Finally, she pressed the three digits of the emergency telephone number. It seemed to have cost all of her energy.

    Tears poured down her face. She was scared, so scared. <i>Silly girl!</i>

    <i>My silly Yao!</i>

    Mo Suqing felt as if she was dying inside. She had never been so scared in her life.

    She crawled over to Leng Xiyao and refrained from hugging her due to the amount of blood on and around her.

    She was like a broken doll, lying there quietly.

    Mo Suqing bit her lower lip so hard it started to bleed.

    She wed at the ground, prostrating on the ground next to Leng Xiyao, and howled.

    ¡°Yao! Wake up! Don¡¯t scare me like that! I¡¯ll never, never hold a grudge against you anymore. I was just messing with you. You always make meugh. How would I hold a grudge against you? How can I? Please just wake up, Yao!¡±

    Mo Suqing wailed inconsbly, but dared not touch Leng Xiyao.

    Leng Xiyao could hear someone calling her name. Her whole body ached so much that she felt she might die from the pain.

    Her sight was blurred, but she could make out Mo Suqing¡¯s figure by her side. She was crying so hard¡­

    She felt like she was going to rise into the air.

    <i>Am I dying??</i>she thought. Then, she thought of her uncle and how he had pped her yesterday. <i>He must be feeling really bad. If I die, he probably won¡¯t be able to live with it the rest of his life.</i>

    She could die, but she couldn¡¯t harm him for life<i>.</i>

    <i>Actually, I don¡¯t feel mad at him anymore.</i>

    <i>After all, he has always been so good to me¡­</i>

    She opened her mouth, trying to speak. Startled, Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at Leng Xiyao.

    She quickly pressed her ear against Leng Xiyao¡¯s mouth and gasped, ¡°Yao, what do you want to say? I¡¯m listening!¡±

    Leng Xiyao, with all her might, whispered:

    ¡°Tell Uncle¡­ that I¡­ I don¡¯t¡­ me him¡­ Yao¡­ loves him¡­ very¡­ very m¡­¡±

    Before she could say the word ¡°much¡± properly, Leng Xiyao passed out.

    Even so, Mo Suqing knew what she wanted to say.

    ¡°Yao!¡± she howled in agony as she pulled at Leng Xiyao¡¯s arm.

    The onlookers watched the scene in pity and shook their heads. There was so much blood, it was unlikely the girl would survive.

    Bai Tingnan felt particrly crazy today. After she had hit Leng Xiyao, she sat in her car and watched them while waiting patiently.

    She knew she couldn¡¯t escape. She would rather be captured by the police than by those guys. She would rather perish in jail than experience the inhuman tortures.

    However, if she was doomed, she would make sure Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao suffer, too!

    It was all their fault that she hade to this!

    She had never known Leng Haoyun and Ye Zhongjue were so atrocious. Even though she was sitting in her car, she could feel a chill?run?down her spine.

    She shook her head. <i>Don¡¯t me me. I was forced to do it.</i>

    ¡­¡­

    The ambnce arrived soon. Mo Suqing held Leng Xiyao¡¯s hand, her eyes widened and unblinking as if she was afraid she would never see Leng Xiyao again once she blinked.

    Mo Suqing got on the ambnce with Leng Xiyao, while the police took Bai Tingnan away.

    Ye Zhongjue and Leng Haoyun arrived at the hospital at the same time.

    Mo Suqing was leaning against the pure-white wall on the hallway. She wanted so badly?to be?the one who was lying there in the operating room. She felt so pained, as if something?had?ripped her heart open¡­

    She couldn¡¯t begin to imagine if something did happen to Leng Xiyao, what she would do.

    She also felt extremely regretful for treating her like that. Even though she had lied about her true identity, Mo Suqing knew very well that?Leng Xiyao?had always treated her with the most genuine heart.

    <i>How could I do that to her?</i>

    Mo Suqing grabbed her hair and slid to the floor in anguish.

    Leng Haoyun ran to the operating room. He was?panicking so much that?his steps?were?unsteady.?It seemed he, who was usually aloof and unruffled, could stagger and fall any moment.

    Ye Zhongjue was right behind him as he rushed to the operating room.

    He?immediately?saw Mo Suqing crouching on the floor. He walked over to help her up, but she suddenly snapped her head up. Her eyes were red and her white blouse was blood-stained.

    She clenched her fists tightly and red at Leng Haoyun with a deadly expression as if she wanted to kill the man.

    Then, the next second, she was up. She ran toward Leng Haoyun and, to Ye Zhongjue¡¯s astonishment, pped him with all her might.

    Ye Zhongjue was utterly dumbstruck. He didn¡¯t know why Mo Suqing would hit him.

    Then, Mo Suqing¡¯s furious outburst made him understand.

    ¡°Leng Haoyun, how dare youe here!¡±

    Mo Suqing red at him with huge eyes as if she wanted to stab him with a knife.

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s face had darkened when she pped him. Ye Zhongjue immediately pulled her behind him protectively.

    Mo Suqing pushed him away. It was obvious she was on the verge of a breakdown, even more so than the time in Jazz Club.

    She pointed at Leng Haoyun angrily and repeated, ¡°How dare youe here? When I saw Yao¡¯s swollen cheek this morning, I didn¡¯t have to guess who?did it to?her. Why did you hit her? You love her so much, so why did you hit her?¡±

    Mo Suqing half-cried, half-yelled.

    Leng Haoyun fisted his hands. His face began to swell.?Clearly,?Mo Suqing had pped him?very hard.

    He was remorseful. The moment he had pped Leng Xiyao, he had felt remorse.

    If he could have known what would happen, he would never have hurt her, even if he had to cut off his hand!

    But he couldn¡¯t have known.

    This morning when he was in his office, he had felt unsettled. Then, Ye Zhongjue had called and told him that there was a car ident and that Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao had been hit.

    On the way to the hospital, they found out that Leng Xiyao had pushed Mo Suqing away and let herself be hit.

    What was she thinking when she had decided in that split second that she would sacrifice herself for Mo Suqing?

    True, their love for each other was more than usual friends. However, Leng Haoyun knew that Leng Xiyao had done it as a protest. She was protesting that he had pped her. That was why she had decided to die for someone else.

    <i>Yao! My Yao!</i>

    Leng Haoyun bent over in pain.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t know what he was thinking. She approached him with red-rimmed eyes and said, ¡°I know you are feeling pain, but¡­¡±

    Her tone became sharp all of a sudden, ¡°It¡¯s nothingpared to what Yao felt! You are her uncle! You are supposed to protect her! But what have you brought her? You know it was Bai Tingnan who published those stories, but you didn¡¯t do anything! How could you let her have the chance to harm Yao? Is?this how you protect her?¡±

    ¡°How could you do this to her!¡± Mo Suqing shouted with all her might and then covered her face with her hands to weep.

    Ye Zhongjue pulled her into his chest.

    He knew she was in a lot of pain.

    Leng Xiyao was like a family to Mo Suqing,?whereas?her real family didn¡¯t mean anything to her.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s cry was full of despair and agony. She sniffed hard and forced herself to stop.

    ¡°Before she?lost consciousness, all she could think of was you, you know? You love her and have always spoiled her, but have you thought that she loves you, too? You are her dearest uncle! Even if you are?a blockhead, you would have felt it.¡±

    ¡°Poor girl. She has a fear of needles, but today she bore with that kind of pain, a pain that made her spasm uncontrobly and made it hard for her to speak¡­¡± Mo Suqing staggered a little before continuing, ¡°¡­ just so that she could let me tell you that¡­ that¡­¡± she sniffed again and finished it, ¡°that she doesn¡¯t me you and that she loves you very, very much.

 Chapter 99 â€“ Life-saving â€œPandaâ€ Blood

    <h4>Chapter 99 ¨C Life-saving ¡°Panda¡± Blood</h4>

    ¡°She is such a cute, sweet girl. How could you be so heartless and hit her?¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s grievous voice could break anyone¡¯s heart. Leng Haoyun¡¯s strong body couldn¡¯t support him anymore. He bent over as if in great pain and a single tear fell to the floor.

    Ye Zhongjue pulled Mo Suqing into his chest and looked away, not having the heart to watch him.

    The whole city knew how much Leng Haoyun loved his niece. Therefore, if something did happen to Leng Xiyao just after he had hit her¡­

    Ye Zhongjue?couldn¡¯t begin to imagine how Leng Haoyun would take it.

    People were made of flesh. He remembered how much it had hurt and how he could barely look at Mo Suqing¡¯s bloodied palms the day she had had a breakdown and harmed herself. It must hurt a million times over for Leng Haoyun to see his niece in such a critical danger.

    When Guan Zixuan arrived, Mo Suqing was like a wooden puppet who allowed herself to be held by Ye Zhongjue, albeit the tears still streaming down her face, while Leng Haoyun looked so aggrieved that the hallway was full of despair.

    Guan Zixuan stopped short and then resumed walking toward them.

    He knew it was not time, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel jealous to see Mo Suqing in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s arms.

    He regretted leaving them for the filming studio today. If he could have known it beforehand, he would have apanied the women to look for an apartment and none of?this?would have happened!

    The news that Leng Xiyao was critically injured had attracted countless journalists to the hospital. The entrance of the building waspletely?jam-packed with them.

    If it weren¡¯t for the security personnel Ye Zhongjue and Leng Haoyun had arranged, they probably would have got inside long ago.

    Guan Zixuan walked over and stood in front of Mo Suqing.

    Then, without hesitation, he pulled her away from Ye Zhongjue and into his own chest. Ye Zhongjue had only held her lightly, lest she should resist him.

    Remembering the look Mo Suqing had given him the other day, he didn¡¯t dare do anything more than that.

    Ye Zhongjue?hadn¡¯t expected Guan Zixuan would just be so bold and pull her away.

    However, seeing how distressed Mo Suqing was, Ye Zhongjue could do nothing but darken his face and re at Guan Zixuan, then stand by her side quietly.

    Leaning against Guan Zixuan, Mo Suqing suddenly felt very dizzy. Her head was spinning, as if she was standing on the ceiling and the floor was above her.

    The next moment, her body went limp and she copsed.

    Ye Zhongjue was fast to catch her mid-waist. He gave Guan Zixuan a cold stare and then quickly carried her to find a doctor.

    He had thought the blood on Mo Suqing belonged to Leng Xiyao. But now she had passed out, he began to panic.

    Fortunately, the doctor told him it was just because she had been too worked up and her body had been under too much tension.

    Ye Zhongjue breathed out a sigh of relief.

    Looking at her lying there quietly with her eyes closed, he remembered what she had said to Leng Haoyun.

    <i>If you love her,?</i><i>how</i><i>?</i><i>c</i><i>ould you have the heart to hit her?</i>

    <i>You didn¡¯t do anything! How could you let Bai Tingnan have the chance to harm Yao? I</i><i>s</i><i>?this how you protect her?</i>

    To him, it sounded like her words had been directed at him, too.

    Yeah, if he did love her, why would he have had the heart to lie to her?

    That must be what she had in mind. He said he loved her, but then he got her into this mess. She couldn¡¯t even have a normal life now! Yeah, if he did love her, he should have killed off those who might harm her, shouldn¡¯t he?

    It sounded like an extreme method, but only when something?happens?to your loved one would you start to realize that love was to protect the person from any potential harm or pain.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at Mo Suqing. His expression had be resolute, as if he hade to an important decision. He stood up and gave her onest look before walking out of the room.

    Guan Zixuan was leaning against the wall outside the ward, like a guardian angel.

    ¡°Take good care of her,¡± Ye Zhongjue told him.

    Then, he walked away.

    Guan Zixuan stared after Ye Zhongjue and cursed him inwardly, <i>Rude bastard! Of course I will take good care of her, but I don¡¯t care for being instructed by you so matter-of-factly! I¡¯m not your goddamned servant!</i>

    After sulking for a while, Guan Zixuan red at the general direction where Ye Zhongjue had left onest time and walked into the ward.

    Before he left the hospital, Ye Zhongjue went to check on Leng Haoyun.

    Leng Haoyun was still squatting there lifelessly, his face pale, waiting for the final sentence from the doctor.

    However, a woman was beside him now.

    Ye Zhongjue recognized her as the editor-in-chief at Trend Magazine, Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao¡¯s boss. He had seen her before when he picked up Mo Suqing from work.

    Just as Ye Zhongjue was about to go over to tell Leng Haoyun that he needed to leave ?and that he should call him if anything came up, the door to the operating room opened.

    A nurse ran out in a hurry. ¡°The patient has?massive hemorrhage and needs transfusions!¡±

    Leng Haoyun jumped up and almost fell backward. An Huilin caught him in time.

    He walked over and grabbed the?nurse¡¯s shoulders, looking aghast.

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    Although he was hurting her, the nurse quickly calmed herself ¨C there was a life at stake! She responded, ¡°The patient is Rh-negative, a very rare blood type. Our hospital doesn¡¯t have that and is trying to get enough of it from other hospitals. It would be best if family members can help, too.¡±

    Leng Haoyun was thunderstruck.

    <i>Yao is Rh-negative, but I¡¯m not!</i>

    He had known long ago that they were not blood-rted. Even if her parents were still alive, they wouldn¡¯t be able to save her.

    Leng Xiyao had almost never been ill in her life, so he had never thought that she might need a transfusion one day. He knew what her blood type was, but had never thought of saving some for events like this. He had always been confident that he could protect her from all harm.

    Leng Haoyun snapped himself back to reality and called his subordinate to look for Rh-negative blood in A City.

    After the call, he felt he could copse any second. Nicknamed ¡°panda blood,¡± the blood type was extremely rare. He knew very clearly how hard it was to find it. He shouldn¡¯t?have been?so overly confident!

    Leng Haoyun put his hands on his head in anguish and moaned.

    Ye Zhongjue could acutely feel his despair.

    Suddenly, he remembered that Ceng Hanyu had also been looking for Rh-negative blood for one asion. An Zhenguo had had some heart condition and needed transfusions for operation.

    After that, Ceng Hanyu had continued to look for donors and saved all the blood he had collected in a blood bank in a private hospital.

    Ye Zhongjue quickly called Ceng Hanyu, not wasting a second.

    ¡°Hanyu!¡±

    When Ceng Hanyu answered, his voice was full of?drowsiness; he?was still half asleep.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked in a hoarse voice.

    ¡°Get up! I remember you have saved a lot of Rh-negative blood in that hospital. I have a MVC patient who needs it right now. Quickly bring it to the Second City Hospital!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue?sounded really urgent.

    Ceng Hanyu could see it was a very serious situation, so he didn¡¯t ask for details. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m getting at it!¡±

    He put on some clothes and made phone calls at the same time, then quickly prepared the transportation.

    Ye Zhongjue hung up and saw hope showing on Leng Haoyun¡¯s face. All he could do was to give him an assured look.

    They had found the blood, but they still needed to wait and see if Leng Xiyao could survive the operation.

    Waiting, as always, was the most anxious part.

    When Ceng Hanyu arrived, the blood had just been sent to the operating room.

    Ceng Hanyu walked over while buttoning up his shirt. He had jumped in his car and headed here before he could even do up the buttons.

    ¡°What happened? Who is it? Do I know them?¡± Ceng Hanyu asked urgently, his expression concerned.

    If there was anyone who could make Ye Zhongjue ask for help and sound so urgent, it must be someone important to him.

    ¡°It¡¯s Leng Xiyao, Suqing¡¯s best friend,¡± Ye Zhongjue looked at him and replied lightly.

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s hands stopped.

    <i>Leng Xiyao, the girl from yesterday? She had a car ident?</i>

    He sighed and gave Leng Haoyun a sympathetic look. It must be very difficult for him.

    The girl had been as lively as one could be yesterday, and today she was in an ident. Fate was unpredictable!

    Ye Zhongjue patted him on the shoulder, hinting that he shouldn¡¯t say anything.

    Then, he walked to Leng Haoyun and patted him on the shoulder, too.

    ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry too much, okay? Leng Xiyao is a lucky girl; she¡¯ll make it! I need to leave now. Call me if anything happens.¡±

    Leng Haoyun stared at the operating room and made a sound so small it was almost imperceptible.

    Ye Zhongjue sighed and turned to leave.

    However, he saw that Ceng Hanyu had his eyes fixated on An Huilin, who was hanging her head low.

    He walked over and kicked him.

    ¡°What are you doing? Let¡¯s go!¡± he whispered.

    Ceng Hanyu rolled his eyes at him, gave An Huilin onest look, and then left with Ye Zhongjue.

    Outside the hospital, Ye Zhongjue scowled at him in exasperation.

    ¡°Are you crazy? It¡¯s not the time to stare at a woman like that!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu rolled his eyes again.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s you who are crazy! I stared at the woman because I recognized her! She¡¯s not my type, okay?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was surprised.

    ¡°You know An Huilin?¡±

    ¡°You bet!¡± Ceng Hanyu exined, ¡°You said yourself, her name is An Huilin! There aren¡¯t too many people with a surname An, are there? Although the An Group¡¯s headquarters is no longer in A City, a lot of their family members still live here.¡±

 Chapter 100 â€“ A Resonating Press Conference

    <h4>Chapter 100 ¨C A Resonating Press Conference</h4>

    ¡°An Huilin is a member of the An family?¡± Ye Zhongjue frowned at Ceng Hanyu.

    ¡°You bet!¡± Ceng Hanyu followed Ye Zhongjue and got into the passenger seat of his car.

    Ye Zhongjue got in, too. ¡°Tell me everything.¡±

    ¡°That would be a long story.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu was trying to keep him on his toes, but Ye Zhongjue just gave him a look and said, ¡°Make it short then.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright! You just love to tyrannize me!¡±

    ¡°Anyway, An Huilin is not directly rted to the Ans, although she does own some shares of the Group. I have met her?at?the shareholders meeting a few times. She¡¯s a distant rtive of the old man. They are not very close.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nodded his understanding.

    ¡°By the way, where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Mypany,¡± Ye Zhongjue answered him tly and began to make a phone call.

    ¡°Yes, hold a press conference now. I¡¯ll be there in a minute. Just make it happen.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue rang off and headed toward Mighty Empire at full speed.

    Ceng Hanyu was speechless. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you are going to yourpany? Are you going to dump me along the way?¡±

    ¡°Either get off now, or go to thepany with me.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu didn¡¯t know what to say. <i>It¡¯s unfortunate of me!</i>

    <i>What kind of a friend is he?</i>

    ¡°Oh well. I guess I can look around in yourpany.¡±

    They had barely arrived when Lin Ran appeared to take over the car.

    Ye Zhongjue took the documents Lin Ran had prepared for him and walked toward the elevator.

    Ceng Hanyu followed suit.

    The elevator stopped at the tenth floor. Ceng Hanyu and Ye Zhongjue strode across to the backstage area.

    A huge event venue which could house a thousand people upied the whole floor. But even so, it was crowded with journalists.

    When everything was ready, Ye Zhongjue walked onto the spotlighted stage.

    The journalists below looked at him expectantly. This was the king of the business world in A City they were looking at! A word from him could cause a turmoil.

    And now, his true identity had juste out along with a scandal between him and a gossip journalist!

    Everyone was excited. They rubbed their hands and got ready to cook up some huge stories.

    Ceng Hanyu felt the journalists were looking at Ye Zhongjue like a bunch of hungry wolves at a chunk of meat.

    He rubbed his nose, chuckling. <i>Sorry?</i><i>for having a wild imagination?</i><i>and draw</i><i>ing</i><i>?an analogy between Prince Charming and a chunk of meat!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue stood on the stage with careless ease; he was emanating a powerful vibe.

    He was the kind of person who attracted attention among a crowd with his mere existence.

    His appearance, his manner, his privilege, his vibe, his background, his aura ¨C they were all looked up to.

    ¡°Today, I would like to rify the scandal between me and Miss Mo Suqing.¡±

    This caused an uproar in the audience. It was totally worth it toe here!

    Ye Zhongjue continued leisurely, ¡°About the exposure of my identity, I can let it go. Although I am no superstar or TV personality, I know as the president of Mighty Empire that I cannot haveplete peace in my life. If you are able to dig out and expose my true identity, that just means you are good.¡±

    ¡°However,¡± Ye Zhongjue¡¯s tone became stern, ¡°what the hell is ¡®Journalist Obsessed with Him¡¯ supposed to mean? And who is ¡®Clown Character,¡¯ if I may ask? And ¡®Journalist Covets After the Rich and Harms Self to Win Sympathy¡¯? I mean, what kind of a moron wrote that?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s voice was as chilling and sharp as the wintry gale.

    ¡°I am going to make a deration: Mo Suqing is neither your so-called clown character, nor a Cindere who wants to marry into a wealthy family. She has never been obsessed with or harassed me, because it is me who has loved her, who wants to cherish her and give her a happy home. Today is?our 3rd month anniversary.¡±

    Now, the uproar had turned into a full-blownmotion.

    <i>What? Mo Suqing is married to Ye Jue? That¡¯s breaking news!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue continued firmly, ¡°That¡¯s right, I am married. My wife is the gossip journalist who you thought wanted to marry into a wealthy family. I have never thought what she does is lowly, because she is the kindest, most ethical gossip journalist I have ever known. She never makes others suffer for her career.¡±

    ¡°So let me ask you this: what exactly did she do wrong? Howe a fight between husband and wife would be described as self-harm on her part, and her being seen with me would be deemed as an obsession? Well?¡±

    At his words, the journalists looked ashen.

    Many of them worked for magazines or newspapers who had published scandals about Mo Suqing.

    Ye Zhongjue chuckled scornfully. ¡°I respect my wife. I love her. She is my precious treasure,?and?has always been. I will not tolerate anyone who tries to ruin her reputation. I will sue each of the newspapers that have published those stories without solid proof for defamation. Mywyer will send?the notice to your office this afternoon.¡±

    His words were a p that hit across the face of every journalist.

    They had brought this to themselves! And?this was what they got!

    Ye Zhongjue paused for effect and then continued, ¡°I want those who have defamed my wife to make a public statement as an apology in three days. Otherwise, I¡¯ll follow through thewsuit against all of you.¡±

    One of the journalists spoke up.

    ¡°President Ye, how should we believe what you said about Miss Mo being your wife? It may well be that you two are good friends and you lied?about it in order to protect her.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue raised his eyebrows and gave the journalist a look before responding, ¡°On the screen behind me, I¡¯m going to show our marriage certificate. If this isn¡¯t enough evidence for you, feel free to look it up on the website of the Civil Affairs Bureau to ascertain it.¡±

    The screen lit up and showed a clear image of a marriage certificate. The journalists hastened to snap photos of it.

    Suddenly, another journalist raised a bold question, ¡°President Ye, I can¡¯t imagine your parents would approve of a daughter-inw like Miss Mo. Did they approve of your decision to marry her? Also, you said Miss Mo didn¡¯t harass you, so I take it means you were the one who chased after her?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked around the audience and replied calmly,

    ¡°First of all, I don¡¯t have to answer the question about if my parents approve of my wife; it¡¯s my private affair. Second of all, you said so yourself that I was the one who got married, not my parents. I have my right to choose my own wife, and even if they don¡¯t approve of it, I¡¯ll try my best to persuade them. We are married now; I just want to treat her well with all my heart.¡±

    Then, he turned to look at the journalist who had asked that question. ¡°You asked me if I was the one who chased after her, if she didn¡¯t harass me. My answer is yes. I chased after her. I have known her for seven years and liked her as long. I can do anything for her and make the impossible possible.¡±

    His eyes swept the venue once more before he spoke again, ¡°Now, are you clear about everything? If so, let¡¯s call it a day. Lastly, I¡¯ll say it again that I will not tolerate anyone who tries to ruin my wife¡¯s reputation. Please respect others and conduct yourselves!¡±

    He turned around elegantly and disappeared into the backstage.

    Ceng Hanyu was dumbstruck. He waspletely shocked.

    He had never seen Ye Zhongjue like this before. It was as if the girl he was talking about meant everything to him.

    Suddenly, he felt a bit envious that he had found the one and that he could defend his love so staunchly.

    ¡­¡­

    When Mo Suqing woke up in the hospital, Guan Zixuan was by her bed.

    She immediately threw the nket away and tried to get off the bed, despite the fact that she was still on a drip.

    Shocked, Guan Zixuan grabbed her. ¡°What are you doing? Your body?has?just recovered. You wanna pass out again?¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s Yao? How is she?¡±

    Mo Suqing sounded like she was about to burst into tears.

    Guan Zixuan was reluctant to reply. ¡°Don¡¯t! Please don¡¯t cry. Mo Suqing, my queen, do not cry anymore. Your eyes are so swollen, they are like walnuts now! What should I do about you?¡±

    ¡°Save it and answer my question!¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright. I will. But you need to lie down first.¡±

    Guan Zixuan pressed her down.

    ¡°Stop worrying. It¡¯s the most useless thing to do. Leng Xiyao is badly injured, but luckily. She survived the operation. I heard that she has multiple fractures and we can¡¯t be certain about the prognosis at this point. She had just finished the surgery and is in the ICU. Even Leng Haoyun can only stay outside, so there is no use for you to go find her. Just be reassured and wait here.¡±

    <i>Yao survived the operation! But, her future is uncertain¡­</i>

    Mo Suqing felt both happy and worried at the same time. <i>I hope there won¡¯t be any seque. You have to be okay, Yao.</i>

    ¡°What about Bai Tingnan? We mustn¡¯t let her go! She did this to Yao!¡±

    Mo Suqing was a little worked up. After all, if it wasn¡¯t for Bai Tingnan, Yao wouldn¡¯t be here at all.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get so worked up. Listen to me,¡± Guan Zixuan soothed. ¡°After you and Leng Xiyao got on the ambnce, the police arrested Bai Tingnan. It is said that she is mad.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Mo Suqing sat up, using her hands as support.

    Guan Zixuan got up and adjusted the angle of the bed, so that she could lean back.

    ¡°I have done some research. It was Trend Magazine who first published the stories about you and Leng Xiyao, and Bai Tingnan was the one who dug out the information. She must have felt bold at that time, because she submitted everything to An Huilin. I heard that you two don¡¯t get along with An Huilin, and that¡¯s probably why she decided to publish the stories as they came to her. she didn¡¯t even run it by Leng Haoyun.¡±

 Chapter 101 â€“ And You Love to Be Pretty

    <h4>Chapter 101 ¨C And You Love to Be Pretty</h4>

    Guan Zixuan paused a moment before continuing, ¡°After what happened, of course Leng Haoyun and Ye?Zhongjue wouldn¡¯t let the culprit go. Although An Huilin is partly responsible for it, Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t do anything to her because Leng Haoyun defended her. Instead, Bai Tingnan bore the brunt. Honestly, she deserved it. It just served her right.¡±

    Mo Suqing closed her eyes and asked quietly, ¡°Can you tell me what exactly Ye Zhongjue did to her? Why did she be mad?¡±

    Guan Zixuan hesitated. If Mo Suqing wanted to know, she would eventually?find out about it.

    ¡°Something happened to Bai Tingnan¡¯s family just after she was fired from Trend Magazine. Her father was set up in a card game and got into huge amounts of debts that made her parents¡¯ small business go broke. Then, the same business was sued for causing seven deaths from using their products ¨C which contained excess harmful chemicals. It is believed the final sentence would be severe.?Bai?Tingnan couldn¡¯t have digested all of this well¡­¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s voice faded out. It seemed he didn¡¯t want to say more.

    Mo Suqing gripped his arm. ¡°And then? Why would she be like this? Why would she want me and Yao dead?¡±

    Guan Zixuan hesitated for a while before telling Mo Suqing the rest of the story.

    ¡°Her parents jumped from a building and died. Then, unable to ept her parents¡¯ deaths, Bai Tingnan wandered on the street like a zombiest night when¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Mo Suqing urged.

    ¡°When she bumped into a bunch of hooligans and was gang-raped. I guess she was trying to kill herself by crashing her car into you and Leng Xiyao.¡±

    Mo Suqing stared at Guan Zixuan, appalled. Suddenly, she found it difficult to speak.

    ¡°Did Ye Zhongjue do all of this?¡±

    Guan Zixuan just looked at her sorrowfully.

    ¡°Fine. Don¡¯t tell me. I can guess it myself! After all, who is capable ofpletely destroying a family overnight, other than him?¡±

    Guan Zixuan reached out tofort her, but his hand paused midair then dropped in the end.

    ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t be too stubborn, okay? The thing with you and Ye Zhongjue¡­ think it through!¡±

    He turned and left the room.

    He hadn¡¯t been able to figure out why Ye Zhongjue had left the hospital hurriedly. Then, he saw the news. He had wanted to suppress the rumors before Mo Suqing woke up.

    Guan Zixuan realized he had been wrong about him. It was not that Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t care; he just wanted to give those gossip journalists an ultimatum, warning them not to mess with Mo Suqing.

    It turned out he was really good. He had sessfully done it.

    Guan Zixuan didn¡¯t know how he felt.

    <i>Will Mo Suqing leave him now?</i>

    Aside from the fact that they were still married, there was also the thing with Bai Tingnan. Yes, it was cruel of him, but it couldn¡¯t be denied that he had done what he had done for her.

    Mo Suqing would probably be touched.

    <i>What a contrast it is to how she turned me down t out!?</i>Guan Zixuan chuckled bitterly. <i>If only I met her earlier.</i>

    Mo Suqing took the needle out of her arm and got off bed. When she opened the door, she saw Guan Zixuan standing outside the ward.

    <i>What is he doing here? I thought he was gone.</i>

    ¡°What are you still doing here?¡± Mo Suqing frowned.

    Guan Zixuan turned to her voice. ¡°And why are you out of bed?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to see Yao!¡± Then, Mo Suqing headed toward?the?ICU without looking back. Guan Zixuan followed behind, exasperated.

    <i>I¡¯ll follow her and make sure she?</i><i>i</i><i>s okay. Otherwise, if she passes out again, my heart?</i><i>is going to ache.</i>

    Mo Suqing looked tough, but he knew very well from the evening when she secretly sobbed in his guest?room that she was as vulnerable as anyone.

    She was smart, aloof, proud and stubborn, but she was a kind-hearted girl first.

    When Mo Suqing reached?the?ICU, Leng Haoyun was standing there. It was almost dark now. The day had seen him change into another person.

    His face was so pallid. He just stared at the figure lying on the bed inside the ICU, not even blinking, it seemed.

    Mo Suqing stood there and looked at Leng Xiyao. Her heart broke at the sight of her. <i>Silly girl. In order to save me, she almost killed herself!</i>

    <i>Doesn¡¯t she know I hate to see her get hurt?</i>

    Mo Suqing was about to go closer when she saw An Huilin came from outside with a bento in her hand.

    She didn¡¯t notice Mo Suqing, because she only had eyes for Leng Haoyun. Tenderness?could be seen?on her usually stern face.

    ¡°Haoyun, have some food. You haven¡¯t eaten at all today.¡±

    Leng Haoyun didn¡¯t shift his gaze away from the ICU.

    ¡°You should go. Yao won¡¯t want to see you when she wakes up.¡±

    An Huilin looked embarrassed. ¡°Haoyun, do you have to treat me like this? You know I didn¡¯t mean to harm her; I didn¡¯t believe she really is your niece at that time! What does it take for you to believe me?¡±

    Leng Haiyun turned around. He looked at An Huilin as if he was looking at a total stranger. ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin anything. All I know is that Yao doesn¡¯t like you.¡±

    An Huilin broke down. She red at Leng Haoyun and said, ¡°So she doesn¡¯t like me. Are you going to leave me just because of that? Leng Haoyun, look me in the eye and answer me this: Have you cared about my feelings since your return? You wanted toe back earlier. Fine, I came back with you; I had finished my study anyway. It has been fifteen years! <i>We</i> have been together for fifteen years! Is this how you want to end things between us? You never made anymitments to me, but I still waited for you like a fool. Now, you want to end things with me, just because of her? Don¡¯t I have a right to get jealous?¡±

    ¡°I never asked you to wait for me!¡± Leng Haoyun said mercilessly.

    At once, An Huilin burst into tears. The woman who was always aloof became so humble in front of Leng Haoyun.

    ¡°Leng Haoyun! I can endure a lot for you, but the only thing I can¡¯t tolerate is for you to put another woman¡¯s photo in your wallet. Who is she? Is she really your niece? Because of her, do I really have any ce in your heart at all? What kind of uncle and niece are you? Let me tell you: I have been jealous all this time. I am jealous of Leng Xiyao because you would do everything for her when you never considered my feelings! It¡¯s true you and I are not really together, but I have thought we are meant to be. Is it just me?¡±

    Mo Suqing was shocked to hear An Huilin¡¯s words.

    She was astonished to find out the rtionship between An Huilin and Leng Haoyun; she was stunned to learn the rtionship between Leng Haoyun and Leng Xiyao.

    An Huilin looked at Leng Haoyun usatorily, the bento box still in her hand.

    ¡°Say something! Why won¡¯t you say anything? Can you really ignore how I feel about you just because of her? How can you be so cruel!¡±

    Leng Haoyun seemed to be fed up with her pestering.

    He turned around and said coldly, ¡°Stop making loud noises. They are going to upset Yao. Also¡­¡±

    Suddenly, his expression became murderous.

    ¡°An Huilin, I want to make it clear: how you feel does not concern me. I protected you only for the sake of all the years we are acquainted with each other. Look at Bai Tingnan and you will know how kind I am to you.¡±

    An Huilin looked at Leng Haoyun incredulously, as if she saw a ghost.

    ¡°It was you who did that to her?¡±

    Leng Haoyun looked at her coldly. ¡°What if it was me? And what if it wasn¡¯t? Even if I didn¡¯t do anything, someone else would. I needed to make amends to Ye Zhongjue because our magazine was the first to have published the stories!¡±

    Leng Haoyun finished expressionlessly, then turned back to look at the petite figure in the ICU.

    <i>Yao, can you feel I am looking at you? Silly girl, you have been sleeping for a whole day. Isn¡¯t it enough? And look at you, wrapping yourself like a rice dumpling. It¡¯s not pretty, and you love to be pretty, don¡¯t you? Come on, wake up¡­</i>

    <i>It¡¯s all my fault. I¡¯ll never hit you again, okay??</i><i>Never</i><i>!</i>

    Leng Haoyun looked at her affectionately and earnestly.

    Mo Suqing could see his feelings for Leng Xiyao really was not that simple.

    Seeing him like this, An Huilin felt angry and sad. She stared at him bitterly, and then walked away with the bento box since hepletely ignored her.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t want to disturb him, so she turned to walk back to her ward.

    At this moment, Ceng Hanyu appeared.

    Mo Suqing hastened forward. <i>What is he doing here?</i>

    Then she recalled that before she had passed out, Ye Zhongjue was also here in the hospital. He hade with Leng Haoyun.

    She had pped Leng Haoyun at the heat of the moment and Ye Zhongjue had put her behind him protectively.

    Her head began to ache. <i>Why has everything been so out of control recently?</i>

    <i>I told myself to get away from that guy! How could I allow him to help orfort me?</i>

    <i>I am incurably stupid!</i>

    Ceng Hanyu hade to ask Leng Haoyun about Leng Xiyao, but thought better of it when he saw that the man was virtually emanating coldness. He would probably be frozen into a human-shaped popsicle if he was anywhere near him.

    He turned away and immediately caught sight of Mo Suqing.

    He approached her smilingly.

    ¡°Sister-inw, here you are! What¡¯s wrong? Why are you wearing patient clothes?¡±

    Mo Suqing said tly, ¡°Don¡¯t call me that. And don¡¯t disturb the patient!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu looked at Leng Xiyao. Suddenly, a strange, indescribable feeling rose in him.

    He was sure what it was. After all, he had only met Leng Xiyao twice.

 Chapter 102 â€“ It Means I Like Men, Not Women

    <h4>Chapter 102 ¨C It Means I Like Men, Not Women</h4>

    Ceng Hanyu shook his head vigorously. <i>I must be thinking too much! I barely know her.</i>

    He turned back to Mo Suqing and smiled. ¡°Sister-inw, of course I?came?to visit the patient. I helped get the blood she desperately needed!¡±

    He tilted his head, thought for a moment and cast Mo Suqing a nce.

    ¡°It can be said that I saved her life!¡±

    Mo Suqing knew how Ceng Hanyu liked to mess around and talk like that, so she didn¡¯t feel ufortable.

    ¡°Well, now you have seen her, you can leave.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu was speechless. <i>Is she kicking me out?</i>

    <i>Isn¡¯t it a little strange to kick someone out of a hospital?</i>

    He beamed at Mo Suqing and then cast a nce at Guan Zixuan, who was standing behind her. Although Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t ask him to be the third wheel today, he had decided he would do everything he could to disrupt Guan Zixuan and Mo Suqing¡¯s interaction every time he saw them together.

    <i>It¡¯s all for the happiness of my friend!</i>

    Ceng Hanyu gave Mo Suqing?a?wicked smile.

    ¡°How can I just leave my sister-inw behind?¡±

    Mo Suqing rolled her eyes. <i>Who can take him away please? I barely know this guy!</i>

    Guan Zixuan, unable to keep silent anymore, asked stiffly, ¡°Where the hell is Ye Zhongjue? Why didn¡¯t hee himself? Is he really that busy?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu feigned shock. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±

    Guan Zixuan was shocked. <i>Is there anything I¡¯m supposed to know?</i>

    ¡°Know what?¡± he spat.

    Ceng Hanyu didn¡¯t mind his attitude. He had a n.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know anything about the press conference. It was already over and now you are feigning ignorance? Don¡¯t you try to cover it up with your misty eyes. I know my sister-inw here is beautiful and kind-hearted and a good catch, but you can¡¯t hide the news from her in order to get her to like you!¡±

    Guan Xizuan¡¯s face darkened at Ceng Hanyu¡¯s exaggerated version of the truth. <i>This guy is as nasty as Ye Zhongjue! No wonder it is said that ¡°like attracts like¡±! They are both the same type.</i>

    ¡°What press conference?¡± Mo Suqing looked at him quizzically.

    ¡°A conference where he told the journalists that you are his wife and that if anyone messes with you again, he¡¯ll sue them.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu looked like he didn¡¯t give a shit?about?anything, but he did have the ability to give a sinct summary.

    Guan Zixuan stared at him, as if he wanted to pin Ceng Hanyu on the wall with his re. ¡°What has that to do with his absence?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu looked at him, amused. ¡°See, I knew you heard about the press conference. You were just faking ignorance. Now you have shown your true colors!¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s face darkened even more. How he wanted to literally kick this man out of this ce!

    Ceng Hanyu saw that Mo Suqing had be distracted and knew he had achieved his goal.

    He added unnecessarily, ¡°His father heard about it, too, and had called him incessantly, so?Ye Zhongjue?had to go home right after the conference.¡±

    ¡°So! That is everything you should know.¡± Ceng Hanyu shrugged and spread his arms casually.

    Then, he grinned at Mo Suqing. ¡°Well, if there¡¯s nothing I can do for you, I¡¯m taking off. Sister-inw, call me anytime you need me!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu walked away without a care in the world, which made Guan Zixuan even more pissed.

    Mo Suqing looked after him and then looked at Guan Zixuan.

    ¡°Go and do whatever you need to do. I want to take a nap.¡±

    Guan Zixuan frowned, but said eventually, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Mo Suqing went back to her ward and sat on the edge of the bed for a long time. In the end, she decided to turn on the TV.

    Almost every channel was reying the same news: the press conference at Mighty Empire.

    Mo Suqing quietly and calmly watched the rey from beginning to end.

    <i>Seven years? I?</i><i>didn¡¯t</i><i>?know we have known each other for seven years.</i>

    Outside the ward, Guan Zixuan could hear the TV. He tightened his fist. <i>I am right here! But his hollow words mean more, apparently.</i>

    Guan Zixuan stood there, his whole body emanating a chilly vide. The handsome young man whom everyone loved had suddenly be stiflingly cold.

    ¡­¡­

    Meanwhile, at the international airport, another handsome man in a khaki overcoat was standing next to a beautiful woman in an azure dress with wavy hair.

    The two of them were about to alight from the ne when the man whispered in the woman¡¯s ear.

    ¡°Do not act without my order. Got it?¡±

    His voice was a seductive bass, but somehow it sounded like a devil¡¯s voice to the woman. She trembled a little when she heard his words and said, ¡°Yes.¡±

    The man smiled satisfactorily and parted from her.

    The woman had just zipped up her suitcase when her phone rang.

    An affectionate and charming smile appeared on her face when she answered it. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m back. Pick me up, will you?¡±

    The person at the other end of the line must have said something to make her giggle.

    After hanging up, she smiled and walked out of the building. The city she had not set foot on for a long time came into view. Everything felt so familiar.

    <i>Jue, I am back!?</i>she murmured inwardly.

    She was Jian Jie, the girl who had studied in the UK with Ye Zhongjue and whom Ye Wentian thought?of?as the best candidate for his daughter-inw.

    Initially,?Jian Jie had nned to return home with Ye Zhongjue. But, when Ye Zhongjue was?heading back, she was just beginning to prepare for her graduate school ¨C Ye Zhongjue had got his master¡¯s and doctor¡¯s degrees in quick session. To be the woman who suited him best, she couldn¡¯t do anything less.

    Therefore, she had spent three years finishing all the required courses and got a doctor¡¯s degree for herself.

    She believed she was equal to him now. She, without doubt, was his perfect woman.

    When An Huilin arrived, Jian Jie was admiring the starry night of A City.

    An Huilin got off the car, and the two women hugged. It was pure coincidence that they had be friends.

    There was this time when Jian Jie was traveling in the US and her purse got stolen. An Huilin had happened to be there. She had helped her find her purse and host her during her stay. They got to know each other and discovered that they both came from A City. Later, they kept in touch and became close friends.

    An Huilin had told Jian Jie when she was?leaving the country. Finally, it was time for Jian Jie to return home, too. Obviously, she was thrilled.

    It had been three years. They had been apart for that long. During these three years, she had never called Ye Zhongjue and he had never contacted her, either.

    But the fact was, she really missed him.

    She had missed him so much.

    Now, Jian Jie and An Huilin had got in the car and started catching up.

    Jian Jie looked out the window and said excitedly, ¡°Did you see the woman just now? She¡¯s really gorgeous, but her boobies are too big. I don¡¯t like them.¡±

    ¡°Because you like them t!¡± An Huilin smiled. She was different from her usual, cool self.

    ¡°It means I like men, not women, okay?¡± Jian Jie suppressed herughter and retorted.

    An Huilin chuckled. ¡°Someone has grown up, knowing how to make jokes!¡±

    ¡°You, too!¡±

    They beganughing heartily.

    Suddenly, Jian Jie saw the handsome face on the big screen on the Central Square.

    That was the face of the man she had missed day and night.

    ¡°Huilin, can you pull the car over? I want to see something,¡± she said immediately.

    An Huilin checked the traffic light before pulling over. She looked to where Jian Jie was looking and saw the aloof man on the screen.

    He was saying, ¡°My wife Mo Suqing has never been obsessed with or harassed me, because it is me who has loved her¡­¡±

    Jian Jie¡¯s face paled in an instant. She turned to An Huilin, looking shocked and agitated.

    ¡°He¡¯s married?¡±

    <i>Am I toote?</i>

    ¡°You know him?¡± An Huilin frowned. She could see Jian Jie was upset.

    ¡°Of course I know him! He¡¯s the person I talk about all the time! The man I like! If it¡¯s not for him, I wouldn¡¯t?have?stayed?abroad all by myself. I did it because I wanted to be a more suitable wife for him. That¡¯s why I worked so hard! Why is he married? Our parents are old friends; we grew up together. How can he be married? I didn¡¯t know a thing!¡±

    Tears poured down her cheeks.

    An Huilin hadposed herself from the shock, although she still couldn¡¯t believe it.?Leng Xiyao was the obstacle to her ideal man while Jian Jie¡¯s romantic rival was Leng Xiyao¡¯s best friend! Fate was messing with them.

    ¡°Tell me it isn¡¯t true, Huilin!¡±

    Jian Jie gripped her arm and sobbed grievously.

    An Hulin patted her on the back and soothed her in a gentle voice. She didn¡¯t want to tell her the truth. It must be devastating when you had loved someone for so long and then realized out of the blue that he had got married.

    Although she herself had also waited for another man for many years, at least he hadn¡¯t got married. As long as he didn¡¯t, she could continue to wait and?hope.

    ¡°Silly girl, don¡¯t be stupid. You don¡¯t have to be with the one you love. Ye Jue has been very secretive about his marriage. Even his parents probably didn¡¯t know about it until now, let alone you. Don¡¯t be sad. Stop crying, okay? Shh¡­¡±

    An Huilin stroked her long hair and said, ¡°You are such a pretty woman. You¡¯ll see, there are going to be a lot of men who chase after you. Don¡¯t limit yourself to one man.¡±

    ¡°No, I only want him. I havemitted myself to him a long time ago. How can he be married?¡±

    Jian Jie copsed in An Huilin¡¯s arms and sobbed.

    An Huilin handed her some tissues to wipe her face, then sighed. ¡°As a matter of fact, I know his wife.¡±

    ¡°You know her?¡± Jian Jie stared at her.

    ¡°Huilin, what kind of a person is she? Do you know how she and Jue got together?¡±

 Chapter 103 â€“ Choose Between the Woman and Your Father

    <h4>Chapter 103 ¨C Choose Between the Woman and Your Father</h4>

    Jian Jie gasped out her words eagerly, as if she wanted to know everything at once.

    However, An Huilin shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know how they got together. I only found out about them recently. All I can tell you is that she is a gossip journalist at Trend Magazine and her name is Mo Suqing. You can look her up, but don¡¯t do anything stupid, okay?¡±

    Jian Jie held back her tears at An Huilin¡¯s concerned expression and came back to her elegant self.

    ¡°I know, Huilin. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not that stupid.¡±

    An Huilin started the car and resumed driving.

    ¡°I know you aren¡¯t,¡± she said, ¡°but I still have to warn you. There was a journalist in ourpany who dug out a scandal about Mo Suqing and she ended up in prison. Her parents killed themselves and she went mad, you know? These happened overnight!¡±

    Jian Jie¡¯s face went a little pale. <i>She¡¯s that important to him already?</i>

    She clenched her fist so tightly that her long nails were biting into her flesh. But she did not feel it.

    ¡­¡­

    Meanwhile, in the Ye Residence.

    Ye Wentian red at Ye Zhongjue. ¡°Do you have any respect for your?father? Have you run it by me before you went and told the whole world about her? I have told you I will never approve of a daughter-inw like her!¡±

    Ye Wentian¡¯s tone was resolute and full of fury, daring him to disagree.

    However, Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t seem to care.

    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t forget, she¡¯s my wife, not yours. She doesn¡¯t need your approval.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ You are pissing me off on purpose!¡± Ye Wentian said, sitting down on the sofa angrily.

    Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t move away from the entrance hall.

    Within a minute, Ye Wentian looked up and made an effort to talk nicely.

    ¡°I can forgive you for what you have done today, but you must divorce that woman right away. Otherwise, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you beforehand. I will not be lenient towards her.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face clouded in an instant. He narrowed his eyes dangerously and looked at Ye Wentian.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you darey a finger on her!¡±

    ¡°I am your father!¡± Ye Wentian threw a tea cup at Ye Zhongjue, who moved sideways and dodged sessfully, his expression still sullen.

    ¡°You son of a bitch, what if I finish her off secretly? What are you gonna do? Kill me? I¡¯m telling you now: Choose between the woman and your father. If you don¡¯t divorce her soon, I will show you what I¡¯m capable of!¡±

    Ye Wentian widened his eyes and threatened his son without blushing.

    Ye Zhongjue frowned. He had known there would be consequences once he told the public who Mo Suqing was. However, he had decided to do it anyway.

    He wanted so badly to hear people call her Mrs. Ye.

    <i>I love her. Is there anything wrong about that? Why does he have to keep pushing him?</i>

    ¡°Dad, I know what you are capable of and that I can¡¯t protect her 24/7. Plus, she¡¯s just a defenseless journalist. However,?if?you still decide toy a finger on her,?you can go ahead?if you are not afraid of losing your son?as well.¡±

    ¡°Remember though,¡± Ye Zhongjue looked at Ye Wentian in the eye defiantly. ¡°If you really don¡¯t care about me ¨C your son ¨C you just go ahead and hurt her, but I will want to get even with you, even if you only hurt a single hair of hers. Of course, like you said, you are my father and I can¡¯t really harm you. Nevertheless, I can swear with my own life that if anything happens to her, I¡¯ll nevere back home ever again. That will be thest you see of me.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue said tly without stammering.

    Ye Wentian¡¯s face had gone purple. He hadn¡¯t expected his son would be so firm. He pointed at Ye Zhongjue and gasped, ¡°You unfilial son of a bitch! Don¡¯t you see I am trying to help you? Have you forgotten what happened to your little sister? I don¡¯t want you to go down that?path! But all you do is pissing me off!¡±

    At?the?mention of Ye Mingke, Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression softened.

    ¡°I believe she is fine. I have been looking for her all these years. One day, I will find her and bring her back. As for me, I can take care of my own family and protect them from all harm. But, my wife has to be Mo Suqing!¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t have it!¡± Ye Wentian thundered.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a say!¡± Ye Zhongjue retorted. He was determined to win the argument this time.

    Ye Wentian¡¯s face suddenly went white and began to spasm. He put his hand on his chest as if in pain and started panting heavily.

    Leaning against?the?wall, Ye Zhongjue had?not?been?paying much attention in his sullen mood.?By the time he?looked up,his father?was?crouching against the sofa,?twitching in pain.

    Panicked, he ran over and asked, ¡°Dad, are you alright?¡±

    Ming Jinhua was used to their pattern of fighting upon seeing each other, so she had gone upstairs to take a nap. Now, she wasing down and immediately?saw?that Ye Zhongjue was kneeling in front of the sofa and had his hand press against Ye Wentian¡¯s chest.

    She tensed. Ye Wentian had a history of heart attack, but he hadn¡¯t had one for years. It was obvious father and son had gone too far today.

    Ming Jinhua quickly dialed the emergency number and rushed upstairs to get the medicine.

    She handed it to Ye Zhongjue and picked up a ss of water on the coffee table. ¡°The ambnce is on its way. Let¡¯s get your father to take the medicine first.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue put the pill into Ye Wentian¡¯s mouth nervously before Ming Jinhua fed him some water. Then, she reached out and stroked Ye Wentian¡¯s chest to ease the pain while looking toward the entrance hall.

    Ye Wentian was really worked up today. He couldn¡¯t breathe properly until the ambnce came.

    After many checks and treatments, it was well past midnight when Ye Wentian was finally pushed to a ward. He looked like he had got several years older.

    Ye Zhongjue hadn¡¯t thought he would go to the hospital twice in one day.

    Before going in, Ming Jinhua looked at him sternly. ¡°Jue, talk nicelyter, okay? Even not talking is better than making him angry again. Nobody¡¯s getting any younger. He¡¯s not as fit as he was. He could have died, you know?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue took a deep breath, his face dark.

    ¡°Mom, he wants me to get a divorce. Do you think I should get it, too?¡±

    A hint of sadness crossed Ming Jinhua¡¯s eyes. She took her son¡¯s elbow and said in a patient tone, ¡°Jue, you know very well what your father can¡¯t get over. He just doesn¡¯t want you to repeat his fault. He¡¯s trying to protect you. How can you be mad at him for it?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue turned to look at Ming Jinhua seriously.

    ¡°Mom, I know what you and dad are worried about. But the same thing won¡¯t necessarily happen to me. I am confident that I can protect my family. I know what happened to my sister has always been a heartbreak for both of you all these years. We¡¯ll find her, okay? I promise I¡¯ll talk nicely to himter, but the bottom line is, I can¡¯t divorce her.¡±

    Ming Jinhua shook her head resignedly and sighed.

    ¡°Never mind. I guess no one can be certain about the future. Anyway, remember he¡¯s ill and do choose your words?wisely?when you see him. Let¡¯s go inside.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ye Zhongjue replied and followed Ming Jinhua inside.

    Ye Wentian opened his eyes when they came in, then, seeing Ye Zhongjue, closed them again.

    Ye Zhongjue just stood there. He decided to take Ming Jinhua¡¯s advice and be a mute, so as not to provoke Ye Wentian again.

    Ming Jinhua walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. She looked down at her husband and smiled tenderly.

    ¡°Look at you. You are an old man now, but you acted like a man-child by getting angry with a kid and ending up in a hospital. Shame on you!¡±

    Ye Wentian looked at his wife and his expression softened.

    Then, he looked at Ye Zhongjue and became stern again.

    He scowled at him and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t act like a man-child, okay? Your son was trying to piss me off! If he could learn how not to worry me, I wouldn¡¯t end up here.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue just stood on the spot and pretended he didn¡¯t hear anything.

    Ming Jinhua chuckled. ¡°Getting angry with a kid, that¡¯s what a man-child does! And listen to yourself. You¡¯re talking like one right now.¡±

    Smiling, she turned to Ye Zhongjue and said, ¡°Honey, the doctor wants to keep your dad in the hospital for a couple of days. You should go home and get some sleep now. Also, bring some of his clothes with you tomorrow, will you? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll stay here.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nced at Ye Wentian, who glowered at him in exasperation.

    Ye Zhongjue rubbed his nose. <i>Well, I may as well go. Dad doesn¡¯t want to see me now anyway.</i>

    After Ye Zhongjue left, Ming Jinhua took out a cotton swab and dabbed some water with it to moisten Ye Wentian¡¯s lips. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have argued with him. To be honest, he¡¯s just like you when you were young. If you want him to do something, you shouldn¡¯t force it. Take your time. One day, he¡¯ll understand.¡±

    Then, she said in exasperation, ¡°Look at you. The moment he came home, you asked him to get a divorce. If he could break the news in a press conference, it means he is firm in this matter. Why couldn¡¯t you say what was on your mind in a more indirect way? Why did you have to sh with him and end up here? You are not doing it ever again, you hear me?¡±

    Ye Wentian looked at his wife affectionately and nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of myself. I won¡¯t leave you alone in this world.¡±

    Ming Jinhua blushed. ¡°Old man, you are not young anymore. Save those sweet nothings!¡±

    She looked away shyly. Ye Wentian¡¯s gaze became even more tender.

 Chapter 104 â€“ I am a Dynamite

    <h4>Chapter 104 ¨C I am a Dynamite</h4>

    The next morning, an uncalled-for guest appeared in the hospital.

    Jian Jie knocked the door to the ward and opened it,?holding?a basket of fruit and a bouquet of lilies in her hand and arm.

    Ming Jinhua was surprised to see her, but soon an amiable smile showed on her face.

    ¡°Look! It¡¯s Jian Jie! When did youe back?¡±

    ¡°Ah, Jian Jie, is it? Don¡¯t just stand at the door. Let her in quickly,¡± Ye Wentian said happily, not at all like a sick person.

    Smiling gracefully, Jian Jie walked inside. After putting the basket on the table and the flowers in a vase, she turned to look at Ming Jinhua and Ye Wentian.

    ¡°Uncle, Auntie, how are you? I came backst night. I was going to pay you a visit right away ¨C I have missed you so much all this time ¨C but dad said it was toote and he wouldn¡¯t let me go.¡±

    Then, she smiled shyly.

    ¡°When I called your house this morning, the servant said that Uncle was hospitalized, so I immediately came. Uncle, how are you feeling? Are you alright? I can ask a few experts to take a look at you. They are professors and authorities in the field that I came to know in the UK.¡±

    Ye Wentian waved his hand, his face full of smiles?that an elder reserved for?the younger generation.

    ¡°It¡¯s very thoughtful of you, but I am not that ill. I was just too worked up by that foolish son of mine. It¡¯s no big deal!¡±

    ¡°Jue? What did he do?¡± Jian Jie pretended she didn¡¯t know anything and continued, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him since I came back. It¡¯s been three years since we saw each other!¡±

    She lowered her head shyly at her own words.

    Ye Wentian felt?more and more pleased with this?girl. ¡°Pull a chair over here for her,¡± he told Ming Jinhua.

    Ming Jinhua smiled. She was about to do as bid when Jian Jie beat her to it.

    ¡°Sit tight, Auntie. I¡¯ll get the chair myself.¡±

    Ming Jinhua smiled at her polite and appropriate behavior. <i>The girl has grown up!</i>

    Ye Wentian looked at Jian Jie, who had sat down by his bed, and said, ¡°Wait here for a while. Jue ising now. I¡¯ll ask him to take you to breakfast, so you two can catch up.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Jian Jie again lowered her head shyly.

    ¡°Jian Jie, are you?nning to stay?this time?¡± Ye Wentian asked.

    Jian Jie looked up at him innocently and shook her head. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not going anywhere now. I n to apply for a job somewhere here. Since I majored in finance and management, I am hoping to gain more experiences and assist my father in the future.¡±

    ¡°You are not going to work for Jian Group?¡± Ye Wentian asked in surprise.

    Jian Jie shook her head. ¡°I want to work somewhere else. Everyone knows me at Jian Group. If I work there, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll get proper training. I want to work from the bottom up.¡±

    Ye Wentian nodded approvingly. <i>What a mature thought!</i>

    He considered this for a moment. His wife had told him not to openly sh with his son, but she hadn¡¯t said anything about covert operations.

    ¡°How about Mighty Empire,ss?¡± he asked meaningfully.

    Jian Jie pressed her lips and smiled. ¡°Mighty Empire is the business giant in A City and has great influence on its economics. Of course it would be an honor.¡±

    ¡°Thene and work for Mighty Empire! I¡¯ll talk to Jue.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever Uncle thinks is good for me,¡± Jian Jie replied innocently.

    ¡°How was studying abroad?¡± Ye Wentian asked.

    ¡°It was fine at first because Jue was there, but for thest three years, I needed to take care of myself¡­¡±

    Jian Jie began to recount her life in the UK to Ye Wentian. She would include some funny stories, too, soughter could be hearding from the ward from time to time.

    Ming Jinhua smiled tenderly at Ye Wentian¡¯s merriment.

    After some time, the door opened.

    Ye Zhongjue?brought several?Ye Wentian¡¯s outfits, warm soup made by the servant, and breakfast for Ye Wentian and Ming Jinhua.

    Ming Jinhua quickly took the stuff from his hands.

    Ye Wentian, who had been smiling a moment before, snorted and put on his poker face at the sight of his son.

    Jian Jie, sensing something wasn¡¯t right, quickly walked over to greet Ye Zhongjue. She waved his arm and purred, ¡°Jue, I¡¯m back!¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Ye Zhongjue replied nomittally, as if he didn¡¯t care if she was back or not. ¡°When?¡±

    Jian Jie smiled a charming smile, almost arm in arm with Ye Zhongjue now.

    ¡°I arrivedst night. I was going to pay a visit to Uncle and Auntie at their house today, but I heard that Uncle was hospitalized. So, I came here right away!¡±

    ¡°Okay, thank you,¡± Ye Zhongjue said, then withdrew his arm calmly.

    Jian Jie smiled embarrassedly. She couldn¡¯te up with anything else.

    Ye Wentian saved her skin by saying, ¡°Jian Jie, what don¡¯t you rinse some fruit for me, with your auntie? I need to talk to Jue before he takes you to breakfast.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was displeased, but he reminded himself that his father was a patient here and forced down the rage surging inside. Jian Jie took some fruit smilingly and headed toward the water fountain room with Ming Jinhua.

    ¡°Dad, what are you ying at now?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue asked impatiently.

    ¡°What am I ying at? You bastard! Don¡¯t you see how the first thing Jian Jie did after she came back was to visit us? And how she rushed here when she heard I was hospitalized? Do you really need me to tell you everything? So what if I ask you to take her to breakfast on behalf of me and your mother? Don¡¯t forget you two studied in the same country before.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face darkened. He knew very well what his father¡¯s n was.

    However, since he couldn¡¯t get worked up again, Ye Zhongjue reluctantly agreed.

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll take her to breakfastter. But I can¡¯t take her around; I have this meeting to attend this morning.¡±

    Although he was obviously reluctant, at least he had agreed. Ye Wentian felt relieved.

    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing.¡±

    ¡°What?else?¡± Ye Zhongjue raised his brows immediately.

    Ye Wentian became irritable again. ¡°I am your father. A favor or two from my son isn¡¯t too much, now is it?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue saw that the old man was going to flip out, so he conceded resignedly, ¡°Alright, alright. Please tell me what it is you want me to do. You don¡¯t have to explode every time I talk to you, just like a dynamite¡­¡±

    ¡°You bastard! Who talks to his father like that? Who is a dynamite?¡± Ye Wentian flipped out anyway. He picked up an apple from the nightstand and hurled it at Ye Zhongjue.

    Ye Zhongjue caught it and waved his hand impatiently. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t be mad. I am?talking about myself, okay? I am a dynamite! So what were you going to say?¡±

    Ye Wentian scowled. ¡°Jian Jie is looking for a job. Let her work in yourpany!¡±

    It was not a question; it was an order. His son had grown wild, so he must exert some degree of control here.

    However, Ye Zhongjue hated to be forced into hiring someone, especially when the person?forcing?him was his father.

    He drew his brows together in irritation. ¡°Can you learn how to control your temper? Also, my employees are hired after a series of exams and interviews. If everyone forces their way into mypany, how am I going to manage my subordinates?¡±

    Ye Wentian did not get angry at once. He thought about it for a moment and said, ¡°I think you are right. I¡¯ll ask her to apply for the job. You know howpetent she is, so arrange a good position for her, like a manager or higher-ranking secretary.¡±

    Although Ye Wentian did want to ce Jian Jie by his son¡¯s side, he was not unreasonable. Something as important as hiring an employee could not be treated lightly. Otherwise, they would have a bunch of losers to manage in the future.

    He asked Ye Zhongjue to arrange a position for Jian Jie, but didn¡¯t ask him to substitute his current assistant or secretary with her. This was exactly what his wife meant by ¡°a more indirect way¡± and he wouldn¡¯t sabotage thepany, either. Win-win.

    Ye Zhongjue saw that his father had relented and was not being stubborn or trying to push him harder like he used to, so he softened.

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll see if there¡¯s anything for her and tell you in a few days. But, if there¡¯s nothing, I¡¯m not going to rece any of my current employees. You know how bad it would look if I do so.¡±

    Ye Wentian¡¯s brows quivered a little, as if he was going to go berserk again.

    Fortunately, Ming Jinhua and Jian Jie came in at this moment.

    Ming Jinhua put the fruit on the nightstand and handed an apple to her son.

    Ye Zhongjue shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m good. I need to go to thepany now. Call me if you need anything.¡±

    Ming Jinhua nodded and began to peel an apple for Ye Wentian.

    Seeing that Ye Zhongjue was going to leave without Jian Jie, Ye Wentian prompted, ¡°What did I just ask you? Jian Jie hasn¡¯t eaten yet. Take her to breakfast before going to thepany.¡±

    Ming Jinhua could see that Ye Zhongjue hadn¡¯t eaten, either, so she chimed in with her husband¡¯s thoughts.

    ¡°Yeah, she was here very early! I can see you haven¡¯t eaten, either, so why don¡¯t you take her to breakfast? I would do so myself if I didn¡¯t have to take care of your father.¡±

    ¡°Okay then.¡± Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face clouded. Then, he looked at Jian Jie and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Although Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t look too happy about it, Jian Jie still felt d. She had just?returned?and they were already having breakfast together!

    Even back when they were both in the UK, they wouldn¡¯t cross paths for a week or two sometimes.

    Now that she was here, the situation might improve. If she could work in Mighty Empire, she would probably see him every day.

    Jian Jie nned and schemed thus while following Ye Zhongjue happily.

    At the parking lot, Ye Zhongjue turned to look at her. ¡°Did you drive your car here?¡±

    Remembering her Ferrari in another parking lot, Jian Jie bit her lip and shook her head.

 Chapter 105 â€“ The Scheming Mind of Ye Zhongjue

    <h4>Chapter 105 ¨C The Scheming Mind of Ye Zhongjue</h4>

    ¡°Get in the car and let¡¯s go,¡± Ye Zhongjue said, then got in the car first.

    Jian Jie hastened to open the door of the passenger¡¯s seat.

    However, Ye Zhongjue gave her a cold look and said, ¡°Sit in?the back seat!¡±

    Jian Jie looked at him sorrowfully with big, teary eyes, unable to understand what was happening.

    Ye Xhongjue had no mood to waste time on her, so he repeated himself in a steely voice, ¡°Sit in?the back seat!¡±

    Jian Jie knew his ways. If she disobeyed his wishes, she would probably incur his wrath.

    Therefore, she opened the door to the back seat dejectedly and got in the car.

    On the way, Jian Jie tried several times to engage Ye Zhongjue in a conversation, but he totally ignored her.

    Finally, they arrived at a hotel. Ye Zhongjue pulled over. Jian Jie got off the car cheerfully and waited for Ye Zhongjue to join her.

    However, Ye Zhongjue made a show to consult his wrist watch and looked up at her expressionlessly. ¡°I have something to attend to in thepany. The buns here are not bad. You should go ahead and try some. I¡¯ll cover all of the expenses.¡±

    Then, he drove away and his car disappeared in the morning traffic.

    Jian Jie stamped her foot in fury. She looked at the hotel, not wanting to go inside. But then, she reminded herself of what Ye Zhongjue had said and tried to look on the bright side. <i>He must really have something important to do and can¡¯t have breakfast with me. At least, he did his best and took me to a hotel where the buns are good, didn¡¯t he?</i>

    At the thought, Jian Jie returned to her elegant self and walked inside.

    To the waitress who began to follow her upon entering, she said, ¡°I want two baskets of vegetarian buns and¡­¡±

    The waitress interrupted her mid-sentence, ¡°Miss, we don¡¯t have buns here.¡±

    It took Jian Jie a moment to realize what had happened. Her face clouded. <i>Ye Zhongjue lied to me!</i>

    The truth was, Ye Zhongjue, in a hurry to get rid of her, had made up the bun lie impromptu. He had no idea whether they sold buns here or not.

    Jian Jie¡¯s face became red with anger. She almost forgot her manners and could barely keep her temper in check.

    ¡°Then I want a serving of everything you have here!¡± Jian Jie took a seat angrily and watched the waiters serve dish after dish. The food had upied two tables and counting.

    Even the manager of the hotel was alerted.

    He looked at Jian Jie awkwardly and said, ¡°Miss, you see, it¡¯s impossible that you can finish all of these by yourself, and we can¡¯t prepare every dish on the menu in one day, either¡­ So, you see¡­¡±

    Jian Jie was just getting it out of her system. Now that she had had time to cool down a little, she reminded herself that she had still got something to doter. Therefore, she waved her hand casually and said, ¡°Never mind. Don¡¯t prepare anything else. Just bring me those already made.¡±

    Jian Jie tasted a few dishes. The food was actually quite delicious, but she couldn¡¯t tell because she was in a foul mood.

    When it was time to pay the bill, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll pay it on ount!¡±

    The cashier looked at her and said cautiously, ¡°Miss, we don¡¯t let customers do that.¡±

    Jian Jie red at him, ¡°Even if it is on the ount of Ye Jue, the president of Mighty Empire?¡±

    The cashier smiled politely. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I need to make a call to confirm it first.¡±

    The call was forwarded to Lin Ran. After a while, Lin Ran went into Ye Zhongjue¡¯s office. ¡°Yellow Crane Tower has called. A Miss Jian dined there and wanted to pay the bill on your ount. They would like to confirm if you know her.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t look up when he answered in a t tone, ¡°No, I don¡¯t. Stop faking acquaintances with me!¡±

    Lin Ran left the office and closed the door behind him before telling the person on the other end of the line, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, the president doesn¡¯t know her. Also, please stop random customers from faking acquaintances with him in the future.¡±

    Lin Ran hung up the phone.

    On the other end of the line, the cashier hung up, too.

    He looked at Jian Jie scornfully and said, ¡°President Ye said he doesn¡¯t know you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible! Give me the phone.¡±

    The cashier held the phone firmly down under his hand and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Please use your own phone.¡±

    Jian Jie called on Ye Zhongjue¡¯s private phone, but it was turned off.

    Her face was contorted. The look the cashier gave her became even more scornful. <i>She looks well-off enough, but she¡¯s trying to get a free meal! Humph, if you don¡¯t have that kind of money, don¡¯te here in the first ce!</i>

    Jian Jie looked up and saw that the staff were all looking at her contemptuously as if she was some despicable beggar.

    Jian Jie¡¯s mouth waspletely twisted with anger now. Even her exquisite makeup could not mask her contorted face.

    She rummaged around in her purse. There were a few pound notes, but not much cash in the currency that she desperately needed at the moment. She had been in a hurry leaving the house today, so she didn¡¯t even bring a card with her. The only money she had stuffed in her pursest night, she had spent on the fruit this morning.

    Jian Jie had never felt so humiliated all her life.

    Since she didn¡¯t have any other choices, she called An Huilin for help.

    Finally, just when it seemed like the stares from the staff were beginning to bore holes all over her body, An Huilin showed up. She paid the bill and the two women left the hotel.

    In the car, Jian Jie poured out her sorrows to An Huilin.

    An Huilin listened on. Then, her eyes gleamed.

    ¡°You said Ye Zhongjue was in thepany?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what his assistant said.¡± Jian Jie looked at her with teary eyes.

    An Huilin sighed and shook her head. ¡°It was a lie! Do you remember I told you that Mo Suqing¡¯s best friend was in the hospital? Mo Suqing has been there ever since she got hospitalized. When I went to check on her this morning, Ye Zhongjue was there, too! To bring her breakfast, you know.¡±

    Jian Jie¡¯s eyes widened. She clenched her fist tightly and her face was badly contorted.

    An Huilin kept adding fuel to the mes. ¡°Perhaps Mo Suqing asked Ye Zhongjue not to help you! She is a very maniptive woman.¡±

    An Huilin seemed half to be talking to herself, half to be talking to Jian Jie.

    <i>Jian Jie, don¡¯t me me for stirring up your mind. I dislike Mo Suqing, too, besides hating Leng Xiyao. If we can work together and form a league, we</i><i>?may</i><i>?have a chance to get what we want.</i>

    ¡­¡­

    Mo Suqing was standing in front of the headquarters of Mighty Empire.

    This was the second time she came here and she had mixed feelings. The first time she hade, she had thought Ye Zhongjue was an assistant of one of the managers here.

    But now, for the second time she was here, she knew the man she was looking for was the king of this building. He was at the very top.

    Mo Suqing put herself together and walked inside.

    She had to ask him about Bai Tingnan. Three lives were involved, after all.

    <i>Three lives! In the eyes of the wealthy, are human lives this negligible?</i>

    Yes, she didn¡¯t like Bai Tingnan. Yes, Bai Tingnan had kept?giving?her and Leng Xiyao trouble. But, despite all of this, her parents hadn¡¯t done anything wrong!

    Why did they have to pay for what Bai Tingnan had done?

    Of course, she felt sad and pained about what had happened to Leng Xiyao; she wished she was the one lying on that hospital bed.

    But that didn¡¯t mean Bai Tingnan should have paid such a heavy price.

    It could be said that what Ye Zhongjue and Leng Haoyun had done had directly led to Leng Xiyao¡¯s ident. If they hadn¡¯t pushed Bai Tingnan over the edge, none of this would have happened.

    It was karma, although the victim of their actions was Leng Xiyao.

    Everything in the world had something to do with karma.

    Last night when she saw the news about the press conference, she felt moved.

    Maybe she could try to forgive his lies and they could try to make it work. After all, she still loved him.

    And she wanted to put an end to the endless tragedies.

    If Ye Zhongjue was willing to handle the affair about Bai Tingnan well, she could give them another chance.

    This was the decision she had made after turning it over in her head the entire night.

    Ye Zhongjue said he had known her for seven years. But why wasn¡¯t she aware of it? She remembered Ye Zhongjue had said he would exin everything to her.

    <i>Okay then. I¡¯ll let him exin.</i>

    Mo Suqing approached the receptionist¡¯s desk and took a look at the receptionist. <i>Great, it¡¯s the same girl.?</i>If it were another person, she wasn¡¯t so confident she could get in.

    The receptionist looked up and smiled. ¡°Hello, who are you looking for? Have you made a reservation?¡±

    Mo Suqing tried to look nice, even though she couldn¡¯t bring herself to smile in such a bad mood.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Ye Zhongjue.¡±

    She realized she had said the wrong name immediately.

    ¡°No, I mean your president, Ye Jue,¡± she corrected.

    The receptionist took a closer look at Mo Suqing. It was not that she had?a?bad memory; it was because Mo Suqing looked particrly pallid than usual.

    But now that she had looked at her carefully, she recognized her. Yes, she was Mo Suqing, President Ye¡¯s alleged wife!

    She replied smilingly, ¡°Hello, I know who you are, Miss Mo. The president is having a meeting right now. You can take the elevator on the far left; that is the president¡¯s private elevator. Go to the hundredth floor and find Mr. Lin. He will direct you to the president. The president¡¯s office is at the far end of the floor.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Mo Suqing nodded at her politely and walked to the elevator.

    In the elevator, Mo Suqing looked around at the decorations and felt her heart flutter with nervousness.

    When she had first learned about Ye Zhongjue¡¯s true identity, she had been extremely furious. She had broken down and been overwhelmed with a profound feeling of being deceived.

    However, after she calmed down, she had begun to feel surprised and incredulous.

    Deep in her heart, she had suspected Ye Zhongjue was nomon person, but she had never expected him to be <i>this</i> umon.

    He was the head of Mighty Empire, for god¡¯s sake! Every woman would fall head over heels for him.

    She was not a saint, a fool, or a pure lotus flower.

    But, she had always been honest and followed her heart as long as her conscience wouldn¡¯t be jeopardized.

    The shock Ye Zhongjue¡¯s identity had brought her and the pain his lies had caused her had subsided considerably during thest few days. She was not as emotional as before.

 Chapter 106 â€“ Song Pingting Ate Her Own Bitter Fruit

    <h4>Chapter 106 ¨C Song Pingting Ate Her Own Bitter Fruit</h4>

    The elevator was fast. Before Mo Suqing knew it, the door opened.

    She walked out.

    She looked around. The hundredth floor was spacious, with three distinct office areas, one of which upied half of the floor. On the wall, it read: The President¡¯s Office.

    It was located at the far end of the floor on the left-hand side, as the receptionist had told her.

    The assistant¡¯s office was adjacent to it, and then there was the secretaries¡¯ office.

    After a moment of consideration, Mo Suqing walked toward the president¡¯s office.

    Right then, Song Pingting emerged from the coffee room with a ss of water.

    ¡°Stop!¡± she shouted.

    Mo Suqing turned around.

    Song Pingting had never met Mo Suqing in person, so she didn¡¯t recognize her. Although she found her stunningly beautiful, her pallid face somehow spoilt her mood.

    ¡°What are you doing here? Who let you in? The receptionist is not doing her job, apparently.¡±

    Song Pingting immediately began to pelt Mo Suqing with self-assured reprimands, treating her like her subordinate.

    Mo Suqing just watched her expressionlessly. The woman was wearing exquisite makeup and an officedy¡¯s outfit tight enough to bring out the curves of her body.

    Mo Suqing couldn¡¯t help but think, She¡¯s good at dressing up and has a smoking body.

    However, she didn¡¯te here to admire this woman.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Ye Jue!¡±

    Song Pingting was a little taken aback. Then, she sneered, ¡°You want to see President Ye?¡±

    She eyed her up and down with a disbelieving look on her face, as if trying to figure out what asset the woman had that could make here here brazenly and asked to see the president.

    However, after she watched Mo Suqing¡¯s face closely and remembered the picture she saw on the newspaper, herposure was ruffled.

    Jealousy gleamed in her eyes. <i>She¡¯s the gossip journalist!</i>

    <i>She is quite pretty, I¡¯ll give her that. But she certainly doesn¡¯t know how to dress herself. I wonder why the president would fall for her.</i>

    Song Pingting sized her up and started topare herself with the woman.

    Seeing that there was no one around, she decided to deal with Mo Suqing with a high hand. If anyone asked, she could just say she didn¡¯t recognize her.

    ¡°Who are you, anyway? President Ye is not going to meet a random woman like you! Go home and look at yourself in the mirror. With that look of yours, how did you find the courage toe here? I can see from your shabby appearance that you are just a country bumpkin. The president is busy today. You are unlikely to steal even a glimpse of him, so you should just go!¡±

    Song Pingting held her head high, as if she was condescending to even talk to Mo Suqing.

    Mo Suqing just looked at her, not caring one bit about whatever she was ying at.

    She was used to all kinds of plots and schemes, given the office politics at Trend Magazine.

    ¡°Please tell your president to meet me now or never toe to see me.¡±

    ¡°Ha¡­¡± Song Pingting sneered. ¡°Who do you think you are? How dare you say something like that to our president!¡±

    All Mo Suqing wanted to do was to finish the business here as soon as possible, so she could go back to the hospital. She didn¡¯t have time to argue with this woman.

    She checked the time on her watch. Since it looked like she couldn¡¯t see Ye Zhongjue today, she should probably just go.

    She hadn¡¯t thought it would be so difficult for one to see one¡¯s husband.

    How absurd!

    Mo Suqing turned to leave without another world, which surprised Song Pingting. <i>She?</i><i>just left like this?</i>

    After a while, she began walking back to the secretaries¡¯ office, swinging her hips on the way. <i>Well, I¡¯m not going to stop her from leaving!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue and Lin Ran emerged from the meeting room, followed by the managers of different departments.

    Lin Ran swiped open his phone. He had set it on mute during the meeting, and now he saw that there were several missed calls from the receptionist.

    He moved aside to return the call after informing Ye Zhongjue.

    ¡°What¡¯s up, youngdy?¡±

    ¡°Miss Mo went to see the president a while ago, but she came back down soon and left, looking unhappy. I guess she wasn¡¯t able to see the president. Miss Zhang from the design department said there was a meeting this morning, but howe she didn¡¯t wait up until it was over?¡± the receptionist said in the sweet voice of hers, sounding baffled.

    Lin Ran was surprised. Miss Mo was here? ¡°But, did you let her in?¡±

    ¡°Of course! I saw her walk into the president¡¯s private elevator. Then, shortly afterwards, she came back down. The meeting couldn¡¯t have been over then.¡±

    ¡°So where is she now?¡±

    ¡°She has left for a while.¡±

    Frowning, Lin Ran hung up the phone and walked towards Ye Zhongjue¡¯s office.

    The first time Miss Mo came up to look for his boss, she had been shown the door. At such a critical time in their rtionship, too! What were the staff doing? They must have recognized Miss Mo and should have informed him that she was here.

    Lin Ran walked into the office without knocking.

    ¡°Boss, Miss Mo was here just now! The receptionist told me she hade and then left a short whileter, looking unhappy.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue immediately stood up at the mention of Mo Suqing¡¯s name. His face clouded.

    ¡°Where is she?¡±

    ¡°She?already?left.¡± Lin Ran¡¯s face clouded, too.

    Ye Zhongjue picked up his jacket on the sofa and walked out.

    ¡°Find out what exactly happened while she was here before Ie back!¡±

    When Song Pingting saw Ye Zhongjue rush out of the office, she had a bad premonition. Lin Ran emerged from the office, too. He looked at the staff in the secretaries¡¯ office and said, ¡°Whoever did it,e forward now! If I have to find it out myself, you are done here!¡±

    Then, he headed to the monitor room.

    Song Pingting¡¯s face went pale. She tried to reassure herself, <i>It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s going to be okay. She has worked for the president as a secretary for so many years. A gossip journalist can¡¯t overthrow her! If anythinges up, I can always say I didn¡¯t recognize?</i><i>her.</i>

    ¡­¡­

    Ye Zhongjue drove at a high speed toward the Second City Hospital.

    Mo Suqing had hailed a taxi and returned to the hospital, too, after she left Mighty Empire.

    Guan Zixuan hade from the filming studio and brought lunch and a lot of fruit to her.

    However, Mo Suqing shook her head. Yao hadn¡¯t woken up. She wasn¡¯t in the mood of eating anything.

    They went to the doctor¡¯s office instead.

    When they emerged from it again, Mo Suqing¡¯s face had gonepletely pale.

    The doctor¡¯s words were still resonating in her ears.

    ¡°The patient has experienced multiple fractures and massive hemorrhage during the operation. Although transfusions took ce in the end, the blood hade from another hospital and we had wasted too much time waiting for it. Her brain didn¡¯t have enough blood supply for a prolonged time. Therefore, even though physical injuries will definitely heal, it is unlikely she will ever wake up.¡±

    Mo Suqing felt weak in her knees.

    <i>She¡¯s not waking up¡­ Does that mean she¡¯s going to be a vegetable??</i>She didn¡¯t know if Leng Haoyun knew about this. Suddenly, she wanted tough.

    <i>It¡¯s karma!</i>

    If they hadn¡¯t done anything to Bai Tingnan¡¯s parents, none of this would have happened!

    If the one they had killed had been Bai Tingnan, she would probably be okay about it. But why must theyy their fingers on a pair of innocent elder people? Was it true her Yao would never wake up?

    She knew very well how slim the chance was when a doctor said that.

    Guan Zixuan supported Mo Suqing back to the ward.

    Leng Xiyao had been transferred to a regr ward this morning. She was still in aa and there was no sign of her waking up.

    Mo Suqing felt as if someone was stabbing her heart.

    She stood outside the room and watched Leng Haoyun wipe Leng Xiyao¡¯s hands with a towel. The sight made her so sad she couldn¡¯t breathe. <i>How did</i><i>?everythinge to?</i><i>this?</i>

    She hugged Guan Zixuan and cried uncontrobly. Her tears soaked through his shirt and drenched his shoulders.

    Mo Suqing wailed like an animal that had just lost her fellow.

    Guan Zixuan hugged her back, feeling pained. He wished he could share some of her sadness.

    When Ye Zhongjue rushed to the hospital, this was what he witnessed: Guan Zixuan was hugging Mo Suqing tightly and Mo Suqing had her head on his shoulder. From a distance, they looked very intimate.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s clenched his fist?so hard?that?the?veins?were popping out?on the back of his hand.

    He wanted to punch Guan Zixuan in the face. However, he knew it would only make Mo Suqing hate him more.

    His raised arm dropped. He could never neglect her feelings.

    His wife was in another man¡¯s arms. Who could?understand how he feels?right now?

    He took a step back. Lin Ran said Mo Suqing had wanted to see him. Did she want to tell him that she wanted nothing to do with him anymore?

    He began to panic all of a sudden. The fear of losing her made him unlike himself.

    Guan Zixuan looked up and saw Ye Zhongjue standing not far away, his expression showing mixed feelings. He raised his eyebrows and gave him a challenging look.

    Ye Zhongjue felt his courage draining away. He feared he would be destroyed by what Mo Suqing was going to tell him. In the end, he stared at Guan Zixuan onest time and turned to leave.

    He raced back to thepany. The moment he came out of the elevator, the temperature on the hundredth floor seemed to drop considerably.

    Lin Ran followed him into the office.

    Lin Ran had downloaded the footage from the monitoring system in an USB. He handed it to Ye Zhongjue.

    As Ye Zhongjue watched the footage, his face became darker and darker. Eventually, he swept everything off his desk and bellowed in a terrifying voice, ¡°Tell Song Pingting to pack her things and get the hell out of here now!¡±

    Lin Ran could see his boss was in an extremely foul mood, so he quickly turned to leave without saying a word.

    After Lin Ran passed Ye Zhongjue¡¯s words to Song Pingting, the woman plumped down on her chair as if she had no strength left.

    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t do that. He wouldn¡¯t be so cruel to me!¡± she murmured.

    She shook her head in disbelief. ¡°I can exin. I didn¡¯t recognize her! I really didn¡¯t! I want to see the president!¡±

    She jumped up from her chair.

 Chapter 107 â€“ A Shameless Mo Sulian

    <h4>Chapter 107 ¨C A Shameless Mo Sulian</h4>

    Lin Ran blocked Song Pingting¡¯s way and looked at her with pity.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go. The president won¡¯t hear you out.¡±

    Song Pingting pushed him away in a fit of passion and cried out, ¡°What do you know? The president won¡¯t be this heartless to me!¡±

    Lin Ran couldn¡¯t help but think, <i>The president won¡¯t be this heartless? Are you kidding?</i><i>me?¡±</i>

    <i>Have you seen him show any affection to anyone?</i><i>else?</i><i>other than Miss Mo?</i>

    Lin Ran shook his head speechlessly. <i>If you keep believing it, you have only yourself to me for what¡¯sing.</i>

    Song Pingting had brushed past him and run into the president¡¯s office.

    The moment she went inside, she was struck by the oppressive atmosphere around Ye Zhongjue and his dark gaze. However, she couldn¡¯t bear the thought of leaving Mighty Empire.

    Although she had never seeded in obtaining his love these years, she had got used to seeing him every day. She knew it was pathetic, but she had loved him anyway.

    <i>Why? Why does he have to take it from her, too?</i>

    Song Pingting walked over and put her hands down on his desk.

    ¡°President, you can¡¯t just fire me like that!¡± she sobbed.

    Ye Zhongjue looked up at Lin Ran, who was rubbing his nose and looking innocent at the door. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to get her out of here? Why is she still here? Lin Ran, how ipetent are you?¡±

    Lin Ran felt utterly innocent. He had already called security; he had no way to manhandle a crazy woman single-handedly.

    Afraid she would be kicked out the next minute, Song Pingting burst into tears and looked at Ye Zhongjue with pleading eyes. ¡°President, I can exin! I didn¡¯t mean it to happen. I really didn¡¯t recognize her¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue felt disgusted with her pretentiousness. Even Jian Jie¡¯s face was a much better sight than hers.

    ¡°Get out. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being cruel!¡±

    He stood up and walked to the window, turning his back to Song Pingting.

    Song Pingting was still crying. ¡°President, you can¡¯t do this! I have worked for you for so long. Even if I didn¡¯t achieve anything, I did work hard. It¡¯s a heartless thing to do! You can¡¯t be so heartless!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue turned around abruptly and looked at Song Pingting nkly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know how much crueler I can be to those who incurs my wrath? I am actually being kind to you!¡±

    Song Pingting was shocked. She looked at Ye Zhongjue in disbelief.

    Although she didn¡¯t know him that well, she did hear of his merciless ways. <i>He wants?</i><i>to do those horrible things to me?</i>

    Before Song Pingting could say anything else, the security had shown up.

    Lin Ran looked at Ye Zhongjue in front of the window and yed the viin reluctantly.

    ¡°Drag her out!¡±

    The two guards nodded. They each gripped one of Song Pingting¡¯s arms and dragged her out.

    Lin Ran didn¡¯t miss the viciousness and hatred sparkling in her eyes.

    He frowned ufortably but did not think much about it.

    ¡­¡­

    That night, Ye Zhongjue visited Ye Wentian in the hospital and asked him to tell Jian Jie that she could start working as his chief secretary from tomorrow.

    Ye Wentian was thrilled.

    Jian Jie couldn¡¯t believe it when she received the news. Ye Zhongjue had yed a neat trick on her today. Nevertheless, somehow he had decided to let her work in Mighty Empire.

    <i>Is it a test?</i>

    Anyway, Jian Jie was naturally very happy.

    The next morning, she packed everything she needed and went to Mighty Empire.

    However, on her very first day to work, an unwee guest appeared on the hundredth floor.

    She imed to be Mo Suqing¡¯s sister.

    Jian Jie looked Mo Sulian up and down, contemptuous.

    She didn¡¯t want to go in and tell Ye Zhongjue about it, but then she remembered what she had heard this morning and decided not to give Mo Sulian a hard time.

    The other secretaries in the office had told her that theirst chief was fired simply because she had driven Mo Suqing away when she came to see Ye Zhongjue yesterday.

    The woman wouldn¡¯t be treated nicely by Ye Zhongjue anyway.

    Jian Jie smiled. ¡°Ah, you are Miss Mo¡¯s sister! Well, the president is in the office at the far end. Do you see it? The te that read ¡®The President¡¯s Office¡¯? That¡¯s the one.¡±

    Mo Sulian thought that Jian Jie was being nice because she was afraid of her status. She smiled condescendingly.

    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll go look for him!¡±

    Jian Jie stared after her with deep contempt and mock.

    Lin Ran and Ye Zhongjue were discussing work stuff in the office when there was a knock on the door. Lin Ran stopped what he was saying and told the knocker toe inside.

    Mo Sulian opened the door and gave them a bewitching smile. Then, she walked in while swinging her hips.

    When she saw Ye Zhongjue, she purred like a rutting animal, ¡°Brother¡­¡±

    Lin Ran got goosebumps all over at her voice. <i>What a narcissistic woman!</i>

    Hearing such a flirtatious voice, Ye Zhongjue took in a sharp breath. A nauseous perfume smell assaulted his nostrils.

    He snapped his head up and saw Mo Sulian not far from him.

    ¡°Stay there and don¡¯t move,¡± hemanded sternly, frowning.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, brother-inw?¡± Mo Sulian, taken aback, batted her eyes and looked at Ye Zhongjue innocently.

    Lin Ran couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter.

    Ye Zhongjue rubbed his forehead.

    Although he didn¡¯t like Mo Sulian, she was still Mo Suqing¡¯s sister. If he made light of her, people might think he didn¡¯t care about Mo Suqing.

    Moreover, he had learned that no matter how much Mo Suqing hated Mo Zhenfeng¡¯s behaviors, she had still been pretty upset when the Mo Group was in trouble. She had still been dismayed when he forced her to do things she disliked.

    Deep inside, she must still long for her family.

    It was just the family had changed into something different from what she remembered.

    The look Mo Sulian gave Ye Zhongjue was getting more and more infatuated.

    Although she was jealous of Mo Suqing¡¯s good luck with securing such a handsome husband, she hadforted herself that look wasn¡¯t everything. <i>Money?</i>was what really mattered.

    Little had she expected that Ye Zhongjue would turn out to be the president of Mighty Empire.

    She had never thought she would be linked with such a prestigious person in her life, not to mention the fact that the link would be Mo Suqing.

    No matter what the link was, she felt content to be able to get close to him.

    Her eyes were full of admiration when she stood there,?as if she was drunk and stupefied by?Ye Zhongjue.

    Ye Zhongjue cleared his throat. ¡°What is it that?brought?you here?¡±

    Smiling, Mo Sulian took a step forward. However, Ye Zhongjue said, ¡°Stop! Do note any closer!¡±

    Mo Sulian looked surprised. Lin Ran found it difficult to suppress another bout ofughter. He quickly turned aside toward the window, his face contorted.

    Mo Sulian seemed to detect Ye Zhongjue¡¯s aversion to her getting too close to him.

    She was also smart enough to see from Ye Zhongjue¡¯s gesture that she had perfumed herself too much today.

    After working in the entertainment industry for such a long time, she had already developed a skill of observing people and saying the right words.

    She immediately took a step back and said, ¡°Sis hasn¡¯t answered her phone for the past few days and hasn¡¯t gone to work, either, so dad told me to look for her here.¡±

    ¡°If she doesn¡¯t want to go home, she must have her reasons. It¡¯s no useing to me.¡±

    Mo Sulian¡¯s eyes rolled here and there before they fixated on Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face. ¡°Brother-inw, I would like to speak with you in private.¡±

    Then, she nced at Lin Ran as if to say, <i>I can¡¯t say it with him here.</i>

    Ye Zhongjue looked at Mo Sulian. A sneer tugged at the corner of his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s okay to say anything in front of Lin Ran.¡±

    Lin Ran thought his face would definitely be paralyzed if he kept suppressing hisughter.

    Mo Sulian hesitated a moment before saying in a pitiful tone, ¡°Actually, the reason I want to see Sis is because I need to ask her a favor.¡±

    She watched Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face carefully for any change in his expression.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Ye Zhongjue raised his brows and drawled out the syble.

    Mo Sulian thought she had piqued his interest and quickly continued, ¡°The director in our filming studio always picks on me. When I told dad about it, he said I should ask Sis for help. He said, ¡®You are sisters. She will undoubtedly help you.¡¯¡±

    She looked at Ye Zhongjue expectantly, but he didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°If you have anything you want to know about Sis,¡± she added, ¡°I can inform you at once.¡±

    Cold amusement appeared at the corner of Ye Zhongjue¡¯s mouth. ¡°Sure. I hope you can get along with your sister. Lin Ran will help you with the issue about the director. You can go now.¡±

    Lin Ran pointed at himself, stunned. <i>I have to deal with her problem?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue red at him, so he quickly put his hand down.

    Getting Ye Zhongjue¡¯s promise, Mo Sulian left the office swinging her hips like a tramp.

    Jian Jie found that she had misjudged the situation. Mo Sulian had emerged from the office after quite a while, looking pleased. Jian Jie looked after her with hatred. <i>Jue is nice even to that woman¡¯s sister!</i>

    Back in the office, Lin Ran was looking at Ye Zhongjue. ¡°Boss, you really want me to help her?¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Ye Zhongjue cast him a nce.

    Lin Ran¡¯s face crumpled. ¡°But Miss Mo is not going to be happy about it!¡± he tried.

    Bitterness crossed Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face. Yes, Lin Ran could swear with his superb eyesight that it was indeed bitterness in his face.

    Ye Zhongjue murmured to himself, ¡°Does she still care?¡±

 Chapter 108 â€“ Do you have dignity?

    <h4>Chapter 108 ¨C Do you have dignity?</h4>

    Lin Ran nearly burst into tears! He said with a crumpled face, ¡°Boss, I can swear with my dignity that Miss Mo will definitely care!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nced at him. ¡°Do you have dignity?¡±

    Now Lin Ran did cry. <i>Big Bro, how can you say that!</i>

    Then, Lin Ran remembered something. He looked at Ye Zhongjue and became all serious and solemn.

    ¡°Big Bro, I remember when I looked up some information about Miss Mo, it said Mo Sulian is not her real sister. I mean, they are not rted by blood. Before moving in with them, she was Bai Sulian. But why do I feel they look alike, now that I have met Mo Sulian?¡±

    Ye Zhongjuepared the heavily made-up face that had just appeared before him and the beautiful and pure face of Mo Suqing.

    ¡°You have the sight of a blind person. You should go to see an eye doctor!¡± he told Lin Ran.

    Lin Ran said indignantly, ¡°I¡¯m serious, Boss!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious, too!¡± Ye Zhongjuepletely ignored his protest.

    ¡­¡­

    Ever since Mo Suqing went to Mighty Empire and futilely looked for Ye Zhongjue that day, she had not seen him.

    Guan Zixuan had asked Yuan to find her an apartment. It was not spacious, but themunity was quite nice andfortable.

    Although she wanted to go back to where she and Ye Zhongjue had lived to fetch her stuff, she was afraid she might cross paths with him.

    She had plucked up her courage the day she went to look for him. Now, it was all gone.

    She had also returned to work on Monday. People in the magazinepany looked at her with apprehension and fear now. She was?clearly aware of the reason why.

    An Huilin had been transferred to the headquarters of The Unparalleled. Their new editor-in-chief was a middle-aged man named Sun Yi who didn¡¯t talk or demand much as long as you finished your job on time.

    Every day after work, Mo Suqing would go to see Leng Xiyao. Leng Xiyao had been in aa for a week without any signs of waking up.

    Leng Haoyun had instructed Aunt Zhang, who had brought up Leng Xiyao, to take care of her. Mo Suqing had seen him a couple of times in the hospital.

    She could feel he had be even colder now with an added hint of gloom.

    Mo Suqing knew the reason behind his cold exterior. It was what Leng Xiyao had said just before she passed out. Those were her true feelings, and it killed Leng Haoyun to hear them.

    ¡­¡­

    It was at a charity event when Mo Suqing saw Ye Zhongjue again.

    Many billionaires and celebrities were going to the dinner party, including Guan Zixuan, who told Mo Suqing he needed a date and promised her that no other journalists were allowed to get in.

    Mo Suqing was almost driven crazy by his persistent request, so she finally agreed to go with him. After all, he had been looking out for her.

    She had tried to squeeze out more time to help take care of Leng Xiyao, and it had made her extremely busy. However, Guan Zixuan?would always find a way to locate?her and bring her something to eat.

    He reminded her that she should take care of herself even though Leng Xiyao was still in aa.

    If Leng Xiyao woke up and found her all tired and bedraggled, she would feel bad.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t know what she would have be without hisfort and support during thest week.

    The day before the dinner party, Mo Suqing asked Guan Zixuan the?same repeated question.?¡°Are you sure he won¡¯t be there?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure! I have assured you countless times. Ye Zhongjue has never attended these?kinds?of parties before!¡±

    Guan Zixuan sounded so confident that he might well have told Mo Suqing, <i>If he doese, I can cut my head off and let you kick it as a ser ball!</i>

    However, even though Guan Zixuan was?very?certain, Mo Suqing still felt a bit nervous.

    That evening, she applied some light makeup and put on a ck gown that Guan Zixuan had sent to match his own ck tuxedo.

    When he came to pick her up, he was immediately stunned by her beauty and could not look away.

    Mo Suqing looked down at the gown uneasily and frowned. ¡°Is it too revealing? The hollow back makes me feel exposed!¡±

    Guan Zixuan stepped close and shook his head slowly.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s wonderful. You look gorgeous. I think I¡¯m drunk¡­ on you!¡±

    Mo Suqing chuckled. ¡°You and your sweet mouth! Do I really look okay?¡±

    ¡°Trust me when I say you are going to be the most beautiful woman in the party.¡±

    His sincere expression made Mo Suqing feel better.

    They arrived at the party at a reasonable time, not too early yet not toote.

    However, a lot of guests were already there. Mo Suqing didn¡¯t like to be in a crowd, so she tried to stay in a corner as much as she could. Nevertheless, more than a few men had noticed ande to talk to her.

    Guan Zixuan was very protective. Most of the time they just sat on a couch near the entrance and drank their wine.

    Mo Suqing was not used to this kind of ce and the looks?people gave her?were?making her very ufortable.

    After the majority of guests had arrived, there was a suddenmotion at the entrance.

    Mo Suqing looked toward the doors and could not believe her eyes.

    When Guan Zixuan saw the handsome man, too, his face clouded. <i>He has nevere to?</i><i>these</i><i>?kind</i><i>s</i><i>?of parties! Why?</i><i>did hee today</i><i>?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue walked into the party with a poker face. Jian Jie was by his side in a sapphire gown and looked like a queen, acting as if she was superior to everyone present.

    Despite Ye Zhongjue¡¯s aloof expression that was meant to repel anyone who dared toe near, he was instantly surrounded by people.

    Ye Zhongjue was wearing a dark blue tuxedo and a sapphire striped necktie that matched perfectly with Jian Jie¡¯s gown.

    When Mo Suqing saw the woman beside him, her eyes dimmed a little.

    <i>Whether she is with him or not, it doesn¡¯t seem to make any difference for him.</i>

    The ce suddenly felt suffocating. Mo Suqing lowered her head, not wanting anyone to see her right now. When had she be this pathetic woman that allowed her heart to be broken by a man?

    Ye Zhongjue was holding a ss of champagne; Jian Jie was standing by his side quietly. People surrounded them and tried to make small talk with Ye Zhongjue, but he looked absolutely disinterested.

    Someone noticed that Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes hadn¡¯t drifted from a woman in ck on a couch not far away.

    The person chuckled and suggested, ¡°President Ye, let¡¯s not just stand here. Otherwise, your feet are going to hurt before the party even starts! How about we sit over there?¡±

    He pointed at the semicircr couch Mo Suqing and Guan Zixuan were sitting on.

    Ye Zhongjue smiled. ¡°Sure!¡±

    Others could only wring their wrists in frustration when they saw how easy the man had made Ye Zhongjue happy and seeded in inviting him to sit with him.

    The man led Ye Zhongjue step by step to the figure he had missed day and night for thest few days. Sometimes, he missed her so much he could barely take it. However, he couldn¡¯t force himself not to miss her, either.

    The man watched Ye Zhongjue sit down right across from Mo Suqing. Then, Jian Jie sat down next to him, full of smiles.

    Mo Suqing had had her head hung low, so she didn¡¯t know Ye Zhongjue had appeared. However, she could feel Guan Zixuan tense next to her.

    She looked up to ask him what the matter was, but was instantly drowned in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes that felt as deep as the immense gxy or the vast ocean.

    He was looking at her intently.

    Jian Jie noticed his look, too. When she saw the woman he was staring at,?the?smile disappeared from her face.

    <i>Who is she??</i>She didn¡¯t recognize Mo Suqing. Mo Suqing usually didn¡¯t wear any makeup, so even the slightest makeup could transform her dramatically. If it was not someone who knew her well, no one would be able to recognize her, not to mention someone who had only seen her pictures, like Jian Jie.

    Jian Jie clenched her fist tightly and looked very unhappy.

    The existence of the gossip journalist Mo Suqing had bothered her enough. Before she coulde up with a way to deal with her, another had shown up!

    The look Ye Zhongjue gave her was full of affection and a passion that was hard to detect.

    The man who had made the suggestion to sit here was an observant person. He could see from Ye Zhongjue¡¯s look that he liked the woman.

    Presently, he decided to y the role of a matchmaker. ¡°President Ye, can I exchange seats?with you? Somehow it makes me ufortable sitting here!¡±

    Guan Zixuan red at Ye Zhongjue. He reckoned Ye Zhongjue would definitely say yes to the man¡¯s request. However, Ye Zhongjue replied, ¡°No, I¡¯m fine where I am.¡±

    Then, he leaned back against the couch casually and kept gazing at Mo Suqing.

    The others fell into silence in the awkward atmosphere.

    Everyone could see Ye Zhongjue was interested in the beautiful woman before him. However, he just sat there quietly, neither acting nor giving up, like what a good hunter would do.

    Jian Jie could not endure it anymore.

    On the other hand, Mo Suqing was unnerved by Ye Zhongjue¡¯s stare, too. With his brazen stare, even a blind person could feel it! What did he want from her?

    Irritation crossed Mo Suqing¡¯s beautiful face.

    Just when she was going to tell Guan Zixuan to get out of here, a purring voice that could make one¡¯s knees weak came, ¡°Ah! It¡¯s you, brother-inw! What a coincidence to see you here!¡±

    Mo Sulian approached Ye Zhongjue, her eyes filled with glee and excitement. She had her arm link through the arm of a man who was obviously the son of another wealthy man.

    Those sitting on the couch turned toward the voice.

    Mo Suqing frowned. <i>When have they be buddies?</i>

    Mo Sulian drew away from the young man and sat down on the other side of Ye Zhongjue, not heeding other people¡¯s startled look.

    Jian Jie recognized and glowered at her. Yet another trouble had shown up.

    Mo Sulian smiled at Ye Zhongjue. ¡°I want to thank you for the help! I was literally being tortured by the director!¡±

 Chapter 109 â€“ You Should Both Go to See an Eye Doctor

    <h4>Chapter 109 ¨C You Should Both Go to See an Eye Doctor</h4>

    How Mo Suqing wanted to scream at Mo Sulian!

    Ye Zhongjue cast?Mo Sulian a nce and found that her perfume was much lighter than before. <i>Well, she¡¯s not as brainless as I thought,?</i>he thought. <i>She has figured out why I didn¡¯t want her to get near mest time.</i>

    Mo Sulian smiled coyly.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her, amused. <i>Looks like she can¡¯t recognize Mo Suqing, either.</i>

    <i>Is this what she calls ¡®sisters¡¯??</i>He had turned his attention back to Mo Suqing with an unmoving stare.

    Mo Sulian finally noticed that Ye Zhongjue almost never shifted his eyes away from the woman across from him.

    She took a closer look at her and eximed in a high-pitched voice, ¡°Sis? Why are you here?¡± The others were surprised at her words.

    Suddenly, each person changed their original expression. Jian Jie could no longer maintain her elegance.

    The man who had led them to the table looked shocked. <i>No wonder! She is Mrs. Ye!</i>

    Mo Sulian¡¯s date let her take his arm, but he looked a bit annoyed with her exmation. Then, he looked at Mo Suqing with a pleasant surprise on his face.

    Guan Zixuan, on the other hand, wished fervently that they could all go away. <i>I wouldn¡¯t bring her here if I knew there would be so many fucking flies!</i>

    Only Mo Suqing looked as tranquil as ever, even though they were all staring at her.

    She looked at Mo Sulian and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You are talking to the wrong person. I¡¯m not your sister!¡±

    Mo Sulian looked as if she had heard it wrong. Then, she put on a grievous face and said, ¡°That¡¯s not possible! Sis, you are messing with me, right?¡±

    Mo Suqing ignored her. <i>With your excellent acting skills, I wonder why you are still a mediocre actress after so many years?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue smiled and said in a husky and sexy voice, ¡°Honey, you are being naughty again!¡±

    Mo Suqing finally lost her cool. Ashamed and enraged and annoyed, she red at Ye Zhongjue and said, ¡°I¡¯m not your honey! You found the wrong person, too! You should both go to see an eye doctor!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue did?not?get angry. On the contrary, he was intoxicated, even though he hadn¡¯t drunk anything. <i>She¡¯s charming and cute even when ¨C or especially when ¨C she flips out!</i>

    He remembered how he had disliked women who flipped out. It made them look like a fishwife. But somehow, she was different!

    Then, he realized it was all because of love. He loved her and only her.

    Mo Suqing stood up and tugged at Guan Zixuan, whose face was darkened. ¡°Zixuan, let¡¯s go!¡± she said decisively.

    Menace gleamed in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes at the word ¡°Zixuan.¡± His eyes narrowed dangerously. <i>They are on a given-name basis with each other now?</i>

    Even after she and he had been together for three months ¨C as a married couple at that, she had never called him by his given name!

    She had only called him Jue or honey a few times. Moreover, it was always when they were in bed and after he did some coaxing.

    His face clouded. The air around him seemed to freeze over in an instant.

    ¡°No?one is fucking?going anywhere!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue crushed the ss with his bare hand. Blood and wine dribbled down and onto Jian Jie¡¯s gown.

    Her gown was totally ruined!

    Her face darkened, but she dared notin because this was Ye Zhongjue.

    Mo Suqing had just pulled Guan Zixuan up when she heard his unreasonable outburst.

    She looked at Ye Zhongjue in exasperation and said without reserve, ¡°Ye Zhongjue, you are crazy! Why would anyone listen to you? Are you familiar with the concept of personal freedom? Do you think you are God? That everyone must listen to you?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue gave her a dark look.

    Then, he chuckled. ¡°God? Ha! If I am God, how would I endure to see you?leave?me again and again like that?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression had be so terrifying now that no one dared to look at him directly.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Then, seeing the wound on his hand, she felt herself begin to soften. Hisst question had shaken her violently.

    Mo Suqing felt wronged. He was the one who had lied to her first! How could he use her of leaving? Must everyone cater to him?

    However, even though she felt unfair and angry, even though the look on his face was scary, she couldn¡¯t help but feel her heart ache, too, seeing him keeping up the face-off with no regard to his bloodied hand. <i>Isn¡¯t he hurt?</i>

    Seeing Mo Suqing staring at his hand, Ye Zhongjue finally realized he had hurt his own hand.

    He had been looking tough, but the next moment, he was frowning.

    Jian Jie was going to dress the wound, but he red at her.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s heart softened. After all, the time when her period came, he had rushed into the rain and carried her home. Then, he had brewed ginger tea for her. How could she forget about his attentive care and his tenderness?

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    Guan Zixuan reached out to touch her but failed. He watched her walk toward Ye Zhongjue and picked up his hand.

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s hand dropped limply.

    Mo Suqing took Ye Zhongjue¡¯s hand and frowned sadly. Ye Zhongjue, on the other hand, beamed. It was a contented smile a kid wore when he had got candy.

    Jian Jie felt that if she stayed here any longer, she might scratch Mo Suqing¡¯s face like a mad woman.

    Yet she couldn¡¯t bring herself to go away. She couldn¡¯t let them be together alone.

    So, she just stood there and watched Mo Suqing take the te the waiter had brought and use the rubbing alcohol to rinse the wound and the tweezers to pick out any ss fragments stuck in it. Finally, she used the alcohol to rinse the wound again before bandaging it with gauze.

    Mo Suqing was very meticulous.

    The look Ye Zhongjue gave her was extremely tender.

    The women surrounding them were casting envious nces at them.

    However, once Mo Suqing had finished dressing the wound, she looked at Ye Zhongjue and said expressionlessly but sternly, ¡°Ye Zhongjue, stop acting like a child, okay? The only one you can hurt by injuring yourself is you. You¡¯re a grown man; you shouldn¡¯t have yed a trick like that.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face went dark.

    <i>I am injured, for god¡¯s sake! Can¡¯t you be nicer?</i>

    Mo Suqing ignored his expression and turned to leave.

    Panicked, Ye Zhongjue reached out and pulled her down. She stumbled and fell on hisp.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her like a naughty boy, clearly enjoying this.

    As many guests as there were?at the party, they all pretended?not to notice.

    Mo Suqing, embarrassed, pushed Ye Zhongjue hard. ¡°What are you doing? Let me go!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue did not let go. Mischief twinkled in his eyes and he looked very pleased with himself.

    Mo Suqing tried to stand up, but he grabbed her arm with his injured hand. He drew a sharp breath.

    Mo Suqing immediately stopped struggling, afraid of hurting him again. She looked at Ye Zhongjue, speechless. She hadn¡¯t realized he could be this childish.

    ¡°Let me go. I want to get up!¡± she said earnestly.

    However, Ye Zhongjue started to whine, acting like there was no one around. ¡°Honey, when are youing home with me? I can¡¯t sleep without you¡­¡±

    Sadness and destion surged in Mo Suqing at the word ¡°home.¡± <i>Do I still have a home?</i>

    The onlookers were amazed. You could even say they were <i>thunder-stuck</i>. Were they really watching the honorable President Ye pouting at the beautiful yet aloof woman?

    Jian Jie¡¯s face had gone extremely dark now. She had dyed her return for three years, and everything had changed.

    She had never thought Ye Zhongjue was capable of giving the puppy eyes. It made her heart burn with jealousy.

    They had grown up together. She had known him from birth. And she really loved him! But why had he always neglected her feelings? Did she mean nothing to him at all?

    As for Mo Sulian, although she admired Ye Zhongjue, she dared not take bold actions because she knew very well how tactful and powerful the man was.

    She had asked him for help just once, and her career was bing more and more smooth.

    Guan Zixuan couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. He strode over and ced his hand on Mo Suqing¡¯s arm.

    ring at Ye Zhongjue, he said, ¡°Suqing, let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t waste your time on him!¡±

    When Ye Zhongjue turned his attention to Guan Zixuan, Mo Suqing freed herself from hisp.

    Guan Zixuan started to pull her away, but Ye Zhongjue grabbed her other arm.

    He intentionally used his injured hand. He was betting that she couldn¡¯t hurt him.

    No matter how harsh Mo Suqing¡¯s words were, her heart could never truly harden in front of him.

    She looked at Guan Zixuan helplessly. Guan Zixuan fumed. <i>Mo Suqing, you stupid woman! Can¡¯t you see what he¡¯s trying to do?</i>

    <i>A small injury like that is nothing more than a sting to him! It certainly won¡¯t kill him!</i>

    Although Mo Suqing knew it, too, she just couldn¡¯t see him get hurt in any way.

    Just then, someone jostled Jian Jie a little. ¡°Ah!¡± Wine spilled from the ss in her hand and onto Mo Suqing.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s ck gown was drenched in the area of her chest, showing the bra underneath.

    Ye Zhongjue red at Jian Jie, who quickly waved her hands.

    ¡°Jue, I didn¡¯t do it. Someone pushed me!¡±

    Seeing that Mo Suqing¡¯s gown had gone totally wet in the chest area, Ye Zhongjue immediately took his jacket off and wrapped it around her.

    Then, he picked her up in his arms and walked out, regardless of her astonished expression and Guan Zixuan¡¯s furious look.

 Chapter 110 â€“ She Had Been His Only One

    <h4>Chapter 110 ¨C She Had Been His Only One</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue drove at a high speed. When he carried Mo Suqing to the driver¡¯s seat, he had covered her chest with his jacket.

    Presently, their surroundings became more and more familiar. Mo Suqing looked at Ye Zhongjue, astonished. <i>How did he know this ce?</i>

    This was themunity of Mo Suqing¡¯s current apartment. It was not a big one, but the neighborhood was nice.

    ¡°How did you know where I live?¡± Mo Suqing grabbed Ye Zhongjue¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Why?wouldn¡¯t?I know?¡± Ye Zhongjue retorted, watching Mo Suqing¡¯s hand on his arm. Her arm was fair-skinned and as smooth and enticing as a piece of top-quality jade.

    He always knew she had got wonderful skin and could never get enough of it.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t realize the jacket had slipped down a little when she reached out to grab Ye Zhongjue¡¯s arm, exposing her wet gown.

    Ye Zhongjue, seeing this, began to pant. He forced down the heat inside his body and said hoarsely, ¡°Let go of me if you don¡¯t want to die from a car ident!¡±

    At first, Mo Suqing didn¡¯t understand what he meant. But when she saw that he was staring at her chest, she realized her bra was showing underneath the gown.

    The gown was totally soaked through in the chest area!

    Mo Suqing quickly pulled the jacket up and covered herself tightly.

    She stared at the road and thought, <i>Fortunately it is not a busy road. Otherwise, it would be a miracle if we haven¡¯t hit something.</i>

    They arrived at the apartment building. His familiarity with the route, the kind look the janitor gave him and the way the guard interacted with him as if he knew him better than Mo Suqing did, all made her very curious.

    ¡°How did you know where I live?¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Ye Zhongjue turned to her once he had parked the car.

    Mo Suqing remembered the figure outside Guan Zixuan¡¯s vi at night when she had stayed there. She thought she knew what the answer was, but she couldn¡¯t be sure.

    Ye Zhongjue gazed at her, as if he wanted to melt her with his eyes. ¡°Well?¡±

    Mo Suqing became a bit panicky. She didn¡¯t care for the suffocating sensation she was feeling now. Her heart was beating fast.

    She tried to open the door but found it was locked.

    She turned to Ye Zhongjue and red at him. ¡°Ye Zhongjue, unlock the door and let me get out! I don¡¯t have time for this!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue wasn¡¯t upset or angry. He just gazed at her, which made Mo Suqing even more panicky.

    She didn¡¯t want to look him in the eye, afraid that she would get softened by the heat in it if she did.

    His attractive and husky voice flowed toward her. Mo Suqing had always felt it wasparable to the sound of a cello.

    His voice was so beautiful that every time she heard it, she practically swooned.

    Because of this, she knew she could easily drown herself in his voice.

    ¡°Answer my question first,¡± he said.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s head snapped up. Her face was red, either from the heat or from anger.

    ¡°Who knows how you found out where I live, or how you even came to a ce like this? Someone like you is supposed to live in a big house and drive an expensive car, leading a life as different from amoner like me as night and day! Who knows what has got into your head?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was still looking at her, unmoving.

    ¡°Suqing, you know the answer. You definitely do. You just don¡¯t want to say it. You just can¡¯t forgive me!¡±

    It tormented Mo Suqing to hear Ye Zhongjue this agitated and hurt. Her heart became extremely soft now.

    However, she still didn¡¯t let her guard down. The man was so good at lying that he could make his every word sound genuine.

    And she was stupid. She was not clever enough to resist his sweet nothings.

    Somehow, his usatory tone made her feel she had greatly wronged him.

    So, she hung her head low and dared not look into those eyes.

    ¡°President Ye, please let me go! You can easily find a lot ofmoners like me. Why can¡¯t you find someone else who¡¯s willing to fool around with you? I¡¯m sick of it!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face darkened.

    He red at her and said, ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? If I want just about anyone, why would I do all those things? Any woman would <i>dive</i> if I do so much as wave at her, but I didn¡¯t do that. I hid my true identity for you, cooked for you, took great care for you, dropped you to work and picked you up from work, and all I got in return is you saying I have been fooling around!¡±

    Mo Suqing forced herself to be tough. She turned to the window and said cold-heartedly, ¡°Who knows what¡¯s in you wealthy people¡¯s mind? Who knows if you had gone crazy when you decided to abandon your vi and move into amoner¡¯s apartment or if you just like to cook? Don¡¯t act all sincere. You probably just want to try something different from exotic delicacies. If you can have as many women as you want, go do it then! I didn¡¯t beg you to take me!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression had gonepletely icy when she finished.

    He gritted his teeth while looking at?Mo Suqing, who?had her back facing him.

    Then, he said, enunciating each word, ¡°I just like to cook? I just want to try something different? But I fucking chose you, Mo Suqing! Why do you always have to contort what I say? I said any woman would dive if I do so much as wave at her, but I also said I didn¡¯t do that! But of course you are so fucking good at twisting my words and filtering out those you don¡¯t want to believe! You intend to piss me off to death, don¡¯t you, huh? Fine, I¡¯ll let you go!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue unlocked the door. Mo Suqing was going to look at him, but she forced herself not to do it. <i>Isn¡¯t this what she wants?</i>

    She opened the door, got off, then ran into the building without looking back.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at the jacket she had dropped on the driver¡¯s seat. He was sure it would still smell like her. Suddenly, he felt absolutely pathetic.

    How he wanted to tell her everything, that he had always loved her, only her.

    She had lost her virginity to him the night they met in the pub, but it had been his first time, too.

    He always thought he had been very lucky to have bumped into her that night, not anyone else.

    Only after she had run into the building had Mo Suqing realized that she had been crying. She was touching her face when she ran into Mrs. Zhang, thedy living opposite her. It looked like she was going to buy some groceries.

    ¡°You two had a fight again?¡± she asked, looking first at her face and then at the car outside.

    Mo Suqing gave her a puzzled look.

    Mrs. Zhang pointed at Ye Zhongjue¡¯s car. ¡°Isn¡¯t that your husband? I have seen him countless times. He parks his car here every night. When I asked him why he didn¡¯t go upstairs, he said he didn¡¯t want to disturb you. I can see you guys had a fight. Youngdy, couples shouldn¡¯t have fights thatst overnight. Don¡¯t be so stubborn! He always leaves early in the morning.¡±

    Mo Suqing thought her own voice seemed far?away when she said, ¡°He parks his car here every night?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. He goes upstairs every night, too. Every time I?see?you have locked him out again, I feel?sorry for him. Don¡¯t fight so severely every time!¡±

    Mrs. Zhang said patiently and earnestly, but Mo Suqing had gone numb.

    If Mrs. Zhang didn¡¯t tell her, she would never know she had a guardian angel who kept watch for her every night.

    Tears poured down her cheeks. She quickly turned away and mumbled ¡°I need to go¡± before fleeing from Mrs. Zhang.

    Mrs. Zhang looked after her and then at the car outside, shaking her head.

    After Mo Suqing went back to her apartment and had a good cry, she found that Guan Zixuan had called her several times.

    She called him back. ¡°Are you home yet?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mo Suqing replied unhappily.

    ¡°I just got a job for tonight and probably won¡¯t get?home untilte. Remember to lock all your doors and windows before going to sleep!¡±

    ¡°Okay, I know. Go home and get some rest as soon as you finish it!¡±

    Mo Suqing was about to ring off when she heard Guan Zixuan?asked?hesitantly, ¡°Did he¡­ take you home?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mo Suqing said in a low voice, clearly not wanting to say anything more.

    Guan Zixuan sighed and hung up.

    Mo Suqing took a shower and changed into her pajamas.

    She tried hard not to check if his car was still there. But in the end, she couldn¡¯t help but go to the window and pull back the curtains just a little bit, almost as if she was under a spell.

    Sure enough, the car was still exactly where it had been.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s heart skipped a beat. <i>He¡¯s here every night for the past week?</i>

    She dared not linger on that thought in case she gives in.

    However, deep in her heart, she knew she had already softened her heart irrevocably. Her heart went to him without her control. She couldn¡¯t lie to herself, even if she could keep lying to others.

    Her heart was his,?and had?always been¡­

    Ever since he had promised her he would give her a home, her world had been turned upside down.

    Like a stalker, Mo Suqing would snuggle down in her bed for a while, and then go to the window to see what the person downstairs might be doing.

    The night went on.

    At midnight, Mo Suqing saw that his car was still there.

    She decided to get tough and go to sleep and not go to the window again.

    After a while, she fell into sleep. However, she didn¡¯t sleep well because her mind was in a jumble.

    When she woke up again, it was still very dark. She switched on her bedsidemp and went to the window.

    His car was still there.

    The faint street light made it a bit vague.

    Mo Suqing went back to her bed and checked her phone. It was three o¡¯clock in the morning.

    She could no longer stand it.

    She had lived with him before, so she knew how much work he had to do every day. After all, he was the president of apany.

    She remembered during the period when she was hospitalized because of acute gastroenteritis, he had been perusing papers and documents at her bedside, too.

    He was reading them before she fell asleep and was still reading them when she awoke.

    She hadn¡¯t been able to understand why an assistant needed to see so many papers.

    Now she finally understood and her heart ached so much.

 Chapter 111 â€“ A Childish Man

    <h4>Chapter 111 ¨C A Childish Man</h4>

    Mo Suqing wiped her face?with her palm. She couldn¡¯t pretend she didn¡¯t know he was downstairs.

    He had so much work to do every day. Could he really sleep well in a cramped space like the car seat?

    His health would bepromised in the long run.

    At the thought, Mo Suqing made up her mind and went downstairs.

    If he was doing this to induce her sympathy, well, he had seeded. She couldn¡¯t bear to see him like this; it made her heart ache.

    Mo Suqing looked at the man in the car. He had his eyes closed but didn¡¯t seem to be having a sound sleep.

    He was frowning, as if he was having a bad dream.

    Mo Suqing knocked on the window. Within ten seconds, his eyes flew open and he woke up in a start.

    There was sleepiness in his eyes, but when he saw that it was Mo Suqing in her pajamas, he immediately threw away his jacket that he had covered his body with and opened the door.

    Watching his nervous expression, Mo Suqing looked at him in exasperation.

    ¡°Ye Zhongjue, are you crazy??Why are you?sleeping in a car like this?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue did not get mad. Instead, he smiled foolishly.

    ¡°Yes, I am crazy. I¡¯ve gone extremely crazy without you sleeping with me!"

    Mo Suqing was in no mood to squabble; it was already early in the morning. She closed the door and said, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go upstairs. It¡¯s too cold here.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue followed behind her happily. Although he wore a cold expression all the time, it was also particrly obvious when he was in an exultant mood.

    The corner of Mo Suqing¡¯s mouth curved upward. <i>What a childish man!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue followed Mo Suqing into her small apartment. It was only about fifty square meters?wide, with a small living room, a bedroom and a petite bathroom, but overall, it had everything one might need.

    Mo Suqing was a tidy person. Although she had just got up, the apartment remained clean and neat without the slightest of mess.

    Mo Suqing turned around and smelled alcohol from Ye Zhongjue, who was looking about. She frowned in disgust and said expressionlessly, ¡°Sit on my bed. I¡¯ll go prepare a bath for you.¡±

    <i>He¡¯s always very conscious of his own clean</i><i>lin</i><i>ess. Why did he make such a mess with himself?</i>

    Mo Suqing turned on the faucet and felt more and more pissed. <i>He must have bet that I wouldn¡¯t leave him alone!</i>

    Mo Suqing kept pping the water in the tub, venting her anger on no one.

    Ye Zhongjue came in and saw Mo Suqing sulking and pouting there. He felt amused.

    Mo Suqing heard the footsteps btedly. She spun around. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you make a sound when you came in!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes swept the petite bathroom. With the bathtub snuggled inside, there was barely any space left.

    He spoke while looking around, ¡°You have been inside for a long time. I thought you passed out, so I came to check on you.¡±

    Mo Suqing rolled her eyes. <i>I will not believe such a line!</i>

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m?leaving.¡±

    She stood up and wiped her hand dry, then was going to go back into the bedroom.

    However, Ye Zhongjue grabbed her arm. Mo Suqing, startled, turned around. Before she could have time to react, Ye Zhongjue had pulled her toward him and the two of them slipped together.

    They fell into the tub. It was too small, so Ye Zhongjue¡¯s back hit the edge hard. He grumbled, using his arms to protect her.

    When Mo Suqing realized what had happened, her pajamas had gone totally wet and began to stick on her body.

    She looked down at Ye Zhongjue, who was trying not tough, and said angrily, ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you!¡±

    She pushed him hard and half sat up.

    The moment she emerged from the water, her clothes glued to her body and showed the curves of her torso.

    Mo Suqing red at Ye Zhongjue. Anger showed on her face.

    However, Ye Zhongjue seemed to think it was funny. He looked at her amusedly. When she got angry, she was like a tiger cub cutie-pie, bluffing without fangs.

    He chuckled foolishly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the matter is with me, either!¡±

    His eyes shifted from Mo Suqing¡¯s face and down to her chest. Heat sparkled in his eyes like roaring fire burning fiercely.

    His breath became heavy, too.

    Mo Suqing detected the weird light in his eyes. Then, she looked down at her chest.

    ¡°Ah!¡± she screamed and sshed some water onto his face.

    ¡°You ruffian, Ye Zhongjue!¡± Mo Suqing¡¯s chest heaved out of rage.

    The heat in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t extinguish because of the water; it burned hotter. He swallowed and said huskily, ¡°I act like one only in front of you!¡±

    Mo Suqing was speechless. <i>He¡¯s probably the only person in the world who can act like a ruffian and then admits it so matter-of-factly!</i>

    She red at him onest time and began to stand up.

    Ye Zhongjue grabbed her arm. Mo Suqing said coldly, ¡°Let me go!¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to stay here with him any longer. He had so many ways to make her soften her heart.

    ¡°No!¡± Ye Zhongjue said in a grieved tone like a child who couldn¡¯t get his candy.

    ¡°Ye Zhongjue, why are you doing this?¡± Mo Suqing looked at him with a poker face.

    Ye Zhongjue stiffened a little, but he still didn¡¯t let go of her. After a moment, he said unhappily, ¡°But you are soaked through. You¡¯ll get a cold if you go out like this.¡±

    Mo Suqing almostughed. <i>What an unreasonable man!</i>

    ¡°If I do get a cold, it¡¯s because of you!¡±

    He frowned. ¡°You can totally avoid getting a cold.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Mo Suqing gave him a puzzled look.

    Ye Zhongjue grinned slyly. ¡°Take a hot bath with me before you go. That way, you definitely won¡¯t get a cold!¡±

    ¡°You wish!¡± Mo Suqing sshed more water onto his face and quickly slipped out of the tub. Standing a few meters away, she looked at him warily.

    ¡°Take your time in the tub. I¡¯m going to change out of these. Get out after you finish your bath. I need to go to work tomorrow!¡±

    Then, she closed the door behind her. Turning to her bed, she breathed out a sigh of relief.

    She quickly changed out of the wet clothes. Otherwise, she would probably get a cold like Ye Zhongjue had warned.

    After changing into dry clothes, she made the bed and pulled out a nket before carrying it to the living room.

    The sofa was too small for him. If she was going to let him sleep there, she might as well not have taken him up to her apartment. On the other hand, she was shorter, so it would be okay for her.

    Mo Suqingy down on the sofa and covered her face with the nket, but sleep wouldn¡¯te.

    After a long while, there still wasn¡¯t a sound from the bathroom. She began to feel a bit worried.

    She stood up and walked toward the bathroom. When she opened the door, she found him sound asleep in the tub.

    He was naked, so Mo Suqing tried not to look directly at him when she slowly approached him.

    She bent down and tested the water. It had gone lukewarm.

    Just when she was about to withdraw her hand, it was grabbed by the man in the tub. ¡°Suqing!¡± Ye Zhongjue yelped.

    He had a terrified look on his face before he suddenly woke with a start.

    He realized that he was lying in the tub and grabbing Mo Suqing¡¯s arm. As for Mo Suqing, she was squatting by the tub and looking at him with a shocked look.

    Ye Zhongjue cleared his throat and said, ¡°I seemed to have fallen asleep.¡±

    Mo Suqing freed herself from his grip and turned away. <i>Seemed to have fallen asleep? I think you totally passed out!</i>

    Otherwise, it was impossible for a cautious man like him not to know she was approaching.

    Mo Suqing took down the bathrobe hanging on the wall and extended her arm backward, so she didn¡¯t have to turn around.

    ¡°Here you go. And the towel is on the rack next to the tub. Quickly wipe yourself dry and put on the robe.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at the white bathrobe. It was obviously hers judging from its size.

    He didn¡¯t argue with her. He just stood up and wiped himself dry, then took the bathrobe from her hand.

    When Mo Suqing heard the ssh that indicated he hade out of the tub, she couldn¡¯t help but see his naked body in her mind. A hint of red crept into her face.

    ¡°I¡¯m done!¡±

    Mo Suqing turned.

    When she wore the bathrobe, it would reach her ankles; on Ye Zhongjue, it was well above his knees.

    Mo Suqing only cast a nce at him before walking out of the bathroom without saying anything.

    Ye Zhongjue followed closely behind. When Mo Suqing entered the living room, she found?that?Ye Zhongjue hade out with her, too.

    She turned around and said in exasperation, ¡°What are you doing? Go to sleep!¡±

    ¡°Then what are you doing out here?¡± Ye Zhongjue looked at her with an unfathomable expression.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t want to try to figure him out. He had always been a mysterious man who was difficult to understand. She had no way to crack his mind open.

    She walked to the sofa andy down.

    Ye Zhongjue frowned. ¡°You are going to sleep here?¡±

    ¡°What do you think? Or do you want to sleep here?¡± Mo Suqing asked sharply.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll sleep here.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue answered without thinking.

    Mo Suqing was so furious! She felt that she could explode any minute now. She sat up and stared at Ye Zhongjue with an icy-cold look.

    ¡°Ye Zhongjue, just spit out what you want! It¡¯s veryte now. Are you going to let me sleep or not? If you love to sleep in your car so much, just go back! Don¡¯t stay here and disturb my rest time, okay?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression remained elusive and hard to read.

    Then, he looked at her and said in a tone as pitiful as a fluffy Labrador¡¯s watery eyes, ¡°The wound on my hand has been soaked in water!¡±

 Chapter 112 â€“ Protect Her and Make Sure She Never Gets Hurt

    <h4>Chapter 112 ¨C Protect Her and Make Sure She Never Gets Hurt</h4>

    Mo Suqing felt utterly?defeated at his words. She would go crazy at any second!

    After her reprimand, she couldn¡¯t believe that was how he had responded.

    <i>Fine! I¡¯ll bear with him this time for his wounded hand.</i>

    After all, it was a critical season for injuries like that, with a higher probability of infection. What if his hand got amputated and he med her for it?

    Without replying, Mo Suqing threw the nket aside, put on her slippers and took out the first-aid kit from a cab with flowing movement.

    She stood in front of Ye Zhongjue and put the kit on the coffee table expressionlessly.

    With the same fluency, she took his hand and used the scissors and cut open the gauze she had dressed his wound with at the party.

    Then, she examined his wound carefully.

    He didn¡¯t lie. Water had indeed gotten into the dressing. The surrounding area of the wound looked whitened.

    He had crushed the wine ss with his hand, so naturally his palm was injured the most severely.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t have the heart to snipe at the self-muttor. She took out the cotton swab and rubbing alcohol and cleansed the wound before sprinkling some anti-inmmatory powder onto it and wrapped it with some gauze.

    She was extremely careful and meticulous with it, as if she was doing something of utmost importance.

    Ye Zhongjue watched her. Under the light, she was even more beautiful. Her curly eyshes looked like a pair of exquisite handheld fans that kept moving up and down.

    A sudden desire surged in him. On an impulse, he bent down and kissed her on the cheek.

    It was nothing more than a light kiss.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s hand paused a little. Then, without any reactions, she continued to wrap the wound and then began to clean up and put the kit away.

    She didn¡¯t even look at Ye Zhongjue the whole time, as if he was air.

    After lying back down on the sofa, Mo Suqing heard a sighing from above her.

    Then, she heard him walk into the bedroom and the sound of him getting ready to go to bed. When she was sure he had gone to sleep, relief washed over her.

    Gradually, she became drowsy too and fell asleep.

    The next morning when she woke up, Mo Suqing was surprised to find herself on the bed. Ye Zhongjue was nowhere to be seen.

    The only evidence of his stay was his clothes in the washing machine and the breakfast he had bought and put on the table.

    A note in his beautiful handwriting?was left next to the breakfast. It read:

    <i>I¡¯m going on a business trip for a few days. Take care of yourself. There are a lot of things I haven¡¯t told you yet; every time I was going to bring it up, I wanted to ascertain your feelings for me first because I was afraid you would want to be with me out of sympathy or sentiment. However, after?</i><i>going through so much</i><i>, I?</i><i>have?</i><i>change</i><i>d</i><i>?my mind. As long as I can be with you, nothing else matters. Don¡¯t forget to eat your breakfast. Wait for me.</i>

    There were mixed feelings in Mo Suqing¡¯s heart after she had read it. Her eyes were burning, like when one was going to cry.

    She was never a sentimental girl, yet she easily became sentimental when it came to him. Maybe love could really change a person.

    After a while, Mo Suqing put herself together, had her breakfast and went to work.

    At noon, Mo Suqing headed to the hospital. She hadn¡¯t visited Yao at all yesterday because of the dinner party.

    When she arrived, Leng Haoyun was already there.

    He was sitting on the chair and perusing some papers. From time to time, he would look up at the girl on the bed. Mo Suqing noticed that he had gotten thinner, much thinner actually.

    The reason was obvious.

    At first, Mo Suqing had been angry with him. However, when she thought about how he felt ¨C he probably felt worse than anyone else ¨C and how he didn¡¯t want it to have happened either, she found it difficult to me him.

    There was no one to me, really. It was destiny, just like?how?she and Ye Zhongjue?were?destined to have aplicated rtionship that was killing her because she could neither embrace it or let it go.

    Seeing that Mo Suqing hade, Leng Haoyun left the ward?to give?her some space.

    Mo Suqing took Leng Xiyao¡¯s hand. Her eyes were stinging. She had told herself not to cry in front of her, but tears streamed down her face anyway. She wiped them away furiously. <i>Why am I crying when I have made myself smile?</i>

    She sniffed and started to talk to Leng Xiyao. The doctor had said her chance of waking up would increase if family and friends could talk to her as much as possible.

    So, Mo Suqing rubbed Leng Xiyao¡¯s hand and held back her tears, then began to speak, ¡°Yao, look at you. You have been sleeping for nearly ten days now. Why haven¡¯t you woken up? You see, you not waking up is making your uncle unhappy. I¡¯m unhappy,

    too! I feel as if I don¡¯t have my heart with me anymore! Please wake up and talk to me. Ye Zhongjue has been doing things that I fear I¡¯ll fall for. I want to build up my hope, but I don¡¯t want to be disappointed again. I need to spit it out to someone, but I don¡¯t have anyone!¡±

    Mo Suqing wiped her face before continuing, ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t care about those lies as much as I did anymore. I¡¯m just afraid he is fooling around. He is so¡­ unattainable. If he decides one day that he is tired of me, that he wants to put an end to it, I?would?never be able to see him again. So, I have been?conflicted, you know? Yao, I fear that I¡¯ll sink deep into it and be a piteous, pathetic woman! However, I still can¡¯t help myself but to go see him and care about him¡­¡±

    ¡°Yao¡­¡± Mo Suqing sniffed. ¡°You have no idea how hard this is for me. I am practically watching myself sinking deeper and deeper. Please just wake up and talk it through with me, okay? I have stopped being mad at you long ago. I can forgive even Ye Zhongjue, so there is no way I will be petty with you. I¡¯ll do anything as long as you wake up¡­¡±

    As she spoke, more and more tears poured down her face.

    ¡°Look at me, crying all over again. If you were awake, you would definitely scold me for being a wuss. You know what? I don¡¯t think I like you being so quiet. I want you to be frisking about like you used to be! I want us to go back to normal. You have no idea how painful it is for me to see you lying there. And your uncle, he¡¯s thinner. Even I can see that. If you don¡¯t have my interest in mind, at least think about him! He will me himself for the rest of his life if you don¡¯t wake up.¡±

    She just talked and talked with Leng Xiyao¡¯s hand in hers.

    Then, she thought of something and said, ¡°Last night, I opened my heart to a cockroach. I told all?my?secrets to it; no one else in the world knows them. And then, I stood up to get a drink and crushed it with my foot! Do you know why? Because it knows too much! Hahaha¡­¡±

    Mo Suqingughed like a maniac by Leng Xiyao¡¯s bedside.

    ¡°Yao, why aren¡¯t you responding? I made a joke! Why aren¡¯t youughing? I have made this world one cockroach less. For this at least, you should wake up! Or, do you find the joke not funny? I can tell you another one.¡±

    ¡°So, a snail is crawling on the road. A turtle speeds <i>over</i> it, and the snail is half dead. After the snail is rushed to the hospital and resuscitated, the police ask it who the culprit is. With a horrified look on its face, the snail says, ¡®It?was?too fast. I didn¡¯t see who it?was!¡¯ Hahaha¡­ Isn¡¯t that funny?¡±

    Mo Suqing wiped the tears from the corner of her eye.

    ¡°Yao, I¡¯mughing so hard that tearse to my eyes! Why aren¡¯t you up yet? Did I not tell the jokes right?¡±

    Mo Suqing felt more and more upset. In the end, she bent over on the window sill and sobbed.

    Leng Haoyun watched them from outside. His expression was sad as he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes in pain, trying?to?force?down all of the grief and disconstion.

    This was all his fault, he thought. He would rather protect her from harm all her life than have love.

    She could be willful, unruly, spoiled, even a murderer if she wanted and he would indulge her and get her out of trouble, as long as she woke up.

    The past few days had passed in a haze for him. The day he had hit her, he had been so angry. He hadn¡¯t known why she would speak ill of An Huilin, although he knew from heart his princess wasn¡¯t like that.

    Now, he understood.

    It was because of jealousy and love.

    He loved her, too. He had wanted to turn her into someone he would like. He had always known their rtionship was unlike that between an uncle and a niece. They had been walking a fine line, but they had never talked about it.

    Sadly, their rtionship had caused her great harm. Her heart had practically broken because of it.

    No one could understand what it felt like to have one¡¯s heart broken into pieces.

    <i>If she can just wake up, I, Leng Haoyun, swear I¡¯ll cherish and love her as her uncle; I vow never to hit her again; I¡¯ll protect her and make sure she never gets hurt. If I can¡¯t keep my vow, God must erase me from the face of the earth!</i>

    This was what he was thinking when a shriek came from the ward.

    ¡°Leng Haoyun! Come inside! Yao is waking up! Her finger just moved. Her finger just moved!¡±

    Mo Suqing was frantic. Her face, although full of tear streaks, looked shocked and joyful.

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s eyes widened. This was incredible.

    <i>Did God really hear him?</i>

    He quickly pressed the call button to summon the doctor. Leng Xiyao was sent into the operating room again to undergo a series of examinations.

    Time spent in waiting always passed the?slowest. Mo Suqing skipped work for the afternoon again because she simply couldn¡¯t leave Leng Xiyao when she could wake up anytime.

    When Leng Xiyao was sent back to the ward, Guan Zixuan showed up.

    The doctor told Leng Haoyun that Leng Xiyao had woken up during the examinations. However, because her body hadn¡¯t fully recovered, she had passed out again.

 Chapter 113 â€“ Who Are You?

    <h4>Chapter 113 ¨C Who Are You?</h4>

    It was well past seven in the evening when Leng Xiyao woke up again.

    With bleary eyes and a fearful expression, she looked warily around her environment.

    Agitated, she tried to pull up the fringe of the duvet, then found that she could only move one of her arms. The other was in a cast.

    She looked at the three people in front of her fearfully and asked tentatively, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    The others looked at each other, dismayed. Guan Zixuan looked as if he had been struck with lightning. <i>After having been in aa for so long, these are your first words?</i>

    Mo Suqing looked at the woman nervously. ¡°Yao, I¡¯m Suqing. Don¡¯t you recognize me?¡±

    ¡°Am I supposed to?¡± Leng Xiyao frowned. She looked like a disorientated animal, which was heartrending.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s heart sank at her words.

    Then, it leapt with joy the next moment when Leng Xiyao said, ¡°I do recognize your voice. Did you say my name over and over again while I was sleeping?¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded. ¡°Yes, yes! That was me. I have been talking to you! I visit you every day.¡±

    Leng Xiyao gave her a small smile and a grateful look.

    Then, she turned to Leng Haoyun. Her eyes were filled with gentleness and naivety. ¡°Suqing, who is he?¡±

    Leng Haoyun looked at her with mixed feelings. <i>She can¡¯t remember anything?</i>

    He slowly closed his eyes. <i>It¡¯s probably for the best. At least, she doesn¡¯t feel pain right now, doesn¡¯t remember the p I gave her¡­</i>

    <i>As long as she isn¡¯t sad¡­</i>

    Leng Haoyun opened his eyes and forced a tender expression, like the one he had given the ten-year-old Leng Xiyao when he had met her for the first time.

    She had been watching him behind the sofa with a timid and fearful expression, just like now.

    ¡°Yao¡­¡± Mo Suqing had never heard Leng Haoyun sound like that. He spoke as tenderly as the spring breeze brushed one¡¯s cheek, so soft one could simply fall asleep.

    ¡°I¡¯m your uncle. Don¡¯t you remember me? That¡¯s okay. I have taken care of you for many years and I will continue to take care of you in the future.¡±

    It was probably the longest sentence Mo Suqing had heard him utter.

    Bafflement appeared on Leng Xiyao¡¯s face. She muttered, ¡°My¡­ uncle?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m your uncle!¡±

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s voice was very tender and sweet, as if he was cooing at a small child. Mo Suqing found it hard to adjust herself to the new version of the man.

    Yet, seeing that Leng Xiyao¡¯s eyes were sparkling with curiosity, she realized it was probably a good thing.

    Yao obviously liked this version of Leng Haoyun!

    Mo Suqing told them she would take leave now. Leng Xiyao had multiple fractures and needed rest. She couldn¡¯t go home yet, either. Leng Haoyun followed her and Guan Zixuan to the entrance of the hospital to see them off. ¡°Thank you, Miss Mo,¡± he said politely. ¡°If you didn¡¯te here and talk to her every day, I really don¡¯t know when she?would have woken?up.¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head. ¡°You are very wee. I am willing to do anything for that girl! Everything I did, I did it happily, so you don¡¯t have to thank me. Just take care of her.¡±

    Then, she left with Guan Zixuan.

    Guan Zixuan sent Mo Suqing back to her apartment, then went home himself. He had rushed to the hospital when he heard that Leng Xiyao had woken up in the afternoon. He still had a lot of lines to memorize.

    Mo Suqing felt sorry?for troubling him, but Guan Zixuan stopped her apology by saying he was happy to do anything for her.

    After going home, Mo Suqing did theundry. Looking at the clean white shirt and the pair of ck boxer shorts, she fell into deep thoughts.

    He had told her he had gone on a business trip and would exin things to her when he was back. <i>What is he going to exin? How he had his reasons when he lied to her, or why he¡¯s acting so weirdtely?</i>

    Mo Suqingy on the bed and mulled it over, until she fell asleep.

    The next morning, Guan Zixuan called when she had just woken up. There was an edge to his voice. Mo Suqing¡¯s heart skipped a beat. <i>What now?</i>

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Zixuan?¡±

    Guan Zixuan sounded a bit tired. Mo Suqing guessed he hadn¡¯t slept at allst night. She used to think that celebrities were always morous. After she met Guan Zixuan, she realized how hard they needed to work.

    The presentation on stage was the result of the suffering backstage!

    ¡°Have you seen the entertainment news?¡±

    Mo Suqing frowned. Working in the field, she was always able to find out thetest news in the entertainment industry even if she didn¡¯t keep herself updated in her private life.

    ¡°What news? I have just gotten up.¡±

    Guan Zixuan sighed.

    ¡°Suqing, I don¡¯t know what the deal with you and Ye Zhongjue is now, but I have to tell you this: I can¡¯t say I care for his behavior! Who the hell does he think he is? Someone the rest of the world must revolve around? I like you, so I would never make you sad. But what about?him? He¡¯s married to you, but he still flirts with Mo Sulian! If he wants tomit polygamy, well, he¡¯d better think twice. I¡¯m not letting it happen!¡±

    Listening to Guan Zixuan¡¯s outburst, Mo Suqing frowned. <i>What happened exactly? What¡¯s Mo Sulian to do with anything?</i>

    She remembered how Mo Sulian had acted around Ye Zhongjue?at?the charity dinner, as if she was very close to him. The way she had kept purring out the word ¡°brother-inw¡± was indeed more flirtatious than one would call one¡¯s husband.

    It had also looked like Ye Zhongjue had done her a big favor.

    Mo Suqing shook her head and said, ¡°It¡¯s none of my business, really. Don¡¯t think too much or get angry over it. What is yours will be yours and no one can take it from you no matter what; if it¡¯s not meant to be, there is no point?in?forcing?it.¡±

    Guan Zixuan sighed at the other end of the line, saying something like, ¡°I¡¯m such a good guy, but you always keep your distance and won¡¯t choose me!¡± ¡°And then you insisted that we be friends.¡± ¡°My heart is broken!¡±

    Mo Suqingughed. ¡°Stop the nonsense! Who insists that we be friends?but you? Also, does anyone know you are deeply in love with yourself?¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s heart lightened. Heughed, too.

    However, after Mo Suqing hung up and looked up the news on the Inte, her face dropped.

    The man who had promised he would give her an exnation had been seening out of a hotel with Mo Sulian at midnight. The journalists made it sound like they were flirting with each other, and although Mo Suqing wouldn¡¯t say so, she didn¡¯t like what she was seeing either.

    What¡¯s worse, the press even put the photo of Ye Zhongjue and Jian Jie when they got out of the car to attend the dinner party side by side with the one of him and Mo Sulian, and madeparisons.

    Some evenmented that it was sister-inw and brother-inwmitting incest and that wealthy families were all hical like them. Others mocked Mo Suqing, saying that she had failed to put a rein on her husband, so that Ye Zhongjue was free to be polygamous.

    How could Mo Suqing not feel bad after reading these news?

    That day at work, Mo Suqing kept feeling that people were talking about her behind her back, as if she had be a big joke.

    She couldn¡¯t help but remember how Ye Zhongjue had held the press conference the other day and essentially talked her up. It was such a stark contrast now that he was stamping her dignity under his foot.

    In the eyes of the poption, it wasmon for a rich guy sh president of a bigpany to be a fickle lover.

    All Mo Suqing could do was tofort herself that she hadn¡¯t fallen into his trap again. Otherwise, things would have been much worse for her.

    That being said, the looks people tossed at her direction still tormented her.

    She finished her work early and went straight to the hospital. Leng Haoyun was cutting an apple into cubes and feeding Leng Xiyao.

    Mo Suqing could see how much the cold-looking man cared about the girl. In the past, she had been curious why Leng Xiyao always talked about her uncle with a glow on her face. Now she understood.

    If someone cherished her like Leng Haoyun cherished Leng Xiyao, she would see him as a god, too.

    Mo Suqing was watching them from the door, not wanting to disturb them. However, Leng Xiyao saw her.

    Mo Suqing smiled and went inside. Leng Xiyao was sitting on the bed with a bright grin on her cute face ¨C a happy and content child.

    Suddenly, Mo Suqing felt a bit envious. She, too, wanted to forget everything that had happened in the past three months. That way, she could duly ept Guan Zixuan and his love, putting the man who had let her down out of her mind.

    However, she knew very well this was not going to happen.

    It had been just three months, but her whole life had been flipped over more than once. The man had taken root in her heart; she couldn¡¯t get rid of him.

    Mo Suqing knew she shouldn¡¯t spread her negative mood to Leng Xiyao, who had just woken up. However, she couldn¡¯t help it.

    She had no friends except for Leng Xiyao and Guan Zixuan, and it was not like she could tell Guan Zixuan about it. He could get hurt.

    Leng Haoyun put the apple down and stood up.

    ¡°You girls should talk. I¡¯ll go buy some dinner.¡±

    After Leng Haoyun left, Mo Suqing noticed that Leng Xiyao¡¯s expression had changed, although she couldn¡¯t really say how it was.

    Leng Xiyao smiled at her and said softly, ¡°Suqing, Uncle said we were very good friends. Is that so?¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded. She sat down next to her and asked, ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°Great! Uncle is really nice to me,¡± she said, then paused, as if she wanted to say something.

    ¡°Suqing, I can see you are in a bad mood. What happened?¡±

    Mo Suqing thought of the news about her. She shook her head, deciding not to share her vexations.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. Don¡¯t worry about me; worry about yourself! I¡¯m looking forward to going to work and hanging out with you after you recover.¡±

    Leng Xiyao nodded and looked at her curiously.

    ¡°Suqing, were we really that close?¡±

 Chapter 114 â€“ There Are No Men One Could Not Steal

    <h4>Chapter 114 ¨C There Are No Men One Could Not Steal</h4>

    Mo Suqing nodded. ¡°You bet! We are closer than sisters. I have never had anyone closer to me except for my mom.¡±

    Leng Xiyao nodded, seeming to understand.

    Suddenly, she said, ¡°Suqing, if we were that close,?would?you forgive me?if?I?unintentionally?lied?to you?¡±

    Mo Suqing was taken aback. If she didn¡¯t know Leng Xiyao was suffering from amnesia, she would think the girl was trying to seek her forgiveness.

    Even though she had long forgiven her, Leng Xiyao¡¯s question still surprised her a little. Mo Suqing took her hand intimately and smiled.

    ¡°Silly, we are good friends! I might get cranky and sullen, but I will always forgive you!¡±

    ¡°Okay, then tell me this: what is the matter with you today? You are obviously in a bad mood. Even your smile is faked. Didn¡¯t you look at yourself in the mirror?¡±

    Mo Suqing touched her own face. <i>Do I really look</i><i>?like</i><i>?I¡¯m in a bad mood?</i>

    Leng Xiyao rolled her eyes. ¡°Stop touching it! Your mood is written all over your face.¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head, defeated. The pre-amnesia Leng Xiyao was just as vivacious and straightforward as the post-amnesia Leng Xiyao.

    Her smile was tight when she turned toward the window and said, ¡°Yao, although you can¡¯t remember a thing from the past, talking to you feels the same as before. It¡¯s as if nothing unhappy has ever happened between us.¡±

    Leng Xiyao frowned. ¡°Has anything unhappy happened between us before?¡±

    Mo Suqing realized she had slipped her tongue. The corner of her mouth twitched a little.

    ¡°Well, when two friends hang out all the time, it¡¯s inevitable for them to get into an argument from time to time. Anyway, we are fine now, aren¡¯t we?¡±

    Leng Xiyao nodded, although Mo Suqing couldn¡¯t quite read her expression.

    All she could do was to tell Leng Xiyao not think too much and take more rest.

    After a long time, Leng Haoyun still didn¡¯t return.

    Mo Suqing said halfheartedly, ¡°Yao, if a man loves?you,?would?he get involved with a woman you dislike? Will he flirt with her and make everyone know? If it were you,?would?you cling to the rtionship?¡±

    Leng Xiyao frowned. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    Seeing the puzzlement on Leng Xiyao¡¯s face, Mo Suqing couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly. The girl had forgotten about everything. What was the point of telling her?this?stuff?

    ¡°Never mind. It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just babbling. You should rest well.¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked very dissatisfied. She ced her hand on Mo Suqing¡¯s arm, her face crumpling.

    ¡°Suqing, you are making me even itchier with all the ambiguities! Although I can¡¯t remember my past, I feel really close to you. When you said we were best friends, I believed you at once because I trusted my feelings.¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at the girl who cared so much about her and shook her head resignedly. <i>Even now, she cares a great deal about me. However, it¡¯s just not me ¨C if I tell her my woes, even Leng Haoyun won¡¯t be happy about it.</i>

    Therefore, she chose to tell her everything in half-truths, half-lies.

    ¡°Yao, during youra, I became closer to another colleague. There are some scandals about her boyfriend and her sister flying about, but she doesn¡¯t have the courage to ask him. She asked me what to do, but you know how I¡¯m not very good at rtionships myself, so I couldn¡¯t really give her any useful advice.¡±

    Leng Xiyao watched Mo Suqing, her eyes betraying nothing. But somehow, Mo Suqing felt she could see through her improvised lies.

    Leng Xiyao, on the other hand, began to feel uneasy under Mo Suqing¡¯s stare. She pouted her lips a little and replied casually, ¡°People nowadays are good at undermining others, so you should tell her to watch out!¡±

    Leng Xiyao seemed to be more and more like herself, almost as if she was not suffering from amnesia. Mo Suqing¡¯s brows knitted together as she watched Leng Xiyao carefully.

    Leng Xiyao tucked her hair behind her ear with her uninjured hand and avoided her eyes.

    ¡°Suqing, don¡¯t look at me like that! I¡¯m just telling the truth. Seriously, in our modern society, there are no men one could not steal from another woman; there are only tramps who don¡¯t try hard enough. Stop looking at me like that. You are creeping me out!¡±

    Mo Suqing looked away. The ward became stifling all of a sudden.

    She made a random excuse about some errand she had to run and took leave without waiting for Leng Haoyun toe back.

    Mo Suqing thought if she didn¡¯t ask Ye Zhongjue about it, everything would be fine.

    Little did she expect to see an uninvited guest at the door of her apartment building the next morning.

    Mo Suqing looked calmly at the elegantdy with her exquisite makeup standing in front of her.

    <i>What is she doing here??</i>They had met each other just once, at the dinner party. There shouldn¡¯t be any reasons for her toe to see her.

    Jian Jie gave her a poised smile. She was impably graceful. Mo Suqing¡¯s expression was still as unruffled as a calmke.

    Jian Jie carried her handbag over her shoulder, raised her eyebrows, and extended her hand.

    ¡°Hi, Miss Mo. I¡¯m Jian Jie. I grew up with Jue. I need to talk to you.¡±

    The words ¡°grew up with Jue¡± hit Mo Suqing hard like a punch. <i>They grew up together? No wonder Ye Zhongjue would bring her to a public event like a dinner party.</i>

    Mo Suqing pressed her lips together without a word.

    Jian Jie saw it and chuckled lightly.

    ¡°What do you say?¡±

    Mo Suqing held her head a bit higher and looked at her. ¡°Miss Jian, is it? Well, I don¡¯t think we have anything to say to each other. We are almost strangers, after all.¡±

    Then, Mo Suqing¡¯s mouth curled into a disdainful smile.

    ¡°In short, I don¡¯t want to talk to you.¡±

    Jian Jie was a little taken aback. She said she had grown up with Ye Zhongjue. Wasn¡¯t that clear enough? Why didn¡¯t she have any reactions? It was either because she didn¡¯t care about Ye Zhongjue or because she was not easy to tackle.

    Well, if it was thetter, she should toughen up a little bit, too.

    Jian Jie¡¯s smile grew into a grin. She caressed her manicured fingernails with the other hand and said,

    ¡°Miss Mo is quite right. We are indeed strangers. However, we have amon acquaintance: Jue. So, Jue and I grew up together. When we were seventeen, I apanied him to study abroad for four years. After he got his doctoral degree, I decided to study for three more years, so that I can be the perfect woman for him and help him expand Mighty Empire in the future. I don¡¯t assume Miss Mo would understand what we mean to each other. Of course, as the only woman who is a suitable match for Jue, I know you are no random woman. I just hope we can have a good talk. After all, we both care about him, don¡¯t we?¡±

    Seeing that Mo Suqing¡¯s expression had shifted, Jian Jie continued, ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about what exactly I came here for?¡±

    Although there was barely any emotion on Mo Suqing¡¯s face, she was dismayed inside. If she didn¡¯t like Ye Zhongjue, Jian Jie¡¯s words would have no effect on her.

    However, she did like him ¨C actually, she was deeply in love with him. Therefore, it was impossible for her not to care about what she was hearing. She was no saint, after all.

    Mo Suqing remembered something when Jian Jie told her that they had been seventeen when they went abroad.

    The time when they were ying Truth or Dare at August Hasn''t Ended Yet,?Gu Yi¡¯an?had asked Ye Zhongjue when his first love was. He had answered without thinking it was when he had been seventeen.

    He had looked mncholic, too. Mo Suqing had thought he must have loved the girl very much. Otherwise, a cold man like him would never have had that kind of expression.

    And now, Jian Jie told her they had been seventeen when they went abroad. It was definitely no coincidence.

    Ye Zhongjue must have been moved by Jian Jie when she had willingly apanied him abroad.

    She herself had been just a freshman in high school. At the thought, Mo Suqing felt downcast. <i>What about his feelings for me? All bullshit?</i>

    Jian Jie had a smug look on her face, whereas Mo Suqing¡¯s poker face could hardly conceal the bitterness she was feeling inside.

    She almost forgot. Ye Zhongjue had also lied about his true identity. Otherwise, she would never have agreed to marry him and then fallen for him.

    Everything seemed to be a big joke.

    If he truly loved her, he would never have lied, would he?

    Seeing that her words had worked, Jian Jie continued, ¡°Three years ago when Jue wasing home, he had asked me toe back with him. However, I had high expectations for myself, so I wouldn¡¯te back just yet. I wanted to work hard and obtain a higher degree, to be the most outstanding woman! That way, I can be the perfect match for an equally outstanding man like him. Now, do you understand what I¡¯m talking about, Miss Mo?¡±

    Mo Suqing stared at Jian Jie with disdain. Of course she understood. Jian Jie was saying that Ye Zhongjue had been using her, Mo Suqing, to piss her off for noting back with him. Jian Jie was saying that she was nothing but a pawn!

    <i>What is she trying to do? Making me see that I am just a nobody, so I will give up?</i>

    Mo Suqing couldn¡¯t contain her disdain anymore.

    She looked at Jian Jie and said, ¡°Well, if you and Mr. Ye are such a perfect match, why do you need toe and say these things to me? A nobody like me will never get in the way of your happiness.¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at Jian Jie bluntly.

    Jian Jie¡¯s eyes went dark. <i>A gossip journalist is indeed much harder to tackle than the other women who tried to get close to Jue!</i>

    But this was not the point. The most important thing was, she could feel Jue cared about her very much.

    She could not let her be near to him and do nothing!

    ¡°Jian Jie, what are you doing?¡± someone roared behind Mo Suqing.

 Chapter 115 â€“ Who doesnâ€™t Have Someone They Grow up with?

    <h4>Chapter 115 ¨C Who doesn¡¯t Have Someone They Grow up with?</h4>

    Mo Suqing and Jian Jie turned to the sound at the same time.

    A furious Ye Zhongjue was striding towards them.

    Remembering what she had just said to Mo Suqing, Jian Jie threw herself on Ye Zhongjue.

    Ye Zhongjue had been fixating his eyes on Mo Suqing, so he was caught off guard when Jian Jie hugged him.

    They were only five steps away from Mo Suqing. Jian Jie cried out when she hugged Ye Zhongjue, ¡°Jue, how can you be with her just to get back at me?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue had no idea what she was talking about. His face clouded when he said, ¡°Jian Jie, are you crazy?¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s face had gone pale. Ye Zhongjue frowned and tried to push the woman away.

    However, Jian Jie hugged him even tighter and would not let go. Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t want toy a finger on a woman, but Mo Suqing was bound to misunderstand the situation if he didn¡¯t.

    When he walked toward them, he could already see that Mo Suqing looked upset. He wondered what Jian Jie had told her.

    Nevertheless, just when Ye Zhongjue was going to manhandle Jian Jie, she whispered into his ear, ¡°Don¡¯t move, Jue! I¡¯m helping you here. Your father wants to hurt Miss Mo. If you push me away now, it will only make him more determined to do so!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s whole body went stiff in an instant.

    Jian Jie pressed home her argument. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, just take a look at the person not far behind you. He was sent by your father to keep an eye on Miss Mo. I only knew about it today.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue did not move. He had believed her words.

    A sneer shed across Jian Jie¡¯s face for a second. Then, she continued, ¡°I can be your shield! You can exin everything to Miss Moter, but right now, do not put her in danger. If something happens to her¡­ you won¡¯t be able to turn back time, no matter how powerful or resourceful you are! Trust me just once, Jue. I always have your best interests at heart¡­¡±

    Gradually, Ye Zhongjue¡¯s body rxed, although his expression was still agitated.

    He looked at Mo Suqing¡¯s pale face, feeling agony inside.

    He didn¡¯t like Jian Jie, but he hated the idea of Mo Suqing getting hurt even more. Jian Jie was right. He couldn¡¯t take any risks.

    Ye Zhongjue looked over his shoulders. Two ck-d men were standing across the street. They quickly looked away when they found him looking their way.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s heart sunk. It was very like his father.

    He hadn¡¯t expected that his father would act so soon after he had just been discharged from the hospital. In order to protect Mo Suqing, he needed to do what Jian Jie had said.

    On the other hand, Mo Suqing was sick of the sight of the affectionate hugging. With a self-mockery smile tugging at the corner of her mouth, she turned and walked toward the opposite direction.

    It was Sunday. She had nned to buy some groceries and make a meal for Leng Xiyao. She hadn¡¯t thought she would bump into Jian Jie at the entrance of her building and witness what had followed.

    In the eyes of a bystander, it looked like nothing significant had happened.

    Jian Jie had said something to her, Ye Zhongjue had run over in a rage, and then the two of them hugged as if no one was looking. What about the wife? She might as well have been a clown.

    Mo Suqing kept walking in a distracted state. When she reached the supermarket, she couldn¡¯t remember what she had wanted to buy.

    In the end, she randomly picked up some items before paying her stuff at the counter and going back to her ce.

    No one could be seen at the entrance now. Mo Suqing nced at the spot where she and Jian Jie had had an exchange, then entered the building.

    Someone was standing at the door to her apartment.

    It was Ye Zhongjue, who was carrying his jacket in one hand and smoking a cigarette with the other and leaning against her door in a casual pose. The look on his face was clouded though.

    Hearing the sound, he looked up to see Mo Suqing emerging from the elevator.

    He quickly went over and took the shopping bags from Mo Suqing¡¯s hands. Mo Suqing just gave him an emotionless look before unlocking the door.

    Ye Zhongjue followed her inside the house and put the bags on the coffee table.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t look at him at all while she assembled everything in the fridge or on the shelf.

    Ye Zhongjue opened his mouth, but no words came out.

    As soon as he hadnded, he came here to exin to her how he and Mo Sulian had chanced upon one another when he was doing business at the hotel, despite what the newspapers had imed.

    He had tried to ignore Mo Sulian. But she kepting at him. Then, when he was about to flip out, she had changed her tone into a piteous one and said how if she couldn¡¯t be popr soon, her father would have to seek help from Mo Suqing instead.

    Ye Zhongjue wasn¡¯t easily threatened, but when he thought about how Mo Zhenfeng would bother Mo Suqing with such trivial things, he couldn¡¯t help but concede. Since it was no trouble to him at all, he had allowed Mo Sulian to use him once.

    Mo Suqing looked like an aloof person, but he knew she really wasn¡¯t.

    All he had in mind while helping Mo Sulian out was how Mo Suqing had cried in his arms after her father set her up in a matchmaking dinner for his own interest.

    He couldn¡¯t let the same thing happen to her again.

    Back when his true identity had not been revealed, he had never had to worry about gossip journalists. That was why it had not crossed his mind that they would follow him everywhere now and take those pictures.

    And of course the media had done a great job at concoction and exaggeration.

    But now, after he had followed Mo Suqing into the apartment, he found he didn¡¯t know how to exin himself.

    Mo Suqing, on the other hand, was rinsing the vegetables and preparing food, totally ignoring him. He might as well not be present in the apartment.

    Ye Zhongjue waspletely tongue-tied. Everything he had done, he had done for her, not for himself. He didn¡¯t like the idea of telling her any of it; it would feel like he was trying to get some kind of reward in return.

    However, he couldn¡¯t stand being neglected by her, either. When she ignored him like this, it felt to him she was rejecting his heart.

    Ye Zhongjue ran his hands through his hair irritably and walked into the kitchen.

    The small kitchen seemed even smaller with his presence.

    Mo Suqing could not cook or move properly without bumping into things.

    She had been struggling not to explode, but the man kept challenging her patience!

    She could make peace with the fact that it had served her right to be treated like a big joke. But now his true love hade back, why?was he still?bothering her? Had he not had a good time toying with her?

    ¡°Please get out, Mr. Ye!¡± Mo Suqing said coldly.

    Ye Zhongjue did not heed the part about her kicking him out; he could only focus on thest two words.

    He looked at Mo Suqing in disbelief.

    ¡°What did you just say? Did you call me ¡®Mr. Ye¡¯?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue frowned and his face darkened.

    Mo Suqing looked him in the eye, undaunted. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me calling you that? Isn¡¯t your surname Ye?¡±

    Anger sprang onto Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face. He clenched his hand into a fist and looked at her with an icy-cold expression.

    ¡°Mo Suqing, what is that supposed to mean? I came all the way here as soon as Inded, but this is the attitude you are giving me?¡±

    Mo Suqing snickered inwardly. <i>Really? Oh right! He came here to hug another woman! I think I should probably give you an award for this!</i>

    <i>And what about my attitude? I am a pleasant woman, am I not?</i>

    <i>After all, if it was before, I would kick him straight out, even if I had to fight him! But now, I have changed.</i>

    <i>Look at me. My tolerance threshold is so high that I can act like a stupid moron who has not a care in the world even though people are practically abusing me! Who can I me but myself?</i>

    Mo Suqing looked at Ye Zhongjue and gave out a derisiveugh. ¡°Well, I thank you, Mr. Ye, for condescending to rush all the way to my shabby ce as soon as younded and then showing me how in love you and ¡®the girl whom you grew up with¡¯ are by embracing each other tightly!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was surprised. <i>She is jealous? She¡¯s actually jealous of Jian Jie?</i>

    Suddenly, Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t feel angry anymore. He blocked the exit to the kitchen and looked at Mo Suqing earnestly.

    ¡°Suqing, it¡¯s a misunderstanding. I can exin. There is nothing between me and Jian Jie. I wasing to tell you what had happened with me and Mo Sulian. I didn¡¯t know I would see her here.¡±

    Mo Suqing interrupted him, ¡°What is it you want to exin to me exactly? That you don¡¯t have to remain chaste for your joke of a wife, or how much you love your Jian Jie who, by the way, grew up with you?¡±

    The mockery and coldness in her tone made Ye Zhongjue speechless.

    She continued her attack, ¡°I can totally understand even if you don¡¯t exin anything. Who doesn¡¯t have someone they grow up with, right? Take me and Gu Jiannan for example.?Although we didn¡¯t really grow up together, we did meet each when we were quite young¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue stared at her with a sullen look and punched the door to the kitchen hard with his fist.

    Mo Suqing, rmed, stopped talking instantly.

    Ye Zhongjue red at Mo Suqing like a provoked lion.

    ¡°In your eyes, am I some kind of a stud that fucks any woman thates to my way? Or, are you saying since the very beginning, you have never had any feelings for me because the only man in your heart is Gu Jiannan? If so, I have misjudged you! In a time when everything costs higher and higher, you, on the contrary, have lowered yourself because you can¡¯t get over a man who cheated on you!¡±

    Mo Suqing?was initially not that furious. But?hearing him say that she had lowered herself and contort her words so much,?she?became even angrier. Out of sheer rage, she couldn¡¯t watch her mouth anymore and waspelled to say harsh things to the man in front of her, as if this was the only way she could feel a sense of security and retain her diminished self-esteem.

    ¡°Ye Zhongjue, it is none of your fucking business! Yes, I have lowered myself. Why would you have to trick me into marrying you then?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue, enraged, stared at her hard and retorted, ¡°I think I must have been crazy.¡±

    Then, he mmed the door shut and stormed out.

    Mo Suqing stood in the kitchen and watched the door close with a bang. Tears poured down her cheeks like a dam burst after torrential rain.

    She crouched down and hugged her head in agony.

 Chapter 116 â€“ How His Confidence Has Come from

    <h4>Chapter 116 ¨C How His Confidence Has Come from</h4>

    Mo Suqing cried for a long time before she got up, washed her face, and resumed cooking.

    When she brought the food to the hospital ward, Leng Xiyao had already eaten. Mo Suqing raised her hand to throw the food into the trash can, but Leng Xiyao stopped her.

    ¡°Suqing, what is with you? You came a bitte, that¡¯s all. I can heat it upter. You don¡¯t have to get so worked up and throw it away!¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked at Mo Suqing, agitated.

    Mo Suqing lowered her hand without saying anything.

    She had kept her head low, so Leng Xiyao hadn¡¯t noticed anything wrong with her. But now as she put the bento box aside and turned around, Leng Xiyao realized her eyes were red and swollen like a pair of walnuts.

    Leng Xiyao looked at Mo Suqing concernedly.

    ¡°Suqing! Did you cry? Who made you cry?¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head, but Leng Xiyao did not believe it. In the end, Mo Suqing told her what had happened.

    Leng Xiyao had already known about her and Ye Zhongjue soon after she woke up from thea. She had asked Mo Suqing about it, and Mo Suqing hadn¡¯t tried to conceal it from her.

    After Mo Suqing recounted the event to Leng Xiyao, she said, ¡°Humph, yet another woman? I thought it was something to do with that bitch Mo Sulian!¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at her in amazement.

    She hadn¡¯t told Leng Xiyao anything about Mo Sulian. How did she know who Mo Sulian was? Did she remember everything?

    Mo Suqing looked at her nervously, ¡°Yao, do you remember anything?¡±

    Leng Xiyao blinked. ¡°I wish!¡± she said and gave a hollowugh.

    Mo Suqing looked her in the eye and said in a serious tone, ¡°Yao, don¡¯t you lie. If you can¡¯t remember a thing, how did you know about Mo Sulian?¡±

    Leng Xiyao pouted and looked away. ¡°I saw the newspaper. People are saying that President Ye is free to be polygamous now. I can see immediately it is a scandal about you. I was mad! That¡¯s why I know about her.¡±

    Leng Xiyao smiled embarrassedly.

    It made perfect sense. Otherwise, how would she possibly know about Mo Sulian?

    However, Mo Suqing still felt there was something wrong, although she could quite tell what it was.

    Mo Suqing stayed in the hospital all day. Leng Haoyun had gone in to work today. He had stayed in the hospital all this time and there were jobs to do.

    Mo Suqing did not leave until Leng Haoyun?returned?after nightfall.

    There was a figure standing downstairs when she returned to her building.

    She frowned a little and continued to walk. However, the figure rushed toward her and grabbed her arm before she could react.

    By the lighting from the building, Mo Suqing recognized the person.

    <i>Gu Jiannan? What is he doing here?</i>

    Looking at miserable appearance, Mo Suqing drew her brows together.

    Blood was seeping out of his forehead; his face had multiple bruises; the blood on his chin had?dried; his clothes?were?stained with dirt and blood.

    Mo Suqing frowned. Although they had broken up, she still felt bad seeing him like this. They had been together for seven years, after all. Some habits were hard to change. Even if it were a dog that she had kept, she would have felt sorry.

    Moreover, his betrayal had suddenly seemed much less unforgivable when she fell in love with Ye Zhongjue.

    When you stopped loving someone, you stopped caring, too.

    Mo Suqing tried to free herself from his grip, but he was just too strong.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s face clouded. ¡°Gu Jiannan, if you have anything you have to say, say it after you let me go! People will get the wrong idea if they see you grabbing me like this. I care about my face, even if you don¡¯t!¡±

    Mo Suqing said without reserve.

    Gu Jiannan was a little taken aback. Then, he stared at her and said in a dark voice,

    ¡°People will get the wrong idea, you say? Humph, you have found money now, for god¡¯s sake! I know Ye Jue is rich and powerful, and he can get me hurt easily if he wants. But have you any idea what kind of a man he is? Let me tell you the answer!

    What you are seeing now ¨C on my face and my body ¨C these are his doing!¡±

    Mo Suqing frowned at him in disbelief. <i>Ye Zhongjue beat Gu Jiannan up?</i>

    It was a little unbelievable. Like what Gu Jiannan had said, Ye Zhongjue needn¡¯t have done it himself. He could easily get someone like Gu Jiannan hurt.

    Watching the disbelief on Mo Suqing¡¯s face, Gu Jiannan stared hard at her.

    ¡°What? You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Then, his tone suddenly softened. His whole person became less intense, too.

    ¡°Qing, you have to believe me. You don¡¯t know what kind of a man Ye Jue is! You don¡¯t know how terrifying he is¡­ All of these injuries are his doing! I know I was a big jerk to have mingled with a bitch like Mo Sulian and hurt you so deeply.¡±

    ¡°But now I know you are the one I love! I was stupid. I agreed to go out with her only because I wanted to unite our two groups and make us stronger. She is just a pawn to me. <i>You</i> have always been the one I truly love! The only one!¡±

    Gu Jiannan became a bit too worked up. He took a step closer. Mo Suqing stepped back.

    Gu Jiannan continued, ¡°Qing, don¡¯t be like this. My heart is going to break! Haven¡¯t you realized what kind of a man Ye Jue is? Let¡¯s put aside the fact that he did this to me today and focus on the part that he likes to flirt with other women. It¡¯s not just the woman who went to the dinner party with him, which I saw on the newspaper. Even the bitch Mo Sulian is having an affair with him! Can you trust a man like that?¡±

    ¡°Qing, wake up! I am the only person who?truly?loves you. I did make a mistake, but after I knew what Ye Jue did to you, I felt a lot of pain inside. Do not reject me. Let¡¯s try getting back together, okay? You will see I am the one meant for you. I am perfect for you. What do you say?¡±

    Gu Jiannan looked at Mo Suqing expectantly.

    Mo Suqing listened to his speech expressionlessly. <i>It¡¯s ridiculous. He is calling Mo Sulian bitch now, but what about the time when they fornicated with each other?</i>

    <i>Besides, why would he think I want to get back together?</i>

    <i>I can¡¯t understand?</i><i>where</i><i>?his confidence hase from.</i>

    Mo Suqing eyed him up and down. Before, she had thought Gu Jiannan was an irresponsible man who would cheat on the girlfriend he had been with for seven years. But now, she realized that he was not only irresponsible but also exceptionally shameless. In fact, he had reached a new level of shamelessness!

    <i>Why would he think I might go back to him? Even animals learn lessons from the past, and I am a human being!</i>

    <i>However miserable I am, I won¡¯t ept just anybody.</i>

    <i>Does he really think that I will break up with Ye Zhongjue and go back to him simply because Ye Zhongjue is having all those scandals and has beat him up?</i>

    <i>What is the logic of that? How can he be so brazen, pretending his betrayal is negligible?</i>

    Watching Mo Suqing¡¯s emotionless expression, Gu Jiannan felt his heart sunk. He had be less and less sure of her since their breakup.

    He hadn¡¯t had any confidence she would want to take him back. However, Ye Jue gave him a little hope.

    He gathered from Ye Jue¡¯s behavior that he and Mo Suqing had had a fight over him. He had been ecstatic and decided to throw caution to the winds ande to see her.

    He didn¡¯t lie about everything though. His injuries had indeed been caused by Ye Jue. Mo Suqing had no idea how horrible that man was! His fist had fallen on him like the rain. It was fortunate that he had a high level of tolerance to punches. Otherwise, he could have died in his hands!

    He was supposed to go to the hospital, but the thought that Mo Suqing might still have feelings for him urged him to look up her residence and put on a y for her.

    However, he became anxious at the development. Mo Suqing seemed to have changed. She was somewhat different from the woman she used to be and was not falling into his trap.

    He was badly hurt and there was nothing in her expression.

    <i>She is supposed to hug me and cry in my arms!</i>

    Desperate, Gu Jiannan made a quick move and pulled Mo Suqing into his arms when she least expected it, then said,

    ¡°Qing, you must believe me! I¡¯m telling you the truth. I¡¯m not lying!¡±

    Mo Suqing struggled to get free. Ye Zhongjue, standing in front of a nearby building, saw everything. His face went dark. He began to walk toward Mo Suqing.

    Then, he paused.

    Guan Zixuan had beaten him to it. He pushed Gu Jiannan away and punched and kicked him.

    Mo Suqing went to stop him.

    ¡°Zixuan!¡± she said urgently. ¡°Stop it! You are beating him to death! I don¡¯t care what happens?to him, but I don¡¯t want you to implicate you!¡±

    At her words, Guan Zixuan dropped his raised hand. He hurled Gu Jiannan to the ground, unclenched his fist and said, ¡°You are right. He¡¯s not worth it. But if he darese to bother you ever again, I¡¯ll kill him!¡±

    Gu Jiannan cowered at his vicious tone.

    Ye Zhongjue withdrew his foot.

    He admitted he was also trying to test Mo Suqing by beating Gu Jiannan up. However, he had forgotten she had another guardian angel.

    Although Mo Suqing and Guan Zixuan had not had the best start, he could see their rtionship had undergone a transformation since Mo Suqing left with Guan Zixuan after running out of Jazz Club.

    At the very least, Mo Suqing¡¯s view about Guan Zixuan had changed considerably.

 Chapter 117 â€“ The Pathetic Gu Jiannan

    <h4>Chapter 117 ¨C The Pathetic Gu Jiannan</h4>

    After Ye Zhongjue withdrew his foot, he didn¡¯t leave his corner in the shadow of the adjacent building. His eyes dimmed a little, melting into the darkness.

    He watched Guan Zixuan look Mo Suqing up and down and ask her if she was alright. Smiling at him, Mo Suqing waved her hand dismissively and said she was fine.

    Then, he watched Guan Zixuan follow Mo Suqing upstairs. Gu Jiannan, on the other hand, didn¡¯t get up for a while. He finally understood he was nothing to Mo Suqing now. Despite his severe injuries, Mo Suqing just walked away from him with Guan Zixuan without hesitation.

    Gu Jiannan experienced a sharp pang in his heart, as if thousands of ants were gnawing at it. He regretted it now. He regretted choosing Mo Sulian in the hope of consolidating Gu Group and losing Mo Suqing in the process.

    Hey there on the ground and watched the night sky for a very long time. Then, finally, he got up slowly and staggered out of sight.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes?showed no apparent emotions but remained closely on?Mo Suqing¡¯s apartment.

    The light was still on in Mo Suqing¡¯s apartment. Ye Zhongjue kept standing there, waiting. For what? He didn¡¯t really know himself.

    After they went upstairs, Mo Suqing poured a ss of water for Guan Zixuan, who whined brazenly, ¡°Suqing, I¡¯m hungry!¡±

    ¡°Well, go find something to eat then,¡± Mo Suqing said while she tidied up the room.

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s mouth twitched a little. <i>She always acts coolly toward me. I have been by her side?</i><i>during all her darkest times</i><i>, for crying out loud!</i>

    <i>I have just solved a big problem for her down</i><i>stairs</i><i>! Humph, why can¡¯t she be nicer to me?</i>

    <i>I rushed over here right after leaving the filming studio, even though it iste at night, and this is how she repays me?</i>

    Guan Zixuan knew that he was but an important friend for Mo Suqing ¨C she had no feelings for him whatsoever ¨C but he couldn¡¯t give up just yet.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like what they have out there! Besides, I just came from outside. How could you be so cruel to kick me out so soon?¡±

    Mo Suqing paused what she was doing and looked at Guan Zixuan. ¡°You are really hungry?¡±

    Guan Zixuan nodded his head vigorously.

    Mo Suqing threw the clothes in her hands on the sofa and sighed. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll prepare something for you. But I must warn you: I am not a good cook.¡±

    It was true. She had never cooked for once until she and Ye Zhongjue got together and she couldn¡¯t stand by and watch him cook for her almost every day after work.

    At first, she couldn¡¯t even cook up something as basic as scrambled eggs with tomatoes. However, after some practice, she had learned to cook a few dishes, although they weren¡¯t very tasty.

    She wouldn¡¯t have cooked for Leng Xiyao if she hadn¡¯t nagged her to after finding out that Mo Suqing cooked every day.

    Thinking about Ye Zhongjue and Leng Xiyao made her blue again.

    She walked toward the kitchen, ignoring Guan Zixuan, who was yelling, ¡°No matter how distasteful it is, I¡¯ll finish it?and?lick the tes clean!¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s voice was cheerful like a child¡¯s. Mo Suqing felt her mood improve a little.

    She made three dishes along with a soup, all very simple. The three dishes were cucumbers with smashed garlic, stir-fried pork and green pepper, and stir-fried?Indian lettuce, while the soup was egg drop soup with tomatoes. It was a typical home-made meal.

    Although they didn¡¯t look appealing, they didn¡¯t taste as bad as Mo Suqing had said.

    Guan Zixuan seemed to be starving. He had two heaped bowls of rice and finished everything on the table. Then, he belched satisfactorily, not caring about the image a super star should endeavor to maintain. His eyes sparkled like a satiated child.

    Mo Suqing sat across from him, but she didn¡¯t finish her rice. She was not in a good mood and did not have the appetite.

    Guan Zixuan helped her transfer the dirty tableware to the kitchen. His phone began to ring.

    Guan Zixuan answered the phone. At first, he listened casually, not really taking in what was being said at the other end of the line.

    All of a sudden, he shouted, ¡°What? What happened?¡±

    Mo Suqing looked over her shoulder to see Guan Zixuan¡¯s ashen face. It was as if there was an impending storm.

    Mo Suqing put the cutlery down and walked toward him, her eyes full of concern.

    Guan Zixuan was usually merry in front of his friends. He had a jolly and sunny disposition. Sometimes, he behaved like an innocent child. It was always pleasant spending time with him. He seldom got mad like this.

    Now, his face darkened as he listened on. ¡°I see. I¡¯ll stay away from my ce tonight. Quickly instruct the PR team to deal with the issue. I don¡¯t want it to appear in the newspaper tomorrow morning!¡±

    After pondering for a moment, he added, ¡°We have to solve this as fast as we can. If you need to, go to my brother, but don¡¯t tell my parents. If my father knows, I¡¯m dead meat!¡±

    Guan Zixuan hung up the phone.

    Mo Suqing stood in front of him, looking worried. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? What happened?¡±

    Guan Zixuan tried to sound casual, but his tight smile betrayed him.

    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, just some minor problem. Yuan called to tell me about it and said I should probably stay away from my house. Paparazzi might be there.¡±

    Mo Suqing gave him an exasperated look. ¡°Enough of the act! You were obviously upset. What exactly is going on?¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s mouth twitched a little. <i>How?</i><i>could I not know she could</i><i>?be so bossy? However, this only makes me like her even more!</i>

    He arched his eyebrows a little and replied, ¡°It¡¯s really no big deal. I think Mu Ling¡¯er went to the hospital and found out that she seemed to have got pregnant. A journalist followed her to the Shallow Sea when the silly woman went to look for me. Yuan thought I was at home. He didn¡¯t realize anything was wrong until he went there. I told him to deal with the issue as soon as possible; he asked me not to go home tonight, saying I shouldn¡¯t see Mu Ling¡¯er right now and that he will take care of it.¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s expression was hard to read. After a while, she said, ¡°Is Mu Ling¡¯er the model I saw at the airport?¡±

    At the mention of the airport, the images of what had happened in that bathroom cubicle that day immediately popped into Guan Zixuan¡¯s head. His face clouded.

    He admitted he had been some sort of a yboy, but why did she still remember that?!

    He nodded anyway. ¡°Yeah, that was her.¡±

    Then, he quickly added, ¡°But there is nothing between us. I was in a bad mood that day and she kept seducing me! It was fortunate you showed up in time and interrupted us. Nothing really happened.¡±

    Mo Suqing watched him desperately exin to her how nothing had really happened between him and Mu Ling¡¯er, then slowly shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t care what happened or did not happen between you two. I just want to know if you have any solutions to this situation.¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s eyes dimmed a little at her first words. Then, hearing that she still cared about him, his face brightened up.

    ¡°Yuan is dealing with it now. Anyway, the journalists are keeping Mu Ling¡¯er in their sight, so I can¡¯t go meet her. I don¡¯t know why she came to look for me in the first ce!¡±

    Guan Zixuan looked forlorn. If his old man found out he had got himself into such a big trouble, he would probably break his legs!

    But honestly, he was a victim here! That was the only time when anything had (almost) happened between him and Mu Ling¡¯er. He had been in a foul mood after having a big fight with his old man and wanted an outlet for his anger. In the end, it had been disrupted by Mo Suqing. Nothing had ever happened thereafter.

    Therefore, he himself didn¡¯t know why she would want to see him!

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Mo Suqing nodded. ¡°You should find a hotel to stay then. Anything else can wait until tomorrow.¡±

    Guan Zixuan nodded. ¡°Right. I¡¯ll leave in a minute.¡±

    Mo Suqing gave him a look and turned back into the kitchen.

    When she emerged from the kitchen again, Guan Zixuan was about to go.

    Mo Suqing was going to walk him downstairs. However, her phone began to ring.

    Mo Suqing picked up her phone. Guan Zixuan waved his hand at her. ¡°Don¡¯t see me off. I¡¯m a guy; you don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡±

    Before Mo Suqing could react, he closed the door behind him and disappeared.

    Mo Suqing took a look at the caller ID and answered the call.

    It was Mo Zhenfeng. She didn¡¯t really want to answer it, but her mother had told her to try to get along with her father right before she died. Besides, he was her father no matter what. She couldn¡¯t deny their rtionship.

    Mo Suqing answered the phone and said in a cold voice, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    Mo Zhenfeng said in a nice tone, ¡°Suqing, how have you and Zhongjue been? You shoulde home for dinner sometime. I¡¯ll tell the servant to make some of your favorite dishes! And what does Zhongjue like to eat? Say it and I¡¯ll get it prepared. Just let me know when you areing home. How does that sound?¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s patiencepletely ran out at his ass-kissing attempt.

    Here she was, trying to make amends for their nearly ruined rtionship, and her father was scheming how to best take advantage of her. Wasn¡¯t it ridiculous?

    Mo Suqing replied coldly, ¡°That¡¯s impossible. I¡¯m not going back for dinner and neither is Ye Zhongjue. Just give up taking advantage of me! Otherwise, I¡¯ll divorce him right away!¡±

    Hearing that she would divorce Ye Zhongjue, Mo Zhenfeng panicked.

    If she really divorced him, his socialdder would be gone, too!

 Chapter 118 â€“ Playing the Role of a Hard Case

    <h4>Chapter 118 ¨C ying the Role of a Hard Case</h4>

    Mo Zhenfeng quickly said, ¡°Suqing, don¡¯t be so impulsive! I¡¯m just asking if you and Zhongjue have time toe home for?a simple meal! Why?are you this angry? If you don¡¯t want to tell me, I¡¯ll stop pressing, okay?¡±

    Mo Suqing listened coldly to her father trying desperately to cate her, so that she wouldn¡¯t divorce Ye Zhongjue.

    Mo Suqing did not say a word, so Mo Zhenfeng asked tentatively, ¡°Suqing, how are you two getting along recently??What they¡¯re reporting on the news?isn¡¯t true,?right?¡±

    At the mention of the news, Mo Suqing finally went berserk. <i>What kind of a father is he?</i>

    He was always treating her like a pawn. If she and Ye Zhongjue were getting along, he could profit from it. But what if they weren¡¯t? Was he going to send Mo Sulian to seduce Ye Zhongjue instead?

    Mo Suqing felt rage surging in her, but there was nowhere she could vent it.

    ¡°I call you a father out of respect, so please don¡¯t degrade yourself by doing something even your daughter feels contemptuous of! Plus¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s tone became sarcastic, ¡°You have no right to call him ¡®Zhongjue¡¯! He is the president of Mighty Empire, for crying out loud! You are just the president of a smallpany. He will not see you as an equal.¡±

    Mo Zhenfeng¡¯s tone turned sour, too. ¡°What? He is married to my daughter, but I can¡¯t call him by his name? It¡¯s not like he¡¯ll lose anything!¡±

    ¡°Daughter, you said?¡± Mo Suqingughed harshly. ¡°Am I still your daughter? Do you still see me as your daughter? What kind of father would use his daughter like you? Since mom passed away, you have never seen me as your daughter! All you can see is money. You are no longer the father I used to respect and love!¡±

    Mo Suqing hung up and then turned off the phone. She did not want to hear his voice again.

    She sat on the sofa sullenly, her chest heaving out of fury.

    Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

    Mo Suqing frowned. <i>Who?</i><i>would</i><i>?be at her door at such an hour?</i>

    She walked over and peered through the peephole. <i>Didn¡¯t he just leave? Why is he back?</i>

    Yes, it was Guan Zixuan standing at her door.

    Mo Suqing opened her door and looked at him quizzically. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just leave? Why are you back again?¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s eyes twinkled. He smiled and said, ¡°You have to take me in tonight. I have nowhere to go.¡±

    He shrugged and spread his arms. Mo Suqing gave him a puzzled look. ¡°Well,e inside first. What¡¯s up? I thought you were going to stay in a hotel.¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s expression was hard to read. He replied, ¡°There are paparazzi out there. I am sensitive to this kind of thing, and I immediately felt I was being watched when I went downstairs. Therefore, I came back! We have lived together before when you stayed in my vi, so you don¡¯t have to worry I¡¯ll do anything inappropriate.¡±

    Guan Zixuan teased.

    Mo Suqing rolled her eyes at him. Since there were journalists right outside and he couldn¡¯t go back to his house, she must let him stay. After all, he had taken her in when she was nowhere to go.

    ¡°Alright! You go to sleep on the bed. I¡¯ll sleep on the sofa.¡±

    Guan Zixuan arched his eyebrows. ¡°Are you giving me a chance to y the role of a hard case? If I am invited to both your house and your bed, I would probably be invited into your panties, too!¡±

    Guan Zixuan smiled. Mo Suqing stared at him in exasperation. ¡°The sofa is too small for you, okay? But if you want to sleep on it, I¡¯m not going to stop you.¡±

    Guan Zixuan was still smiling at her. ¡°Really? Great! I¡¯ll sleep on the floor!¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at him, startled.

    Guan Zixuan said, ¡°What? Is it not okay? You don¡¯t expect a gentleman like me to sleep on the bed while you, a woman, sleep on the floor, do you?¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at him, defeated. <i>He cannot say more than three sentences in a row without joking and messing around!</i>

    ¡°Fine. Whatever. I don¡¯t care.¡±

    Mo Suqing went to fetch the nket and mattress in the closet and tossed them to Guan Zixuan, who was still standing on the?side.

    ¡°As you can see, my ce is small. Sleep wherever you feel like, super star. I don¡¯t care.¡±

    Then, she went to the bathroom to take a shower.

    Guan Zixuan watched her walk away. He knew he had yed a rotten trick, but he couldn¡¯t help it when he saw Ye Zhongjue.

    There were no paparazzi downstairs. However, he did notice a man standing nearby and watching Mo Suqing¡¯s apartment.

    Ye Zhongjue was wearing ck clothes and almost melted into the night. If it was not for the tiny me from his cigarette, Guan Zixuan would never have seen him.

    Ye Zhongjue had been leaning against the wall with one hand in his pocket and the other hand holding the cigarette and looking up at where Mo Suqing¡¯s apartment was. He just watched it in silence, deep in thoughts.

    Guan Zixuan had concealed himself the moment he saw Ye Zhongjue.

    Then, after some deliberation, he decided to go back.

    He knew it was a little hical, but he would rather give it his best shot than regret in the future, even if it meant being dishonest.

    After all, love was never obtained in a fairpetition, was it?

    When Guan Zixuan came out of his reverie, Mo Suqing had taken a quick shower and emerged from the bathroom, her body wrapped tightly with a towel.

    She looked at the absent-minded Guan Zixuan with a weird expression on his face. ¡°What are you thinking? I have already finished my shower and you are still standing here.¡±

    Guan Zixuan chuckled. Then, he said to himself silently, <i>Suqing, I¡¯m sorry, but I just really like you.</i>

    He began to make his bed without replying.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t press. Somehow she felt Guan Zixuan was acting weird tonight.

    After Guan Zixuan took a shower, he found that Mo Suqing was already sound asleep with a book clutched in her hand.

    He walked over and gently drew the book out of it and then rearranged her nket to cover her whole body before leaving the room.

    He knew Mo Suqing trusted him like a trustworthy friend, such as Leng Xiyao.

    She trusted he wouldn¡¯t do anything untoward to her, so she agreed to take him in.

    True, he was not going to do anything untoward. However, he desperately wanted to know how he could turn himself from a mere friend of hers ¨C even if he was the most trustworthy friend of hers ¨C into her lover.

    He was not just fooling around, either.

    Guan Zixuan chuckled bitterly. Somehow, she had always thought he was fooling around or that he wasn¡¯t being serious.

    The night went on.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s legs had gone numb, but Guan Zixuan still hadn¡¯t appeared from the building.

    He waited the whole night.

    The next morning, he saw Guan Zixuane out of Mo Suqing¡¯s building. He didn¡¯t know how to describe what he was feeling.

    Was it jealousy? Anger? Or resentment? He didn¡¯t know. What he did know was that he felt his heart was riddled with holes, even though he was still hanging on.

    There was a dinner party in the evening.

    Lin Ran was supposed to go with Ye Zhongjue. However, he had some unexpected family affairs to address. Therefore, when Ye Zhongjue emerged from his office, it was Jian Jie who was waiting for him instead of Lin Ran.

    Ye Zhongjue frowned.

    Jian Jie quickly said, ¡°Mr. Lin has something he needs to take care of, so he can¡¯t go tonight. As your chief secretary, I should apany you. Moreover, if your parents see that we attend the party together, they will loosen their grip on you a bit. It¡¯ll be a good thing to Miss Mo, too.¡±

    Watching her tender and earnest face, Ye Zhongjue nodded. The two of them went into the elevator.

    Ye Zhongjue kept thinking about the look on Guan Zixuan¡¯s face when he emerged from Mo Suqing¡¯s building. His heart hurt a lot, but he couldn¡¯t help but think about it.

    He felt he was sick, very sick. However, he didn¡¯t want to be cured.

    At the party, Ye Zhongjue was still out of sorts and preupied and not really paying attention to Jian Jie¡¯s arm through his.

    Presidents from otherpanies surrounded him and kept ttering him, but he didn¡¯t hear any of it.

    He knew he was just whiling away the time because he was afraid of being idle.

    When he was idle, all he could think of was Mo Suqing. Now, his head started to ache when he thought of their fight the previous day. In the end, he left the party after exchanging a few pleasantries.

    Jian Jie watched him?walk?away, her expression sullen.

    However,?this?was enough for her.

    For the next few days, Jian Jie was always by Ye Zhongjue¡¯s side at all kinds of events and parties. Lin Ran¡¯s family had some trouble that needed his attention for a few days.

    One day, soon after Lin Ran came in to work, he discovered that the media was talking about the divorce of the president of Mighty Empire and the news had already spread throughout thepany.

    In the newspaper, there were pictures of Ye Zhongjue and Jian Jie appearing at various asions and of Jian Jie having meals with Ming Jinhua and Ye Wentian.

    Reportedly, Ye Zhongjue had already divorced Mo Suqing. On the other hand, Jian Jie, who was close to Ye Zhongjue and had been seen showing up at different asions with him recently, was the ideal daughter-inw of his parents.

    Mo Suqing felt her legs go rubbery when she saw the news.

    She wanted to find excuses for Ye Zhongjue. She really did. However, when she remembered that Jian Jie was his first love and that his parents liked her so much, Mo Suqing¡¯s heart pained.

    If Jian Jie wasn¡¯t his first love, Mo Suqing couldn¡¯t think of any other reasons why she would apany him to so many events.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s sanity finally deserted her.

    At this moment, Mo Zhenfeng called. Mo Suqing refused to pick it up.

    She just held the newspaper in her hands,pletely disheartened. Her colleagues were all eying her secretly.

    They were thinking, <i>In the face of such big news, she is acting impossibly calm!</i>

    They saw no emotions on her face, but nobody knew how sad she was inside.

 Chapter 119 â€“ A Divorce Settlement Agreement

    <h4>Chapter 119 ¨C A Divorce Settlement Agreement</h4>

    Mo Suqing sat in front of herputer, but she had no idea what was on the screen.

    All she could see was their fight the other day, the scene of him?and Jian Jie embracing each other affectionately, and the pictures of the perfect match that they were in the newspaper.

    Yes, they were each other¡¯s perfect match. Their family backgrounds matched; their appearances matched. They looked like a lovely pair, a couple with God¡¯s blessing.

    Somehow, she felt like she was the third wheel.

    The morning passed with Mo Suqing lost in these thoughts. When she was heading out to have lunch at noon, she bumped into Zhang Yubin at the entrance.

    Zhang Yubin grabbed her when they passed each other.

    He looked at Mo Suqing and said eagerly, ¡°Suqing, I saw the news. Ye Jue is a sucking jerk! He is married to you, but he keeps getting himself involved with those indecent women!¡±

    Watching Zhang Yubin, Mo Suqingughed suddenly.

    <i>Indecent? I wouldn¡¯t say that about Jian Jie. After all, she grew up with Ye Zhongjue; she¡¯s his first love!</i>

    Herughter sounded like sobbing. <i>Yeah! They are each other¡¯s first love. They love each other. And me? I am just a joke!</i>

    She was stillughing when tears streamed down her face.

    Zhang Yubin pulled Mo Suqing into his chest and patted her back to offer herfort.

    ¡°Suqing, I know you don¡¯t have feelings for me, but you have always had a special ce in my heart. Ye Jue is a fool if he decides he doesn¡¯t want you! You are such a good person. Stop crying, okay? I hate to see you cry¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing gradually stopped sobbing and rested her head on his shoulder.

    She didn¡¯t want to show her vulnerability, but she just couldn¡¯t summon any strength now.

    Not far away, Ye Zhongjue was sitting in his car, watching them hugging each other across from the street with a sullen face.

    His fingers paled from gripping the steering wheel hard and his expression was purple with rage.

    <i>I can¡¯t believe she?</i><i>isn¡¯t pushing</i><i>?him away. She just let</i><i>s</i><i>?another man hold her! I wonder if she¡¯s still the person I know¡­ Maybe I¡¯m the one who has changed? Or is it her? How?</i><i>did we be like this?</i>

    Gloominess shed across Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes. He forced down the violence inside him and remained seated in the car, simply staring at them.

    When he saw the newspaper this morning, his instinct had told him that Mo Suqing must have been misled. It had been several days now since their big fight.

    He had finally talked himself out of thinking too much about the fact that Guan Zixuan was in her house overnight and hade to exin to her what his rtionship with Jian Jie?was. Little had he expected to see this!

    This was all very ridiculous!

    Watching Mo Suqing and Zhang Yubin walk away, he wanted to storm off. However, although mad with anger, he couldn¡¯t help but follow them and watch them enter a bistro.

    He sat in the car, waiting. After they finished their lunch, they went back to the office.

    Ye Zhongjue called Lin Ran and said when he picked up the phone, ¡°Book a flight ticket to Ennd for me. I¡¯m out of here tonight.¡±

    Then, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. <i>That¡¯s it. I need to be alone for a while.</i>

    <strong>At the Mighty Empire building.</strong>

    After ringing off, Lin Ran booked the tickets for himself and Ye Zhongjue on the Inte. Suddenly, his stomach began to ache. He stood up and walked toward the restroom, leaving the booking page on hisputer screen.

    Jian Jie saw him enter the restroom and quickly walked into his office to take a picture of the ticket information. Then, she sneaked out again and went back to the secretaries¡¯ office nonchntly.

    When Ye Zhongjue flew to the UK, he had decided toe back in a week after taking care of some business there. However, something detained him, so he only returned home after half a month in the end.

    At the airport, he and Jian Jie walked side by side with Lin Ran trailing behind and pulling their luggage. Though Ye Zhongjue wore a poker face, he had one hand on Jian Jie¡¯s shoulder protectively.

    The pictures immediately found their way on the Inte. As a gossip journalist, Mo Suqing knew he was back in no time.

    The day when the news about their alleged divorce came out, she had gone?to?look for him at Mighty Empire despite her low spirit, clinging to the frail hope that they could still work things out.

    However, she was told that President Ye had gone abroad and that his return date was unknown.

    Mo Suqing had waited like a prisoner waiting for her sentence.

    In the end, Ye Zhongjue and Jian Jie hade back together, looking genuinely intimate.

    Mo Suqing admitted to herself that she got jealous. Her heart ached so much.

    She didn¡¯t know how, but their three-month old rtionship seemed to have cost her her lifetime energy.

    Then, when Mo Zhenfeng called to verify the truth of the news again, she made up her mind.

    She would rather let go and forget about him than live like this for any longer.

    She found awyer that day and printed out the divorce settlement agreement. After signing her name, she mailed it to Mighty Empire.

    Yet, when she emerged from the post office, she didn¡¯t feel relieved as she had thought she would. Her heart actually hurt more.

    Nheless, she made herself not to think about it. She would not cling to something that did not belong to her.

    She had decided not to take any of his money. They had been married for less than four months and this was the only way she could keep her dignity.

    It was better, less humiliating, than if Ye Zhongjue asked her not to take his money.

    ----

    Ye Zhongjue did not go to thepany the day he hadnded. He had sent Jian Jie to her family before going home.

    The next day when he went in, he saw the express parcel lying there on his desk.

    He walked closer and saw it was mailed by Mo Suqing.

    Somehow, he had a premonition of something bad. The veins on his temple began to throb. He pressed his lips together and cut the seal open with a knife. The title in big, ck letters on the white paper caught his eyes before he pulled all of the document out:

    <i>Divorce Settlement Agreement.</i>

    His heart sank. She had chosen to give up after all.

    His face darkened as he held the two copies and stared at them. Mo Suqing had attached a note which read:

    <i>I¡¯m not going to take any of your properties. I¡¯ve signed the copies, too. All you have to do is to sign your own name, and it will be effective at once to set you free. You don¡¯t even have to give me the papers in person. Just mail one of the copies to my office. Thanks for?</i><i>the co</i><i>operation.</i>

    Ye Zhongjue stared at the words and felt his breathing be difficult. They had had an intimate, close rtionship for a long period. How could she get so heartless and business-like to him?

    <i>She doesn¡¯t even want to see me for one more time! ¡°Just mail one of the copies to my office.¡± Like she did when she mailed the document to his office?</i>

    Indignation crossed Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face. He clutched the papers tightly with both hands in such a force that he could tear them apart if he meant to.

    She wanted a divorce, but he was not going to give her one!

    <i>Why? Why is it up to her??</i>What he didn¡¯t want to admit to himself was that he was a pathetic coward who was not able to let go. He couldn¡¯t allow her to leave his life. Even though they were in a cul-de-sac in their rtionship, he still couldn¡¯t give up.

    In the end, Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t sign the papers. He crumpled them up and threw them into the bin.

    Then, he fished out a cigarette and began to smoke.

    After the cigarette burned out, he took his car keys and left the office abruptly.

    Mo Suqing was at work. She still hadn¡¯t got her copy of the divorce settlement agreement she had mailed yesterday. However, she didn¡¯t think she needed it.

    She had already known the result, hadn¡¯t she?

    Presently, she could feel everyone was casting weird nces her way. Finally, she sensed there was someone in front of her, gazing at her.

    Mo Suqing snapped her head up and saw Ye Zhongjue staring at her dangerously. His eyes were narrowed and a faint anger showed on his face.

    Mo Suqing quickly lowered her head. <i>What is he doing here? I told him to mail it to my office!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue?saw that she noticed him?but?then lowered?her head,?causing him to feel?even angrier. She was good at stirring up his emotions.

    Thinking of her note and her business-like tone, he strode over, grabbed her arm and?dragged her?outside.

    Mo Suqing wanted to struggle, but she didn¡¯t want to make a scene with everyone looking either, so she just let him push her into his car. Then, he started the car and took a familiar route.

    Together, they had taken this route for three months. <i>What does he think he can achieve by taking me there now?</i>

    Indeed, just as Mo Suqing had guessed, Ye Zhongjue eventually took her to the apartment where they had lived together for three months.

    Mo Suqing hadn¡¯te back here for almost a month. She had thought there would be dust everywhere.

    However, upon entering, she found everything was the same as she had left it.

    Nothing was different. The ce was so clean that no dust could be seen. It was as if they were still living here.

    Mo Suqing turned around and looked at Ye Zhongjue, who was trying hard not to flip out. ¡°I believe you have received it,¡± she said, ¡°You should have just mailed it to me; you don¡¯t have to go to the trouble by taking me here.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue exhaled loudly and fixated his eyes at her, as if he could read through her.

    ¡°Mo Suqing, how can you be so heartless!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m heartless?¡± Mo Suqing demanded. Even though she felt as if her heart was bleeding itself out, she still pretended she couldn¡¯t care less.

    ¡°Right, I am cruel! That¡¯s why I have be like this! Do you have any idea what people call me? Damaged goods, that¡¯s what! Do you like it? I think?it¡¯s not bad!¡±

    Mo Suqing sneered. ¡°Tell me, why did you take me here?¡±

    <i>Damaged goods? Who said that??</i>Ye Zhongjue would like to kill them! Yes, he was angry with her being so cruel. But he couldn¡¯t let her be abused, either.

    Maybe he had done it wrong. However, he just loved her too much to¡­

    He inhaled deeply and looked at her earnestly. ¡°We have not divorced yet!¡±

    ¡°But I have mailed the divorce settlement agreement to you!¡± Mo Suqing replied, almost incensing him all over again.

 Chapter 120 â€“ No Good Will Come out of Comparisons

    <h4>Chapter 120 ¨C No Good Will Come out of Comparisons</h4>

    ¡°Mo Suqing!¡± Ye Zhongjue snarled, looking at her with eyes red with fury.

    <i>How can she be so heartless and say all those things that sting my heart?</i>

    Mo Suqing watched him flip out. This was not what she had anticipated.

    She had freed him; he could be with his first love now and lived happily ever after.

    <i>Where did I do wrong?</i>

    Mo Suqing was about to put her thoughts into words when Ye Zhongjue pulled her closer and stared at those lips of hers that?kept uttering words that broke his heart.

    Then, he kissed them without preamble and with a great force and intensity, as if he was a provoked lion that was tearing its prey apart.

    Mo Suqing could taste blood in her mouth. Something was very wrong. They were here to negotiate their divorce, weren¡¯t they? How had things be like this?

    Mo Suqing pushed him away when he was caught off guard. However, Ye Zhongjue was not done yet. He pounced at her again.

    Panicked, Mo Suqing pped him across the face.

    <i>Whack!?</i>The sound of the p resonated throughout the room. Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue were both startled.

    Mo Suqing had a lost expression on her face. She hadn¡¯t really wanted to hit him. However, why would he think he could kiss her at this stage?

    Ye Zhongjue touched his cheek, looking?stunned. He hadn¡¯t known that she, who usually looked like a fragile and docile kitten, had it in her to be so fierce when she became truly angry.

    His cheek was stinging.

    The two of them stared at each other, neither backing down. The apartment was awfully silent.

    After a long while, Ye Zhongjue slowly opened his mouth without taking his eyes off of her and blurted out in a hoarse voice, ¡°Why did you p me?¡±

    Just then, Mo Suqing had had enough. ¡°Ye Zhongjue,¡± she shouted, ¡°we are getting a divorce! You have no right to do that! I can¡¯t afford to y you wealthy people¡¯s game, so I quit! What else do you want from me? Just go to be with the woman whom you grew up with! I¡¯ve stepped aside. What else do you want me to do?¡±

    Mo Suqing crouched down, put her hands on her head, and began to cry.

    Her hot tears melted Ye Zhongjue¡¯s heart.

    He approached and crouched down himself, then gently folded her in his arms.

    Mo Suqing was sobbing so hard, she didn¡¯t have the strength to push him away. She could only faintly make out his words, ¡°I won¡¯t divorce you.¡±

    In the end, she fell asleep.

    When she woke up again, she was in her bed. The tears on her face had been wiped away and she had been changed intofortable homey clothes.

    She curled there on the bed, not wanting to move at all.

    Then, she turned slightly aside and saw there was a note on her nightstand. His beautiful handwriting could be seen on it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll exin everything to you tonight. After that, if you still want to leave, I won¡¯t stop you. But please wait for me toe back. Dinner is on the table. Heat it up if it has gone cold.¡±

    Mo Suqing sniffed. <i>I</i><i>¡¯ve already given</i><i>?up. What is he doing this for now?</i>

    Mo Suqing pouted her lips. Her stomach rumbled. She got up and walked to the window. It was already dark outside. No wonder she was starving. She had slept for a long time.

    She hadn¡¯t been able to sleep well recently. This was the first time in days she had slept so deeply.

    Mo Suqing heated up the dinner and had some of it. It was as tasty as she had remembered. But somehow, this made her want to cry.

    Meanwhile, in Blue Phantom Pub.

    Ceng Hanyu and Ye Zhongjue were sitting in one of the private rooms.

    Ceng Hanyu opened a bottle of wine and poured it into the sses for the two of them.

    ¡°Come, have some drink!¡± He handed one of the sses to Ye Zhongjue, but Ye Zhongjue stopped him.

    ¡°You can drink yourself; I¡¯ll pass. I have something important to doter.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu was surprised. ¡°What? You took me here and you are not drinking? You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at him, all serious. ¡°Yeah. You can drink yourself!¡±

    He didn¡¯t get annoyed at all, which surprised Ceng Hanyu even more. ¡°Why are you acting so nice tonight? Scarily nice! Howe I can never do that? Tut! No good wille out ofparisons!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu looked at Ye Zhongjue with his devilish smile. Ye Zhongjue gave him a cid look and said, ¡°Stop showcasing your low IQ.¡±

    Wine spurted from Ceng Hanyu¡¯s mouth. He looked at Ye Zhongjue in disbelief.

    ¡°Where did you learn that expression?¡±

    ¡°WeChat!¡± Ye Zhongjue replied sinctly. He looked at Ceng Hanyu, contemting on how to ask those questions.

    ¡°You use WeChat?¡± Ceng Hanyu looked as if he had just discovered a new world.

    ¡°My wife uses it.¡± Ye Zhongjue was indeed extremely nice today. He had answered all of Ceng Hanyu¡¯s questions without hesitation! Ceng Hanyu was jaw-dropped.¡±

    <i>This is horrifying!</i>

    ¡°Spit it out. Why do you want to see me? I don¡¯t believe you just want to hang out, based on your weird behavior.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue took a nce at him. ¡°I want to ask you something.¡±

    ¡°Ask away!¡± Ceng Hanyu replied frankly and took a sip at his wine.

    ¡°My wife mailed a divorce settlement agreement to me!¡±

    Wine spurted from Ceng Hanyu¡¯s mouth again. He looked at Ye Zhongjue indignantly. <i>Do you really want me to have a drink?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue gave him a disgusted look. Ceng Hanyu¡¯s face clouded. <i>You are to be med for the spitting, and now you are giving me such a look?</i>

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you should call her your wife, now that you are divorced,¡± Ceng Hanyu teased.

    Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t get angry. He just replied calmly, ¡°I¡¯m not going to sign it!¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Ceng Hanyu put the ss on the table. ¡°After all, you haven¡¯t forgotten about her after seven years. Now that you have finally met her again and even got married with her, I don¡¯t figure you would want a divorce, not if you are still sane.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at him coldly. ¡°Does anyone tell you you have an irritating face?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu shut his mouth up. <i>I know you are better atbatting than me, but do you have to threaten me all the time?</i>

    He teased Ye Zhongjue again, ¡°Look at you and the mess you have been making! First she knew about your true identity. Then you made yourself the center of scandals. I say you are just too high-maintenance, too uptight!¡±

    Miraculously, Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t fly into a temper. He looked at Ceng Hanyu and asked, ¡°What about those scandals? Would she really care about them?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu looked at him as if he came from Mars.

    ¡°Jue, your wife is no saint. She¡¯s just a woman! How can you expect she wouldn¡¯t care about the scandals? Let me tell you something. All women care about her husband¡¯s scandals with another woman! And you have scandals with two women! How dumb are you? I don¡¯t know how a rtionship dummy like you could have kept her in your heart for so long.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu kept shaking his head. Ye Zhongjue frowned. ¡°That I can exin. Is there anything else?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu puffed his chest out. ¡°Well, you haven¡¯t exined to her about your identity, have you?¡±

    ¡°No, I want to wait until she calms down.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue said in a serious, humble tone.

    Ceng Hanyu said without reserve, ¡°To deal with a woman, you can¡¯t wait until she calms down! If she does calm down, it means she doesn¡¯t care about you anymore.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s words were like a wake-up call. Ye Zhongjue looked uncharacteristically agitated.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid once she knows about the truth, she will stay with me out of pity. I want her to stay because she loves me, not because she pities me, so I haven¡¯t exined myself. Could she have mistaken my silence for indifference?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu gave him a disgusted look. He was very smug for doing it; he had never had a chance to give Ye Zhongjue that look.

    ¡°She¡¯s not a mind reader! How can she know why you lied to her if you don¡¯t exin yourself? She probably thinks you are a yboy who has been ying with her! Whether she stays out of pity or love, it¡¯s not important. The important thing is to get her stay with you first! Don¡¯t you have the confidence to make her fall for you in the future?¡±

    This must be how it felt like to be <i>enlightened</i>!

    Ye Zhongjue instantly got it. <i>Why have we fought for so long over such a trivial thing?</i>

    <i>She must have been heartbroken! I¡¯m going back to exin everything to her right now!</i>

    Before Ceng Hanyu could react, the man who had been sitting next to him had gone out of the ce like a gust of wind.

    Ceng Hanyu remained seated on the couch, looking forlorn. The private room suddenly felt empty with no one else in it. He leaned against the couch casually with the ss in his hand.

    Suddenly, an innocent face appeared in his mind.

    Ceng Hanyu shook his head violently. <i>Fuck! Am I possessed? Why else would I think of Leng Xiyao all of a sudden? We have met twice only!</i>

    Having said that, their second encounter had been a memorable one and left an imprint on his mind. He felt he had been vited! But it still didn¡¯t make any sense why he would think of her now.

    Ceng Hanyu frowned, his handsome face showing a hint of devilishness. <i>I think she¡¯s?</i><i>still in the hospital. I heard that she was badly injured, but that she had woken up after?</i><i>being in aa for more than ten days.</i>

    ¡­¡­

    Ye Zhongjue drove his car toward home?at?a high speed, all the while thinking about how best to exin everything clearly to Mo Suqing.

    Since Ceng Hanyu had said she definitely cared about those scandals, he would exin the truth behind them to her. The bottom line was, he wanted to be with her. He hadn¡¯t been so clear-headed for a long time.

    After dinner, Mo Suqing had retreated to Ye Zhongjue¡¯s study and picked some of the books on the shelves to read.

    However, all the books she randomly picked were about business, economics, finance or the like, which bored her.

    Suddenly, her eyes caught a book titled <i>A Manuel of Firearm Design.</i>

    Mo Suqing picked it up, her eyes rolling here and there. <i>Why would a president have a book about firearm design?</i>

 Chapter 121 â€“ Even If the World is Against Us

    <h4>Chapter 121 ¨C Even If the World is Against Us</h4>

    Mo Suqing began to read the book and found it quite interesting. When she and Leng Xiyao first met each other, they had both been interested in design.

    Leng Xiyao had taken a particr interest in jewelry design and she enjoyed drawing all kinds of bizarre trinkets. However, although they both liked design, they ended up working in the field of journalism.

    With the same interest and the fate that had brought them together, they naturally became good friends.

    Mo Suqing turned page after page. Feeling secure in the familiar environment, she kept reading. Soon, she had read arge portion of the book.

    She was so engrossed in it that she didn¡¯t notice Ye Zhongjue hade back and was standing at the door.

    Ye Zhongjue had rushed all the way back home. On the way, he kept thinking how he should exin everything to her. But when he walked to the bedroom and?saw?Mo Suqing?on the bed, he couldn¡¯t help but stop and watch her.

    She had her head bend down, so her long hair fell forward to her front. She was reading a book in such a concentration that she didn¡¯t blink once.

    The light shone on her face at a nt, making herplexion even fairer and more smooth.

    Ye Zhongjue watched the cozy scene silently. It felt like they had never been separated. It was as if he had bute homete from work to be greeted by the cozy scene.

    His whole heart warmed up.

    He just gazed?at?her, reluctant to disturb her by taking a step closer and taking her by surprise.

    Mo Suqing suddenly felt someone was watching her intently in front of her. She could feel the intensity even though she was preupied with the book.

    She looked up and, at that moment, fell into the tender, loving eyes of Ye Zhongjue. It was impossible to fake the affection and heat shown in his eyes.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s heart was beating fast. Everything felt so cozy that she almost forgot she had just mailed the divorce settlement agreement to him.

    Once he signed it, they would no longer be involved.

    At the thought, Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes darkened. She was too na?ve to have expected otherwise just now.

    Watching the light in Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes diminish little by little, Ye Zhongjue himself gradually came back to reality from the dreamlike visual feast.

    To him, Mo Suqing was always a visual feast; she was more appealing to look at than anyone and anything else.

    Ceng Hanyu was right. There was no need for him to be so cautious and uptight. She had mailed him the divorce settlement agreement, for crying out loud! If he didn¡¯t seize the opportunity this time, there would be no opportunities whatsoever.

    Ye Zhongjue strode over. Mo Suqing looked up and eyed him.

    Neither spoke. Time seemed to stop as well.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at Mo Suqing earnestly and finally said, ¡°Suqing¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing mumbled some nomittal reply. Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes sparkled with delight, as if Mo Suqing¡¯s unenthusiastic response had given him great encouragement.

    ¡°Honey¡­¡± Ye Zhongjue called, then watched her expectantly. Mo Suqing averted her eyes and did not reply.

    The light in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes ebbed a little. He continued in a serious tone, ¡°I want to exin everything that has happened recently. Can you hear me out?¡±

    They had been having really big fights where neither had attempted to back down, so Mo Suqing didn¡¯t know what to do now that Ye Zhongjue changed his attitude.

    ¡°Keep talking,¡± she said simply.

    Ye Zhongjue sat down on the edge of the bed and took Mo Suqing¡¯s hand. As a reflex, Mo Suqing tried to withdraw it, but Ye Zhongjue wouldn¡¯t let go.

    ¡°Tell me?what?you want to know or anything you?are doubtful?about without reserve, okay? I will definitely give you a satisfactory answer. Let¡¯s stop sulking with each other, okay? My heart has been hurting so much!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue said thest sentence in a grieved tone and put Mo Suqing¡¯s hand over his heart.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s expression softened a little. An imperceptible hint of panic crossed her eyes.

    Her words were a jumble when she managed to say, ¡°Why are you asking me questions? Say what you¡¯d like to say!¡±

    It was obviously she was being emotional.

    Ye Zhongjue sighed. ¡°Then, can you tell me why you want to end our marriage?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you getting married with Jian Jie?¡±

    Mo Suqing said in an unhappy voice. She involuntarily lowered her head, not wanting to look at Ye Zhongjue.

    Ye Zhongjue felt defeated. ¡°Why do you always assume things? Why can¡¯t you ask me if things are as you think? You have never asked me what the deal with me and Jian Jie is, so how can you reach a conclusion by yourself?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have to ask to know what kind of rtionship you two have! Ye Zhongjue, don¡¯t you dare deny it. I am willing to step aside and let you get together!¡±

    Although having said so, Mo Suqing wasn¡¯t really genuine and she despised herself for it. Perhaps, she had done it on purpose because she could see Ye Zhongjue still had feelings for her.

    He had told her at the very beginning that he would give her a home. It had moved her almost immediately.

    She had just been cheated by Gu Jiannan and it felt like the whole world had betrayed her. He was the one who had given her some hope, until he had made another mess in her life.

    Ye Zhongjue felt both exasperated and aching for her. ¡°You are not <i>letting?</i>us get together! Because she and I have nothing! You thought you?had?guessed it all by yourself and then decided you would take your own course by mailing the divorce settlement agreement to me, but have you ever considered my feelings? No matter how big a fight we had, I have never thought about giving up! Even if the world is against us, no one can make me leave you!¡±

    His words were so touching and full of confidence that Mo Suqing could feel what she had felt before once again ¨C although she didn¡¯t understand why he liked her, she could clearly feel that he cared about her a great deal.

    ¡°Don¡¯t act as if I don¡¯t know anything. You were so protective of Jian Jie at the airport. How can you exin that? How can I believe that nothing ever happened between you? Also, do you remember what you said? You said you met your first love when you were seventeen ¨C Jian Jie told me you two went to the UK that year. And you grew up together! Do you know what I think? I think you want to end things with me because your first love has finallye back! That¡¯s why you have been silent, because you are waiting for our rtionship to burn itself out! You are just waiting for me to break up with you first and step aside! Now I have done what you want me to do, what else do you want? What do I have to do so that you will let me go? My heart is made of flesh and it hurts, you know? If I can help it, I don¡¯t want to fall for you ever again. It¡¯s too hard¡­¡±

    Crying inconsbly, Mo Suqing had her hand over her own heart now. Her hair fell over her eyes, so she didn¡¯t see Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression was mixed with astonishment, defeat and joy.

    He was astonished because she had totally misunderstood what had happened at the airport. He felt defeated because she had concluded Jian Jie was his first love.

    However, he was also extremely joyful, because she had just admitted she had fallen in love with him. To him, it was as wonderful as if a pastry had fallen from the sky and hit him on the head during a famine!

    Ye Zhongjue smiled foolishly.

    This was what Mo Suqing saw when she looked up.

    Suddenly, she became angry. <i>I¡¯m crying so hard here, but he seems to be pleased! What does he want to exin to me, I would like to know?</i>

    <i>Humph, I¡¯m not listening! I¡¯m not listening to him anymore!</i>

    Mo Suqing, like a kitten whose fur stood up when it was enraged, turned her back toward Ye Zhongjue.

    Ye Zhongjue stopped smiling at her cute behavior and gently pulled her into his arms.

    ¡°Hey, stop sulking already!¡±

    Mo Suqing pped his hand away. ¡°I¡¯m not sulking! I¡¯m getting a divorce!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face clouded. ¡°Suqing, don¡¯t ever say that again. I can endure anything but the word ¡®divorce¡¯ from you. When we got married, I have decided to be with you for the rest of my life.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue took a deep breath before continuing, ¡°As for what happened at the airport, I suppose I should exin it to you. Do you know I went to the UK?¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded and replied unhappily, ¡°Yeah, I do.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue peered at her sulky face closely. ¡°You only found out today?¡±

    ¡°No, I went to look for you in yourpany and the receptionist told me you had gone abroad, so I left.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was surprised. ¡°You went to look for me?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I wanted to hear you out. Before sending you the divorce settlement agreement, I wanted to give us another chance.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue hugged her tightly and said, ¡°Suqing, give us another chance now. I promise I¡¯ll exin everything clearly to you.¡±

    His voice was earnest. Before Mo Suqing could say no, he began, ¡°I went to the UK to take care of some business affair that involved gangsters. When I was negotiating, I couldn¡¯t seem to get you out of my mind¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue paused, then continued, ¡°I kept thinking back to how you sobbed into the shoulder of the male colleague of yours the day I left. I was jealous and pained, but I couldn¡¯t help but think about it all the time. That¡¯s why I was distracted.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue took another breath. He wasn¡¯t sure if she could take what he was about to say. However, in order to gain her understanding and trust, he told her anyway.

    ¡°I was so distracted, I almost fell into my opponent¡¯s trap. Just before we were leaving, they had arranged a sniper to shoot me. I should have detected it. After all, it was not the first time I did business with gangsters. You have to be very careful, or you risk getting killed. Your money and your life can be both lost in an instant.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, at that critical moment, someone saved me by taking the shot for me. When I realized what had happened, the damage was done. She was already bleeding profusely. I immediately retreated from the scene with my people.¡±

 Chapter 122 â€“ Love at First Sight

    <h4>Chapter 122 ¨C Love at First Sight</h4>

    Mo Suqing fell into silence. She felt as if she and Ye Zhongjue were from different worlds. She hadn¡¯t known such a thing could happen in this era.

    Ye Zhongjue said someone had taken the shot for him. Could it be Jian Jie?

    Watching her pale face, Ye Zhongjue knew she had guessed it. He squeezed her a little.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Jian Jie took the shot for me. In fact, if it wasn¡¯t for her, I might not be able to be sitting here and talking to you. The sniper aimed at one of my vital organs. Fortunately, when she threw herself on me, it only got her arm.¡±

    ¡°I nned to stay in the UK for a week at most and toe back once everything was taken care of. However, I hadn¡¯t expected something like this and I felt responsible for Jian Jie¡¯s injury. Although I don¡¯t like her, we did grow up together. I was also shocked she would do such a thing for me.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue stroked Mo Suqing¡¯s hair and continued, ¡°The reason I put my hand protectively on her shoulder at the airport, as you have seen in the newspaper, is because she is injured on the arm. And I am the cause of that! How can I not take responsibility for her? At the very least, I had to take her safely home.¡±

    Mo Suqing had wanted to tell Ye Zhongjue that Jian Jie told her they were in love with each other before and that the only reason Ye Zhongjue would marry her was to piss Jian Jie off. However, now that she knew Jian Jie could sacrifice her own life for him, Mo Suqing wasn¡¯t able to say any of those things.

    She reckoned that Ye Zhongjue wouldn¡¯t take her side even if she did tell him. After all, Jian Jie almost got killed for him. All the other vices were forgivable in the face of it.

    Later, Mo Suqing would regret not telling Ye Zhongjue all the things Jian Jie had said and done. If only she had done so, they wouldn¡¯t have to go through so many sufferings.

    s, there was no such thing as ¡°if only¡±!

    Ye Zhongjue resumed, ¡°As for what you said about Jian Jie growing up with me, it is indeed the truth. And we did go abroad together when we were seventeen, when I met my first love. However, it¡¯s not Jian Jie. She may like me, but I have always seen her as a little sister. I can¡¯t give her the love she wants. Do you understand what I mean?¡±

    Mo Suqing was surprised. <i>It¡¯s not Jian Jie? So there is someone else?</i>

    ¡°Don¡¯t crumple up your face like that. Look at you, you aren¡¯t as cute because of all the wrinkles. Yes, it¡¯s not Jian Jie. Actually, it¡¯s someone you know!¡±

    Mo Suqing was struck dumb. <i>I didn¡¯t even know him at that time. How would I know who his first love was? That is bullshit!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue pinched her face yfully at her baffled expression.

    ¡°Yeah, you definitely know who she is. Now, let me tell you a story. When I¡¯m done, you¡¯ll understand everything.¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at him eagerly. She felt what he was about to tell her would be able to answer the questions and untie the knots in her heart.

    Ye Zhongjue had a faraway look on his face, as if his mind had taken him back to the past.

    ¡°When I was seventeen, my parents had a fight. You?probably have no idea, but my father almost always does anything my mother says, so it was very unusual that they had a fight. I felt quite upset, because I was the root of it.¡±

    ¡°I was a senior in high school. My mother wanted me to apply for a school here, while my father wanted me to study abroad. ording to him, I should leave the country and gain more experiences,?and?prepare?myself to take over thepany in the future. As for me, I was young and impetuous and rebellious.¡±

    ¡°I understood why they were having this fight and couldn¡¯t reach an agreement. The real reason was my little sister, who had be a taboo topic in our house long ago.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression became mncholic. ¡°I had a sister who was two years younger than me. I still remember how she and I would make a mess in our vi together. However, when I was four, she was gone. A servant of ours took her away and never came back. At that time, my mother cried every day and my father tried every way to find her. Sadly, after all these years, we still haven¡¯t found her.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps they had given up on her, because they began to shower all their love and expectations on me. My father wanted me to go abroad, so that I could be stronger, have more experiences, and protect myself better, thus preventing the same tragedy from happening again?to?me. On the other hand, my mother, having lost a child, wasn¡¯t willing to let her other child leave her.¡±

    ¡°I was very difficult at that time, very rebellious. I grew sick of their incessant fight over me, so I sneaked out of the house and rented an apartment to stay for a while.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue paused and looked down at Mo Suqing thoughtfully. She had her head against his chest and her cheeks were a little flushed.

    Ye Zhongjue continued, ¡°During that time, I fell in love with a girl;?the first girl I have ever loved.¡±

    Mo Suqing, finally hearing the key phrase, looked up. Her hair brushed against his chin, tingling him.

    He chuckled. With one arm still around her, he spared the other hand to smooth her tousled hair.

    ¡°During those days, I lived in the apartment I had rented. At first, I often got lonely because I couldn¡¯t see my parents and I knew they were still fighting over me, arguing all the time. I was depressed and exhausted. One day, when I was heading to school, I saw a girl whose smile was the sweetest I had ever seen. From then on, I saw her every day at the same ce, helping blind people cross the street. On the bus, she yielded her seat to the elderly. She was like the sun itself, warming up my oppressive existence.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue lowered his head to see if she had any reactions. She didn¡¯t.

    ¡°I think it was what people call love at first sight. I was practically a stalker, following her around every day and watching her do the same things over and over again, never getting tired of it. I was inexperienced with girls, so although I wanted her to notice me, I dreaded it all the same. To be honest, I was very popr at school. Every girl smiled at me! Yet somehow, her smile was different to me. In my eyes, her smile waspletely different from those of the girls in my school who dressed fashionably. Hers was innocent and sunny. It seemed to sparkle, so you couldn¡¯t help but be attracted.¡±

    Mo Suqing felt ufortable listening to Ye Zhongjue praise his first love so much. She pouted her lips indignantly, although she felt awfully familiar with the stories he was telling her.

    <i>Helping the blind cross the street every day. Yielding her seat to the elderly on the bus. Picking up rubbish on the sidewalk and throwing it into the trash can. Didn¡¯t I use to do all those thing</i><i>s</i><i>?at the time?</i>

    Other people might think they were trivial, but she had felt the difference in the long run. She also felt happy helping others.

    Ye Zhongjue was still speaking in his husky voice, ¡°I thought she was the most kind-hearted girl in the world. She was so kind that I couldn¡¯t help but look at her. And she wasn¡¯t pretentious at all. After she helped someone, she would smile happily like a little fool, you know? But she was not as foolish as me, stalking her all day long every day and having not the slightest idea what I wanted to achieve! It went on like that for a long time until one day I btedly realized that I had fallen in love with her.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue could see Mo Suqing¡¯s face was clouded. She looked unhappy.

    He knew she was jealous of his first love.

    He didn¡¯t mind. His little fool would btedly realize the truth in the end, too ¨C that she was the girl he was talking about.

    ¡°At first, I always got off the bus at my stop. But after I realized I liked her, I followed her and got off at her stop, which was only one stop away from mine. I found out that she was actually in the same school with me. She was two grades behind me and had be famous soon after she entered high school. She was pretty, so it took only a short time before everybody knew of her. I hadn¡¯t because I didn¡¯t update myself with that kind of thing.¡±

    ¡°After stalking her for more than half a semester, I made up my mind to tell her how I felt. However, just then, I realized she had got together with a guy in her grade. I had missed my chance and another person had beaten me to it. I knew I didn¡¯t stand a chance now because she wasn¡¯t the kind of girl who would ditch her boyfriend for another. Seeing her happy smile, I decided to give up.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t give up simply because she was with another guy. My parents had reached an agreement and decided to let me go abroad. I had blown my chance with her and didn¡¯t want to run counter to my parents¡¯ wish. At that moment, I felt I had grown into a man all of a sudden. I had outgrown the young rebel inside me and be aloof and mature.¡±

    Somehow, when Mo Suqing heard him say he became aloof and mature after his first love, she felt deeply for him.

    She hugged him tightly, wanting to give him somefort.

    Ye Zhongjue smiled. His girl was always so considerate.

    He patted her back and brushed a lock of hair away from her face before continuing, ¡°I studied in the UK for four years and did note back until three years ago. I dared not look her up and nned to let her stay forever in my memory. I never thought we would actually bump into each other due to a series of unexpected events.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue left his story at that, feeling he had made it very in. He looked down at Mo Suqing and saw that she clearly hadn¡¯t figured it out.

    Ye Zhongjue smiled, feeling defeated. <i>You slow girl!</i>

 Chapter 123 â€“ Skip the Flirtation and Get down to Business

    <h4>Chapter 123 ¨C Skip the Flirtation and Get down to Business</h4>

    Mo Suqing looked up. ¡°Why stop?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue gave her an amused look. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel anything?¡±

    Mo Suqing was still immersed in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s story about him and his first love and looked confused at his question.

    Ye Zhongjue smiled, defeated. He pinched her petite nose yfully, but Mo Suqing pouted and pped his hand away.

    ¡°What happened then? After you met her again?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue lowered his head and rubbed her hair with his chin. ¡°I was talking business in a pub, but the otherpany didn¡¯t know who I was. They thought I was just some minor manager at Mighty Empire. They drugged me. That was when I bumped into my girl. She took the brunt of the aphrodisiac effect of the drug, so I told her afterwards that I would be responsible for her.¡±

    Mo Suqing stared at him, realization finally starting to spread over her face.

    ¡°You are talking about¡­ me?¡± she asked incredulously, pointing at herself.

    Ye Zhongjue kissed her hair.

    ¡°Silly girl, what do you think? My first love and the woman I love has always been you.¡±

    ¡°But you acted as if you didn¡¯t know me when I first met you!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue scratched her nose a little and said, ¡°If I told you I had loved you since high school, you would get spooked! Also, I could tell from your expression that something bad must have happened to you. I did some research and found out that you disliked the idea of wealthy families. If I told you who I am right away, you would definitely want nothing to do with me. Therefore, I decided I would hide my true identity and my feelings from you.¡±

    Mo Suqing felt dazed. She had had no idea there was a man who had kept her in his heart all these years.

    ¡°So, even though I did lie to you, it¡¯s not because I was fooling around or had any evil intentions. When you found out about the truth and broke down, I was agonized and didn¡¯t know what to do. I was going to tell you everything, but then I was afraid you would stay only because you pitied me or were touched by me. However, I also feared that if I didn¡¯t tell you, you would leave me forever. I didn¡¯t know why every time I tried to exin these things to you, we would end up fighting. It wasn¡¯t what I had intended to do! Ceng Hanyu said I don¡¯t know anything about rtionships. I admit, as powerful as I am, I¡¯m a rtionship virgin. But there is one thing you need to know. My feelings for you are genuine. All these years, you are the only one I have ever loved. I have kept you in my heart like the most precious thing in the world. When I was abroad, away from home, I would think about you and found the courage I needed to move on.¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes were brimming with tears. Ye Zhongjue¡¯s moving confession had made her see how much she had missed.

    Ye Zhongjue hugged her tightly. ¡°Every time you mentioned Gu Jiannan, I became extremely jealous when I remembered how he was the one who had been with you all those years, even though I knew you had broken up and that no one would think I am any less than?him. When we first got together, I tried very hard to suppress these emotions. I didn¡¯t want you to discover who I am and to be scared away. I tried to make you think that tenderness and gentlemanship was in my nature. But, I became more and more out of control. I love you so much that I couldn¡¯t help but want to possess you. The feeling got so strong in the end that I would get irritated or even fly into a rage every time I saw you with a man¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing covered his mouth with her hand. Tears poured down her cheeks when she said, ¡°Stop! I know it now.?From now on,?I?won¡¯t?call?you?a liar?again.¡±

    When she first found out she had been deceived, it had felt as if the whole world had betrayed her. However, now that she knew the man she loved had always loved her, she suddenly felt his lies were rather sweet.

    Perhaps, it¡¯s only human nature to change so much and readily.?It really depended on the perspective of the person.

    Ye Zhongjue slowly took her hand away from his mouth and held it.

    ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll do whatever my wife says!¡± he said in a tender and affectionate voice.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t snap at his use of the word this time. After a while, she asked, ¡°What about you and Mo Sulian?¡±

    ¡°Mo Sulian?¡± Astonishment crossed Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face. Then, he raised his eyebrows a little.

    ¡°Initially, she said she would tell me things about you. And she did tell me a lot. In the end, I decided I could help her because she¡¯s one of your family members after all. If something happens to her, your father will only find more reasons to trouble you. Although you act otherwise, I can see you are vulnerable when ites to your family. A little hurt from them can break you down. However, even so, you still can¡¯t say no to their requests. Am I right?¡±

    Mo Suqing pressed her lips together and replied after a moment, ¡°No, you are wrong! The other day, when my father asked me to bring you home for dinner, Ipletely ignored him.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue chuckled at her grumpy expression.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you couldn¡¯t bring yourself to speak to me after we had a fight, right?¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s cheeks reddened. She pinched his waist and said, ¡°How dare you expose me!¡±

    The smile on Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face grew bigger. However, he cated her by saying, ¡°Honey, I dare not do it again!¡±

    Mo Suqing blushed and stopped the pinching. With her pouty?lips and sparkling eyes, she looked particrly attractive.

    Ye Zhongjue felt much obliged to Ceng Hanyu. The love doctor had saved him.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s lips barely touched Mo Suqing¡¯s when she pushed him away.

    She looked at him seriously. ¡°We need to talk through everything tonight. We can¡¯t behave like we used to be anymore. Otherwise, if something simr happens in the future, I¡¯m not sure I can forgive you again!¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Ye Zhongjue smiled and gave her a serious look.

    Mo Suqing said, ¡°Well, I have cleared up all my doubts. Now, you have to tell me why you always act so crazy every time you get mad? You just fly into a temper without warning! Also, why did you have to beat Gu Jiannan up so bad? I feel you are a violent man. Are you? And¡­¡±

    Before Mo Suqing could spill out everything she wanted to say, Ye Zhongjue leant over and nted a light kiss on her lips.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t Guan Zixuan leave your ce that night?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her, waiting for the answer.

    Mo Suqing, startled by the unexpected kiss, jumped from the bed and almost fell.

    Fortunately, Ye Zhongjue caught her in time. Laughing, she fell into his arms instead.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s heart melted at her liveliness and gorgeousness.

    Mo Suqing smiled slyly and pointed at Ye Zhongjue. ¡°What, are you jealous of him?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face darkened. <i>You devilish woman!</i>

    Mo Suqing grinned. ¡°Well, I guess it won¡¯t hurt to tell you about it. That night, when Zixuan was leaving, Yuan ¨C that¡¯s his assistant ¨C told him that journalists were gathering around his vi at the Shallow Sea. The model who was reported to be his girlfriend before seemed to have got pregnant. It was taken care ofter that night, though. Zixuan was going to stay in a hotel for the storm to pass, but he noticed there were some journalists outside my building. In the end, I let him sleep on my floor.¡±

    Mo Suqing batted her eyshes innocently.

    Although Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t care for the way she called him ¡°Zixuan,¡± he forced himself not to flip out. He knew very well how Guan Zixuan had taken her in when she was going through a tough time.

    She was grateful for him. It was nothing to do with love; he was just a trustworthy friend.

    Therefore, he didn¡¯t protest.

    ¡°From now on, don¡¯t mention Gu Jiannan¡¯s name in front of me ever again. I was jealous of the guy, but now I simply hate him. Having said that, I still feel quite thankful for him for being by your side during your grief. That¡¯s why I was rtively lenient to the Gu Group. If he can try his best not to incur my wrath, I will not harm him anymore. However, if he does anything that makes me unhappy, I can assure you he will be even more badly hurt than that night!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression was a little savage.

    Mo Suqing frowned. ¡°You were down there the whole night?¡±

    ¡°You have no idea! Ever since we were separated, I couldn¡¯t sleep well every night. I would always end up in front of your building and stay there overnight.¡±

    Mo Suqing hugged him. Ye Zhongjue¡¯s hand began to move about.

    Mo Suqing stopped its progress and knitted her brows together. ¡°Can¡¯t you be good for just a second?¡±

    The romantic atmosphere instantly got pierced.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes gleamed with fire. He said huskily, ¡°I want to skip the flirtation and get down to business!¡±

    Mo Suqing was stunned. ¡°Who told you that?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue rubbed her hair with his nose, taking in the fragrant smell.

    ¡°Ceng Hanyu!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu, who was still in the pub, sneezed.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s face darkened. <i>That bastard has?</i><i>a</i><i>?bad influence on Ye Zhongjue!</i>

    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill him when I see him tomorrow!¡±

    Mo Suqing pouted her lips and ground her teeth.

    Ye Zhongjue hugged her and chuckled. ¡°Good! I¡¯ll help you!¡±

    After enduring for such a long time, Ye Zhongjue could finally hug his wife! Of course he couldn¡¯t help but start to do things to her.

    Moans of pleasure and sighs of satisfaction?went on all night¡­

    The next morning when Mo Suqing woke up, she could still feel?the lingering?warmth?in the space beside her. However, Ye Zhongjue was nowhere to be seen.

    Mo Suqing got up and walked out of the room to find him making breakfast.

    Sunlight shone down on his ck hair. He?was?extremely handsome and pleasant to look at.

    Mo Suqing felt her heart bursting with happiness. This man was hers. He had loved her forever and all she wanted to do was to love him back for the rest of her life.

    If only two hearts can unite and never be separated from each other till death parts them.

 Chapter 124 â€“ I Might Want to Do Things to You

    <h4>Chapter 124 ¨C I Might Want to Do Things to You</h4>

    Little did Mo Suqing expect that, confident as she was now, a lot of things would happen that made her vision seem like a mere fantasy.

    While they ate their breakfast, Mo Suqing kept ncing at Ye Zhongjue, as if she couldn¡¯t quite believe all of this was real. It felt so much like a dream!

    She didn¡¯t even notice there was a bread crumb stuck at the corner of her mouth. Ye Zhongjue teased, ¡°Silly girl, why do you keep ncing at me? Are you afraid I¡¯m going to evaporate into thin air?¡±

    Mo Suqing lowered her head in embarrassment. Ye Zhongjue chuckled, then stood up to pick up the crumb from the corner of her mouth and stuck out his tongue to lick it off. Mo Suqing stared at him foolishly the whole time.

    Mo Suqing blushed and gaped at Ye Zhongjue, surprised that he had just swallowed the crumb on her face. Although they had done more intimate things before, she still felt floored.

    Looking at her crimson cheeks and stupid expression, Ye Zhongjue felt his heart melt.

    He cooed hoarsely, ¡°Honey, don¡¯t look at me like that. I might want to do things to you!¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes widened. Then, her cheeks burned bright red as if she was reminded of something. Shy, she buried her face into her clothes. It was very cute of her.

    Ye Zhongjue ran his fingers through her hair. ¡°Silly, and so pretty, as always. Now, eat your breakfast, so I can take you to work.¡±

    Mo Suqing felt light as a feather. It had been a dreamlike morning. They had gone back to their old life, where they had their meals and went to work together.

    Mo Suqing was finishing up her breakfast when Ye Zhongjue asked, ¡°Honey, do you like the houses at the Shallow Sea Area?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Mo Suqing gave him a puzzled look, thinking that he meant Guan Zixuan¡¯s vi.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her, his face full of indulgence for her. ¡°I asked Lin Ran to clean up my vi at number eight the other day. I used to live there. If you want, we can move in there. It¡¯s closer to yourpany, so you don¡¯t have to get up as early.¡±

    <i>Ah, this is what he meant! But the house we are living</i><i>?in</i><i>?now is filled with memories?</i><i>from these three months. I?</i><i>would</i><i>?be sad to leave.</i>

    Discerning the hesitation on her face, Ye Zhongjue decided to y another card. ¡°Honey, Guan Zixuan is your friend, isn¡¯t it? If we live there, you can go look for him anytime you want. Also, Leng Xiyao is going to be discharged from the hospital soon. Her house is only a little more than ten minutes¡¯ drive from there. It will be much more convenient for the both of you if you want to hang out.¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes sparkled with delight as Ye Zhongjue had expected. Then, she looked at him suspiciously. <i>When has he be so generous?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue cleared his throat, pretending not to see her expression. He wouldn¡¯t admit that it was not only for convenience that he wanted to move there; it was also because he could use?PDA as a weapon against Guan Zixuan! The best way to kill off one¡¯s rival was to do it without anyone noticing.

    Now that he had reconciled with Mo Suqing, they could act intimately in front of Guan Zixuan all day long. <i>Let¡¯s see if he can still get any wicked ideas!</i>

    Mo Suqing, innocent and good-natured as she was, didn¡¯t know what he was thinking. She certainly didn¡¯t realize there were so many indirect ways to deal with one¡¯s romantic rival!

    After breakfast, Ye Zhongjue drove Mo Suqing to work. When they arrived, Mo Suqing noticed Guan Zixuan was nearby, wearing a baseball cap?for?fear someone would recognize him.

    <i>What is he doing? He can easily be seen by a journalist here!</i>

    Mo Suqing quickly informed Ye Zhongjue of his presence and started to get off the car.

    Ye Zhongjue gave her a gloomy look. He had seen Guan Zixuan, too. Was his wife going to leave him like that and meet another guy after they had just arrived?

    He grabbed her arm. Mo Suqing was reminded how petty the man was.

    She nced at where Guan Zixuan was standing and then turned back to give Ye Zhongjue a reassuring look.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll talk to him. You should go to work. It¡¯s not okay to bete for work as the boss. Your employees will talk.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue still clutched her arm stubbornly. ¡°They can talk all they want. I don¡¯t care! You must kiss me before you leave!¡±

    He pointed at his mouth emphatically. Mo Suqing looked at him speechlessly. <i>What a baby!</i>

    ¡°For just a second!¡± she smiled.

    ¡°Okay, just a second!¡± Ye Zhongjue nodded. Mo Suqing craned her neck and kissed him on the cheek. However, Ye Zhongjue pulled her closer and kissed her hard on the mouth.

    Afterwards, Mo Suqing¡¯s face had gone red. She didn¡¯t say it was because she could barely breathe.

    With her cheeks flushing, she pushed him hard in exasperation and got off the car.

    Ye Zhongjue chuckled. <i>My wife is so cute! How I want to stop her from going away!</i>

    <i>How I want to hug her without letting go until the world ends.</i>

    He drummed on the steering wheel while watching her walking toward Guan Zixuan. Since he had chosen her, he should give her hisplete trust and respect, right?

    At the thought, Ye Zhongjue started the engine. Soon, his car disappeared in the traffic.

    Mo Suqing stopped in front of Guan Zixuan and lowered her voice, ¡°Why are you here? Aren¡¯t you afraid to be recognized?¡±

    Guan Zixuan stared at her hard. He had watched her getting off Ye Zhongjue¡¯s car.

    He lifted his cap slightly. Mo Suqing could see that his eyes were bloodshot and full of tiredness, as if he hadn¡¯t slept all night.

    Guan Zixuan spoke in a hoarse voice, ¡°Come on. I want to take you to a ce.¡±

    Mo Suqing looked from herpany to her terrible-looking friend, then conceded.

    ¡°Fine. Let me make a call first.¡±

    Mo Suqing called in sick and followed Guan Zixuan to his car. Luckily, no one recognized him.

    After they got in the car, Guan Zixuan took off the cap and threw it to the backseat.

    Their surroundings became more and more unfamiliar as he drove. Mo Suqing frowned.

    Guan Zixuan began to ascend a hill near B City. After driving along the tortuous road for a while, he finally stopped. They got off.

    Guan Zixuan looked sullen on the way here. Mo Suqing was a little scared.

    Without looking at Mo Suqing, he walked toward a slope.

    It was a rtively t grassy slope. All kinds of short grasses grew there and it wasfortable to sit on.

    Guan Zixuan walked over and sat down. Mo Suqing, watching his lonely figure, followed suit.

    Neither looked at each other. Mo Suqing gazed at the bustling city below her and said, ¡°Zixuan, I want to thank you for helping and caring for me these past few weeks. However, you deserve someone better than me.¡±

    Guan Zixuan sneered, ¡°Someone better than you... ha! What if I insist that I want only you?¡±

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t look at him,?for?fear she would crack. She didn¡¯t feel love toward this man, but she couldn¡¯t say anything harsh to hurt him, either.

    ¡°I see you as one of my best friends!¡±

    ¡°Friend¡­¡± Guan Zixuan repeated in a low voice. A bitter smile appeared on his face.

    ¡°So you two made up.¡±

    It was not a question.

    Yesterday, after he was released from the filming studio, he had gone to her ce to look for her. He didn¡¯t find her. In fact, he couldn¡¯t find her anywhere. She didn¡¯t answer her phone, either. He sent Yuan to inquire after her whereabouts and learned that she had been taken away by Ye Zhongjue.

    He had guessed they would probably make up this time. After all, the guy was so persistent and confident. Also, they were still married. This was something Guan Zixuan could never match himself against Ye Zhongjue with. He had nothing to keep Mo Suqing by his side.

    Guan Zixuan chuckled bitterly.

    Mo Suqing looked uneasy and forlorn. She didn¡¯t want to hurt Guan Zixuan one bit. That was why she had rejected him the first time he told her he liked her. She hadn¡¯t wanted to give him any hope. However, he had still let himself fall deeper.

    Mo Suqing said in a sad tone, ¡°Zixuan, don¡¯t be like this! We are good friends, are we not? You know how much I am grateful for you.¡±

    ¡°No, I do not know!¡± Guan Zixuan said angrily. He stared at her with red eyes. ¡°Why? Why him? Am I not better than him with everything I have done for you?¡±

    Guan Zixuan gripped her arm with?a?shaky hand.

    Mo Suqing felt extremely sorry. ¡°Zixuan, please don¡¯t be like this. I feel terrible to see you like this. It had always been him. He has been in my heart forever.¡±

    ¡°The reason I got together with Gu Jiannan in high school is because I thought he was the guy who had been?protecting?me. That¡¯s why I agreed to be together with him. However, after seven years, I realized the guy was actually Ye Zhongjue!¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes were brimming with tears.

    ¡°Zixuan, let go of me and listen to me. Soon after I entered high school, I was chosen as the campus belle. Boys liked to chase after me. After a time, I even noticed several guys would follow me home every night. I was always very scared during?mymute.¡±

    Mo Suqing could not help but burst into tears. Guan Zixuan felt himself softened. He looked away from her, but her sobbing tone kepting into his ears.

 Chapter 125 â€“ The Order of Feeling Love and Being Moved

    <h4>Chapter 125 ¨C The Order of Feeling Love and Being Moved</h4>

    ¡°After a while, they stopped following me. However, I could still sense there was a person following me at a distance every day after school. I could also feel that he didn¡¯t mean any harm to me. It hadsted about two months when Gu Jiannan confessed his love to me.¡±

    Mo Suqing sniffed. The wind swept by her hair. She looked a little mncholic.

    ¡°He said, ¡®Mo Suqing, I like you a lot. I¡¯ll take you to school and take you home again every day. I¡¯ll take you to lunch. I¡¯ll be there for you. Can you give me a chance to love you?¡¯¡±

    Fresh tears streamed down her face. ¡°You have no idea. I mistook Gu Jiannan for the person who had been protecting me, so I got together with him. I didn¡¯t expect he would cheat on me seven yearster, when I met Ye Zhongjue and found out about the truth. Last night, Ye Zhongjue told me he had followed me around every day in high school. I was so dazed. I had always thought it was Gu Jiannan. I dared not tell Ye Zhongjue the mistake I had made. I dared not tell him that we could have be each other¡¯s first love. Because of my stupidity, we have missed our chance the first time!¡±

    Mo Suqing buried her face on her knees and said tearfully, ¡°Zixuan, I have just realized who my first love really is after seven years. How I hate myself! If I had turned around and seen who he was instead of being the fool I was and letting him follow me and protect me every day, we might not have missed?out on each other.¡±

    Guan Zixuan, albeit feeling sorry for himself, suddenly feltpelled tofort her. He shook his head. No wonder people said the person who fell in love first was doomed to step down first.

    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Suqing. You have been destined to be together since seven years ago. If you can find each other after all you have been through, it serves as evidence that you are meant for each other. If you did get together at that time when you were both immature, perhaps you would have broken up now. You should think in a more positive way. Stop crying already. I feel agonized to see you like this. I am the one being dumped, but somehow you look like you are the one getting rejection!¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s teasing made Mo Suqingugh. With her cheeks wet with tears, she looked at Guan Zixuan. ¡°Zixuan, you asked me if you are not better than him with everything you have done for me. My answer is, it is not a matter of who?has?done more for me or who has made me feel more moved. It is a matter of the order of feeling love and being moved. My love for Ye Zhongjue came before the feeling of being moved by him. On the other hand, I felt a gratitude to you almost at the beginning. My heart is filled with your kindness, with no space for love.¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at Guan Zixuan¡¯s tortured expression and continued sadly, ¡°Zixuan, you can me me all you want. You can even hate me, and I¡¯ll try to live with it. But you must realize that I really cannot ept anyone else other than him.¡±

    Guan Zixuan could feel his teeth chattering, but he was unable to say anything harsh to Mo Suqing.

    ¡°Never mind.¡± He said eventually and wiped her tears away. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I won¡¯t push you anymore. I understand now. I just hate that fate didn¡¯t allow me to show up in your world sooner, so I could?have?been?the first one to?move you?and?the person you?fall in love with. Now, even if we can¡¯t be lovers, at least we are still best friends.¡±

    A smile appeared on Mo Suqing¡¯s face.

    Guan Zixuan looked at her bright smile and reached out to wipe the rest of the tears away.

    ¡°Silly girl. You should tell him these things. I believe he won¡¯t get angry with you. So you mistook him for someone else and ended up with Gu Jiannan. It¡¯s what you had to go through. Who doesn¡¯t meet a jerk or two in their life? It¡¯s because you have met the jerk that you can appreciate what a good man Ye Zhongjue is, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded. ¡°I know what you mean, but I still don¡¯t want to tell him about it. I feel too stupid. Gu Jiannan only said he would take me to school and walk me home, and I deemed him to be the guy. How foolish of me!¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s face was full of self-disgust. Guan Zixuan couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    ¡°Alright, know that you are foolish, but don¡¯t say it out loud!¡±

    Guan Zixuan looked at her smilingly and wiggled his eyebrows.

    Mo Suqing batted her eyshes. ¡°You are not mad at me? You are not angry?¡±

    Guan Zixuan pinched her cheek yfully. ¡°I believe you are making a fool of yourself on purpose, so that I will let it go. Am I right?¡±

    Mo Suqing leapt up and ran toward the car. ¡°You¡¯re wrong, my friend. Shall we go back? I must return to my office now. Otherwise, my boss will be pissed!¡±

    Guan Zixuan shook his head smilingly at her joyfulness and cheerfulness.

    When Mo Suqing went back to the magazinepany, everyone turned to look at her.

    She went to her desk and saw the story on the newspaper, which read, <i>The president of Mighty Empire announces that he and his wife are?</i><i>on</i><i>?good terms and that the rumor of divorce is purely made up. ¡°Jian Jie is my chief secretary,¡± Ye Jue says, ¡°and when she apanies me to events and asions ¨C which is part of her job ¨C I should of course be protective of her. It¡¯s the perfect thing for a gentle man to do. I ask everyone to stop guessing at my private matters. It has caused a lot of inconveniences in my life.?</i><i>If s</i><i>omething simr happens again, I will not hesitate to sue.¡±</i>

    Mo Suqing could not help but smile. <i>He is so high-key!</i>

    It reminded her that she had forgotten to ask him why Jian Jie was always around him. <i>It¡¯s because she¡¯s his chief secretary!</i>

    She remembered how Song Pingting had stopped her from seeing him in his office the other day. And now his chief secretary had been reced¡­ She felt as if he might have reced her for her sake.

    Mo Suqing felt ttered by the thought. She didn¡¯t know it was indeed the main reason why he had done that.

    Although he had always had queer feelings about Song Pingting being obsessed with him, he had never really wanted to fire her. After all, she had worked for him for several years.

    However, she hadpletely crossed the line when she did what she had done to Mo Suqing.

    No one could hurt his honey without suffering the repercussions!

    Mo Suqing put the newspaper away and began to work.

    At noon, Ye Zhongjue sent a WeChat message to her.

    Ye Zhongjue: Honey, let¡¯s have lunch together!

    FarAway: President Ye, u r having fun using WeChat, aren¡¯t u! But I don¡¯t have time for lunch. I have lots of work to do. U took me away from work yesterday and I need to keep up.

    Ye Zhongjue: *Angry* Leng Haoyun is exploiting u, isn¡¯t he? I¡¯m going to talk to him now. My wife works for hispany, for god¡¯s sake! He should know better how to treat u.

    FarAway: *Speechless* Honey, I need to earn $$ to raise the family!

    Ye Zhongjue: That¡¯s not a problem. Ur hubby can do that for both of us. U just need to be ur beautiful self. Any trouble u have, ur omnipotent hubby will take care of it right away!

    FarAway: *Rolling eyes* U don¡¯t feel like the Ye Zhongjue I know. Who r u?

    Ye Zhongjue: I¡¯m Mo Suqing¡¯s hubby, Ye Zhongjue!

    FarAway: *Laughing* My hubby is aloof, not at all a clown like u!

    Ye Zhongjue: I am very flexible and can be any kind in front of my honey. U name it and I can achieve it.

    FarAway: Honey, when did u be so good at saying sweet nothings?!

    Ye Zhongjue: My wife teaches me well.

    In his office in the headquarters of Mighty Empire, Ye Zhongjue was smiling into his phone. Lin Ran was standing across from him. He could see his boss was unlike himself today. Very unlike himself, actually. Somehow, it made him queasy. His boss was smiling too genuinely! <i>Has?</i><i>something</i><i>?good happened to him?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue was very pleased to see Mo Suqing call him honey. He could hardly hide the smile on his face.

    FarAway: I heard that men who say sweet nothings are not reliable. U need to watch urself!

    Ye Zhongjue: My wife is always right. It¡¯s all Ceng Hanyu¡¯s fault. He has a bad influence on me!

    FarAway: U can¡¯t see it, but I am floored! U shouldn¡¯t make Ceng Hanyu responsible for ur behavior. I am totally disgusted!

    Ye Zhongjue: Don¡¯t get disgusted, honey. I didn¡¯t mean it!

    FarAway: I know you did.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyebrows arched. <i>She¡¯s doing it deliberately!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue: If u r not having lunch with me today, u must make it up for me tonight!

    Mo Suqing blushed. <i>He has the cheek to say that after a wild night yesterday!</i>

    FarAway: Ur monthly quota has run out. Please wait for the next month!

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s mouth twitched. Lin Ran could not believe his eyes. He rubbed his eyes and looked again. Yes, his boss¡¯ expression was indeed getting more and more <i>diverse</i>.

    <i>Who says he has palsy in his face? He can be animated! He just didn¡¯t want to before!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue: I want to have my quota for next month in advance!

    FarAway: *Shocked* It doesn¡¯t work that way!

    Ye Zhongjue: Of course it does, honey!

    FarAway: I ampletely defeated! Please do not contact me anymore. I am dead.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s handsome face darkened. <i>Don¡¯t say that so casually, okay?! Even though we are just chatting casually, I don¡¯t want to hear you say that!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue: Don¡¯t say things like that! Anyway, tomorrow is the weekend. We r going to move. Have u finished ur preparations?

    FarAway: Yeah! Tomorrow is a-okay. Yao is going home the day after that and I¡¯m going to be there.

    Ye Zhongjue: *Sad* Leng Xiyao has got Leng Haoyun. Why do u have to go? U should spend more time with me. I need my wife!

    FarAway: *Scornful* Yao is my bestie! How can I not be there when she is discharged from hospital? Don¡¯t forget, if it wasn¡¯t for her, Bai Tingnan?would¡¯ve hit me instead!?Putting our years of friendship?aside, I can never repay her for saving my life.

    Ye Zhongjue conceded to his wife¡¯s serious tone.

 Chapter 126 â€“ They will Probably Commit Mass Suicide

    <h4>Chapter 126 ¨C They will Probably Commit Mass Suicide</h4>

    The next?morning, Ye Zhongjue dragged Mo Suqing out of the bed. Mo Suqing gave him a sour look.

    ¡°You promised you will treat me well! Now, let me get back to my sleep!"

    Mo Suqing pouted, looking grumpy.

    Her charmingly petnt actions warmed Ye Zhongjue¡¯s heart a great deal.

    He pinched Mo Suqing¡¯s nose lightly.

    ¡°Honey, although I won¡¯t let you lift any moving boxes, we¡¯ve still got to make some final preparations. Otherwise, if they break our stuff identally, you are going to be very sorry!¡±

    Mo Suqing seemed to be pleased with Ye Zhongjue¡¯s gentle coaxing.

    To be honest, she had already had enough sleep. She just didn¡¯t want to get up. She had just gone through a period of depression during which she hadn¡¯t eaten or slept well. Now she could finally sleep well, she hated the idea of getting up early.

    How irritated she felt!

    Ye Zhongjue gazed at her fondly. Then, he picked her up in his arms and walked out of the room.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to move house with my wife today! How about we start by moving the wife herself?¡±

    Mo Suqing giggled in his arms.

    She found that ever since they made up, Ye Zhongjue had really changed from the distant person he used to be.

    In the past, she had always viewed him as a flower growing on the top of a cliff ¨C it was supposed to be seen from afar rather than got close and touched. Now she knew that even angels are willing to fall from heaven when ites to love.

    Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue packed the boxes and asked the movingpany to take them to the Shallow Sea Area.

    Ye Zhongjue was going to hire an hourly paid worker to unpack the boxes, but Mo Suqing disagreed.

    ¡°Honey, I want to do it myself. The workers don¡¯t know where everything should be. I can take my time to unpack.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue just loved the way she sounded when she talked to him.

    ¡°Honey, I¡¯ll do it if you don¡¯t want strangers to enter our house. Tell me where everything should be and I¡¯ll put it there.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue smiled at her and raised his brows. ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Mo Suqing suppressed augh and replied, ¡°Honey, two people are better than one. Let¡¯s do it together!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue pinched her cheek. ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to get tired!¡±

    Mo Suqing blushed a little at his affectionate tone. ¡°Yao said she¡¯s going home today. How about we quickly unpack the boxes and go pick her up before we all have a meal together?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue frowned, looking displeased.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say she¡¯s going home tomorrow?¡±

    Mo Suqing red at him. ¡°My Yao wants to go home today! Her injuries have almost healed and she just needs to get back to full health after some recuperation. She can do that anywhere, but of course she¡¯ll be morefortable and at ease staying at home.¡±

    Looking at her exasperated expression, Ye Zhongjue tousled her hair as cation. ¡°Okay, okay! My wife is always right! Let¡¯s quickly unpack!¡±

    However, Ye Zhongjue still didn¡¯t let her lift any heavy boxes ¨C his books, for example. And besides the heavy stuff, there wasn¡¯t much left to be unpacked for Mo Suqing.

    Despite the fact that they had decided to be quick, it was noon when they finished.

    Ye Zhongjue suggested, ¡°Since Leng Xiyao is going home on the same day we?are moving in, how about we invite Ceng Hanyu to lunch, too? He helped secure the blood Leng Xiyao needed for transfusion and I was going to invite him to celebrate our moving day with us anyway. Leng Xiyao can thank him in person. What do you think?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at Mo Suqing lovingly. What he hadn¡¯t said was that he had nned to take Ceng Hanyu to lunch as a thank-you himself for his ¡°tutoring¡± after he had made up with Mo Suqing.

    With the turn of events, he might well include more people and make it a gathering of acquaintances.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes lit up.

    ¡°That¡¯s great! I¡¯m going to invite Zixuan, too. The more people, the merrier!¡±

    She picked up her phone immediately. Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face darkened.

    <i>Why invite him? The guy is such a pain in the neck!</i>

    <i>Besides, he¡¯s a prince. A prince won¡¯t want to dine with usmoners.</i>

    However, Mo Suqing had already called Guan Zixuan and the man had agreed to go pick up Leng Xiyao together.

    When Mo Suqing told Ye Zhongjue that Guan Zixuan would pick up Leng Xiyao and then go to lunch with them, his face became even darker.

    But then, Ye Zhongjue reminded himself that Guan Zixuan had been there when Mo Suqing was upset and watched over her. He decided not to be so petty for once.

    Mo Suqing thought it would be a lot of fun to have more people at lunch, but she forgot that things could also be moreplicated when more people were involved.

    She definitely did not expect what happened that evening would change Leng Xiyao¡¯s life forever.

    If she could have foreseen it, she would pick up Leng Xiyao alone and prevent her from seeing the people she hated.

    When Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue arrived, Guan Zixuan was already there. He had his hands in his pockets and?was leaning?against the wall with his eyes closed. In a white shirt and a pair of ck trousers, the young man was a delight to the eyes against the whitewashed wall.

    Mo Suqing had always known he was a good-looking man. After all, to achieve his status as a superstar, one needed to have not only great acting skills but also an extraordinary appearance.

    However, it seemed to really hit Mo Suqing now how exceptionally beautiful Guan Zixuan was as he stood there quietly.

    Guan Zixuan seemed to sense her watching him because presently he snapped his eyes open and looked at her teasingly. ¡°What, have you finally realized I am a hottie? Wanna dump that ice-man and turn to my arms instead?¡±

    He then gave Ye Zhongjue a challenging look.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face clouded, but he didn¡¯t say anything since Mo Suqing was right here.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s new-found admiration for Guan Zixuan instantly vanished.

    She looked at Guan Zixuan with disgust. ¡°You know what? You are lucky your fans don¡¯t know you are like this, otherwise they will probablymit mass suicide! And how childish you talk! Please take my advice and refrain from speaking too much in front of the media, or people will most likely feel contempt for you!¡±

    Guan Zixuan gaped at her. When she and Ye Zhongjue were fighting, Mo Suqing had been dispirited and sad, so that Guan Zixuan had always thought she was brooding in nature.

    Now that they had made up, she had turned back to her real self. He felt utterly disillusioned by her quick wit!

    <i>What was wrong with me? Why would I ever think she is a quiet, docile woman? I should have known that as Leng Xiyao¡¯s best friend, she, too, would most likely be more or less as fierce and sharp!</i>

    ¡°Suqing, I finally see with my own eyes how changeable a woman is. No wonder people say that women¡¯s hearts are difficult to fathom!¡±

    Guan Zixuan shook his head, defeated.

    Mo Suqing raised her brows and cast a nce at him that seemed to say, <i>You bet!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue smiled at his cute wife and pinched her cheek yfully.

    Guan Zixuan felt very ufortable. They were disying their affections to each other as if no one saw them! <i>Hey! I am right here!</i>

    Guan Zixuan looked away.

    <i>Humph! I¡¯m not looking!</i>

    When the three of them were about to enter the ward, Leng Hanyun beat them to it. He had just run the administrative procedures.

    Since Leng Xiyao¡¯s left leg was injured and she couldn¡¯t walk, Mo Suqing opened her mouth to ask Leng Haoyun to find a wheel chair for her. However, the man bent down and scooped the girl up in his arms.

    Mo Suqing was surprised and looked at him with mixed feelings.

    Leng Haoyun turned around and addressed Mo Suqing in a monotonous tone, ¡°Aunt Zhang has gone home to prepare for lunch. I want to thank you all foring here to pick up Yao. Let¡¯s go to my house for the meal. Miss Mo, would you be so kind as to carry Yao¡¯s clothes on the couch?¡±

    Mo Suqing quickly put herself together. She nodded and did as she was told.

    They walked out of the hospital together. Ceng Hanyu was there leaning casually against his Porsche and smiled devilishly at them.

    Ye Zhongjue caught his eyes and said, ¡°Come on. We are going to have lunch at Leng Haoyun¡¯s ce. His servant is already preparing it.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s eyebrows arched. He nodded. ¡°Okay! As long as there¡¯s a free meal!¡±

    He slid into his car.

    Guan Zixuan had also driven here. Mo Suqing wanted to go in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s car, but Leng Xiyao was tugging at her sleeves and looking at her pitifully.

    Mo Suqing cast a guilty nce at Ye Zhongjue, then abandoned her hubby to sit with Leng Xiyao in Leng Haoyun¡¯s car.

    On the way to the vi, Leng Xiyao chattered on and on. She was obviously in a good mood. After being confined to bed in a hospital ward for such a long time, she was finally discharged. She felt so alive!

    Mo Suqing talked with her, full of smiles. Now she was asking the girl, ¡°Will you go back to work for the magazine after you fully recovered?¡±

    Leng Xiyao tilted her head and thought about it for a moment before answering, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe not. I have been reading books about jewelry design in the hospital. You know how I¡¯m always fascinated with the field. I feel really regretful about not pursuing it as my profession. After the ident, I began to think. I want to start over. If possible, I¡¯m going to get a degree in jewelry design. It is my goal to be a designer one day.¡±

    Mo Suqing smiled at her enthusiastic expression.

    She didn¡¯t show it, but something was getting on her nerves. <i>Didn¡¯t she forget everything from the past? Why would she remember the fact that she was interested in jewelry design?</i>

    However, she just nced at Leng Haoyun, who was driving, and didn¡¯t put her doubts into words.

    She took Leng Xiyao¡¯s uninjured hand and said, ¡°I know you can do it. I believe in you.¡±

    Leng Xiyao beamed and her eyes were pressed into crescent slits. They were twinkling with delight, like the stars in a clear night sky.

    ¡°I believe in myself, too!¡±

    The car arrived at the Leng residence. Mo Suqing got off the car first.

    Then, she froze on the spot.

    There were two people standing in front of the vi. She knew both of them.

    They were An Huilin and Jian Jie.

 Chapter 127 â€“ Iâ€™ll Be Getting Engaged with An Huilin

    <h4>Chapter 127 ¨C I¡¯ll Be Getting Engaged with An Huilin</h4>

    Leng Xiyao, who was still in the car, saw Mo Suqing freeze on the spot. She followed the line of her gaze.

    Her face became a degree paler when her eyes set upon An Huilin. Then, she quickly forced herself to smile.

    Leng Haoyun opened the car door when the other three cars stopped in unison. They all got off the cars and saw Jian Jie and An Huilin. A look of uncertainty passed through one to the other.

    <i>What are they doing here?</i>

    Although Mo Suqing now knew that Jian Jie was Ye Zhongjue¡¯s chief secretary, it didn¡¯t lessen her dislike for the woman. Jian Jie had told her some very misleading things, and it had made Mo Suqing believe she was a maniptive hypocrite ever since, despite the fact that she had taken a gunshot for Ye Zhongjue.

    Leng Haoyun seemed to expect them here. He walked around the car and carried Leng Xiyao out of it.

    Leng Xiyao deliberately wrapped her arms around Leng Haoyun¡¯s neck. An Huilin¡¯s expression shifted, but she wisely didn¡¯t make anyment.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s gesture didn¡¯t cause any hindrance to Leng Haoyun¡¯s movement, although he did go rigid for a moment before walking toward the vi.

    ¡°This is An Huilin and her friend Jian Jie. I invited them. Everyone, pleasee in!¡±

    Then, he led the way inside the house.

    An Huilin and Jian Jie followed Leng Haoyun.

    Jian Jie looked over her shoulder at Ye Zhongjue for a few times, making Mo Suqing very ufortable as if she had swallowed a fly. She ced her hand on Ye Zhongjue¡¯s arm, feeling sick.

    She had not expected the two women would show up.

    Ye Zhongjue did not speak. When they reached the porch, Jian Jie turned around and looked Ye Zhongjue in the eye.

    ¡°Jue, I didn¡¯t expect to see you here, too.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her expressionlessly. ¡°How is your wound?¡±

    Jian Jie smiled gently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s much better already.¡±

    Mo Suqing felt nauseous to hear another woman call her husband so intimately and affectionately. Worst of all, she couldn¡¯t do anything about it even though she knew the woman liked her husband.

    After all, the woman had saved her husband¡¯s life.

    It was such a gut-wrenching feeling!

    Guan Zixuan cast a concerned nce at her. Ye Zhongjue squeezed her hand and gave her an assuring look.

    Jian Jie turned away and walked into the house with An Huilin as if she didn¡¯t see it.

    When everyone was inside, Aunt Zhang had already cooked up their lunch.

    Leng Haoyun carried Leng Xiyao to wash their hands. When they came back, everyone was seated around the table.

    Leng Haoyun carried Leng Xiyao to an unupied seat.

    He sat down on her left while An Huilin was on his left. Leftward sat Jian Jie, Ye Zhongjue, Mo Suqing and Guan Zixuan.

    Finally, Ceng Hanyu sat next to Guan Zixuan, with Leng Xiyao on the other side.

    Aunt Zhang began to bring the food. Before Leng Haoyun opened his mouth, An Huilin said with a magnificent smile, ¡°I want to thank you all for your help and support during Yao¡¯s hospitalization. Today, Yao finally went home. Her uncle and I are very happy. Allow me to make a toast first. Bon app¨¦tit!¡±

    An Huilin acted as if she was the hostess. Jian Jie smiled from ear to ear and raised her own ss of wine.

    Ye Zhongjue frowned. ¡°Jian Jie, abstain from drinking! Your wound hasn¡¯t healedpletely.¡±

    Mo Suqing lowered her head and pressed her lips together. Leng Xiyao¡¯s face had already gone white.

    If Leng Haoyun had noticed anything weird, he didn¡¯t show it. He picked up his chopsticks and transferred some food to Leng Xiyao¡¯s bowl.

    ¡°Please tuck in, everyone. Eat something first before you drink to avoid upsetting the stomach.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue helped Mo Suqing to the dishes quietly. Ceng Hanyu looked like he was enjoying a good drama. Guan Zixuan had his eyebrows raised high. What was ying out now was much more brilliant than that in his filming studio.

    He looked at Mo Suqing with concern. Mo Suqing could be quite hidebound sometimes. Although Ye Zhongjue wasn¡¯t doing anything untoward, Guan Zixuan knew she was struggling inside.

    In the middle of the meal, one of the dishes had been emptied.

    An Huilin stood up and picked up the te. ¡°I¡¯ll go and ask Aunt Zhang in the kitchen if there are enough ingredients for another te of the dish.¡±

    An Huilin was too at home. Leng Xiyao held the chopsticks so tightly that her fingers whitened.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s spirit had been low because of the unexpected appearance of Jian Jie. However, now she noticed that Leng Xiyao was very unlike herself, too.

    She was worried about the girl. She didn¡¯t look like she had lost her memory at all.

    However, why would she lie about it if she hadn¡¯t?

    An Huilin emerged from the kitchen. After she seated herself, she picked up her ss again.

    ¡°I see that the dishes have been pretty much emptied. I want to make a second toast! Haoyun, don¡¯t get mad. I am simply exalted today.¡±

    She turned around and blinked at Leng Haoyun.

    Leng Haoyun made a nomittal reply. An Huilin raised the ss and drank the content.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s expression had gone extremely dark by now. Mo Suqing wondered why Leng Haoyun tolerated An Huilin so.

    She no longer paid any attention to the looks Jian Jie kept throwing at Ye Zhongjue¡¯s way. She just looked at Leng Xiyao with concern.

    Ceng Hanyu leant back against the chair casually and sipped at his wine. Guan Zixuan kept drinking ss after ss of alcohol in silence.

    Jian Jie, on the other hand, had stopped drinking after Ye Zhongjue¡¯s admonition. She just ate her food and cast furtive nces at Ye Zhongjue from time to time.

    When An Huilin raised her ss yet again, Mo Suqing finally had had enough.

    ¡°An Huilin! You are no longer my boss, so don¡¯t get offended if I call you by your full name.¡±

    An Huilin gave her a fake smile and said deliberately, ¡°You are Mrs. Ye now. How do I dare to be your boss?¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s face darkened. Acting in the best interests of her best friend, she sneered, ¡°I hope you mean it! Well, if you are in a drinking mood, I¡¯ll drink to my heart¡¯s content with you!¡±

    Mo Suqing picked up a bottle to drink directly from it.

    Ye Zhongjue frowned. He grabbed Mo Suqing¡¯s hand and took the bottle from her. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t drink, either,¡± he said, gazing at her. ¡°How about the rest of us drink a few sses?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue then poured some wine into his ss and emptied it in one gulp.

    His lips were pressed together and exasperation showed on his face. Mo Suqing knew he was unhappy that she didn¡¯t know how to take care of herself. She knew he hated it when she drank.

    <i>But, how can I do nothing to show my support for Yao?</i>

    An Huilin raised her ss smilingly and gave Leng Xiyao a contemptuous stare. Leng Haoyun didn¡¯t speak. He just filled Leng Xiyao¡¯s bowl with food when it was emptied.

    Leng Xiyao, like a soulless robot, kept repeating the same set of movements: picking up the food with her chopsticks, putting it into her mouth, chewing for several times, and swallowing.

    Mo Suqing couldn¡¯t understand why Leng Haoyun didn¡¯t try to stop An Huilin.

    Then, when lunch was near the end, Mo Suqing found out the answer.

    Leng Haoyun, who had been quiet during the whole meal, finally spoke. Almost everyone at the table was shocked at what he had to say.

    ¡°With this meal, I want to express my gratitude to all of you for being there for Yao. Meanwhile, I also want to make an announcement. One month from now, I¡¯ll?be?getting?engaged with An Huilin.¡±

    It was like a rock had been thrown into an originally peacefulke and made ripples on its surface.

    Leng Xiyao lowered her head. Mo Suqing looked at the others. They all had different expressions.

    Ceng Hanyu seemed amused. Guan Zixuan was frowning. Ye Zhongjue looked as aloof as usual. An Huilin had a victorious look on her face, as if she was the winner rooster in a cockfight.

    Jian Jie gave Mo Suqing a contemptuous look, as if to say, <i>You are going to be as pathetic as your BFF here!</i>

    Mo Suqing felt panic rise in her.

    Leng Haoyun was still talking in a t tone, ¡°I hope I¡¯ll see you all again?at?our engagement party. We are going to get married after Yao is fully recovered. I¡¯ll send wedding invitations to each of you.¡±

    Leng Haoyun was very calm when he said all of this. Although Leng Xiyao was hanging her head low, Mo Suqing could see the light in her eyes diminished little by little.

    An Huilin, smiling happily, threaded her arm through Leng Haoyun¡¯s.

    ¡°Haoyun, how straightforward of you. I feel so shy! Anyway, please doe to our wedding, you guys.¡±

    Mo Suqing had never seen An Huilin so coy and smug before. The An Huilin she had known was always icy cold.

    To quote Leng Xiyao¡¯s words, she had always been like some old spinster during her menopause with had no sex life.

    Now, she was so puffed-up while Yao was miserable and powerless!

    Leng Xiyao seemed to be on the very brink of breaking down. She tried not to choke out the words when she said, ¡°Suqing, I want to get some fresh air. Can you apany me?¡±

    Mo Suqing stood up and went to fetch the wheelchair in the living room. Leng Haoyun didn¡¯t say anything when he carried her into it.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t look at him. She hated Leng Haoyun for making Yao sad.

    Even though Yao did lose in An Huilin¡¯s game, she would not lose her dignity!

    Mo Suqing pushed her to the garden. She paused in front of the pale yellow chrysanthemums and stood behind Leng Xiyao quietly.

    After a long while, she sighed.

    ¡°Yao, you have been faking it, right? You did not lose your memory!¡±

    Leng Xiyao went rigid. Then, sheughed bitterly. ¡°So you know! Looks like my acting is still not good enough.¡±

    Mo Suqing walked around and looked at her in the eye. ¡°Yao, can you tell me why you are doing this?¡±

 Chapter 128 â€“ Once Removed, Countless Times Remote

    <h4>Chapter 128 ¨C Once Removed, Countless Times Remote</h4>

    Puzzlement and sorrow for?Leng Yiyao?was written all over Mo Suqing¡¯s face.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s voice came to her as though from afar, ¡°Why, are there any other reasons? The day I woke up to your persistent call of my name, my mind shed back to the day Uncle pped me across the face. He kept saying how I talked with vulgarity and why I had be like this.¡±

    ¡°You know what?¡± Leng Xiyao looked at Mo Suqing with tearful eyes. Mo Suqing felt her heart ache.

    ¡°I thought, if he disliked me so much, maybe I should pretend I have lost all of my memory. If I pretend I have forgotten everything in the past, it would be easier to face him. I could learn how to be someone he would like. Someone gentle and quiet, you know? He never really liked me being a gossip journalist. In fact, I didn¡¯t really like it either. I should learn jewelry design, which I love. He likes it and I like it, too. How wonderful is that? But, little did I expect he would announce his uing engagement with An Huilin on the same day I came home. This is ridiculous!¡±

    Leng Xiyao chuckled, the sound full of hopelessness and sadness.

    Mo Suqing looked at her sympathetically. After a while, she asked, ¡°You like him, right?¡±

    Leng Xiyao nced at her. Her mouth moved, but no words came out. Her silence was as good as any answer.

    Mo Suqing shook her head. ¡°But you are uncle and niece! Yao, how can you be so foolish!¡±

    ¡°I wish we aren¡¯t! Then, I wouldn¡¯t experience so much pain!¡±

    Leng Xiyao whimpered in despair and hysteria. Mo Suqing hugged her and buried her head in her arms, regardless of the tears that wetted her blouse.

    Leng Xiyao cried and cried, venting her anguish.

    Back in the living room, Ceng Hanyu told Ye Zhongjue next to him, ¡°This is probably the most intense meal I have ever had. Bombs practically dropped one after another!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue cast him a cool nce. ¡°Are you making fun of other people¡¯s misfortunes again?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu looked away in embarrassment. <i>I¡¯m so busted!?</i>His nce turned to An Huilin. They knew each other. In the hospital the other day, she hadn¡¯t noticed him. But today, he could see she had recognized him, although she didn¡¯t say hi.

    Ceng Hanyu didn¡¯t care. The woman was practically a stranger to him, even though she was An Zhenguo¡¯s first cousin once removed and held a little portion of the An Group¡¯s share. However, it was said that ¡°Once removed, countless times remote.¡± Therefore, as far as he was concerned, she was but a stranger.

    As for Leng Xiyao, her energy back in Guan Zixuan¡¯s vi?waspletely gone. The two times they had crossed paths, she had been a little warrior, fierce and crazy yet actually quite cute. Today, she had totally lost her usual vigor.

    He wanted to tell her, <i>Woman, a gentle and quiet demeanor is not your style! Please stop it, or my head is going to explode!</i>

    Ceng Hanyu, lost in thought, hadn¡¯t looked away from An Huilin, so it seemed he was staring at her. An Huilin was more than a little ufortable, while the others looked at Ceng Hanyu quizzically.

    Ye Zhongjue elbowed him. Ceng Hanyu came back to reality and found that everyone was watching him.

    He chuckled in embarrassment and then red at Ye Zhongjue, as if to say, <i>Why didn¡¯t you warn me earlier? I was just deep in thought! People might think I am attracted to her!</i>

    He would think twice before hitting on an icy-cold woman past thirty years old. Anyway, she was not his type at all!

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s eyes kept drifting toward outside. His eyebrows knitted together as though he was thinking, <i>Why haven¡¯t Leng Xiyao and Mo Suqinge back after such a long time?</i>

    An Huilin and Jian Jie were seated on the sofa next to the fish bowl. From time to time, they would tap on the bowl and give the several goldfish a start for fun.

    Guan Zixuan?was acting like his usual self, as if he?was a saint and did not care to speak to any of the ordinary folks present.

    After all, he would never havee if it wasn¡¯t for Mo Suqing¡¯s invitation. He surely hadn¡¯t expected to see so many people here.

    Everyone was very quiet, bar the asionalughter from Jian Jie and An Huilin.

    Eventually, Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao came back.

    Leng Xiyao had put herself together. There was even a passably bright smile on her face.

    Mo Suqing pushed her into the room with a dark poker face. The others did not understand. <i>Aren¡¯t they supposed to wear simr expressions?</i>

    <i>Why does one of them look as if everyone owes her a million dors while the other has a smile like a blossom?</i>

    However, seeing that the smile was on Leng Xiyao¡¯s face, Leng Haoyun¡¯s tense expression rxed.

    ¡°Miss Mo,¡± he said to Mo Suqing, ¡°it takes a little longer for Yao to fully recover and she might get bored staying at home. Please visit her frequently in your free time.¡±

    Mo Suqing hadn¡¯t expected to hear such a request from him. She thought resentfully, <i>Do you still care how Yao feel? Aren¡¯t you getting engaged?</i>

    However, for courtesy¡¯s sake, she replied, ¡°I will.¡±

    ¡°President Leng, I remember you have an outdoor swimming pool in the vi. I feel rather hot in here. How about we go sit by the pool?¡± Jian Jie suggested.

    An Huilin chimed in, ¡°Yeah, it is quite stuffy today.¡±

    Mo Suqing frowned. She was annoyed, but didn¡¯t say anything.

    The others had no objection to the proposal, so they began to walk toward the adjacent swimming pool. Mo Suqing had seen it when she pushed Leng Xiyao back from the garden. It was big and the jade green marble floor at the bottom of the pool was pleasant to the eyes under the sun.

    A couple of umbres dotted here and there on the deck. Leng Haoyun asked Aunt Zhang to ce more sun loungers for everyone to sit or liefortably on.

    Jian Jie and An Huilin, after rxing a bit on their loungers, stood up and began strolling around the pool.

    Mo Suqing sat next to Leng Xiyao, whose smile had long gone and?who?was watching the two women coldly. It was hard to read what was on her mind.

    Ceng Hanyu was enjoying the sun bath with a satisfied expression. Mo Suqing could suddenly see why Ye Zhongjue always said he had a face that invited punches. <i>She?</i>felt an itch to p his devilish and mischievous smile off his face.

    Guan Zixuan still wore that poker face of his. From time to time, he would turn his attention to Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao.

    Ye Zhongjue narrowed his eyes as if he was contemting.

    The atmosphere was peaceful. Then, all of a sudden, a cry shattered the tranquility.

    It came from Jian Jie. An Huilin had her eyes on the woman who had fallen into the pool in rm while she urged, ¡°Jian Jie, give me your hand! I¡¯ll pull you up!¡±

    Mo Suqing watched as Jian Jie struggled frantically, trying to throw her arm toward An Huilin. However, she only drifted?further?and further to the middle of the pool.

    The pool wasn¡¯t deep. If a grown person could stand still on the marble floor, the water would just cover him or her from head to toe.

    However, after some struggling, Jian Jie screamed in pain. ¡°Ah!¡±

    The next moment, Mo Suqing felt the man next to her move in such a swiftness that she could actually feel the disturbance of air.

    Without taking off his jacket, Ye Zhongjue jumped?straight?into the water. Mo Suqing realized there was blood?surrounding?Jian Jie¡¯s arm. The woman had ceased struggling.

    Ye Zhongjue carried her out of the pool and called to Leng Haoyun, ¡°She has a wound. Quickly give me a towel!¡±

    Mo Suqing gripped the armrest of the lounger, her facepletely pale.

    She had seen them through. Jian Jie and An Huilin, working together, had performed an excellent y to show her and Yao who had the upper hand.

    And they had achieved their goal, considering how unnerved she and Yao were.

    She knew Jian Jie had been wounded to save Ye Zhongjue. It was natural for Ye Zhongjue to be concerned with her injury. She could hardly say anything about it.

    However, it still pained her a great deal to watch Jian Jie huddle against Ye Zhongjue¡¯s chest piteously. A gleam of satisfaction crossed her eyes.

    ¡°Jue, I¡¯m cold. The wound hurts! Did it open again?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue took a look at the blooding out of her injured arm and frowned. Jian Jie nestled more closely to Ye Zhongjue, but he didn¡¯t try to stop her.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s expression was beyond description.

    Finally, Aunt Zhang brought a towel. Ye Zhongjue wrapped Jian Jie in it.

    Jian Jie wouldn¡¯t let go of Ye Zhongjue. Ye Zhongjue seemed to remember Mo Suqing was here and he turned to look at her before carrying Jian Jie in his arms again and asking Leng Haoyun, ¡°Can I borrow your first-aid kit? Her wound needs taking care of.¡±

    Leng Haoyun looked at Aunt Zhang, who nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go fetch it, Mr. Ye.¡±

    Mo Suqing felt as if her heart was unmoored and sinking deeper and deeper into the ocean. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t get rid of the feeling of being suffocated by a profound sadness.

    She tried to reason with herself. Jian Jie was wounded. It was because of Ye Zhongjue. Thus, Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t do anything wrong. However, her heart wouldn¡¯t listen to any of this.

    She must be sympathetic. She mustn¡¯t get angry with him. <i>But who can sympathize with my feelings?</i>

    Guan Zixuan looked at Mo Suqing with concern. Mo Suqing forced a smile and shook her head at him. This only made Guan Zixuan more worried.

    Ceng Hanyu seemed to enjoy all the drama. He looked at Jian Jie, who was lying on the lounger, with amusement.

    Aunt Zhang brought the kit. Ye Zhongjue took up Jian Jie¡¯s injured arm and cut through the sleeve with scissors. Then, nimbly he cleaned and dressed the wound.

    His attitude and method were professional, but Mo Suqing somehow could not bear it.

    She wanted to fly into rage, yet she couldn¡¯t.

    Her hand was trembling in Leng Xiyao¡¯s.

    After he finished, Ye Zhongjue began to stand up. However, Jian Jie grabbed him with her injured arm.

    Ye Zhongjue frowned, but then crouched back down next to her.

 Chapter 129 â€“ A Bitch is Still a Bitch and Canâ€™t Prevail

    <h4>Chapter 129 ¨C A Bitch is Still a Bitch and Can¡¯t Prevail</h4>

    There was a me in Mo Suqing¡¯s heart. She tried to put it out with water to no avail.

    Leng Xiyao watched her in concern. Rage showed in her eyes.

    <i>Looks like Jian Jie knows what she¡¯s doing!</i>

    Guan Zixuan had had enough. He stood up suddenly. Everyone turned their heads.

    He strode over and grabbed Mo Suqing¡¯s arm. Before anyone could react, he pulled her up and said, ¡°Suqing, let¡¯s go!¡±

    Guan Zixuan sounded pissed off.

    Mo Suqing, feeling lost, let him drag her away without protest. However, they barely covered a few steps when someone grabbed her other arm.

    Mo Suqing turned and saw that it was Ye Zhongjue, who had been crouching beside Jian Jie a moment ago but now was grabbing her arm.

    Ye Zhongjue red at Guan Zixuan. ¡°Guan Zixuan, what are you doing? I am right here! What is it supposed to mean that you are taking my wife away in front of me?¡± he demanded angrily.

    Ceng Hanyu could almost see sparks exploding from the two men and smell the gunpowder as the harbinger of war. The amusement in his face grew. He was ready to watch another drama.

    Leng Haoyun only raised his eyes a little, seemingly oblivious of the war that would break out any minute.

    An Huilin was sitting on her sun lounger. She looked at Mo Suqing contemptuously. <i>You don¡¯t have a good family background, a good education, or any scheming skills. How can youpete with Jian Jie?</i>

    Looking cold, Mo Suqing didn¡¯t say anything. Guan Zixuan, on the other hand, was incensed.

    ¡°Your wife? If you see her as your wife, why would you get so intimate with another woman in front of her? Do you really put her in your heart?¡±

    ¡°You are wrong!¡± Ye Zhongjue growled, trying to suppress his rage. Then, he turned to Mo Suqing. ¡°Suqing, you know it. I am doing this because I don¡¯t want to owe her anything. Don¡¯t you see it?¡±

    Mo Suqing lowered her head, not wanting to reply. <i>Do I see it?</i>

    <i>Of course I see it! But that doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t feel hurt!</i>

    Mo Suqing¡¯s actions pained Ye Zhongjue. He said pleadingly, ¡°Honey, I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have done anything. I should have ignored her wound¡­¡±

    Mo Suqing looked up and said in a weak voice, ¡°Ye Zhongjue, what are you talking about? I know you just feel guilty. I am too sensitive and?have?lost control of my emotions.¡±

    She looked away. Then. Guan Zixuan pulled her into his arms when Ye Zhongjue wasn¡¯t paying attention.

    Guan Zixuan gave him a cold look. ¡°President Ye, let me tell you something. What you are feeling now watching me hug Suqing, Suqing felt it watching you hug Jian Jie! So don¡¯t you make any excuses. I also ask you to be more understanding. I am doing this only as a friend who can¡¯t stand by and watch her get hurt; there¡¯s nothing going on between us. So there! How do you feel about that?¡±

    Fury showed in Guan Zixuan¡¯s eyes. Ye Zhongjue pressed his lips together and fixated his eyes at him.

    ¡°Let her go!¡±

    ¡°Ha! Why should I let her go? To let you hurt her more? Humph! I¡¯m just paying you back in your own coin!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face went dark. His expression was horrible.

    ¡°Guan Zixuan, you think I don¡¯t dare to harm you because you¡¯re a prince? Humph! If you dare have any untoward thoughts about Suqing, I will hunt you down and make you pay! Don¡¯t you forget that Mo Suqing is my wife!¡±

    ¡°Ha! Now you realize it!¡± Guan Zixuan sneered.

    ¡°And I see you have done some research about me. Looks like you care about my existence more than I thought! But, I am not frightened of you. If you don¡¯t cherish her, I will!¡±

    Guan Zixuan said assertively and eloquently. Mo Suqing looked at him in amazement. <i>What prince? I don¡¯t understand a word they say about Guan Zixuan!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue was leaking a malicious vibe now like a malevolent spirit from hell. ¡°Guan Zixuan, let her go. Do not make me repeat myself!¡±

    Guan Zixuan raised his eyebrows and looked at him challengingly.

    To Guan Zixuan¡¯s surprise, Mo Suqing pushed him away and said, ¡°Don¡¯t act like this, you two. Ye Zhongjue, Zixuan is just trying to protect me from getting hurt. Don¡¯t be so bad to him. And I do care about what you did. So now, I¡¯m going to make it clear in front of everyone: I am not a petty woman, but I do care when my man hugs another woman. Just ask someone to help her! Anyway, the only woman you can hug is me. I¡¯m just a normal person, not a saint. I have emotions. Even if I can understand you, it doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t feel hurt.¡±

    Mo Suqing took a nce at Jian Jie, who was lying on the lounger and looked shocked and furious, before continuing, ¡°I¡¯m just going to ask you this: as my husband, do you think you can do it?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue gazed at her. He had been careless. He had only thought that he didn¡¯t want to owe Jian Jie anything and wanted her to get well soon, but in doing so, he had overlooked Mo Suqing¡¯s feelings.

    It was indeed his fault. Guan Zixuan was right. How angry he had been when he saw him hugging Suqing,?was?how sad Mo Suqing had been when she saw him hugging Jian Jie.

    He answered in a solemn tone, ¡°Yes! Suqing, from now on, you are the only woman I¡¯ll ever hug. If I fail to do that, I¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Mo Suqing interrupted and looked at him. ¡°I believe you.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression softened a little. Although it was still quite cold, it had lost its previous menace.

    Ye Zhongjue held her close and walked toward their loungers.

    Without Mo Suqing in his arms, Guan Zixuan felt rather forlorn. He said, ¡°I¡¯m taking off now. I need to go to the filming studio.¡±

    Mo Suqing was going to ask him to stay, but then thought better of it.

    The atmosphere here was too oppressive. It was probably a good thing for him to leave.

    Suddenly, Leng Xiyao spoke, ¡°What a world! Good women are being bullied while prostitutes are gettingid! However, no matter how much a bitch¡¯s value increases, she is still a bitch! She can¡¯t prevail!¡±

    Leng Haoyun finally looked up. Leng Xiyao barely spoke today, but when she did, she swore.

    Remembering the p he had given her, Leng Haoyun didn¡¯t say anything as if he hadn¡¯t heard it.

    Nheless, someone couldn¡¯t remain silent.

    Jian Jie¡¯s face clouded. Leng Xiyao was obviously talking about her. <i>I?</i><i>only?</i><i>created a scenario where Jue coulde to my rescue and bandage my wound. Does she have to be so insulting?</i>

    ¡°Who are you referring to, Leng Xiyao? Although this is your house, you shouldn¡¯t humiliate one of your guests like that!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue held Mo Suqing close and did not even grant Jian Jie a nce.

    All he wanted was for her wound to heal as soon as possible. If she hadn¡¯t taken the shot for him, he would never have tolerated her so.

    Leng Xiyao chuckled. ¡°Ha! Somebody can¡¯t wait to take the role she is designated! Did I say I was talking about you?¡±

    Leng Xiyao gave her a disgusted look. <i>I don¡¯t have time for scheming, but it doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t know how!</i>

    Jian Jie flew into a temper and said, ¡°Leng Xiyao, you bitch! You¡­¡±

    Before she could finish the sentence, Leng Haoyun smashed a ss on the ground near Jian Jie and shut her up.

    If it wasn¡¯t for her wound, he could have hurled it at her face!

    He red at her with an icy-cold expression. ¡°Do not call her that. Now get out of my house!¡±

    Jian Jie was dumbstruck. She hadpletely forgotten about Leng Haoyun¡¯s presence. An Huilin had warned her that he was very, very protective of his niece.

    How could she have forgotten about that, too!

    Leng Haoyun stood up and said authoritatively, ¡°An Huilin, get out of the house with your friend. We do not wee her here!¡±

    Jian Jie¡¯s face had gone red. She had never been treated like this all her life and recently she had received more than a few maltreatments.

    First of all, Ye Zhongjue had fooled her and led her to the disaster at Yellow Crane Tower. Fortunately, she had finally regained his attention by taking a gunshot for him.

    But now, Leng Haoyun had humiliated her in front of so many people!

    She got up angrily and looked at An Huilin. ¡°Huilin, let¡¯s go. I will not get any more of this!¡±

    Although An Huilin didn¡¯t show it, she was actually very irritated.

    She had hoped she could please Leng Haoyun today, but Jian Jie had made sure it wouldn¡¯t happen!

    Yet, it was indeed her who had invited Jian Jie. Now Leng Haoyun had asked her to leave and Jian Jie had expressed her unwillingness to stay any longer, she could do nothing but leave, too.

    Reluctant as she was, An Huilin left with Jian Jie.

    The moment they were gone, Mo Suqing found she could breathe properly again.

    Leng Haoyun walked over to Leng Xiyao¡¯s side and asked in a tender voice, ¡°Yao, do you want to stay here or go back inside?¡±

    Leng Xiyao thought for a moment. ¡°To stay here will only remind me of what happened and my mood will never get better. Let¡¯s go inside. I don¡¯t want to be here!¡±

    Leng Haoyun nodded without saying anything before he pushed her wheelchair and headed inside.

    Mo Suqing caught up with her. Leng Xiyao took her hand andughed happily like a naughty child who had just done some mischief.

    Ceng Hanyu arched his eyebrows. <i>Leng Xiyao finally returned to herself. This is the real her.</i>

    Ye Zhongjue cast Ceng Hanyu a nce. ¡°Show¡¯s over. I think you should also leave.¡±

 Chapter 130 â€“ Going to the Extreme of Shamelessness

    <h4>Chapter 130 ¨C Going to the Extreme of Shamelessness</h4>

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s eyes never left Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao when he replied, ¡°No, I want to stay a bit longer!¡±

    When he finally turned to look at Ye Zhongjue, the other man was staring at him hard.

    He rubbed his nose andughed nervously. ¡°I¡¯m kidding. I¡¯m just kidding!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue turned to resume looking at Mo Suqing.

    They didn¡¯t leave until well past four in the afternoon. Leng Xiyao was very reluctant to see Mo Suqing go.

    Mo Suqing had hoped she could spend some alone time with Ye Zhongjue for the rest of the weekend, either at home or somewhere else.

    However, early the next morning, Ye Wentian called and asked Ye Zhongjue to go home.

    With nothing better to do, Mo Suqing went to Leng Xiyao¡¯s ce again in low spirits.

    ¡­¡­

    Ye Zhongjue went home to a glowering Ye Wentian in the living room. No sooner had he stepped inside than a teacup flew toward him.

    Ye Zhongjue jerked his head slightly and the cup grazed his cheek before dropping on the ground outside the door.

    Ming Jinhua heard the tter and emerged from the kitchen.

    Seeing that Ye Wentian had got angry again, she walked over and admonished, ¡°Do you have to get worked up so early in the morning?¡±

    Ye Wentian directed a re at Ye Zhongjue. ¡°The news clearly said that he was getting a divorce. Why would they make up again? What is it about Jian Jie that he doesn¡¯t like? She¡¯s much better than that woman! And much more intelligent! Why can¡¯t he listen to us?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue sat down on the sofa next to Ye Wentian and said, ¡°Don¡¯t call her ¡®that woman¡¯! She¡¯s my wife and has a name. It¡¯s Mo Suqing!¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Ye Wentian pointed at him, incensed. ¡°Look at your son!¡± he spat, addressing Ming Jinhua.

    Ming Jinhua just watched the two men. <i>He¡¯s also your son, okay?</i>

    Then, she gave Ye Zhongjue a hard look. ¡°Son, don¡¯t argue with your father like that. His health just recovered and he can¡¯t take another stroke!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue pressed his lips together. ¡°Why did you call me home?¡±

    Ming Jinhua spoke before Ye Wentian could reply, ¡°You two are only going to get into another verbal fight. I¡¯ll do the talking.¡±

    She looked at Ye Zhongjue and said, ¡°Jue, it¡¯s not that we don¡¯t like the girl or we care about her social status. We just don¡¯t want to make the same mistake twice. Even if it probably won¡¯t happen again, we should be prudent just to be on the safe side.¡±

    ¡°So?¡± Ye Zhongjue looked at Ming Jinhua cidly.

    He just wanted to know what was in his parents¡¯ mind.

    Ming Jinhua took a nce at Ye Wentian, who still looked angry.

    ¡°So your father and I decided we¡¯re not going to push you anymore on?the?condition that you resolve the situation regarding Jian Jie in one year without turning things ugly like we did back then¡­¡±

    Ming Jinhua¡¯s voice trailed off. Ye Zhongjue frowned. ¡°Mom, say no more. I will never let anything like that happen again.¡±

    Ming Jinhua forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine, just a little sad when I think of it. Anyway, if you can make Jian Jie give up on you willingly in a year, your father and I will ept the girl.¡±

    Ye Wentian kept his head low and remained silent, acquiescing in the decision.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at his parents. At least they were willing to give him?and Mo Suqing a chance now. He was confident he could meet the requirement.

    He would resolve the issue with Jian Jie. If pacification didn¡¯t work, he could always resort to force. The bottom line was, he would never allow anyone to hurt Mo Suqing.

    Ye Zhongjue spent the rest of the day at home. When he went back to the vi in the evening, Mo Suqing was taking the shower and her phone was ringing nonstop.

    Ye Zhongjue walked over and saw that the caller ID said ¡°Father.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue squeezed the phone. Even though Mo Zhenfeng was¡¯t a good father and Mo Suqing was too stubborn to admit otherwise, he could see by the simple act of naming the ID as ¡°Father¡± how much she yearned for family love in her gentle heart.

    He answered the phone.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    Mo Zhenfeng was surprised to hear a man¡¯s voice on the other end of the line, but he quickly sorted out. It was Ye Zhongjue.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s Zhongjue,¡± he said smilingly.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ye Zhongjue replied. ¡°Suqing is taking a shower. Do you want me to fetch her?¡±

    ¡°No, no, that¡¯s fine. I can tell you instead. The thing is, I have asked Suqing many times toe home for dinner with you, but she always told me she didn¡¯t have time. Anyway, both of you, find a time toe back, will you?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked toward the bathroom and said, ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll go home tomorrow.¡±

    When Mo Suqing emerged from the shower, Ye Zhongjue was sitting on the sofa, deep in thoughts with an expression difficult to fathom. He didn¡¯t notice Mo Suqing until she walked closer.

    He looked up. Droplets of water trickled down her hair; a white bathrobe wrapped her body loosely; flush crept up her cheeks against her fairplexion ¨C it all reminded one of a delicate lotus flower emerging from the pond.

    Ye Zhongjue stared at her, not wanting to look away. Mo Suqing blushed. ¡°Stop looking at me, silly!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue pulled her onto hisp and rubbed her neck with his head. ¡°What, I¡¯m not allowed to look at my wife?¡± he chuckled.

    Mo Suqing suppressed her giggles. ¡°Yeah? But where is your wife?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue did not reply. ¡°Honey, you smell so nice¡­¡± he muttered.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s cheeks went bright red. The color on her face was obvious under the light.

    ¡°Honey, I¡¯m hungry!¡± Ye Zhongjue cooed, a hint of lust in his voice.

    Mo Suqing remembered what people said about guys behaving like a man-child in front of the woman he loves most, such as his mother or his lover.

    <i>Looks like it¡¯s not groundless.</i>

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you have dinner at your family home?¡± Mo Suqing asked, tilting her head to look at his handsome face.

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry, honey!¡± Ye Zhongjue repeated, rubbing her all the same.

    Mo Suqing pushed his head away and feigned exasperation, ¡°Then look for something to eat!¡±

    ¡°But I want to eat you!¡± Ye Zhongjue looked up at her, his eyes watery and bright with desire. Mo Suqing¡¯s heartbeat quickened.

    She realized what he had meant by ¡°hungry¡± now. The man really liked to talk dirty.

    Mo Suqing pushed him a little and got up to go to the bedroom. However, Ye Zhongjue pulled her onto the sofa and pinned her down.

    He gazed down at her under his body as if he wished to absorb her into his eyes.

    Mo Suqing knew it was inevitable, so she didn¡¯t stop him.

    Afterwards, she found herself on their bed, although she had no recollection how she ended up there. She did remember faintly that he had carried her to the shower room first.

    On their way to work the next day, Ye Zhongjue said, ¡°Honey, let¡¯s go to your family home this evening.¡±

    Mo Suqing went rigid. She turned to look at Ye Zhongjue and asked unsurely, ¡°Why do you want to go back all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s your first home. You grew up there.¡±

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t know what to say, so she looked away.

    He always knew how to?move?her with innocuous remarks.

    She hated that ce, with Bai Lian and Mo Sulian living there. However, she also loved and missed it, because she had lived there with her mother and the father she used to respect. There was too much history for her not to care.

    After a while, Mo Suqing murmured an affirmative reply before falling silent.

    In the evening, Ye Zhongjue picked her up.

    Mo Suqing looked unwell. Ye Zhongjue hugged her and kissed her hair.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go, we don¡¯t have to,¡± he said.

    Mo Suqing nodded. ¡°No, I want to go. I have to face them one day. My father has called me many times recently. If I don¡¯t go back, he¡¯s just going to keep troubling me.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± Ye Zhongjue replied lightly and took her hand.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡±

    The car headed toward the Mo¡¯s vi.

    Mo Suqing was surprised to find a lot of people gathering there upon arrival. <i>Isn¡¯t it a family dinner? What is he ying at now?</i>

    It looked like a dinner party with the hustle and bustle.

    When Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue got off the car, everyone greeted them at the door.

    Mo Zhenfeng walked to them first. ¡°Zhongjue,¡± he smiled, ¡°you are back! Come on.

    You must be hungry. Let¡¯s get inside and have dinner.¡±

    Then, he looked at his business partners and added, ¡°Zhongjue, my old pals all wanted to meet you when I told them you wereing home. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Mo Suqing was enraged. <i>How can you be so brazen, father?</i>

    She wasn¡¯t blind. She could see what he was doing and it made her furious. However, Ye Zhongjue squeezed her hand, telling her not to flip out.

    ¡°That¡¯s alright. I can understand,¡± he replied.

    He had said ¡°I can understand¡± instead of ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± Mo Suqing could feel he wasn¡¯t too happy about the arrangement, either. He probably hadn¡¯t expected Mo Zhenfeng could go to the extreme of shamelessness.

    It was essentially a family-dinner-turned-business-meal. Mo Suqing was very unhappy.

    Bai Lian, knowing who Ye Zhongjue was now, kept ttering him. The smugness she had sportedst time they were here had disappearedpletely. She even pushed Mo Sulian toward Ye Zhongjue.

    Mo Sulian, who had always been interested in him, almost pressed her body against Ye Zhongjue.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t fly into a rage in front of these strangers. In the end, she muttered something about feeling ill and dragged Ye Zhongjue upstairs.

 Chapter 131 â€“ What a Brazenly Dirty Man

    <h4>Chapter 131 ¨C What a Brazenly Dirty Man</h4>

    To wee Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue, Mo Zhenfeng had asked Bai Lian to tidy up Mo Suqing¡¯s room thoroughly and even to rece some of the fixtures and essories with new ones, like the sheet, the curtain and the closet.

    Mo Suqing understandably thought she had gone into the wrong room. After she checked again, she was reassured that she hadn¡¯t.

    There was a picture of her in a frame on the nightstand, which made her more certain that this was indeed her room.

    It?had?only?been?three months, but her old room was already beyond recognition. Mo Suqing smiled mockingly.

    Ye Zhongjueforted her with a hug.

    Theyy side by side on the bed. After a while, Mo Suqing asked, ¡°Ye Zhongjue, you know what?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue interrupted her, ¡°Call me Jue or honey! You have been calling me with my full name since we made up. Yet, somehow you always call Guan Zixuan with his given name. This really makes me¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue frowned, feeling awkward. Mo Suqingughed.

    ¡°Serious? You are jealous of such a small thing?¡± As if she couldn¡¯t believe it, Mo Suqing leaned over and observed Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression carefully for clues. Ye Zhongjue was exasperated. <i>You are crossing a line here!</i>

    He turned over and pinned theughing woman down.

    Mo Suqing immediately stopped messing with him. <i>He can be aroused anywhere, anytime!</i>

    ¡°Fine, fine! I won¡¯tugh at you anymore. I know it¡¯s just because you like me a lot!¡±

    Mo Suqing blinked at him smilingly. Ye Zhongjue pinched her nose. ¡°I¡¯m d you finally see that.¡±

    Then, remembering the mixed feelings she had for this ce, he slid off andy down next to her.

    Their fingers were intertwined. Warmth filled up Mo Suqing¡¯s heart.

    ¡°I was actually going to call you Jue. But then I heard Jian Jie call you that and could no longer bring myself to say it. I am too shy to call you honey, either.¡±

    Mo Suqing blushed a little and looked away.

    Ye Zhongjue chuckled lightly and?made her face him.

    ¡°Silly, honey is a special nickname. Only you can call me that. On the other hand, anyone can call me by my real name. That¡¯s why we have names ¨C to call someone by! Come on, try to call me honey.¡±

    Mo Suqing twisted her head a little and called shyly, ¡°Honey!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue stroked her soft hair happily and said, ¡°There you go! My wife is so obedient. This makes me love you even more!¡±

    Then, he kissed her on the lip passionately.

    They were both burning with desire when a knock came.

    Ye Zhongjue froze and cursed inwardly, <i>Shit! Who¡¯s knocking at this moment?</i>

    ¡°Who is it?¡± Ye Zhongjue asked with a sour look.

    Mo Sulian answered in a coy tone, ¡°Sis, brother-inw, what are you doing in the bedroom? Can Ie in? Would I interrupt you?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue replied, ¡°What do you think we are doing in the bedroom? Do you want to watch? And why did you knock if you think you will interrupt us?¡±

    Then, as if it wasn¡¯t enough, he added, ¡°Do not let anyone else knock on our door! We are sleeping!¡±

    Mo Suqing could imagine Mo Sulian¡¯s expression?on the other end of the door.

    She giggled and rubbed Ye Zhongjue¡¯s chin with her head.

    ¡°Honey, you are a badass! No wonder you never let me win in a verbal fight. You like to show off how vicious you can be!¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re wrong. It¡¯s in bed that I like to show off how vicious I can be. Don¡¯t you know that?¡± Ye Zhongjue looked at her.

    Mo Suqing was speechless. <i>Tut! You are so thick-skinned and are able to make anything dirty!</i>

    <i>What a brazenly dirty man!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue pinched her cute face and said, ¡°Now you know you can never beat me, don¡¯t wage a <i>tongue war</i> against me ever again!¡±

    He emphasized the phrase ¡®tongue war¡¯ in a seductive way. Mo Suqing felt defeated. <i>I just want to be a Snow White! Who wr</i><i>e</i><i>cked my prince?</i>

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t say anything. She knew Ye Zhongjue would only continue to turn her words dirty. He had obviously made a habit of teasing her.

    Theyy there in silence for a long time.

    Because of his ¡°Do not let anyone else knock on our door,¡± indeed no one came to look for them.

    Mo Suqing swayed her head left and right on the pillow and said, ¡°I had a lot of good memories here, so I felt sad to leave home even after mom was gone. But now, I don¡¯t want to be here any longer. It makes me feel oppressive. Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Mo Suqing was about to get up when Ye Zhongjue stopped her.

    ¡°Honey, let¡¯s visit my parents some time.¡±

    Mo Suqing felt touched by his gesture. However, remembering how his parents thought about their marriage, she shook her head.

    ¡°Maybe after some time!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue had made a very high-key announcement in the media. Of course his parents would have got wind of it. They probably didn¡¯t want to fall out with their son, but they surely didn¡¯t approve of her either.

    Ye Zhongjue knew what she was thinking. He nodded and said, ¡°Fine by me. Well, let¡¯s go home now!¡±

    Mo Suqing pressed her lips a little and nodded smilingly.

    Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue went downstairs. Mo Zhenfeng walked over to them and smiled at Ye Zhongjue like a kiss-ass. Mo Suqing felt nauseous.

    ¡°Zhongjue, you guys had a good rest?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nodded. ¡°Thank you for the hospitality tonight. The next time I hold a dinner party at Silk Empire International, please honor me with your attendance.¡±

    Mo Zhenfeng and the gang were all rejoiced. They nodded vigorously, afraid Ye Zhongjue would take his promise away any second.

    Mo Zhenfeng saw them off. Mo Suqing got in the car without looking at the house again. Finally, she felt she could breathe properly.

    Ye Zhongjue got in the car and saw that she looked as if she had just retreated from the battlefield. He chuckled.

    ¡°Silly! Many people are like this in the business world. I¡¯ve seen enough. When you are not as powerful as the others, all you can do is to tter and please. I can handle those kinds of people. You don¡¯t have to get so nervous. Also, I won¡¯t get too far with your father.¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded without saying anything.

    She hated her father¡¯s behaviors. However, she loved Ye Zhongjue and had sworn she would never leave him ¨C they would get through every difficulty together. Therefore, she couldn¡¯t really stop her father from taking advantage of Ye Zhongjue once and for all, which made her feel powerless.

    Ye Zhongjue was right. No matter what, he was her father.

    Before going to sleep, Mo Suqing remembered something as shey prone on the bed, feeling drowsy. The other day in Leng Xiyao¡¯s house, Ye Zhongjue had told Guan Zixuan, ¡°You think I don¡¯t dare to harm you because you¡¯re a prince?¡±

    <i>What did he mean??</i>Mo Suqing frowned. She had felt perplexed, but hadn¡¯t asked him about it in front of so many people. Guan Zixuan had replied something along the lines of, <i>Looks like you do care about my existence! Otherwise, why would you have done?</i><i>so much research about me.</i>

    The more Mo Suqing thought about it, the more confused she felt. She turned over and looked at the man who was reading a book with his back against the headboard.

    ¡°Honey, what did you mean when you said Zixuan is a prince the other day? I am totally baffled by your Middle-Age choice of word!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nced at her and pinched her face.

    ¡°You are a curious girl!¡±

    Mo Suqing pped his hand away. ¡°Be serious and don¡¯t make fun of me!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue chuckled. ¡°Fine, fine! I¡¯ll stop making fun of you and get serious. I guess I can tell you his true identity, but you mustn¡¯t tell anybody. I can see he doesn¡¯t want people to know about it.¡±

    The mystery had sobered Mo Suqing up. She ced her hand on his arm and urged, ¡°Come on, don¡¯t keep me in suspense. I can¡¯t take it anymore!¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t take it anymore, you said?¡± Ye Zhongjue twisted her words on purpose and gave her a lustful look. Mo Suqing rolled her eyes. <i>Oh no! He is turning into a beast again!</i>

    She rolled away, wrapping herself tightly with the nket. Now she looked like a silkworm.

    ¡°Come on! I want to know!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue gave her a sad look. ¡°Honey, I¡¯ll get jealous if you keep asking about other men!¡±

    Mo Suqing was defeated. <i>Again?</i>

    ¡°Well, then go ahead and get jealous!¡± she said coolly.

    Seeing that she was about to lose patience, Ye Zhongjue quicklyy t and pulled her into his arms.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m telling you now. Guan Zixuan¡¯s father is the head of the emperor¡¯s city, if you know what I mean. Why else would he be called a prince? It¡¯s likely his parents don¡¯t approve of him pursuing a career in the entertainment field, so he never tells anyone his family background.¡±

    ¡°Then how did you find out?¡± Mo Suqing asked him curiously.

    Of course, Ye Zhongjue couldn¡¯t divulge anything about the intelligence agents they had in Sin Eliminators. He felt he was shooting himself in the foot by even?telling Mo Suqing Guan Zixuan¡¯s identity.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s time to go to bed! Stop asking so many questions. Otherwise, we?won¡¯t be able?to sleep.¡±

    Mo Suqing pouted. ¡°I don¡¯t want to sleep. Not until you answer my question.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue felt his head start to ache. This was all his fault! He really couldn¡¯t be honest with her about Sin Eliminators. It wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t trust her. Rather, he feared she might get entangled in some ugly affairs if she was in the know.

    The only thing he wanted was her safety.

    He hugged Mo Suqing tightly and said, ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to sleep, how about we do some stuff?¡±

    He sounded like an abductor who was trying to lure a child with candy.

    Mo Suqing shivered and snapped her eyes shut. ¡°I¡¯m asleep!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue chuckled.

 Chapter 132 â€“ Bad Influence

    <h4>Chapter 132 ¨C Bad Influence</h4>

    Time flies. Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue fell into a rhythm of going to work in the morning and going home in the evening. Their life together was full of peace and happiness.

    To Mo Suqing¡¯s delight, Jian Jie hadn¡¯t intruded in her life for more than a month. Guan Zixuan had gone?abroad?to shoot a film during the same?period, so whenever she was free, Mo Suqing would visit Leng Xiyao.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s injuries had mostly healed, but she still didn¡¯t want to walk.

    Mo Suqing knew it was because Leng Haoyun had said he wouldn¡¯t get married with An Huilin before she waspletely recovered. However, Leng Xiyao couldn¡¯t possibly dy the wedding indefinitely.

    The wedding would take ce sooner orter; she wouldn¡¯t be able to stop it. People were talking about the Leng-An wedding for a while now. Leng Xiyao didn¡¯t know because she hadn¡¯t left the house.

    The day before the engagement party, Mo Suqing went to Leng Xiyao¡¯s ce.

    She found the girl sitting on the balcony with a lost expression on her face. Mo Suqing felt sorry for her.

    She approached her and saw that Leng Xiyao had a book about jewelry design on herp.

    ¡°Hey, what are you reading? You are totally absorbed in it. I bet you¡¯ll be a famous designer in the future!¡±

    Leng Xiyao turned and gave her a pointed look.

    ¡°Suqing, we haven¡¯t seen each other for only a couple of days and you have be dirty!¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. <i>Have I? Does Ye Zhongjue somehow have a bad influence on me?</i>

    Recently, she had realized that on the contrary, men were all inherently dirty.

    ¡°Have I?¡± Mo Suqing asked stupidly.

    Leng Xiyao said, ¡°Yeah! The way you used the phrase ¡®absorbed in it¡¯ made you sound really dirty!¡±

    She said the phrase with exaggeration. Mo Suqing burst into a fit ofughter. After she resumed herposure, it was time to face the reality.

    She looked at Leng Xiyao calmly. Leng Xiyao became serious, too, as if she could guess what Mo Suqing was going to say next.

    ¡°He¡¯s getting engaged tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Already? I guess I¡¯m thest one to know about it!¡± Leng Xiyao sneered and looked out the window.

    Mo Suqing pulled?Leng Xiyao¡¯s?head into her own chest.

    ¡°Yao, you can cry. Don¡¯t suppress it.¡±

    Leng Xiyao sniffed. ¡°Why would I cry? He¡¯s getting engaged. I have encumbered him for so many years, and now he can finally take a wife. I should be happy for him, right?¡±

    Even as she said this, tears streamed down her face. Mo Suqing felt her blouse be wet with hot tears.

    She stroked Leng Xiyao¡¯s pretty short hair and said, ¡°Yao, I am no stranger! Don¡¯t put on an act in front of me, okay? You are making me really sad.¡±

    Leng Xiyao sobbed. ¡°I pretend I haven¡¯t fully recovered, so why can¡¯t he wait a bit longer? He is very good to me. After you guys came here the other day, he has never let An Huilin cross the threshold of our door once because he knows I don¡¯t like her. Why, then, does he insist on marrying her? Suqing, my heart hurts a lot!¡±

    Mo Suqing patted her back, not knowing how to console her.

    Even if Leng Xiyao did like An Huilin, Mo Suqing still didn¡¯t think she would be happy to see Leng Haoyun marry her.

    ¡°What¡¯s more,¡± Leng Xiyao croaked, ¡°he is hiding it from me! I thought he was waiting for me to get well! But the truth is, he has been preparing for it all these time. Suqing, I feel a lot of pain right here!¡±

    Leng Xiyao ced Mo Suqing¡¯s hand over her heart and sobbed uncontrobly. Her shoulders shook violently. Mo Suqing felt her own heart twist into a knot. Tears began to pour from her eyes, too.

    Leng Xiyao cried in Mo Suqing¡¯s arms for a long time, until it was time for lunch.

    Although he was getting engaged tomorrow, it didn¡¯t stop Leng Haoyun from having lunch at home today as usual. It felt as if he wasn¡¯t the one who was getting engaged.

    When he saw Leng Xiyao, his eyes narrowed dangerously. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Yao¡¯s eyes?¡±

    He was addressing Aunt Zhang. Aunt Zhang put the dishes down and was going to answer. She had clearly heard her young miss crying hard with Miss Mo in her bedroom.

    However, Leng Xiyao spoke before she did, ¡°Nothing. I sat on the balcony for too long and the wind made my eyes red. Aunt Zhang, bring the rest of the dishes.¡±

    Leng Haoyun could see Leng Xiyao didn¡¯t want to talk about it, so he dropped it.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t go home for lunch. She intended to be there for Leng Xiyao the whole day.

    The three of them had lunch together. However, Mo Suqing had barely eaten a few mouthfuls when she smelled fish and felt sick all of a sudden. She quickly got up and rushed to the bathroom.

    She retched for a long time before feeling a little better. Afterwards, she turned on the faucet and freshened up.

    When she returned to the table, Leng Haoyun asked, ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mo Suqing shook her head. ¡°Just a bit nauseous, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked at her with concern. ¡°Suqing, it could be a bigger deal! Maybe you are pregnant. Pregnantdies tend to retch like you did!¡±

    Mo Suqing considered this. Come to think?of?it, her period was indeedte for more than a week. She had put so much focus on Leng Xiyao that she hadn¡¯t realized it until now.

    Leng Xiyao saw her look and knew she was likely right. She put some of the vegetarian dishes in Mo Suqing¡¯s bowl.

    ¡°Come on, you should eat nder food and make an appointment with your doctor.¡±

    Mo Suqing was in a?nk?state for the rest of the meal. She was still in?the same?state when she went to the hospital, did the required test and waited for a long time before hearing the doctor?say, ¡°Congrattions, Miss Mo. You are pregnant.¡±

    Then, she finally fell out of the stupor.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t go home. Instead, she took a taxi to Mighty Empire. She must share the good news with Ye Zhongjue right away!

    Since she had been on?the?newspaper before, almost everyone in thepany knew who she was. She reached the hundredth floor without any impediment.

    When Jian Jie saw Mo Suqing, something imperceptible gleamed in her eyes.

    An Huilin had told her not to make any moves for a month and promised her she would help Jian Jie after she got engaged. Therefore, she forced herself not to act.

    They hadn¡¯t seen each other for a month. Mo Suqing looked great. Herplexion was glowing and rosy. Jian Jie clenched her hand into a fist, although she managed not to show her mood on her face.

    She was about to approach Mo Suqing and speak to her when Lin Ran emerged from the elevator and called,

    ¡°Missus, Boss is in a meeting right now. Pleasee with me. I¡¯ll take you to the office before going to fetch him.¡±

    Jian Jie forced a smile. Even her delicate makeup couldn¡¯t make her pretty with that fake smile. <i>Didn¡¯t he just go out to run some errand? Why did hee back so soon?</i>

    As a matter of fact, Lin Ran had overheard the receptionist talking on the phone, saying that Mo Suqing was here. He immediately turned back. In his boss¡¯s eyes, nothing was more important than his wife!

    Besides, the errand wasn¡¯t that important. He could take care of it some other time.

    Lin Ran took Mo Suqing into the office. Jian Jie went back to the secretaries¡¯ office in a sour mood.

    Lin Ran asked Mo Suqing if she cared for a coffee. Ye Zhongjue enjoyed all kinds of coffee when he was in.

    Remembering that she was carrying a baby now, Mo Suqing smiled and shook her head. Water would be fine, she told Lin Ran.

    Lin Ran brought a ss of water to her, then left the office and went to the meeting room.

    Managers from different departments were sitting in the room and giving their reports.

    Lin Ran knocked on the door and went inside. ¡°Boss, the missus is here. She¡¯s waiting in your office,¡± he whispered into Ye Zhongjue¡¯s ear.

    The other didn¡¯t know what Lin Ran had told Ye Zhongjue. They watched as Ye Zhongjue jumped up and said, ¡°Let¡¯s have a ten-minute¡¯s break!¡± His tone had lost its usual cool.

    Then, he walked out of the room without further ado. It was as if something huge had happened.

    The managers looked at one another, aghast. However, no one said anything.

    Ye Zhongjue pushed open the door to his office and saw his wife nestling on the sofa with a ss of water in her hands. She was deep in thought.

    Ye Zhongjue walked over quietly. When Mo Suqing finally took notice, the space next to her?sank?and she was in his arms.

    Lin Ran closed the door behind him and walked a little further away to guard the door.

    Ye Zhongjue hugged her tenderly. She was so soft and fragrant that he couldn¡¯t help but get a little excited. He rubbed her head with his chin and said affectionately, ¡°Honey, what?brought?you here?¡±

    Mo Suqing lowered her head shyly and thought about how to tell him the good news. After a while, she still didn¡¯t know how to break it.

    She looked up and asked, ¡°Do you like children?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nodded. ¡°I like children, especially if they are ours!¡±

    Mo Suqing blushed. Ye Zhongjue had made a habit of telling her a great deal of sweet nothings recently.

    She batted her eyes. ¡°Well, I have good news. I¡¯m pregnant!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s mind went nk for a moment. Then, the news set in and he widened his eyes. ¡°What did you just say?¡± he asked, hugging Mo Suqing tightly.

    He couldn¡¯t believe it. He was going to be a father!

    Mo Suqing couldn¡¯t breathe in his tight embrace. She wriggled and pouted like a baby.

    ¡°Honey, I can¡¯t breathe!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s heart melted at the sight of her round, big eyes. <i>My wife is sooo cute! And now we are going to have a cute baby, too!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue eased a little without breaking off the embrace.

    He stroked her hair tenderly and felt his heart pounding. ¡°Honey, are you serious? I¡¯m not dreaming, am I? Am I really going to be a father?¡±

 Chapter 133 â€“ Love Between the Same Sex is True Love

    <h4>Chapter 133 ¨C Love Between the Same Sex is True Love</h4>

    Looking at his happy face, Mo Suqing couldn¡¯t help but?tease?him a little.

    She put on a solemn expression and said, ¡°Yeah, you are dreaming. I lied. It¡¯s just your fantasy.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked both puzzled and disappointed.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t have the heart to mess with him any longer, so she reached into her purse and pulled out the test result.

    ¡°I¡¯m kidding! Don¡¯t look like that. I¡¯m really pregnant. I came here because I can¡¯t wait to tell you this!¡±

    She blinked mischievously.

    Ye Zhongjue had a dumb look on his face. In the end, what she had told him at first was true, then she decided to fool him a little! He tickled her on the waist.

    ¡°Humph! You fooled me? I¡¯m going to punish you!¡±

    Mo Suqing giggled and wriggled on hisp. ¡°Honey, I¡¯m sorry! I won¡¯t fool you anymore. Stop it! You are killing me!¡±

    Mo Suqing had a tinkling bell of augh, so Lin Ran could hear it clearly outside. He rubbed his nose in embarrassment. <i>I¡¯m not hearing anything¡­ I¡¯m not hearing anything¡­</i>

    Ye Zhongjue stopped tickling her. His wife was pregnant. He must not go too far. Otherwise, the baby would protest!

    After they enjoyed some alone time, Lin Ran knocked.

    ¡°Boss, ten minutes has passed. The managers are still waiting for you in the meeting room.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue hated to let go of his beautiful wife, so he said, ¡°Tell them that we will pick up where we left off the morning on the day after tomorrow. The rest of the meeting is canceled for today.¡±

    <i>Boss, where¡¯s your principle?</i>

    ¡°Honey¡­¡± Mo Suqing chuckled in a low voice.

    ¡°Yes?¡± Ye Zhongjue answered, feeling incredibly soft at the sound of her sweet, gentle call.

    Mo Suqing could almost see his eyebrows arch as he said the word ¡°yes.¡±

    Mo Suqing, afraid he would tickle her again ¨C God knows how sensitive her waist was ¨C when she said what she had in mind, grabbed his hands and asked in an innocent tone, ¡°Honey, where¡¯s your principle?¡±

    ¡°Principle? What is that?¡± Ye Zhongjue asked, his expression serious.

    Mo Suqing choked on her own saliva.

    Ye Zhongjue patted her back. <i>What a silly</i><i>?girl</i><i>, to get choked on nothing!?</i>he thought in defeat.

    The good news delighted Ye Zhongjue so much, he decided he would skip work for the rest of the day and took his wife out for celebration.

    Watching the two of them enter the elevator, Lin Ran beamed happily. On the other hand, Jian Jie stared after them with jealous eyes and such intensity, she might well bore two holes in the elevator.

    Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue went to Silk Empire International for a grand lunch before taking a short walk and going to the movies.

    Ye Zhongjue let her pick anything she would like to watch. She eagerly chose a sci-fi blockbuster.

    Ye Zhongjue gaped at her in awe. <i>Why is my wife so different from other men¡¯s wives? While others would select a romance, my wife decided she would go for a sci-fi.</i>

    Ye Zhongjue contemted. <i>It must be a boy she¡¯s carrying. He is controlling her mind. That must be it!</i>

    After watching the movie, they went home.

    Mo Suqing was in an ted mood all day. Ye Zhongjue had never spent so much time with her. He was always very busy. Sometimes, he would even work at weekends, although he did endeavor to go home as early as possible.

    Even so, they had almost never?gone on a date aside from?having dinner at a restaurant once in a while.

    She had a really wonderful time today, but she was also exhausted.

    When Ye Zhongjue emerged from the shower, Mo Suqing had?already?fallen asleep. There was a smile on her face and she would smack her lips from time to time like a child.

    Ye Zhongjue gazed at her tenderly. He had never known he could love someone so much.

    The next morning, Mo Suqing was leaving for Leng Xiyao¡¯s ce when Ye Zhongjue stopped her. ¡°Honey, what about me?¡±

    Mo Suqing frowned at his hand on her wrist. Then, a mischievous smile appeared on her face.

    ¡°You can go with Ceng Hanyu. Didn¡¯t he say he would attend the party?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue gave her a sullen look. ¡°Honey, I can¡¯t believe you would send me off to a guy!¡±

    Mo Suqingughed. ¡°Be good, okay? Send me to Yao¡¯s ce first and go to find Ceng Hanyu before you go to the party together. Someone once said, ¡®Love between men and women is for the purpose of reproduction only, while love between the same sex is true love.¡¯¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s handsome face darkened. <i>What the hell?</i>

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.?I¡¯ll take you to Leng Xiyao¡¯s house first. Also, I¡¯m not interested in Ceng Hanyu. For me, humans can be divided into two categories only: Mo Suqing vs. those who are not Mo Suqing. Got it?¡±

    Then, Ye Zhongjue took her hand and headed out.

    Mo Suqing watched his tall figure and felt very sweet. <i>I¡¯m so weak to be easily moved by him all the time!</i>

    After they arrived at their destination, Mo Suqing walked past the gate while Ye Zhongjue drove away. Mo Suqing immediately saw Leng Xiyao?standing on the balcony and watching her.

    Yes, Leng Xiyao was standing!

    Mo Suqing quickly climbed the stairs to the second floor. Leng Xiyao was walking toward her in a white dress.

    Mo Suqing gaped at her. Although she knew the girl had mostly recovered and was more or less pretending she hadn¡¯t, she didn¡¯t realize she could be up and about already.

    Leng Xiyao smiled self-mockingly.

    ¡°Suqing, you look positively surprised. You see, I can¡¯t possibly sit in a wheelchair in Uncle¡¯s engagement ceremony, now can I? That wouldn¡¯t be pretty. Speaking of which, how do I look? Uncle used to say I look the prettiest in a white dress.¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes were brimming with tears. It pained her a lot to see Yao like this.

    ¡°Yao, stop saying those things. Let¡¯s go to the hotel now.¡±

    Leng Xiyao nodded smilingly. She looked very calm.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Suqing, don¡¯t worry about me. I have thought this through. He¡¯s my uncle. The way I feel about him will never be approved by people. If so, it would be better if he marries someone else and cuts off my vain hope for good. From now on, I¡¯ll stop thinking about those impractical things. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t make a scene today. I have never been so clear-headed before.¡±

    Mo Suqing looked away. Though the girl said she was clear-headed, she was exuding with sadness.

    Mo Suqing took her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Leng Haoyun and An Huilin were greeting the guests at the gate of the Hilton Hotel.

    An Huilin had the biggest smile on her face. She was utterly flushed with happiness.

    When Leng Haoyun saw Mo Suqing get off the car, he thought she hade with Ye Zhongjue. He had never nned to tell Leng Xiyao about the engagement, let alone wanted her to attend the party. For him, it was just a ceremony.

    However, Mo Suqing walked around the car and opened the door on the other side.

    A figure in a white dress emerged from it. Leng Haoyun¡¯s eyes dted with shock. <i>Yao!</i>

    Then, he shut his eyes tight. <i>She¡¯s here. When did she start to walk? Howe I didn¡¯t know about it?</i>

    He had nned not to let her attend the party.

    Leng Xiyao and Mo Suqing, both beaming, approached An Huilin and Leng Haoyun. Leng Xiyao was smiling ear to ear. No one could detect anything wrong in her mood.

    ¡°Uncle, happy engagement day! I¡¯ll look forward to your wedding favors!¡±

    Then, she walked inside without looking at An Huilin. Mo Suqing gave the older woman an usatory look. She felt sorry for Yao, yet she couldn¡¯t do anything for her.

    Leng Haoyun had gonepletely rigid on the spot, unable to move.

    Frowning, An Huilin nudged him lightly.

    ¡°Haoyun, another group of guests ising. Put yourself together!¡±

    She was having a hard time maintaining her smile, but she was still trying. As long as she could survive today, she would be engaged with Leng Haoyun. She would never have to be intimidated by Leng Xiyao¡¯s existence anymore!

    Leng Haoyun nced at her and said, ¡°I¡¯m a bit tired. You can greet the rest of the guests by yourself.¡±

    Then, he walked away without waiting for a reply.

    An Huilin¡¯s cheeks heated up. However, guests wereing and she forced herself to stay right where she was instead of running after Leng Haoyun. <i>Fine! Everything will be alright after today. I can handle this alone.</i>

    An Zhenguo was the next to arrive. Two ck-d bodyguards opened the door for him to get off the car and he slowly approached An Huilin. ¡°Huilin,¡± he said affably, ¡°very nice. Leng Haoyun¡¯spany is getting stronger and stronger these days. You have found yourself a good husband.¡±

    An Huilin smiled humbly. ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re kidding! He¡¯s much younger than you. Of course your kingdom is much stronger than his.¡±

    An Zhenguo chuckled. Even though his hair had gonepletely grey, he looked fit and in good shape.

    An Zhenguo then walked inside. An Huilin narrowed her eyes at him. The old man hadn¡¯t started to look for candidates to take over the An Group; he was still hoping to find his granddaughter, who had got lost since she was little.<i>?You are looking for a needle in a haystack! How can you possibly find her again?</i>

    An Huilin turned around and greeted the next guests.

    The party had begun, but the groom-to-be was nowhere to be found.

    Ye Zhongjue and Ceng Hanyu had already arrived and were talking near the patio.

    Ceng Hanyu teased, ¡°Now you think of me after your wife abandoned you?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue gave him a cold look. ¡°I feel no difference with or without you.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu bristled. <i>No difference, huh? Then why did youe to me? This contemptuous attitude is outrageous!</i>

    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t you go find your honey? See if she¡¯ll pay you any attention,¡± he said.

    Ye Zhongjue sipped at his wine and leaned against the window, looking pensive.

    He and Mo Suqing were going to have a child now, but his parents hadn¡¯t epted her. And he hadn¡¯t been able to find Ye Mingke, either. The thing mustn¡¯t be dyed any longer.

    Worsees to the worst, he would have to talk to his father again.

 Chapter 134 â€“ Red Rose and White Rose

    <h4>Chapter 134 ¨C Red Rose and White Rose</h4>

    Ceng Hanyu eyed Ye Zhongjue and changed the subject, ¡°Jue, have you heard that the infamous Two Roses areing to A City?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nodded gravely, ¡°Yeah, I have. They are noting for us, though.

    Reportedly, The Dark Night is here.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu nodded without saying anything.

    The Two Roses didn¡¯t belong to any mafias; they were members of Interpol.

    It was said that they were extraordinarily beautiful, yet whoever was aimed by them never got a chance to flee from them. They were every criminal¡¯s nemesis, and a lethal one.

    No one knew what they really looked like because they often disguised their looks when pursuing criminals. The only thing that was known about them was their names: Luo Qiqi and Xia Zi.

    As for the origin of the alias ¡°Two Roses¡± that the denizens of the underworld used to call them, it was because one of them, aka the Red Rose, was said to be passionate and fervent, while the other, aka the White Rose, was cold and aloof. The Two Rosesplemented each other so well that every criminal feared them and would flee before them without putting up a fight.

    Ceng Hanyu said in a mischievous tone, ¡°Interesting. Even we haven¡¯t heard The Dark Night is here. How can they be so well-informed?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue gave him a cool look and replied, ¡°They are as sensitive to the whereabouts of criminals as you are sensitive to the whereabouts of munitions!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu clicked his fingers and suggested, ¡°Hey, how about we go meet the Two Roses?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nced at him. ¡°They are roses. With thorns. Are you really interested in them? Also¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue paused and arched his eyebrows before continuing, ¡°Are you suggesting you are going to meet them yourself?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu mimed firing with a gun. ¡°Bang, bang, bang! If one cannot risk himself, one wouldn¡¯t be able to catch the hooligan!¡±

    Then, he put his hand down and smiled at Ye Zhongjue. ¡°Of course, we are talking about two female hooligans here. I heard that Luo Qiqi is more of a hooligan than myself. I would love to make the acquaintance of the legendary Interpol hooligan of a woman!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue tried to dampen his enthusiasm by saying, ¡°You are way out of her league! Besides, don¡¯t forget the mobile iceberg ¨C Xia Zi ¨C will be there too.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. All I want to do is to find Anne. s, it¡¯s been so many years and we still haven¡¯t got any news about her. Speaking of which, the old man hase to the party, too.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡± Ye Zhongjue muttered thoughtfully.

    ¡°He happened toe to A City for some errands and is able to attend the event.

    After all, An Huilin is his niece. It¡¯s no surprise he would show up.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Anyway, be extra careful these days. We can¡¯t afford to engage Xia Zi and Luo Qiqi now.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Ceng Hanyu said in a serious tone. Of course he was aware of the danger if they did meet the two women in A City. Things were moreplicated than if they were in Ennd or the States.

    The two women were Interpol agents, so it was legal for them to carry firearms. On the contrary, they were not supposed to do that since it was China, where firearm regtions were very strict. Thus, they would be better off not to bump into those two.

    Ceng Hanyu and Ye Zhongjue went back to the party. Most of the guests had arrived, but Leng Haoyun hadn¡¯t showed up. Ceng Hanyu could see the panic in An Huilin¡¯s face.

    He twitched his mouth in contempt. In the past, he only knew she had got a share of the stock of the An Group. But ever since he had witnessed the implementation of her schemes in the Lengs Vi the other day, he absolutely despised her.

    Ye Zhongjue was looking for Mo Suqing among the crowd. Suddenly, his eyes caught her and he began walking toward the woman.

    Ceng Hanyu saw it, too. Leng Xiyao and Mo Suqing were both there.

    He followed Ye Zhongjue.

    Leng Xiyao was sitting there and drinking ss after ss of wine. Mo Suqing had a ss in her hand and was watching her in concern.

    Ye Zhongjue walked over and took the ss from Mo Suqing.

    ¡°Suqing, you are pregnant. You can¡¯t drink. When will you stop worrying me?¡± he reproached, frowning.

    Ceng Hanyu froze. Curses of all kinds sprang up in his head. <i>Good job, bro! I don¡¯t even have a wife, but here you are, having a baby already!</i>

    Ceng Hanyu was not the only one who had overheard Ye Zhongjue. Jian Jie, who had just entered the party after An Huilin, heard it too. She froze on the spot and her only thought was, <i>Mo Suqing is pregnant. She¡¯s pregnant!</i>

    How she resented An Huilin at that moment! She hadn¡¯t acted for a long time purely because An Huilin had asked her to keep it low-key until she got engaged.

    Now Mo Suqing was pregnant, Ye Zhongjue¡¯s parents would definitely ept her!

    <i>No, I can¡¯t let it happen. I¡¯ll have to act quick. I must get rid of the woman in a fast and clean way!</i>

    <i>At the very least, the child has to go!</i>

    Jian Jie watched Ye Zhongjue take the ss from Mo Suqing, feeling excruciatingly jealous.

    An Huilin hadn¡¯t expected things woulde to this. She patted Jian Jie¡¯s hand tofort her.

    Finally, Leng Haoyun showed up btedly after the scheduled time for the ceremony had passed.

    The ceremony began. They exchanged rings. Leng Haoyun wore a poker face the whole time.

    Mo Suqing held Leng Xiyao¡¯s hand tightly. She could feel it was shaking, as if something in Leng Xiyao was on the brink of explosion.

    Mo Suqing gripped her hand hard, afraid she might do something stupid.

    Ceng Hanyu cast a nce at Ye Zhongjue and said, ¡°It¡¯s more like a divorce ceremony than an engagement one! Look at Leng Haoyun¡¯s expression. It¡¯s as if his wife has just died!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at him. ¡°Do you know why you haven¡¯t found Anne?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Ceng Hanyu asked foolishly.

    ¡°Because you are an asshole!¡± Ye Zhongjue kindly told him the answer.

    Uncharacteristically, Ceng Hanyu didn¡¯t refute. <i>What¡¯s being an asshole anything to?</i><i>do with finding Anne?</i>

    ¡°The two things are not corrted,¡± Ceng Hanyu said in a puzzled tone.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know God hates assholes? If God doesn¡¯t want to help you, how can you possibly find her?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu gave in. ¡°Well, I can ept your logic!¡±

    ¡°You bet!¡± Ye Zhongjue said, then turned his attention to Mo Suqing as if she was the most precious gem in the world.

    After all, his wife was pregnant. He must watch out for her every single second, especially because the woman didn¡¯t know how to take good care of herself.

    Ceng Hanyu ground his teeth. <i>Humph! So you have a wife. Big deal! Do you have to be this tant?</i>

    After the ceremony, the betrothed couple started to make a toast to their guests table by table.

    When they came to Leng Xiyao¡¯s table, the woman leapt up and said loudly, ¡°Uncle, congrattions on your engagement! I am very happy for you!¡±

    Anguish crossed in Leng Haoyun¡¯s eyes as Leng Xiyao drained the content of her ss.

    When she stood up all of a sudden, a lot of people had turned their heads towards her direction.

    Her toast had attracted more stares.

    Mo Suqing heard a ng. A few tables from them, an old man had dropped his ss on the floor and broke it. A waiter quickly went to clear it up.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t pay much attention to the small incident. Her focus was on Leng Xiyao.

    Meanwhile, Ceng Hanyu, who was sitting next to Ye Zhongjue, had a subtle change in his expression. The old man who had dropped the ss was no one but An Zhenguo.

    Support us at Innread.

    The old man had seen a lot in his life. It was odd he would have lost his self-control like that, unless something shocking had taken ce.

    Leng Xiyao, on the other hand, looked as if she could burst into tears any moment. Mo Suqing gripped her hard.

    Fortunately, Leng Xiyao didn¡¯t do anything inappropriate. After the toast, she sat right back down. Ye Zhongjue drank two sses of wine on behalf of both himself and Mo Suqing.

    The reason, he said, was that pregnant women could not consume alcohol.

    People congratted them. A gentle smile appeared on Ye Zhongjue¡¯s usual cool face.

    Jian Jie squeezed her ss hard to shatter it.

    Ceng Hanyu sipped at his wine while never looking away from An Zhenguo, who kept looking at their table.

    Ceng Hanyu frowned in perplexity.

    After An Huilin gave a toast to An Zhenguo, the old man said he needed to go.

    Before he left, he came over to Ceng Hanyu and said, ¡°Come outside with me for a moment. I have something to tell you.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu followed him outside.

    He noticed that An Zhenguo kept casting furtive nces at Leng Xiyao. <i>No, I must have mistaken it. The woman and the old man don¡¯t know each other.</i>

    He would find out that he had neither thought too much,?nor?mistaken anything.

    An Zhenguo looked at him solemnly and said in a shaky voice, ¡°Hanyu, you must look into the background of the short-haired girl at your table. The one who calls Leng Haoyun uncle.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu had a premonition of something going awry. ¡°Why, Grandpa An? What happened?¡±

    An Zhenguo seemed to grow several years older in that instant. He fished out a picture from his inside pocket with a shaky hand and said, ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, the girl is my granddaughter! She looks exactly like her mother when she was young. I don¡¯t believe two people can look so much alike if they are not blood-rted!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu was dumbstruck. <i>Leng Xiyao is Anne? She is the fianc¨¦e I have been searching for so many years?</i>

 Chapter 135 â€“ Anne Has Always Been Right There

    <h4>Chapter 135 ¨C Anne Has Always Been Right There</h4>

    Ceng Hanyu took the picture from An Zhenguo¡¯s hand. Sadness was written all over the old man¡¯s face. ¡°I finally found her! It¡¯s been many years, so you¡¯ve probably forgotten what her mother looked like ¨C you were little. But I recognize her look right away. She is so?simr to?her mother, there¡¯s no mistaking it!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu was rooted on the spot, dazed. Just now, Ye Zhongjue had teased him about how the reason for his inability to find Anne was because he was an asshole. Neither of them had expected the woman he had been looking for was right there in the party!

    No wonder he had felt Leng Xiyao look familiar. He understood it now.

    Ceng Hanyu examined the picture An Zhenguo carried with him. In it, the old man was seated. Behind him stood a handsome man, whose arm was around a beautiful woman, who was holding an infant in her arms and gazing down at the little person smilingly and affectionately.

    Ceng Hanyu knew that it was taken right before Anne was lost, when she had been only one month old. Her mother nearly went crazy at the time.

    Although the woman in the picture had a different quality from Leng Xiyao, they did look very much alike.

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s hand shook a little. Never had he dreamed of finding Anne in A City.

    An Zhenguo patted him on the shoulder and said, ¡°Hanyu, you must look into the matter and see if you can learn what exactly happened.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu didn¡¯t move. Slowly he said, ¡°Grandpa An, I know her personally. I know some of her background, too. Her parents¡­¡±

    Ceng Hanyu paused before continuing, ¡°I mean, her foster parents passed away when she was ten. After that, her uncle Leng Haoyun took on the responsibility of raising her. That¡¯s all I know. As for how she got lost in the hospital when she was an infant,

    I¡¯m afraid we will never really learn the answer without those who were involved.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu thought for a moment before adding, ¡°Even though she does look like Anne, and I hope with my whole heart?that she is Anne, we can¡¯t jump to a conclusion too quickly. After all, simr-looking people can be found all around the world.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu sounded hesitant. He didn¡¯t want to disappoint An Zhenguo, but without scientific proof, one could never say these things for sure. What if it turned out it wasn¡¯t true? The old man would only feel more disappointed then.

    If they didn¡¯t keep high hopes now, the blow would be less severe if their wish didn¡¯te true. An Zhenguo was old. An unfulfilled wish would very likely be despair for him.

    An Zhenguo pulled a hair off his head. His bodyguard handed him a small zipper bag for him to put the hair in. Then, he gave it to Ceng Hanyu.

    ¡°I know what you mean. Here, try to get her DNA and run the test to find out the answer. I have worked hard in the business world for many years, and it starts to take a toll on me. Today, I suddenly realized?how old I am¡­ I can barely take such a shock now. Alright, you should go back inside. Tell me when you know the result. I¡¯ll stay in A City for a while. I¡¯m not returning to the party. I might get too upset.¡±

    An Zhenguo¡¯s eyes were shining with tears. Ceng Hanyu said, ¡°Grandpa An¡­ Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of it as soon as possible. It¡¯s been so many years. I pray the result is in favor of us.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± An Zhenguo patted him on the shoulder and said, ¡°If it is, then her fate has been¡­¡±

    He shook his head sorrowfully. ¡°Her parents died not long after she got lost, and then her foster parents passed away before she hit puberty, too. Fate has been unkind to her! I¡¯m taking off now. Contact me when you get the DNA result.¡±

    Then, he slowly walked away, leaning on a stick.

    Ceng Hanyu watched him. An Zhenguo seemed to be weighed down with age all of a sudden. He was no longer in good shape and was stooping from senility.

    Ceng Hanyu took in a deep breath and walked into the hotel.

    When he set eyes on Leng Xiyao now, his attitude had changed. Before, he had viewed her life story as an outsider.

    Because she was Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue¡¯s friend and he had found her to be an intriguing woman, he had paid more attention to her. But now, he felt genuinely sorry for everything that had happened to her.

    He hadn¡¯t mentioned it to An Zhenguo, but he was ny percent positive that Leng Xiyao was indeed Anne. When she had the car ident, Ye Zhongjue had asked him to help look for the extremely rare Rh-negative blood. It was for An Zhenguo that he had built the blood bank in the first ce. Of course, he had never thought one day it could save Anne.

    With such a striking resemnce to Anne¡¯s mother and the same blood type as An Zhenguo, Leng Xiyao was very likely who they had been looking for.

    Ceng Hanyu approached the table where Ye Zhongjue was pouring nonalcoholic beverage into Mo Suqing¡¯s ss and Leng Xiyao was gulping down wine with a bottle in one hand and a ss in the other.

    Ceng Hanyu felt pained to see her like this.

    <i>What a poor girl!</i>

    Almost instinctively, Ceng Hanyu walked over and took the ss and bottle from Leng Xiyao¡¯s hands. ¡°Stop drinking!¡±

    He sounded both angry and sad. <i>This is my fianc¨¦e, but she is broken-hearted for another man¡­ It¡¯s all my fault. I should have found her sooner.</i>

    Leng Xiyao looked up and gave him a cold nce. ¡°Who are you? Give them back to me!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu felt awful to hear her talk to him like that. But even so, his heart went out to her.

    ¡°If you really want to get drunk, I can take you somewhere else. Don¡¯t you know you are making a scene here? People are probably wondering why you are so sad. Leng Xiyao, never let your enemy see how fragile you are!¡±

    His words hit Leng Xiyao hard. <i>Yeah, I am giving An Huilin the satisfaction of seeing me make a fool of myself! She¡¯s probablyughing at me inwardly now!</i>

    She snorted and then looked at Ceng Hanyu. ¡°You sure you want to take me somewhere else?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Ceng Hanyu replied.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go!¡± Leng Xiyao said matter-of-factly and stood up.

    She staggered. Ceng Hanyu quickly reached out to support her.

    He looked over his shoulder at Ye Zhongjue and Mo Suqing and addressed thetter in a reassuring tone, ¡°She¡¯s in a foul mood, so I¡¯m going to take her out. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of her.¡±

    Mo Suqing was a little unsure, but then Ye Zhongjue nodded at her. He trusted Ceng Hanyu wouldn¡¯t do anything untoward. He probably just didn¡¯t want to see Leng Xiyao like this.

    Mo Suqing nodded her consent. This might be good to Yao. It was torture to her to watch the man she loved get engaged with another woman. She would do better if she was somewhere else. Anywhere would do.

    Leng Haoyun had made his toast to another table of guests. He had just turned his back for a minute, but Leng Xiyao was gone.

    Mo Suqing was still there, with a ss of juice in her hand and a thoughtful look on her face.

    Panic crossed his face. <i>Where¡¯s Yao?</i>

    Even though they hadn¡¯t finished the toast yet, Leng Haoyun threw An Hulin¡¯s hand away and walked directly toward Mo Suqing¡¯s table. An Huilin¡¯s face darkened. The man had just disgraced her in front of everyone!

    An Huilin almost shattered the winess in her hand, but she forced herself to calm down.

    This was her engagement day! No matter what Leng Haoyun did, as long as he didn¡¯t cross the line, she would endure it. She had waited for this for far too long. Day and night she had been dreaming about it.

    <i>Be patient. We are going to get married soon.</i>

    Leng Haoyun asked Mo Suqing, ¡°Where¡¯s Yao?¡±

    Mo Suqing gave him a cool look. ¡°Yao? Is she still in your heart? She¡¯s just your niece, not at all as important as your engagement day. Go back to enjoy your party! Otherwise, your fianc¨¦e is going to kill me with her re!¡±

    Leng Haoyun turned around and saw An Hulin ring at them.

    Embarrassment and anguish crossed his eyes. ¡°Mo Suqing, I beg you to tell me where she is. Yao is in a bad mood and I don¡¯t want anything to happen to her again!¡±

    Seeing his humble expression, Mo Suqing couldn¡¯t help but pity him.

    <i>He must care for Yao, too. It¡¯s just for them, love isn¡¯t enough. There are too many obstacles. In people¡¯s eyes, their love for each other shouldn¡¯t exist.</i>

    <i>He is trying to protect her by getting married.</i>

    At the thought, Mo Suqing¡¯s tone softened. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s going to be fine. She just has too many things in her heart. I am not feeling well, so I asked Ceng Hanyu to take her out. You should go back to your fianc¨¦e, or she ising at us.¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at An Huilin as an emphasis.

    Leng Haoyun opened his mouth, but didn¡¯t say anything. His hand squeezed around the ss a little, then he walked away.

    Mo Suqing spent some more time?at?the party before getting bored and leaving with Ye Zhongjue.

    They had barely arrived home when Ye Zhongjue was called to thepany by Lin Ran.

    Mo Suqing had been easily sleepy because of her pregnancy. After she ate something, she fell into a deep slumber.

    ¡­¡­

    After Ceng Hanyu and Leng Xiyao left the party, he considered her crest-fallen look and made a decision.

    <i>Fine! If she wants to drink, I¡¯ll take her somewhere to drink!</i>

    He drove them toward Silk Empire International. Leng Xiyao opened the window and let the cold wind blow over her face.

    Ceng Hanyu wanted to ask her to close it. She had drunk a lot of wine and might get a cold?when exposed?to the cold outside.

    However, she looked so sad, so he didn¡¯t say anything in the end.

 Chapter 136 â€“ Drinking to Death

    <h4>Chapter 136 ¨C Drinking to Death</h4>

    At Silk Empire International, Leng Xiyao began to stride purposefully towards the pub.

    Ceng Hanyu grabbed her by the arm. She struggled but couldn¡¯t free herself from the much stronger man.

    Leng Xiyao red at him and demanded, ¡°What are you doing? I want to drink! Drink! Do you not understand English?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu didn¡¯t get angry. He just pulled her into a private room and told the waiter to bring them what he usually had. Then, he forced Leng Xiyao to sit down.

    ¡°I can drink with you until tomorrow if you wish, <i>after?</i>we have something to eat. Remember, no matter what happens, no matter how much you want to vent your emotions, you mustn¡¯t jeopardize your health. Let¡¯s eat something first before we drink. Otherwise, you¡¯ll only ruin your body!¡±

    Leng Xiyao sat there sullenly, obviously in a foul mood. She said coldly, ¡°So what if I¡¯m ruining my body? It¡¯s my body! You can¡¯t stop me. You are nothing to me.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu looked stricken. Her words jabbed him in his heart like a knife. <i>Yeah, I am nothing to her! I shouldn¡¯t have any reasons to stop her.</i>

    Before today, even though he did feel differently towards her, he could control himself and stop himself from getting closer. But he could no longer suppress his feelings now that he knew she was likely to be Anne.

    To her, he had no right to interfere?with?her affairs. However, he couldn¡¯t watch her harm herself like this.

    After a while, he replied unhappily, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m nothing to you. I just hate to see anyone harm themselves because they are broken-hearted. There are numerous other men. Why do you have to make yourself so miserable for him? However sad you are, there¡¯s a stop-loss point you need to define. Why torture yourself like this when he can¡¯t even see you?¡±

    Leng Xiyao didn¡¯t say anything. Ceng Hanyu¡¯s words tugged at her heartstrings. Maybe, he was right.

    When the dishes were here, Leng Xiyao picked up the chopsticks and said, ¡°Thank you, but no other men can rece him in my heart¡­¡±

    Then, she began to eat quietly. She looked neither sad nor happy, a wooden puppet devoid of feelings.

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s hands clenched into fists under the table.

    <i>In the end, I am toote.</i>

    Afterwards, Ceng Hanyu took her to the pub. There were few drinkers, it being daytime. The isted atmosphere and the dim light seemed to better match a broken heart.

    Leng Xiyao sat in a corner. Ceng Hanyu waved over the bartender and asked her what she would like to drink.

    Leng Xiyao chuckled a little and named more than a dozen wines in one breath: red wine, white wine, beer, etc.

    Then, she nced at Ceng Hanyu and added, ¡°I want a dozen bottles for each one of these!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s face darkened. <i>Is she going to drink to death?</i>

    Leng Xiyao sneered, ¡°What? Are you afraid?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu looked her in the eye and then looked at the jaw-dropped bartender.

    ¡°Do as she said. If we can¡¯t finish everything, keep the remaining bottles under my name.¡±

    The bartender nodded and left the room. Shortly afterwards, the wines were being brought in.

    However, the table wasn¡¯t big enough for all the bottles. Therefore, the bartender had brought only two for each kind when Ceng Hanyu gave him a signal and he took leave.

    Leng Xiyao hung her head low and reached for a bottle of red. She opened it with elegant and leisure movements, as if she was creating art.

    However, the following scene fidgeted Ceng Hanyu.

    Leng Xiyao started to drink from the bottle. Red wine poured from the container and into her mouth. Some of the liquid streamed down from the corner of her mouth, so it soon formed a little puddle of a stain on her white dress.

    Ceng Hanyu frowned but didn¡¯t say anything. He knew she needed this.

    In the past, he used to imagine what kind of woman Anne would turn out to be. Was she a gentle and quiet soul? Elegant and charming? Or cheerful and lively?

    Never had he expected she would have grown up into a woman who was spoiled but rather cute; willful yet not annoyingly so; bright with a fierceness; stubborn and not afraid of expressing her emotions.

    However, this kind of woman also easily got hurt in rtionships.

    They had met each other four times only, but each time her distinct character had left an impression in his heart. He could see how headstrong and stubborn she was.

    Ceng Hanyu took a bottle and began to drink himself, keeping herpany.

    They stayed in the pub for two hours, so it was four o¡¯clock in the afternoon when they left.

    Although Leng Xiyao was drinking like mad, her tolerance for alcohol was actually quite low. Leng Haoyun was very protective of her and normally didn¡¯t allow her to drink even a little.

    When she went to the bathroom and didn¡¯te back for a long time, Ceng Hanyu decided to look for her.

    She had copsed by the sink when he entered the bathroom. It looked like she had been vomiting.

    Ceng Hanyu frowned. He picked her up and walked out of Silk Empire International.

    Ceng Hanyu took her to his vi in A City. It was close to the Shallow Sea Area, so he could easily find Ye Zhongjue when needed.

    Leng Xiyao vomited twice on the way. Each time, Ceng Hanyu had patiently taken care of the mess.

    He had never thought that he, a person who cared about cleanliness so much, would be able to take care of a drunken woman like this. Of course, he knew it was because she was Anne.

    Finding her had be an obsession for him over the years.

    When he arrived at the vi, someone he had not expected was standing in front of it.

    It was a woman with chestnut, wavy hair in a tight ck blouse, a pair of ck leather pants, a pair of knee-length ck boots and a ck leather jacket. The blouse showed all the curves of her perfect body. It was very sexy.

    She had a stunning look with azure eyes, a high-bridged nose, and a small mouth. She was slender but,pared with a broad-shouldered Westerner, was rather petite.

    Selina stood there and watched Ceng Hanyu carry Leng Xiyao out of the car, her usual bold and forthright self gone.

    ¡°Who is she?¡± she asked.

    Ceng Hanyu didn¡¯t want to answer the question. Instead, he asked her in a toneless voice, ¡°Why are you in A City?¡±

    Selina wasn¡¯t annoyed that he didn¡¯t answer her question. She replied, ¡°Luo Qiqi and Xia Zi arrived today before I did. I don¡¯t know what they are nning to do and am worried about you and Ye, so I hurried over here.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu put on a poker face and carried Leng Xiyao inside.

    ¡°Jue and I don¡¯t need your concern. Instead of bringing us trouble, you should just stay at the headquarters.¡±

    Selina looked humiliated. She was a brilliant woman and one of the most outstanding agents in their organization. She might well be an equal to the Two Roses.

    But Ceng Hanyu just had to say she was bringing trouble! Exasperated, she followed Ceng Hanyu inside.

    Ceng Hanyu did not heed her and continued to go upstairs. Selina hissed in a low voice, ¡°Han, I won¡¯t bring any troubles to you. You have to trust me!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu turned around and looked at her. ¡°As difficult as Luo Qiqi and Xia Zi are, they are not going to hurt us. Your worry is unnecessary.¡±

    Selina felt insulted, but she bravely looked Ceng Hanyu in the eye. ¡°Fine, you are right. I am not that worried actually. I know how good you are. I came here because I missed you. Is that wrong?¡±

    Selina looked at him piteously.

    Ceng Hanyu didn¡¯t know what to say. To be honest, he was afraid of her. Selina wasn¡¯t like any other women. She was also the kind that wasn¡¯t afraid of expressing her feelings. If she loved someone, she would say it. He admitted that he?had once been tempted by?her, although he had been controlling himself.

    He hadn¡¯t wanted to ept her love before he found Anne.

    Now that he was almost sure Leng Xiyao was her, seeing her like this, he was even more unlikely to ept any other woman. He must help her forget about Leng Haoyun.

    The woman in his arms moaned a little. Ceng Hanyu tensed.

    Selina chuckled.

    ¡°So you found her. Your Anne?¡± she asked soberly.

    Ceng Hanyu pressed his lips together and looked at the woman in his arms. Then, he looked up at Selina and said, ¡°Will you bathe her and change her into clean clothes?¡±

    Selina blinked her pretty blue eyes and answered. ¡°Sure. No problem!¡±

    She took Leng Xiyao from him, then walked towards the bathroom in the master bedroom.

    Ceng Hanyu rubbed his temple and headed to the one in the other bedroom.

    ¡­¡­

    Mo Suqing did not wake up until well after five o¡¯clock in the afternoon when her phone rang.

    Mo Suqing answered the phone without looking at the caller ID, sounding sleepy, ¡°Who is it?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue could see his wife hadn¡¯t got up yet. He said tenderly, ¡°Honey, my littlezy one, are you still sleeping?¡±

    Mo Suqing smiled and sat up. ¡°I feel rather tired recently, probably because I¡¯m pregnant.¡±

    She gently rubbed her forehead, feeling groggy.

 Chapter 137 â€“ The Mysterious Jade Pendant

    <h4>Chapter 137 ¨C The Mysterious Jade Pendant</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask Lin Ran to bring me a document from home. In the second drawer on the left under my desk in the study, you¡¯ll see a ck folder on the top. That is it. The key is in the bedroom. When Lin Ranes, just give him the folder. It will probably be prettyte when I get home. Go out to have some dinner. Don¡¯t stay at home all day; it¡¯s not good for you or the baby. After dinner, take a walk before going home. Don¡¯t wait up for me and go to bed early!¡±

    Mo Suqing listened and nodded obediently. ¡°Okay, I see. I¡¯ll find the folder for Lin Ran.¡±

    Then, the two of them talked some more ¨C all sweet nothings ¨C before hanging up.

    Mo Suqing stroked her belly. There was a baby inside her. The thought brought about the pregnancy glow on her.

    Mo Suqing found the key in the bedside cab and walked toward the study.

    <i>The second drawer on the left¡­ This one!?</i>She bent down and opened it. Just as Ye Zhongjue had said, there was a ck folder on the top. Mo Suqing frowned. She had felt a bit weird when Ye Zhongjue mentioned that ck folder.

    Usually, folders like this were blue, not ck.

    Mo Suqing was going to open it, but thought better of it. It might contain some confidential information. She mustn¡¯t read it.

    She closed the half-opened folder and was going to shut the drawer when her eyes caught a creamy jade pendant in it. Intrigued, she picked it up and examined it.

    It was a piece of round, cream-colored jade, with a sheen that indicated good quality. The character of Jue in calligraphic form was inscribed on it and filled with light-blue ink. It looked very?beautiful.

    Mo Suqing toyed with it for a while before putting it back.

    If Ye Zhongjue found it necessary to lock the pendant here, it must be very important to him.

    Mo Suqing went to the living room and put the folder on the coffee table. After about half an hour, the doorbell rang.

    Mo Suqing peered through the peephole. It was indeed Lin Ran. She opened the door and handed him the folder.

    Lin Ran looked like he was in a hurry. He took the folder and took leave without dawdling.

    Mo Suqing frowned and closed the door behind her.

    ¡­¡­

    Meanwhile, at Tianyu Hotel.

    Two gorgeous women were on the balcony. One of them was leaning casually against the window, while the other was curling up on a beanbag chair.

    On closer inspection, the woman against the window had an identical look with Mo Suqing, although her ck hair was shorter than the other woman. If it weren¡¯t for the coldness she was exuding, it was easy to mistake her for Mo Suqing.

    In her hand, she had a ss of red wine which she was swaying gently while giving off an aloof air.

    The woman on the chair, on the other hand, had the most enchanting look with shiny ck eyes as bright as gemstones, a cherry-red mouth at the corner of which a wry smile tugged, and long, glossy ck hair falling over her chest. She was typing fast on herptop.

    Five minutes passed. A beautiful smile lit up her face.

    ¡°Done!¡± she announced in a tinkling voice. ¡°I¡¯ve located it, Zi. I found the thief who stole my jade pendant! Let¡¯s go catch him. I¡¯ll teach that son of a bitch who dared steal from me a lesson¡­¡±

    She smiled devilishly, looking quite a hooligan.

    The cold expression on the other woman¡¯s face shifted. She straightened up and walked over.

    ¡°Let me see,¡± she said. Even her voice sounded cold.

    Two women, one fiery and the other icy-cold.

    That¡¯s right. They were Luo Qiqi and Xia Zi, the two Interpol agents who were visiting A City.

    The reason that had brought them here was simple enough, not at all cryptic as Ye Zhongjue and the others had thought.

    A while ago, while they were investigating a crime in the States, Luo Qiqi¡¯s jade pendant was gone. She insisted it had been stolen.

    The thief didn¡¯t know she had installed a tracking device in the pendant. It was thetest model and extremely tiny for the naked eye to detect.

    Luo Qiqi hadn¡¯t thought much when she installed the device. Little had she known it would be so handy.

    When Luo Qiqi was little, she had been taken away from her family by a group of human traffickers. She had ended up in the US, where the wrongdoers were brought to justice. She had been only two years old then and couldn¡¯t remember anything about it. Later, she was sent to an orphanage.

    She had worn the jade pendant for as long as she could remember, so it was very important to her.

    Therefore, after she and Xia Zi finished the case at hand, they had tracked it back to their home country.

    Xia Zi had been another victim of the human traffickers. They had got rescued and sent to the same orphanage where they had grown up and be Interpol agents together. They both wanted to save more children like themselves and put criminals in jail.

    Even though they were as different as fire and ice, it didn¡¯t affect their teamwork and friendship.

    They saw each other as the most important thing in the world and would die for the other person.

    Luo Qiqi handed theptop to Xia Zi, who had sat down beside her.

    ¡°Are you sure this is the ce?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Luo Qiqi nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure!¡±

    ¡°Great!¡± Xia Zi quickly devised a n. She wanted to finish the business as soon as possible. Their superiors in France had been urging them to go back. They thought the two of them were still in the US.

    ¡°We¡¯ll start following him after hees out of the Hilton Hotel. Then, I¡¯ll go and confront him while you shoot him from afar. Remember, do not aim at any of his vital organs, although you do want to immobilize him. We¡¯ll get this done tonight and go back to France tomorrow morning ¨C I have booked the tickets already. Boss said he has some updates on The Dark Night and he wants us to follow up the clue.¡±

    Luo Qiqi nodded thoughtfully. Xia Zi¡¯s arrangement made sense. While Luo Qiqi was called a sharpshooter, Xia Zi was second to none inbating. When they were catching criminals, the former was in charge of shooting the target and thetter grappling them. This way, their coboration was wless.

    Luo Qiqi hugged Xia Zi¡¯s arm and said, ¡°I can feel how much you care about me, the way you, a person who is stingy with words, were willing to pour out so many of them in one go. I am ttered!¡±

    Her eyes sparkled with pleasure when she looked at Xia Zi.

    Xia Zi gave her a cool look. ¡°Are you?really?¡±

    ¡°Of course I am!¡± Luo Qiqi jumped up from the chair. ¡°Look at me, all excited!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Xia Zi said, not in the mood to talk nonsense with her. However, an indulgent fondness did cross her cold eyes.

    Most of the time, her world was made up of ice. Luo Qiqi was the only warmth in it.

    They quickly disguised themselves. In no time, they were unrecognizable.

    They gathered their stuff and left the hotel.

    ¡­¡­

    After Lin Ran had left with the folder, Mo Suqing read for a while. She had found the book about firearm design quite fascinating, so she would try to study it whenever she had time.

    After some time, she became hungry. She got up to find?something to eat in the refrigerator.

    However, it was empty. She remembered then that she and Ye Zhongjue hadn¡¯t eaten at home for several days.

    Remembering that Ye Zhongjue had told her to get out of the house and find something to eat, she closed the refrigerator and left the house.

    Mo Suqing went to a small bistro nearby, where she and Ye Zhongjue had dined a few times. Somehow, she found the food there much tastier than that in a high-end restaurant.

    She was quite full afterwards, so she decided to take a leisure walk home.

    It waspletely dark now. The streetlights on either side of the road were very dim, so she quickened her pace.

    When she neared the Shallow Sea Area, Mo Suqing felt that someone seemed to be following her.

    Her heart was in her throat and she quickened her pace even more.

    The person behind her picked up their speed, too. Mo Suqing was very scared.

    The faster she walked, the more closely the person followed her. Finally, she was inside themunity. She breathed out an audible sigh of relief. With the janitor at the gate, whoever it was couldn¡¯t possibly get inside after her now.

    She slowly walked toward the vi at number eight. However, she immediately sensed that the person was still following her. Mo Suqing was frightened beyond description.

    <i>Am I being followed by a stalker? Maybe even a sick serial killer?</i>

    She dared not think about this kind of stuff anymore. <i>I have read and watched too many books and dramas on crime and suspense recently!?</i>She shook her head to clear her mind and quickened her pace.

    Then, all of a sudden, the person was less than two steps behind her! Mo Suqing began to cry for help.

    However, her cry was cut off prematurely. The person covered her mouth and dragged her into the shadow.

    Mo Suqing struggled violently.

    At the same time, she wrapped her belly with her arms protectively, afraid to hurt the baby in any way.

    The person who had her gave a groan of pain, but didn¡¯t loosen their hand over her mouth.

    Mo Suqing couldn¡¯t make any sound.

    After a moment, she suddenly heard footsteps close by, then there were two women¡¯s voices.

    ¡°Zi, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s here. If he has a house here, why would he steal my pendant?

    We were able to get in because we have a vi here ourselves. This shows he is most likely a resident.¡±

    The two women were none other than Luo Qiqi and Xia Zi, who had tracked the pendant to the Shallow Sea Area.

 Chapter 138 â€“ Itâ€™s Like Stitching Clothes

    <h4>Chapter 138 ¨C It¡¯s Like Stitching Clothes</h4>

    Luo Qiqi and Xia Zi were able to get into themunity because they had the key card. Two years ago, they found out they had probably been abducted from A City, so they decided to buy the vi at number six.

    For convenience¡¯s sake, they had stayed at the hotel instead of the vi this time.

    They hadn¡¯t expected they would pursue the thief here.

    The man who was covering Mo Suqing¡¯s mouth tightened his grip when he heard the women. Mo Suqing dared not struggle, lest she should harm the baby.

    The other woman said coldly, ¡°Never use your logic to guess what a criminal might be thinking.¡±

    Then, a phone began to ring.

    Mo Suqing listened as the same cold voice answered, ¡°Yes, sir. We¡¯ll be right there!¡±

    Luo Qiqi frowned at Xia Zi, startled. ¡°The headquarters?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Xia Zi nodded. ¡°Something happened in the States. They want us to be there right away.¡±

    ¡°Is it The Dark Night?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Xia Zi said calmly and coolly. ¡°We have to go now.¡±

    Luo Qiqi wore the jade pendant around her neck and shrugged. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll spare the man this time.?Normally, I would make him suffer.?Fortunately, my pendant is back.¡±

    The man who had Mo Suqing tensed at the woman¡¯s words. He reached into his pocket. The jade pendant was gone! It must have fallen out of the pocket during the fight.

    He tried to get up, but was only to fall down again.

    Luo Qiqi continued, ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s go. He¡¯s lucky we let him off so easily.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s quite good! If it weren¡¯t for the shot you gave him, I might not be able to get out of there unscathed.¡±

    ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t notice it.¡±

    ¡°Of course you didn¡¯t. All you needed to do was shoot.¡±

    ¡°If I have to, I can defeat him inbat too!¡±

    ¡­¡­

    Mo Suqing listened as the two women¡¯s voices faded away. The hand that had been covering her mouth seemed to get more and more weak.

    She turned around carefully and saw the man slide down the wall and pass out.

    Mo Suqing took a closer look at the man. He looked ghastly, as if he was in a lot of pain. Her eyes followed one of his arms to the hand.

    He was mping it over his stomach and furrowing his brow in agony.

    Under the gentle light, it was not difficult to recognize the man as the one who had parted ways with Jian Jie at the airport the other day.

    Mo Suqing moved to one side for more light to shine on the man and saw that there was blood all over his hand. She finally put two and two together.

    The women had been looking for him! And one of them had shot him on the stomach.

    Before Su Jincheng passed out, he was still thinking about the pendant. He had found it in the US. It looked very simr to the one he remembered¡­

    In his haste to return home, he had simply taken it with him without looking for its owner.

    However, he had never thought there would be a tracking device in it and that he would almost get killed.

    He had never been so out of luck in his whole life!

    If he had guessed it right, he knew who the women were now. Unfortunately, they had taken the pendant.

    Mo Suqing looked at the man hesitantly. On the one hand, she knew nothing was more important than saving a life. On the other hand, what if he was a bad guy?

    She watched as the man became more and more delirious and made up her mind. She pulled him up.

    No matter what, she would try to save him first. The bottom line was, she couldn¡¯t watch a man die in front of her.

    Mo Suqing half carried, half dragged Su Jincheng into the house, sweating profusely.

    She turned on the light and could finally have a good look at the man.

    His handsome eyebrows were slightly furrowed and his expression grave. Even though his eyes were closed, Mo Suqing could imagine the sharpness in them. His lips were very pale, probably resulting from loss of blood.

    Mo Suqing carried him to the sofa andy him down.

    Then, she quickly went to fetch the first-aid kit.

    She ced the kit on the coffee table and knelt down beside the sofa. Looking at the messy wound, she didn¡¯t quite know how to set about the task.

    However, blood was still gushing out of his stomach. Mo Suqing dared not waste any more time. She took up the scissors and lifted his jacket aside. Then, with shaky hands, she began to cut his shirt open.

    When she saw the bullet lodged deep in his flesh, Mo Suqing, being pregnant, couldn¡¯t help but start gagging.

    The noise woke the man.

    He looked at Mo Suqing for a while before he was able to focus his bleary eyes on the figure beside him. Then, frowning with pain, he asked, ¡°Did you save me?¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded. ¡°Let me stop the blood first.¡±

    The man slowly shook his head and took in a sharp breath with clenched teeth.

    ¡°I won¡¯t die for the time being. Thank you¡­ for saving me. My name is Su Jincheng. To treat a gunshot wound, just stopping the blood isn¡¯t enough. Can you give me a knife¡­ a lighter, a pair of tweezers, a needle and thread?¡±

    Su Jincheng finished the requestboriously. Sweat glistened on his forehead.

    Mo Suqing didn¡¯t know what she was thinking; she just did as she had been told.

    When everything was ready, Su Jincheng nced at the first-aid kit on the coffee table and said, ¡°Please¡­ help me sit up and give me something to bite.¡±

    Mo Suqing put everything down and helped him sit up. Then, she handed him a stic bottle.

    She could hear his teeth chattering. Su Jincheng leaned against the sofa and put the bottle in his mouth. Then, he pointed at the lighter, the tweezers and the knife.

    Mo Suqing handed them to him. Su Jincheng flicked the lighter and burned the knife and tweezers with it. Then, he threw the lighter away and brought the other tools closer to his wound.

    <i>Is he going to operate on himself??</i>Mo Suqing closed her eyes in fear and turned away.

    Although he had a bottle in his mouth, Mo Suqing could still hear him groan.

    She couldn¡¯t help but admire the man and his iron will.

    She turned around and stole a nce. Su Jincheng had secured the bullet with the tweezers and was pulling it out.

    Mo Suqing could almost feel the pain herself. After getting rid of the bullet, Su Jincheng copsed on the sofa. His shirt was soaking wet.

    Su Jincheng nced at the wound, which was still bleeding, and said, ¡°Stitch it up for me, will you? I don¡¯t have any strength left.¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at the wound in fear and waved her hands. ¡°I don¡¯t know how¡­¡±

    Her face had gone as pale as Su Jincheng¡¯s.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s like stitching clothes.¡±

    Mo Suqing felt defeated. <i>Like stitching clothes? It¡¯s nothing like stitching clothes! It¡¯s stitching human flesh, for god¡¯s sake!</i>

    Su Jincheng was on the brink of passing out again. ¡°Help me stitch it up before antisepticising and bandaging it,¡± he forced out these words before slowly closing his eyes.

    Mo Suqing watched the hole where the bullet had been bleeding?profusely and tried to cheer herself up. <i>Yeah! It¡¯s like stitching clothes! I can do this. I can stitch!</i>

    She picked up the needle and thread with shaky hands and eyed the gore. Then, making up her mind, she began to stitch it up just like when she was stitching clothes.

    During the process, Mo Suqing could feel the man shivering, even though he had passed out.

    Atst, she finished stitching. Her back waspletely drenched. It was such a horrifying experience. Never had anything like this happened in her life before. It was like she was in a movie!

    Mo Suqing dared not rx. She quickly antisepticised the wound with rubbing alcohol and cotton swabs and applied some anti-inmmatory to it before bandaging it up.

    After she dressed the wound, Mo Suqing copsed on the floor.

    After a long time, she gradually caught her breath and began to think. She had a man in her house, and one with a gunshot wound at that. If Ye Zhongjue saw him, she would have a hard time exining herself.

    She deliberated upon what to do. In the end, she pulled Su Jincheng up and took him to the guest?room.

    He was so heavy that after shey him down on the bed, she was exhausted.

    To prevent Ye Zhongjue from finding out, Mo Suqing set about cleaning the mess and threw the bloodied sofa cover and clothes away.

    After she returned home from throwing the trash, she looked around the ce to see if there was anything unusual. When she was satisfied, she let out a breath of relief.

    Mo Suqing took a shower and waited for Ye Zhongjue in bed. After waiting for a while, she fell asleep.

    What had happened tonight had drained all of her energy. She was dog-tired.

    -

    In Ceng Hanyu¡¯s vi, Selina had just bathed Leng Xiyao and changed her into fresh clothes. She carried her out and put her on Ceng Hanyu¡¯s bed.

    When Selina emerged from the room, Ceng Hanyu had taken a shower and was smoking on the sofa.

    Seeing Selina, he put out the cigarette and gave her a vague look.

    ¡°You should go back to Ennd as soon as possible. Jue will get worried about the situation there.¡±

    Selina looked him in the eye and sat down beside him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t use him as a shield. You are the one who wants me?to?go. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m interfering?with?your business or anything. I just want to see you. Why do you keep driving me away?¡±

    Selina gave him a puzzled look and continued, ¡°Han, even if you are going to be together with Anne, can¡¯t I continue to love you for now? Or, are you afraid I¡¯m going to hurt Anne because you don¡¯t trust me?¡±

 Chapter 139 â€“ How She Feels about You

    <h4>Chapter 139 ¨C How She Feels about You</h4>

    Ceng Hanyu rubbed his forehead impatiently. ¡°What are you talking about? I just don¡¯t want you to stay in the country. When have I ever said that I think you will hurt Anne?¡±

    Selina waved her hand dismissively. ¡°If you don¡¯t think I¡¯ll hurt her, I¡¯m definitely going to stay!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu stared at her. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to hate the woman, but he didn¡¯t know what to do with her either.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to check on her,¡± he said, getting up.

    Ceng Hanyu walked into the bedroom. Selina looked forlorn. She had been pursuing him for so many years. Of course she had long discovered that he had been hiding from her.

    However, she just couldn¡¯t help it¡­

    Ceng Hanyu watched Leng Xiyao as he walked over, sat down on the edge of the bed, and brushed her hair away from her fair face.

    Leng Xiyao seemed to have a disturbed sleep. Her mouth was moving as she muttered something in a very low voice.

    Ceng Hanyu put his ear closer to her mouth to listen.

    ¡°Uncle¡­ Don¡¯t¡­¡±

    She repeated the same words over and over again. Ceng Hanyu¡¯s face darkened.

    He reached out and touched Leng Xiyao¡¯s sad face. Even in dreams, she was in pain.

    Even though Leng Haoyun had brought her up and given her a lot of love, he was also the one who was making her sad. If it could make his Anne happy again, he would surely kill that man!

    Ceng Hanyu arranged her nket and walked out of the room. There came a knock on the door.

    Selina was lost in thought, so Ceng Hanyu walked over to open the door. It was Gu Yi''an.

    Gu Yi¡¯an walked into the living room and saw Selina on the sofa. ¡°Selina?¡± he asked surprisingly. ¡°When did youe?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ it¡¯s you,¡± Selina replied unenthusiastically, looking bummed out. Gu Yi¡¯an could see it must be Ceng Hanyu¡¯s doing. Only he had the ability to turn a bright, attractive woman like Selina into a brooding, mncholic creature.

    Ceng Hanyu sat down. ¡°She¡¯s just here for fun! Yi¡¯an, take a seat. I have something to give you.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an was a quiet person in nature, so he just sat down and waited?for?Ceng Hanyu in silence. Ceng Hanyu held two small zip bags in his hand when he returned.

    ¡°Do a DNA test for each of these and see if they are rted.¡±

    Selina raised her eyebrows in surprise. When she saw Ceng Hanyu carry Leng Xiyao in his arms like she was a precious gift he must protect with his life, she had thought he was certain the woman was Anne!

    Gu Yi¡¯an took the bags and got up to leave.

    Ceng Hanyu, wanting to know the result as soon as possible, didn¡¯t ask him to stay longer and saw him off.

    After Gu Yi¡¯an was gone, Selina and Ceng Hanyu sat on the sofa. Neither spoke.

    After a long time, Ceng Hanyu relented and said, ¡°Fine. You can stay in A City,?but?only if you do not interfere with my life.¡±

    Selina looked at him. ¡°Have I ever done that?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu choked a little. She was right. She had never really interfered with his life. All she had done was chase him around, but that was all it took to subject him to her influence.

    Ceng Hanyu went silent. The atmosphere between them seemed to freeze with awkwardness.

    All of a sudden, the doorbell began to ring.

    Selina frowned, her blue eyes gleaming. ¡°Who can it be?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu looked at the door. ¡°Probably Yi¡¯an.¡±

    He got up to open the door. Someone charged inside.

    Ceng Hanyu dodged. Selina leapt up from the sofa. Both turned to look at the man warily. Ceng Hanyu saw it was Leng Haoyun. He looked positively enraged.

    His eyes were scarlet and his face was contorted when he roared, ¡°Where¡¯s Yao?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s expression rxed when he saw who the invader was. He sneered at Leng Haoyun¡¯s unkempt appearance and said, ¡°She¡¯s here. Take her away if you can!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu said casually and calmly, but there was an undertone of cruelty and fury in his voice.

    Leng Haoyun strode toward the bedroom. Ceng Hanyu continued, ¡°She had a really rough day. She cried. She drank two dozen bottles of alcohol. She vomited up everything. Then, she drank again¡­¡±

    Leng Haoyun slowed down as he listened to Ceng Hanyu, until he stopped on the spot.

    He turned around in slow motion.

    ¡°What is the matter with her?¡± he asked, staring at Ceng Hanyu.

    Ceng Hanyu shrugged and gave him a cool look. ¡°I think you know the answer!¡±

    ¡°What is the matter with her?¡± Leng Haoyun asked again, looking as if he was going to explode any second.

    Ceng Hanyu didn¡¯t want to waste any more time on the man. He said, ¡°Selina has bathed her and put her to sleep. Are you sure you want to wake her up, see you, and get upset again?¡±

    Then, his eyes hardened when he continued, ¡°I don¡¯t believe you can¡¯t see how she feels about you. You know you can¡¯t be together, but you let her feelings grow and keep her hopes up! Don¡¯t tell me you are doing everything for her own good. She bes sad every time she sees you now. Do you really want to stay here and wait for her to wake up or even take her away by force?¡±

    Everything he had just said was true. Leng Haoyun¡¯s face went pale. He had always known how Leng Xiyao felt. He didn¡¯t want things to be like this, either! But he just couldn¡¯t let her leave him.

    In the end, he was but a selfish person.

    In the business world, he was always confident, ruthless and resolute, and he almost never failed in anything. However, when he faced Leng Xiyao, these principles were non-existent.

    He couldn¡¯t begin to imagine what he would be without her.

    But, in the end, he was causing her pain¡­

    Leng Haoyun clenched his fist and pressed his lips together. He cracked his knuckles and ground his teeth. Finally, he fixed his eyes on Ceng Hanyu and said,

    ¡°Thank you¡­ for taking care of her. I¡¯ll take her home some other day.¡±

    Then, he walked out of the house.

    Despair and loneliness wrapped tightly around him. A profound sadness was exuding from him.

    Ceng Hanyu had an indescribable feeling inside him.

    ¡­¡­

    The next day when Mo Suqing woke up, she found the space next to her empty. The sheet on that side of the bed was smooth, indicating that Ye Zhongjue hadn¡¯te homest night.

    Mo Suqing got up and took a shower before calling Ye Zhongjue to learn that it had been two or three in the morning when he finished workst night, so he had slept in the office instead.

    Mo Suqing told him toe home tonight and hung up the phone.

    She leisurely drank some water and turned around to see a man standing in the doorway to the guest room.

    She almost spurted out the water still in her mouth.

    She forgot that she had taken home a man with a gunshot woundst night. After everything she had gone through, she couldn¡¯t believe she would forget about it.

    Mo Suqingughed nervously and put down her ss.

    ¡°Um, you said your name is Su Jincheng, right?¡±

    Su Jincheng nodded and watched her without replying.

    Mo Suqing looked at his naked torso and remembered that she had thrown his bloodied shirt away.

    ¡°Um, your shirt had blood all over it, so I threw it away. I¡¯ll give you one of my husband¡¯s. I hope you won¡¯t mind.¡±

    Su Jincheng frowned, as if he didn¡¯t want to wear another man¡¯s clothes. However, he looked down at himself and didn¡¯t say anything.

    Mo Suqing went to fetch a white shirt and a zer for him.

    She handed the clothes to Su Jincheng and scratched her head. ¡°Put them on while I prepare breakfast.¡±

    Then, Mo Suqing hurried away.

    Su Jincheng looked at the clothes in his hands and walked into the room to put them on.

    Mo Suqing saw Su Jinchenging out of the room and was going to tell him to stay for breakfast. However, he said, ¡°Thank you for everything you did for me. I owe you my life. If you ever need help, look for me at number eleven. Now, I must go.¡±

    Then, he opened the door and left while Mo Suqing stared at him in astonishment.

    Mo Suqing was going to stop him but thought better of it. She had done everything she could for the man.

    It was obvious they lived in different worlds. It would be better if they went their separate ways.

    After breakfast, Mo Suqing cleaned the house thoroughly, taking extra care to get rid of every trace left by the man.

    She knew she didn¡¯t do anything wrong, but Ye Zhongjue would still get angry if he knew she had saved such a dangerous man and even taken him home.

    Of course, she knew it would be because he was concerned for her safety.

    After she finished cleaning up, Mo Suqing checked her phone and found there were dozens of missed calls from Leng Haoyun.

    She remembered it now. When she got up, she had speed-dialed Ye Zhongjue without even fully opening her eyes. Therefore, she hadn¡¯t realized there were any missed calls until now.

    Leng Haoyun would never call her unless it was something to do with Yao.

    <i>But, didn¡¯t Yao go with Ceng Hanyu yesterday? Didn¡¯t he find her?</i>

    Mo Suqing considered for a while whether or not to return Leng Haoyun¡¯s call. In the end, she decided to call Ceng Hanyu first.

    ¡°Hey, was Yao at your ce yesterday?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s chuckle came from the other end of the line. ¡°Yeah! She had a good night¡¯s sleep. She has just woken up. Do you want to speak to her?¡±

    Mo Suqing asked tentatively, ¡°Well, did Leng Haoyun go look for her yesterday?¡±

 Chapter 140 â€“ Luring the Tiger out of His Den and Getting to the Cubs

    <h4>Chapter 140 ¨C Luring the Tiger out of His Den and Getting to the Cubs</h4>

    At Ceng Hanyu¡¯s vi.

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s smile faded a little as he spoke on the phone, ¡°Yeah, he was here yesterday. But Yao was sleeping, so he said he would pick her up some other day.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­ I feel much relieved.¡±

    Reassured, Mo Suqing rang off. <i>As long as Yao is alright, nothing else matters.</i>

    But, she was surprised to learn that Leng Haoyun would be willing to pick her up some other day. As far as she could see, the man was awfully possessive of Yao. It was odd he would agree to such a thing.

    Ceng Hanyu must have said something to him.

    It was probably for the best. He was already engaged. Even though he was Yao¡¯s uncle, even though Yao had umon feelings for him, he needed to keep his distance and squash Yao¡¯s hope. That way, she could begin to heal.

    Mo Suqing was going to go to work when her phone rang.

    The caller ID was strange to her. She was about to pick it up when the ringing stopped.

    Mo Suqing frowned, but she didn¡¯t think too much about it. <i>Probably just a junk call.?</i>However, when she approached the door, a message came through.

    Mo Suqing tapped it open and froze on the spot.

    The message was short: <i>Care to know where Ye Zhongjue is?</i>

    Mo Suqing felt the adrenaline course through her veins, like something bad was about to happen.

    Frowning, she paced to and fro in the house for a while without knowing what to do.

    She had a very uneasy feeling. She picked up the phone to call Ye Zhongjue, but then thought better of it.

    Yet, the unease grew stronger and stronger. In the end, she called Ye Zhongjue anyway. No one answered.

    Mo Suqing was so anxious that she decided to call Lin Ran. Lin Ran did answer the phone, but sounded hesitant.

    Mo Suqing asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Ye Zhongjue? Why isn¡¯t he answering his phone?¡±

    Lin Ran sounded strange when he replied, ¡°Um, Boss just went out. He probably forgot his phone. I¡¯ll tell him you called when he¡¯s back.¡±

    Mo Suqing asked several more questions, but Lin Ran¡¯s reply was ambiguous. She had a bad feeling.

    She hung up the phone and decided she would go to Mighty Empire and see for herself if Ye Zhongjue was alright. After all, he had never stayed out all night before.

    And then, there was that weird message she had just got.

    Mo Suqing grabbed her purse and left the house. She looked agitated as she fixed her mind on Ye Zhongjue, not knowing danger wasing for her.

    No sooner had she left themunity when a taxi approached. She hailed it and quickly got in the car.

    ¡°To Mighty Empire. Quick!¡±

    The driver hung his head low with a ck cap that obscured half of his face. He gave her a nomittal reply and started driving at a high speed.

    After some time, Mo Suqing felt something was wrong. They were not heading toward Mighty Empire.

    Mo Suqing looked at the driver warily and said, ¡°You¡­¡±

    But she didn¡¯t finish the sentence. All of a sudden, the driver turned around and gave her a sinister smile. Thest thing Mo Suqing saw was that the man sprayed some kind of white spray at her.

    The next second, she lost her consciousness as her body slid sideways on the seat.

    ¡­¡­

    Back to earlier this morning, shortly after Mo Suqing had got up and called Ye Zhongjue.

    Jian Jie emerged from the Hilton Hotel where she had spent the night to keep An Huilinpany. Leng Haoyun had disappeared?from?their engagement party the previous day.

    She had just left the hotel when she sensed someone following her. A triumphant smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. Her n was working. Someone had lost their patience and begun to act.

    She quickened her pace and walked toward the parking lot. The footsteps behind her quickened, too. When she reached her car, a figure appeared from behind and blocked her. She could have dodged in time, but she didn¡¯t move as if she was rooted on the spot. Something gleamed in her eyes as the man drugged her and she lost consciousness.

    When Ye Zhongjue answered the phone, he immediately recognized Jian Jie¡¯s scream.

    A manughed obscenely and said, ¡°I heard that Miss Jie is President Ye¡¯s mistress and that¡¯s why you keep her by your side as your secretary. She is so curvy! And the skin looks so fair and smooth that I don¡¯t know if I want toy a finger on her¡­ Hahaha!¡±

    He burst into lewdughter.

    ¡°But, s, my friends surely are interested in her¡­¡±

    Rage showed in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes. He roared, ¡°Stop talking bullshit! What do you want? Just spit it out!¡±

    ¡°Ha, President Ye is as impatient as ever! Since you want to get down to business right away, I guess I can probably tell you what I want.¡±

    His voice became serious when he continued, ¡°It¡¯s simple. I want you ¨C only you ¨C to bring all the files regarding the urban nning project to me. We¡¯ll talk from there.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue narrowed his eyes. A dangerous light gleamed in them.

    The man spoke again, ¡°Remember, do not take your phone with you. Just go to the Central Square and I¡¯ll give you the next hint of what to do. I trust you won¡¯t do anything stupid¡­¡±

    He dragged thest syble and ended the conversation.

    Ye Zhongjue looked furious. <i>The urban nning project? How do they know I have the relevant files??</i>They were in the folder that he had asked Lin Ran to fetch from the vi the day before.

    It contained the detailed ns for the developments of A City for the next five years. It was a governmental project. Thepany that could reach an agreement with the government would be able to secure a bright future in the construction industry.

    Ye Zhongjue frowned as he recalled the shot Jian Jie had taken for him.

    A hint of ruthlessness crossed his eyes. If they dared to provoke him, they were all going to pay!

    Besides, it was time to call it even with Jian Jie.

    After Ye Zhongjue hung up the phone, he threw his phone on the desk, grabbed the folder, and walked out of his office. ¡°No matter who calls, tell them I¡¯m not here,¡± he barked out the order to Lin Ran as he left.

    The moment he entered the elevator, his phone on the desk began to ring. The caller ID read ¡°Honey,¡± but he could no longer hear it.

    He got in the car and headed to the Central Square.

    When he arrived, a conspicuous billboard on the square caught his eyes. A line in ck font at the bottom left corner read:

    <i>Number 101, New Age Estate. Your best chance to find what you are looking for.</i>

    Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t need to think twice to know this was their trick.

    He immediately made a U-turn and headed toward New Age Estate.

    Meanwhile, Mo Suqing was taken to an abandoned factory on the outskirts of town.

    ¡­¡­

    Ye Zhongjue arrived at the vi at number 101 in New Age Estate. He was about to press on the doorbell when he heard some shuffling inside. Warily, he moved sideways and stood next to the door.

    He had his hand ready on his waist in case anything should happen. He had checked before getting out of the car. There were no vantage points for a sniper around the vi and he didn¡¯t sense any danger nearby.

    As one of the heads of Sin Eliminators, he had developed a hypersensitivity to danger.

    Yet, he didn¡¯t pick up any dangerous air now. Still, he could feel his heart beating wildly as if something bad was about to happen.

    He hadn¡¯t had such a feeling for many years.

    The door opened and a middle-aged woman came out. She looked at Ye Zhongjue amiably and said, ¡°Mr. Ye, right? Just now, someone sent the young miss home. He told me a Mr. Ye wasing and asked me to give him something.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes became dangerous as he looked at the woman suspiciously. However, she seemed alright.

    ¡°Is Jian Jie your young miss?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yeah!¡± the woman answered smilingly. ¡°Pleasee in, Mr. Ye. The thing he wanted me to give you is in the living room. The young miss is still asleep.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t get inside. He stood where he was and looked around.

    ¡°This is Jian Jie¡¯s vi?¡±

    ¡°Yes, how do you know?¡± the woman looked surprised. She nced at Ye Zhongjue and exined,

    ¡°To be honest, after the young miss came home from abroad, she hasn¡¯t stayed at her family home much. Most of the time, she lives here. I am in charge of taking care of her. About half an hour before, a man who looked like a bad guy sent her back. She has been sleeping ever since and I have been unable to wake her. The man gave me something and asked me to give it to you when you came. Then, he just left.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t say anything. He walked past the woman and into the house. However, he instantly sensed the woman pouncing on him with something shiny in her hand.

    Ye Zhongjue turned around swiftly and dodged the fruit knife before gripping her neck.

    The woman went limp at once. She dropped the knife and choked out the words with great difficulty, ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t want¡­ to do this¡­ but they¡­. threatened me¡­¡±

    Ye Zhongjue threw her on the floor. He could see she was harmless.

 Chapter 141 â€“ If Only There was a Way to Amend His Mistakes

    <h4>Chapter 141 ¨C If Only There was a Way to Amend His Mistakes</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue tookrge steps into the house.

    The middle-aged womany prone on the floor and gagged.

    Ye Zhongjue saw Jian Jie lying on the sofa with her eyes closed as if she was asleep.

    He walked over and pressed on her philtrum firmly. Momentster, Jian Jie gradually restored her consciousness.

    When she saw it was Ye Zhongjue, she jumped up from the sofa and embraced him hysterically. ¡°Jue, here you are! I am so scared!¡±

    Seeing that she was in quite a distress, Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t push her away at first. Instead, he patted her on the back before gently removing her hands from him.

    ¡°What the hell happened?¡± he asked in a serious tone.

    Jian Jie recounted the experience as she recalled, ¡°After I left the hotel this morning, I sensed someone was following me. I was about to turn around, but he drugged me and I lost consciousness. When I woke up, I found myself in a dark?room. I don¡¯t know exactly where it is.¡±

    Jian Jie frowned and continued, ¡°I woke up because they sshed water on me. I heard their leader?speaking to you through the phone. I tried not to make a sound, but his underlings started to touch me¡­ After he ended the call, I heard him chuckling?mockingly. Then, someone sprayed something at me and I lost consciousness over all again. And then, I woke up and saw you.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at Jian Jie carefully. She didn¡¯t seem to be lying.

    ¡°What about the woman there?¡±

    ¡°Do you mean Aunt Lin? What about her?¡± Jian Jie asked in bewilderment.

    The woman at the door to the living room howled and ran inside. Then, she slumped down on the floor and clung to Jian Jie¡¯s leg. ¡°Young miss, I didn¡¯t mean it! When they sent you back, they gave me something and asked me to stab Mr. Ye with a fruit knife. I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡±

    The woman choked and continued tearfully, ¡°They threatened me, saying that if I didn¡¯t do as told, they were going to capture my little son!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue frowned. He didn¡¯t believe those hooligans would go to so much trouble to send Jian Jie back and get him here for nothing in return.

    ¡°What is it that they want you to give me?¡±

    The woman pointed at a tinum bracelet on a low table and sobbed, ¡°The bracelet¡­ They said if it was me who gave you this, you wouldn¡¯t¡­¡±

    She hadn¡¯t said ¡°hurt me¡± when she saw Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes widen as he stared at the bracelet.

    A murderous look crossed her face. He seized the woman¡¯s blouse near the neckline and demanded, ¡°What did they say to you? Where is Suqing?¡±

    His voice was frenzied and his expression was as if he was going to kill someone.

    There was no mistake. The bracelet was the one he had bought Mo Suqing not long ago. <i>How dared they take her away! And she is pregnant¡­</i>

    A dangerous vibe was exuding from Ye Zhongjue. Those bastards had kidnapped Jian Jie to turn his attention away from Mo Suqing. Then, they abducted Mo Suqing when he had been upied.

    How he wanted to kill himself now!

    The middle-aged woman looked at him in trepidation and dared not say a word.

    In such a state, Ye Zhongjue was very frightening.

    Jian Jie gave her a reassuring look. Then, she got up and ced her hand on Ye Zhongjue¡¯s arm. ¡°Jue, let her go. She¡¯s not one of them; she¡¯s just someone I hired to clean the house. Let her tell you what exactly they said. Don¡¯t be so impulsive! I know you are worried about Mo Suqing, but we must know what happened first!¡±

    Jian Jie¡¯s words worked. Ye Zhongjue slowly loosened his grip.

    He stared at the middle-aged woman as if he wanted to kill her. The woman dared not even look at him.

    She took out a cell phone from her pocket with a shaky hand. ¡°They said you could contact them with¡­¡±

    Not waiting for her to finish the sentence, Ye Zhongjue snatched the phone from her and turned it on. Only one number was saved in it.

    He strode out of the house and called the number.

    Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t see the malevolent light in Jian Jie¡¯s eyes. <i>Never expect me to show any mercy to anyone I dislike!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue had reached his car when the phone got through.

    He pressed his lips together, his expression dark. Even the veins of his hand that was gripping the handle of the car door bulged.

    He waited quietly for the person on the other end of the line to speak first. They must want something from him in exchange?for?Suqing. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have taken the pains to lure him here.

    After a while, the other person finally spoke.

    ¡°Ye Zhongjue, can I assume that you being so quiet means you decide not to put up a fight and are waiting for me to tell you what I want?¡±

    The voice sounded familiar, but Ye Zhongjue couldn¡¯t ce the man. He had made a lot of enemies both in the underworld and the business world.

    Yet, few of them were able to pull such a trick off.

    Ye Zhongjue pressed his lips together in rage.

    The man continued, ¡°Ye Zhongjue, don¡¯t get mad. Remember, your wife is in my hands!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue trembled with rage at the man¡¯s smugness. Mo Suqing was his Achilles¡¯ heel. At the mention of her, he could no longer control his temper. He couldn¡¯t imagine if anything happened to her.

    ¡°What do you want? Spit it out,¡± Ye Zhongjue said, trying to suppress his anger.

    ¡°It¡¯s simple. Evacuate everyone in Sin Eliminators from A City in one day. If you fail to do that, I can¡¯t promise what will happen to her! I heard that it¡¯s not a bad experience fucking a pregnantdy.¡±

    ¡°Tang Zeng!¡± Ye Zhongjue roared. He remembered who the man was!

    The man was no stranger to him. He was Tang Zeng, the leader of International Dragon & Tiger Mafia. Three years ago when Ye Zhongjue introduced Sin Eliminators to A City, the two organizations had had a sh.

    International Dragon & Tiger Mafia was nothing more than a local gang, with minimal reputation elsewhere. Therefore, Ceng Hanyu hadughed when he first heard the name with the word ¡°international¡± in it.

    However, Ye Zhongjue had never expected it woulde back to bite him in the ass to have shown mercy to the man.

    He had been too lenient. He had thought Sin Eliminators would be the sole target of the authorities and the police if they were the only major gangster in A City. Besides,

    they hadn¡¯t needed to seek dominance here to grow their organization.

    Unfortunately, he had been wrong. If a powerful gangster didn¡¯t strive to be the absolute ruler in a ce, other smaller, seemingly harmless ones would always try to get to the top.

    He didn¡¯t care what happened to himself, really he didn¡¯t. But this was Mo Suqing they were talking about! Her safety was much more important than his.

    ¡°Haha¡­¡± the man on the other end of the lineughed in reply.

    ¡°I see that you have recognized my voice. Well, let¡¯s get down to business then. I have done a lot of homework on you for the past three years. I know you will save your secretary but you won¡¯t get worked up for her. It¡¯s a different matter when ites to your dear wife!¡±

    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡±

    Tang Zeng burst into lewdughter again.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s grip on the steering wheel tightened.

    He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Fine! I can promise you that, but let me talk to her first. I need to know if she is okay!¡±

    Tang Zeng was about to reply when a woman¡¯s voice came through.

    ¡°Tang, don¡¯t say yes. Who knows if he will change his mind if he finds out Mo Suqing is okay?¡±

    Tang Zeng muttered his agreement,ughing. Ye Zhongjue knitted his brows together.

    <i>Song Pingting? It was her who spoke! She is with Tang Zeng!</i>

    <i>No wonder Tang Zeng would know so much about me.</i>

    Ye Zhongjue had never regretted anything in his life up to this point. Now, he felt deep remorse for having let Tang Zeng go three years ago and been lenient to Song Pingting two months before!

    If only there was a way to amend his mistakes¡­

    Tang Zeng spoke again, ¡°Ye Zhongjue, at the very least, show your worthiness first! After all, I find it hard to trust you again¡­¡±

    Then, he hung up.

    Hearing the disconnect tone, Ye Zhongjue hurled the phone forward.

    It hit the steering wheel and dropped to the floor.

    The phone made a <i>ding!</i> sound. Its screen lit up with a new message, <i>You have one day.</i>

    There were mes in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes. He looked as if he was a provoked lion. He ground his teeth and gripped the steering wheel. The car slid onto the road smoothly.

    He had only one thought in his mind: he must go and rescue Mo Suqing. She mustn¡¯t get hurt.

    The thought that she had been taken captive and that the bastards might be doing disgusting things to her made his heart burning with rage. The interior of the car seemed to burst into mes.

    He ran one red light after another and headed to Mighty Empire.

    It was a huge mistake that he didn¡¯t bring his phone with him. He couldn¡¯t contact any members in Sin Eliminators. The phone Tang Zeng gave him had been defaulted not to get through any other numbers.

    Ye Zhongjue was incensed, but he knew he mustn¡¯t lose his cool. Right now, the most important thing was to save Mo Suqing.

    ---

    In an abandoned factory on the outskirts of town.

    When Mo Suqing opened her eyes, she found herself in an abandoned factory.

    Two people were sitting on a brown leather sofa not far from her. She could see they were a man and a woman, but since they had their backs to her, she couldn¡¯t see their faces.

    A lot of men were standing around them.

 Chapter 142 â€“ How Many Guns Will be Pointing at You

    <h4>Chapter 142 ¨C How Many Guns Will be Pointing at You</h4>

    Mo Suqing raised her head weakly. The factory was very spacious. There were a lot of people, the majority of whom wore ck outfits and didn¡¯t look like they were good men.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s heartbeat quickened. <i>Why did they take her here?</i>

    She remembered the taxi driver. In her haste to see Ye Zhongjue, she had been too careless and had got in a car driven by someone who meant her harm.

    She heard the woman on the sofa say,

    ¡°No way! To me, you are much better than him. He never cared about me; he only cared about that woman. I¡¯m not stupid¡­¡±

    Then, the woman stroked the man¡¯s chest in a flirtatious way.

    Mo Suqing frowned. The woman¡¯s voice sounded oddly familiar, but she couldn¡¯t recall where she had heard it before.

    The man pulled the woman into his arms roughly. Mo Suqing shuddered at his crudeness. <i>Who are they?</i>

    The man croaked in a hoarse voice with a hint of sneer, ¡°That¡¯s right, you slut. He didn¡¯t treat you as well as I do!¡±

    They flirted with and fondled each other to the point where they were almost doing it in front of everyone. Mo Suqing cringed involuntarily.

    A man near Mo Suqing snapped his head around and looked at Mo Suqing. ¡°Boss, she¡¯s awake!¡±

    The two people on the sofa stopped what they were doing.

    The man said, ¡°Awake? Good! Hang her up!¡±

    Before Mo Suqing could react, two ck-d men approached and tied her hands with a thick rope.

    Then, one of them pulled her up unceremoniously. Mo Suqing tried to follow his movement as much as she could lest the baby should get harmed.

    The other man tied the rest of the rope around her waist and pushed her forward.

    Mo Suqing pressed her lips together and didn¡¯t say anything during the whole process. She was taken to the center of the space where a chain hung from above. One of the men fastened one end of the rope to the chain while the other held her firmly.

    Mo Suqing watched as they started to pull the other end of the long chain and her body was slowly lifted up.

    When her body was hanging in midair, Mo Suqing saw the two figures on the sofa turn toward her.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes widened at the woman¡¯s face.

    <i>Song Pingting, the woman Ye Zhongjue fired? Why is she here? What is her rtionship with these people?</i>

    Fear crept up on her. She could see pure hatred in Song Pingting¡¯s eyes.

    The man next Song Pingting was very tall. He was in-looking but had an imposing manner.

    Hanged in midair, she watched them walk toward her.

    Song Pingting spoke, ¡°Mo Suqing, I bet you never thought you would find yourself in such a predicament. No matter how much Ye Zhongjue treasures you, you are just a nobody here! I¡¯ll make you wish you were dead!¡±

    Song Pingting gritted her teeth, unable to control her emotions.

    The man next to her sounded annoyed when he warned, ¡°Pingting!¡±

    Song Pingting immediately collected herself, like a snarling dog that concealed its bared teeth when called to attention by its owner.

    She tenderly leaned against the man and said, ¡°Tang, don¡¯t be angry. I just quite dislike her, that is all.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± the man replied, his eyes fixing on Mo Suqing.

    ¡°Looks pretty enough!¡± he said as if to himself. ¡°But Ye Zhongjue isn¡¯t the kind of man who cares much about appearance. Why would he choose such a woman and make her his weakness?¡±

    Tang Zeng looked at Mo Suqing thoughtfully. Mo Suqing was shocked. <i>It¡¯s because of Ye Zhongjue that they abducted me? Is he a rival of his in the business field?</i>

    Mo Suqing felt very nervous. Then, Song Pingting spoke again, ¡°There must be something special about her. Think about it. He even fired me for her! I bet she¡¯s not a random woman. You heard how panicked and angry Ye Zhongjue was over the phone. It shows how important she is to him.¡±

    Tang Zeng pinched Song Pingting¡¯s cheek smilingly. For two people in love, it was an affectionate gesture. But somehow, Tang Zeng made the intimate expression full of lust.

    Mo Suqing saw disgust in Song Pingting¡¯s eyes.

    Tang Zeng didn¡¯t notice it. He kept pinching her cheek smilingly and said, ¡°And no one is more important to me than you, babe. Humph! When Ye Zhongjue shows up, he is going to die in my hands!¡±

    Tang Zeng spit out thest sentence with vehemence. Something gleamed in Song Pingting¡¯s eyes. She cast an evil nce at Mo Suqing.

    Song Pingting recalled the events from the previous evening. Yesterday, after she had had dinner and before Tang Zeng hade to her ce, a stranger called.

    The voice on the other end of the line sounded old, but she could still recognize it was a woman¡¯s voice altered by a voice changer. The woman talked very fast. She told Song Pingting that Mo Suqing was pregnant and that she knew Song Pingting hated Mo Suqing. The woman even knew she was Tang Zeng¡¯s mistress now.

    Yet, the most remarkable thing was that she knew exactly why Song Pingting got together with Tang Zeng.

    The woman said persuasively, ¡°Don¡¯t you want revenge? Don¡¯t you both love and hate Ye Zhongjue? Now Mo Suqing is pregnant with his child, you must act now or they are going to be a happy family after the child is born¡­¡±

    The more the woman cajoled her, the more agitated Song Pingting became. It was as if thousands of ants were biting her insides! She couldn¡¯t endure the pain. She must ruin him if she couldn¡¯t have him.

    Oh, how much she had loved Ye Zhongjue, and how cruel and heartless he had been when he kicked her out!

    <i>Why? Why can that woman get his love?</i>

    Song Pingting knew she was mad. She had been mad the moment she left Ye Zhongjue and turned to Tang Zeng.

    Tang Zeng found out that Ye Zhongjue was the founder of Sin Eliminators. Song Pingting had always thought he was just a president of apany. It had never urred to her that he might be more than that.

    The woman on the other end of the phone then told her she had devised a well-thought-out n. It was entirely up to Song Pingting to carry it out.

    When the woman suggested luring Ye Zhongjue to go to his secretary¡¯s rescue, Song Pingting had be worked up and said he would never do that for his secretary.

    However, the womanughed at her words, saying that not everyone was as useless as her. His new secretary had saved him once and even though she would only y a minor role, Ye Zhongjue would help her fulfill it by going to her rescue. Then, the woman said, you could lure Mo Suqing out and take her captive as nned. Once Mo Suqing was involved, Ye Zhongjue would definitely fall into their trap.

    Just when Song Pingting was going to ask why she was helping her, the woman said sinctly, <i>Do not let her child live.</i>

    Then, before Song Pingting could reply, she had hung up.

    Song Pingting called her back, but the woman had turned off her phone.

    She had pondered over the conversation for a long time, then, feeling unsettled, had called the woman¡¯s number again. However, she was told the number did not exist.

    Song Pingting had spent the evening in a fretful state until Tang Zeng came. Her desire to take revenge on Ye Zhongjue and Mo Suqing was so powerful that she couldn¡¯t help but tell Tang Zeng about the n.

    Naturally, Tang Zeng, who had held a grudge against Ye Zhongjue for three years, didn¡¯t want to pass up this opportunity.

    Even now, Song Pingting couldn¡¯t think of anyone that might be the woman who had called her. The woman must understand Ye Zhongjue very well for the n to have actually worked.

    Now, as she watched Mo Suqing hovering above her, Song Pingting linked her arm with Tang Zeng¡¯s and cooed, ¡°Tang, let her hang there by herself. It¡¯s almost noon. Let¡¯s go have some lunch!¡±

    Tang Zeng eyed her plunging neckline where the two round?breasts were on the verge of being exposed. Lust sparked in his eyes.?His smile was lewd.

    ¡°Alright! Since you are so ¡®hungry,¡¯ I¡¯ll satisfy you!¡±

    Mo Suqing watched them walk away and began to rx. She felt worried and afraid.

    She had no idea what was happening.

    However, she did know one thing: She must protect her child from Song Pingting and the man.

    ¡­¡­

    At Ceng Hanyu¡¯s vi.

    Leng Xiyao had just woken up. She consulted her watch and found it was already noon. She had had too much to drink yesterday and had slept in big time.

    She rubbed her temple and sat up.

    Then, she realized she didn¡¯t know this ce. She peeked under the nket and saw she was wearing a white shirt. Her face crumpled.

    <i>What happenedst night?</i>

    Leng Xiyao didn¡¯t have time to think. Someone was quarreling with another person outside.

    Ceng Hanyu shouted, ¡°Even if it is for your wife¡¯s sake, you can¡¯t just evacuate the whole Sin Eliminators from A City!¡±

    Then, Ye Zhongjue said in a trembling voice with suppressed anger, ¡°I will sustain all of the loss that might incur! I have made up my mind. Everyone should leave the city tonight. Suqing¡¯s life is at stake here. I won¡¯t risk her life for anything!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s voice became even angrier when he roared, ¡°Jue, I¡¯m begging you now! You know I don¡¯t mean to risk her life at all, but however mighty you are, you are only one person! Do you have any idea how many guns will be pointing at you if you go there by yourself tonight?¡±

 Chapter 143 â€“ Red Kill Mercenaries are All over the World

    <h4>Chapter 143 ¨C Red Kill Mercenaries are All over the World</h4>

    ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± Ye Zhongjue said firmly and it sounded as if he genuinely didn¡¯t care.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to take her back safe and sound even if it means I must die!¡±

    Leng Xiyao approached the doorway quietly. She could see Ceng Hanyu ring at Ye Zhongjue, the veins standing out on his temples.

    ¡°Jue, I can¡¯t believe after so many years you do not know what I¡¯m thinking! That son of a bitch Tang Zeng clearly wants you dead this time. If you evacuate the entire Sin Eliminators, your life is over! Why can¡¯t you listen to me?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked Ceng Hanyu in the eye and said in a calm voice ¨C although Leng Xiyao could detect the volcano that was about to erupt, ¡°But if I don¡¯t evacuate everyone, my wife and child will die.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu fell into silence.

    He didn¡¯t know what to say. They had reached a dead end.

    If they evacuated the organization from A City, even if Ye Zhongjue could see Mo Suqing tonight, he was unlikely to survive the conflict. Naturally, they couldn¡¯t tell the police.

    However, if they didn¡¯t evacuate, Tang Zeng would kill the hostage right away. It would be a fatal blow to Ye Zhongjue, too.

    Therefore, whether or not they evacuated Sin Eliminators, Ye Zhongjue would die. It was just a matter of when.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at Ceng Hanyu and said, ¡°If I don¡¯te back, take care of my parents and Sin Eliminators. Do not let our work go to waste!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu grabbed his arm, looking agitated. ¡°Jue, don¡¯t do anything stupid! Tang Zeng probably doesn¡¯t know how many people we have ced in A City. Why not leave a portion of them behind? We might be able to turn the tide in the end!¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t bet Suqing and our child on something we are unsure of!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue finally exploded. The two men faced each other, both looking angry and pained.

    ¡°I know what to do!¡± Leng Xiyao¡¯s voice came from behind. Ceng Hanyu and Ye Zhongjue froze.

    Then, Ceng Hanyu turned around and stared at her nervously. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes dted a little and fixated on the woman.

    He began to feel some hope. After all, Leng Xiyao would never kid about anything regarding Mo Suqing.

    Leng Xiyao nced at Ceng Hanyu, who caught sight of her bare legs which were fairplexioned and slender and absolutely alluring.

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s face darkened. He took off his jacket and tied the sleeves around Leng Xiyao¡¯s waist.

    Leng Xiyao blushed with embarrassment. She had forgotten she had on only a white shirt.

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s jacket covered her legs very well.

    After a moment¡¯s pause, Leng Xiyao looked at Ceng Hanyu and Ye Zhongjue in turn.

    ¡°I suggest you evacuate Sin Eliminators from A City and make your enemy believe you have no one. Then, I can find help for you.¡±

    ¡°Who can help us?¡± the two men asked in unison.

    Leng Xiyao dropped her eyes and said, ¡°My uncle Leng Haoyun!¡±

    Baffled, Ye Zhongjue frowned and asked, ¡°Leng Haoyun?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s expression darkened at the mention of Leng Haoyun¡¯s name. <i>It¡¯s him again! Is he destined to stay in her life forever?</i>

    <i>Leng Xiyao is obviously his Anne, but he is toote to im her as his fianc¨¦e¡­</i>

    Leng Xiyao didn¡¯t notice the change in his expression. For her, they were just friends who had met each other a couple of times.

    The only memorable encounters with him were the awkward incident in Guan Zixuan¡¯s vi and the time when he had provided blood for her transfusion when she had lost a lot of blood.

    And then, there was yesterday, when he kept herpany all day.

    Leng Xiyao said, ¡°Sin Eliminators and The Dark Night are two of the biggest mafias in the world. However, have you ever?heard of ¡®Red Kill,¡¯ a secret mercenary army?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue watched her without reply. He realized she must know what she was saying, so he waited for her to continue.

    Ceng Hanyu, on the other hand, drew his brows together and narrowed his eyes at her. <i>Why would a girl like her know these things?</i>

    ¡°How do you know about that?¡± Ceng Hanyu stared at her.

    ¡°Because Leng Haoyun is the founder of Red Kill!¡± Leng Xiyao answered in a fearless and straightforward manner, as if she didn¡¯t care if Ye Zhongjue and Ceng Hanyu learned about Leng Haoyun¡¯s identity.

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. <i>Leng Haoyun has hidden his identity well!</i>

    ¡°Leng Haoyun told you this?¡± Ceng Hanyu asked, his eyes never leaving her face or missing any change in her expression.

    Leng Xiyao smiled and raised her eyes. ¡°You probably?won¡¯t believe it, but he has never told me this. I found out about it myself because I have the password of his safe and I know where every spare key of his is.¡±

    The light in her eyes dimmed a little. Yeah, she knew everything about him. Everything with a password was set with her birthday and he had never hidden any keys without telling her where they are.

    Yet, she couldn¡¯t be the one to grow old with him.

    Ye Zhongjue had a different question in mind. He didn¡¯t care how Leng Xiyao had learned about it; he just wanted to know why Leng Haoyun would possibly help them.

    Red Kill was second to none when it came to its covert operations. What¡¯s more, they never failed in themissions they were entrusted with. This was why the organization became so famous even though they had endeavored to keep its existence as a secret.

    However, Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t think Leng Haoyun would offer him such a big help at the risk of his mercenaries.

    ¡°Why do you think he will help?¡±

    Leng Xiyao smiled brightly and attractively. For a moment, Ceng Hanyu almost lost himself in it.

    ¡°Because of me! When I had the car ident, I heard that you called Ceng Hanyu and secured the blood for me. You helped him before, and he has no reason not to repay you.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue watched her without reply.

    Leng Xiyao pressed her lips together and continued, ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate how important I am in his heart. I always know I am the single most important person in his life. No matter what happened... I¡¯ve never denied it.¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked sad. Ceng Hanyu clenched his teeth and cracked his knuckles.

    Leng Xiyao shook her head to dispel her mncholic expression. It was as if the momentary sadness was but Ye Zhongjue¡¯s and Ceng Hanyu¡¯s illusion.

    She smiled. ¡°I am as worried about Suqing as you, so I will beg him to help anyway. I believe if there are two of us, he will definitely lend a hand.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue uttered hisst doubt, ¡°Do we have Red Kill mercenaries here?¡±

    Leng Xiyao smiled again. ¡°Red Kill mercenaries are all over the world. Don¡¯t you know?¡±

    Noticing the impish twinkle in her eyes, Ye Zhongjue knew she was confident of sess.

    At that moment, the door of the house opened. The three of them turned.

    Selina walked in. She was wearing a white dress not unlike the one Leng Xiyao had worn the day before.

    Ye Zhongjue frowned. ¡°Selina, when did youe here?¡±

    Selina¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Yesterday. Han hasn¡¯t told you?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nced at her without replying. Selina raised her eyebrows and looked at Leng Xiyao and the jacket around her waist.

    ¡°Hi, little one. I bought a skirt for you. I thought you might have awoken.¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s first impression of Selina was that she was stunning.

    She ran over to her and looked at her excitedly.

    ¡°Prettydy, what¡¯s your name? You are so beautiful! You have lovely eyes that are as blue as the ocean!¡±

    Selina smiled at herpliments, the blue ocean in her eyes sparkling with delight.

    She handed the skirt to Leng Xiyao and said smilingly, ¡°You can call me Selina. You are pretty, too! No wonder everyone likes you. You are the cutest girl I¡¯ve ever met!¡±

    Leng Xiyao was very pleased. However, she suddenly remembered the situation Mo Suqing was in and her smile faded.

    ¡°Well, Selina, I¡¯ll go put on the skirt. By the way, you can call me Yao.¡±

    Leng Xiyao left the room. Selina turned to look at the others solemnly.

    ¡°Ye, what happened? Why that gloomy face?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue pressed his lips together without replying. Worry was written all over his face.

    Ceng Hanyu eximed, not without a hint of frustration in his tone, ¡°Jue¡¯s wife was taken away by International Dragon & Tiger Mafia. She is pregnant and Jue is concerned for her safety. Tang Zeng, the leader of the gang, demanded that the whole Sin Eliminators evacuate from A City and that he go to take his wife back alone.¡±

    Selina said, ¡°It¡¯s impossible! Is the bastard mad? How could he ever think a small gang like his is able to defeat a great mafia such as Sin Eliminators?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu pointed out, ¡°Don¡¯t you see? He just wants Jue dead!¡±

    ¡°We mustn¡¯t agree to that. We mustn¡¯t!¡± Selina protested.

    ¡°But he insists we must! He won¡¯t risk his wife¡¯s and his child¡¯s lives!¡± Ceng Hanyu said in exasperation, although sorrow could be seen in his eyes. It was sorrow for his good friend. However, Leng Xiyao¡¯s proposal aside, there were no other solutions.

 Chapter 144 â€“ Survival Guide to the Underworld

    <h4>Chapter 144 ¨C Survival Guide to the Underworld</h4>

    Selina frowned at a reticent Ye Zhongjue, not knowing what to say.

    Ye Zhongjue had always been impably authoritative, a man who was the symbol of power. His every decision was made in an admiringly calm and resolute way. He, in short, was a natural leader.

    However, even a blind person could see he was being emotional right now.

    But even so, they couldn¡¯t say anything about it. After all, it was his wife they were talking about.

    Leng Xiyao emerged from the bedroom.

    ¡°We cannot waste any time. The more time we spend here, the more Suqing will suffer. I have called my uncle just now. He asked you to go to my house with me; he¡¯ll be waiting for us. Once wee up with a rescue n, we¡¯ll act.¡±

    Leng Xiyao cast a nce at the austere-looking Ye Zhongjue and continued, ¡°You can evacuate the other members of Sin Eliminators right away, showing Tang Zeng how you are willing toply.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue said, ¡°Selina, you and Hanyu stay put and evacuate the others from A City.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu went rigid. There was a slight shift in his expression. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you go there alone. It¡¯s too dangerous. Selina, you can evacuate the others by yourself. I¡¯ll go with him!¡±

    Selina nodded. Ye Zhongjue was about to protest, but Ceng Hanyu aborted his effort unceremoniously by saying, ¡°Jue, are you going to decline even my help? Don¡¯t you want to increase the odds of a sessful rescue by including me?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked him in the eye and?became silent.

    The three of them left the house. Selina watched them go, her eyes glinting with disappointment.

    As bright and passionate as she was, she couldn¡¯t take Ceng Hanyu¡¯s rejections indefinitely.

    She stared after them nkly.

    Ye Zhongjue drove his car at 120 kilometers per hour almost immediately. Ceng Hanyu turned to look at him, then turned back to look out the window with a set expression, knowing he was eager to get to his wife.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s face went pale, but she just clenched her teeth and didn¡¯t say anything. Ye Zhongjue was eager to save Mo Suqing, and so was she.

    To be honest, she had only heard of the name Sin Eliminators before without really knowing what it was.

    Although her uncle was the leader of Red Kill, the organization and its secret operations werepletely cryptic and unknown to her. Leng Haoyun never let her see the dark side of the world.

    When she overheard that Ye Zhongjue was a member of Sin Eliminators this morning, she had been utterly shocked. She also couldn¡¯t help but feel angry with the man. If he had only lied about his identity as the president of a bigpany, it was totally forgivable. After all, she could see how much Suqing loved him.

    However, now it transpired that he was involved with Sin Eliminators, too. How could he bring Suqing into his world?

    Suqing had no idea. But she, Leng Xiyao, had heard that the so-called Poisonous Prince of Sin Eliminators was a cold-blooded man who was feared by many.

    People were scared and frightened of him. He was a living embodiment of horror.

    Rumor had it that he had imed countless lives and no one had ever known his whereabouts. To say he was the overlord of the underworld would not be an overstatement.

    Naturally, he had numerous enemies. How dared he bring Suqing into this?

    Leng Xiyao cursed Ye Zhongjue inwardly. He was too selfish. He knew he and Mo Suqing had an unbridgeable chasm between them, but he had bound them together anyway by lies and deceit.

    <i>Doesn¡¯t he know what harm he might bring to Suqing?</i>

    Leng Xiyao pressed her lips together and remained silent. No matter how angry she was, the most important thing now was to save Suqing.

    The car came screeching to a stop in front of the Leng residence. Ye Zhongjue jumped off and ran inside.

    Leng Haoyun was sitting in the living room, waiting for them.

    On the way here, Ceng Hanyu had given the order to evacuate the members of Sin Eliminators to C City.

    Leng Xiyao was thest toe into the room. When Leng Haoyun saw hering in after Ceng Hanyu, he fixed his eyes on the woman and ignored the two men.

    Leng Xiyao hung her head low. Although she had called him earlier, the fact was she didn¡¯t want to see him at all if it weren¡¯t for Mo Suqing.

    Now, he was not only her uncle, but also someone else¡¯s fianc¨¦ too.

    The thought almost choked her.

    However, all of this was nothingpared to Suqing¡¯s life! She looked up at Leng Haoyun bravely.

    ¡°Save Suqing, Uncle!¡± she said in an authoritative and resolute voice that was not in ordance with her age.

    Leng Haoyun looked at her and replied firmly, ¡°I will!¡±

    He couldn¡¯t reject any of her requests. Even if it meant he would put the secrecy of Red Kill at risk, he would do anything she asked for.

    Besides, he did owe Ye Zhongjue a life. He could repay him now.

    Leng Haoyun looked at Ye Zhongjue, whose face had gone rigid, mouth had curled into a ruthless curve, jaws were taut, and whose eyes were murderous.

    Leng Haoyun gave him an approving look.

    He was worthy of the nickname Poisonous Prince, with hisposure and steadiness during a crisis. The fierceness in his eyes and the overall vibe he was exuding were indeed very powerful.

    After witnessing how important Mo Suqing was to him, Leng Haoyun couldn¡¯t help but admire his tenacity.

    He couldn¡¯t say he would be asposed as Ye Zhongjue if it were Yao who was taken.

    ¡°President Ye, I can help you save your wife. However, I hope that from now on, Sin Eliminators and Red Kill will never interfere with each other¡¯s business. After tonight, Red Kill will be exposed. I don¡¯t want another enemy! Can you promise me that?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue answered resolutely, ¡°I can!¡±

    After all, Leng Haoyun¡¯s readiness to help them was beyond his expectation.

    Red Kill was not just one man; it was a group. Even though he was the leader, Leng Haoyun must think about everyone below him.

    By helping Ye Zhongjue, Red Kill¡¯s presence in A City would be exposed. It was fair for Leng Haoyun to ask Sin Eliminators not to do Red Kill any harm in the future. Besides, Leng Haoyun could have taken advantage of his misfortune and asked for money or made him fulfill other unreasonable wishes, but he didn¡¯t.

    Leng Haoyun was pleased with Ye Zhongjue¡¯s quick and resolute response. He looked at him in earnest and said solemnly, ¡°Since you have agreed, I can now tell you what my n is. I believe you have already checked all the surveince cameras near your house?¡±

    ¡°They have all been tampered with. I have no way to find out where she was taken!¡±

    This was what Ye Zhongjue felt most anxious about. The surveince cameras were ruined and it took time to fix them. Without them, he couldn¡¯t know where to save Mo Suqing. The enemy was in the dark whereas he was in the open.

    ¡°How long does it take to restore the surveince?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue replied, ¡°It will probably be after five or six o¡¯clock this afternoon. Lin Ran is working on it.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Leng Haoyun said. ¡°Tang Zeng¡¯s focus is solely on you now and he doesn¡¯t know who I am. If we are going to deal with him, we may as well destroy the whole gang. You make it a point to evacuate Sin Eliminators as conspicuously as possible, while I divide Red Kill mercenaries into two groups. You shall lead one of them to rescue Mo Suqing; I will lead the other to raze the headquarters of International Dragon & Tiger Mafia and make sure Tang Zeng won¡¯t be able to make aeback ever again. Otherwise, if we are lenient?like you were?three years ago, the same thing might just happen again.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue had a in expression on his face. Suddenly, he remembered the car ident three years ago while he was pursuing Tang Zeng. He had run over a woman who appeared out of nowhere and killed her. Two other cars had crashed into each other, too. His father had taken care of everything for him.

    The ident had haunted him since then. From time to time, he would be reminded of it.

    After the ident, part of the Sin Eliminators was stationed in A City. A moment of soft-heartedness had made him forget that leniency was not how one survived in the underworld. It gave Tang Zeng a chance to take revenge.

    This time, he would not get soft.

    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with Tang Zeng and you will take care of theirir. After tonight, International Dragon & Tiger Mafia will disappear in the world, and so will Tang Zeng! From now on, Red Kill and Sin Eliminators are allies!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue said in a firm and serious tone. Leng Haoyun looked at him and echoed equally resolutely, ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡­¡­

    Seconds and minutes ticked away. Lin Ran was doing his best to fix the surveince as fast as he could. Leng Haoyun was mobilizing his mercenaries, causing quite a stir but without Tang Zeng noticing since the man had his full attention to the whereabouts of Sin Eliminators.

    Tang Zeng and Song Pingting went back to the factory after lunch. Seeing Mo Suqing hanging in midair, Song Pingting smiled.

    ¡°Mo Suqing, how are you? We treat you well, do we not?¡±

    Her voice was sugary with obvious poison underneath it. Mo Suqing felt disgusted.

    She had heard Tang Zeng and Song Pingtinge in and had her eyes closed, so she didn¡¯t have to see them.

    Tang Zeng began to smoke a cigarette on the sofa, seemingly deep in thought.

    Song Pingting saw that Mo Suqing had her eyes closed and knew that it was just because she didn¡¯t want to see her.

    She chuckled contemptuously. <i>That¡¯s alright. I only need her to hear me. I have something interesting to tell her!</i>

    She said in aughing, charming tone, ¡°Mo Suqing, you know what? I was envious of you before. You must have felt pretty smug about it.¡±

    As if she had lost her mind, Song Pingting, with exaggerated and ever-changing expressions, stood there beneath Mo Suqing and carried on with her monologue.

    ¡°But now¡­ now I am not envious of you at all! Instead, I feel rather sorry for you!¡±

    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± sheughed like a maniac.

    Tang Zeng frowned but ignored her.

 Chapter 145 â€“ A Husband Who is Like an Onion

    <h4>Chapter 145 ¨C A Husband Who is Like an Onion</h4>

    Song Pingtingughed so hard that she began to gasp for air and that tears started to run down her face.

    ¡°Mo Suqing, do you want to know why?¡± she asked after herughters died down.

    Mo Suqing still didn¡¯t open her eyes. Song Pingting sounded like a mad woman. Even if she didn¡¯t respond, she could keep talking.

    ¡°Mo Suqing! You are no better than me even if you act aloof! Let me tell you something: <i>You?</i>are the moreughable and pitiable one, not me!¡±

    Song Pingting sounded really hysterical now. Mo Suqing frowned. She had no intention topare herself with a crazy woman.

    Song Pingting seemed to find herself a bit carried away, too. She chuckled and her voice became gentle again when she asked, ¡°Mo Suqing, do you know why we abducted you?¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes snapped open. They were clear and bright eyes, so much so that one could almost taste the sweetness of the water from a mountain spring.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    She had heard them talking about Ye Zhongjue earlier. It looked like he was the reason they had taken her. She had been wondering about it, and it wouldn¡¯t hurt to hear Song Pingting out.

    Song Pingting¡¯s eyebrows arched in satisfaction. She looked at Mo Suqing with an evil smile, which made her very ufortable, as if a serpent was slithering all over her body.

    ¡°Have you ever heard of Sin Eliminators and The Dark Night, two of the biggest mafias in the world?¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯d eyebrows drew together. <i>What does that have to do with me? That is the stuff for fiction. It¡¯s too far from my reality.</i>

    Song Pingting smiled mockingly at Mo Suqing, as if to say, <i>I knew you didn¡¯t know.</i>

    ¡°How about the Poisonous Prince? He caused quite a sensation three years ago, when Sin Eliminators first came into the city and brought shock to both the police and the underworld. They have quieted down a little these two years, but people still remember them. I believe you are aware of that?¡±

    Mo Suqing looked baffled. <i>Poisonous?</i><i>P</i><i>rince? She did hear of him three years ago. It is said he is a cold-blooded, cruel man who killed a lot of people in order to introduce his gang to A City.</i>

    She had always found it difficult to understand his motive. Sin Eliminators was a famous organization in the world. Why did he have to infiltrate A City?

    ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± Mo Suqing said coolly. Herposure instantly overshadowed Song Pingting¡¯s smugness. Mo Suqing didn¡¯t sound like a captive; on the contrary, she made one believe she was the one in control.

    Song Pingting couldn¡¯t stand it. Her face contorted as she said, ¡°Mo Suqing, aren¡¯t you curious about why Sin Eliminators must station a part of their people here? A City is just one of the major cities in our country at most. Why would an internationally-renowned organization bother itself toe here?¡±

    She looked up at Mo Suqing meaningfully.

    ¡°I bet you are dying to know the answer. Beg me and I¡¯ll tell you!¡±

    Mo Suqing had a really bad premonition of it. She watched Song Pingting in silence. The woman was crazy. She didn¡¯t want toply with her.

    Mo Suqing closed her eyes and said tly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to know.¡±

    Her attitude was very indifferent. Even Tang Zeng couldn¡¯t help but cast a nce toward her.

    Song Pingting flew into a rage. ¡°Mo Suqing! I must force you to hear the answer now that you said you don¡¯t want to know!¡±

    Mo Suqing just kept her eyes closed in silence and said inwardly, <i>Mental!</i>

    Song Pingting had a smug and mysterious look on her face, as if she was announcing something huge.

    ¡°The answer is easy. It¡¯s because Poisonous Prince is from A City! That¡¯s why he must introduce Sin Eliminators to the city. He wants to put his friends, his family, his?colleagues and everyone he loves and hates under his control. Mo Suqing, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s sick of him?¡±

    Song Pingting stared at Mo Suqing¡¯s closed eyes expectantly and maliciously.

    Then, she burst into another round of maniacalughter.

    ¡°Fine. You can close your eyes all you want! That¡¯s fine by me. I¡¯m still going to tell you the thing that you have no idea of. I bet you never expected that Poisonous Prince is someone you know. He is in your life¡­¡±

    Then, Song Pingting said in a sugary voice, although her expression was that of someone insane,

    ¡°He is your husband, Ye Zhongjue!¡± Song Pingting roared. ¡°Mo Suqing, what a surprise! Hahaha¡­¡±

    Her crazyughter resonated throughout the spacious factory, sounding amplified and more terrible than it was.

    Mo Suqing tensed. She snapped her eyes open and stared at Song Pingting, refusing to believe what she said.

    <i>No. She¡¯s lying. Ye Zhongjue is just the president of a bigpany. He can¡¯t be the Poisonous Prince. Song Pingting is just trying to upset me because she¡¯s jealous.</i>

    However, no matter how hard she tried to persuade herself, logic spoke otherwise. Song Pingting had no reason to make up such a story.

    Seeing that Mo Suqing had opened her eyes and her expression had changed significantly, Song Pingtingughed heartily.

    Finally, after she had had a goodugh, she looked at Mo Suqing and said,

    ¡°Well? A big surprise, isn¡¯t it? Do you feel like a fool? Don¡¯t feel too bad about yourself. Ye Zhongjue has concealed his identity well. Even I, who had worked with him in close quarters for three years, never knew about it. However, you are even sadder than me, Mo Suqing. You are his wife and he finds it necessary to guard against you and not to tell you who he is! I wonder what you really mean to him?¡±

    ¡°Does he see you as his wife? I don¡¯t think so,¡± Song Pingting shook her head. ¡°If he does, why would he hide his identity from you? Does he see you as his secret lover? Not likely. He has acknowledged your rtionship in public. So, what are you to him? Mo Suqing, this is a question you can think about.¡±

    Song Pingting paused a moment to enjoy the numb expression on Mo Suqing¡¯s face before continuing, ¡°You probably have a feeling that, while other women can rely on their husbands, you have to constantly guess yours. It¡¯s like peeling an onion; everyyer reveals a new identity. What else does he hide from you? Will you, upon reaching the innermostyer of this onion, find that it not only doesn¡¯t have a heart, but also makes you cry?¡±

    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Song Pingtingughed heartily, her face contorted.

    Mo Suqing looked at the pathetic woman and said, ¡°Even if he is Poisonous Prince, so what? You have spent so much time scheming, trying to get him to like you, but he just hates you more and more. Honestly, who is sadder here? I think you know very well.¡±

    Mo Suqing slowly closed her eyes again.

    However, her words had provoked Song Pingting a great deal. She stamped her foot in fury.

    ¡°Mo Suqing, who do you think you are? How dare you talk to me like that! You are just Ye Zhongjue¡¯s toy. Don¡¯t you get so smug!¡±

    Then, as if she hadn¡¯t said enough, she jumped to grab Mo Suqing¡¯s leg.

    Unfortunately for her, Mo Suqing was hanging at a height that she couldn¡¯t reach.

    Song Pingting flipped out. Her unreasonable shrew nature came out as she barked out orders to the ck-d men nearby,

    ¡°Lower her down! I¡¯m going to tear her mouth into pieces!¡±

    An angry roar came from somewhere, ¡°Song Pingting, enough! Look at yourself! You are just a vulgar shrew!¡±

    Song Pingting went rigid, realizing she hadpletely forgotten her ce in her fit of rage.

    She quickly walked over and put her hand on Tang Zeng¡¯s arm affectionately. Tang Zeng averted her touch with a disgusted expression.

    Song Pingting, as if not seeing his reactions, cooed, ¡°Tang, I was expressing my support for you, too! I want to avenge the insult you have?endured from?Ye Zhongjue. She is his woman, with his child. How about we¡­¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Tang Zeng narrowed his eyes at Song Pingting, as if he had only known the real her now.

    She had been his mistress for some time, but somehow he had never seen how disgusting the woman was!

    Yes, he wanted to take revenge on Ye Zhongjue. People might think it was because he couldn¡¯t swallow the insult he had suffered three years ago, but it wasn¡¯t the full story.

    The reason he took Mo Suqing captive was because he wanted to lure Ye Zhongjue here and to reach closure once and for all.

    To be more precise, he wanted Ye Zhongjue to experience what he had experienced at that time.

    He wanted him to feel the same sense of frustration when you watched a loved one suffer but couldn¡¯t do anything about it.

    Tang Zeng sat back down on the sofa and closed his eyes, trying to rest before the show started.

    Feeling ashamed, Song Pingting looked at him and did not try to cate him anymore. She had learned to know how changeable his temper was. Right now, he didn¡¯t look very pleased.

    Song Pingting turned around and glowered at Mo Suqing, before sitting down on the other end of the sofa.

    ¡­¡­

    At five o¡¯clock, Lin Ran finally managed to fix the surveince. He found out that Mo Suqing had been taken to an abandoned factory at the outskirts?of the city where International Dragon & Tiger Mafia frequented.

    Lin Ran called Ye Zhongjue and told him all about it.

    Ye Zhongjue ordered his people to act.

    Thest of Sin Eliminators began to evacuate from A City in a raucous way.

    Meanwhile, Ye Zhongjue and Leng Haoyun each led a group of mercenaries to carry out their n.

 Chapter 146 â€“ Love was Water That had been Spilled

    <h4>Chapter 146 ¨C Love was Water That had been Spilled</h4>

    Tang Zeng was sitting in repose with his eyes closed when a man came in.

    ¡°Boss, thest of Sin Eliminators evacuated at five o¡¯clock. Now we are sure none of their people is in A City.¡±

    The man sounded very pleased with himself. Song Pingting sneered. <i>It¡¯s show</i><i>time. I would like to know how Ye Zhongjue is going to rescue Mo Suqing!</i>

    Venom gleamed in her eyes. She would never let him seed.

    Song Pingting gave the gun stuffed in her belt a pat and smiled broadly.

    Tang Zeng stood up from the sofa. After a moment of silence, he instructed, ¡°Tell everyone to get ready. When Ye Zhongjuees, act ording to my signal. Now, send him the location.¡±

    The man quickly left to carry out the order.

    Mo Suqing slowly opened her eyes. <i>The end ising.</i>

    The abduction had happened so suddenly that it felt like a nightmare. She had never thought she would get involved with gangsters.

    Now, not only did she get involved with them, her husband had also turned out to be the head of one of the biggest criminal organizations in the world ¨C Sin Eliminators. Numerous practical issues swirled around in her head. She couldn¡¯t escape; she was forced to deal with them.

    She was reminded of the gunshot Jian Jie had taken for Ye Zhongjue. When she first learned about it, she had felt puzzled. What kind of business had he been doing that would make another person want to kill him?

    Ye Zhongjue had told her that thepany he had been trying to make a deal with was connected with gangsters. She knew that gun control in some countries was not as restrictive as here. It was rtively easy formon people to get a gun, not to mention for gangsters.

    So, she had believed him. Little had she expected that the truth was far from what he had told her.

    Most likely, it was a negotiation between gangsters that had gone sour.

    Mo Suqing had felt pain thest time she found out about his deception. This time,

    she felt both pain and lost. She wasn¡¯t sure what their love meant anymore.

    Yes, he had fallen in love with her at first sight when he was younger, then had eventually left because she had got together with someone she mistook for him.

    However, they were simply too different. She had never thought she would get even slightly entangled in the underworld.

    Why must he enter her life and marry her?

    Hate, annoyance, anger, resentment, and many other emotions shed with one another in Mo Suqing¡¯s heart. She thought she had be numb, but no, she still felt very much hurt.

    The man she loved had a scary identity. She was no longer sure what kind of man he was.

    Even so, she knew she loved him. She had given him her heart and she couldn¡¯t take it back; it was like water that had been spilled. However, she also hated him. She hated him for drawing her into his life when he knew it wasn¡¯t right.

    They didn¡¯t belong to the same world! If it weren¡¯t for the incident all those months ago, they would still have been two parallel lines now.

    All these thoughts tortured her as she hung there in midair. Moreover, she was very ufortable, being pregnant with a baby and having not eaten the whole day. She could feel herself drifting?in and out of consciousness.

    Yet, the moment the door of the factory was thrown open, she sobered up.

    In the end, it pained her to see him in danger.

    She could see Tang Zeng wanted him dead.

    No matter who he was, Mo Suqing couldn¡¯t wish him any harm. No matter how many lies he had told, her heart couldn¡¯t help but go to him.

    Love was water that had been spilled.

    Her eyes reddened as she watched the silhouette against the setting sun.

    Song Pingting stared at him hard. Obsession and struggle showed in her eyes. <i>I loved you so much. How could you treat me so? This is so unfair! Because of you, I even became Tang Zeng¡¯s mistress¡­</i>

    <i>Do I regret it? I don¡¯t know. All I know is when we meet again, I¡¯ll make you</i> <i>regret not choosing me.</i>

    Tang Zeng sneered. ¡°Should I call you Ye Zhongjue, Poisonous Prince, or President Ye?¡±

    Instead of replying, Ye Zhongjue looked up at Mo Suqing. His face was strained.

    There was pain deep in his eyes when he gazed at Mo Suqing. <i>I am the reason she is?</i><i>suffering. I didn¡¯t protect her well enough.</i>

    <i>I will make anyone who dares hurt her pay the price!</i>

    Tang Zeng looked at him and continued, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the incident where your secretary took the gunshot for you in Ennd, I might never have found out that you, Ye Zhongjue, is the Poisonous Prince of Sin Eliminators. How well you have hidden your identity these years! Now, since you are here, let us settle ounts with each other!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue slowly shifted his gaze to Tang Zeng.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± he said coldly.

    Tang Zeng narrowed his eyes and gave Ye Zhongjue a dangerous look. ¡°What if I say I want your life?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue gave a blood-curdling chuckle, exuding a sinister and powerful vibe.

    Song Pingting looked at him in disbelief and shuddered. <i>This is the real him. The aloof and heartless appearance is just a disguise for the darkness inside.</i>

    But somehow, she was still infatuated with him.

    Ye Zhongjue caught a glimpse of Song Pingting. Disgust crossed his eyes. He had set a vicious woman free! s, he had underestimated how daring she was¡­

    ¡°Tang Zeng, that is very ambitious of you. Why not destroy Sin Eliminators first before you destroy me?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue hadn¡¯t moved from his spot. With hispelling demeanor, he didn¡¯t look like someone being threatened at all.

    Tang Zeng fixed his eyes at him and said, ¡°Sin Eliminators? Do you really think that¡¯s what I aim for?¡±

    Surprise crossed Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes. <i>He doesn¡¯t want to destroy Sin Eliminators? Then what does he want? Simply to avenge how I took his territory three years ago?</i>

    Seeing that Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t know what he meant, Tang Zeng suppressed his rage and began to say, ¡°Ye Zhongjue, have you forgotten the ident three¡­¡±

    Someone rushed inside and interrupted him, ¡°Boss, they brought backup¡­¡±

    Before the man could finish, a bullet prated his torso from behind and he fell on the ground.

    Tang Zeng¡¯s face livid. He red at Ye Zhongjue.

    ¡°Ye Zhongjue, you vile, shameless hypocrite! How dare you?bring?backup here?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at him coolly. ¡°How about you, who dares to abduct my wife? Have you forgotten the most important rule of the underworld? You do not hurt your enemy¡¯s family! If you have the guts to do so, you must have the guts to take the consequences!¡±

    Behind him, Ceng Hanyu rushed inside with the backup, confronting Tang Zeng¡¯s people.

    Ceng Hanyu looked at Tang Zeng contemptuously. ¡°We have subdued those outside. Are you sure the rest of you can walk out of here alive?¡±

    Tang Zeng¡¯s shoulders heaved. He had a panicky look on his face.

    At this moment, a ck-d man near him answered the phone. His face fell as he listened.

    ¡°Boss, the headquarters was razed. Our people there are all dead!¡±

    Tang Zeng¡¯s eyes widened. He red at Ye Zhongjue with extreme fury.

    ¡°How dare you wipe out International Dragon & Tiger Mafia¡¯s headquarters!¡±

    He sounded genuinely shocked, unable to believe Ye Zhongjue had really done that.

    Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯t reply. Ceng Hanyu sneered, ¡°Listen to me and take out the word ¡®international¡¯ from your name! Even Sin Eliminators and The Dark Night, two of the biggest mafias in the world, didn¡¯t try to give their organizations such arrogant names. If you are not strong enough, don¡¯t give yourself?such?a powerful name. Otherwise, you are just making a joke!¡±

    Tang Zeng turned his attention to Ceng Hanyu and the mercenaries behind him. His expression changed and his eyes dted.

    ¡°You are Ceng Hanyu!¡± he pointed at him and said.

    He couldn¡¯t believe it. The two leaders of Sin Eliminators were both here in A City!

    Moreover, he recognized the people behind them as the Red Kill mercenaries. They were a mysterious group who were scattered all over the world and who never failed a mission.

    He was so out of luck this time. He had never expected this!

    Ceng Hanyu raised his eyebrows and his mouth curled up. ¡°That is observant of you.¡±

    Tang Zeng suddenly aimed his gun at Mo Suqing and said, ¡°If you kill me, I¡¯ll make sure she dies with me! Ye Zhongjue, how dared you destroy my headquarters and talk to me like that! You¡¯ve got Red Kill and?Ceng Hanyu to help you, so what? I have her in my hand! I¡¯ll kill her if I need!¡±

    With a ruthless look on his face, Tang Zeng ced his finger on the trigger and looked at Ye Zhongjue.

    Ye Zhongjue snapped his head toward Mo Suqing.

    Mo Suqing was expressionless, as if what they were doing or saying had nothing to do with her.

    Pain crossed Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes. <i>She knows. She knows I have lied to her, again!</i>

    However, the most important thing now was to save her.

    The air was full of tension. One could almost smell the imaginary gunpowder. In this second, everything would be decided.

    Ye Zhongjue and Ceng Hanyu gave each other a fleeting nce. Then, before Tang Zeng could say anything more, <i>bang!?</i>there was a splitting pain in his arm and he dropped the gun.

    He never saw how Ye Zhongjue had fired the shot.

    He had done it in a split second. His movement was so fast that one could hardly see it.

    The shot unnerved everyone.

    Amid themotion, Song Pingting suddenly raised her gun and gave Mo Suqing an evil look.

    A bullet shot out of the barrel of her gun.

 Chapter 147 â€“ The Car Accident Three Years Ago

    <h4>Chapter 147 ¨C The Car ident Three Years Ago</h4>

    The moment the shot was fired, Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes widened and became bloodshot and frenzied. His whole body went rigid as he stared after the bullet.

    The next second, he took off sprinting toward Mo Suqing.

    Mo Suqing had be rmed when Song Pingting raised her gun and pointed it at her. When the shot was fired, all she could think of were the unborn child inside her and everything she had gone through with Ye Zhongjue.

    Watching the man running toward her like crazy, she suddenly forgot how to be mad at him.

    Mo Suqing cringed instinctively. Song Pingting had been aiming at her head. However, as she had just begun to practice shooting with a gun and her target had moved, the bullet only grazed the rope that hanged Mo Suqing.

    The rope broke off instantly.

    Ye Zhongjue watched as the rope began to draw itself rapidly through the buckle on Mo Suqing¡¯s body and dance like a water snake. Mo Suqing?was practically spinning in?midair by the great force.

    Then, she began to fall.

    Ye Zhongjue sprang forward to catch her.

    Fortunately, the rope had helped slow down her falling a bit.

    Ye Zhongjue caught her in time and groaned.

    Mo Suqing was still badly shaken in his arms.

    Ye Zhongjue watched as Ceng Hanyu subdued Tang Zeng and the Red Kill mercenaries overwhelmed the other members of International Dragon & Tiger Mafia.

    Song Pingting, meanwhile, watched the almostical scene in disbelief and fired a second shot.

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s eyes?widened. <i>The woman is out of her mind!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue sensed the bulleting without looking up. He didn¡¯t have time to think when he turned away to shield Mo Suqing from it. The bullet hit him.

    The sound of the bullet thudding into human flesh drove Ceng Hanyu mad.

    He had just watched Ye Zhongjue getting shot in front of him!

    Without hesitation, Ceng Hanyu fired two shots in a row. Blood trickled?down the corner of Song Pingting¡¯s mouth as she fell on the ground.

    Meanwhile, Ye Zhongjue, still carrying Mo Suqing in his arms, had one knee hit the ground as he struggled not to fall.

    He looked down at Mo Suqing and smiled. In the end, he had sessfully protected her.

    Mo Suqing looked appalled and incredulous. <i>Howe? Howe these people can be so crazy as to readily fire anyone?</i>

    When the bullet hit Ye Zhongjue, she waspletely stunned.

    She could almost hear blood trickling from her heart.

    Yes, he was a liar. But he was also a fool to have taken the shot for her when she was the one Song Pingting tried to kill.

    Suddenly, Song Pingting spoke with all her strength for Ye Zhongjue to hear, ¡°You think¡­ I am the only one¡­ who wants to kill her? Ye¡­ Zhongjue! The person¡­

    who is really¡­ determined to¡­ see her dead¡­ is not here at all!¡±

    Then, she spit out a mouthful of blood and?shut?her eyes.

    Ceng Hanyu walked over and ced two fingers on her carotid artery. ¡°She¡¯s dead,¡± he said calmly.

    Mo Suqing shuddered. <i>Dead¡­ She¡¯s dead!</i>

    Even though she hated Song Pingting, it still shocked her to see a living person die in front of her.

    Ye Zhongjue, enduring his pain, reached out and covered Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes with his hand. ¡°Honey, don¡¯t look,¡± he said in a surprisingly tender voice.

    Ceng Hanyu shook his head as he looked at Tang Zeng, who was held by two mercenaries.

    The man didn¡¯t seem to care now that Song Pingting was dead. She might as well be a stranger to him.

    Ceng Hanyu couldn¡¯t say he was surprised. On the contrary, it would surprise him if Tang Zeng had any real feelings for the woman.

    Ye Zhongjue began to walk toward the door with Mo Suqing in his arms.

    Suddenly, Tang Zeng shouted after him, ¡°Ye Zhongjue! Do you know why I want to kill you? For the record, I neverid a finger on your wife. I am not as vile as you! In order to get your people stationed in A City, you killed?my little brother with your car! I hate you. Even if I die, I wille back and haunt you!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue went rigid when he heard the word ¡°car.¡±

    Slowly, he put Mo Suqing down and told Lin Ran, who was at the door, ¡°Take her to the hospital.¡±

    Lin Ran quickly came closer and made a gesture, ¡°Pleasee with me, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s legs were weak and she almost fell. Lin Ran caught her in time and, supporting her, took her away.

    Ye Zhongjue had asked Gu Yi¡¯an toe along and stand by. He was in a car outside, waiting to check if Mo Suqing was alright.

    Mo Suqing took a few steps, then turned around to see Ye Zhongjue approach Tang Zeng.

    She gave him ast look before turning back and walking away.

    Ceng Hanyu looked at the wound on Ye Zhongjue¡¯s back and said, ¡°Jue, you are hurt. Let Yi¡¯an take out the bullet first.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue shook his head with a gloomy expression.

    ¡°I¡¯m alright. It¡¯s not going to kill me.¡±

    Song Pingting was not a skilled shooter, so the bullet didn¡¯t hit his critical area. The worst scenario was he would lose a lot of blood, but he would be fine even so with Ceng Hanyu and Gu Yi¡¯an right here.

    Ye Zhongjue stood in front of Tang Zeng.

    ¡°What did you mean just now?¡±

    His voice sounded cold and devoid of emotions.

    However, Ceng Hanyu knew how much he cared about the car ident three years ago.

    No matter how ruthless they were with their enemies, they never harm the innocent.

    That was one of their principles.

    Tang Zeng knew his situation was hopeless now and that he would never be able to avenge his brother. He red at Ye Zhongjue as if he was his mortal enemy and said,

    ¡°Hahaha¡­ You have the cheek to ask me that! You said I hurt your family. Are you kidding me? If I did want to hurt your family, your wife will have be a corpse by now! I haven¡¯tid a finger on her ever since I took her here this morning! Do you know why? Because I don¡¯t want to be like you!¡±

    Tang Zeng gritted his teeth and red at Ye Zhongjue with a furious expression.

    ¡°My ultimate goal is to kill you, and she is but a bait to lure you here. I have never wanted your wife¡¯s life. On the contrary, you! Three years ago, in order to introduce Sin Eliminators to A City, you put your conscience aside and arranged a fake ident to kill my little brother Tang Mo! He was only a college student. A student! How could you be so cruel?¡±

    Tang Zeng looked at Ye Zhongjue with an angry and painful expression.

    Ye Zhongjue was speechless. <i>There was only a woman who died in the ident, wasn¡¯t there?</i>

    But, ording to Tang Zeng, his brother also died in the same ident.

    Tang Zeng knew he had no way to escape now, so he might as well reveal everything.

    ¡°Three years ago, you hit someone with your car and jammed on the brake. The car behind you swerved to the oppositene and shed with aing car. I think you remember it!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s poker face didn¡¯t change much. ¡°And then?¡±

    ¡°And then, two people died in that ident! I don¡¯t know who the woman was, but the other victim was my brother Tang Mo. At that time, I had no idea you?were the?Poisonous Prince of Sin Eliminators, so I have always thought it was just an ident.¡±

    ¡°However!¡± There was a fierce look on Tang Zeng¡¯s face. He struggled to lean forward as if he wanted to tear Ye Zhongjue apart with bare hands.

    ¡°When I found out?about your identity, I changed my?mind. Back then, I thought I would just ept my brother¡¯s death and I mustn¡¯t harm a regr person who identally killed my brother in a car ident. Now, I know you are no regr person! How can you have lived peacefully all these years? In order to protect him, I tried every way to conceal the fact that I had a brother. Even though we lived in the same city, I almost never went to see him. He was just a?twenty-year-old?college student! He?simply?died¡­ because of me¡­¡±

    ¡°Ye Zhongjue, I¡¯m going to kill you! You will die a horrible death!¡±

    Tang Zeng was so wild that the mercenaries were having a hard time holding him tight.

    Fearing that Tang Zeng might struggle free, Ceng Hanyu delivered a knifehand strike to the side of his neck.

    Everything hade to light now.

    There were two deaths in the ident, although Ye Wentian had told Ye Zhongjue there was just that one woman who hade out of nowhere and got herself killed. The ident had soon been taken care of.

    Ye Wentian had asked his subordinates to take care of it without getting personally involved himself. During the time, Ye Zhongjue was hospitalized.

    After he mmed on the brake, he was injured by ss fragments from the windshield.

    Three cars had collided with each other, with one woman, who had not been in any of the cars, dead.

    So the truth was, someone in one of the cars had died, too, and he had been Tang Zeng¡¯s brother Tang Mo.

    It was all very dramatic. ording to Tang Zeng, he had thought it was an ident and decided to ept it.

    Then, three yearster, he discovered Ye Zhongjue¡¯s true identity. He put two and two together and made five, presuming Ye Zhongjue had set up the ident to kill his brother.

    Even though his brother had died long ago, Tang Zeng couldn¡¯t just drop it and let Ye Zhongjue be.

    Ye Zhongjue hadn¡¯t been so disturbed in a very long time.

    A college student had also died at that time, but his father somehow never told him.

    He probably didn¡¯t want him to feel guilty about it. Moreover, with Sin Eliminators and International Dragon & Tiger Mafia fighting each other for territories, his father might be afraid that he would get soft-hearted if he knew.

    Yet, even though he didn¡¯t know about it, he had still got soft-hearted.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression was difficult to read.

    Ceng Hanyu patted him on the shoulder and sighed. ¡°I know you have been feeling bad all this time, but it was not your fault! You¡­¡± He sighed again.

 Chapter 148 â€“ Lies are a Taboo in Relationships

    <h4>Chapter 148 ¨C Lies are a Taboo in Rtionships</h4>

    Ceng Hanyu shook his head, not knowing how to make him feel better.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at Tang Zeng, who had passed out, and said, ¡°Let him go. I owe him a life.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Are you sure about this?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue turned around, gave a nomittal reply, and began to walk away.

    However, he had barely taken a few steps when his knees gave way.

    Ceng Hanyu quickly caught him in time.

    Ceng Hanyu had touched something wet. rmed, he raised his right hand and saw blood all over it.

    <i>I can¡¯t believe him! Being so severely injured, he insisted on speaking with Tang Zeng first!</i>

    ¡°Take everyone away except Tang Zeng!¡± he quickly ordered.

    Then, he supported Ye Zhongjue and walked out of the factory.

    ¡­¡­

    Shortly after Ceng Hanyu and Ye Zhongjue left the ce, a slender figure emerged from a dark corner, followed by two ck-d men.

    When the figure reached where there was enough light, Jian Jie¡¯s beautiful yet evil face was revealed.

    She wrung her hands together. She had taken great pains to devise the n, but the stupid Song Pingting still failed. She hadn¡¯t killed Mo Suqing or harmed the baby!

    Jian Jie walked over to the unconscious Tang Zeng, kicking Song Pingting¡¯s body on the way, and smiled a creepy smile.

    Ye Zhongjue had decided to let the man go. However, she didn¡¯t think Tang Zeng would let go the hard feelings Tang Mo¡¯s death had caused.

    ¡°Take him away,¡± shemanded.

    The two men in ckbat clothing pulled Tang Zeng up. Then, the three of them quickly left the factory.

    -

    When Ye Zhongjue woke up, he was in an empty hospital ward. He struggled to sit up as memories of what had happened before he passed out came flooding back.

    <i>Suqing has been rescued. And the baby¡­ How is the baby?</i>

    <i>She probably knows my identity by now.?</i>This time, it wasn¡¯t going to be easy to exin himself.

    Ye Zhongjue put a hand over his wound around the waist and frowned in pain.

    Right then, the door to the ward opened.

    Ceng Hanyu strode inside. Seeing that Ye Zhongjue was not lying on the bed, he frowned.

    He put down the food he had brought and sat down in the chair next to the bed.

    ¡°You just woke up and now you want to roam already. Can¡¯t you wait for your injury to healpletely before you do that?¡± he asked and raised his eyebrows at Ye Zhongjue.

    Ye Zhongjue frowned at him. ¡°How is Suqing?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t Suqing this, Suqing that! It seems to me that you can¡¯t see anyone else except for Mo Suqing! Don¡¯t you know you are wounded? Can¡¯t you begin to care about your own life?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue repeated stubbornly, ¡°How is Suqing? And how is the child?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu knew that for Ye Zhongjue, his poker face didn¡¯t match his worried heart. He snorted and replied, ¡°She¡¯s fine. Yi¡¯an said that thankfully, they were sent here in time, so the child is okay, too. It got a little?unstable, but will be fine with a few days¡¯ rest. As for you! Can you please?take better care of?yourself?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu looked at him in exasperation. Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes dimmed as he asked calmly, ¡°She knows, right?¡±

    ¡°She probably?found out?about it back in the factory. She never left your side on the way here. After Yi¡¯an gave her the green light, she stayed with you until you underwent the operation and the doctor said you would be alright. Then, she left with¡­ Leng Xiyao.¡±

    ¡°She left,¡± Ye Zhongjue said in a distant voice.

    Ceng Hanyu sighed. He had no idea how to talk about these stuff. He himself had never faced?such a thorny problem.

    Lies were a taboo in rtionships, and Ye Zhongjue had told tons of them. Even though they were white lies, the truth behind them was still too much for Mo Suqing, who had got entangled in a world she didn¡¯t belong to.

    Ye Zhongjue stared into space and said, ¡°I have been wondering if I made a mistake at the outset. But, it had been seven years and I hadn¡¯t been able to forget her. That¡¯s why on the night we met?again, I decided to give myself a chance. I told myself if she was willing to get married with me and perhaps could fall in love with me, I would never ever let her go again. However, now she has discovered my many different identities. All I feel is panic. What should I do if she never forgives me? Hanyu, do you know this feeling I have?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu opened his mouth but the words only came out after a while, ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say I know exactly how you feel, but I do know I have never seen you like this, bro. Don¡¯t worry. You are going to have a child together. Mo Suqing has a good heart. I think she will prefer giving her child aplete family. She just can¡¯t swallow everything all at once, you know? And she really cares about you. She was more nervous about your operation than anyone else. It was after she was certain that you would be alright that she began to feel awkward about your identity. Once you exin everything to her, I believe she wille around eventually, at least for the child. After all, no one can me you for what happened to her this time and the reason you want to be with her is simply?because of?love. She will understand. Now, you are still quite weak. Eat something before resting more.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue shook his head. ¡°I still feel concerned about her safety. No matter what you said, what happened to her is partly due to the fact that I was too neglectful. Send some men to protect her, will you? I¡¯ll feel much more rxed. Also, look deeper into the abduction. Somehow I feel things are not as simple as we think. Song Pingting said someone wanted to kill Suqing. She wouldn¡¯t say it without a reason. Hanyu, I am injured now. Please help me watch out for her. She¡¯s pregnant and must be well taken care of!¡±

    Watching Ye Zhongjue¡¯s worried and eager expression, Ceng Hanyu couldn¡¯t help but feel emotional himself. <i>Love always?</i><i>brings</i><i>?so much pain, but why?</i><i>does?</i><i>everyone still?</i><i>fight</i><i>?for it?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue was like this, but he wasn¡¯t any better!

    ¡°Okay, you don¡¯t have to worry about it. Eat something first. After you have eaten, I¡¯ll go look for Mo Suqing and make sure she is always safe. Also¡­ I have something to tell you.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu hesitated. Ye Zhongjue frowned. ¡°What? What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°I think¡­ I found Anne!¡±

    ¡°What? After so many years of fruitless search, how?did you find?her so suddenly?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue felt incredulous. He had only taken a gunshot. He couldn¡¯t have slept for more than a few days. How could Ceng Hanyu have found Anne in such a short time?

    Ceng Hanyu chuckled lightly. ¡°I have you to thank for. If it weren¡¯t for you and Mo Suqing, I wouldn¡¯t have met her.¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about Leng Xiyao?¡± Ye Zhongjue said disbelievingly.

    Ceng Hanyu nodded and sat back down. ¡°You bet! Grandpa An recognized her on Leng Haoyun¡¯s engagement party. He said she looks exactly like her mother when she was young. I myself have forgotten what she looked like because I was too little. However, the old man showed me the picture. They are truly alike! I have taken her and Grandpa An¡¯s hair to theboratory for a DNA test. The result wille out tomorrow. I¡¯m guessing she is most likely Anne.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression was hard to read. <i>No wonder Ceng Hanyu suddenly became so interested in her.</i>

    ¡°That¡¯s good news. At the very least, you don¡¯t have to use her as an excuse to reject Selina anymore.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu jumped up from the chair like a cat whose tail had been stamped.

    ¡°When did I use her as an excuse? I just don¡¯t want to be involved with anyone because I want to focus on finding Anne!¡±

    An indiscernible smile tugged at the corner of Ye Zhongjue¡¯s mouth. After so many years, Ceng Hanyu still didn¡¯t know how he truly felt. He was totally oblivious of the way he panicked and became unlike his usual self every time someone brought up Selina.

    Ye Zhongjue was not going to argue with him. Ceng Hanyu muste to the realization himself. Others couldn¡¯t help him.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Selina anyway?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu glowered at him in exasperation.

    ¡°She is taking care of some affairs in the organization. We made it a point to have a conspicuous evacuation and then we had to tell our members it was time to return. Naturally, it has been a hectic business. I¡¯ll ask her to go back to Ennd after everything is settled.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu nced at Ye Zhongjue and continued, ¡°Alright! You take a good rest while I go to see Mo Suqing. Otherwise, you will probably kill me if one of her hair goes missing!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue watched Ceng Hanyu hurry off ¨C or should he say ¡°flee¡±? ¨C in panic and smiled. Every time he mentioned Selina, the man?would?lose?his cool or simply refuse to have the conversation. When could he be honest with himself?

    However, if Leng Xiyao was indeed Anne, it would probably be more difficult for Ceng Hanyu to think about him and Selina, considering the state Leng Xiyao was in these days.

    Ceng Hanyu left the hospital and headed to the Shallow Sea Area.

    Although Mo Suqing was concerned about Ye Zhongjue¡¯s identity and angry with him for lying to her again and again, she could feel with her heart how much he loved her. For god¡¯s sake, she had witnessed how he risked his life to save her! It was impossible for her not to be moved.

    Fortunately, the baby was fine. She could deal with their issue after Ye Zhongjue¡¯s wound healed.

    To ensure her own safety and the baby¡¯s, she had gone back to the vi in Shallow Sea. Ceng Hanyu had told her he would send people to protect her.

    She didn¡¯t want to live under the guard of Ye Zhongjue¡¯s people, but what she hated more was to see her baby get hurt. It was the only link between her and Ye Zhongjue now.

    Mo Suqing was taking a long time off?from work. Leng Haoyun had asked her not to go to work for a while, in case something should happen to her again. After all, everyone had gone to a lot of trouble rescuing her this time.

    Ye Zhongjue had even gotten shot to protect her and the baby.

 Chapter 149 â€“ An Incurable Disease

    <h4>Chapter 149 ¨C An Incurable Disease</h4>

    Mo Suqing was sitting on the sofa with a magazine in hand, but her thoughts were wandering all over the ce.

    The doorbell suddenly rang.

    Being in a daze, Mo?Suqing?only realized it after a while and headed over to open the door. She was met with none other than Guan Zixuan, whom she had not seen for quite some time now.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you filming overseas?¡±

    Guan Zixuan looked at her with concern. ¡°We wrapped today and I just got back. I heard from Leng?Xiyao?that you were in trouble. What happened? Are you okay?¡±

    Mo?Suqing?raised her head to look at Guan Zixuan.

    Sudden realization hit her. In these past few months, all of the individuals who were around her had hidden identities. Ye?Zhongjue, Guan Zixuan, and even the man she had saved the other night.

    Mo?Suqing?furrowed her brows and asked, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m fine right now, aren¡¯t I? Why did youe here right after you just returned?¡±

    Guan Zixuan scratched his head andughed awkwardly at that. Could he say that he was too worried and afraid that something untoward had happened to her, so he came back without even returning to his own ce first?

    Mo?Suqing?shook her head as she took in that awkward expression on his face.

    ¡°Stop standing at the door then,e on in!¡±

    ¡°Oh no, no!¡± Guan Zixuan said as he rejected her with extended hands, before saying, ¡°I haven¡¯t even had a change of clothes. How about we go to my house?¡±

    Mo Suqing knew that Ye Zhongjue had already pulled through the most critical period, and the doctor said he could be discharged soon. She did not want to see him now, so going to Guan Zixuan¡¯s ce right now might not be a bad idea.

    ¡°Alright. Hold on, I¡¯ll get my things.¡±

    Guan Zixuan was stunned when he saw Mo Suqing drag a luggage out.

    ¡°You are...¡± He pointed at the luggage, puzzled.

    Mo Suqing shrugged as if this was extremely normal and was nothing out of the ordinary.

    ¡°Well, staying at your ce feels morefortable than being here. Can I stay over for a few days?¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s gaze darkened, his feelings indescribable.

    He only replied after a long moment. ¡°Okay, let me get that luggage for you.¡±

    Guan Zixuan picked up the luggage as he spoke.

    Mo Suqing opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but thought better of it eventually.

    She did not want to trouble anyone else anymore regarding all that had transpired between Ye Zhongjue and her. Moreover, she cannot reveal Ye Zhongjue¡¯s identity to anyone.

    Although she was angry and furious at his lies, she did not want him to get hurt either.

    Mo?Suqing?realized that his luggage was still ced outside the door when they arrived at the entrance of Guan Zixuan¡¯s vi.

    Mo?Suqing?suddenly felt like she made a bad decision. Should she have gone to Leng?Xiyao¡¯s?ce instead? She knew that Guan Zixuan cared much more about her than a normal friend should, and she knew that she was being extremely unfair to him right now.

    ¡°How about...¡± Mo?Suqing?hesitated for a moment as she reached for the suitcase that Guan Zixuan was about to carry inside. Guan Zixuan turned around to eye her suspiciously. ¡°What did you want to say?¡±

    ¡°How about, I¡¯ll just go to Leng?Xiyao¡¯s?ce. You are a public figure, and I¡¯m afraid it might affect your career if this turns into a scandal!¡±

    Guan Zixuan looked at her, his face void of expression. He was still holding on to that suitcase.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind it!¡±

    ¡°But I do!¡± Mo Suqing retorted immediately. She spoke rapidly, her tone rife with panic.

    Guan Zixuan watched her for a few quiet seconds before releasing his hand.

    ¡°Even if you have to go, let me get a change of clothes before I send you over.¡±

    Guan Zixuan quickly carried the suitcase inside while Mo Suqing was still processing his words.

    He did not want to let her know that he already found out about her pregnancy from Leng Xiyao, and that he did not want to leave her alone as he was worried about her safety. He was afraid that his concern might inadvertently give her extra pressure.

    The scenario when she was kidnapped shed past her mind again as Mo Suqing looked at Guan Zixuan¡¯s figure. <i>Actually, it would be great if he could give me a ride.</i>

    Mo Suqing followed Guan Zixuan inside. She waited in the living room while he took a shower and changed.

    She was extremely emotional right after being saved from her ordeal, but the doctor said if she did not try to keep her emotions in check, she might possibly suffer a miscarriage.

    She med Ye Zhongjue, but the child is innocent. She protected the child, afraid it would get hurt.

    Even though learning about Ye Zhongjue¡¯s identity was a great shock to her, she was able to console herself by telling herself that he is still the child¡¯s father.

    Mo Suqing was standing in front of the fish tank in a daze when the doorbell to Guan Zixuan¡¯s home rang.

    She walked over, only to see Ceng Hanyu.

    <i>Isn¡¯t he supposed to be in the hospital taking care of Ye Zhongjue? Why does he have the time toe over? And why does he know I¡¯m here? </i>

    Mo?Suqing¡¯s?brows creased, but she still opened the door for him.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    Ceng?Hanyu looked at her with a passing glint in his eyes.

    ¡°Jue is concerned that you¡¯re here alone, so he asked me toe over. I also have something to tell you.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Mo?Suqing?replied softly. ¡°Come in then!¡±

    Ceng?Hanyu followed Mo?Suqing?inside, and the both of them sat on the sofa.

    ¡°The child is okay right?¡±

    ¡°Mm, everything¡¯s fine. The baby¡¯s very obedient, very quiet. If it wasn¡¯t the doctor who reassured me that the baby was fine, I wouldn¡¯t have believed it myself.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ That¡¯s good!¡± Ceng Hanyu nodded as he held his hands together, like he was thinking of something.

    ¡°You said you wanted to tell me something? What is it?¡± Mo Suqing asked.

    A thought suddenly struck her as she asked, ¡°Right, how did you know I was here?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu looked up at her and spoke slowly.

    ¡°I sent some men to protect you in secret. Jue is extremely worried about your safety.¡±

    Seeing Mo Suqing¡¯s expression change, Ceng Hanyu quickly exined, ¡°He doesn¡¯t mean to keep tabs on you. It¡¯s just that, after this, Jue is afraid that something might happen again. Though he¡¯s in the hospital, he¡¯s still very concerned about your safety, so¡­ and, you¡¯re not alone now, so keeping you safe is of utmost importance...¡±

    Ceng?Hanyu felt like he seemed to be making the situation worse by talking so much.

    Mo?Suqing?made a face and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I understand. It is true that I am pregnant with his child!¡±

    Ceng?Hanyu was dumbfounded.?<i>How did he manage to botch this? Why did Mo Suqing take it this way? </i>

    ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand, Jue is concerned for your safety first and foremost. It would be such a blow to him if you think of him that way!¡±

    Mo?Suqing?looked at?Ceng?Hanyu with derision, and herugh sent a little chill down his back.

    ¡°Is that so? He¡¯s sad? Didn¡¯t he think that I would be hurt when he lied to me? President Ye, Poisonous Prince¡­ does he have any other identities?

    ¡°Can he reveal all of them at once, instead of letting me look like a fool?everytime? I always have to find out from someone else. Is that fun?¡±

    ¡°Mo?Suqing!¡±?Ceng?Hanyu turned serious in an instant, surprising Mo?Suqing.

    ¡°Why do you have to think of it that way? I¡¯m here today to tell you something. Could you please calm?down.?Let¡¯s not talk about whether this is good for the baby at the moment, let¡¯s just suppose that you had only heard one side of the story for now. You¡¯d think that of Jue? How he has treated you and his feelings for you, do they all amount to nothing?¡±

    Ceng?Hanyu looked at Mo?Suqing?with widened eyes, a trace of anger in them.

    Mo?Suqing¡¯s?face was frozen, and she did not speak for a long time.

    Ceng?Hanyu calmed himself down before continuing, ¡°Yes, he did lie to you. But think about it. Out of the many women in this world, why did he only lie to you? That¡¯s because he likes you, he loves you. From my perspective, his feelings for you are akin to a disease, and it¡¯s an incurable disease at that. It¡¯s his fault for lying to you that he was only an assistant, but wasn¡¯t that because you hate the rich? He decided to do that only because he wanted to be closer to you. His identity as the Poisonous Prince, do you think you could have epted it? He was afraid that you would be scared, and so he did not dare reveal it to you. You feel wronged, you feel like you¡¯ve been fooled, but I think he¡¯s the real fool here. He didn¡¯t dare confess when he liked you seven years ago, and instead chose to leave. But he still kept you in his heart for all this time. A whole seven years. If he can¡¯t let go even after all this time, there¡¯s even less reason for him to give up now! You me him, but have you thought of all that he did for you! He took a bullet for you, disregarding his own life. Why don¡¯t you think about these things?¡±

    Ceng?Hanyu looked at Mo?Suqing¡¯s?dazed expression, and suddenly felt that he went a little overboard with what he just said.

    He regained hisposure and rubbed his forehead.

    ¡°Sorry, that wasn¡¯t on purpose. I just feel that Jue cares a lot about you. When Sin Eliminators was just created in Ennd, the gunfights were a minor issue. The predecessor to Sin Eliminators was an English mafia group that had immense power. Jue had been injured countless times trying to bring the group down, and his life was always hanging by a thread, but he pulled through?everytime. I once asked him why he was able to pull through all the time, and he answered me with a smile, saying that he liked this girl back at home. He thought that he would be able to let you go, but even after being in Ennd for so long, he still wasn¡¯t able to, not even when he was at death¡¯s door. He even called out your name when he was unconscious. Though we are on the wrong side of thew, that shouldn¡¯t be your justification to hurt him like this!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t...¡± Mo?Suqing?was staring into thin air, mumbling to herself in a daze, looking a little fearful. Ye?Zhongjue?told her that he had liked her from a long time ago, but she was not aware that she had existed in his world for such a long time, and that his memories of her were practically inerasable.

    ¡°You should leave. I¡¯d like some time alone. I can take care of myself. It¡¯s just that everything seems to be a mess right now...¡±

    Ceng?Hanyu felt bad as he saw Mo?Suqing¡¯s?pained expression.

    He knew that Mo?Suqing?grew up in a world where everything was squeaky clean. It was indeed difficult for her to instantly ept Ye?Zhongjue¡¯s?identity.

    But looking at how she reacted, it was not impossible.

    Ceng?Hanyu saw Guan Zixuan walk out in a bathrobe as he stood up, thetter looking at him with a slightly hostile gaze.

    Ceng Hanyu immediately straightened himself up and kept his eyes locked on the other man.

 Chapter 150 â€“ Boyfriend from Nowhere

    <h4>Chapter 150 ¨C Boyfriend from Nowhere</h4>

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Guan Zixuan looked at Ceng Hanyu nkly.

    Ceng Hanyu sized Guan Zixuan up, suddenly getting an impression that he was a grave threat.

    <i>Mo Suqing has so many grievances against Ye Zhongjue at the moment, and it¡¯s still difficult for her to ept who he really is. If Guan Zixuan takes this opportunity... </i>

    Ceng Hanyu decided that he could not leave Mo Suqing here alone.

    Instead of answering Guan Zixuan, he turned to face Mo Suqing.

    ¡°Since you want to have some time alone, let me send you back. It wouldn¡¯t be very appropriate if you stay at someone else¡¯s ce either, right?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu emphasized the words ¡®wouldn¡¯t be very appropriate¡¯ and he looked at Guan Zixuan pointedly after he spoke.

    Mo Suqing nodded as she thought about this.

    ¡°Okay, thanks for your trouble. But you don¡¯t have to send me back home, I want to stay at Yao¡¯s ce for a few days. She¡¯s in a bad mood, so it¡¯s nice to have somepany!¡±

    Hearing Leng Xiyao¡¯s name was akin to getting an adrenaline shot for Ceng Hanyu.

    ¡°Great, I¡¯ll send you there since Mr. Guan probably can¡¯t do it right now.¡±

    Mo Suqing was rather puzzled at the sudden change in Ceng Hanyu¡¯s mood, but she knew it was better for her to stay away from Guan Zixuan right now especially when she was so emotional.

    She nodded and said, ¡°Okay, thanks for the ride.¡±

    Smiling at Guan Zixuan, she continued, ¡°Zixuan, you must be tired since you just came back. Go ahead and take a rest after showering, Ceng Hanyu will send me to Yao¡¯s ce.¡±

    Guan Zixuan smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. He spoke calmly, ¡°Since Mr. Ceng is being so helpful, please go ahead. Be careful on the way.¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded as she reached out for her suitcase, but Ceng Hanyu beat her to the punch and retrieved the luggage for her quickly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll give you a ride!¡±

    Guan Zixuan clenched his fists as he stood in the living room, staring at Mo Suqing and Ceng Hanyu¡¯s departing figures with a cold glint in his eyes.

    ---

    <strong>At the Lengs¡¯ vi.</strong>

    Leng Xiyao had not been alone in the same space with Leng Haoyun ever since his engagement.

    She had been by Mo Suqing¡¯s side after saving her that day, and only returned home after Mo Suqing¡¯s emotions had stabilized.

    The thought of having to face her uncle made her extremely nervous. She walked around the vi, hesitating to enter it. She hoped that Leng Haoyun would not be at home.

    Eventually, she plucked up the courage to walk in.

    She made for the stairs immediately after entering the living room.

    But Leng Haoyun¡¯s voice could be heard from the study room.

    ¡°Yao,e over here!¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s heart skipped a beat as the familiar voice streamed into her ears. It had already been a few days since she heard his voice.

    However, the thought of him getting engaged with An Huilin made her angry and hurt all over again. <i>Why do I have to go over just because he asks me to? I¡¯m not his dog, so why should I have to listen to him?</i>

    Leng Xiyao turned brazen as the thought passed through her mind.

    She pouted and headed for the stairs instead.

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s tone turned frigid instantly. ¡°Stop right there, Leng Xiyao, do you hear me!¡±

    Leng Xiyao put on a stern face and stared in the direction of the study room angrily. ¡°Why should I have to listen to you!¡±

    She then turned and walked up the stairs without ncing back.

    After taking three steps, she realized that Leng Haoyun was quiet.

    As she was about to turn back, she felt herself being lifted by a great force.

    She eximed in shock before attempting to grab her assant. However, she stopped as she saw Leng Haoyun¡¯s handsome face that had a slight hint of anger on it.

    She continued to struggle for a bit as she shouted, ¡°Put me down! Put me down! I don¡¯t want to talk to you!¡±

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s icy gaze thawed slightly as he took in that childish behaviour of hers.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me why you should listen to me? I¡¯m telling you now. It¡¯s because I¡¯m your uncle, because I raised you. This is why you have to listen to me!¡±

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s authoritative and chilly tone triggered Leng Xiyao. <i>Uncle, uncle¡­?</i>She hates it when others say Leng Haoyun is her uncle now.

    She shouted in Leng Haoyun¡¯s face, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be my uncle at all! Let me go, I don¡¯t want to see you!¡±

    Leng Haoyun stared at her, looking like he could boil over with anger at any moment now.

    Leng Xiyao made use of this opportunity to slip out of his grasp, but she was not careful and ended up tripping. She was about to tumble to the bottom of the stairs.

    Panic shed across Leng Haoyun¡¯s face, but he managed to pull her to safety and press her against the wall.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s breathing became unsteady as she felt a cold breathing from right above her head.

    She stuttered, ¡°You¡­ What are you trying to do?¡±

    Leng Haoyun regarded her with a dark and profound gaze. ¡°What? You don¡¯t want to acknowledge me as your uncle, and you don¡¯t want to see me. Who do you wish to see then?¡±

    He was suddenly reminded of all that had happened at Ceng Hanyu¡¯s house the other day. Ceng Hanyu was openly provoking him, but he could not do a thing. He did not want her to feel sad and he did not want to disturb her sleep only because he was her uncle.

    Leng Haoyun said through gritted teeth, ¡°Do you actually wish to see Ceng Hanyu? You¡¯d better believe it when I say I can actually make him disappear from the face of this earth immediately!¡±

    Leng Xiyao was surprised at his words. <i>Didn¡¯t Ceng Hanyu merely drink with me on the day of his engagement, and I simply stayed out all night? Did he have to target Ceng Hanyu like this?</i>

    Leng Haoyun got slightly flustered as Leng Xiyao seemed reluctant to answer. His hand that was against the wall started to shake.

    <i>She really does want to see Ceng Hanyu then?</i>

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s voice suddenly rang out.

    That icy and sarcastic tone of his was like a ssh of water that woke Leng Xiyao and Leng Haoyun.

    ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯m rather interested to find out how President Leng would actually make me disappear from this world! Also, it¡¯s not wrong for Yao to want to see me either, since I¡¯m her boyfriend, right?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu raised his brows, shooting a challenging gaze at Leng Haoyun.

    ¡°What!¡± Leng Haoyun¡¯s icy facade instantly broke. He stared at Ceng Hanyu angrily, intensifying the atmosphere.

    ¡°I will not allow this! How are you her boyfriend now!¡±

    Leng Xiyao rolled her eyes and mumbled, ¡°Boyfriend from nowhere!¡±

    Mo Suqing could not suppress herughter as she heard Leng Xiyao. That dreary mood of hers was immediately lifted.

    Ceng Hanyu choked on Leng Xiyao¡¯s words.

    But he kept his gaze on Leng Haoyun, a hint of mockery in his eyes.

    ¡°You don¡¯t allow it? Who are you to call the shots? You¡¯re already engaged but you¡¯re not allowing your niece to date? You have a warped mind, President Leng. Who are you to control these things? Even parents don¡¯t go to such extents!¡±

    All emotion left Leng Xiyao¡¯s face as the matter of Leng Haoyun¡¯s engagement was brought up again.

    She turned and headed up the stairs.

    Mo Suqing rolled her eyes at Ceng Hanyu, saying, ¡°Why did you have to bring that up! But it¡¯s fine, I¡¯ve arrived safely, so you can head back now!¡±

    Mo Suqing made for the stairs right after that.

    Leng Haoyun walked down the stairs, keeping his eyes locked on Ceng Hanyu. He enunciated every word clearly as he spoke, ¡°Do not go anywhere near Yao. Do not think that I will let you off just because you are Ye Zhongjue¡¯s friend!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you to take action! Let¡¯s see who Yao chooses in the end!¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Ceng Hanyu rolled his eyes at Leng Haoyun before leaving.

    Knowing the subtle feelings Leng Xiyao had for Leng Haoyun, he felt sorry and angry at the same time.

    He will be getting the DNA report very soon, and he wanted to take Leng Xiyao away from this dreary and suffocating ce as soon as he could.

    Though he had never met Anne, finding her and taking care of her was his biggest responsibility in this life. After all these years, it was amitment that would not change no matter what happened.

    Mo Suqing saw Leng Xiyao sitting on the edge of her bed looking downcast, her face pale and devoid of color. Mo Suqing could tell that she was extremely upset.

    She sighed inwardly. <i>Once you¡¯ve fallen for someone, you¡¯d have already lost.</i>

    <i>Once he bes your weakness, that tender part right at the bottom of your heart, whatever he says and does, it doesn¡¯t matter if it pains or upsets you, you¡¯d try your best to defend him.</i>

    Mo Suqing did not know how Leng Xiyao viewed Leng Haoyun¡¯s engagement. But others would definitely find it ludicrous that she had fallen in love with Leng Haoyun.

    Mo Suqing did not know what Leng Haoyun thought of this but Leng Xiyao was like a fool plunging head-first into it. It pained her to look at Leng Xiyao like this, and it upset her to know that Leng Xiyao was struggling to find a love that was basically impossible.

    Mo Suqing walked over softly and hugged the other girl from behind. She spoke in a gentle tone, like a mother to a child.

    ¡°Be good, Yao. Don¡¯t be sad, all of this will be over, and everything will be fine...¡±

    Leng Xiyao did not cry, but her sorrow was almost palpable in the room.

    Her voice was slightly hoarse as she said, ¡°Suqing, I thought nothing of his engagement at first. I thought that I could still face him. I forgot everything after drinking that night. It¡¯s only now that I realize I can¡¯t do this. I¡¯m so upset, it¡¯s so hard¡­ I¡¯ll think of An Huilin whenever I see him, and I¡¯ll be reminded of their engagement. It¡¯s so painful that I can¡¯t breathe...¡±

    Leng Xiyao clutched her chest as she brought her legs up onto the bed. Hugging her knees, she curled up into a tight ball as her shoulders heaved as she cried. Tears welled up in Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes as she witnessed this.

    <i>What is love? It¡¯s so torturous. Both of us are tormented by it. All of this seems like a big joke. Unable to be with the one you love, and hurting because of love.</i>

    Mo Suqing went over to hug Leng Xiyao, consoling her without a sound.

    Mo Suqing knows Leng Xiyao best, and quiet constion is what Leng Xiyao needs right now.

 Chapter 151 â€“ They say that Obedient Dogs do not Stand in the Way

    <h4>Chapter 151 ¨C They say that Obedient Dogs do not Stand in the Way</h4>

    When Leng Xiyao and Mo Suqing went downstairs, Leng Haoyun was sitting on the sofa. It looked as if he had not moved an inch after Ceng Hanyu left.

    Mo?Suqing?already told Leng?Xiyao?she wanted to stay over for a few days, making Leng?Xiyao¡¯s?mood improve slightly.

    She knew that Mo?Suqing?also needed cheering up. Having to learn about Yue?Zhongjue¡¯s?identity had shocked Mo?Suqing?greatly, and having to digest all that information was stressing her out.

    Leng?Haoyun?stood up immediately as he saw Leng?Xiyao?and Mo?Suqing?look like they were about to leave the house.

    ¡°Yao, where are you going?¡± He had lost the usual chill in his voice, and it was reced by a careful tone instead.

    Leng?Xiyao?looked at him, her face devoid of expression. She then smiled brightly, saying, ¡°Oh, right. I¡¯m nning to go shopping with Mo?Suqing. I¡¯ve invited her over to stay for a few days, but we might be going out pretty often. If you¡¯re bored, you can get Auntie toe over, I won¡¯t mind it...¡±

    Leng?Xiyao?forced herself to continue smiling as she spoke, masking the bitterness in her eyes.

    Leng?Haoyun?involuntarily staggered backwards when he heard her say ¡®auntie¡¯, plopping back onto the sofa. He stared at Leng?Xiyao?with a dark expression.

    Leng?Xiyao?continued mercilessly, ¡°I heard Aunt Zhang saying that Auntie seemed to like my room. I can sleep somewhere else, so the room can be cleared out for her. We¡¯re going now...¡±

    Leng?Xiyao?pulled Mo?Suqing?with her as she turned to leave.

    Leng?Haoyun¡¯s?voice could be heard saying, ¡°That will never happen. It will forever be your room!¡±

    ¡°Oh! Is that so?¡± Leng Xiyao answered with sarcasm, not bothering to stop in her tracks. Only Mo Suqing could see the tears flowing down Leng Xiyao¡¯s face.

    <i>Is this really okay? </i>

    Mo Suqing shook her head in resignation as she squeezed Leng Xiyao¡¯s hand.

    It was obvious from the sound of Leng?Xiyao¡¯s?voice that she was crying. ¡°Suqing, stop looking at me. I¡¯m just a little useless recently, and there¡¯s an oversupply of tears. I¡¯ll be fine in a while...¡±

    ¡°Mm...¡± Mo?Suqing?acknowledged gently as she looked away.

    Both of them did not n to stay out for too long since Mo?Suqing?was pregnant. They just wanted to take a walk in the vicinity, for Leng?Xiyao?found it too boring in the vi.

    Mo?Suqing?understood how she felt, and she was d to be ofpany.

    However, they were met with two unwee guests as they were leaving.

    Jian Jie and An?Huilin?arrived at the Leng¡¯s vi in a car.

    Although Leng Xiyao said she did not mind it, the color drained from her face once she saw An Huilin¡¯s car. Speak of the devil.

    <i>Was it Uncle who called her? </i>

    Leng Xiyao was a little unsteady on her feet, and she might have just crumpled to the ground without Mo Suqing supporting her. She felt disoriented, like the wind could blow her away anytime.

    Mo?Suqing?initially thought that An?Huilin?and Jian Jie would just pass by in their car, but the truth could not be farther from what she imagined.

    The car stopped right after it passed them.

    Mo?Suqing?and Leng?Xiyao?heard the noise behind them, but they continued walking forward, neither of them nning to look back.

    An?Huilin?and Jian Jie caught up in their heels.

    They blocked the path that Mo?Suqing?and Leng?Xiyao?were on. Mo?Suqing?spoke sternly, ¡°Out of the way!¡±

    Jian Jie smiled contemptuously. ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to!¡±

    Mo?Suqing?looked at her coldly, saying, ¡°I wonder if Ms. Jian has heard of the saying - obedient dogs don¡¯t stand in the way?¡±

    Jian Jie¡¯s expression soured instantly as she stared at Mo?Suqing, looking at thetter¡¯s stomach before augh escaped from her lips.

    ¡°I just have some things to say to a certain someone. I heard that you¡¯re pregnant?¡±

    Jian Jie continued staring at Mo?Suqing¡¯s?stomach, her gaze rather terrifying.

    Leng?Xiyao?stepped forward to ce herself in front of Mo?Suqing, her guard up against Jian Jie.

    ¡°What are you nning? Though rabid dogs do go around biting others in their frenzy, you shouldn¡¯t be going insane in public like that!¡±

    Jian Jie squinted at Leng?Xiyao?in disdain, thenughed.

    ¡°There are some who can¡¯t even handle their own affairs but want to butt into others. What a joke!¡±

    An Huilin stepped forward and pulled on Jian Jie. ¡°What are you doing, Jian Jie? Don¡¯t scare Yao like that, I¡¯m her Auntie now. In the future, I¡¯ll have to care for her just like Haoyun does. I won¡¯t be happy if you continue like this. I¡¯m actually very protective of the weak!¡±

    Jian Jie patted her on the arm and smiled. ¡°Okay, okay, okay! I know you¡¯re about to get married, so I¡¯ll just leave her alone!¡±

    The two of them seemed to be putting on a show, acting as if no one could do anything to them.

    Mo?Suqing?took Leng?Xiyao¡¯s?arm in hers and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Yao. We shall not stoop to the level of rabid dogs!¡±

    Jian Jie spoke quickly, ¡°Why are you in such a hurry, Ms. Mo? I haven¡¯t said my piece yet!¡±

    Mo?Suqing?ignored her as she continued walking forwards with Leng?Xiyao.

    Seeing that she had no intention to stop, Jian Jie continued, ¡°Ms. Mo, don¡¯t you want to know what Jue was doing on the day you were kidnapped?¡±

    That effectively stopped Mo?Suqing. Leng?Xiyao?wanted to urge her along, but Mo?Suqing?turned back.

    She stared pointedly at Jian Jie, her eyes slightly narrowing. ¡°Oh¡­ I would definitely love to hear it since you know where my husband went.¡±

    Leng Xiyao shook her head furiously, but Mo Suqing did not seem to register it at all. She simply stared straight at Jian Jie, waiting for thetter to speak.

    Pleased, Jian Jie smiled. <i>She¡¯s so predictable.</i>

    In a few leisurely steps, she stopped right in front of Mo Suqing. As Jian Jie looked at Mo Suqing with an air of arrogance, there was a trace of wickedness in her flirtatious smile.

    She spoke slowly, ¡°I guess it¡¯s fine to tell you about it, since you want to know so badly. I happened to also be kidnapped at the same time, but Jue chose toe and save me. Do you know what that means?¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s face paled. She was not able to get through to him on the phone that day. <i>Was it because he went to save Jian Jie?</i>

    Mo Suqing grabbed Leng Xiyao¡¯s hand tightly. <i>Was she less important than Jian Jie in his heart? All his words, no matter how sweet, amounted to nothing when it came to what he did. The person he cared about the most was not her.</i>

    Learning about this was a bolt from the blue for Mo Suqing. It was much harder to swallowpared to learning about Ye Zhongjue¡¯s identity.

    She always thought that Ye?Zhongjue?loved her, and that she was the one he cared the most about.

    But she was just jolted awake with a huge reality check. She did not want to doubt him either, but where was he and what was he doing on the day she was kidnapped?

    <i>Jian Jie would not make something like this up, so¡­ </i>Mo Suqing smiled at Jian Jie, ashen-faced.

    ¡°And? He saved you, and you¡¯re telling me this, for what? Or are you actually worried that he cares more about me? What do you want me to do by telling me all this?¡±

    Jian Jie did not expect Mo Suqing to respond in such a way. Her expression changed as she spoke, ¡°Think about it. Jue knew about your pregnancy, and if he did care about you, why did hee for me first? Do you think that Jue would have saved you if it weren¡¯t for the baby? I¡¯m here to give you some advice, so that you¡¯ll know what¡¯s best for you!¡±

    Mo Suqing felt her heart clench in pain, Jian Jie¡¯s words ringing in her mind. <i>Do you think that Jue would have saved you if it weren¡¯t for the baby?</i>

    Sheughed suddenly, but it was a rather desteugh. <i>Yes, were it not for the baby?</i>

    Leng Xiyao was rmed at Mo Suqing¡¯s expression.

    She spat at Jian Jie angrily, ¡°It doesn¡¯t prove that he cares more about you even if Ye?Zhongjue?went to save you first. Also, are you actually gloating over this? If Ye?Zhongjue?finds out you used this to boast to Mo?Suqing, do you think he¡¯ll still care about you at all?¡±

    Leng?Xiyao?saw that Jian Jie¡¯s face froze for a split second, and she knew she had dealt an effective blow.

    However,?Suqing¡¯s?pride would never let her tell Ye?Zhongjue?about this encounter.

    She and Ye?Zhongjue?were originally worlds apart, and it was already hard to ovee this big of a difference, much less finding a middle ground overnight. Mo?Suqing?had no choice but to protect herself carefully.

    Jian Jie could tell that Mo Suqing would not reveal what just happened to Ye Zhongjue, and this was also why she dared behave with such arrogance. Leng Xiyao squinted as she thought to herself. Though she could not be sure about what really happened that day, she still felt that Ye Zhongjue cares about Suqing a lot, even more than she could have imagined.

    <i>This woman here is acting just like a rabid dog, barking in a frenzy. Does she really think we are fools?</i>

    Mo Suqing squeezed Leng Xiyao¡¯s hand. It was obvious she did not wish to continue this exchange.

    Leng?Xiyao?pursed her lips at Mo?Suqing, and happened to nce at An?Huilin.

    ¡°Since Auntie likes to stir the pot with your good friend, then I sincerely hope that Uncle will never have to witness this?behaviour?of yours. I think Uncle wouldn¡¯t really like such uncouth women!¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Leng?Xiyao?grabbed Mo?Suqing¡¯s?hand and headed back to the vi.

    She did not believe that anyone would do anything overboard in the vi.

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s engagement had indeed upset her, but no matter how upset she was, she was no easy target.<i> It¡¯s my territory here, so don¡¯t even think about walking all over me! </i>

    Jian Jie¡¯s face paled as she looked at their figures.

    ¡°Huilin, what just happened was between Mo?Suqing?and I. It wouldn¡¯t really affect your rtionship with President Leng, right?¡±

    An?Huilin¡¯s?fist clenched as she looked at Leng?Xiyao¡¯s?short hair fluttering in the wind.

    She smiled. ¡°She¡¯s just a little girl. She can¡¯t do anything to me with that. Don¡¯t worry about what just happened. Just like you said, Ye?Zhongyue?went to save you first, and it¡¯s a fact. We just spoke the truth. Leng?Xiyao?won¡¯t be able to use that against us. I¡¯m not afraid of that little girl!¡±

    An Huilin¡¯s expression darkened right after.

 Chapter 152 â€“ No Different from Being a Mistress

    <h4>Chapter 152 ¨C No Different from Being a Mistress</h4>

    As Leng Xiyao and Mo Suqing reached the entrance to the vi, An Huilin¡¯s car sped past them, resulting in a gust of wind.

    Leng Xiyao tightened her grip on Mo Suqing¡¯s hand as she stared at the car, before walking into the vi.

    In the living room, Mo Suqing saw a stone-faced Leng Haoyun sitting across An Huilin and Jian Jie.

    Leng Xiyao chuckled as she approached them. ¡°Oh my, isn¡¯t this my future auntie? We just met on the road earlier! If I knew the both of you were visiting, I would have gotten a ride for Suqing and myself. Moreover, Suqing is pregnant.¡±

    An Huilin¡¯s eyes glistened as she looked at the grinning Leng Xiyao, but she remained silent.

    It was obvious that a pampered princess like Leng Xiyao would take it up with Leng Haoyun whenever things went awry. With Leng Haoyun¡¯s personality, even though he indulged her, he would still abide by some principles. Knowing this, An Huilin had already thought of a countermeasure.

    However, she did not expect Leng Xiyao to act this cheerful, and such behaviour had caught her unawares.

    Leng Haoyun furrowed his brows, showing obvious displeasure.

    He could put up with Leng Xiyao¡¯s temper and her ignoring him, but looking at how meek she is in front of An Huilin now, and how she is acting as if she liked An Huilin a lot, he felt a ball of fire in his chest.

    Leng Xiyao did not seem to register that he was upset as she continued smiling at An Huilin.

    ¡°Auntie, you must be thirsty. Let me get some water for you and Ms. Jian!¡±

    Leng Xiyao kept smiling as she turned to go get the water, only for Leng Haoyun to yell suddenly.

    ¡°Enough!¡±

    Leng Xiyao stood rooted to the ground as she flinched, while an intriguing smile formed on An Huilin¡¯s lips.

    Mo Suqing was standing in the living room, unsure of what to do.

    Leng Xiyao then shot a stubborn look at Leng Haoyun before heading for the kettle.

    Looking at Leng Xiyao¡¯s back, Mo Suqing turned to re at An Huilin.

    Although she already had enough on her own te for now, she was still very worried about Yao.

    Leng Xiyao was lost in her own thoughts as she stood in front of the kettle. She was holding a cup and did not even realize it when the hot water spilled out.

    It was only when the boiling water touched her skin did she yelp. ¡°Ah!¡±

    The ceramic cup in her hand shattered as it hit the smooth and shiny floor.

    Leng Haoyun was so fast that Mo Suqing did not see him move. Like a gust of wind, he was already at Leng Xiyao¡¯s side.

    Concern was written on his face, recing his usual detached expression with anxiety and worry. He held onto Leng Xiyao¡¯s hand and made for the washroom.

    Running water could be heard from the washroom, and Mo Suqing caught sight of An Huilin¡¯s sour expression. She suddenly found this entire situation to be ridiculous.

    An Huilin was probably trying to show Leng Xiyao who had the upper hand here. In her heart, Yao was just like an impulsivess who had no strategy. But she did not expect for such ass to use such a method.

    It was after a long time before Leng Xiyao was led out of the washroom by Leng Haoyun.

    Leng Haoyun led her towards the sofa, looking at her reddened hands with eyes that were full of concern and reproach for oneself.

    He asked Aunt Zhang to get some ice before raising his head to look at An Huilin.

    His voice was frigid.

    ¡°Why are you still here? Are you watching a show?¡±

    An Huilin¡¯s face turned chalk white at those words. His voice that wasced with disgust and impatience seemed to pierce right through her.

    An Huilin opened her mouth, about to say something.

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s anger was once again triggered as he saw the blisters forming on Leng Xiyao¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Get out! Do you need me to escort you out? Don¡¯t you have hands to get water for yourself?¡±

    An Huilin clearly felt Leng Haoyun¡¯s rage this time, and she spoke with trepidation, ¡°I didn¡¯t...¡±

    She wanted to say that she did not need to drink water, and she merely wanted to put some fear into Leng Xiyao. Moreover, she was supposed to move in eventually, and Leng Xiyao should be showing more respect as someone who is younger.

    <i>What was wrong in getting water for her?</i> An Huilin looked at Leng Haoyun, feeling aggrieved, but failing to say anything else.

    Jian Jie spoke quickly, ¡°You can¡¯t me Huilin, President Leng. She just wanted toe and see you. The both of you are already engaged, so it¡¯s nothing out of the ordinary if she visits. Yao is younger, so how could Huilin reject her offer to get water for her?¡±

    Her words were logical, and she felt that her argument was wless. Not to mention, it could help An Huilin. She then shot a triumphant look at Mo Suqing.

    An Huilin felt that Jian Jie made a lot of sense, and her expression rxed.

    What she did not expect, however, was Leng Haoyun¡¯s reaction. Leng Haoyun barely acted upon any sort of principle when it came to Leng Xiyao.

    He shot Jian Jie a sharp look. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be bothering yourself with matters of our household, Ms. Jian. Even if An Huilin and I get married, she wouldn¡¯t be living here. This home belongs to Yao and I. I believe I¡¯ve made it extremely clear now. Both of you are not wee here, please leave!¡±

    Jian Jie¡¯s expression turned dour. She did not expect Leng Haoyun to say something that extreme, and he even explicitly asked them to leave. She had never been treated like this before.

    She stood up angrily, pulling at An Huilin who was still in a daze.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Huilin. It¡¯s no use staying any longer in a ce like this!¡±

    An Huilin stayed still, appearing to be glued to the sofa. She stared at Leng Haoyun incredulously, her eyes looked like they were demanding an exnation from him for what just happened.

    ¡°Haoyun, did you say that because Yao hurt her hand today? If that¡¯s the case, I promise you that I would never provoke her after we get married. I¡¯ll let her have her way, okay?¡±

    She felt that this was unfair. She foolishly believed that she would be moving in after they got married.

    Moreover, this was the ancestral home of the Lengs. Although it had been renovated, it still took up a huge amount ofnd. It could be said that this house was second to none in A City. If she cannot move in even after marrying into the Leng family, this would beparable to being a mistress instead of a wife!

    An Huilin trembled with unease as she waited for Leng Haoyun¡¯s answer.

    Leng Xiyao remained silent as she sat beside Leng Haoyun.

    Once again, Mo Suqing felt like she was the audience to a y.

    Leng Haoyun kept a poker face as he raised his head. He took the ice from Aunt Zhang and applied it on Leng Xiyao¡¯s hand.

    Anyone who saw how tense he looked would have been able to tell how much he cared about Leng Xiyao.

    Mo Suqing felt consoled at this. No matter what Leng Haoyun felt for Leng Xiyao, Yao was definitely the most important in his heart.

    <i>It isn¡¯t so bad then.</i>

    Leng Haoyun carefully held Leng Xiyao¡¯s hand with the ice on it as he regarded An Huilin with a frosty gaze.

    ¡°Please leave. Even if all this didn¡¯t happen, I don¡¯t n to let you move in either. I¡¯ll purchase a house for you in the city. You can stay there if you wish. It¡¯s up to you.¡±

    An Huilin had never been humiliated like this, and she shook with anger as she pointed at Leng Haoyun.

    ¡°Leng Haoyun, you¡¯re really cruel. I¡¯ve stayed by your side all these years, wasting all my youth and all my time on you. What do you see me as? Saying these things to me, do you even have a conscience?¡±

    Leng Haoyun was emotionless, returning to that icy exterior of his.

    ¡°An Huilin, I¡¯ll tell you this again. I¡¯ve never asked that you wait for me nor spend time with me. Whatever you¡¯ve done over the years have nothing to do with me at all. I¡¯ve never asked for anything from you. We both agreed to the engagement, and if you¡¯re unhappy, I can always get a recement. So, please stop making a scene in my house. Escort the guests out, Aunt Zhang!¡±

    An Huilin was hysterical now, her whole body shaking in outrage. She wanted to destroy Leng Xiyao right at this moment. All of this happened because of Leng Xiyao. She originally wanted to instill some fear into Leng Xiyao today.

    She had not seen Leng Xiyao ever since the engagement, and she never would have imagined that it was her who would be humiliated so thoroughly today.

    Still trembling, An Huilin stood up. Jian Jie moved to support her, brows creasing as she shot another re at Mo Suqing.

    Mo Suqing was ying the part of an audience, observing the entire show silently. She would not participate in this as long as Yao was not at the losing end.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Huilin. We don¡¯t have to continue fighting with them here.¡±

    An Huilin looked at Leng Haoyun. ¡°Are you sure? Are you sure that she¡¯s not the reason that you¡¯re treating me like this?¡±

    Leng Haoyun nodded slowly. ¡°It¡¯s not because of anyone at all!¡±

    ¡°Fine!¡± An Huilin wiped the tears on her face. ¡°Since it¡¯s not because of anyone else, then it doesn¡¯t matter even if I don¡¯t stay here after marriage. Can I stille over in future? We are engaged!¡±

    An Huilin stared at Leng Haoyun as she awaited his reply.

    Leng Haoyun furrowed his brows. If possible, he did not want anyone elseing over to bother Leng Xiyao and him. But as An Huilin just mentioned, they are already engaged. He did not want to rece her with someone else out of nowhere. He will let here over if she wishes to, but he will never let her move in.

    ¡°You cane over if you want. But I hope you¡¯ll not do it often!¡±

    Leng Haoyun left no room for negotiation. From all that he had said and done, Mo Suqing could not tell that An Huilin was actually his fiancee.

    But An Huilin was a vile and hateful woman.<i> She deserves all of this!</i>

    An Huilin clenched her fists. She would definitely take revenge for the humiliation she suffered today.

    She looked at Leng Xiyao, who was currently scrunched up against Leng Haoyun. The petite girl looked weak and pitiful, as if she needed protection.

    This was the woman she hated the most!

    ¡°Fine! As you wish, my fiance!¡± An Huilin forced herself to smile at Leng Haoyun.

    She was bent on marrying him no matter what!

 Chapter 153 â€“ A Secret that Could Never be Known

    <h4>Chapter 153 ¨C A Secret that Could Never be Known</h4>

    When An Huilin and Jian Jie were leaving, Mo Suqing saw Leng Xiyao raise her head to look at the both of them smugly.

    Sudden realization hit Mo Suqing. All of this was nned by Yao.

    Yao was an innocent princess, but she had never let others trample over her.

    Whatever happened today was a lesson for An Huilin and Jian Jie. She did not want to see Jian Jie either, her rtionship with Ye Zhongjue seemed tooplicated.

    After Jian Jie and An Huilin left, Leng Xiyao looked up at Mo Suqing, blinking slyly.

    Mo Suqing smiled and went upstairs, not wanting to disturb the other two.

    Leng Xiyao looked at Leng Haoyun¡¯s chilly side profile, looking like someone owed him millions of dors. She secretly stuck her tongue out at him.

    Leng Haoyun suddenly spoke, ¡°Don¡¯t do that next time, okay?¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Leng Xiyao flinched in shocked, sucking in a breath of air in pain as she hit her hand.

    Leng Haoyun looked at her hand in concern, his tone serious as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡±

    Leng Xiyao stuck her tongue out again, but remained silent.

    Leng Haoyun spoke after a while.

    ¡°Juste to me if anything happens in future. You can just tell me if there¡¯s anything making you unhappy, don¡¯t use such methods to hurt yourself and to draw my attention. I¡¯d go crazy if you were really hurt...¡±

    There was a gloomy aura around Leng Haoyun as he finished.

    Leng Xiyao kept quiet. She did not know what to say.

    Although Leng Haoyun had spoiled her, she was still rather afraid of him. She would just lose her temper in the past if she was upset, or if she wanted anything.

    But since her uncle pped her, and after she pretended to get amnesia, she did not want to go back to being like her past self. She felt that he would simply continue treating her like a spoiled brat if she went back to her old ways.

    What she wanted was a secret that could never be known.

    Leng Xiyao turned away in silence.

    Leng Haoyun was flustered at this. He asked, ¡°Did you remember something, Yao?¡±

    Her hand made Leng Xiyao grimace in pain. She calmed herself down and looked at Leng Haoyun with a pair of innocent eyes.

    ¡°What are you talking about, Uncle? What happened in the past? Could you tell me about it? What was I like in the past?¡±

    Leng Haoyun was at a loss for words once he saw those gleaming eyes of hers squinting in an expectant smile.

    He looked at her hands, carefully applying the ice again, speaking in a low tone, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    Leng Xiyao heaved a sigh of relief.<i> Phew! Uncle almost found out. If he knew that she remembered what happened in the past and how he had pped her, would he still be able to face himself?</i>

    Leng Xiyao did not know if he could, and she did not dare ask him either. She was afraid that his answer would make her even more upset.

    She admitted to herself that she was really cowardly in front of Leng Haoyun. She did not dare to fight for what she wanted, she did not dare say a thing. She could only act like a child who only knew how to throw tantrums.

    But she did not know what she should do either.

    Leng Xiyao bit her lip and looked up at Leng Haoyun.

    ¡°Uncle, I¡¯ll head upstairs first. Suqing will be bored alone!¡±

    Leng Xiyao made her escape quickly.

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s gaze deepened as he looked at her. How he wished he could spend the rest of his life with her.

    ¡­¡­

    Ceng Hanyu headed to the hospital immediately after leaving the Leng¡¯s vi.

    He was summoned by Gu Yi¡¯an before he could visit Ye Zhongjue.

    Ceng Hanyu was nervous as he looked at the grave expression on Gu Yi¡¯an.<i> Was Leng Xiyao not Anne? Why would Gu Yi¡¯an have such an expression?</i>

    ¡°How are the results, Yi¡¯an? Let me see the report!¡±

    Instead of handing the report over to Ceng Hanyu, Gu Yi¡¯an shook his head.

    ¡°It¡¯s no hurry. I have three questions for you before I give you the report. If Leng Xiyao really is Anne, would you tell her the truth, or would you tell Leng Haoyun about it? Secondly, what would you do if she isn¡¯t Anne? Lastly, would you take her away if she really is Anne?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s arm that was originally reaching for the report froze in midair. He looked at Gu Yi¡¯an for a while before retracting his arm.

    He did not expect these questions from Gu Yi¡¯an. Gu Yi¡¯an was very aloof, and it was difficult to discern his thoughts. But he knew that Gu Yi¡¯an was very concerned when Ye Zhongjue got hurt and when Sin Eliminators had to evacuate.

    He knew that Gu Yi¡¯an cared deeply about him and Ye Zhongjue. But he still had not decided what to do about this matter with Anne.

    Ceng Hanyu lowered his head to think with furrowed brows. It was after quite a while before he looked up at Gu Yi¡¯an again.

    ¡°Yi¡¯an, I may not have decided on my course of actions, but believe me when I say I¡¯ll handle it properly. I won¡¯t let you worry anymore. Jue is awake now, and I promise nothing like this will happen again.¡±

    He paused for a moment before continuing.

    ¡°Actually, I have asked myself the same questions. You know that I¡¯ve been looking for her all these years. Now that we have a slight clue, I really wish it was her. I think you understand this well. As long as she is Anne, I don¡¯t really care about anything else. I¡¯d respect her wishes too. If she wants to leave, then I¡¯d do my utmost to take her away. Do you understand, Yi¡¯an?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded slowly before handing the report to Ceng Hanyu.

    ¡°Take a look. I¡¯ll make a move first. I need to settle some matters at the hospital.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu nodded as he took the report in his hands.

    He had already guessed the result from their conversation and from how Gu Yi¡¯an behaved. But he still had to see it with his own eyes.

    Ceng Hanyu almost cried tears of joy when he saw the positive result on thest page.

    He was wrought with emotion as he clutched the report tightly. Anne, his Anne, his fiancee. He had finally found her after so long.

    Ceng Hanyu walked to Ye Zhongjue¡¯s hospital room with the report in hand, wanting to share his immense joy with someone else.

    Happiness emanated from him as he stepped into the room.

    One look at him and Ye Zhongjue could already tell what was up.

    He looked at Ceng Hanyu calmly as he asked, ¡°Leng Xiyao is Anne?¡±

    His tone was full of warmth, happy that this close friend had finally found his fiancee.

    He was happy for Ceng Hanyu.

    Ceng Hanyu was too emotional to even speak. He simply nodded vigorously with the report still in his hand.

    ¡°When are you nning to reveal it to her? Or should I be asking when you are nning to let Old Man An meet her? The old man is getting on in years.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu calmed down a little at the mention of An Zhenguo. He was sure that the old man is anxious to know about the results of the report.

    He took a deep breath before answering.

    ¡°She¡¯s been in a rather bad mood recently. I¡¯ll wait until you¡¯re better, before letting¡­ before getting Sis-inw to bring her out. Let¡¯s all meet up. I want to drop a few hints first. I¡¯ll be informing the old man soon, and I¡¯ll tell him my thoughts. Anne hasn¡¯t been living with us for all this time, so it would probably be difficult for her to ept the truth immediately. I¡¯ll give her time to digest it.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good. You just said you wanted to get Suqing to bring her out. You just went to see Suqing right? How¡¯s her mood today?¡±

    There was a subtle change in Ceng Hanyu¡¯s expression, and he looked at Ye Zhongjue hesitantly.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? It¡¯s fine, just say whatever you have to!¡±

    ¡°She said her head¡¯s in a mess right now and she wanted some time alone. She asked us not to bother her, and then...¡± Ceng Hanyu stole a nce at Ye Zhongjue, making thetter frown.

    ¡°Then what?¡±

    ¡°Then, she headed for the Leng¡¯s vi. She said she wanted to stay with Anne for a few days. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already ordered some men to keep an eye on them. They will be safe even if they leave the house. Those are the top-tier agents from Sin Eliminators, and they¡¯re probably cussing at you right now! Relegating them to mere security personnel!¡±

    Ceng Hanyuughed after he spoke.

    Ye Zhongjue looked slightly displeased. ¡°Why does it look like you¡¯re gloating over this!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m definitely not!¡± Ceng Hanyu raised both of his hands in an attempt to defend himself.

    Ye Zhongjue leaned back in his bed, not speaking.

    Right at this moment, Ceng Hanyu¡¯s mobile phone rang.

    His brows started creasing as he listened to the person on the phone.

    Ceng Hanyu was unsure if he should inform Ye Zhongjue about what the agents had justmunicated over the phone.

    He might get too agitated if he learns about it. When that happens, Gu Yi¡¯an will chide him for not taking good care of Ye Zhongjue again.

    But if he keeps this a secret, he would probably never hear the end of it from Ye Zhongjue after he recovers.

    Both of these guys were not to be trifled with. He suddenly felt like a very pitiful soul stuck between them.

    Looking at Ceng Hanyu¡¯s expression, Ye Zhongjue regarded him morosely.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Can you be more normal?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get too agitated at what I¡¯m about to say!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue stared at him as he spoke with a steady voice.

    ¡°Okay, say it! I get it!¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ the agent keeping tabs on Sis-inw said she went out with Anne earlier, but they met Jian Jie and An Huilin. I don¡¯t know what they said to Sis-inw, but her mood suddenly took a turn for the worse...¡±

 Chapter 154 â€“ Donâ€™t Mind Being Cannon Fodder At All

    <h4>Chapter 154 ¨C Don¡¯t Mind Being Cannon Fodder At All</h4>

    Ceng Hanyu kept his eyes on Ye Zhongjue as he finished what he had to say, afraid that thetter would do something dangerous in his condition.

    To Ceng Hanyu¡¯s relief, Ye Zhongjue looked rather calm, and he did not seem too agitated.

    Ceng Hanyuughed dryly as he thought about how he had to go see An Zhenguoter.

    ¡°Jue, take your time to rest and recover. I¡¯ll go get Yi¡¯an toe over and keep youpany. I¡¯ll bring the report to Old Man An, and after you¡¯ve recovered, we¡¯ll go look for Sis-inw and Anne together!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue did not answer him. He was simply staring nkly at the air. Ceng Hanyu thought he agreed with the suggestion, so he left to get Gu Yi¡¯an.

    Ceng Hanyu kept reminding Gu Yi¡¯an to keep an eye on Ye Zhongjue, and that he will be back very soon.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was in a consultation with a patient currently, so he instructed one of the nurses to go take a look at Ye Zhongjue.

    Ceng Hanyu drove to the An family home with the report.

    An Zhenguo was reading the newspaper in the yard, with a row of ck-d bodyguards just a few steps away from him.

    He nced over when he heard the sound of a car, and realized it was Ceng Hanyu¡¯s car. Standing up quickly, he rushed over. He already knew why Ceng Hanyu was here.

    This was the sole reason he decided to stay in A City for so many days.

    Nobody else knew how nervous he felt.

    He was already above sixty. If he still cannot find Anne, he might not be able to see his biological granddaughter ever again in this life.

    Ceng Hanyu alighted, walking towards An Zhenguo with the report in hand.

    An Zhenguo had a cane in one hand and the newspaper in the other. He looked at Ceng Hanyu expectantly, ncing at the document he was holding.<i> That should be the report.</i>

    ¡°How¡¯re the results?¡± He asked with trepidation.

    Ceng Hanyu supported An Zhenguo¡¯s arm as he nodded.

    ¡°Calm down, Grandpa An. There¡¯s no mistaking it this time. I¡¯ve seen the results. This is the report, and you can take a closer look. Let¡¯s have a seat over there.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine!¡± An Zhenguo waved as tears welled up in his eyes. He had waited so long for this.

    He let go of his cane and the newspaper, and opened the report with shaking hands. Emotion overwhelmed him as he flipped to thest page to see the result.

    Ceng Hanyu was afraid that the old man would get too emotional, so he tried to support and console him.

    ¡°Grandpa An, now that you¡¯ve seen the results, you don¡¯t have to worry anymore. I¡¯ll let Annee back to you safely.¡±

    An Zhenguo nodded with hot tears in his eyes, not wanting to look away from the report.

    ¡°Regarding Anne, you don¡¯t have to do anything for now. I¡¯m nning to ask her out and drop some hints, so that I can gauge her thoughts about this first. I¡¯m afraid that it might be too shocking for her if I tell her suddenly. Is that okay, Grandpa An?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu asked the old man.

    An Zhenguo wiped the tears from his eyes and looked into the distance.

    ¡°This day has finallye. I¡¯ve dreamt of finding Anne for so long, Hanyu.¡±

    He patted Ceng Hanyu on the shoulder and said, ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble you this time! Go ahead quickly with your n, I¡¯d really like to see Anne soon!¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Ceng Hanyu nodded. ¡°I will, Grandpa An. Please don¡¯t think that you are troubling me at all. Anne is originally my fiancee. I should be doing this in the first ce.¡±

    An Zhenguo nodded at him, but before he could give any reply, Ceng Hanyu¡¯s mobile phone rang.

    Ceng Hanyu looked at his phone. It was Gu Yi¡¯an.

    ¡°Hello, what¡¯s up, Yi¡¯an?¡±

    ¡°Was Jue still there when you left? I was in a consultation session with a patient, and when I went over, the nurse told me Jue asked her to buy some things, but he disappeared when she returned!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s heart sank as he heard this. He knew that Ye Zhongjue would go looking for either Jian Jie or Mo Suqing.

    But he was in no condition to do so currently. Why is the man so stubborn!

    ¡°I¡¯ll go look for him. Don¡¯t worry, Yi¡¯an. I¡¯ll bring him back to the hospital safe and sound.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu spoke to An Zhenguo after he ended the call. ¡°Grandpa An, I¡¯ll bring Anne to you once I¡¯ve sorted it out. There are some things I have to settle, so I¡¯ll get going first!¡±

    An Zhenguo nodded as he took in Ceng Hanyu¡¯s uneasy expression. ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ve already waited for so many years, I can definitely wait for a few more days.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu called Mo Suqing immediately once he was in the car. Mo Suqing only answered after quite a while.

    ¡°Hello, Sis-inw. Is Jue with you now?¡±

    Mo Suqing opened her mouth to speak, acting like a robot devoid of any human emotion.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t he be in the hospital? Wherever he is, what has it got to do with me anyway!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu choked at that.<i> Sis-inw, don¡¯t say that. He¡¯s still your husband. Why be so unfeeling and act like it has nothing to do with you at all?</i>

    <i>Even if you¡¯re nning on getting a divorce, you guys haven¡¯t gotten it yet right?</i>

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like this, Sis-inw. Jue hasn¡¯t totally recovered from his injury...¡± The gears were turning furiously in Ceng Hanyu¡¯s mind as he tried to think of something effective to say.

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me to ask about him in future!¡±

    Right after Mo Suqing said that, Ceng Hanyu heard Leng Xiyao¡¯s voice through the phone.

    ¡°Suqing, Ye Zhongjue is here. He¡¯s downstairs. Do you want to see him?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu was so happy to hear this. He knew that there was an eighty percent chance that Ye Zhongjue would go looking for Mo Suqing.

    The call got cut immediately after Leng Xiyao spoke.

    Ceng Hanyu shook his head. He felt like he was cannon fodder. This was something between Ye Zhongjue and Mo Suqing.

    But he resigned himself to his fate as he thought of how close he was with Ye Zhongjue. They were almost like brothers. He then started driving towards the Leng¡¯s vi.

    He does not mind being the cannon fodder at all.

    ----

    Ye Zhongjue wanted to go upstairs initially, but Leng Haoyun frowned as he eyed Ye Zhongjue¡¯s injury.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be better if you wait here. She¡¯ll probablye downstairs if she knows you¡¯re here.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue thought about it for a couple of seconds before he nodded and sat on the sofa.

    Mo Suqing was stunned after hearing what Leng Xiyao just said. Why did hee looking for her?

    Based on her estimation, he would have just woken up not long ago. <i>What is he doing in that condition? Is he going to me me if anything happens to him like this?</i>

    Leng Xiyao shook her head when she saw Mo Suqing looking upset and conflicted. <i>Suqing will never be able to leave Ye Zhongjue like this. She just can¡¯te to terms with his identity overnight, but looking at how she¡¯s acting, it¡¯s obvious that she cares so much about him.</i>

    Leng Xiyao said, ¡°Suqing, how about going downstairs first? I heard Uncle say that his injury started bleeding again.¡±

    It was no surprise that Mo Suqing immediately left the room after hearing what Leng Xiyao said.

    Leng Xiyao sighed as she looked at Mo Suqing.

    It seemed like Ye Zhongjue had be Mo Suqing¡¯s weakness. She cannot remove it or let it go even if he hurts her!

    Leng Xiyao was rather worried, so she followed Mo Suqing downstairs.

    Once she saw the couple lock eyes with each other, Leng Haoyun pulled her away towards the yard.

    Leng Xiyao was about to struggle free, but she knew that the couple needed some space, so she quietly followed Leng Haoyun out.

    Ye Zhongjue felt so sorry as he saw the feeble-looking Mo Suqing. She would not look like this if it were not for him.

    She is pregnant now, and if she was in any other normal family, everyone would be so protective of her. But instead, she had to go through so much with him.

    Not being able to let her meet his parents was already bad enough.

    Now, he is letting her go through all this sadness and pain. He felt bad about everything.

    He is not able to give her the best even when he loves her, but he cannot bear to let go of her either.

    He had already decided that she will be his partner no matter what. Noone knew how important she was to him.

    Mo Suqing looked at Ye Zhongjue, his lips pale and his face devoid of color. He remained rooted to the ground beside the sofa, like a statue staring at her, unmoving.

    <i>Didn¡¯t he know that he was the person she wished to see the least now?</i>

    ¡°Dear...¡± Ye Zhongjue¡¯s voice was hoarse as he spoke after a while.

    Mo Suqing felt the tearsing as emotion flooded her. Why did he have to call her that?

    She was trying so hard not to cry.

    She tried to remain calm and shifted her gaze to look out the window instead.

    ¡°What are you doing here? Also, I¡¯m not your dear!¡±

    Mo Suqing sounded so indifferent and unfeeling that Ye Zhongjue frowned when he heard it. Palpable sorrow emanated from him.

    He acted like a whiny child now. ¡°But you¡¯re my wife...¡±

    Mo Suqing stared at him in a fit of anger.

    ¡°Go call someone else your wife, don¡¯te to me. I have nothing to do with you now. Didn¡¯t you grow up with Jian Jie? Isn¡¯t she very important to you? Go look for her! Why are you here?¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s emotions were running amok. She could not bear seeing Ye Zhongjue act like a pitiful little puppy in front of her. But the one who is really upset and hurting right now is actually her!

    Ye Zhongjue stepped forward, attempting to exin himself. However, the movement aggravated his injury and his brows furrowed in pain.

    ¡°Dear, it¡¯s not what you think. We aren¡¯t divorced yet, so don¡¯t say things like that. If you think I¡¯m not good enough, I can change for the better, okay? Could you tell me what Jian Jie said to you, if she did? I can exin everything, really. I¡¯m not lying when I say there¡¯s nothing going on between me and her!¡±

    Concern shed across Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes when she saw him wincing in pain. She wanted to go to him, but thought better of it when she reminded herself of who he actually is.

 Chapter 155 â€“ If Your Mum and I Fell Into the Water at the Same Time

    <h4>Chapter 155 ¨C If Your Mum and I Fell Into the Water at the Same Time</h4>

    Mo Suqing gritted her teeth and resolved to harden her heart. Who was he? The high and mighty President Ye, the Poisonous Prince. With so many identities, why would he still need her, someone who is essentially a nobody?

    She forced herself to look away from Ye Zhongjue¡¯s sorrowful expression, and once she remembered what Jian Jie said to her, she was able to, at least temporarily, forget all the hurt and sadness.

    She could not lie to herself. This was the truth, and she should not be telling herself otherwise.

    Mo Suqing took a deep breath as she tried to calm herself. She regarded Ye Zhongjue calmly.

    ¡°Fine! Since you say that you have nothing to do with her at all, then tell me where you were and what you were doing on the day I got kidnapped. I called you so many times. Why couldn¡¯t I reach you?¡±

    Mo Suqing stared at Ye Zhongjue. She was angry and upset, and she wanted him to tell the truth. On the other hand, she was also afraid that the truth would be exactly what Jian Jie said. She would not be able to take it if that is the case. She was not so magnanimous to the point that she could forgive her own husband choosing to save another woman when she was in danger.

    Not to mention that said woman is essentially her rival in love, and also someone who has been provoking her whenever there was a chance.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s heart sank when she saw the change in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression. It looked like he was being put in a difficult spot.

    Ye Zhongjue opened his mouth as if to speak, but did not do so. He had initially wanted to exin himself, but realized that no amount of exnation could absolve him.

    Because the truth was that he went to save another woman when his pregnant wife was kidnapped.

    Mo Suqing looked utterly disappointed. He felt so bad that his injury seemed to pulsate with all that pain.

    Mo Suqingughed suddenly. ¡°What? Got nothing to say? You have no right to ask me to listen to your exnation, Ye Zhongjue. I¡¯ve already given you the chance, but why aren¡¯t you taking it? Since you¡¯re not answering, let me tell you what happened on that morning!¡±

    ¡°Just when I got abducted, my dear husband left his mobile phone in the office and rushed off to save another woman. As for me, I¡¯m not even allowed to be angry and upset over this, because that person saved his life, and grew up together with him. I should be magnanimous here, since I¡¯m the one who actually deserves to be abducted. Am I right, Ye Zhongjue? Am I right? Say something!¡±

    Mo Suqing was getting more and more agitated, to the point that she eventually yelled at him.

    Ye Zhongjue seemed to get a shade paler with every word she said. With a hand over his wound, he looked at Mo Suqing as if he was frozen.

    Mo Suqing was getting even more upset as Ye Zhongjue did not even attempt to exin himself to her.

    <i>Why is he not talking? Does he have nothing to say to that? Did I really hit the nail on the head? That I can never bepared to the one who actually grew up with him? If that¡¯s the case, then why did he evene here?</i>

    Mo Suqing could no longer hold back her tears as they gushed down her face.

    She turned around quickly as the tears fell.

    She was like a fool all this time, being yed by Ye Zhongjue.

    He said he had nothing to do with that woman, and she believed him. But when it mattered, he had chosen to save the other woman instead.

    Support us at Innread.

    This was just like the question ¡®If your mum and I fell into the water at the same time, who would you save first?¡¯. It was obviously a dumb and ignorant question, but she felt mocked by it now.

    Mo Suqing sniffed and wiped the tears on her face before she turned to face him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to put on such a face. Didn¡¯t you just say it earlier, we haven¡¯t gotten a divorce yet. We can go get it now. This was a contractual marriage in the first ce, so what¡¯s the use in prolonging it any further? Ye Zhongjue! Don¡¯t call me your wife, I...¡±

    Mo Suqing did notplete her sentence. She just could not bring herself to say ¡®I hate it¡¯, because she knew that with Ye Zhongjue¡¯s temperament, that phrase would definitely be the dealbreaker.

    Sheughed at herself inwardly. <i>Look! They were already having such a big fight, but she still wanted to find a way to salvage this. Why am I like this? Why can¡¯t I let go of this one man!</i>

    Even if Mo Suqing did not say those words, Ye Zhongjue was already furious.

    His face darkened, looking like a vengeful demon about to take someone¡¯s life.

    ¡°Why do you have to bring up divorce everytime we fight or when something happens? Why are you doing this? Where did I go wrong? Just tell me and I¡¯ll change. I didn¡¯t know what happened that morning, or else I wouldn¡¯t have gone to Jian Jie. Why don¡¯t you believe me!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue tried very hard to mask his pain and tamp down his anger, all hoping to get back together with her again.

    Although he knew that she was already aware of his identity, he had wanted her to be the first person he saw when he woke up.

    <i>Why did she not know how strongly and deeply I feel for her? It was an intense love that had lodged itself tightly in his heart. Did I have to dig my heart out for her to prove it?</i>

    Mo Suqing stared at Ye Zhongjue. She did not know what went through his mind, but she had been lied to so many times. Everytime he asked her to trust him, she got fooled, again and again.

    <i>Why do I feel like I¡¯m being lied to all over again?</i>

    But she would not have to ponder over this much longer since he looked like he wanted to have a real conversation about this right now.

    She took a deep breath and regarded Ye Zhongjue seriously.

    ¡°Fine! Ye Zhongjue, since you asked where you went wrong and that you can change, I¡¯ll tell you clearly today. I don¡¯t like being lied to, I don¡¯t like to y guessing games, and of course, I don¡¯t like being kept in the dark. We live together, but you have too many secrets. The CEO of Mighty Empire, the Poisonous Prince of Sin Eliminators. Ye Zhongjue, can you just tell me what other identities you have been keeping from me? How many things are there that I¡¯m unaware of? I don¡¯t want to be an idiot, living with someone with so many secrets. All I want is an ordinary husband who loves me, not a mysterious person who makes me worry all the time, afraid that there¡¯ll be some other new identitying to light. You¡¯re telling me to believe you, but don¡¯t you remember that this isn¡¯t the first time? When I found out you were the CEO of Mighty Empire, I chose to trust you and forgive you. But you? All you gave me were continuous lies and more secrets. Since I¡¯ve already chosen to trust you once, please tell me, just how many more times I need to believe you again?¡±

    Mo Suqing was extremely emotional as she fired the questions at Ye Zhongjue.

    She held back the pain and tears as she continued. ¡°You say I bring up divorce whenever we fight. But why didn¡¯t you tell me everything earlier? Do these lies and secrets reflect that you love me? Do you know how shocked I am everytime I learn of a new identity? You told me you owed Jian Jie since she took a bullet for you in Ennd, and me, I was trying to act like I was magnanimous. If you didn¡¯t mind her, then I shouldn¡¯t mind her either. But do you know that as long as she¡¯s around, it¡¯s just like a thorn in my heart. It can¡¯t be removed but it hurts. You took a bullet for me...¡±

    Mo Suqing could no longer hold back her tears now.

    She did not turn away this time, but continued speaking as she looked straight at Ye Zhongjue. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the baby, would you still have taken that bullet for me?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s sorrow turned into instant fury. He understood everything Mo Suqing had just said. He knew that she felt conflicted and upset, and he would swear to treat her well from now on, never lying to her again.

    <i>Why did she have to doubt my feelings for her? If it wasn¡¯t for love, why would I even want her to have my child?</i>

    <i>Why did she not understand that she¡¯s the one I care the most about. If she were no longer here, then it¡¯s no use having the child either. If the child wasn¡¯t hers, I wouldn¡¯t even want it.</i>

    He raised his hand to point at Mo Suqing, saying weakly, ¡°Mo Suqing, you¡¯re really...¡±

    After the word ¡®really¡¯, Ye Zhongjue spit blood and fell forwards.

    Mo Suqing eyes widened in shock. <i>What just happened?</i>

    Mo Suqing shot forward, grabbing Ye Zhongjue¡¯s arm as her tears continued to flow.

    <i>It¡¯s my fault, I shouldn¡¯t have said all that.?</i>There are certain things that her heart knew well, but she was just unhappy and had to vent.<i>?If I wasn¡¯t so stubborn, he wouldn¡¯t be like this now.</i>

    ¡°Wake up, Ye Zhongjue!¡± Mo Suqing cried as she held onto his arm. ¡°I won¡¯t get angry anymore, and I don¡¯t mind your identities either, just wake up! Stop scaring me!¡±

    ----

    Leng Haoyun stopped Ceng Hanyu at the door when he arrived at the Leng¡¯s vi.

    He looked at Leng Haoyun and spoke urgently, ¡°Move, I need to go in!¡±

    Leng Haoyun looked at Ceng Hanyu coldly. He remained silent and seemed to have no intention of letting the other man enter.

    Observing the situation, Leng Xiyao pulled Leng Haoyun¡¯s arm in slight rm and said, ¡°Uncle, since Ceng Hanyu is here, there must be something urgent. Just let him enter.¡±

    Leng Haoyun had originally wanted to let Ceng Hanyu in, however, with what Leng Xiyao just said, he felt ufortable doing it all of a sudden.

    <i>Were Yao and Ceng Hanyu on good terms? Why did she speak up for him??</i>For some reason, he began to get irked by Ceng Hanyu.

    He said, ¡°Is this your house or a hotel? It¡¯s not a ce where you can enter and exit as you please!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu was stunned. He did not expect the usually aloof Leng Haoyun to be so unyielding today.

    He looked at Leng Haoyun impatiently. ¡°Move, it¡¯s urgent. I have to enter now. Ye Zhongjue¡¯s is still...¡±

    Leng Haoyun cut him off abruptly. ¡°What has your urgent matter got to do with me? Please leave my house! You¡¯re not wee here!¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked at Leng Haoyun in puzzlement. <i>What¡¯s wrong with Uncle today? What¡¯s he doing? If my guess is right, he seems to be making things especially difficult for Ceng Hanyu on purpose.</i>

 Chapter 156 â€“ My Manners are Very Valuable

    <h4>Chapter 156 ¨C My Manners are Very Valuable</h4>

    Ceng Hanyu felt that he was already controlling his emotions very well, but Leng Haoyun seemed bent to go against him today.

    And it just so happens that he had a bone to pick with Leng Haoyun.

    Apart from him raising Anne, he hated everything about Leng Haoyun.

    He spoke in a low tone, ¡°Don¡¯t go overboard, Leng Haoyun. I¡¯m here to see Jue, and that has nothing to do with you. Move!¡±

    Leng Haoyun sent him a sideway nce. ¡°I don¡¯t like that there¡¯s a rabid dog barking right at my door. If you understand human speech, please leave!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu blew his top at this. ¡°Leng Haoyun, if I¡¯m a rabid dog, then what are you? How different are you from a rabid dog? Have I offended you today? I think you¡¯re goddamn insane!¡±

    Leng Haoyun stared at him. ¡°Did you bring your manners out today?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu was about to rip him a new one, but being aware of Leng Xiyao¡¯s presence made him feel that it was too uncool to do so.

    He said nonchntly, ¡°President Leng, don¡¯t you know that something as valuable as manners should be kept locked in a safe?¡±

    ¡°Oh, so Mr. Ceng has never brought his manners out with him!¡± Leng Haoyun answered sarcastically.

    It took extreme strength for Ceng Hanyu to push all of his boiling anger down. He had never thought that the man in front of him could be so vicious and childish!

    ¡°My manners are very valuable, and they¡¯ve always been used for normal people. I¡¯ve never bothered to use them when ites to rabid dogs!¡±

    ¡°Only those who have absolutely no manners will find excuses for their behaviour!¡±

    ¡°Leng Haoyun, I think you¡¯re really out of your mind today!¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re not crazy, please don¡¯t barking non-stop at our door!¡±

    ¡­¡­

    Leng Xiyao was lost for words as she stood observing the childish exchange that wasced with sarcasm between the two men. Were they still her uncle and the Ceng Hanyu she knew?

    <i>Have they been possessed?</i>

    Leng Xiyao felt that the day just got livelier with that verbal spar.

    She suddenly heard Mo Suqing crying.

    She shouted, ¡°Stop! Is Suqing crying?¡±

    Leng Haoyun and Ceng Hanyu froze as they continued staring at each other, none of them willing to look away.

    Leng Xiyao could no longer bother with the two of them and tried to listen carefully to the sound. It was definitely Mo Suqing crying. She seemed to be yelling as well.

    She red at Ceng Hanyu like an angry lion cub. ¡°It must be that brother of yours again! He¡¯s bullying Suqing again! I won¡¯t let him off the hook if anything happens to Suqing!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu simply nodded at Leng Xiyao¡¯s harsh words. ¡°Okay, okay, okay, grandaunt. You have the final say. Please get your uncle to move aside so I can enter and assess the situation, okay?¡±

    Leng Haoyun harrumphed and walked into the vi without giving Leng Xiyao a chance to speak. Both Ceng Hanyu and Leng Xiyao followed closely.

    Leng Xiyao was dumbstruck as she entered the living room. Ye Zhongjuey on the floor, pale as chalk. It was obvious he had passed out.

    Mo Suqing was holding onto his arm and crying for him to wake up.

    Ceng Hanyu rushed forward and pulled Mo Suqing away. He yelled at Mo Suqing in agitation.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to tear his wound if you don¡¯t stop shaking him like that. When that happens, even God Almighty won¡¯t be able to save him!¡±

    Mo Suqing was stupefied, but she refused to let go of Ye Zhongjue¡¯s arm. She no longer dared to shake it further.

    Leng Xiyao frowned. <i>What happened between the two of them?</i>

    Ceng Hanyu reached out and felt the blood on Ye Zhongjue. Looking at the bloodstains along his lips, he red up at Mo Suqing.

    ¡°What did you do to him!¡±

    Mo Suqing was tear-stricken. Apart from squatting beside Ye Zhongjue like a child who made a mistake, she did not know what to do.

    Leng Xiyao felt upset at that. She went forward to pull Mo Suqing up, and ced herself in front of the girl as if to shield her.

    ¡°Are you mad, Ceng Hanyu? He¡¯s a grown man. What can Suqing do to him? How about you send him to the hospital now instead of arguing with Suqing in our house!¡±

    ncing at Leng Xiyao, Ceng Hanyu calmed down slightly. He was too agitated earlier and lost control of his emotions. If Ye Zhongjue knew he had been so fierce with Mo Suqing, he would definitely get skinned alive.

    But sending him to the hospital was of utmost importance at the moment.

    He looked at Leng Xiyao, and she immediately understood what he was trying tomunicate.

    ¡°Uncle, help to bring Ye Zhongjue to the car!¡±

    Leng Haoyun moved forward without hesitation.

    He just left the room for a short while. He never would have imagined that Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue would have such a huge quarrel. He quickly helped Ceng Hanyu support Ye Zhongjue.

    Ceng Hanyu quietly harrumphed, but Leng Haoyun paid it no heed.

    Mo Suqing followed them to the hospital, and it was only until Ye Zhongjue entered the operating theater did worry and concern ster her face. She was leaning against the wall as Leng Xiyao went over and held her arm in an effort to console her.

    Mo Suqing turned to hug her suddenly, her tears dripping onto Leng Xiyao¡¯s neck.

    ¡°Yao, if something happens to him, I will never be able to forgive myself!¡±

    Leng Xiyao sighed and said, ¡°Why do the both of you do this? You care about each other deeply, so why do you hurt each other like that? If you were able to look at things from Ye Zhongjue¡¯s perspective, you may then be able to understand why he chose to keep things from you. Sometimes, it isn¡¯t on purpose, but it¡¯s because you may inadvertently be hurt by it. It¡¯s to protect you, that¡¯s all. This is all I can say, you¡¯d have to think about this on your own. If you still want to be with him, then don¡¯t fight anymore. He¡¯s already like this, so just give each other a chance. In fact, your situation is rather cheerfulpared to those who love each other but are unable to do so.¡±

    Leng Xiyao fell silent after that, and Mo Suqing did not speak either.

    If even Leng Xiyao could see things from Ye Zhongjue¡¯s perspective, why can¡¯t she do so too?

    Ye Zhongjue may be right in saying that she brings up divorce every time they fight. She had never talked things through with him.

    She knew full well that she was unable to leave him.

    She would literally die inside if she leaves him, and very few people could understand such a feeling.

    <i>If that was the case, how about trying to put myself in his shoes and be more understanding?</i>

    Maybe because she had already chosen him, she should stop trying to avoid matters and stop thinking of running away all the time.

    When she saw Ye Zhongjue spitting blood, her heart had almost stopped in shock.

    She promised herself that she would settle matters more amicably between them in future.

    Ye Zhongjue was in the operating theater for much longer than the first time.

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked haggard when he finally walked out of the operating theater.

    Ceng Hanyu rushed to him. ¡°Yi¡¯an, how¡¯s Jue?¡±

    A trace of anger could be seen in the usually aloof Gu Yi¡¯an, his aura keeping others at bay.

    ¡°He won¡¯t die, it¡¯s just that the wound tore open. Suppressing his emotions caused a blood clot to form in his chest. It¡¯s not that bad since he already spit some of it out. But he needs to take care. If that happens again, I might not be able to save him!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nced at Mo Suqing as he finished.

    Mo Suqing felt chills run down her spine when she caught his nce. This aura was totally different from the first time she met Gu Yi¡¯an.

    Ceng Hanyu heaved a sigh of relief. Ye Zhongjue was pushed out, still unconscious. Ceng Hanyu and Mo Suqing both followed closely.

    It was only after they reached the ward did Ceng Hanyu look at Mo Suqing.

    ¡°Let¡¯s chat outside.¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded.

    They took the elevator up to the rooftop.

    Ceng Hanyu did not speak for a long time.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t being very polite at the Leng¡¯s vi. Please don¡¯t mind it, I was just too agitated.¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head to signal that she did not take it to heart. She realized that she was more calm and that her head was much clearer after thinking through everything.

    She spoke softly, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I get it. If anything happens to him, I¡¯d probably be as agitated as you.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu felt that something seemed to have changed in Mo Suqing, but he simply could not put a finger on it.

    He said in a serious tone, ¡°I should still apologize.¡±

    Mo Suqing remained silent as she smiled lightly.

    After a couple of seconds, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll make my way down first. I¡¯m worried about Ye Zhongjue being alone in the ward.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu nodded. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You can enjoy the breeze for a little longer if you¡¯d like. I can make my way there on my own.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Jue hasn¡¯t woken up, so I¡¯m in charge of your safety. If anything happens to you, he¡¯d kill me after he wakes up!¡±

    Mo Suqingughed. ¡°Okay then, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu asked an unexpected question when they were in the elevator. ¡°Sis-inw, do you know what Leng Xiyao likes?¡±

    Mo Suqing creased her brows as she pondered over the question. ¡°Yao¡­ there isn¡¯t anything that she likes in particr. She¡¯s just like an overgrown kid who¡¯s rather curious about things, and she likes it when it¡¯s lively...¡±

    Mo Suqing stopped suddenly. ¡°Why are you asking me this? Are you nning on wooing her?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu made a face. <i>I¡¯m not trying to woo her, she¡¯s already my fiancee!</i>

    Mo Suqing thought he was embarrassed, and continued, ¡°No need to be embarrassed. I¡¯ll support you in that. Since there¡¯s someone who doesn¡¯t treasure her, it¡¯s nice that somebody else is interested!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu onlyughed humorlessly at that. He was now racking his brains over how he should tell Yao about her real identity.

    He stepped out of the elevator, but turned back to look at Mo Suqing again.

    ¡°Do you know much about her background? Like, has she ever talked to you about it? ?Of course, I¡¯m not talking about Leng Haoyun.¡±

 Chapter 157 â€“ Rise from the Grave as a Living Corpse

    <h4>Chapter 157 ¨C Rise from the Grave as a Living Corpse</h4>

    Mo Suqing shook her head.

    ¡°Nope. She has never talked to me about it, I only knew she had an uncle. But it¡¯s quite clear now that she doesn¡¯t seem to have any other rtives apart from Leng Haoyun. Her parents passed away when she was only ten.¡±

    ¡°Has she ever said that she wished she had other rtives?¡± Ceng Hanyu asked nervously.

    Mo Suqing looked at him quizzically. ¡°Other rtives? Like?¡±

    ¡°Like a grandfather, a fiance, people like that!¡± Ceng Hanyu asked Mo Suqing earnestly.

    Mo Suqing almost burst outughing.

    She could understand the part about wanting a grandfather, but wanting a fiance is unlikely, unless she was forced into an engagement by Leng Haoyun and went insane.

    She pondered over it as she nced at Leng Haoyun.

    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. In Yao¡¯s heart, Leng Haoyun is her closest rtive. No one else canpare to him. Moreover, her parents had passed on when she was still very young, and I¡¯ve heard that her grandfather has been dead for years.¡±

    Mo Suqing thought to herself, <i>He can¡¯t rise from the grave as a living corpse, can he!</i>

    Ceng Hanyu looked slightly disappointed at what she just said, but she paid no heed to it.

    Ceng Hanyu walked her to the entrance of the ward. ¡°Jue really loves you, and I¡¯ve never seen him hold onto anyone so tightly. I hope you understand. Please don¡¯t let him down, no matter who he is, his love for you will never change. I¡¯ll head out first, go on in.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu left after he said his piece.

    Mo Suqing entered the ward and looked at Ye Zhongjue. Although he is unconscious, his brows were still furrowed, as if he was extremely worried about something.

    Mo Suqing felt hurt and upset as she took in that expression of his. <i>What an idiot!</i>

    She walked over and sat by the edge of the bed before reaching out to smoothen those furrowed brows on his forehead.

    She no longer wanted to quarrel with him anymore. She just wanted to spend lots of time with him after he wakes up.

    Mo Suqing fell asleep after a while.

    ----

    Ye Zhongjue recalled Mo Suqing¡¯s harsh words before he passed out. He was unable to defend himself, but it had hurt him so deeply.

    He did not want to show her his weak side, but all he remembered was that he spat out a mouthful of blood before toppling over.

    He seemed to recall Mo Suqing crying by his side. He had wanted to reach out to wipe her tears away, but his arm was just too heavy and he could not move it at all.

    He was already in the hospital when he awoke again. He thought that it would be the same this time, that she would not be there.

    But he never expected to see a tiny head right beside the bed.

    Ye Zhongjue thought he had ascended to heaven. Why else would he be able to see her here?

    Looking at her posture, Ye Zhongjue thought it must be ufortable. His pregnant wife probably stayed in such a hunched position for a prolonged period of time.

    <i>Silly girl. No matter how harsh her words were, she¡¯s still the kind girl I know.</i>

    He reached out to stroke her hair.

    Mo Suqing was not in a deep sleep, and she jolted awake when she felt someone touching her hair.

    She looked at Ye Zhongjue with sleepy eyes. A smile hung on his lips as he looked sweetly at her.

    Mo Suqing looked like she was still in a daze. Ye Zhongjue¡¯s heart melted when he saw her face.

    ¡°Silly girl, why are you hunching over the side of the bed? Isn¡¯t that ufortable? Did you forget that you¡¯re pregnant now?¡±

    Hot tears escaped Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes. He cared about her so much, but all she did was to make him angry.

    It was obvious that Gu Yi¡¯an was indirectly addressing her when he said everything outside the operating theater.

    But everything he said was true.<i>?I¡¯m so horrid. If I didn¡¯t keep ming him, Ye Zhongjue would not feel so frustrated either. If anything happens to him, I¡¯d regret it for life!</i>

    Like a little animal, Mo Suqing sniffed and looked at Ye Zhongjue with teary eyes. She pulled on his arm.

    ¡°I was afraid that you¡¯d never wake up...¡±

    Ye Zhongjueughed. ¡°You¡¯re here, silly. I won¡¯t sleep forever!¡±

    He turned slightly and tapped the space on the bed next to him. ¡°Come up! Lie here. Let¡¯s cuddle and sleep. It¡¯s not good for the baby if you keep hunching like that. You won¡¯t get a good sleep either!¡±

    Shaking her head, Mo Suqing pursed her lips in disagreement.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll hit your wound.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t. Nothing will happen if I don¡¯t make any huge movements.¡± Ye Zhongjue took her tiny hand in his, smiling as he spoke.

    Mo Suqing frowned. She looked so adorable to Ye Zhongjue now that he just wanted to eat her up.

    Mo Suqing suddenly felt that Ye Zhongjue was thinking of something dirty now.

    She blinked as she regarded him suspiciously. Her eyes were like the stars in the night sky, dazzling and bright.

    Ye Zhongjue kissed her hand and looked at her gently.

    ¡°Be good,e up andy here. Your back will hurt tomorrow!¡± It was either the gentleness or the allure in his voice that made Mo Suqing feel like she was being duped like a little child.

    She listened to Ye Zhongjue in the end. Shey down in his warm hug. She felt so content in that moment, as if nothing else mattered.

    Ye Zhongjue took her in his arms, resting his chin on her head.

    ¡°Will you forgive me, my dear? I promise that I¡¯ll share everything with you from now on. I don¡¯t have any other identities apart from being Mighty Empire¡¯s CEO and the Poisonous Prince of Sin Eliminators, really! I was afraid that you¡¯ll be scared, so I didn¡¯t dare reveal it to you at first. Give me one more chance, okay?¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s head was nestled in his chest as she nodded.

    ¡°Mm, I forgive you.¡±

    Although Mo Suqing spoke extremely softly, Ye Zhongjue was overjoyed when he heard her reply.

    Mo Suqing held his arm tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t move, be careful of tearing the wound.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue cuddled her closer.

    This is his wife, the woman he loves the most in this life.

    Ye Zhongjue spoke after a while. ¡°Darling, I¡¯ll take care of the matter with Jian Jie. I¡¯ll transfer her out after I¡¯m discharged. I won¡¯t allow her to continue being my head secretary.¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head, as if upset.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need. That would just affect your work!¡±

    Ye Zhongjueughed lightly. Hisugh was especially enticing in the quiet night.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, I¡¯ll never let anything hurt you again. Do you know that it pains me if you¡¯re hurt in any way? Changing the head secretary wouldn¡¯t affect anything. I¡¯ll just get Lin Ran to stand in for the time being. I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°Lin Ran...¡± Mo Suqing creased her brows. ¡°He seems to be a jack of all trades.¡±

    ¡°Yup, he¡¯s my special assistant, and he knows about as much as I do. Everyone in thepany calls him the super assistant!¡±

    Mo Suqingughed, her head still nestledfortably.

    The night was chilly.

    Time passed as they chatted, and both of them fell asleep after some time.

    ¡­¡­

    Mo Suqing had been taking care of Ye Zhongjue in the hospital after they had made up.

    There were a couple of things that happened during this time which made Mo Suqing less upset.

    The first was Jian Jieing to visit.

    Mo Suqing did not say much, she simply let the other woman in.

    Jian Jie looked at her, red-faced. The jealousy in her could not be masked no matter how impable her makeup was.

    Jian Jie did not think they would be able to make up even after all that she said that day.

    <i>Fine! Since Mo Suqing refuses to relent, don¡¯t me me if I n something else.</i>

    Ye Zhongjue literally ignored Jian Jie when she tried to talk to him. Jian Jie was furious, but she wanted to maintain a pleasant image and did not blow her top in front of Ye Zhongjue.

    What she did not expect was for Ye Zhongjue to say to Mo Suqing, ¡°Send the guest out, dear. I want to rest now. It¡¯s too noisy beside my ears!¡±

    Mo Suqing almost burst outughing when Ye Zhongjue shot her a purposeful look. <i>What a meanie he was!</i>

    However, no matter what he says, someone like Jian Jie would definitely hold a grudge.

    But Mo Suqing did not mind it at all.

    Ye Zhongjue will pay her no heed no matter what Jian Jie does. Mo Suqing believed in Ye Zhongjue.

    Mo Suqing walked Jian Jie out.

    When Jian Jie saw the door close, she turned to re at Mo Suqing, as if she meant to devour the woman.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think that you¡¯ve won, Mo Suqing. I¡¯ll make you regret it one day! Jue is so nice to you now only because you¡¯re pregnant. Don¡¯t believe it? We¡¯ll see about that!¡±

    Mo Suqing saw Leng Xiyao walking over before she could retort. Leng Xiyao spoke instead.

    ¡°Certain individuals who are unable to get men¡¯s attention are going crazy here. Gosh, so uncouth!¡±

    Leng Xiyao shook her head as she spoke, her look a perfectbination of ridicule and disdain.

    Mo Suqing smiled at her.

    Jian Jie turned and saw that it was Leng Xiyao. That girl was always ready for a catfight.

    Leng Xiyao was able to humiliate An Huilin at the Leng¡¯s vi and even made Leng Haoyun hurl insults at her. Jian Jie now knew that Leng Xiyao was not one to be trifled with.

    Jian Jie, however, was not going to back down either.

    ¡°That¡¯s better than some others who are literally parading themselves in front of a man everyday, while said man remains unmoved. It¡¯s better to feel sad than to drown yourself in alcohol even when the man you love gets engaged to another woman. That¡¯s really sad!¡±

 Chapter 158 â€“ Forever Alone and Totally Useless

    <h4>Chapter 158 ¨C Forever Alone and Totally Useless</h4>

    Leng Xiyao fumed at Jian Jie¡¯s sarcastic tone.

    <i>Jian Jie knows that I like Uncle!</i>

    Anger emanated from her as she stared daggers at Jian Jie.

    Mo Suqing pulled Leng Xiyao closer to her and red at Jian Jie. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Jian Jie? Why are you still here when I¡¯ve already escorted you out!¡±

    Not only did Jian Jie not get mad, she started admiring her fingers and caressing the back of her hand.

    Speaking in anguid tone, she said, ¡°You¡¯ll be going down very soon, Mo Suqing. In the meantime, I¡¯d like to have a few words with this forever alone person here. Doesn¡¯t she love to bicker with others?¡±

    Like a proud peacock, Jian Jie raised her brows to challenge Mo Suqing.

    Leng Xiyao looked at her angrily, like an agitated little panther cub. ¡°You¡¯re the one who is forever alone, Jian Jie. I think there¡¯s something wrong with your head. Ye Zhongjue would never fall for someone as twisted as you!¡±

    Going with the flow, Mo Suqing nodded in agreement. ¡°Not to mention, not only is she forever alone, she¡¯s also forever ignored!¡±

    Leng Xiyao chuckled.

    Sheughed as she added, ¡°That¡¯s right! Forever alone and totally useless. That should be the right phrase to describe a certain someone!¡±

    Jian Jie¡¯s face reddened at first, but as Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao continued their banter, her expression darkened.

    She shot a furious look at Mo Suqing. ¡°Enjoying yourself, aren¡¯t you, Mo Suqing? You won¡¯t be enjoying this for much longer!¡±

    Leng Xiyao was irked by those hateful eyes, and pulled Mo Suqing with her towards the ward.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go! Suqing, don¡¯t talk to this madwoman!¡±

    Jian Jie¡¯s abhorrence for the two grew as she looked at their departing figures...

    -

    Apart from this incident, Leng Xiyao also told Mo Suqing about something else.

    Leng Xiyao pulled Mo Suqing to a corner right after they entered the ward. Ye Zhongjue looked up and witnessed this, but did not think much of it and continued reading the documents he was holding. However, his interest was piqued when he heard something like ¡®weird old man¡¯ and ¡®on the day of uncle¡¯s engagement¡¯. He sent a text message to Ceng Hanyu, but continued looking down at his documents.

    Leng Xiyao looked like she was in a great mood as she spoke.

    ¡°Suqing, do you know that it¡¯s the second time I¡¯m meeting a weirdo today? I met a weird old man on the road earlier. He insisted that he was lost and that he couldn¡¯t find his way back. However, there were even a whole bunch of bodyguards following behind him. Did he seriously think I was blind or something?¡±

    Mo Suqing was more careful now after her experience of being abducted. She said, ¡°Be careful, he may have some hidden agenda. You never know what a person is thinking. It¡¯s better to be more careful! I¡¯ll get Ceng Hanyu to send you backter!¡±

    Leng Xiyao rolled her eyes. ¡°There isn¡¯t one day where he doesn¡¯t give me a ride!¡±

    Leng Xiyao visited almost everyday ever since Mo Suqing decided to take care of Ye Zhongjue in the hospital. Ceng Hanyu would send her back every single time even though she had told him it was unnecessary. However, Ceng Hanyu insisted on doing it.

    Over the past few days, Leng Xiyao had gotten much closer with Ceng Hanyu and did not mind it as much as before. She let him do as he pleased now, and it was for her safety anyway!

    ¡°But don¡¯t worry, Suqing. I actually know the old man!¡±

    Mo Suqing was puzzled. ¡°You know him?¡±

    ¡°Yup!¡± Leng Xiyao plopped right onto the sofa.

    ¡°I found him rather familiar at first nce, and when I thought about it, I realized that he actually attended Uncle and An Huilin¡¯s engagement party. He seemed to be acquainted with Ceng Hanyu. Do you remember?¡±

    Mo Suqing thought about it. She seemed to have some sort of an inkling.

    ¡°I somewhat recall. What of it though?¡±

    Leng Xiyao shrugged. ¡°Nothing. He said he was lost at first and asked for directions. I helped him a little initially but I got reminded of who he actually is when he started bombarding me with questions. He¡¯s definitely not a friend of Uncle¡¯s, so it must be a rtive of that An Huilin woman. I lost all my respect for him right at that moment.¡±

    ¡°And then?¡± Leng Xiyao had a sneaky smile on her face, and Mo Suqing felt that something was amiss.

    Leng Xiyao gave an evil grin. ¡°I gave him the wrong directions, so he probably got further and further away from his destination!¡±

    Leng Xiyao rolled on the sofa inughter while Mo Suqing was left utterly speechless. <i>This girl can really hold a grudge. Anyone who even knows An Huilin will likely get in trouble if they meet her.</i>

    Ye Zhongjue observed everything with slightly raised eyebrows.

    He wondered what Leng Xiyao would think if she found out that the old man is actually her biological grandfather. <i>Her expression will be priceless. As for An Huilin, shouldn¡¯t Leng Xiyao be calling her Auntie instead?</i>

    <i>I better get Ceng Hanyu to reveal everything to Leng Xiyao as quickly as he can. Who knows what else might happen next?</i>

    Leng Xiyao could tell that Ceng Hanyu and Ye Zhongjue had something to discuss when the former arrived, so she left the room with Mo Suqing.

    Ceng Hanyu immediately after they exited. ¡°What¡¯s so urgent?¡±

    ¡°You should ask Old Man An where he is now!¡± Ye Zhongjue spoke without emotion. He did not even raise his head to look at Ceng Hanyu.

    Ceng Hanyu was about to make a call when Old Man An called him.

    ¡°Hanyu!¡±

    ¡°Grandpa An, what happened?¡±

    ¡°When are you going to tell Anne the truth? I feel that Anne doesn¡¯t seem to have a favorable impression of me. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s really just my nerves or if I¡¯m reading too much into it!¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Ceng Hanyu nced at Ye Zhongjue, but he continued speaking. ¡°You went to see Anne?¡±

    ¡°I miss her so much, so I decided to take a stroll around where she lives. I just so happened to see her waiting for her ride, so I went up to her and pretended to ask for directions. She was friendly at first, but I may have asked her too many questions, because she then pointed me in the opposite direction instead. I didn¡¯t think much of it, but I only knew what she did when I ended up in the suburbs and the people there told me I was going in the wrong direction.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu could not hide his smile. It sounded exactly like something Leng Xiyao would do.

    <i>Why would she do that to Old Man An though?</i>

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to panic. I¡¯m nning to look for an opportunity to tell her about this within the next few days. It won¡¯t be much longer.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu looked back at Ye Zhongjue after ending the call.

    ¡°You called me over just for this?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Ye Zhongjue said, ¡°I heard Leng Xiyao telling Suqing she gave the wrong directions to Old Man An.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu looked up in resignation. He really had to tell Leng Xiyao the truth soon.

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been wondering how I should reveal this so that it¡¯ll be easier for her to ept it. She grew up in the Leng family, and I¡¯m sure it will be difficult for her if we suddenly tell her that she isn¡¯t a part of that family at all!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue put his documents away and looked up at Ceng Hanyu calmly.

    ¡°That might not be the case. Though Leng Xiyao grew up there and she¡¯ll definitely care deeply for the Leng family, how are you so sure that she actually wants to be a part of that family?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at Ceng Hanyu steadily, while Ceng Hanyu¡¯s expression turned a little sour.

    ¡°You¡¯re saying that because of Leng Haoyun, she might actually wish that she wasn¡¯t part of the Leng family?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Ye Zhongjue nodded. ¡°It¡¯s so obvious, so I¡¯m sure you could already tell. You just refused to believe it. You¡¯ve been acting all wishy-washy over this. You say you¡¯re afraid of hurting her, but have you considered the other side of the coin? What if you hurt her even more because you¡¯re not revealing the truth to her?¡±

    ¡°But...¡± Ceng Hanyu¡¯s face seemed to contort as his mind raced through the possibilities.

    ¡°But she¡¯s my fiancee, I...¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re nning to keep this from her until after An Huilin and Leng Haoyun get married, and only when Leng Xiyao doesn¡¯t stand a chance, then you¡¯ll tell her that she isn¡¯t part of the Leng family, and that it¡¯s nothing wrong even if she had fallen in love with Leng Haoyun? Hanyu, you¡¯re being rather selfish. The choice should be Leng Xiyao¡¯s alone, and you should not be deciding for her like this. If you really have her interests at heart...¡±

    Ye Zhongjue heard a sound at the door.

    Ceng Hanyu froze. He quickly walked over to open it.

    He was faced with none other than Leng Xiyao¡¯s nk expression and Mo Suqing¡¯s shocked look.

    She had to find out in such a way.

    Ceng Hanyu looked at Leng Xiyao nervously, unsure of what to do. He did not know what to say to make her feel better.

    ¡°What did you guys hear?¡± Ceng Hanyu asked Mo Suqing feebly.

    Mo Suqing looked at him and said, ¡°Basically everything!¡±

    Leng Xiyao gave Ceng Hanyu a pointed look before running off in the other direction.

    Ceng Hanyu was at a loss, turning back to look at Ye Zhongjue for help.

    Ye Zhongjue spoke quickly. ¡°Go after her! She must be shocked and confused now!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu took a deep breath and set off in pursuit.

    Mo Suqing looked at the direction they went in with a trace of worry in her eyes.

    <i>Is this good or bad?</i>

    Yao had always thought that it was incestuous to have feelings for Leng Haoyun. She loved him deeply, but it hurt her so much. She could never have that sort of love, and she could only swim in the depths of sorrow.

    Unable to do anything about it, she could do nothing but dream.

    Now that she knew that the man she loved was not her biological uncle, she can go ahead to bravely pursue that love.

    But having grown up in the Leng family, how would that not be a hurdle for her!

    She loves Leng Haoyun, but she had never imagined that she would not be a part of the Leng family. Mo Suqing wasn¡¯t sure how traumatic the news would be for Leng Xiyao.

 Chapter 159 â€“ Anneâ€™s Fiance

    <h4>Chapter 159 ¨C Anne¡¯s Fiance</h4>

    Mo Suqing picked up the fruits that were dropped on the floor and entered the ward.

    She and Leng Xiyao initially wanted to take a short walk outside the hospital, but she felt that the weather was a little chilly outside. Eventually, Leng Xiyao bought some fruits near the hospital entrance and dragged her back in, saying that the cold might be bad for the baby.

    This was why they heard the conversation between Ye Zhongjue and Ceng Hanyu.

    Mo Suqing looked at Ye Zhongjue.

    She asked calmly, ¡°You already knew?¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡±

    ¡°How long?¡±

    ¡°For about half a month?¡±

    ¡°Is it true?¡±

    ¡°Yi¡¯an did the check. An Zhenguo is really Leng Xiyao¡¯s grandfather. The ages match up as well.¡±

    Mo Suqing walked over and ced those documents away before sitting down at Ye Zhongjue¡¯s bedside.

    ¡°Do you me me for not telling you?¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head and smiled.

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t be this unreasonable. I don¡¯t wish for you to keep secrets from me, but I¡¯m referring to things between us. This is between Yao and Ceng Hanyu. Ceng Hanyu shared it with you because he trusts you, and you should have kept it a secret for him.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue heaved a sigh of relief.

    ¡°I was also afraid of things going awry. I asked Ceng Hanyu toe over because I wanted him to tell Leng Xiyao the truth sooner rather thanter. The man Leng Xiyao duped today is none other than An Zhenguo, her biological grandfather. The old man just misses his grandchild.¡±

    Sudden realization hit Mo Suqing. ¡°He¡¯s actually Yao¡¯s grandfather? Isn¡¯t he An Huilin¡¯s rtive?¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Ye Zhongjue nodded. ¡°An Zhenguo is a distant uncle of An Huilin¡¯s. By right, Leng Xiyao should be calling her Auntie.¡±

    Mo Suqing was speechless. <i>Wasn¡¯t this too much of a coincidence? Yao and An Huilin were actually rted!</i>

    <i>The both of them fell in love with Leng Haoyun too! Was this heaven trying to y a joke on them?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue continued. ¡°Actually I¡¯m telling you all this so you could talk some sense in Leng Xiyao. You girls are so close, and I know you¡¯d be devastated if anything happens to her. An Huilin is not an easy target, so Leng Xiyao should be extra careful, especially now that they are at loggerheads with each other. An Huilin holds some shares of the An Group as well. An Zhenguo has only one granddaughter, Leng Xiyao. Now that he¡¯s found her, his inheritance and the An Group will be left to her for sure. Apart from Old Man An and Ceng Hanyu, there¡¯s basically no one else she can trust now!¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded at this, but her brows creased as she asked, ¡°I heard you guys say that Ceng Hanyu is Yao¡¯s fiance?¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡±, Ye Zhongjue answered. ¡°That¡¯s right. The Ceng and An families have had close ties for a long time. The adults at that time had a verbal agreement on this after Leng Xiyao was born. After she went missing, Ceng Hanyu has been looking for her all this time.¡±

    Mo Suqing was lost for words. She did not know what to say to this, nor did she know which side she should be on.

    None of them were at fault, and it was just a twist of fate which led to them meeting each other like this.

    ¡­¡­

    Ceng Hanyu chased after Leng Xiyao and they ended up at the rooftop.

    She stood quietly at the edge of the roof. Ceng Hanyu did not dare to make any sudden movements, afraid that she might suddenly decide to jump off the building.

    ¡°Anne, calm down. Listen to me, okay?¡±

    Hearing Ceng Hanyu¡¯s pleading tone made Leng Xiyao turn around. The wind whipped the hair around her face, and Ceng Hanyu could not understand the expression on her face.

    She looked like a confused doe lost in the forest, doubt, conflict and dilemma evident in her eyes. It was heartbreaking to see her like this.

    ¡°You¡­ What you said earlier, is it all true?¡± Leng Xiyao asked fearfully. She did not know what the answer would be, but she knew that she felt extremely confused and terrified right now.

    <i>If Ceng Hanyu was speaking the truth, then I¡¯m not a part of the Leng family at all. Who am I then? Why did I have to go through all those years of pain?</i>

    <i>If he was lying, then why did he say all that? The probability of it being a lie was close to zero.</i>

    <i>If they discussed it, then they would have been a hundred percent sure of it. They aren¡¯t idiots.</i>

    Ceng Hanyu looked at her with a serious gaze. ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. I¡¯ve never lied to you! Walk back here first, and I¡¯ll tell you everything, okay?¡±

    Instead of listening to him, Leng Xiyao became more agitated. She backed away towards the edge, almost making Ceng Hanyu¡¯s heart leap out of his chest.

    ¡°Anne, don¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not Anne, I¡¯m Leng Xiyao! Tell me this, Ceng Hanyu. Did you already know who I was when you approached me for the very first time?¡± Leng Xiyao stared at Ceng Hanyu as she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything once you walk back here, as long as you¡¯re safe, I¡¯ll tell you everything you want to know. Anne, whether you¡¯re Leng Xiyao or Anne, please cherish your life. It¡¯s more important to stay alive than anything else!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s words might have triggered something in Leng Xiyao. She did not n on jumping off the building. She merely wanted to feel the breeze here. It was Ceng Hanyu who was worried that she would jump off.

    She stepped away from the edge and moved to somewhere safe before she spoke.

    ¡°Okay, you can tell me everything now. I¡¯m listening!¡±

    Leng Xiyao was keeping her emotions in check as she waited for Ceng Hanyu to speak. It was as if she was waiting for a verdict to be passed.

    Buffeted by the wind, Ceng Hanyu¡¯s voice sounded almost ethereal.

    He said, ¡°Your name is actually Anne. When you were younger, you were brought to the hospital since you were ill, but you went missing after that. The marriage agreement was made from when we were both children. I¡¯ve been looking for you all these years, and I¡¯ve never thought that you would be with the Leng family. You asked if I already knew who you were when we first met. No, I didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°At that time, I just thought you were mischievous, and that you were full of ideas. For some reason, you just felt familiar to me, that¡¯s all. I didn¡¯t approach you on purpose either. It was only until Leng Haoyun¡¯s engagement, where Grandpa An was invited, that he recognized you instantly!

    ¡°I was still too young when you went missing, and I can¡¯t even remember what Auntie looked like. It was Grandpa An who told me that you looked exactly like her. This then reminded me of the time when I had to go get Rh-negative blood for you after your ident. From then on, I felt that the probability of you being Anne was rather high. So, I took a strand of your hair to do the DNA testing with Grandpa An, and that was the confirmation we needed.¡±

    Leng Xiyao stood there numbly. ¡°DNA testing. How did you get my hair?¡±

    ¡°We went drinking after the engagement party, and you got drunk after...¡±

    Ceng Hanyu did not dare meet her eyes as he was afraid that she would be angry.

    Leng Xiyao was a little upset at this. She pointed at him, saying, ¡°You...¡±

    No other words came out of her mouth. She felt helpless.<i>?What can I say? Logically speaking, I can¡¯t me Ceng Hanyu for this. He had been searching for me all this time.</i>

    Leng Xiyao spoke again after some time.

    ¡°The Grandpa An you¡¯re referring to, it¡¯s that old guy who was looking for you during the engagement party?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu said in resignation, ¡°That¡¯s your grandfather!¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked up at the sky, trying hard not to let her tears fall.

    <i>Was this a joke? That weird old man I pranked turned out to be my grandfather.</i>

    She tried to force a smile and keep her head up, but the tears eventually fell.

    Ceng Hanyu stepped towards her and took her in an embrace. Leng Xiyao did not push him away.

    She weeped silently against his shoulder, her tears soaking his jacket.

    Leng Xiyao cried for a long time until Ceng Hanyu started speaking again. It was only then that she stopped crying so much.

    Ceng Hanyu said, ¡°Stop crying, Anne. I know all about what happened between you and Grandpa An today. He misses you dearly, and he has never forgotten about you.¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked up with swollen eyes. ¡°Then¡­ what about my biological parents?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu sighed. ¡°They passed away within a year after you went missing. Auntie was devastated. She almost went insane looking for you. It was unfortunate that she had to leave this world with regrets.¡±

    Leng Xiyao stared at Ceng Hanyu nkly, not knowing what to say.

    She grew up in the Leng family while her blood rtives were going through so much pain.

    ¡°Could you not tell Uncle about this?¡± Leng Xiyao asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s up to you. I¡¯ll support you in whatever decision you make!¡± Ceng Hanyu patted her on the head as he spoke.

    After a short pause, he continued, ¡°Grandpa An misses you a lot. I¡¯ll bring you to see him, if you have the time, okay?¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked at him awkwardly, slowly pushing him away.

    ¡°My head is in a mess right now, and I don¡¯t know what to think about this. Can you give me some time to think it over? I¡¯ll go see him when I¡¯ve calmed down a bit.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu sighed again. ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll respect your choice. Do you want to have a look at the DNA testing report?¡±

    Leng Xiyao shook her head.<i>?I don¡¯t need that since we already know the results. The An family isn¡¯t the type to acknowledge just anyone off the streets. They must have checked it thoroughly before they approached me on this.</i>

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m tired now. I¡¯ll be going back first. I¡¯ll look for you again when I¡¯ve thought this over!¡±

    Leng Xiyao then turned to leave.

    Ceng Hanyu followed closely behind. ¡°Let me send you back. I¡¯m worried about you.¡±

    Leng Xiyao turned to him suddenly. ¡°Ceng Hanyu, even though we have a marriage agreement, I don¡¯t have feelings for you. Please stop bringing up things like fiancee or fiance. I¡¯m grateful that you¡¯ve been searching for me all this time, but I¡¯m not able to reciprocate your feelings. I don¡¯t wish to promise you anything, nor do I want to lead you on!¡±

 Chapter 160 â€“ Outdoing Myself

    <h4>Chapter 160 ¨C Outdoing Myself</h4>

    Ceng Hanyu kept a smile on his face even though his heart sank at her words.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t force you into things if you¡¯re unwilling. I¡¯m just worried for your safety. Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked at him without speaking before making her way downstairs.

    Before this, she had always thought that Ceng Hanyu simply treated her like a good friend. Now that she was aware of the truth, that he was actually treating her like his fiancee, she was unable to ept his gestures like she did before.

    Neither of them spoke on the drive back to the Leng¡¯s vi.

    Leng Xiyao turned to him when she alighted.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try to ept this fact...¡±

    Ceng Hanyu nodded at her.

    ¡°Okay, I believe in you. I¡¯ll be going then!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu drove away only after he saw Leng Xiyao enter the vi.

    Once she walked into the living room, Leng Xiyao was met with the sight of Leng Haoyun on the sofa.

    He was not reading financial news nor in his study like usual. Instead, he was holding a cigarette in his hand, seemingly in deep thought.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s footsteps brought him out of his reverie.

    His head snapped up and he looked at her intently.

    ¡°You¡¯re back?¡±

    Leng Xiyao nodded as she thought about what happened today. She then walked closer to him.

    ¡°Uncle, I have a question for you.¡±

    Leng Xiyao bit her lip as she stood in front of him. She was observing him closely, afraid that she would miss any subtle change in his expression.

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s cigarette went out. ¡°What?¡±

    Leng Xiyao went straight to the point.

    ¡°Uncle, am I not from the Leng family?¡±

    Leng Haoyun was stunned at this.<i>?She found out?</i>

    ¡°How did you know...¡± He mumbled, sounding shocked and afraid at the same time.

    ¡°So it¡¯s true!¡± This killed any suspicion Leng Xiyao had left.

    ¡°How did you find out?¡± Leng Haoyun stared at her, trying to figure out how she learnt about this.

    Leng Xiyao looked at that charming face of his. <i>When did I start finding Uncle¡¯s face so unfamiliar?</i>

    <i>He is supposed to be my rtive whom I¡¯ve spent my days with for the past ten or so years!</i>

    Leng Xiyao sniffed. She was unsure if she should appear sad, or if she should show some other emotion.

    ¡°Uncle, could you tell me when did you find out that I wasn¡¯t actually from the Leng family?¡±

    Leng Haoyun scratched his head in frustration and leaned back against the sofa.

    ¡°I heard your parents talk about it once.¡±

    Leng Xiyaoughed bitterly. ¡°So you already knew, but you kept it from me?¡±

    Leng Haoyun got more frustrated at this. A frown formed on his face as he questioned her again. ¡°How exactly did you find out?¡±

    Leng Xiyao gave him a self-deprecating look. ¡°It¡¯s simple. My blood type is very rare, and I just had a chat with the nurse today before I learnt¡­ It¡¯s impossible for my parents to have a child with my blood type.¡±

    Though Leng Xiyao was smiling, there was no warmth in it. ¡°How did you think I found out?¡±

    Leng Haoyun looked at her seriously. ¡°Do you me me, Yao? Do you me me for not telling you the truth even when I already knew about it¡­?¡±

    His brows furrowed even more deeply.

    ¡°I was just afraid that you¡¯ll be hurt by it. You look so cheerful on the surface, but you¡¯re more sensitive than others...¡±

    Leng Haoyun realized that everything sounded like mere excuses when he tried to exin himself.

    Leng Xiyao continued staring at him without speaking, as if she had already decided that he was guilty, and that no amount of exnation could absolve him from it.

    ¡°Yao...¡± Leng Haoyun never would have imagined that he would end up in such a situation, where he could not even begin to exin himself.

    Leng Xiyao then smiled as if she was happy, but Leng Haoyun could see the sorrow and emptiness reflected in her tears.

    He sighed in resignation. <i>Maybe¡­ my eyes were fooling me. She¡¯s still a child, so how could she have such a pained expression?</i>

    Leng Xiyao put on a bigger smile now. She looked at Leng Haoyun as she thought to herself, <i>So he already knew the truth, and he knew about my feelings too.</i>

    <i>But he did not n to reveal this to me. Was he afraid that I would not let go of him?</i>

    Leng Xiyao felt like a clown, as if she was nothing but a joke.

    Leng Haoyun moved closer to her and hugged her tightly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like this, Yao!¡± <i>Why do I feel like she¡¯s going to leave me?</i>

    Leng Xiyao looked up to meet his eyes, and gently pushed him away.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Shouldn¡¯t Uncle be happy? You¡¯ll be rid of this deadweight!¡±

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s gaze turned frigid.

    ¡°Yao!¡± His expression was dark and stormy. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought of you like that!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never known your thoughts, and I don¡¯t want to know from now on. I¡¯ll move out after you marry An Huilin!¡±

    Leng Xiyao walked upstairs without sparing another nce at him.

    Leng Haoyun wanted to yell at her to stop her, but did not manage to make a sound.

    Leng Xiyao stayed in her room for four whole days.

    She did not step out of her room nor see Leng Haoyun in these four days. Aunt Zhang was the one who sent all her meals to her.

    She felt like she was sapped of all strength. She did not want to speak, and she just wanted to fall asleep, never to wake up from her slumber.

    However, she did not want to die.<i>?Look! Why am I so useless!</i>

    ---

    Mo Suqing called on the fifth day.

    ¡°What¡¯s up, Suqing?¡±

    Mo Suqing grew concerned as she heard the feeble voice on the other end.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Yao?¡±

    Leng Xiyao sat up on the bed and tried to calm herself down.

    ¡°Nothing. Why did you call?¡±

    ¡°Ye Zhongjue will be discharged today, so let¡¯s meet up for dinner. I heard you¡¯ve been cooped up at home these few days, so it¡¯ll be nice to go out for a bit. I¡¯lle pick you up soon, so you can go ahead and get ready.¡±

    Leng Xiyao did not really feel like going out, but she knew that if she continued like this, she would probably go insane.

    She walked over to pull apart the curtains. The sunlight instantly streamed in, making her shield her eyes.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for you!¡±

    Leng Xiyao started changing after she ended the call.

    On the other end of the line, Ceng Hanyu was looking at Mo Suqing nervously.

    ¡°Sis-inw, did Anne agree toe out?¡±

    Mo Suqing hesitated a little before speaking. ¡°Ceng Hanyu, although Yao¡¯s identity has been confirmed, she had been living as Leng Xiyao all these years. Without her agreement, I think it¡¯s still better for you to address her as Yao first. She might read too much into it otherwise!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu nodded. ¡°Got it, I¡¯ll take note!¡±

    ¡°Mm, that¡¯s good. She¡¯s getting ready now, so we can go pick her upter.¡±

    At that, Ceng Hanyu looked obviously relieved.

    Mo Suqing called when she arrived at the Leng¡¯s vi, and Leng Xiyao made her way out slowly.

    She stopped in her tracks when she saw two cars waiting outside. <i>Who else is there?</i>

    Only when she was about to get into one of the cars did she realize that Ceng Hanyu was in one of them while Ye Zhongjue was driving the other.

    Selina was in Ceng Hanyu¡¯s car, and Mo Suqing in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s.

    Leng Xiyao thought about it for a moment before heading towards Ye Zhongjue¡¯s car. She was about to enter the back seat when Mo Suqing alighted.

    She went to join Leng Xiyao in the back seat.

    Leng Xiyao looked at her, but did not say anything else.

    Throughout the ride, Mo Suqing held onto Leng Xiyao¡¯s hand without letting go. None of them spoke.

    Mo Suqing could feel the change in Leng Xiyao. A chilly aura emanated from her now.

    The five of them arrived at Silk Empire International shortly. Ye Zhongjue had already reserved a table for them.

    After entering their booth, Ceng Hanyu excused himself, and Ye Zhongjue followed closely after him.

    Mo Suqing did not stop them since she knew they probably had something to discuss. Selina had settled herself down, her head tilted as if she was thinking about something.

    Not wanting to wait any longer, Mo Suqing asked Leng Xiyao, ¡°Yao, you seem somewhat different...¡±

    She was hesitating, afraid that she might inadvertently trigger Leng Xiyao if she said anything wrong.

    Unexpectedly, Leng Xiyao shed her a bright smile. Her smile was so dazzling and beautiful that one couldpare it to a field of flowers in full bloom.

    She said confidently, ¡°Did you sense that I¡¯ve outdone myself again? I¡¯ve instantly turned into a bright, adorable and moving youngdy! ¡±

    Mo Suqing was rather stunned by this. She did not expect Leng Xiyao¡¯s mood to change so suddenly when she was, in fact, still mulling over how to console the girl.

    However, Mo Suqing was still worried. She knew that Leng Xiyao was someone who buried her sorrow deep within her heart, and that dazzling smile was nothing but a mask used to hide her feelings.

    Leng Xiyao did not wish for others to worry, and she did not want anyone to see her weak side either.

    She used to be willing to share her thoughts and feelings with Mo Suqing, but things seemed to be different now. She had put on that mask even when in front of Mo Suqing, the mask that made her look as if she was an unfeeling individual.

    Mo Suqing was not giving up so easily. ¡°Yao, please tell me if anything happened, don¡¯t just keep it all to yourself. It pains me to see you like this. You may feel better if you tell somebody about it!¡±

    Selina continued sitting there, not moving an inch. She acted as if she did not hear a single thing, as if she was invisible like the air.

    Even so, Mo Suqing caught the subtle change in Selina¡¯s expression when Leng Xiyao spoke earlier.

    She did not know much about Selina. All she knew was what little information Ye Zhongjue shared with her, that Selina was a friend of Ceng Hanyu¡¯s, and that Selina could be trusted.

    Since Ye Zhongjue said so, she had decided to trust Selina as well.

    The corners of Leng Xiyao¡¯s lips turned up slightly, but she did not say anything else.

 Chapter 161 â€“ A Hopeless Expression

    <h4>Chapter 161 ¨C A Hopeless Expression</h4>

    Mo Suqing thought that Leng Xiyao did not want to say anything because Selina was present.

    Therefore, with furrowed brows, she tried to pull Leng Xiyao out with her.

    Leng Xiyao pulled her back instead, smiling as she said, ¡°Suqing, why do you have such a hopeless expression on your face? Who annoyed you? Tell me and I¡¯ll go beat them up. You¡¯re pregnant now, and a pregnantdy alwayses first!¡±

    She then blinked mischievously at Mo Suqing, pouting her lips as she did so.

    Mo Suqingughed in resignation. <i>This girl can turn anything into a joke.</i>

    <i>But was she able to let go of the things weighing down on her heart too?</i>

    Selina spoke suddenly, interrupting their conversation.

    ¡°The both of you can continue, I¡¯m going out to get some air!¡±

    The smiling Leng Xiyao flew into a rage at this. Her emotions were so unpredictable that it surprised even Mo Suqing.

    Leng Xiyao red at Selina, like a cat trying to w at someone.

    ¡°What? Aren¡¯t you supposed to advocate for Ceng Hanyu? You¡¯re going to leave when we¡¯re about to talk about something? Not scared that you¡¯ll be chided by Ceng Hanyu if you do so?¡±

    Sarcasmced Leng Xiyao¡¯s words. Mo Suqing was slightly ufortable at this.<i>?How could Yao be so rude to her? Selina was just being considerate, why did Yao act so wilfully!</i>

    <i>Or was she just too traumatized after finding out who she really was?</i>

    Selina looked at Leng Xiyao cidly. ¡°Advocate? You think I¡¯d be interested in this?¡±

    She continued with a slight smile, ¡°I think you¡¯re confused. Ceng and I are friends, I¡¯m not his subordinate. Even if I was, I wouldn¡¯t be interested in helping him settle any personal matters either!¡±

    Selina stood up to leave after speaking.

    Only Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao were left in the booth. Leng Xiyao pointed at Selina¡¯s back, a furious look on her face. Mo Suqing could not stifle herughter as she witnessed this.

    ¡°Would this girl still dare be arrogant after such a setback?¡±

    Leng Xiyao put her hand down angrily and pouted. ¡°Where did Ceng Hanyu and Ye Zhongjue go? Are we going to eat or what!¡±

    Mo Suqing felt that Leng Xiyao was somewhat back to her cheerful, unruly self.

    She said jokingly, ¡°You¡¯re just venting on anyone, anywhere now.¡±

    Leng Xiyao rolled her eyes and looked squarely at Mo Suqing. ¡°You just want to see me fail!¡±

    Mo Suqing answered leisurely, ¡°Actually, I was quite tickled when I saw you fuming!¡±

    <i>That liveliness is so much better than a Leng Xiyao drained of all energy.</i>

    Leng Xiyao satzily on the chair. Her posture looked like that of a cynical and unruly gangster.

    ¡°Suqing, I¡¯m serious, when will your Ye Zhongjue be back? I¡¯m really hungry. I¡¯m feeling much better now that I¡¯m out, and I finally have an appetite. Don¡¯t leave me hanging like this!¡±

    Mo Suqing smiled and gave Ye Zhongjue a call.

    ¡°He¡¯sing back very soon. He asked the waiters to serve the dishes first. We can start first if we want.¡±

    A waiter knocked on the booth door right after Mo Suqing spoke.

    Leng Xiyao grabbed a pair of chopsticks and was about to start eating when she suddenly stopped.

    She looked at where Selina was sitting earlier, feeling bad about what she did. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Big Sister Selina would say that. I was just in a bad mood, and I said whatever came to mind. I didn¡¯t do that to her on purpose...¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded. ¡°I know, just don¡¯t do that again. I don¡¯t think Selina is angry. That¡¯s just her personality. She can be like a ball of fire when she¡¯s passionate about something, but she¡¯s just like an iceberg when she doesn¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Leng Xiyao nodded in response. ¡°I know. Get Ye Zhongjue and Ceng Hanyu toe back quickly. I¡¯ll start eating first!¡±

    Mo Suqing sent a WeChat message to Ye Zhongjue.

    FarAway: Why r u guys not back yet? Yao is hungry but she insists on waiting for u guys!

    Ye Zhongjue: Tsk tsk tsk, when did she be so cultured...

    FarAway: Go to hell! U r so rude!

    Ye Zhongjue: My dear wife, I was just joking. Don¡¯t be angry! We r right outside.

    Mo Suqing looked up to see two men walk in. The slight smile on Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face became wider as he looked at her.

    Selina returned just as Ceng Hanyu and Ye Zhongjue sat down.

    Leng Xiyao stood up immediately after Selina sat, attracting everyone¡¯s attention.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s heart almost leapt out of her chest.<i>?She¡¯s not about to try anything funny now, is she?</i>

    Mo Suqing heaved a sigh of relief when Leng Xiyao spoke. She was reading too much into things and thought that Leng Xiyao would fly into a sudden rage again.

    Leng Xiyao looked at Selina seriously. ¡°Big Sister Selina, I was the one at fault earlier. I shouldn¡¯t have vented my anger on you. I¡¯m a little bit childish, and if I¡¯ve done anything wrong or made you feel ufortable in any way, you can tell me directly. I¡¯m really sorry about what happened earlier. Please don¡¯t take it to heart!¡±

    Selina¡¯s face was devoid of expression as she said, ¡°I remember the first time we met. You said I could call you Yao, right?¡±

    Leng Xiyao nodded.

    Selina then continued, ¡°Okay, Yao, then let me tell you this. I¡¯m usually not the type to hold grudges. Even if you did it on purpose earlier, it¡¯s no big deal. It¡¯s just that not everyone looks at things the same way. Yes, I can tell you¡¯re a little childish too. But imagine if you killed someone, and then apologized after that. Do you think that would work?¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s expression soured slightly.

    Selina did not stop there, instead, she continued in a sterner voice.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re the one who has to learn how to control your temper instead of asking me to forgive you. I can forgive you easily, but if you¡¯re always this hot-tempered, you¡¯ll end up offending many others in future...¡±

    ¡°Selina!¡± Seeing the color drain from Leng Xiyao¡¯s face, Ceng Hanyu quickly stopped Selina.

    Selina shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m just stating facts!¡±

    She then began eating, totally ignoring Ceng Hanyu. Ceng Hanyu had a dreadful expression on his face.

    Leng Xiyao addressed him suddenly. ¡°What are you doing, Ceng Hanyu! Can¡¯t you tell that Big Sister Selina has my interests at heart? I¡¯m just embarrassed that I couldn¡¯t even see the problem with myself. Why are you mad at her? Have you gone mental?¡±

    Everyone was stunned at this.

    While in the middle of picking up the food, Selina¡¯s hand paused in the air. A hint of a smile was on her face. Even though she was that fiancee that Ceng Hanyu has in his heart, she suddenly liked this girl a lot!

    Mo Suqing stared at Leng Xiyao in a daze. <i>Yao, do you know that today¡¯s meal is just like a roller coaster ride for me?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue felt rather merry as he saw Ceng Hanyu¡¯s slightly defeated expression. He chuckled softly and reached out to hold Mo Suqing¡¯s hand.

    Mo Suqing looked at their interlocked fingers, blushing involuntarily. Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes seemed to soften when he looked at her.

    Leng Xiyao stood up and walked over to Selina in excitement. She looked at Selina with shining eyes.

    Selina found her to be rather adorable and did not mind bantering with her. ?After a short while, the two of them seemed to be new best friends.

    Ceng Hanyu was in a gloomy world of his own as he ate. He felt rather upset. <i>Why did everyone seem to turn a blind eye to me??</i>Though he felt indignant, it did not show on his face.

    Bouts ofughter could be heard from time to time as Leng Xiyao chatted with Selina.

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s expression was dark. He would never have imagined that Leng Xiyao and Selina could hit it off so well. He had miscalcted this time.

    They decided to make a trip to the hot springs after dinner.

    The hot spring area was owned by Silk Empire International. Silk Empire International was very powerful, and both the view and the service there were amazing. They had everything a customer could wish for.

    Ye Zhongjue and Ceng Hanyu went to the male spring, while the threedies chatted in their own spring. Mo Suqing almost fell asleep, but she could still hear Leng Xiyao chattering away.

    She smiled to herself. <i>Seems like it was the right decision to get Yao toe out today!</i>

    She had cooped herself up at home ever since she learnt about her real identity. Mo Suqing was really afraid that Leng Xiyao would fall ill like that!

    Mo Suqing was dozing off as Leng Xiyao chattered on...

    <strong>Meanwhile, Vi Number 11, Shallow Sea.</strong>

    Su Jincheng was sitting on the sofa, looking through the documents Zheng Hao handed him. One could say he looked terrifying.

    Zheng Hao looked at him carefully.

    ¡°Boss, regarding what you asked me to look into, this is the information I have. If there¡¯s nothing else...¡±

    ¡°Get Jian Jie here!¡± Su Jincheng interrupted Zheng Hao before he could finish.

    Zheng Hao gulped in fear. He was scared stiff. <i>Boss, why do you have to scare me like that??</i>He was a little disgruntled.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll get to it now!¡±

    Zheng Hao responded quickly and left. He was terrified of his boss when thetter was angry.

    Su Jincheng stared at the documents, a trace of anger shing in his eyes.

    <i>Jian Jie is too bold. How dare she do something in A City without my knowledge and prior approval.</i>

    Of course, he would not have batted an eyelid if there were no hups.

    This thing is, he asked Zheng Hao to go find out more about the woman who had saved him that night, and he was shocked at who she actually was.

    Her name was Mo Suqing, and she was Ye Zhongjue¡¯s wife. When he was in America, he also learned that Ye Zhongjue was the man Jian Jie loved.

 Chapter 162 â€“ Come On, Letâ€™s Drink Ourselves to Death

    <h4>Chapter 162 ¨C Come On, Let¡¯s Drink Ourselves to Death</h4>

    Su Jincheng frowned as he pondered over the events of the past few days.

    <i>Of course, there was more to it than meets the eye.</i>

    Zheng Hao found out that Mo Suqing was actually kidnapped just a day after she helped Su Jincheng.

    Su Jincheng knew Jian Jie¡¯s methods too well. He asked Zheng Hao to look into Jian Jie¡¯s actual role regarding the whole fiasco, and just as he expected, everything had been nned by Jian Jie. She wanted to kill Mo Suqing.

    Although Su Jincheng was cold and aloof, he believed in repaying debts of gratitude.

    He wanted to thank Mo Suqing personally after he had fully recovered, since she did save his life. Moreover, she was kind enough to do that even after being threatened by him.

    He wondered if she had ever heard the story about the farmer and the snake, where the farmer ended up being bitten by the snake after saving it from certain death. He was rather puzzled as to why she did not seem to hesitate to help a man who looked extremely dangerous to begin with.

    She is not the farmer, nor is he the snake. He is Su Jincheng, and he hated those who were ungrateful.

    After looking through all the information, Su Jincheng finally understood why Ye Zhongjue fell for Mo Suqing even when he and Jian Jie were acquainted for much longer.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s kindness was able to disarm any man.

    There was a disturbance at the door, and Su Jincheng looked up to see Jian Jie and Zheng Hao entering.

    Zheng Hao could tell that Su Jincheng wanted to talk to Jian Jie privately, so he excused himself tactfully.

    There was a slight trace of fear in her eyes as Jian Jie stood opposite Su Jincheng, maintaining a slight distance from him.

    ¡°Do you know why I called for you?¡±

    Jian Jie shook her head nervously.

    Su Jincheng threw the documents in front of her as he smirked. ¡°Take a look and you¡¯ll be enlightened!¡±

    Uneasy, Jian Jie picked up the documents. Her face instantly paled when she realized it was about Mo Suqing¡¯s kidnapping.

    ¡°Dark Night, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose! I won¡¯t act independently again! Please give me a chance!¡±

    Jian Jie¡¯s hand was trembling as she held onto the documents. She knew how terrifying that man can be. He was absolutely ruthless to any who went against him.

    Although Su Jincheng smiled at her, it only served to paralyze Jian Jie with fear.

    ¡°I can let it go this time, but don¡¯t create any more trouble for thatdy. If you do and I find out, you¡¯re as good as dead!¡±

    Jian Jie was dumbfounded. <i>It¡¯s because of Mo Suqing that I¡¯m back in this country. Now you¡¯re telling me not to create trouble for her? Are you kidding?</i>

    In her agitation, Jian Jie seemed to have forgotten her fear of the man. ¡°Dark Night, why though? The reason I returned is...¡±

    ¡°Jian Jie!¡± Su Jincheng¡¯s voice was sharp and his tone wintry, silencing Jian Jie immediately.

    ¡°Have you forgotten the number one rule in The Dark Night?¡±

    Su Jincheng¡¯s piercing gaze was like a wake-up call for Jian Jie.?Gosh, what am I doing??From the day she joined The Dark Night, she knew full well that nobody is to go against this man¡¯s orders, and that the only other option was death.

    She lowered her head in an attempt to mask her anxiety.

    ¡°Dark Night, I messed up. I won¡¯t do it again!¡±

    Jian Jie did not dare move an inch as Su Jincheng remained silent.

    Half an hour passed before he spoke again. ¡°Remember what I told you. If you go against my orders, don¡¯t let me find out. You¡¯re aware of what will happen then. Get out!¡±

    Though upset, Jian Jie still answered respectfully. ¡°I understand, Dark Night. I won¡¯t do it again.¡±

    Right after exiting Vi Number 11, Jian Jie¡¯s face distorted with malice and hatred. She could not believe that Dark Night did not allow her to go after Mo Suqing.

    She joined the organization to be stronger, so that she could achieve all her goals. She never would have imagined for something like this to happen.

    If she does anything to Mo Suqing now, Dark Night will surely get wind of it.

    But, she could still get others to do her dirty work.

    <i>If I can get Mo Suqing to voluntarily leave Ye Zhongjue, then Dark Night will not be able to pin the me on me!</i>

    Jian Jie then left with a wicked smile.

    ¡­¡­

    After rxing in the hot springs, Leng Xiyao suggested they go to a bar.

    Silk Empire International had a bar area, but Leng Xiyao insisted on going to August Hasn''t Ended Yet.

    Mo Suqing did not want to upset her since her mood had improved so much today.

    Thus, the five of them decided to visit August Hasn''t Ended Yet.

    Right after entering, Leng Xiyao boldly waved and said, ¡°Five dozen beers for us!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu cringed slightly.<i>?Oh gosh, that was rather awkward.</i>

    <i>Also, we¡¯re not cows. Five dozen beers? What is she even thinking?</i>

    On the other hand, Ye Zhongjue looked rather calm with Mo Suqing beside him, and Selina had a slight smile on her face.

    Upon entering their private room, Leng Xiyao plopped herself on the couch.

    Once the alcohol was served, she used the bottle opener to open every single bottle on the table. She looked extremely pleased with herself, leaving Ceng Hanyu speechless.

    Leng Xiyao held onto a bottle of beer and sat herself right in front of him.

    Barring her identity and theplicated rtionship between them, Ceng Hanyu could still be considered a good friend.

    At least, that was what Leng Xiyao thought. She looked at him with a twinkle in her eyes.

    ¡°How about a drinking match?¡±

    Seeing how arrogant she was acting, Ceng Hanyu did not want to back down. Grabbing a bottle, he said, ¡°Bring it on!¡±

    Leng Xiyaoughed heartily and began downing the contents of the bottle in huge gulps.

    ¡°Come on! Let¡¯s drink ourselves to death!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu frowned when he smelled the alcohol from her breath. <i>This girl is so notdylike.</i>

    Ye Zhongjue sipped on his red wine as he observed those around him.

    ¡°Will she be okay like this?¡±

    Drinking her fruit juice, Mo Suqing thought about it for a moment. ¡°She should be fine. I¡¯m here anyway. She¡¯s not in a good mood, so let¡¯s just let her vent!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nodded and made no furtherment.

    Bitterness shed past in her eyes as Selina looked at the two currently engaged in a drinking match.

    She liked Leng Xiyao¡¯s personality. The forthright girl had such a cheerful disposition, and she was willing to learn from her mistakes as well. How can anyone dislike such an adorable individual?

    But it was also this very girl Ceng Hanyu had been searching for all these years.

    He was hot and cold towards Selina. Sometimes, it felt like he liked her, while other times, it felt like he was trying to keep her at bay.

    Selina was confused herself. She did not know how he really felt about her.

    <i>I probably no longer have a chance now that his fiancee had been found.</i>

    As that thought crossed her mind, Selina began to intoxicate herself with the alcohol.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s alcohol tolerance was not great, since Leng Haoyun was rather strict with her and did not allow her to drink much.

    She toppled over after just three bottles. Ceng Hanyu rushed forward to hold her, cradling her in his arms.

    Tears began to well up in Selina¡¯s eyes. She was afraid that she would cry there. If that happened, it would be way too embarrassing for her.

    She had never once cried even when she, Ye Zhongjue and Ceng Hanyu had to brave real bullets. If she cried over this today, she would be mortified at herself.

    She wanted to escape from reality for a while by drinking, but the more she drank, the more sober and upset she felt.

    Selina looked at Leng Xiyao, who was looking up at Ceng Hanyu in a daze. Ceng Hanyu¡¯s eyes were filled with a gentleness that Selina could no longer bear to witness. She stood up suddenly, causing the bottles on the table to fall one after another like dominoes.

    As Selina was directly opposite Leng Xiyao, her movement caused all the beer to ssh onto thetter.

    Ceng Hanyu did not realize that Selina stood up, so before he could do anything, Leng Xiyao was already drenched in beer.

    His blood boiled at this. After settling Leng Xiyao on the sofa, he started berating Selina.

    ¡°Are you blind or dumb, Selina? Why did you do that to Yao when she sees you as a big sister? You sshed all the beer on her! I think you should leave A City and go back to Ennd!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression darkened at this.

    Ceng Hanyu was too harsh. Selina was Madame Melissa¡¯s daughter, and both he and Ceng Hanyu owed Madame Melissa as well. She was a great help to them in the early days when Sin Eliminators had just been set up, and she even asked them to take good care of Selina when the girl joined the group.

    Neither of them had ever said words so harsh to Selina. Moreover, Ceng Hanyu¡¯s attitude was terrible, considering he knew that Selina had feelings for him.

    Tears were about to escape from Selina¡¯s eyes as she said, ¡°I didn¡¯t...¡±

    The words seemed to be stuck in her throat.<i>?I didn¡¯t do it on purpose, I was just upset and identally made the bottles topple over. It really was an ident.</i>

    She did not expect Ceng Hanyu to be so angry with her.

    Ceng Hanyu stared at her coldly. ¡°What? You¡¯re going to say that you didn¡¯t do it on purpose? I don¡¯t believe an agent like you would make such a rookie mistake!¡±

    Selina could no longer hold her tears and she turned away as they began to fall.

    Ceng Hanyu was a little flustered at this turn of events.

    Ye Zhongjue stood up, looking at Ceng Hanyu pointedly. ¡°Ceng Hanyu, that¡¯s enough! I can obviously tell that Selina didn¡¯t do it on purpose, so what are you trying to do? Aren¡¯t you just making use of her feelings for you? Who are you to say all that? Have you forgotten how Madame Melissa helped us out? And you¡¯re treating her daughter like this?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s words made Ceng Hanyu panic. He looked towards Selina, abashed.

    Leng Xiyao woke up at the ruckus.

    Taking in the scene before her, she stood up to face Ceng Hanyu.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if I am Anne or if I¡¯m rted to you in any way, I won¡¯t allow you to speak to Big Sister Selina like this!¡±

    <sup>[1]</sup> Reference to a story in Aesop¡¯s Fables. Linking to the wikipedia page here:

 Chapter 163 â€“ Petite, Feeble Girl

    <h4>Chapter 163 ¨C Petite, Feeble Girl</h4>

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s reaction rather confounded Ceng Hanyu. She was speaking up for Selina even when she was the one who had beer sshed all over her.

    Leng Xiyao raised her brows and continued.

    ¡°Ceng Hanyu, even if I am a daughter of the An family and your fiancee, you¡¯re nothingpared to Big Sister Selina. It was obviously an ident, so why did you yell at her? You shouldn¡¯t be taking it out on her if you¡¯re upset. Big Sis Selina already said she didn¡¯t do it on purpose, and I believe her. Understand?¡±

    Leng Xiyao walked towards the frozen Selina after she finished, gently taking her by the arm and leading her outside.

    In his frustration, Ceng Hanyu could do nothing but smile wryly. He became everyone¡¯s target all of the sudden, but what bothered him was that he could not pinpoint the root of his frustration.

    Ceng Hanyu then sat down and began downing bottle after bottle of beer. Ye Zhongjue sat back down quietly, not saying anything but keeping his eyes on Ceng Hanyu.

    Mo Suqing was about to say something, but felt that it was better that she did not in the current situation.

    She took arge gulp of the fruit juice and felt the icy drink go down her throat.

    Ye Zhongjue squeezed her arm lightly, his expression giving her peace of mind.

    ---

    Leng Xiyao knew that Selina was crying, so she did not look at Selina the entire time on the way to the washroom. Leng Xiyao simply led her by the arm.

    She found Ceng Hanyu to be awful. Even she could tell that Selina was not feeling great, but Ceng Hanyu still yelled at her like that. <i>Unforgivable!</i>

    Selina felt much better after sshing some cool water on her face.

    She looked at Leng Xiyao, who was still averting her gaze. She had really taken a liking to the girl now. Even though she was Ceng Hanyu¡¯s fiancee, she had no airs. She was also very sincere when speaking up earlier.

    Selina had decided that she would treat Leng Xiyao as her little sister from now on, and that she would protect the girl from any bullies.

    She took a deep breath before turning to Leng Xiyao.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine now, Yao!¡±

    Leng Xiyao was relieved when she saw the genuine smile on Selina¡¯s face. She blinked mischievously. ¡°That fast? Really? I even wanted to console you, but I guess I won¡¯t be of much use now. I¡¯m so sad!¡±

    Selina put on an awkward expression on purpose. ¡°Oh no, what should we do then? You can¡¯t show your prowess now. I feel bad!¡±

    Leng Xiyaoughed. ¡°I know! Find me a bunch of handsome men, and I¡¯ll forgive you!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Selina teasingly continued, ¡°What if the handsome manins that I¡¯ve introduced an alcoholic to him, what do I do then?¡±

    Leng Xiyao pouted at Selina. ¡°I¡¯m no alcoholic! I¡¯m a petite, feeble girl, okay!¡±

    At this, Selinaughed out loud. <i>This girl is adorable!</i>

    Leng Xiyao put on a straight face. ¡°I mean it, Big Sis Selina. Remember to tell me if Ceng Hanyu bullies you again, I¡¯ll beat him up!¡±

    Selina nodded as she tried to mask the bitterness she felt.

    She knew that Leng Xiyao had nothing but good intentions, but she could not help but feel upset when reminded of Ceng Hanyu¡¯s attitude towards her.

    Leng Xiyao walked towards the sink and said, ¡°I should also wash my face and freshen up a little. I still want to drink!¡±

    Selina was amazed at what she just heard.<i>?So she¡¯s washing her face because she wants to drink more? What a peculiar girl!</i>

    When Selina and Leng Xiyao returned, it was almost as if nothing had happened. Everyone simply continued with what they were originally doing, either sipping on their own drinks or having a drinking match.

    This time, Ceng Hanyu was downing the alcohol in lone misery. Ye Zhongjue and Mo Suqing were whispering sweet nothings to each other, while Selina and Leng Xiyao were having a merry drinking match.

    After their drinking match, Leng Xiyao was dead drunk and her mobile phone was ringing non-stop.

    Mo Suqing wanted to take Leng Xiyao back home with her, but seeing that the caller was her uncle, she thought better of it and answered the call instead.

    Leng Haoyun insisted on picking her up after learning that Leng Xiyao was drunk, so Mo Suqing gave him the address of the ce.

    When Leng Haoyun arrived, Leng Xiyaoid in Ceng Hanyu¡¯s arms. Though drunk, she was still mumbling, asking for more alcohol.

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s expression stiffened. He quickly walked over to Leng Xiyao and pulled her away from Ceng Hanyu.

    Ceng Hanyu held onto Leng Xiyao¡¯s arm, his eyes darkening. Mo Suqing spoke quickly to ease the tension in the air.

    ¡°Ceng Hanyu, Yao¡¯s uncle is here to take her back. We should get going as well!¡±

    Mo Suqing ced heavy emphasis on the word ¡®uncle¡¯ on purpose, causing Ceng Hanyu to release his grip.

    Leng Haoyun picked Leng Xiyao up like a bundle and made his way out.

    Selina smiled, silently mocking herself.

    Leng Xiyao kept tossing and turning as Leng Haoyun tried to settle her in the car.

    Leng Haoyun finally fastened the seatbelt for her and was able to drive for a short distance before Leng Xiyao started dry heaving. She looked like she was about to vomit.

    Leng Haoyun pulled over immediately and carried her out.

    Leng Xiyao began vomiting by the roadside. Leng Haoyun passed her a bottle of mineral water and wiped her mouth clean with a piece of wet tissue.

    He then carried her back into the car.

    Leng Xiyao probably sobered up a little since she vomited, but she was still mumbling to herself.

    Leng Haoyun took note of her condition as he drove.

    Leng Xiyao started singing and beating on the windows as if they were drums.

    Leng Haoyun frowned, but he had to continue driving.

    After a while, Leng Xiyao stopped singing and started talking instead. Leng Haoyun was stunned by what he heard.

    ¡°Uncle¡­ Uncle¡­ Don¡¯t you know that I like you? Can¡¯t you tell...¡±

    Her head drooped like an upset child.

    She then started crying loudly.

    ¡°You knew I wasn¡¯t your niece¡­ Why did you¡­ Uuu¡­ Why did you have to get engaged? Don¡¯t you know how much I hate An Huilin? I hate her more than you¡¯d ever know!¡±

    Leng Xiyao suddenly pointed straight ahead, her arms outstretched. ¡°Yes! I hate you, I hate you! An Huilin, you vile woman! How dare youpete with me over a man! I¡¯m going to beat you up and thrash you!¡±

    Leng Xiyao started punching the air in front of her as she spoke. Leng Haoyun literally facepalmed as he took in the sight.

    He could do nothing but shake his head in resignation.

    <i>Don¡¯t you know that I¡¯m protecting you, silly? Even though we¡¯re not really rted, everyone else sees us as uncle and niece. I don¡¯t care about that, but you¡¯re still young, and you shouldn¡¯t have to carry such a burden. I care for you, silly girl, do you know that?</i>

    He was about to alight from the car when they arrived at the vi, but was immediately distracted by a certain drunk individual who was mumbling drunken nonsense.

    ¡°Uncle, I like you¡­ I really like you¡­ I already had feelings for you since a long time ago, don¡¯t kick me out¡­ Uuu¡­ Could you not marry An Huilin? I¡¯m so upset, so upset...¡±

    Leng Haoyun carried her out of the car and saw the streaks of tears on her face.

    Her hazy eyes seemed to possess him in that moment, and he started kissing her.

    <i>Thud.?</i>Something hit the ground.

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s lips were beside Leng Xiyao¡¯s when he turned to see Aunt Zhang staring at him in shock, open-mouthed.

    Acting as if nothing happened, Leng Haoyun carried Leng Xiyao and walked past Aunt Zhang.

    He said coldly, ¡°You didn¡¯t see anything.¡±

    Aunt Zhang could only nod in her daze.

    Leng Haoyun entered the vi quickly, while Leng Xiyao was still mumbling to herself.

    Leng Haoyun carried her to her room and ced her gently on the bed. He looked at her plump, red lips and thought about what just happened outside. It was as if he acted without his own volition when he gave her another peck on the lips.

    It was just a tiny peck, but Leng Haoyun¡¯s heart raced as a wondrous feeling enveloped him.

    He took another look at Leng Xiyao, who was already sound asleep. He decided upon something there and then, and left the room quietly.

    ¡­¡­

    Leng Xiyao woke up with a splitting headache the next morning. She tried to recall what happenedst night as shey on the bed.

    <i>The five of us went drinking, and I seemed to have scolded Ceng Hanyu for Big Sis Selina before getting drunk. But I remember seeing Uncle somewhere, and I think I told him that I liked him.</i>

    Leng Xiyao sat up at that thought. <i>No way, did I really confess to Unclest night?</i>

    Stupefied, Leng Xiyao¡¯s mind went nk. Some images shed through her mind, but these bits and pieces did not give her the full picture.

    She wrapped herself up in the nket and rolled around the bed. <i>How embarrassing! My reputation is gone now!</i>

    <i>Morevover, Uncle is already engaged with An Huilin. If I really did that¡­ It¡¯s just¡­?</i>Even she despised herself for it.

    <i>No, this won¡¯t do. I need to do something!</i>

    ¡­¡­

    Mo Suqing got a call from Leng Xiyao early in the morning.

    Leng Xiyao sounded very excited on the phone.

    ¡°Suqing, Suqing, I have huge news for you. You¡¯ll be shocked at this!¡±

    Mo Suqing was used to Leng Xiyao¡¯s antics, and she calmly asked, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I want to go study at A University! How¡¯s that? Shocking enough?¡±

    Mo Suqing wondered what Leng Xiyao was thinking. <i>She wanted to go back to school?</i>

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you already graduate a year ago? What are you going to study?¡±

 Chapter 164 â€“ Demented Fans Who are Out of Their Minds

    <h4>Chapter 164 ¨C Demented Fans Who are Out of Their Minds</h4>

    Leng Xiyao was surprisingly very serious about what she said as she continued speaking to Mo Suqing.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to A University to learn jewelry design. I don¡¯t want to continue mucking about anymore, and I want to pursue my dreams. Even if I don¡¯t be a jewelry designer, I will know that I have tried, and I will have no regrets.¡±

    Mo Suqing was not at all astonished when she heard this. She knew that although Leng Xiyao was yful, she would not joke about something like that.

    In order for Leng Xiyao to make this decision, she must have thought about it long and hard.

    ¡°Since you¡¯ve already decided, I¡¯ll support you on this!¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Suqing. Muacks! Okay, talkter, I¡¯ll need to fill up the application. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be quite bothersome.¡±

    ¡°Mm, go ahead. I believe in you!¡±

    Mo Suqing suddenly felt a little downcast after she ended the call.

    Yao was working to pursue her dreams, but she, on the other hand, was now without a job.

    Because of her pregnancy, Ye Zhongjue did not want her to continue going to work. He was overly worried about her, especially ever since she had gotten kidnapped.

    But she was so bored being stuck at home.

    She would be left all alone when Ye Zhongjue left for the office.

    Although Leng Haoyun owned Trend Magazine, she could not possibly keep applying to go on leave for the entire duration of her pregnancy either.

    Mo Suqing thus decided to resign when she was taking care of Ye Zhongjue in the hospital.

    Her n was to look for a new job after she had her baby.

    Mo Suqing was sitting on the sofa daydreaming when the doorbell rang. She was much more careful now, and looked at the camera disy to check who it was before opening the door. It was Guan Zixuan, looking dishevelled and restless.

    Mo Suqing opened the door unceremoniously.

    ¡°What happened to you? Why do you look like this? Did you get robbed or tortured? Why did youe here?¡±

    Guan Zixuan smiled at her like a sly old fox.

    ¡°I was afraid that you¡¯d be bored alone, so I¡¯m here to keep youpany!¡±

    Mo Suqing rolled her eyes at this. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that! If you¡¯re really here just for a chat, you wouldn¡¯t look like that! Please take a good look at yourself before you tell a lie.¡±

    Guan Zixuan gave an awkward smile as he scratched his head. ¡°I¡¯ve been found out! It¡¯s just that my fans are too crazy!¡±

    Mo Suqing scoffed, ¡°Demented fans who are out of their minds?¡±

    Guan Zixuan stared at her wide-eyed as he tried to defend his fans.

    ¡°They¡¯re not! My fans are adorable and smart, it¡¯s just that they can get a teeny bit crazy at times. Don¡¯t bad-mouth them like this!¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Mo Suqing looked at him and deliberately continued, ¡°Actually, you¡¯ve misunderstood. I thought they were food. Cornflour, duck blood and vermicelli, leek leaf flour, sweet potato flour, wide noodles, thin noodles, hand-made noodles. I was wondering which of these would be most delicious. You were overthinking it!¡±

    Mo Suqing spoke as if she was reading a tongue twister.

    Guan Zixuan was slightly stumped, and he trudged towards the sofazily. He sat down and mumbled to himself, ¡°Was I really overthinking?¡±

    He thought about it again. <i>Wait! She described his fans as food!</i>

    He looked back at Mo Suqing, eyebrows raised. ¡°Don¡¯t say that! They¡¯re not things, they are my fans who are very dear to me!¡±

    ¡°Mhmm!¡± Mo Suqing nodded, suppressing herughter.

    ¡°They¡¯re not objects!¡±

    Guan Zixuan was staring at her now. ¡°Why did you insult them!¡±

    ¡°I was just going along with your logic! Think about it!¡±

    Mo Suqing settled into the other sofa, thinking to herself, <i>It¡¯s pretty nice having someone to talk to.</i>

    Guan Zixuan pondered over this for quite a while. ¡°I think I was the first to mention that they¡¯re not things!¡±

    Mo Suqingughed and said, ¡°See, you said it yourself first. And you didn¡¯t believe me!¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ right! Suqing, when are you nning to promote me from being a male friend to being your boyfriend? It¡¯s been such a difficult journey. I¡¯ve tried so hard to pursue you but you still treat me as a good friend. My heart really hurts!¡±

    He then clutched at his chest as if it was hurting.

    Mo Suqing rolled her eyes again.<i>?He¡¯s really born to be an actor. That didn¡¯t look the least bit awkward or unnatural.</i>

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know I¡¯m already married? I don¡¯t need a boyfriend, so you can continue being my friend!¡±

    Guan Zixuan appeared overwhelmed with sadness. ¡°My heart has stopped beating¡­ It knows it¡¯s been rejected again!¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s antics improved Mo Suqing¡¯s mood greatly.

    Trying her best not tough, she said, ¡°You¡¯d be dead if your heart stopped beating. If it¡¯s beating weakly but you¡¯re still alive, I might even be able to earn some money if I interviewed you!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re horrid! You¡¯re actually trying to make use of me!¡±

    Mo Suqingughed. ¡°Well, women are indeed vicious!¡±

    Guan Zixuan stiffened and fell back onto the sofa, acting like he had really died. Mo Suqing was very amused.

    It took a lot of courage for Guan Zixuan to finally show Mo Suqing how he felt, but he did not wish to show how dejected he really felt for fear of upsetting her.

    Though he was aware she was married, it still hurt hearing her say that she had a husband. Even so, there was nothing he could do about it.

    While Mo Suqing bickered with Guan Zixuan, Leng Xiyao told Leng Haoyun of her intention to take jewelry design at A University. After thinking about it for a moment, Leng Haoyun agreed.

    Leng Xiyao was not that naive to think that she would be able to sessfully enter simply by applying. If Leng Haoyun did not help to pull some strings, she most likely would not have the opportunity to attend university a second time.

    After settling the application for A University, all she had to do was wait for the results.

    Leng Xiyao decided to put the second part of her n into action. She wanted to get Ceng Hanyu to take her to An Zhenguo.

    If this was her only blood rted rtive, and he had never stopped searching for her, she definitely wanted to meet him.

    It was not her grandfather¡¯s fault that she went missing. Moreover, there was no need for him to feel guilty over what happened. His granddaughter was right here, but he did not dare acknowledge her. She felt that she was at fault for this, for acting so emotional when she heard the truth. Her grandfather would definitely feel wretched if he knew how she had reacted.

    Although Leng Xiyao had decided upon this, she was still afraid of facing it alone.

    She ended up calling Mo Suqing so that she had a friend forpany. She felt that she would be braver with Mo Suqing around.

    When Mo Suqing told her that Guan Zixuan insisted on tagging along, Leng Xiyao made no furtherment though she found it rather unusual.

    ¡°Okay, it¡¯s also safer for you if he keeps youpany. I¡¯ll wait for you at my ce!¡±

    Mo Suqing and Guan Zixuan arrived half an hourter, and they went straight to Ceng Hanyu immediately after picking Leng Xiyao up.

    Just after the three of them left, An Huilin arrived at the Leng¡¯s vi in her car.

    She made a beeline for Leng Haoyun.

    Leng Haoyun was waiting for her in the study. He nced at her as she walked in, but looked away after giving that morous outfit of hers a quick once-over.

    An Huilin smiled sweetly at him. ¡°Haoyun, what is so urgent that you wanted to talk to me about?¡±

    She was in a good mood today, because this was the very first time Leng Haoyun invited her over. She had not been to the Leng¡¯s vi for quite a while now.

    Instead of looking at her, Leng Haoyun directed his gaze towards the window.

    ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± He spoke without emotion.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Leng Haoyun turned and made eye contact with her as he spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to cancel the marriage. You can say you were the one who asked for it so that your reputation won¡¯t be tainted!¡±

    An Huilin paled instantly. She could not process what Leng Haoyun just said.

    <i>He invited me over just to tell me that he¡¯s cancelling the marriage? How can he be so cruel?</i>

    This was a major fall from grace!

    An Huilin could only look on inplete incredulity as Leng Haoyun continued mercilessly.

    ¡°This is the best way forward in my opinion. What do you think?¡±

    He added, ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for so many years, so I don¡¯t want to make things too difficult either!¡±

    An Huilin was extremely distressed.

    ¡°What do you mean by not making things too difficult? Leng Haoyun, you shouldn¡¯t be doing this to me if you value our rtionship. Getting me to say that I asked for it in order not to taint my reputation? It¡¯s already gone with all those years that I¡¯ve spent waiting for you! Leng Haoyun, do you even have a conscience?¡±

    Leng Haoyun frowned in front of the hysterical An Huilin.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to repeat myself very clearly. I have never asked you to wait for me!¡±

    n Huilin¡¯s tears started falling. <i>That¡¯s all he has to say? He wants me to leave by saying that he had never asked me to wait for him?</i>

    ¡°Is it because of Leng Xiyao?¡± It took great effort for An Huilin to hold back her tears.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know this!¡± Leng Haoyun answered coldly.

    ¡°Ha ha ha...¡± An Huilin gave a hollowugh which sounded almost like a cackle.

    ¡°Leng Haoyun, you¡¯re really cruel, you¡¯re really...¡± She gritted her teeth, at a loss for words. Leng Haoyun, on the other hand, did not seem to be affected at all. He treated her like a stranger would, and he could even bring up the matter of cancelling the marriage like it was nothing. He had really hurt her deeply this time!

    <sup>[1] </sup>For those who might be confused, the word ¡®fans¡¯ is widely transliterated in popr usage, but the same word can also mean flour or noodles.

    <sup>[2] </sup>The phrasing used for ¡°they¡¯re not things / they¡¯re not objects¡± can also be interpreted to mean ¡°they¡¯re nothing / they amount to nothing¡±.

 Chapter 165 â€“ Shall I Sleep With You on a Spring Day

    <h4>Chapter 165 ¨C Shall I Sleep With You on a Spring Day</h4>

    Leng Haoyun was getting impatient. ¡°Are you going to agree or not? I¡¯ve already told you before our engagement that either party can call it quits at any point in time. Do you want me to say it again?¡±

    An Huilin looked at Leng Haoyun¡¯s impassive face. <i>There really is nothing worse than apathy. But why don¡¯t I want to give up even when he¡¯s this cruel?</i>

    If she agrees to the cancetion, it is unlikely that she will ever get a second chance.

    She contemted for a moment before answering. ¡°I need some time to think this over. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t agree, but we had already invited so many guests to the banquet. I¡¯ll meet you back here in this study a weekter to let you know!¡±

    Leng Haoyun looked at her pointedly before nodding.

    An Huilin then turned to leave. Once out of the study, her tears were unstoppable.

    ¡­¡­

    The car was heading to Ceng Hanyu¡¯s vi.

    Leng Xiyao suddenly asked, ¡°Guan Zixuan, you seem to be very free these days. Don¡¯t you have any work?¡±

    Guan Zixuan looked at her through the rearview mirror as he drove.

    ¡°I¡¯m a celebrity, but I¡¯m human too. I¡¯ve been so working hard in order to let the audience enjoy high quality dramas, movies and programmes. You have absolutely no conscience. How can you make suchments.¡±

    ¡°So why don¡¯t you have any work recently?¡± Leng Xiyao pressed on.

    Guan Zixuan answered dismissively as he tried to show thisdy how hard he had actually been working. ¡°Of course I should take a good rest after the shoot in C City. I¡¯ve also asked my manager to either postpone or cancel any other jobs for the next few days!¡±

    ¡°My, oh my. Throwing your weight around huh. A top-tier actor!¡±

    Sarcasm was evident in Leng Xiyao¡¯s words. This made Guan Zixuan floor the elerator on purpose, causing Leng Xiyao to be thrown back against the seat by inertia.

    She admonished him, ¡°Top actor Mr. Guan, do you have a death wish? Speeding up so suddenly like that. Don¡¯t you know that Suqing is pregnant?¡±

    Being reminded of this, Guan Zixuan slowed down.

    He said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have done that if you weren¡¯t being so sarcastic!¡±

    Leng Xiyao rolled her eyes before turning to him again, craftiness in her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you something serious, Guan Zixuan. What were you shooting this time?¡±

    Guan Zixuan thought it was a genuine question and that she was merely asking out of curiosity.

    ¡°The title of the drama is - Shall I Compare You to a Spring Day.¡±

    Leng Xiyao started chuckling.

    ¡°It should be called - Shall I Sleep With You on a Spring Day!¡±

    Mo Suqing was initially enjoying their banter, but Leng Xiyao¡¯s suddenment made her facepalm.

    <i>Heavens, I don¡¯t know this person. Why is she so dirty-minded! I can¡¯t take it!</i>

    Losing his grip on the steering wheel, Guan Zixuan lost control of the car a little when he heard thement.

    Leng Xiyao continued, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? No need to force yourself to drive if you¡¯re not good at it. The journey would be super smooth if I were driving!¡±

    Guan Zixuan stared at her with gritted teeth.

    ¡°You¡¯re all talk. Do you even have a license?¡±

    Leng Xiyao answered in mock surprise, ¡°Guan Zixuan, I thought you were extremely knowledgeable! Top actor Mr. Guan should¡¯ve already known that I¡¯m a very experienced driver!¡±

    Guan Zixuan was left speechless.<i>?Miss Experienced Driver, please stop torturing me. Also, being knowledgeable has absolutely nothing to do with knowing how experienced you are.</i>

    <i>Anyone can tell that you¡¯re the reckless kind! You score an absolute win!</i>

    ¡°One more word and Suqing and I will walk instead. You can go look for Ceng Hanyu on your own!¡±

    Leng Xiyao instantly put on an act of being a sweetdy. ¡°Don¡¯t! Guan Zixuan, I won¡¯t joke around anymore, okay?¡±

    Guan Zixuan snorted, ¡°You sure you were just joking?¡±

    Leng Xiyao pursed her lips and kept quiet. <i>This man is so boring. I was just kidding! Everyone knows that I like to joke around!</i>

    Mo Suqing then spoke, ¡°Zixuan, for the show - Shall I Compare You to a Spring Day, is Mo Sulian a part of the crew too?¡±

    ¡°She is! But she¡¯s the bad apple. She doesn¡¯t perform well even though she¡¯s been cast as the second female lead. The director was exasperated. They might even have to cut out her scenes when the show airs and edit it to make her look like a passer-by!¡±

    Guan Zixuan got pretty worked up.

    Leng Xiyao said, ¡°The passer-by would probably be Mo Sulian!¡±

    Guan Zixuan took a deep breath to calm himself before speaking.

    ¡°Leng Xiyao, even if you don¡¯t talk, no one would think you¡¯re mute. Also, you totally missed my point. Why do you focus on things that people don¡¯t normally focus on?¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m not normal, and I¡¯m very unusual!¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re unusually insane!¡± Guan Zixuan retorted.

    Afraid that they would start tearing at each other any moment now, Mo Suqing held onto Leng Xiyao.

    ¡°Zixuan, how did Mo Sulian get cast if her acting chops are so bad? I heard there were also quite a few famous actors cast for that drama, and they¡¯re all top-tier!¡±

    Guan Zixuan wondered if he should tell her the truth.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Zixuan, stop acting all shy and awkward!¡±

    Guan Zixuan coughed at this.

    ¡°Suqing, you really want to know?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Mo Suqing nodded fervently. She knew deep down that Ye Zhongjue must have had something to do with it, but no matter what he did, she trusted him.

    ¡°Okay!¡± Guan Zixuan nced at her before continuing. ¡°She said Ye Zhongjue was her backer. They were photographed together a few times before, but Ye Zhongjue didn¡¯tment on those. Lin Ran also called up a few entertainmentpanies to extend his greetings, so everyone naturally believed Mo Sulian.¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded and remained silent.

    Ever since Ye Zhongjue¡¯s identity was blown, she knew her father and Mo Sulian would pester Ye Zhongjue if she did not lend a helping hand. She could fully understand Ye Zhongjue¡¯s actions.

    Ceng Hanyu was already waiting outside when they arrived at his vi.

    On the way to the An family home, Leng Xiyao¡¯s nerves got the better of her. She held onto Mo Suqing¡¯s hand anxiously.

    She would ask from time to time, ¡°Ceng Hanyu, are we there yet?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu answered, ¡°A while more!¡±

    She asked again shortly after, ¡°Ceng Hanyu, is it very rude of me that I forgot to bring a present?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu took her hands in his to reassure her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. The fact that you¡¯re able to visit is the greatest present for Grandpa An.¡±

    Mo Suqing could see the cold sweat on Leng Xiyao¡¯s forehead as she lowered her head. She spoke gently, ¡°It¡¯ll be okay, Yao. I¡¯m here with you. Also, that¡¯s your grandfather, the closest rtive you have. He¡¯ll definitely love you, so you don¡¯t have to worry so much.¡±

    Just as Mo Suqing finished, Leng Xiyao looked at Ceng Hanyu again. ¡°I yed a prank on him and pointed him in the opposite direction. Will he be very angry with me and hate me for it?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu looked at her in resignation. ¡°Yao, you¡¯re overthinking it. Grandpa loves you! Why would he hate you?!¡±

    Seeing Leng Xiyao cowering in fear put Guan Zixuan in such a good mood that he actually started humming. He would have sung loudly if he could.

    Mo Suqing did not know what to say.<i>?The two of them must be arch-enemies, attacking each other on sight.</i>

    The current Leng Xiyao was too nervous to pay any attention to Guan Zixuan.

    When they finally arrived at the An family home, Leng Xiyao was so nervous that her palms were sweating.

    <i>Actually, why am I this nervous? I¡¯ve been to many events and I¡¯ve seen so much. This is nothing. Isn¡¯t this just visiting my own grandfather?</i>

    However, she just could not help but feel restless and uneasy.

    An Zhenguo walked out just as they alighted from the car. His tears instantly fell as he saw Leng Xiyao.

    His legs trembled as he wanted to go to her.

    Mo Suqing supported Leng Xiyao and they steadily made their way towards An Zhenguo.

    Guan Zixuan looked at the scene unfolding before him, realizing that Leng Xiyao had all the emotions a normal person would have. She would also feel scared, agitated and worried. If she knew what just went through his mind, she might literally strangle him.

    Ceng Hanyu stepped forward to support An Zhenguo as he walked.

    An Zhenguo finally stopped in front of Leng Xiyao. He was so emotional that he spoke with a slight stutter.

    ¡°It¡¯s been twenty-odd years, but I¡¯ve finally found you. Anne, my granddaughter!¡±

    Old Man An held onto Leng Xiyao¡¯s arm, and hot tears welled up in her eyes. She had imagined this ying out many times, but it was never this emotional.

    A wave of emotion overwhelmed her. She felt conflicted, happy, emotional and uneasy all at the same time. No one else would know exactly how she felt at this moment.

    Leng Xiyao had prepared herself for this reunion, and the first thing Leng Xiyao said made An Zhenguo weep.

    ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    She sniffed as her tears fell.

    An Zhenguo hugged her. ¡°Anne, silly girl. Why are you saying sorry? You¡¯ve had such a hard time. It¡¯s Grandpa¡¯s fault for not being able to find you sooner!¡±

    The tear-stricken Leng Xiyao pouted as she tried to awkwardly exin herself. ¡°I gave you the wrong direction on purpose, I didn¡¯t know...¡±

    An Zhenguo patted her on the shoulder tofort her. ¡°Silly girl, Grandpa knows you didn¡¯t do it on purpose. You wouldn¡¯t do that if you knew I was your grandfather. Is that your friend over there? Let hime in!¡±

    Leng Xiyao stared at Guan Zixuan. He was pretty sarcastic towards her after they picked Ceng Hanyu up.

    Thus, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, Grandpa. He¡¯s just a driver!¡±

    <sup>[1]</sup> The literal phrase is ¡®old driver¡¯ and can be used to mean someone with a wealth of experience. Leng Xiyao was trying to be punny in her response to the question of whether she has a license.

 Chapter 166 â€“ Charming and Handsome Driver

    <h4>Chapter 166 ¨C Charming and Handsome Driver</h4>

    Guan Zixuan fumed at this. <i>Have you ever seen such a charming and handsome driver?</i>

    Mo Suqing looked at Guan Zixuan knowingly. <i>See, you¡¯re nothing but a driver in Yao¡¯s eyes.</i>

    Before Guan Zixuan could say anything, An Zhenguo could already tell that something was amiss from the expressions of those around them.

    ¡°Come on in, I¡¯ve seen you on television before!¡±

    A wide, charming smile appeared on Guan Zixuan¡¯s face.

    ¡°Hi Grandpa, I¡¯m Guan Zixuan!¡±

    ¡°Zixuan, nice name. Come on in!¡± Having reunited with his granddaughter, the usually serious Old Man An was in a very good mood.

    Various different dishes were served by a domestic helper as they walked into the vi.

    Old Man An smiled at Leng Xiyao sweetly. ¡°Anne, Hanyu told me you like these, so I¡¯ve prepared them for you. Try them!¡±

    Leng Xiyao nodded, touched by his gesture. This was the very first time she had experienced the warmth from a rtive, since Leng Haoyun¡¯s care for her had long been seen as romantic gestures instead of just the love from a family member.

    They stayed at the An family home for the entire day, and Old Man An could not bear for Leng Xiyao to leave.

    ¡°Anne, when are you going toe and visit Grandpa again?¡±

    Not wanting to disappoint him, Leng Xiyao said, ¡°I¡¯ll call and chat with Grandpa, and I¡¯ll alsoe over when I¡¯m free.¡±

    Old Man An nodded in response. ¡°Okay. If you don¡¯t mind, you can even stay here. I¡¯ve already prepared a room for you.¡±

    Leng Xiyao felt awkward and hesitated slightly as she answered. ¡°Grandpa, let¡¯s just see how it goes. I¡¯ll definitelye visit when I have the time.¡±

    Old Man An did not push the matter any further and simply stood at the door to bid them goodbye. Leng Xiyao almost cried when she left.

    She kept chiding herself inwardly.<i>?There¡¯s no need to be so emotional, it¡¯s not like we¡¯re not going to see each other ever again, right?</i>

    Initially, Leng Xiyao still harbored some skepticism over whether she really was from the An family, but seeing the An family home and the photo of Old Man An¡¯s son and daughter-inw were enough to quell all her doubts.

    She was the spitting image of her mother, and they looked exactly like twins. It was no surprise that Grandpa An could recognize her when he saw her for the first time.

    She also found out that An Huilin was actually a distant aunt of hers when she asked how An Huilin was rted to the family. She made a snide remark to herself when she learned about this. <i>How could this actually happen to me?</i>

    <i>However, Grandpa said that An Huilin was from a branch of the An family, and that her rtionship with their family wasn¡¯t exactly close-knit. Now that he¡¯s getting older, there were also some in the family who were eyeing to be in charge.</i>

    Of course, no one dared to act yet with Ceng Hanyu around.

    Leng Xiyao felt rather bad about it. It was this very man who had helped her protect the An family for all these years, but she was still unable to ept the fact that she was supposed to be his fiancee.

    When they were in the car, she suddenly asked Ceng Hanyu, ¡°Where is Big Sis Selina? Why didn¡¯t you get her toe along today?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu averted his eyes and looked out the window as he thought about what happened the previous night. Selina ignored him for the entire night, and she was already gone in the morning when he woke up. He sent some men to investigate and knew that she was still in A City, so it was obvious that Selina was ignoring him on purpose.

    His answer was rather brief. ¡°She left early to run some errands.¡±

    Leng Xiyao simply nodded and responded with ¡®Oh¡¯.

    ¡­¡­

    When Leng Xiyao received the letter of eptance from A University three dayster, she got so excited that she could not sleep.

    On the morning of the next day, Leng Haoyun was nning to give her a ride to the university.

    He was waiting downstairs when he heard Leng Xiyao walking down, but his face darkened immediately.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Leng Xiyao dragged a suitcase down the steps as she answered, ¡°Staying in the hostel!¡±

    ¡°Why are you so wilful? Leng Xiyao, I¡¯ve already agreed to let you go to university, but you¡¯re not a kid anymore!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I have the right to make my own decisions!¡±

    Leng Xiyao met his eyes without any fear.

    Leng Haoyun sat on the sofa angrily. ¡°No means no. You have to stay at home if you want to study, otherwise I won¡¯t agree to it!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a grown-up and I don¡¯t need you to agree. Don¡¯t treat me like I¡¯m still a teenager, Uncle!¡±

    Leng Xiyao continued making her way out with her suitcase.

    Leng Haoyun looked at her, irritated. ¡°How about you go ask around to see if there¡¯s anyone who even treats you like a proper grown-up. You¡¯re acting exactly like a kid throwing a tantrum!¡±

    Leng Xiyao stopped. She knew that she looked young, and there were indeed many who thought she was still underage. <i>But I¡¯m already an adult!</i>

    Seeing that Leng Xiyao continued walking out, Leng Haoyun chased after her.

    ¡°Stop right there, Leng Xiyao!¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked at him coldly, ¡°I¡¯m standing still. May I know if there¡¯s anything I can help you with, Uncle?¡±

    Leng Haoyun gave in eventually. <i>She¡¯s really my nemesis!</i>

    ¡°Let¡¯s go! I¡¯ll give you a ride!¡±

    ¡°So you agree for me to stay in the hostel?¡± Leng Xiyao looked at him, wide-eyed.

    Leng Haoyun snatched her suitcase from her. ¡°Let¡¯s just go! Stay if you want to, but give me a call everyday, or else I¡¯ll show up personally!¡±

    Leng Xiyao thought about it before nodding. ¡°Mm, I¡¯ll call you everyday so you¡¯ll know I¡¯m safe.¡±

    Leng Haoyun shook his head in resignation. Although he yielded this time, he did not feel great about it.

    Leng Haoyun only left for the office when Leng Xiyao¡¯s matters were settled.

    Earlier, when they were about to leave for the university, Jian Jie was somewhere near their vi, observing everything.

    She took out her mobile phone after Leng Haoyun¡¯s car disappeared from the horizon.

    ¡°Hey, Jian Jie, what are you doing?¡±

    Jian Jie sounded displeased when she spoke.

    ¡°Moving!¡±

    ¡°Moving?¡± An Huilin was puzzled.

    Jian Jie sounded very annoyed. ¡°Moving the things in my office, where else would I be?¡±

    An Huilin asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Tell me what happened.¡±

    Jian Jie calmed down a little when she heard the concern in her friend¡¯s voice. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. See youter at Blue Mountain Coffee!¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll head over first!¡±

    An Huilin gged down a car as she ended the call, and made her way to the cafe called Blue Mountain Coffee.

    An Huilin had been waiting for quite a while before Jian Jie arrived, pulling a long face.

    She took a big gulp of the coffee right after sitting down.

    An Huilin¡¯s brows creased at this. ¡°Isn¡¯t it bitter? There¡¯s no sugar added!¡±

    Jian Jie shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡±

    She wanted to murder someone now!

    She was fired from her job right after being reprimanded by Dark Night and prohibited from creating any further trouble for Mo Suqing.

    <i>Yes! They fired me! And they had the gall to say that submitting a resignation would be for my own good!?</i>She never thought that Ye Zhongjue could be this cruel. Even if he did not care about the fact that she had saved him once in Ennd, she felt that he should still have considered the dynamics between their two families, since the Jian family and the Ye family had a long-standing rtionship. <i>But he didn¡¯t! Instead, he fired me because of that woman!</i>

    An Huilin looked at her with worry. ¡°Jian Jie, what¡¯s wrong? You look really upset!¡±

    Jian Jieughed bitterly. ¡°Really? I got fired, can you believe it?¡±

    An Huilin was shocked. ¡°What? You joined Mighty Empire because of Ye Zhongjue, not because you had nowhere else to go. Even if your family business can¡¯tpare to Mighty Empire¡¯s, it¡¯s still pretty powerful in A City. Who would dare fire you?¡±

    Jian Jie continued sipping on her bitter coffee, a gloomy smile on her face.

    ¡°It¡¯s Ye Zhongjue of course. It is none other than my dear Jue! He didn¡¯t even seem to care! Does he think I¡¯ll stop here if he treats me like this? He and Mo Suqing will not have a happy ending!¡±

    Jian Jie¡¯s face distorted with anger.

    An Huilin shook her head and gave a hollowugh. ¡°Seems like we¡¯re in the same boat! Leng Haoyun told me he wanted to cancel the marriage!¡±

    Jian Jie frowned. ¡°What did you say then?¡±

    An Huilin smiled wryly. ¡°What can I say? I told him I¡¯ll consider it, and that I¡¯ll give him an answer after a week. After today, I¡¯ll just be left with three more days. I don¡¯t know what to say to him. Do I really give up on this? But I can¡¯t! Jian Jie¡­ We finally got engaged. Do you know how long I¡¯ve been waiting for this?¡±

    Jian Jie said, ¡°You did well! You should definitely have stalled for time. But are you silly? You¡¯re really nning to give up? You¡¯re just letting him call the shots?¡±

    She pondered for a moment. ¡°I have an idea!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Suppressing her sorrow, An Huilin looked at her attentively.

    From her handbag, Jian Jie took out a tiny bottle. The bottle looked exquisite and had a beautiful, delicate design. It looked like a miniature version of a perfume bottle.

    She passed it to An Huilin, saying, ¡°This is called Without a Trace. If you can spike Leng Haoyun¡¯s drink with this, you know what happens next...¡±

    An Huilin stared at Jian Jie as she deciphered the hidden meaning in her words. ¡°This is an aphrodisiac!¡±

    ¡°Shh! You¡¯re being too loud!¡± Jian Jie red at An Huilin. ¡°I¡¯m helping you out here, so don¡¯t make a fuss. In my opinion, all of this wouldn¡¯t have happened if you had acted earlier. There¡¯s nothing he can do once you get pregnant with his baby. The child is always more precious than the mother; this has always been the case since millenia!¡±

    Jian Jie was slightly disgruntled. She was initially nning to use it on Ye Zhongjue, but never did she expect that firing her would be the first thing he did after entering the office.

 Chapter 167 â€“ No Turning Back

    <h4>Chapter 167 ¨C No Turning Back</h4>

    An Huilin hesitated. She had never thought of doing something like that. She acted proudly in the past, and even if Leng Haoyun did not love her, she would not give up.

    But looking at the current situation...

    Seeing An Huilin waver, Jian Jie egged her on. ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy to get my hands on this. Do you want it or not?¡±

    An Huilin paused for a second before reaching out. ¡°I want it!¡±

    Jian Jie put the bottle in her hand, an intriguing expression forming on her face.

    What she did not tell An Huilin was that the drug would dull the victim¡¯s senses and make him think that she was the person he loved, so he would not realize it was actually An Huilin even if the drug worked.

    Looking at Jian Jie¡¯s expression, An Huilin nervously asked, ¡°Does this really work?¡±

    ¡°Mm, of course. I won¡¯t lie to you. It¡¯s yourst chance so you better make use of it. Don¡¯t cry when Leng Haoyun says he wants to cancel marriage then!¡±

    Instantly triggered, determination shed in An Huilin¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do as you say!¡±

    Jian Jie smiled, not saying any more.

    Leng Xiyao missed Leng Haoyun very much on her first day at university. But she reminded herself that he was going to marry An Huilin soon, and that he did not seem to behave any differently even after she had confessed.

    Instead of humiliating herself, she would rather notpete!

    Everything was smooth-sailing in Leng Xiyao¡¯s mind, but the reality was far from what she had imagined.

    She missed Leng Haoyun very badly on the first night she stayed in the hostel. She had never been away from him once, and the only time she stayed out was when she went to Ceng Hanyu¡¯s house after getting drunk.

    She missed him more deeply as the night grew darker, and she felt as if they had been apart for a very long time.

    That feeling did not diminish even on the second day, but her ego did not allow her to sumb.

    Though Leng Haoyun told her to call, she did not do it yesterday.

    Leng Haoyun did not call her either. So Leng Xiyao thought that he might have just said it but did not mean it for real.

    ----

    Leng Xiyao eventually called Leng Haoyun on the third day, but what she heard on the phone was Leng Haoyun¡¯s weak and feeble voice.

    Leng Xiyao put down the phone and called Aunt Zhang instead. It was then that she found out Leng Haoyun caught a cold on the very day she left.

    He did not think much of it, but he refused to go to the hospital even when his cold worsened over these two days.

    Leng Xiyao was too worried about him, and she decided to sneak out of ss, bringing nothing but her wallet with her.

    There was only one thing on her mind: <i>I want to go home!</i>

    She could not concentrate on her ss if she did not see Leng Haoyun.

    <strong>Meanwhile, at the Leng¡¯s vi.</strong>

    Being ill, Leng Haoyun did not go to the office. It was also the day when An Huilin was supposed to give him an answer, and he had only given her the extra time because they had known each other for so long. He would demand for the marriage to be cancelled whether she agreed or not.

    Leng Haoyun was standing by the window when An Huilin arrived. Because he was ill, he looked rather miserable. It was very different from his usual imposing aura.

    Seeing Leng Haoyun looking sluggish and lethargic, An Huilin asked out of concern, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You look awful!¡±

    Leng Haoyun shook his head and spoke in a hoarse voice.

    ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s just a cold!¡±

    ¡°Sit down, I¡¯ll get you some water and medicine!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already taken medicine!¡± Leng Haoyun looked up at her coldly.

    <i>Yao did not contact me for three days, and she ended the call so quickly earlier probably because she heard that hoarse voice of mine.</i>

    Leng Haoyun walked to the front of his desk and sat down, while An Huilin had already made her way out.

    She came back in shortly after.

    In her haste, she did not notice Leng Xiyao behind her.

    Leng Xiyao frowned when she saw her enter the vi and wanted to leave, but she decided against it eventually.

    When she entered, she saw An Huilin using the water dispenser.

    Right before she went in, she saw An Huilin take something out of her handbag.

    Leng Xiyao then saw her pour something into the ss of water she just filled before taking it to Leng Haoyun¡¯s study.

    Leng Xiyao thus followed, but she did not expect for Aunt Zhang to appear beside her suddenly.

    In her joy, Aunt Zhang dered loudly, ¡°Little Miss is back!¡±

    Leng Xiyao frowned at her, saying, ¡°Aunt Zhang, why are you outside!¡±

    Aunt Zhang smiled as she answered, ¡°Young Master instructed me to tell Miss An that she doesn¡¯t need to get any medicine, so I went outside but I couldn¡¯t find her anywhere. It just so happens that I saw you standing out here. Why aren¡¯t you going in!¡±

    ¡°Oh! It¡¯s fine, you go on ahead!¡± Leng Xiyao said.

    Leng Xiyao kept her eyes on the study after Aunt Zhang left.

    The door was slightly ajar. She was in a dilemma now. If An Huilin was here and went to get medicine, it should be the medicine that she put in the water earlier. If that was the case, Leng Haoyun would already be well taken care of!

    Leng Xiyao suddenly felt a wave of disappointment wash over her.

    Uncle had no need for her anymore.

    Leng Xiyao thus trudged out of the vi.

    ----

    In the study, An Huilin passed Leng Haoyun the medicine and the water.

    Leng Haoyun nced at the medicine and shook his head. ¡°Put the medicine aside, I¡¯ll take themter. It¡¯s simr to the ones I took earlier in the morning!¡±

    Concern could be seen on An Huilin¡¯s face.

    ¡°Drink some water then, you¡¯d probably feel better!¡±

    Leng Haoyun held the ss of water and asked An Huilin, ¡°Have you thought about the marriage cancetion? If you don¡¯t request for it, I would be the one to do so. When that happens, you¡¯d be put in an awkward position!¡±

    An Huilin bit her lips. <i>Why is he still thinking about this when he¡¯s already so unwell!</i>

    She spoke calmly, ¡°Drink some water first. I¡¯ll let you know after you take a sip!¡±

    Leng Haoyun nced at her before lifting the ss to his lips and taking a big gulp.

    With a glint in her eyes, An Huilin said, ¡°Drink up, it¡¯s good for your throat!¡±

    Leng Haoyun slowly finished the entire ss of water.

    An Huilin heaved a sigh of relief.

    ¡°You can tell me your decision now, right?¡± Leng Haoyun looked at her, asking calmly.

    An Huilin became slightly anxious as she looked at his poker face. <i>What if he doesn¡¯t change his mind even after we¡¯ve done the deed??</i>Even though she was ovting today, she shuddered to imagine how Leng Haoyun would treat her if she did not get pregnant with his child.

    But if she does not go through with this, she would no longer have any opportunity. At the thought, she decided to stay firm to her decision.

    There was no turning back.

    It would probably be worse if she decided to pull back now.

    An Huilin tried to act natural and said, ¡°I drank some water earlier when I went to fill the ss, I¡¯ll tell you after I make a trip to the washroom!¡±

    Leng Haoyun stared at her for a while before nodding.

    ¡°Go on!¡±

    An Huilin¡¯s palms were sweating profusely when she walked out of the study.

    After quite a while, An Huilin was not back yet. Leng Haoyun thus decided to have a look at the documents on his desk.

    He had been thinking when to settle these matters. If he wanted to be with Leng Xiyao, this had to be settled, and it had to go through the proper legal processes.

    It was actually the will left by Leng Xiyao¡¯s parents. They had transferred their shares of The Unparalleled to him and asked him to take care of Leng Xiyao.

    He had done his job, but he now wanted to transfer those shares to Leng Xiyao. If Leng Xiyao happened to see this, she would definitely overthink with how sensitive she was, and she would likely think that he raised her only because her parents had made a deal with him.

    Leng Haoyun felt very hot, as if his temperature suddenly rose. He walked over to the restroom and washed his face with some cold tap water.

    He was in the restroom when An Huilin walked back in.

    <i>It¡¯s about time that the drug took effect, but where did Leng Haoyun go?</i>

    She heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing the tap water from the restroom.

    Looking around the room, she saw the documents on the desk. Curious, she walked over to take a look as she noticed that the documents looked like something that was notarized by awyer.

    After briefly scanning through it, she whipped out her phone and snapped pictures of it quickly.

    There were only a few pages, and she put them back in ce after getting the pictures. She then went to the bookshelf and pretended to browse through the books.

    When Leng Haoyun came out, he saw An Huilin looking at the bookshelf.

    Frowning, he spoke in a low voice, ¡°Can you tell me your decision now?¡±

    Though he sounded frustrated, it seemed like his mind was still rather clear from his voice. She was debating if she should turn around.

    She stood there for a while, unsure what to do. Leng Haoyun¡¯s breathing suddenly became heavy.

    Worried, she turned back to ask, ¡°Haoyun, are you alright?¡±

    Leng Haoyun waved his hands to signal that he was fine. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m a little dizzy and I feel a bit hot. I don¡¯t know why but it feels like I¡¯m on fire...¡±

    An Huilin said quickly, ¡°I think you¡¯re running a fever! I¡¯ll take you back to your room!¡±

    Leng Haoyun tried to disagree, but An Huilin gripped his arm and refused to let go. She could tell that his vision was beginning to blur and wondered if he could hold on for much longer.

    It seemed like he would not be able to hold on for long!

    Leng Haoyun felt his vision blurring and his mind fogging up. <i>Why do I see Yao here? Isn¡¯t she supposed to be at the university?</i>

 Chapter 168 â€“ Stumbling Upon an Ingenious Idea

    <h4>Chapter 168 ¨C Stumbling Upon an Ingenious Idea</h4>

    As An Huilin held onto Leng Haoyun¡¯s arm, she could tell that his vision was clouding.

    He took her in a sudden embrace, mumbling, ¡°Yao...¡±

    An Huilin was stunned by this, but she did not push him away and allowed him to continue hugging her.

    ¡°Yao¡­¡± She could feel his warm breath beside her ear. An Huilin indulged herself in his embrace even though she was aware that he thought she was Leng Xiyao.

    ¡°Haoyun...¡± An Huilin called out to him.

    Leng Haoyun stiffened immediately, pushing An Huilin away. ¡°You¡¯re not Yao. Yao doesn¡¯t call me that!¡±

    He shook his head vigorously, but it was still Leng Xiyao standing in front of him.

    Frantic, An Huilin instantly changed her tone of voice to imitate Leng Xiyao¡¯s. ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s me. I just wanted to call you by your name.¡±

    She then hugged Leng Haoyun.

    She spoke softly in his ear, ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re running a fever. Do you feel very hot? I¡¯ll help you to your room, okay?¡±

    An Huilin supported Leng Haoyun out of the study as she coaxed him gently.

    ----

    After exiting the Leng¡¯s vi, Leng Xiyao started running madly. A scene where An Huilin fed Leng Haoyun his medicine kept appearing in her mind¡¯s eye.

    She could feel her tears in the wind, and she hated herself for being like this. Her heart would hurt at the thought of An Huilin and Uncle being together in future, and she felt like she could die once she thought about this irrefutable fact.

    Leng Xiyao kept running until she was drenched with sweat and her legs gave out. She squatted down and started sobbing.

    After crying for a while, her heart gave a sudden lurtch. That uneasy feeling she felt in ss was back.

    After pondering for quite some time, she decided to go back.

    When Leng Xiyao stepped into the study, there was nobody there. There were documents syed on the desk, but her uncle and An Huilin were nowhere to be found.

    Leng Xiyao rubbed her swollen eyes and walked towards the desk, her gaze going towards the open documents. The words ¡®share transfer¡¯ and something like ¡®Leng Haoyun to be the legal guardian of daughter, Leng Xiyao¡¯ had attracted her attention.

    She picked up the documents, her face paling when she began to read through them.

    Leng Xiyao was aghast after looking through the documents. <i>Was all that care and concern nothing but a deal?</i>

    She felt like her world was falling apart as she thought about how her uncle showered her with so much love and affection. <i>Was it all because of the benefits he received? How can this be!</i>

    Leng Xiyao wanted to tear up those documents in her hurt and frustration, but she knew that it would not be the only copy that existed.

    Holding back her tears, she put it back in its original ce and forced herself to calm down. The more she thought about this, the more painful it would be for her.

    <i>Even if Uncle raised me because Mum and Dad transferred the shares to him, the concern he had shown was still real. That¡¯s right, it must be real!</i>

    Leng Xiyao tried to reason with herself.

    She walked out, stopping outside the door for a moment. Unable to stop feeling upset, she eventually decided that she should ask Leng Haoyun for an exnation.

    Leng Xiyao realized that the door was ajar when she was right outside Leng Haoyun¡¯s room. An Huilin was in a bathrobe and she was helping Leng Haoyun change out of his clothes. Leng Haoyun¡¯s face blushed red and he seemed to be mumbling something.

    However, Leng Xiyao could tell that he was extremely unwell.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s heart went out to him. W<i>hat am I doing? They¡¯re going to get married soon, so isn¡¯t this normal?</i>

    <i>But isn¡¯t Uncle ill? Why isn¡¯t An Huilin being understanding!</i>

    Leng Xiyao was getting increasingly conflicted that she forgot about why she even wanted to look for Leng Haoyun in the first ce.

    She went downstairs and called Aunt Zhang over.

    ¡°Aunt Zhang, go and get Miss An to go to my room. Tell her that I¡¯ve left a letter for her before I enrolled into the university, and that it¡¯s on my bedside table. Tell her that she has to go get it immediately, understood?¡±

    Aunt Zhang nodded and was about to head upstairs before Leng Xiyao stopped her again.

    ¡°Go back to your room after shees out. Whatever you hear tonight, don¡¯te out. Got it?¡±

    Aunt Zhang nodded at Leng Xiyao. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, Little Miss, I¡¯ll do exactly as you say!¡±

    In her eyes, her little miss was the real master in the Leng family, and An Huilin was considered an outsider.

    Leng Xiyao stood at the corner of the stairwell as she watched Aunt Zhang head to Leng Haoyun¡¯s room, pricking up her ears to listen.

    She heard Aunt Zhang say, ¡°Miss An, Little Miss said she left a letter for you on her bedside table, and she¡¯s asking you to go read it now.¡±

    An Huilin sounded extremely impatient. ¡°Got it, got it! Continue with your other duties!¡±

    Instead of leaving, Aunt Zhang insisted, ¡°Little Miss asked you to go read it right now!¡±

    An Huilin¡¯s tone turned unfriendly. ¡°I said I got it so stop bothering me. I¡¯ll go get it now, happy?¡±

    Leng Xiyao heard a door open. It was likely that An Huilin had left the room.

    She poked her head out and saw An Huilin enter her room, closing it behind her.

    Leng Xiyao scoffed inwardly. <i>Entering my room and closing the door behind you. I wonder what you¡¯re trying to do inside. Not to worry, I¡¯ve nned the program for an entire night just for you. I¡¯ll see what you can do.</i>

    When Aunt Zhang went back downstairs, Leng Xiyao spoke to her without any expression from her corner of the stairwell. ¡°Open the door to my room at six thirty tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Little Miss!¡± Aunt Zhang then returned to her room.

    Leng Xiyao quickly made her way to the door and locked it from the outside.

    An Huilin bent down, searching for the letter Aunt Zhang mentioned. However, she could not find anything.

    It was at this moment that she heard the lock click. She turned around in a panic, but nothing happened.

    She then rushed to the door and realized that it had been locked from the outside.

    An Huilin was incensed. <i>How dare Aunt Zhang foil her ns.?</i>She had always treated Aunt Zhang like a lowly servant and did not think she amounted to anything. She did not expect for Aunt Zhang to y a trick on her like that.

    An Huilin thought it was Aunt Zhang who locked her in.

    She thus yelled at Aunt Zhang loudly.

    ¡°Aunt Zhang, open the door now or else I¡¯ll tell Haoyun tomorrow and get him to fire you! Can¡¯t you just do your job as a servant? Trying to stub your toes in matters that don¡¯t involve you, I think you have a death wish!¡±

    There was no response to her yelling. She knocked on the door furiously, and nothing happened either. Banging so hard on the door only served to hurt her fists.

    An Huilin was irate, but she was trapped!

    Provoking An Huilin and hearing that hysterical voice of hers made Leng Xiyao chuckle to herself in satisfaction. She then steadily made her way to Leng Haoyun¡¯s room.

    Since he was down with a cold, Leng Xiyao wanted to check on how he was doing. Once she stepped in, a force grabbed her from nowhere.

    Leng Xiyao yelped before realizing it was actually Leng Haoyun. His face was extremely red and he looked very ufortable.

    His breathing was heavy, and Leng Xiyao blushed when she felt his hot breath beside her. Though they shared a close rtionship, they had literally never been this close.

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s hands started roving around her body as he took her in his embrace. Even if Leng Xiyao was slow, it was obvious that there was something wrong with him currently. But it was toote for her now.

    Moreover, she would be even more upset if it was An Huilin here now.

    Leng Haoyun carried her to the bed roughly, trapping her in his arms as he continued mumbling, ¡°Yao¡­ Yao...¡±

    At that moment, all of Leng Xiyao¡¯s defences broke.

    Leng Xiyao curled up when he prated her. It was so painful that even her scalp felt numb. But when she saw Leng Haoyun in agony, she reached out to hug him...

    The night passed rather eventfully.

    Leng Xiyao woke up at five o¡¯clock the next day. She did not get to sleep much as Leng Haoyun had his way with her for almost the entire night. Furthermore, she knew very clearly that she had to leave this very morning.

    She got down from the bed carefully, afraid of waking the sleeping man beside her.

    She was aching all over and saw the bruises on her body, but she dressed quickly and left without even taking a shower.

    She went to the study to pick up the ss which Leng Haoyun drank from yesterday. <i>An Huilin must have added some sort of drug to the water.</i>

    She had guessed what the drug was for, but she did not know if it had any sort of side effects.

    She had to look into this. If An Huilin was deranged enough to do this, using the drug might actually end up harming the victim.

    There was still some water left in the ss, so Leng Xiyao poured it into a small bottle and took it with her.

    She did not return to the university immediately, instead, she called Ceng Hanyu to pick her up.

    It was about six thirty when Ceng Hanyu arrived at the location Leng Xiyao mentioned. He saw her huddled up and shivering, like a tiny homeless animal.

 Chapter 169 â€“ Abbess Miejueâ€™s Plot

    <h4>Chapter 169 ¨C Abbess Miejue¡¯s Plot</h4>

    Ceng Hanyu felt sorry for her. Though Leng Xiyao had grown up in the Leng family, she did not have any adoptive parents, and there were some things which she did not share with Leng Haoyun either.

    He alighted and rushed to Leng Xiyao.

    ¡°What are you doing here so early in the morning?¡±

    Hearing his voice, Leng Xiyao looked up. She was met with a face full of concern.

    <i>There¡¯s someone who actually cares about me.</i>

    Leng Xiyao looked extremely pale, and Ceng Hanyu frowned as he wondered what was wrong.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go home. Could you take me to Grandpa? I¡¯d like to stay with him for a few days.¡± Leng Xiyao spoke slowly.

    Ceng Hanyu nodded in agreement. His eyes shed with a murderous glint when he spotted the red marks on her neck as he bent down to take her hand.

    He said sternly, ¡°Who was it! Tell me who bullied you? I¡¯ll kill him now!¡±

    It was only then did Leng Xiyao realize that the bruises on her neck were showing.

    She pulled on Ceng Hanyu, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t! It¡¯s not what you think!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu was infuriated.

    ¡°Not what I think? Then what exactly is it? Can¡¯t you just tell me?¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked down and remained silent.

    In a split second, something clicked in Ceng Hanyu¡¯s mind. His eyes widened in incandescent disbelief.

    ¡°Is it Leng Haoyun? It must be him, right? You wouldn¡¯t be like this otherwise. I¡¯ll go kill him right now!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu let go of Leng Xiyao¡¯s hand and turned to leave immediately.

    Leng Xiyao grabbed him and hastily said, ¡°It¡¯s not that!¡±

    However, her words fell on deaf ears as Ceng Hanyu continued walking.

    In her desperation, Leng Xiyao yelled, ¡°I was willing! Happy now?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu froze. He turned to look at Leng Xiyao in bewilderment. He was rendered speechless.

    After some silence, Leng Xiyao pulled on him. ¡°Let¡¯s go, take me to Grandpa¡¯s ce!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu did not speak after this, he simply walked towards the car.

    When they arrived at the An family home, Leng Xiyao stopped him when Ceng Hanyu was about to alight. She took out a bottle and passed it to him.

    ¡°Can you find out more about this drug, and if it causes any side effects? It¡¯d be great if we can get the results as soon as possible!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu looked at her nkly before taking the bottle and alighting from the vehicle.

    Leng Xiyao contemted silently before following him.

    ¡­¡­

    No one else was in the room when Leng Haoyun woke up, sticky with sweat.

    He had a hazy impression of the wet dreamst night, and the person in the dream was none other than that adorable girl. It felt way too realistic, and every second of it seemed to be lodged in his memory. He felt rather unsettled even though he knew that it was nothing but a dream.

    Leng Haoyun rubbed his forehead. He felt a lot better after perspiring so muchst night, and he seemed to have recovered all his strength overnight.

    He was about to go freshen up when he saw An Huilin at the door. She was dressed in a bathrobe that belonged to him, and her hair was in a mess.

    An Huilin regarded him with a profound gaze.

    Realization hit him when he looked back at the messy sheets. What happenedst night was no dream.

    His voice was unsteady as he spoke.

    ¡°Last night, were you...¡±

    ¡°What do you think!¡± An Huilin raised her eyebrows as she made her way in.

    The door remained closed throughout the night, but it was already open in the morning.

    Seeing Leng Haoyun¡¯s reaction, she knew that he had a fuzzy impression of what exactly happened at best.

    An Huilin walked to Leng Haoyun¡¯s bedside and kept her eyes on him, wondering what his next course of action would be.

    Leng Haoyun suddenly spoke.

    ¡°Even so, I wouldn¡¯t marry you. Huilin, after so many years, I¡¯m sure you know me well enough.¡±

    An Huilin smirked. <i>What about this?</i>

    She yed a recording where Leng Haoyun was calling out to Leng Xiyao, and An Huilin was imitating Leng Xiyao¡¯s voice as she answered with ¡®uncle¡¯. She decided to record this at thest minute, never expecting that it could be of use so quickly the next day.

    Leng Haoyun shivered. He recognized his own voice and he could tell from the recording that An Huilin did an extremely poor imitation of Leng Xiyao¡¯s voice, but he never realized this yesterday.

    An Huilin started to getcent. ¡°What would she think if I shared this recording with her?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Leng Haoyun reacted instantly, his voice steely.

    ¡°So you¡¯re agreeing to marry me then!¡± An Huilin sounded rather pleased with herself.

    Leng Haoyun did not respond.

    Resentment and viciousness shed past An Huilin¡¯s face.

    <i>Still not agreeing? I¡¯ll add some fuel to the fire!</i>

    ¡°How about this!¡± An Huilin threw her mobile phone at him. Leng Haoyun took a closer look and saw pictures of the documents containing information about the inheritance and transfer of shares.

    <i>How did she get her hands on these?</i>

    His mind was racing through the events of yesterday. He seemed to have forgotten everything after he opened that document and made the decision to transfer the shares to Leng Xiyao. The next thing he knew, it was already the next morning.

    Everything was fuzzy in his brain. He could not wrap his head around how exactly An Huilin got ess to those documents.

    He then threw her mobile phone against the wall, smashing it into smithereens.

    An Huilin scoffed at him. ¡°Did you think that was the only copy? I¡¯ve already saved another copy elsewhere. Don¡¯t you think Leng Xiyao will be ted if I send these to her!¡±

    ¡°I dare you!¡± Leng Haoyun stared at her.

    An Huilin backed away instinctively from his palpable fury.

    ¡°Well, that depends on you. Let me see. If Leng Xiyao sees it, she¡¯ll probably be super upset. The uncle who loves her so much only raised her because of a deal. How heartbroken do you think she¡¯ll be when she finds out?¡±

    Leng Haoyun seethed with anger. It took a while before he answered her. ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll agree to marry you. But! Never let Yao find out, or else I¡¯ll kick you out of the Leng family immediately and we¡¯ll get a divorce!¡±

    An Huilin shrugged like it was nothing. ¡°I have no issues with that! As long as you don¡¯t go back on your word, I won¡¯t do anything that might inadvertently harm myself! I have just one request. I want to move in after we get married. You¡¯d shudder to imagine what I might do if you don¡¯t agree to that!¡±

    Leng Haoyun red at her for what felt like hours before forcing himself to agree. ¡°Fine!¡±, he eventually said.

    He then added, ¡°Get out!¡±

    An Huilin turned away like a proud peacock. ¡°Let¡¯s settle the date for it quickly. I hope there won¡¯t be any more issues!¡±

    She then left without another word.

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s fists were clenched, his face ghastly.

    ¡­¡­

    Leng Xiyao did not attend any sses that day. Everything in the room Old Man An prepared for her was pink. It was heartbreaking for Leng Xiyao when she saw the room. This was how much her grandpa doted on her!

    Leng Xiyao decided to take a nap after Ceng Hanyu left. It was already two in the afternoon when she woke up.

    Guan Zixuan was still with Mo Suqing when Leng Xiyao decided to call her.

    Maddened, Leng Xiyao wanted to hurl insults over the phone.

    ¡°Why is that Guan Zixuan thing still not leaving!¡±

    Mo Suqing nced at the ¡®thing¡¯ beside her and said, ¡°Ye Zhongjue doesn¡¯t allow me to go to work since I¡¯m pregnant, and I¡¯m stuck at home. It¡¯s too boring being alone, so it¡¯s nice that he¡¯s here keeping mepany!¡±

    ¡°Oh...¡± Leng Xiyao responded half-heartedly, her temper subsiding.

    ¡°Suqing, I have something to tell you!¡±

    ¡°Mm, go on!¡± Mo Suqing was enjoying some grapes as she spoke. Leng Xiyao was someone who shared all secrets with her.

    ¡°Last night, I found a document containing information about some inheritance and share ownership, and an agreement to be my guardian. Do you know that my parents transferred ownership of their shares in The Unparalleled to my uncle and asked him to take care of me? I feel so upset and conflicted after finding out. All that love and concern he showed seemed genuine, but on the other hand, I feel mocked after seeing those documents. Did you know that I...¡±

    Mo Suqing stopped eating. She asked calmly, ¡°Yao, I need to know something. Compared to all of this, how important is Leng Haoyun to you?¡±

    ¡°Of course he¡¯s the most important!¡± Leng Xiyao answered without hesitation.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s fine!¡± Mo Suqing continued to help her analyze the situation. ¡°Since he is the one you care about the most, and he¡¯s nice to you, there¡¯s no need for you to mind that those documents even exist! Even if it was purely transactional in the beginning, I¡¯m sure there will be genuine love and concern after so many years. And as you said, he seemed genuine.¡±

    Mo Suqing paused before continuing. ¡°Let¡¯s look at it from my perspective as an outsider. Look, he already has Red Kill. The Red Kill Mercenary Group charges exorbitant fees, and it¡¯s not difficult for him to set up another business empire if he had wanted to. The Unparalleled is equivalent to the icing on the cake for him, so don¡¯t read too much into this. Spend your time reading some books and work towards bing a jewelry designer instead!¡±

 Chapter 170 â€“ On Very Different Wavelengths

    <h4>Chapter 170 ¨C On Very Different Wavelengths</h4>

    Mo Suqing was able to cheer Leng Xiyao up with her words. Leng Xiyao suddenly felt that it was no big deal. ¡°Thank you, Suqing. I feel so much better now. Come visit me when you¡¯re free, I¡¯ll bring you around the campus!¡±

    Mo Suqing smiled. ¡°Sure!¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m a little hungry now, bye!¡±

    ¡°Go, go! Have your lunch!¡± Mo Suqing answered in mock annoyance.

    Joyfully, Leng Xiyao skipped her way downstairs. Old Man An was drinking tea in the living room, and broke into a huge smile when he saw his granddaughter.

    ¡°Did you have a good sleep, Anne? Do you need anything else in the room?¡±

    Leng Xiyao shook her head and pulled on his arm happily.

    ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m hungry, I want to eat something!¡±

    An Zhenguo smiled and asked the helpers to serve up some dishes. He could not stop smiling as he looked at Leng Xiyao¡¯s contented face.

    ¡°Anne, do you want to consider moving back here? Grandpa will prepare delicious food for you everyday!¡±

    Leng Xiyao paused midway while picking up her food. She said, ¡°I¡¯ve enrolled in A University for their jewelry design course. The butler cane pick me up after my sses, what do you think about that, Grandpa?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± An Zhenguo was grinning from ear to ear. He merely wanted to be able to see her from time to time, and having here back here after ss was more than he could ever ask for.

    ¡°How are you doing at school? Are any of your ssmates bullying you? Tell Grandpa if anyone dares to do that, and I¡¯ll teach them a lesson!¡±

    Leng Xiyaoughed. ¡°Grandpa, I just started a few days ago!¡±

    An Zhenguo smiled. ¡°Then, if anyone dares to bully my Anne next time, I¡¯ll teach them all a lesson!¡±

    Leng Xiyao was at a loss for words. Her grandpa¡¯s mindset was totally different from hers.

    They were on very different wavelengths!

    For the next few days, she did not return to the Leng¡¯s vi nor did she call Leng Haoyun. Simrly, Leng Haoyun did not call her either.

    However, the news of Leng Haoyun and An Huilin getting married on the 25th of the following month was already widely known in A City.

    Though Leng Xiyao was upset, she tried to console herself by telling herself that they were already engaged, so it was logical for marriage to be the next step forward, and that she should not be feeling upset at all.

    Today was the 10th, so there were still about 40 days until the 25th of next month.

    Leng Xiyao was quite restless and emotional, and Old Man An asked Ceng Hanyu if he had any ideas to cheer her up. Ceng Hanyu decided to get Selina and Mo Suqing to go over and keep herpany.

    Leng Xiyao, Selina and Mo Suqing thus spent the next few days together.

    Leng Xiyao was trying hard not to feel so miserable, but the wave of emotions that engulfed her was extremely difficult to suppress.

    She kept wondering if her uncle remembered what happened that night, whether he knew it was actually her.

    If he knew, then why did he not contact her? If he did not, then why did he seem to be avoiding her?

    Leng Xiyao felt like she was trapped in a corner with no escape.

    Although Selina just got to know Leng Xiyao, they hit it off immediately. Everytime Selina was there, Leng Xiyao was extremely calm, very different from how she usually acted.

    In the jewelry design course, Leng Xiyao was unable toplete any of the tasks assigned to the ss. All she could do was bin every one of her designs in frustration.

    Ceng Hanyu called one day. Theponents of the drug were finally revealed.

    Gu Yi¡¯an recognized it instantly after he scanned through itsponents.

    This drug was called Without a Trace!

    It was a type of aphrodisiac created by The Dark Night, and the drugged victims would mistake the other individual for the one they actually loved, and they would remember the events as nothing but a mere dream.

    Gu Yi¡¯an deprecated the name of the drug. <i>Why even give it such a poetic name? They should be calling a spade a spade!</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an and Ceng Hanyu were already waiting for Leng Xiyao in the office when she arrived at the hospital.

    Leng Xiyao rushed in, urgently asking Gu Yi¡¯an, ¡°So are there side effects from using this drug?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an regarded her calmly. ¡°There are no side effects, but I¡¯m curious as to how you got this. You can¡¯t get this off the shelves. It¡¯s something The Dark Night just invented today. It¡¯s an aphrodisiac called Without a Trace. The drugged victim will think that whatever happened was merely a dream with whoever it was they loved. Do you understand what I¡¯m getting at?¡±

    Leng Xiyao went ck-jawed.<i>?Why did An Huilin have this if it was something invented by The Dark Night?</i>

    <i>If the drugged victim treats it as a dream, then it meant that Uncle would have no idea what really happened that day.</i>

    She then said, ¡°An Huilin drugged Uncle with this. I don¡¯t know how she got it either!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu shot up from his seat. ¡°It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t poke your nose into this. An Huilin definitely has some ties to The Dark Night. Leave this to me. I¡¯ll settle it and let you know when it¡¯s done!¡±

    Leng Xiyao simply nodded in response.

    ¡­¡­

    In the evening, An Huilin was nning to ask Jian Jie out for dinner. Although it was not exactly how Jian Jie had imagined it to be, the results were satisfactory as Leng Haoyun eventuallypromised.

    An Huilin was getting more and more confused by the day. She did not know if she really loved Leng Haoyun, or if it was pure disgruntlement that was egging her on.

    An Huilin noticed that there seemed to be a car following her shortly after she drove out. She only heaved a sigh of relief after seeing the car turn onto another road, but what she did not know was that there was another car that continued to tail her.

    When she arrived at the dinner location, she alighted the car and felt someone approach her from behind. However, she was knocked out before she could react.

    An Huilin found herself in a pitch ck room when she woke up. She realized she was gagged when she tried to call out for help.

    She was tied very tightly to a chair, and the ropes did not loosen no matter how hard she struggled.

    After some time, she finally heard some footsteps outside. It came closer and closer before stopping right outside the door, which opened shortly after.

    An Huilin could make out arge figure in the darkness. It felt like he was emanating nothing but an aura of darkness and cruelty. He looked at her, not speaking. An Huilin¡¯s heart was palpitating with fear. <i>What is he going to do!</i>

    Though there was no light in the room, she felt that this man seemed to be able to tell what she was thinking.

    After what seemed like an eternity to An Huilin, the man finally walked towards her, leisurely taking something out of his mouth.

    An Huilin could smell the scent of leaves on the man, coupled with the slight odor of disinfectant.

    The stranger¡¯s crisp voice had a chilly undertone.

    ¡°I heard you drugged Leng Haoyun...¡±

    An Huilin shrunk herself in terror when she heard him. <i>How did he know? Did Leng Haoyun send him?</i>

    The man seemed to be able to read her mind.

    ¡°Do you know where that drug came from? It¡¯s the newest drug from The Dark Night. Since you¡¯ve taken it, don¡¯t you have anything to say about it?¡±

    The man gave a sudden, hollowugh. His devilish aura made An Huilin tremble in fear.?She spoke with trepidation, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me, a stranger gave it to me, really, I¡¯m not lying...¡±

    An Huilin¡¯s answer remained the same every time the man asked her. In what seemed like annoyance at not being able to get any answers, the man decided to leave the room.

    ---

    Ceng Hanyu straightened up as he saw Gu Yi¡¯an approach. He extinguished his cigarette and walked up to Gu Yi¡¯an. ¡°How is it? What did she say?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an shook his head. ¡°She refuses to budge. She keeps saying it was a stranger who gave it to her, and she doesn¡¯t know who! Do you think we need to torture her?¡±

    The man in the room earlier was none other than Gu Yi¡¯an.

    Ceng Hanyu pondered before disagreeing. ¡°Let¡¯s just let her go if we can¡¯t get anything out of her. She¡¯s about to marry Leng Haoyun next month, so it wouldn¡¯t be wise to incur Red Kill¡¯s wrath. We¡¯ve made an agreement with Red Kill previously when we went to save Sis-inw.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an frowned. ¡°She¡¯s already caught, but we¡¯re just going to let her off like this?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu nodded. ¡°Let her go and get some men to monitor her in secret. Let¡¯s see who she¡¯s in contact with first. We have no better choice since Leng Haoyun is in the picture, and Sin Eliminators owes him one!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an sighed. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll get them to release her then!¡±

    Watching Gu Yi¡¯an leave, Ceng Hanyu fell into deep thought. His ultimate goal was to protect Leng Xiyao. So, if An Huilin and Leng Haoyun can get married, Anne would most likely give up on Leng Haoyun.

    He woulde to regret this decision in the future, and he never could have known how deeply Leng Xiyao felt for Leng Haoyun...

    In the darkness, An Huilin saw two figures enter the room. They blindfolded her and gagged her before dragging her out.

    She was terrified. <i>Since they could not get any information, will they kill me?</i> An Huilin was regretting what she did. <i>I should have just said it was Jian Jie when I had the chance!</i>

 Chapter 171 â€“ We Are Not Blood Related

    <h4>Chapter 171 ¨C We Are Not Blood Rted</h4>

    An Huilin felt herself being thrown into a vehicle before it drove off. The bumpy ride almost made her vomit, but the gag prevented her from doing so. She had no choice but to swallow her bile.

    An Huilin could feel the blindfold drenched with her tears. She had never been put through anything like this before. She could not move an inch with her hands secured tightly behind her.

    The vehicle stopped after about an hour or so, and the men dragged her out roughly before throwing her on the ground. She heard the vehicle speed off right after. An Huilin was still blindfolded, but they had released her hands. She quickly took off the blindfold, only to realize there was nobody else around. She took a step and bumped into something on the ground. Looking down, she realized it was her handbag.

    Overwhelmed with relief, she picked it up and tried to book a cab. She looked around and realized she was in the suburbs, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

    An Huilin began to calm down only when she arrived back home. All of that felt like a dream to her. She was abducted suddenly, and then released so quickly.

    She recalled that the man who questioned her mentioned something about an organization called The Dark Night, so she searched for it on her phone. The results indicated that The Dark Night was a criminal organization that operates internationally.

    An Huilin almost dropped her mobile phone in her shock.

    <i>Did Jian Jie have ties to this organization? Why was she able to get the drug? I have to ask Jian Jie about this!</i>

    When An Huilin was kidnapped, Leng Xiyao returned to the Leng¡¯s vi. Nothing changed even though she had not been back for a few days, but Leng Xiyao knew that her mindset was different now.

    She realized something when she found out about the source of the drug and how it worked. If the drugged victim thought they were together with the one they loved, did it mean that Leng Haoyun actually loved her?

    He was calling her name that night.

    Leng Xiyao was uneasy. Could she turn the tables if she took the initiative to confess to Leng Haoyun? What if things ended differently if she did that?

    She did not wish to lose Leng Haoyun.

    Aunt Zhang went up to her happily when Leng Xiyao walked in.?¡°Little Miss, you¡¯re finally back. Why did you note back home these few days?¡±

    Leng Xiyao smiled gently. ¡°I¡¯m staying at the hostel. Aren¡¯t I back now?¡± She then saw Leng Haoyun walk out of the study. Aunt Zhang tactfully made her exit.

    Leng Haoyun walked up to Leng Xiyao to greet her. ¡°You¡¯re back...¡±

    Leng Xiyao gave a tiny smirk. ¡°I already know.¡±

    ¡°Know what?¡± Leng Haoyun frowned at her.

    Leng Xiyao took a deep breath before taking a seat on the sofa.

    ¡°I know that you¡¯re getting married with An Huilin on the 25th next month!¡±

    There was an imperceptible change in Leng Haoyun¡¯s expression as it darkened slightly. <i>Did shee back here just to ask me this?</i>

    Instead of speaking, Leng Haoyun sat down on the other end of the sofa.

    Leng Xiyao had already thought of what to say beforeing here, and she had decided to tell her uncle about her feelings. However, now that her uncle is right in front of her, she seemed to cower in fear.

    <i>One really needed great courage to own up to their feelings!</i>

    ¡°You came back just to tell me this?¡± The impatience in Leng Haoyun¡¯s voice made Leng Xiyao feel bitter.

    She looked at him squarely. ¡°Uncle, are there any other options? I don¡¯t think you like An Huilin at all!¡±

    Leng Haoyun looked away from her.

    ¡°Then what do you think is going on in my mind? And what do you mean by other options?¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked up at Leng Haoyun¡¯s profile. ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t you know what I¡¯m trying to get at?¡±

    Leng Haoyun kept his poker face on and did not turn to look at her, but Leng Xiyao could tell that his lips were trembling slightly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t!¡±

    Leng Xiyao was suddenly triggered by his response.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what Uncle thinks, but I¡¯m here today to tell you that I have feelings for you. I¡¯ve fallen for you since a long time ago, and I don¡¯t want you to marry An Huilin. Will you listen to me, Uncle? This is the other option. Do you understand now, Uncle?¡±

    Leng Haoyun stiffened at this. She has never told him she likes him, apart from the time when she was drunk. He knew this, but he did not want her to get hurt. <i>Why didn¡¯t she understand?</i>

    Leng Haoyun paused for a long while before answering.

    ¡°I¡¯m your uncle!¡±

    ¡°But we¡¯re not blood rted!¡±

    ¡°Do you think others will ept this?¡±

    ¡°Why do you have to care about what others think?¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s words made Leng Haoyun pause to ponder.

    <i>Do I really care? No, I don¡¯t. I just want to protect her and keep others from giving her strange looks.</i>

    <i>She had confessed to me, but I¡¯m unable to tell her how I feel. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t love her.</i>

    <i>It¡¯s because I love her too deeply that I¡¯m too afraid of hurting her.</i>

    He had already decided to marry An Huilin. Furthermore, the things that An Huilin found out must be kept a secret from Leng Xiyao.

    He would rather Leng Xiyao think that he does not love her.

    The words seemed to be stuck in his throat.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I care about what others think. I just can¡¯t ept this love...¡±

    Leng Xiyao was infuriated. ¡°Then that night...¡±

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s expression instantly turned grim. He cut off her mid-sentence as he said, ¡°Could we not talk about that anymore? Since it¡¯s already over, I don¡¯t wish to harp on it. I¡¯m your uncle, so please know your ce!¡±

    Leng Xiyao paled. She never expected that he would say this and tell her that she should know her ce.

    A wave of bitter emotion overwhelmed Leng Xiyao as she felt like an absolute fool. No longer daring to make eye contact with Leng Haoyun, she ran out the door in tears.

    Leng Haoyun stood up instinctively, wanting to go after her, but decided against it in the end.

    <i>Do I make her stay? Do I continue to give her hope only to destroy it by my own two hands?</i>

    Leng Haoyun had to force himself to stay in the house as images of her smile, her tears, her drunken antics and how adorable she acted ran through his mind.

    He heard from Aunt Zhang that Little Miss returned that night, but she seemed to have left on the same night. He felt like he was hit by a bolt of lightning when he heard it.

    <i>She must have seen me and An Huilin together in the room. This was probably why she left and did not return for some time.</i>

    He interrupted Leng Xiyao earlier as he did not know how to exin it to her.

    He had mistook An Huilin for Leng Xiyao, and had a one night stand with her.

    He felt guilty, like a husband cheating on his wife, when he saw Leng Xiyao.

    Leng Haoyun stood stock-still in the living room, as if he was punishing himself.

    ¡­¡­

    An Huilin had a million missed calls from Jian Jiest night. The two of them were meeting up today instead.

    They had initially agreed to meet for dinner the previous day, but An Huilin had left Jian Jie hanging and was unreachable through the phone.

    An Huilin decided to apologize to Jian Jie by taking her to Silk Empire International for a meal. It just so happened that Jian Jie was nearby and she entered the restaurant first.

    Jian Jie texted An Huilin after securing a private room, and An Huilin sped up in her car.

    When An Huilin was about to enter the room, she heard Jian Jie talking on the phone. She paused when she heard ¡®Dark Night won¡¯t suspect me¡¯.

    Jian Jie indeed had some dealings with The Dark Night. She thus decided to continue eavesdropping at the door instead of entering.

    Jian Jie spoke impatiently. ¡°Did Dark Night say anything even when he found out I was the one who instructed Song Pingting to kidnap Mo Suqing? Be careful with the investigation this time, and inform Mo Suqing anonymously. Make sure nobody finds out, and no one will ever suspect us. Don¡¯t forget that Ye Zhongjue caused your brother¡¯s death. How are you going to face your brother if you choose to back down now! We can¡¯t give up at this point!¡±

    After hearing the response on the other end, Jian Jie said, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll introduce you to Dark Night after we settle everything. With your skills, you will be of great use to Dark Night.¡±

    With that, Jian Jie ended the call.

    An Huilin waited for a while longer before stepping in, in case Jian Jie might suspect that she heard anything.

    She was nervous. She never knew Jian Jie had such dealings even though she had known Jian Jie for so long. It seemed like Jian Jie was the one behind Mo Suqing¡¯s kidnapping. She suddenly found Jian Jie to be rather vicious.

    Even so, she had to act like nothing had happened.

    An Huilin greeted Jian Jie with smiles as she entered.

    ¡°Sorry, Jian Jie! I¡¯m so sorry about yesterday. I had to go take care of something urgent, and my mobile phone died. Please don¡¯t be angry!¡±

    Jian Jie¡¯s eyes shed.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, let¡¯s eat.¡±

    Heavy thoughts were weighing on both their minds. Jian Jie had been rather despondent recently.

    She could not do anything to Mo Suqing. On one hand, Dark Night had warned her against it, on the other, Ye Zhongjue was protecting Mo Suqing fiercely. Furthermore, Guan Zixuan seemed to be stuck to Mo Suqing during the day.

    Mo Suqing was nearing the end of her first trimester, and Jian Jie could not do anything at this point. The only option for her now was to pit Mo Suqing against that other person.

    Seeing Jian Jie smirk, An Huilin¡¯s heart lurched as fear slowly enveloped her.

    An Huilin felt extremely ufortable throughout the entire meal, and she bade goodbye to Jian Jie as quickly as she could after they were finished.

 Chapter 172 â€“ Iâ€™ll Go Even If Itâ€™s a Trap

    <h4>Chapter 172 ¨C I¡¯ll Go Even If It¡¯s a Trap</h4>

    A month passed in the blink of an eye.

    It passed uneventfully, as if it was the calm before the storm. It would be Leng Haoyun and An Huilin¡¯s wedding two dayster.

    All the reporters in the city were aware of this, and everyone was jumping for an opportunity to report on thetest happenings.

    An Huilin was a shareholder of the An Group while Leng Haoyun was the president of The Unparalleled. The pair were practically a match made in heaven. The public was excited to see this union of the two huge empires.

    After what happened on that day, Leng Xiyao did not return to the Leng¡¯s vi again, and Leng Haoyun did not go looking for her either.

    An Huilin called Leng Haoyun at work.

    ¡°Haoyun, I¡¯d like to take Yao out for a meal tonight. We¡¯re getting married soon, so shouldn¡¯t I be showing some affection as the auntie?¡±

    Leng Haoyun responded coldly, ¡°There¡¯s no need!¡±

    An Huilin did not mind it,ughing as she said, ¡°I have to. I haven¡¯t seen Yao recently. She¡¯sing to our wedding right? I¡¯ll just treat her to a meal, I won¡¯t do anything else to her. You¡¯ll be there too so there¡¯s nothing to worry about, is there?¡±

    Leng Haoyun pondered for a moment before agreeing. ¡°Just let me know the location after you¡¯ve reserved a space!¡±

    He ended the call immediately after.

    An Huilin unconsciously gripped her phone. Even though he was callous now, she will emerge the final winner after they get married. A smug smile formed on An Huilin¡¯s face as she thought to herself.

    ss just ended for Leng Xiyao when Leng Haoyun called her.

    Selina came to pick her up today as Ceng Hanyu had some errands to run at thest minute. She had been hanging out with Selina very often these days since Ye Zhongjue had been very strict with Mo Suqing. The doctor said there was a higher chance for a miscarriage in the first three months, and Ye Zhongjue basically protected her twenty four hours a day. He did not even let Mo Suqing take a single step out of the house.

    Leng Xiyao would always be in a great mood when she hung out with Selina, and she even told Selina about what happened on that fateful night.

    She treated Selina just like an elder sister, and she could feel that Selina also treated her as well as she would a younger sister.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s mobile phone rang just when she entered the car. She hesitated when she saw it was her uncle calling, but answered it eventually.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Finished your sses?¡±

    ¡°Yup, all done!¡±

    ¡°Auntie would like to take you out for a meal tonight.¡±

    ¡°Sure. Let me know where and what time I should be there!¡±

    Leng Xiyao ended the call as quickly as she could. She was rather surprised that she could actually remain so calm. She thought she would cry or be hysterical.

    She did not expect to have such mental strength, nor did she expect that she could be so apathetic.<i>?Do we really have to turn ourselves into unfeeling individuals so we won¡¯t hurt?</i>

    Leng Xiyao did not know the answer to that, nor she did not want to know right now.

    Selina looked at her impassive face. ¡°Who called?¡±

    ¡°My uncle!¡± Leng Xiyao looked out the window as she answered.

    Selina did not press further, and began driving to the An family home.

    On the way there, Leng Xiyao turned rather pale and she looked more and more ufortable. Selina asked if she wanted to go to visit the hospital for a quick check-up, but Leng Xiyao kept refusing to do so.

    She was rather lethargic and found it hard to concentrate recently. Nevertheless, she was determined to turn up for An Huilin¡¯s dinner invitation. Even if it was some sort of trap, she was not going to back down.

    When they arrived, Leng Xiyao started dry heaving by the roadside as soon as she got out of the car.

    Concerned, Selina asked, ¡°Anything wrong?¡±

    Leng Xiyao waved her hand and said, ¡°My appetite isn¡¯t very good recently, so it¡¯s probably just some stomach issues. Let¡¯s go in!¡±

    Selina frowned but she left it at that.

    ---

    Selina was too worried about Leng Xiyao to let her go to the dinner alone at night.

    She knew about the dinner as Leng Xiyao told her about An Huilin¡¯s invitation.

    Ceng Hanyu kept reminding her to take note of everything that was remotely rted to An Huilin, because the aphrodisiac used was connected to her in some way.

    Leng Xiyao was adamant on going alone at first, but she relented upon seeing how worried and insistent Selina was.

    An Huilin was already there when Leng Xiyao and Selina arrived.

    In the private room, Leng Haoyun¡¯s jacket was hanging at the side. He had already arrived, but he was not inside at the moment.

    An Huilin shed Leng Xiyao acent smile when she arrived.

    Leng Xiyao frowned at this. She pulled out a chair and sat down with Selina.

    An Huilin got a little jealous when she saw how beautiful Selina was. She spoke with a hint of malice. ¡°Look at this! Yao even brought a friend along! Afraid I¡¯ll eat you up?¡±

    Leng Xiyao scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m not scared of you since I¡¯m already here. Think you can frighten me? Dream on!¡±

    An Huilin was about to blow her top at the disrespectful Leng Xiyao when Leng Haoyun walked in. In an instant, a smile appeared on An Huilin.

    ¡°Since everyone is here, I¡¯ll get them to serve the dishes!¡±

    She then left the booth to instruct the waiters on this.

    Leng Haoyun was seated beside Leng Xiyao, but Leng Xiyao was determined not to make eye contact with him tonight.

    Selina tried to make herself inconspicuous by remaining absolutely silent.

    When the dishes were served, An Huilin started picking up the food and cing it on Leng Xiyao¡¯s te in an attempt to act like she cared.

    Instead of eating whatever An Huilin had gotten for her, Leng Xiyao decided to use the entirely new set of cutlery that was ced on the side before beginning her meal.

    An Huilin was rather enraged at this, but she did not dare make a sound with Leng Haoyun around.

    When braised carp was served, Leng Xiyao was instantly nauseated by the smell of the fish.

    She ran out covering her mouth, with Selina following closely behind.

    An Huilin asked her a deliberate question when Leng Xiyao returned from the washroom.

    ¡°Yao, judging by how you reacted earlier, do you think you might be pregnant?¡±

    The other three froze at what An Huilin just said.

    All the color drained from Leng Xiyao¡¯s face. <i>Pregnant?</i> She did not take any precautionary measures after that night. Now that she thought about it, her period was alsote this month.

    She nced at Leng Haoyun and saw his trembling lips. He looked rather terrified.

    Leng Xiyao was at a loss for what to do. Concern shed in Selina¡¯s eyes. She had noticed Leng Xiyao seemed out of the ordinary in the day, and she was more lethargic, prone to nausea and easily fatigued recently...

    The more Selina thought about it, the more worried she got.

    An Huilin felt rather smug when she brought it up, but she realized that if Leng Xiyao was pregnant, the father of the baby would be Leng Haoyun, since she was the one who spent the night with him.

    This made everything obvious.

    An Huilin¡¯s expression turned grim in the next instant.

    Leng Xiyao was pregnant with Leng Haoyun¡¯s child while she was the one getting married to him! She cannot let this happen!

    Nobody spoke after An Huilin¡¯s question.

    Leng Xiyao no longer felt like eating. She stole another nce at Leng Haoyun and realized his fists were tightly clenched, making her lose all her appetite.

    Leng Xiyao put her chopsticks down abruptly.?¡°I¡¯m done. I¡¯ll go first. Thanks for the treat, Auntie!¡±

    Leng Xiyao stood up immediately to leave.?Selina followed quickly after her.

    Leng Haoyun did not know that An Huilin was rubbing her hands together in unease right at this moment.

    <i>Leng Xiyao cannot have that baby!</i>

    Just when Leng Xiyao left the room, Selina rushed forward to stop her.

    ¡°Is it true...¡±

    Leng Xiyao shook her head in her confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±

    Selina contemted for a moment and pulled on Leng Xiyao. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the hospital for a check-up now. If you¡¯re really pregnant, you can¡¯t keep the baby!¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Leng Xiyao instinctively refused even though her pregnancy was not yet confirmed.

    Selina was slightly exasperated. ¡°How about we go for a check-up first!¡±

    Selina was able to pull some strings in the hospital, and the results were out immediately.

    Leng Xiyao was pregnant!

    Selina looked at Leng Xiyao incredulously. ¡°Leng Haoyun¡¯s?¡±

    Leng Xiyao nodded in response.

    ¡°Judging from his reaction earlier, he doesn¡¯t seem to be aware of it!¡± Selina was hopping mad. She felt so sorry for the girl.

    Leng Xiyao said, ¡°He might have thought that it was just a dream!¡±

    Selina stared at her wide-eyed. ¡°I¡¯ll go tell him now!¡±

    Leng Xiyao held her back, looking like she was about to cry at any moment.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that, Big Sis Selina! I don¡¯t wish to humiliate myself any further!¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯ll just let him get married with that woman?¡± Selina asked with a murderous glint in her eyes.

    Leng Xiyao lowered her head and fell silent. <i>Please forgive me for being such a coward. I already tried once, and the result could not be further than what I had initially imagined it to be.?</i>She did not want to make a fool of herself a second time.

    Furthermore, she felt like she no longer had a chance from how passive Leng Haoyun acted today.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go home!¡± Leng Xiyao took a while to decide, pulling on Selina¡¯s hand as she spoke.

    Selina had little choice but to respect her decision and take her back home.

    ----

    An Huilin gave Jian Jie a call the very next day, wanting to meet her.

    Jian Jie thought An Huilin was getting the jitters before her marriage, and thus agreed to meet up. She did not know that An Huilin had literally spent an entire night thinking about what to do before deciding to meet her.

    Jian Jie was a little surprised when she saw An Huilin in a very secluded private room at the cafe they chose to meet in.

    ¡°What are you doing, Huilin? Why is there a need to meet in here!¡±

    An Huilin waited for the waiter to leave before locking the door from the inside. She walked over to sit opposite Jian Jie before she spoke. She was extremely direct, shocking Jian Jie with her very first statement.

    ¡°I know who you are!¡±

    An Huilin kept her eyes on Jian Jie, but Jian Jie refused to admit anything. She pretended not to understand and picked up her coffee to sip on it, attempting to mask her anxiety.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    An Huilin smirked. ¡°Jian Jie, considering our rtionship, do you need to keep this from me?¡±

    ¡°The Dark Night...¡± An Huilin spoke slowly and deliberately, enunciating every word. Jian Jie was so shocked that she spilled her coffee.

 Chapter 173 â€“ All that Pride, Fed to the Dogs

    <h4>Chapter 173 ¨C All that Pride, Fed to the Dogs</h4>

    Jian Jie did not bother with the coffee that spilt all over her. She stared at An Huilin and asked, ¡°How do you know about The Dark Night?¡±

    Unflustered, An Huilin answered steadily, ¡°That¡¯s not the only thing I know. I¡¯m also aware that you were the mastermind behind Mo Suqing¡¯s kidnapping!¡±

    An Huilin regarded her with a knowing look, rming Jian Jie. The savagery in her eyes made it look like she was ready to murder An Huilin at any moment.

    Jian Jie finally asked through gritted teeth, ¡°What¡¯s the point of telling me all this then? And how did you even know?¡±

    An Huilin shrugged. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how I found out. I won¡¯t tell anyone about it, but only if you agree to help me out!¡±

    Without beating around the bush, Jian Jie quickly asked, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simple!¡± An Huilin¡¯s smile at Jian Jie carried a trace of madness.

    ¡°I heard that¡­ the assassins in The Dark Night are really skillful. Once someone is marked as their target, their fate will be sealed. Help me kill someone!¡±

    Jian Jie asked, ¡°Who?¡±

    Smirking, An Huilin said, ¡°You know her too...¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Leng Xiyao!¡±

    Jian Jie was momentarily stunned. ¡°What? Leng Xiyao! Why do you want to kill her?¡±

    In an instant, An Huilin¡¯s gaze turned vicious. ¡°She might be pregnant with Leng Haoyun¡¯s child. How can I let her live?¡±

    Jian Jie stared at her incredulously. <i>Did An Huilin go insane?</i>

    ¡°Since you know about The Dark Night, don¡¯t you know about Red Kill too?¡±

    ¡°Red Kill?¡± An Huilin was puzzled. She had never heard of this organization, and the only reason she knew The Dark Night existed was because she heard the name from that strange man.

    It was obvious from her reaction that this was the first time An Huilin heard this.

    Jian Jie then exined, ¡°Red Kill is the world¡¯s most powerful mercenary organization. They have the top assassins!¡±

    An Huilin frowned. ¡°So? What has that got to do with killing Leng Xiyao?¡±

    Jian Jie scoffed at her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know everything? The one in charge of the Red Kill Mercenary Group is none other than your fiance! You don¡¯t even know that. If I killed Leng Xiyao, do you think he¡¯ll let me get away scot-free?¡±

    This was a shocking piece of news to An Huilin. <i>Leng Haoyun was the head of the world¡¯s top mercenary organization, Red Kill?</i>

    ¡°So? Still want me to do it?¡± Jian Jie stood up, looking down on An Huilin as if she was gloating.

    An Huilin lowered her head and fell silent for a long time.

    Jian Jie had no further patience to y this game with her and wanted to say something when An Huilin suddenly shot up.

    ¡°Kill Leng Xiyao on my wedding day no matter what, otherwise I¡¯ll let the entire world know who you really are!¡±

    Jian Jie stared at An Huilin. Having known each other for so long, she never imagined that the two of them would fall out just like this.

    Tamping down the anger rising quickly in her, she said, ¡°Fine! If you want me to kill her, I¡¯ll make sure to pin the me on you if anything goes wrong. Don¡¯t resent me if so!¡±

    After a moment, An Huilin simply said, ¡°Just kill her first!¡±

    ¡­¡­

    The next two days flew by in the blink of an eye.

    The headlines of all major broadcasting stations and newspapers in A City were about the marriage between the An and Leng families.

    Though An Huilin was from a branch of the An family, the spotlight was still very much on her since she was An Zhenguo¡¯s niece.

    The Leng family was also very powerful and they would be considered second only to the Ye family in A City.

    Everyone had their eyes on this union. Mighty Empire¡¯s unrivalled position in the market would definitely be threatened if An Group and The Unparalleled started working together after this.

    The public was hungry for some drama, but they did not expect for things to change so drastically after this.

    Broadcasting stations started to report on it right away when the wedding ceremony began.

    Selina was sitting in a car with Leng Xiyao, who looked like she was in a daze. She was watching the live coverage of the wedding ceremony as it yed on the huge television screen mounted outside of a nearby office building.

    As she had expected, the wedding is happening without a hitch.

    When Leng Xiyao asked Selina to apany her to the wedding, she was smiling andughing, saying, ¡°It¡¯s Uncle¡¯s wedding! I have to be there!¡±

    Selina could tell that it was all a facade,?however, there was nothing she could do.

    An Huilin looked extremely morous in her white wedding dress, while Leng Haoyun looked dashing in a white tuxedo. Instead of adding gentle charm to his aura, his outfit made him look more imposing than usual.

    Leng Xiyao could not tear her eyes away from that huge screen. It was heart wrenching for Selina to see her like this. <i>Love hurts in unseen ways.</i>

    She did not want Leng Xiyao to attend the wedding, but she knew that the stubborn girl would have surely insisted on going.

    Selina continued driving when the traffic light turned green, but Leng Xiyao¡¯s eyes were still glued to the screen.

    On the road, Selina received Ceng Hanyu¡¯s call telling her that he would be going to the wedding as well. He knew Leng Xiyao was attending, and asked Selina to take good care of her and ensure she does not do anything foolish.

    Selina responded with an affirmative before ending the call.

    Leng Haoyun had invited Ye Zhongjue to his wedding, but Mo Suqing refused to let Ye Zhongjue attend it.

    Mo Suqing asked him for the wedding invite in the morning right after Ye Zhongjue got out of bed.

    Ye Zhongjue remained on the bedzily. ¡°I really left it in the office. I¡¯ll take you with me if you don¡¯t believe me.¡±

    Mo Suqing frowned in obvious disbelief.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re lying. You¡¯re telling me you have to make a trip to the office before you go to the wedding?¡±

    At a loss, Ye Zhongjue simply looked at her. He had expected for Mo Suqing to stop him from attending the wedding since Mo Suqing was definitely not going because of Leng Xiyao.

    But it was too impolite to not turn up when Leng Haoyun had invited him. This was why he put the invite in the office and nned for Lin Ran to attend the wedding in his ce.

    He did not think that Mo Suqing would actually refuse to believe him.

    Ye Zhongjue rubbed his forehead, perplexed. His dear wife was very charming, but her temper was getting more and more unpredictable after she got pregnant. He had to listen to whatever she said, or else she would be unhappy the entire day, and he just could not bear to see her like that.

    ¡°Okay!¡± Ye Zhongjue took her hand gently and guided her to the bedside.

    ¡°I promise you that I won¡¯t go to Leng Haoyun¡¯s wedding today, so don¡¯t worry and stop your thoughts from running wild. If the baby knew that you have so many things on your mind, I¡¯ll probably be med for not taking good care of you!¡±

    Mo Suqingughed. ¡°What baby, it¡¯s still an embryo!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue answered seriously, ¡°Well, you never know. My son must be different from the others!¡±

    Mo Suqing stared at him. ¡°How do you know it¡¯s a boy!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d love a daughter too!¡± Ye Zhongjue was no longer as awkward and careful as he had been in the early days as he bantered happily with Mo Suqing.

    Mo Suqing looked up at him. ¡°Darling!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue loved how she said it and responded in kind, ¡°Darling...¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re bing more of a rascal recently. What happened to that pride of yours? Fed to the dogs?¡± In an instant, Mo Suqing¡¯s disposition seemed to have changed from a sunny to a gloomy one.

    Ye Zhongjue was nonplussed. She actually liked it when he acted all proud and callous.

    In his bafflement, Mo Suqing took the opportunity to smack him with the pillow beside.

    She then gave a spiritedugh before escaping!

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes were full of love as he looked at her.

    ¡­¡­

    When Selina and Leng Xiyao reached the parking lot, Leng Xiyao fell extremely silent and did not budge at all.

    She calmly sat in the car, looking like she was not nning to leave. Her face was so serene that it scared Selina.

    Selina¡¯s eyebrows kept twitching for some reason, and she had a bad feeling about today.

    However, she was not able to pinpoint the source of her unease.

    Leng Xiyao was very emotional today, and her tranquil aura seemed to reflect the calm before the storm.?She wanted to stop Leng Xiyao, but did not know how. All she could do was stay by her side to watch her and keep herpany.

    ---

    Ceng Hanyu initially nned to look for Leng Xiyao and Selina at the wedding itself.

    But he received a call immediately after he started his engine and was about to leave. The men monitoring An Huilin had some information for him.

    They found that An Huilin had met a particrdy twice, and there was no one else suspicious who appeared around her during this time.

    Ceng Hanyu asked his men to send a photo of saiddy. With just one look, he knew it was Jian Jie.

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s brows creased. He knew that the two of them were very good friends, and Jian Jie was the Jian family¡¯s precious daughter, so it was unlikely that she had any ties with The Dark Night.

    He did not expect that An Huilin was such a secretive individual.

    He resolved to find out who her backer was.

    Ceng Hanyu then drove off to the wedding.

    ----

    At the wedding, Leng Haoyun and An Huilin were weing guests at the entrance.

    An Huilin was glowing, while Leng Haoyun looked absolutely displeased. Everyone near him could probably feel the chill that emanated from him.

    He did not look like he was at a wedding at all, much less his own.?Even though the guests felt that something was amiss, none of them dared toment on this.

    An Zhenguo was the only one not afraid of Leng Haoyun.?He observed the groom before he spoke.

    ¡°Why does the groom look so glum today?¡±

    An Huilinughed awkwardly. ¡°Uncle, he¡¯s normally like this. He doesn¡¯t smile much and he is very aloof!¡±

    She tugged at Leng Haoyun¡¯s sleeve, signalling for him to be more polite.

    Not only did Leng Haoyun ignore her, his expression became rather stony.

    An Zhenguo then gave an intentionalugh. ¡°Is that so! I guess I¡¯m too old and I can¡¯t really see well now!¡±

 Chapter 174 â€“ Itâ€™s Best to Dress in White for a Funeral

    <h4>Chapter 174 ¨C It¡¯s Best to Dress in White for a Funeral</h4>

    An Huilin felt rather miserable after An Zhenguo¡¯s arrival.

    She knew that she was forcing herself on Leng Haoyun and that he did not want to marry her at all. <i>So what if I threatened him? He still chose to marry me in the end.</i>

    Leng Haoyun remained dispassionate.

    An Huilin was irked by his indifference at first, but she made herself feel better by telling herself that he could no longer change anything now that things were set in stone.

    All the guests were congratting them, and she was getting what she had asked for.

    An Huilin¡¯s smile grew wider and wider as the guests continued streaming in.

    However, her smile froze when she saw Leng Xiyao. She knew the girl was attending the wedding, but the actual situation was very different from how she had imagined it.

    An Huilin¡¯s eyes squinted with disdain. <i>Since you have the guts to attend my wedding, today will also be the day you die!</i>

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s icy facade seemed to crack the moment he saw Leng Xiyao. He looked like he was at a loss for what to do. He had expected for her to attend the wedding, but he did not know if he actually wanted her to be here.

    An invisible hand seemed to be squeezing his heart so hard that it felt like it was bleeding. It was so painful that he found it hard to breathe, but he could not yell out in his agony.

    That was his Yao, the girl he loved, and the person he chose to give up on.

    He was being selfish and insisted on doing things his way. In order to protect her, he had ended up pushing her into an abyss of pain.

    It hurt him to see her like a lifeless doll. Every cell in him seemed to rupture, releasing an onught of chaotic pain.

    Even so, he could only watch her as she forced herself to attend his wedding.

    He suddenly felt that his actions were very cruel, insisting on doing things his way even though he knew it would hurt her so. If he was in her shoes, he would probably have killed the other man before locking her up for himself.

    Leng Xiyao closed in on Leng Haoyun, her expression betraying nothing. Though she felt conflicted, she still chose toe to the wedding.

    She refused to act like a coward.

    Selina was right behind her like a loyal guardian.

    Leng Xiyao shed a bright smile at Leng Haoyun.

    ¡°Uncle, you look so dashing today!¡±

    An Huilin¡¯s face darkened.<i>?Isn¡¯t that inappropriateing from his niece?</i>

    Leng Haoyun remained silent, but his eyes never left Leng Xiyao.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s smile was enchanting.

    ¡°Ooh, look, both of you are in white today!¡±

    In mock surprise, she asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you know that it¡¯s best to dress in white when you¡¯re at a funeral?¡±

    Angered, An Huilin stepped forward, reaching out in an attempt to give Leng Xiyao a p.

    Leng Xiyao raised her brows as if she was daring An Huilin to p her.

    Leng Haoyun grabbed An Huilin¡¯s arm and shot her a frosty re.

    An Huilin thus caught herself before she could do anything embarrassing. It was a good thing Leng Haoyun tried to stop her, even though it was only for Leng Xiyao that he did so.

    At least it prevented her from making a fool of herself right there.

    She stared daggers at Leng Xiyao. <i>Leng Xiyao, I¡¯ll let you have your way and enjoy this for now. You don¡¯t have long to live anyway!</i>

    ¡°What¡¯s up with the two of you? Uncle, um¡­ and Auntie, am I not wee here?¡±

    She asked innocently, ¡°Should I not havee here today?¡±

    An Huilin wanted to retort, but they were in the public eye now and she had no choice but to swallow her words.

    ¡°Oh! I almost forgot!¡± Leng Xiyao snapped her fingers. ¡°I got something for you guys!¡±

    She turned and smiled at Selina.

    ¡°Big Sis Selina, pass me the gift I¡¯ve prepared!¡±

    Leng Xiyao took out a bright red skirt from the paper bag which Selina handed to her.

    ¡°How¡¯s this? Not bad, right!¡± Leng Xiyao pushed it into An Huilin¡¯s arms. ¡°You must be overjoyed at receiving something like this! It¡¯s so much better than what you usually wear, so I¡¯m sure you are secretly ecstatic!¡±

    Leng Xiyao stole a sideways nce at Leng Haoyun before she turned to enter the main reception area.

    It was only then did Selina realize the reason for Leng Xiyao buying something at the mall earlier.

    An Huilin¡¯s expression turned awful. She tried to control her emotions by telling herself that Leng Xiyao will meet with a horrible death very soon.

    The wedding march was ying at the main reception area, and the ceremony was about to begin.

    The master of ceremonies was rather excited for the event.

    He was extremely grateful for the opportunity to be the host for this union between the two powerful families, and it was very likely that this would open doors for more hosting gigs in future.

    Enthusiastic, he spoke with a genuine smile.

    ¡°On this joyous day, we celebrate the union of Mr. Leng Haoyun and Ms. An Huilin. Let us witness this delightful moment together!¡±

    ¡°Weing the groom, Mr. Leng Haoyun!¡±

    A stony-faced Leng Haoyun walked up the stage, and the hostmented on his charming looks.

    ¡°With how dashing Mr. Leng is, I¡¯m sure manydies wished that he was their prince charming! But he¡¯s going to be breaking many hearts today by getting married!¡±

    The host seemed to be enjoying that monologue of his when he felt a cold gaze upon him.

    He turned to realize that it was Leng Haoyun staring at him. Shivering in fear, he quickly moved on.

    ¡°Next, let us wee the beautiful and gorgeous bride!¡±

    Apuse sounded after the host spoke.

    The crowd parted automatically.

    However, what happened next made everyone gasp in shock. It was not An Huilin who walked in.

    Instead, it was Leng Xiyao in a red chiffon dress that reached her ankles. Coupled with that innocent, bright face, she looked stunning.

    She looked so heartbreakingly beautiful that one might even forget to breathe.

    She walked towards the stage steadily while everyone held their breaths to watch the scene y out. Her exquisite dress swayed, making Leng Xiyao look like the embodiment of elegance as she moved.

    The person walking out should have been the bride, but nobody made a sound even when such an incongruent sequence yed out in front of their eyes. It was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

    Stunned, Leng Haoyun could only look at Leng Xiyao in a daze. She was everything he wanted at this moment.

    Leng Xiyao stopped in front of the stage and smiled at Leng Haoyun, her clear voice rang out, waking everyone from their stupor.

    ¡°Are you happy, Uncle?¡±

    The crowd started murmuring when they saw the way Leng Xiyao looked at Leng Haoyun.

    Leng Xiyao stood there without regard for the buzzing crowd, her eyes locked on Leng Haoyun bravely.

    Leng Haoyun gazed deeply at her, unable to give her an answer.

    Leng Xiyao continued. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that married couples are very happy because they are finally able to spend the rest of their lives with the one they love. How about you, Uncle?¡±

    A sorry figure emerged at the entrance after Leng Xiyao spoke.

    Seeing An Huilin¡¯s vicious gaze being directed at Leng Xiyao made Leng Haoyun snap out of his torpor.<i>?If An Huilin made that information known to the public, what would everyone think of Leng Xiyao?</i>

    He nced at An Huilin before looking at Leng Xiyao again, finding it hard to speak.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy!¡± With difficulty, he forced those two words out of his throat.

    Leng Xiyao smiled, but it wasced with sorrow and bitterness. She was almost about to cry.

    ¡°Then I will congratte Uncle here!¡±

    She enunciated every single word.

    Hearing this, the audience immediately knew that she was that precious princess Leng Haoyun doted on. She looked very beautiful and really adorable, but congratting him in such a way made the crowd think that he might actually be thinking about calling off this wedding!

    The host said a few words to soothe the awkward situation, and very soon, things were back to normal again, with no one really minding that interlude.

    Leng Xiyao moved gracefully to the side as An Huilin red at her and adjusted her posture before walking towards Leng Haoyun.

    <i>That unworthy wench Leng Xiyao must die today.</i> If Leng Xiyao did not get Selina to hold her back, she would not be in such a sorry state right now.

    <i>Since you¡¯re out to embarrass me today, don¡¯t me me for being ruthless!</i>

    The desire to kill Leng Xiyao got stronger and stronger as An Huilin walked closer and closer to Leng Haoyun.

    She knew that life will not be smooth-sailing in future if Leng Xiyao does not die today!

    An Huilin finally walked up the stage to be with Leng Haoyun, and the host made his way down the stage for a foreign pastor to take his ce.

    The pastor regarded Leng Haoyun and An Huilin with a gentle gaze.

    ¡°The honorable Mr. Leng Haoyun, this beautifuldy in front of you will be your wife, someone for you to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part.¡±

    ¡°Are you willing to take Ms. An Huilin to be your wife?¡±

    Leng Haoyun held the microphone, but he was staring at the red figure in the crowd.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s heart sank as she looked at his trembling lips.

    Just as Leng Haoyun was about to speak, Leng Xiyao cut him off after he said ¡®I¡¯.

    She interrupted as she eximed, ¡°Wait!¡±

    The pastor jumped in shock, but his gentle smile returned quickly. ¡°Does this beautifuldy here have any objections to this union?¡±

    Leng Xiyao pursed her lips and asked, ¡°Can I ask the groom a question?¡±

 Chapter 175 â€“ A Bloody Wedding

    <h4>Chapter 175 ¨C A Bloody Wedding</h4>

    ¡°Of course!¡± The pastor smiled as he answered.

    Leng Xiyao kept her eyes on Leng Haoyun, ignoring An Huilin¡¯s presence. An Huilin was uneasy, staring at Leng Xiyao with a face full of spite.

    ¡°RIght now, I¡¯m not Leng Xiyao, I¡¯m just a child raised by the Leng family! I¡¯m just a girl who doesn¡¯t have any blood rtion to you!¡±

    The audience was abuzz with astonishment at this shocking disclosure.

    Leng Xiyao continued, ¡°I¡¯m making my identity clear before I ask you this question, so I hope you¡¯ll be able to consider carefully before giving me an answer!¡±

    An Huilin was extremely distressed. <i>If this goes on, the wedding will be ruined.</i>

    ¡°Yao, stop messing around. Today is...¡±

    A murderous re from Leng Haoyun terrified her so much that she instantly fell silent.

    Leng Xiyao nced calmly at An Huilin before looking back at Leng Haoyun.

    ¡°Leng Haoyun, have you ever regretted your decision?¡±

    She addressed him by his full name instead of the usual ¡®uncle¡¯ this time.

    Realization finally dawned upon the crowd. The girl had feelings for Leng Haoyun, and it seemed like they were not actually rted!

    The surprised audience eagerly watched the drama unfold.

    An Zhenguo was in utter disbelief. He knew that Anne would not want him to get involved, but his heart was filled with anguish for his granddaughter, and he could not stop his tears from falling. The world sees him as an unfeeling individual, but seeing Anne like this made his heart wrench in pain.

    He now knew why she always evaded the topic every time he brought up the marriage agreement with Ceng Hanyu.

    Leng Haoyun did not answer Leng Xiyao¡¯s question.

    A minute passed in silence.

    Two minutes passed, and the air was still filled with silence.

    A wryugh escaped from Leng Xiyao¡¯s lips after five minutes had passed.

    ¡°I understand!¡±

    She then turned to leave, strutting off. Even though upset, she made sure to stand tall and proud!

    That figure in red was the very source of Leng Haoyun¡¯s pain.

    Taking the opportunity, the pastor quickly continued with his duties.

    He addressed An Huilin first this time.

    ¡°Miss An Huilin, do you take Mr. Leng Haoyun to be your wedded husband?¡±

    An Huilin answered without any hesitation. ¡°I do!¡±

    When the pastor posed the question to Leng Haoyun, he looked like he was being trapped in a nightmare, unable to extricate himself from it.

    Silence once again befell.

    ¡°Bang!¡± The sudden sound of a gunshot rang through.

    A second shot could be heard immediately after!

    The crowd was panic-stricken.

    The gunshots threw everyone into disarray, and everyone was cowering with their heads lowered as they tried to escape.

    An Zhenguo wanted to chase after Leng Xiyao as she left, but she was too quick for him, and he was not able to catch up. Seeing Selina follow closely behind her made him feel a little more relieved.

    However, the sight that greeted him right when he exited the hotel made him faint in shock.

    Selina had rushed forward to take the bullet for Leng Xiyao, and blood began to bloom on her white shirt, spreading from her chest.

    Leng Xiyao was rooted to the spot as she witnessed Selina fall right in front of her.

    She cried out, ¡°Selina!!!¡±

    The second gunshot hit Leng Xiyao. There was nobody else around to take the bullet this time, and Old Man An saw it happen with his own eyes.

    The blood spurted out from her chest, as if it were delicate redce billowing in the wind.

    The macabre scene was rather enchanting.

    Ceng Hanyu witnessed everything in his car. He could do nothing but watch the two of them fall one after the other.

    Selina was mouthing something, and it seemed to be ¡®I didn¡¯t protect her well...¡¯.

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s heart quaked as he realized what she was trying to say.

    He punched the steering wheel so hard that his hand started bleeding.

    He cursed inwardly at himself for not being able to arrive earlier to prevent such a tragedy.

    After learning about Leng Xiyao¡¯s ns to attend the wedding, he rushed over as fast as he could. But he was held up by a road ident which caused a huge traffic jam on the way. Now that he was here, it was all toote.

    ---

    Leng Haoyun jumped when he heard the gunshots. The disturbance took him out of his reverie, and he instinctively felt that something would go wrong.

    <i>Leng Xiyao just left, so would that shot have...</i>

    He shook his head to clear that thought from his mind. <i>There can¡¯t be such a coincidence, unless someone had nned this.</i>

    Without a second thought, Leng Haoyun dashed out, leaving An Huilin alone. His heart was beating madly as he anxiously waited for the elevator.

    When Leng Haoyun finally exited the hotel, what he saw were two pools of blood on the ground. A crowd formed around the area, abuzz with discussion. However, the wounded victims were nowhere to be seen.

    Leng Haoyun grabbed someone and asked, ¡°Who got hurt?¡±

    His lips were trembling with fear. He had never felt this terrified in his life.

    Looking at the state he was in, the passer-by answered him patiently. ¡°Twodies were hurt, one in a red dress, the other wearing a white shirt. It was horrid. Judging from their condition, I think their chances of survival are slim. They were hit squarely in the chest...¡±

    The passer-by shook his head as he spoke, and did not notice that Leng Haoyun stiffened when he mentioned that one of them was in a red dress. Leng Haoyun stood there stunned, his expression a mixture of sorrow, shock and hopeless grief.

    The passer-by continued. ¡°It was terrifying. An old man fainted nearby as well. A man appeared right after it happened and sent the three of them to the hospital immediately. I wonder if they¡¯ll survive...¡±

    Shaking his head, the passer-by walked away.

    Leng Haoyun seemed to instantly lose all his strength. He backed away unsteadily, and staggered mindlessly back into the hotel.

    <i>Red dresses are verymon, it won¡¯t be my Yao. I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s her. I have to go take a look at the cameras to see what really happened.</i>

    Leng Haoyun ran to the security control room, almost stumbling to the ground along the way. He tried calling Leng Xiyao several times on her mobile phone, but no one answered.

    When he burst into the control room, the security personnel looked at one another in surprise. <i>Isn¡¯t this President Leng?</i>

    Without a word, Leng Haoyun walked up to the screens.

    He saw Selina take the first bullet for Leng Xiyao, but the second one hit her right in her chest. The blood was not obvious on her red dress, but all he could think about now was that she was gravely hurt.

    The bullet had been aimed at her heart!

    He could not believe his eyes, and the scene reyed itself in his mind¡¯s eye. He clenched his fists so hard that the nails dug into his flesh, tearing it as his palms began to bleed.

    He cried out in pain. ¡°Ah!!!¡±

    The security personnel in the room were shocked at his emotional outburst.

    They then saw Leng Haoyun spit out a mouthful of blood before toppling over!

    A few of them rushed forward in a jumble, calling out, ¡°President Leng!¡±. They then supported him up and sent him to the hospital.

    ---

    An Huilin was extremely pleased when she heard the news. Although her wedding was ruined, she had sessfully removed a major pain in the neck.

    Jian Jie¡¯s cold and callous voice could be heard over the phone. ¡°I¡¯ve delivered on my promise, so make sure you hold up your end of the deal!¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± A smug smile formed on An Huilin¡¯s lips.

    She was then informed that Leng Haoyun had spit out blood right after she ended the call with Jian Jie, and that he was sent to the hospital. Her smile froze as she rushed out.

    <i>I just want Leng Xiyao dead. Leng Haoyun can¡¯t die. What would I do without him?</i>

    Once out of the hotel, she gged down a cab and headed for the hospital!

    ¡­¡­

    Though Mo Suqing did not attend Leng Haoyun¡¯s wedding, her eyelids kept twitching, as if it was a sign that something bad was about to happen. For some reason, she felt uneasy all day.

    She decided to call Leng Xiyao eventually, but no one answered the phone even after several calls. She tried Selina instead, and the same thing happened.

    Mo Suqing was on edge now, so she went to look for Ye Zhongjue in the study.

    ¡°Could you call Ceng Hanyu to ask why I can¡¯t get through to Yao over the phone? Is he with her? It¡¯s Leng Haoyun¡¯s wedding day and I¡¯m just afraid that she might do something foolish there!¡±

    Mo Suqing was overwrought. Ye Zhongjue had been on the phone, but instead of putting it down, he simply looked at her. The worry in his eyes made Mo Suqing suspect that something bad had indeed happened.

    <i>Something terrible must have happened!</i>

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± Mo Suqing walked up to him, putting her hands on the desk as she waited for an exnation.

    Ye Zhongjue finally ended the call and looked at her, wondering how he should break the news.

    ¡°Promise me that you won¡¯t be too upset no matter what it is. Remember, you¡¯re not alone now. You¡¯re carrying our child!¡±

    As Ye Zhongjue said this, that gnawing feeling grew stronger in Mo Suqing.

    <i>Something dreadful must have happened, or else Ye Zhongjue would not say something like this!</i>

    Her eyes had welled up with tears by now!

 Chapter 176 â€“ Leng Xiyao had Died

    <h4>Chapter 176 ¨C Leng Xiyao had Died</h4>

    ¡°I beg you to please tell me! I¡¯ve been on edge the entire day!¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s tears began to fall.

    Ye Zhongjue did not know how to react. Mo Suqing was begging him to tell her what happened, but how could he say it to her?

    However, he knew very well that if he did not tell her the truth, she would hate him in the future.

    He thus spoke with difficulty.

    ¡°Leng Xiyao¡­ was shot. Selina tried to protect her and she also got hurt!¡±

    ¡°What!¡± Mo Suqing stared at him in wide-eyed disbelief. She almost fell to the ground in shock. Her tears were unstoppable. <i>How did that happen?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue quickly reached out to support her.

    Since he has said this much, he walked over to her and decided to tell her everything.

    ¡°Hanyu said Leng Xiyao was pregnant, and they don¡¯t know about her chances of survival yet. He asked me to take you to see her...¡±

    Ye Zhongjue could no longer continue. He knew that Mo Suqing understood the meaning behind his words.

    Fate was cruel. Why would a healthy individual get shot for no reason and end up lying in an operating room? He did not know how to exin this to Mo Suqing.

    The sorrow on Mo Suqing¡¯s face instantly turned sharp as she questioned Ye Zhongjue. ¡°Pregnant? How could that be!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue did not know how tofort her, and he simply sighed. ¡°Yes, Hanyu said it himself.¡±

    ¡°Take me to him right this moment! Immediately! Now! I want to see Yao now!¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s tone left no room for discussion. Ye Zhongjue thus grabbed his jacket and took her hand, leading her outside.

    When they arrived at the hospital, they saw Ceng Hanyu squatting on the floor, head in his hands.

    Mo Suqing wanted to go over, but Ye Zhongjue stopped her.

    Mo Suqing was crossed. <i>I can¡¯t even ask for an exnation from anyone when something has happened to Yao?</i>

    Mo Suqing stared at him with resentment as Ye Zhongjue pulled her aside. She was crying throughout the entire journey, causing her eyes to be red and swollen. Ye Zhongjue could not do anything to alleviate her emotions.

    <i>Why is he stopping me when we¡¯re already here?</i>

    ¡°Let go of me. I¡¯m going to question Ceng Hanyu about this. Isn¡¯t Yao his fiancee? Why didn¡¯t he protect her!¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± The veins in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s forehead were popping. Mo Suqing fell silent instantly at his sudden outburst.

    Ye Zhongjue then turned gentle. ¡°Suqing, listen to me and calm down. Don¡¯t bother Ceng Hanyu now, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s as upset as you are. Both Leng Xiyao and Selina got shot at their vital points, and if treatment is dyed, they¡¯d die from losing too much blood. However, the only doctor he trusts in this hospital is Yi¡¯an, and he had chosen Yao over Selina. This means that there is hope for Yao, and that he had as good as given up on saving Selina.¡±

    Seeing Mo Suqing calm down slightly, Ye Zhongjue continued. ¡°Do you know what he said when he called me? He said that if anything happened to Selina, he''d take her remains with him and help herplete everything she wasn¡¯t able to do in this life. Do you understand that he¡¯s betting his life on this too? My gut tells me that he has feelings for Selina, and that what he feels for Leng Xiyao is borne from responsibility. It¡¯s just that he doesn¡¯t admit it himself. Such a situation forced him to make a difficult choice where he will never forgive himself if anything untoward happens to any one of them. Do you understand?¡±

    At that, all Mo Suqing could do was to cry silent tears.

    Ye Zhongjue hugged her tight. Speaking softly, he told her, ¡°Dear, everything will be fine.¡±

    The light of the operating theater indicated that the operation was still ongoing.

    Mo Suqing wished that the light would never go off, since that will mean there is still hope.

    Time ticked by slowly, and a perspiring Gu Yi¡¯an suddenly emerged.

    Ceng Hanyu shot up immediately, grabbing Gu Yi¡¯an. ¡°How is it?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an seemed rather vexed. ¡°Leng Xiyao woke up once. She grabbed me and asked me to make sure her baby was safe. I¡¯m trying my best now, and it¡¯s lucky that you¡¯ve saved quite a lot of Rh negative blood here. That increases our chances of sess. The operation will end soon. I need to go get something first!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an then left hurriedly. From what he said, it sounded like the bullet had been removed, because it was unlikely that he would leave the operating room before doing so.

    Ceng Hanyu was not able to rx even after he heard what Gu Yi¡¯an said. The sorrow in his eyes seemed to deepen as he looked towards the operating room at the other end of the corridor.

    Yearster, Mo Suqing would ask him why he made such a choice, where he let Yi¡¯an save Leng Xiyao and put Selina¡¯s life in the hands of another. She would never forget his answer.

    He said that he might have subconsciously already treated Selina as his other half. He was willing to die with her if she dies, and if she lives, he would spend the time with her. As for Leng Xiyao, it was more of the responsibility that had been ced on him years ago that pushed him to make a decision.

    ¡­¡­

    When Leng Haoyun awoke, he was greeted with a shocking piece of news.

    Leng Xiyao had died!

    Selina, who took a bullet for her, had also died.

    Leng Haoyun obtained Leng Xiyao¡¯s cremated remains from Ceng Hanyu. Leng Haoyun almost went mad with bereavement, but a word from Ceng Hanyu snapped him out of it immediately.

    He told Leng Haoyun, ¡°On her deathbed, Yao personally told me that she no longer wanted to be with you in this life, nor did she want to have any loose ends untied. This is why I cremated her since the operation had failed.¡±

    Leng Haoyun felt like he was about to go insane. More urately, he had turned into a monster. There had always been a caged monster in his heart, and this monster had escaped its shackles after Leng Xiyao had died.

    Leng Haoyun did not attend Leng Xiyao¡¯s funeral. However, Mo Suqing saw a man dressed in ck sitting quietly in front of Leng Xiyao¡¯s grave even after everyone had left.

    No one could put the me on anyone else. This was Leng Xiyao¡¯s choice, and it was also Leng Haoyun¡¯s choice.

    Leng Haoyun cancelled his marriage agreement with An Huilin the very next day after Leng Xiyao¡¯s funeral. Within one month, he ejected An Huilin out of the An Group and became one of the secondrgest shareholders in the An Group. An Zhenguo was still unconscious, and all of this happened with him being unaware. Ceng Hanyu was overseas at this point, and there was little he could do. The only one who could do anything to prevent Leng Haoyun from taking over the An Group was Ye Zhongjue.

    Leng Haoyun had directed all his anger towards An Huilin at the An Group. If he was to take over, destruction was the only fate that awaited the An Group.

    An Huilin rushed up to the An Group¡¯s headquarters, and not even the security personnel were able to stop her.

    She barged into the office and pointed at Leng Haoyun, yelling angrily at him. ¡°Leng Xiyao had died, but you have no right to vent your anger at the An Group! Leng Haoyun, you must be mad. Leng Xiyao is dead, she¡¯s dead and she won¡¯te back. Wake up! What¡¯s the point of doing all this? So what if you eject me from the An Group!¡±

    Leng Haoyun red at her, terrifying An Huilin as his burning gaze seemed to bore through her.

    ¡°I told you she isn¡¯t dead! She isn¡¯t dead! If you dare spout anymore nonsense, I¡¯ll throw you down this building!¡±

    An Huilin was almost short of breath in her anger. ¡°Since you think she¡¯s still alive, then why do you keep targeting me!¡±

    Leng Haoyun squinted at her. He stood up and walked right up to her. ¡°I¡¯ll help herplete whatever she failed to do in her life, and I¡¯ll target everyone she hated. Do you get it now, An Huilin?¡±

    His words had effectively triggered An Huilin. With Leng Xiyao dead, she had nothing to threaten Leng Haoyun with. But she was suddenly reminded of what happened that fateful night.

    Sheughed loudly, sneering at Leng Haoyun. ¡°You think you¡¯re invincible, Leng Haoyun? What else can you do apart from targeting me? Since you¡¯re already in so much pain, let me help you along and share with you an even more shocking piece of news!¡±

    ¡°Get out! Out of my sight now!¡± Leng Haoyun did not wish to continue this pointless conversation with her.

    Instead of leaving, An Huilin became rather smug.

    ¡°It¡¯s something about Leng Xiyao. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to know?¡±

    Leng Haoyun stared at her coldly.

    An Huilin did not seem to mind as she spoke. ¡°Do you still remember that dinner we had with Leng Xiyao a couple of days before the wedding?¡±

    Leng Haoyun pursed his lips, and An Huilin continued. ¡°Do you remember I made ament saying that she looked like she was pregnant? Let me tell you this. I¡¯ve looked into it, and she really was pregnant!¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious who the baby¡¯s father is?¡±

    Leng Haoyun kept his eyes squarely on An Huilin as she covered her mouth,ughing softly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t re at me like this. I¡¯m just being nice and telling you about it. Actually...¡±

    An Huilin regarded him with a knowing gaze. ¡°Actually, you¡¯re the baby¡¯s father. Ha ha ha...¡±

    An Huilinughed loudly. ¡°I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t know!¡±

    Leng Haoyun took a step forward and grabbed An Huilin by her arms, his expression ghastly. ¡°What are you even saying!¡±

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s strength hurt her, but she remained steady. Since he chose to cancel the marriage without giving any thought to her reputation and even chose to chase her out of the An Group, she would also make his life miserable.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you had no idea that I wasn¡¯t the one you slept with that night!¡±

    An Huilin raised her brows at him, and an unpleasant feeling of foreboding rose in Leng Haoyun¡¯s chest.

    What An Huilin said next was an utter shock to him.

 Chapter 177 â€“ Jumping Into the Fire

    <h4>Chapter 177 ¨C Jumping Into the Fire</h4>

    Every word An Huilin said seemed to slice through Leng Haoyun¡¯s flesh.

    ¡°I was locked in her room for the entire night. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s obvious to you now who you actually slept with!¡±

    An Huilin¡¯sugh sounded more and more vicious as she saw the emotions in Leng Haoyun¡¯s eyes. <i>Don¡¯t want to marry me? Then I¡¯ll make your life miserable!</i>

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s face began to pale.

    He then squeezed An Huilin¡¯s arm so hard that she cried out in pain.

    ¡°Say it! Say that it¡¯s not true! You¡¯re lying!¡±

    Ice-cold fury filled Leng Haoyun. He looked like he was ready to murder someone.

    An Huilin struggled free from his grip. ¡°You¡¯re hurting me! You can go look into it yourself if you don¡¯t believe me! There¡¯s no use getting angry at me! Leng Xiyao died carrying your child. How do you think she¡¯ll feel if she sees how you¡¯ve just reacted upon learning that it was actually her that night?¡±

    In his anger, Leng Haoyun swept the documents off his desk and threw a book right at An Huilin¡¯s head.

    ¡°Get out! I¡¯ll make sure you suffer a fate worse than death if I ever see you again!¡±

    The color drained slightly from An Huilin¡¯s face before she beat a hasty retreat.

    She never expected Leng Haoyun to react so strongly to the news. If he knew that she was the one behind the attack on Leng Xiyao, he would never forgive her. She initially thought that she had covered her tracks extremely well, but she could no longer be so sure.

    Leng Haoyun exited the office long after An Huilin left.

    His eyes were red and his hair was in disarray. He looked like he could fall apart any moment.

    ----

    Mo Suqing asked Guan Zixuan to get the door when the doorbell rang. Guan Zixuan almost could not recognize Leng Haoyun in that sorry state.

    In just a month, Leng Haoyun had lost so much weight that his eyes and cheeks had sunken in. He looked wan and haggard, the chilly and imposing aura of his was lost.

    Guan Zixuan had been trying his best tofort Mo Suqing. Judging by how close she was to Leng Xiyao, he reckoned that she probably hated Leng Haoyun.

    Leng Haoyun should be fully aware of this, but he still came here to look for Mo Suqing. <i>Why is he jumping into the fire? What exactly is his purpose of doing so?</i>

    However, seeing how dispirited Leng Haoyun seemed, Guan Zixuan felt rather sorry for him and decided to let him in instead.

    Mo Suqing was sitting on the sofa talking to someone on the phone. When she saw that it was Leng Haoyun, she ended the call abruptly.

    She looked at him without emotion.

    ¡°What are you doing here? You¡¯re not wee here! Leave!¡±

    Her icy tone did not elicit any sort of reaction from Leng Haoyun. Guan Zixuan scratched his nose at this.<i>?I guess it¡¯s my fault I let him in then!</i>

    Unmoving, Leng Haoyun kept his eyes on Mo Suqing.

    ¡°Tell me! Yao isn¡¯t dead, right?¡±

    Mo Suqing stared at him coldly. ¡°Leng Haoyun, you must be insane! What if she¡¯s not dead? You want to continue hurting her feelings if so? She¡¯s human too, and she has feelings and desires. Please stop being so cruel.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it...¡± Pain and conflict appeared on Leng Haoyun¡¯s face.

    ¡°Mo Suqing, tell me that this isn¡¯t real. I have a feeling that Yao isn¡¯t dead...¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Mo Suqing was angered, and she cut Leng Haoyun off unceremoniously.

    Guan Zixuan rushed to her and tried to calm her down.

    ¡°Suqing, don¡¯t get upset. Be careful for the baby!¡±

    Mo Suqing red at Leng Haoyun. ¡°You have the gall toe to me for this? She¡¯s dead! She¡¯s really dead this time, and she won¡¯te back. Happy now? Don¡¯te here and disturb her peace!¡±

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s lips trembled, as if he was struggling to get words out.

    Mo Suqing continued staring at him, remaining silent.

    With much difficulty, Leng Haoyun said bitterly, ¡°An Huilin said that Yao was¡­ pregnant...¡±

    Pain and conflict once again shed past Leng Haoyun¡¯s eyes. He wanted it to be true, but at the same time, he was also afraid that it would be true.

    If it was true, then it was Yao he slept with and An Huilin was not lying. The person he got so jealous of was none other than himself. If it was not true, then he would just continue hurting all his life.

    But now that Yao was gone, both these possibilities hurt him equally.

    Mo Suqing smirked when she heard the word ¡®pregnant¡¯.

    ¡°Hah¡­ Pregnant. I can¡¯t believe you have the guts to bring this up. Would you not have married An Huilin if you knew that she was pregnant with your baby? She endured so much for you, and I can¡¯t help but wonder if that was all worth it!¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s words made Leng Haoyun stagger backwards. This meant that An Huilin was telling the truth. The baby was his, and Yao had been carrying his child...

    Leng Haoyun closed his eyes in pain, refusing to face reality.

    Mo Suqing spoke steadily. ¡°Satisfied now?¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    Leng Haoyun clenched his fists and cried out, sounding like a wounded animal who had just lost its partner.

    Mo Suqing shook her head at this. <i>Love hurts us all deeply, but no one is able to keep themselves away from its allure.</i>

    She then spoke slowly. ¡°Leng Haoyun, I¡¯ll ask you this one more time. Why did you reject Yao? Was it merely because of your identities? Or is it because you didn¡¯t love her one bit, and that you solely treated her like your niece? But why is it that I see something more than familial love? If you loved her, why did you insist on marrying An Huilin? Can¡¯t you be brave like Yao was?¡±

    Leng Haoyun opened his eyes slowly. ¡°I¡¯ve let her down. I love her, and I¡¯m not afraid to admit it. It¡¯s just that I want to protect her. I was afraid that she wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the criticism of others. It was only until she confessed to me while drunk did I dare to take another step forward. But never did I expect for An Huilin to threaten me with something that could hurt Yao when I brought up the matter of getting divorced, so...¡±

    Mo Suqing gave a sardonic but bitterugh.

    ¡°So you rejected her, abandoned her because you were threatened by something? Let me guess what it was you were threatened with. It¡¯s the document which contains information about your older brother asking you to raise Yao, and where he transferred the shares for The Unparalleled to you, right?¡±

    Leng Haoyun froze at this. ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Mo Suqing smirked. Leng Haoyun wanted to protect Yao, but all he did was hurt her in the end.

    ¡°She already knew about this...¡±

    ¡°How else do you think I¡¯ll know about this! Since you¡¯re here, let me tell you something else. She didn¡¯t actually lose her memory after her car ident!¡±

    This absolutely stunned Leng Haoyun.

    ¡°What!¡±

    He had always thought that Yao lost her memories and that she slowly fell in love with him after the ident, but he did not realize that her memories had always been intact.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, she remembers everything!¡± Mo Suqing answered.

    ¡°Yao pretended to have amnesia because she was really hurt when you pped her. She thus pretended to act differently so that you¡¯ll treat her well. I¡¯ve said my piece, so you can leave. Please don¡¯te looking for me in future, because I¡¯ll only be reminded of Yao if I see you, and I¡¯ll resent you further!¡±

    Mo Suqing then turned away, directing her gaze towards the balcony. She fell asleep some timeter and was not aware of when Leng Haoyun actually left the ce.

    Guan Zixuan had also left when Mo Suqing finally woke up. Ye Zhongjue had already returned.

    He looked pointedly at Mo Suqing, speaking with a voiceced with jealousy.

    ¡°Dear, how about I hire a nanny so she can take proper care of you? Even if Guan Zixuan is free now, he¡¯s a celebrity, so he can¡¯t possibly be free for the entire time that you¡¯re pregnant. Also, he¡¯s male and there are some things that might be inconvenient for him to do for you. What do you say?¡±

    Mo Suqing rolled her eyes at him.<i>?He can¡¯t even say that he¡¯s jealous and he¡¯s trying to beat around the bush.</i>

    The thing is, she trusted no one else after being kidnapped once. A hired nanny might also be threatened and bribed, so she still trusted Guan Zixuan most!

    Mo Suqing shared her thoughts with him. ¡°I understand your concerns, but just let Zixuane over if he is free. I¡¯m too bored being alone. And a nanny can also be bribed, so who knows, she may do something bad to me too. If that happens, it would be difficult to locate me too. Zixuan is a friend and I trust him. Isn¡¯t it great like this? There¡¯s no need to hire a nanny, and Zixuan will leave when you return. He lives right here in Shallow Sea anyway.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue shook his head in resignation and tenderly stroked her hair. He doted on her so much and just could not bear to do anything to displease her. He did not mind it one bit. He wanted to give her everything she wanted in this life.

    Mo Suqing rested her head on Ye Zhongjue¡¯s chest. She looked up at him suddenly.

    ¡°I almost forgot. Dear, about Yao getting shot, have you managed to find out anything?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s a littleplicated. Yi¡¯an gave me the bullet right after Leng Xiyao¡¯s operation for me to look into it. The bullet is confirmed to be from one of those produced by Sin Eliminators in recent years. It¡¯s just that the movement of the firearms is ratherplex, and we¡¯ve also sold some to major organizations, who would in turn sell the firearms to other smaller groups or individuals. There are just too many possibilities.¡±

 Chapter 178 â€“ Where Did His Brains Go

    <h4>Chapter 178 ¨C Where Did His Brains Go</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue pondered for a moment. ¡°Do you know if Leng Xiyao might have angered anyone? They might have hired killers to make a move on her!¡±

    Mo Suqing frowned at this. <i>If hired killers were targeting Leng Xiyao, and they used weapons from Sin Eliminators, weren¡¯t they trying to drive a wedge between Red Kill and Sin Eliminators by doing so?</i>

    <i>Whoever was the mastermind behind this would likely be extremely vicious and cruel.</i>

    She looked up at Ye Zhongjue. ¡°Could it be someone from The Dark Night? I heard Selina say that you guys weren¡¯t exactly on good terms with them!¡±

    Support us at Innread.

    Ye Zhongjue tapped her on the nose yfully. ¡°You know this too? But we can¡¯t be sure. The killer used a sniper rifle from Sin Eliminators, and most people think it was us!¡±

    Mo Suqing heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing Ceng Hanyu took them away quickly. If Leng Haoyun had seen the bullet, he wouldn¡¯t just let it be!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue pursed his lips in thought. ¡°That might not be the case. Leng Haoyun is intelligent, so he would analyze it before jumping to conclusions.¡±

    Mo Suqing silently harrumphed. ¡°I doubt he can think clearly when ites to Yao!¡±

    Hearing her tone of voice, Ye Zhongjueughed. ¡°You¡¯re right! He¡¯s brainless, and I¡¯m much smarter than he is!¡±

    Mo Suqing stared at him in mock annoyance. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re indeed smarter than him. You can lie and cheat your way through anything!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue stroked her hair gently, smiling at her with love.

    ¡°Right!¡± Mo Suqing eximed suddenly. ¡°Do you think An Huilin might have been the one who hired the killers? Since she hates Leng Xiyao.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue thought about this for a while. ¡°It¡¯s not impossible, but chances are slim. I¡¯ve looked into An Huilin¡¯s background right after Leng Xiyao got hurt. Even though she looks cold and aloof, she¡¯s from a simple family, and there was nothing out of the ordinary. If someone like her decides to kill anyone, there must have been some sort of trigger to cause it. Also, even if she wanted to hire killers to take Leng Xiyao¡¯s life, it¡¯s difficult for her to find such a skilled killer in such a short time. If even Selina could not react in time to pull Leng Xiyao out of harm¡¯s way and had no choice but to take the bullet for her, then the killer is definitely someone top-tier who is very experienced in that field.¡±

    Seeing Mo Suqing deep in thought, Ye Zhongjue continued, ¡°Considering An Huilin¡¯s background and social circle, the question would then be how she was able to contact the killer. Though it¡¯s unlikely that it¡¯s her, we can¡¯t confirm this as a fact yet. Therefore, everyone can be a suspect!¡±

    Mo Suqing looked up at him lovingly. ¡°So, Mr. Ye, do you think I might be the mastermind behind this?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue carried her up and gave her a gentle kiss. ¡°Yes! But this mastermind seems to be a little dazed and confused!¡±

    Mo Suqing giggled. Ye Zhongjue smiled at her as he said, ¡°Dear, you¡¯ve put on quite a bit of weight...¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s face instantly darkened. <i>What a way to kill the mood.</i>

    ---

    <strong>Meanwhile, Vi Number 11, Shallow Sea.</strong>

    Zheng Hao was standing respectfully beside Su Jincheng. He said, ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve looked into the matter and also stopped the spread of some information that might end up harming us.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on with the whole Leng Xiyao saga?¡± Su Jincheng asked Zheng Hao with nary a change in his expression.

    Zheng Hao was slightly conflicted. Jian Jie was a friend, but he could not lie to his boss either.

    ¡°It was Jian Jie who helped An Huilin target Leng Xiyao!¡±

    ¡°No surprise there.¡± Su Jincheng¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously.

    Su Jincheng asked him to investigate the matter thoroughly after Leng Xiyao got injured because she was Mo Suqing¡¯s close friend. Su Jincheng would not let anyone harm a single hair on Mo Suqing as long as he was around in A City.

    Now that Leng Xiyao was targeted, it was highly likely for Mo Suqing to be next.

    Through their investigations, they found out that the one pulling the strings was none other than Jian Jie.

    Su Jincheng grinned. ¡°I believe that Jian Jie might be trying to get rid of those around Mo Suqing before making a move on her. Either that or she¡¯s trying to use Leng Xiyao¡¯s death to threaten Mo Suqing. But did she forget that as the head of the organization, I¡¯m still here?¡±

    Zheng Hao looked terrified. He quickly spoke up for Jian Jie.

    ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve asked her about this. She said it was An Huilin who threatened her. An Huilin knows that she¡¯s part of The Dark Night, so she had no choice but to help her out this time!¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t she kill An Huilin? She¡¯s nning to let that woman continue threatening her?¡±

    Zheng Hao did not know how to answer this.

    After a while, he said, ¡°She said¡­ she said that she was good friends with An Huilin, and she couldn¡¯t bear to do it!¡±

    ¡°Huh¡­ so she chose to make a move on somebody else¡¯s friend instead. Vicious!¡±

    Zheng Hao paled. ¡°Don¡¯t be upset, Boss. I believe Jian Jie had no other intentions, so please let her go this time!¡±

    Su Jincheng sighed in annoyance. ¡°I¡¯m letting her off the hook this time. Remember to give her my warning. Help me set up a meeting with Mo Suqing within the next two days, and make sure to make it look like a coincidence. I don¡¯t want to make her suspicious! Understand?¡±

    Zheng Hao nodded. ¡°Understood, Boss!¡±

    Su Jincheng rubbed his brows. ¡°There¡¯s nothing else here, so go on with your duties!¡±

    ¡­¡­

    Mo Suqing received an unexpected call from Ye Zhongjue in the afternoon the next day.

    ¡°Dear, apany me for a gathering tonight!¡±

    ¡°Can I not go?¡± Mo Suqing pouted rather unwillingly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have toe, but there¡¯ll probably be a lot of women there, since my dad wants me to attend. Don¡¯t regret it if I end up being surrounded by a bunch ofdies!¡±

    Mo Suqing smirked. <i>This man has some tricks up his sleeve now.</i>

    ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll go. But I won¡¯t look good in a gown now that I¡¯m more than four months pregnant. I¡¯ll look rather bloated, so what do we do about that?¡±

    Augh sounded through the phone, and Mo Suqing could hear the smile in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s voice when he answered.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I¡¯ve already prepared something for you, and you¡¯ll love it for sure. I¡¯ll get Lin Ran to send it over shortly.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Where is it? I¡¯ll meet you there in the evening!¡±

    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll pick you upter!¡±

    ¡°Mm! Okay!¡± Mo Suqing was all smiles as she ended the call.

    Lin Ran arrived with the gown in less than thirty minutes.

    Only when Mo Suqing tried it did she realize that Ye Zhongjue had impable taste. Mo Suqing had put on weight because of her pregnancy, and she kept harping on how she would not be able to fit into her old clothes after she gives birth.

    The customized gown that Ye Zhongjue ordered had rows of tassels around the waist area, elegantly concealing the waist, and the neat ruffles at the bottom of the gown gave it a stylish, minimal look.

    Thevender gown made Mo Suqing look rather slender, and it added a hint of mystery to her. Mo Suqing looked enchanting, far from how one would expect a pregnantdy would look.

    Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Mo Suqing stuck her tongue out yfully. She then tried on the footwear that Lin Ran brought with him.

    It was a pair of wedge slippers designed with delicate crystal beads. It did not have a very high heel, but since Mo Suqing was already quite tall herself, she did not look awkward wearing this with the gown. She looked beautiful in the outfit.

    Satisfied, Mo Suqing smiled. She realized that Ye Zhongjue was very thoughtful. He knew that she should not be wearing heels that were too high since she was pregnant, and the design of the slippers was simple but elegant, something that was appropriate for the asion.

    Mo Suqing put on her make up happily and Ye Zhongjue arrived shortly after she was done.

    When she saw him, Mo Suqing pulled on his cor, pretending to be a queen of sorts.

    ¡°Dear, be honest with me. If there are so many women there, is your dad trying to get you a mistress?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was almost lost for words when he saw how stunning she was.

    ¡°I can¡¯t bear to take you out with how beautiful you look!¡±

    Mo Suqing cupped her hand over his mouth. ¡°Dear, you¡¯re being naughty! Avoiding my question and distracting me! Since you can¡¯t bear to take me out, then you can go alone. I¡¯m not going with you!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue put on a sad face, acting as if he was shocked by what she said.

    ¡°Dear, you¡¯re really going to push me to those women? Not afraid that they¡¯ll devour me?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll be devouring a demon!¡±

    Mo Suqingughed, and Ye Zhongjue reached out to tickle her.

    ¡°Little runt, I think you¡¯re in need of a little lesson!¡±

    Mo Suqing giggled while she was being tickled, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. ¡°Dear, I won¡¯t dare do it again!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s heart fluttered. He carried her and took in her fragrance, enjoying it with his eyes shut. Mo Suqing was getting more and more coquettish, and he loved it!

    They mucked around yfully for a while before finally leaving.

    <strong>At the Walton Hotel.</strong>

    Ye Zhongjue alighted from the car and walked over to the other side to open the door for Mo Suqing. He made a knightly gesture and supported her as she stepped out of the vehicle.

    Mo Suqing was rather embarrassed at this, but Ye Zhongjue reassured her quietly, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯d prefer to hold you since you¡¯re pregnant now!¡±

    Mo Suqing blushed, making her look rosy and enchanting. Ye Zhongjue looked at her with so much love and gentleness that anyone could tell he wanted to pamper her forever.

    The valet drove off as Ye Zhongjue and Mo Suqing walked into the Walton Hotel as he held her close.

    Mo Suqing said she did not want to put on a shawl since she found it ufortable, but it was rather chilly outside. She had refused the jacket that Ye Zhongjue wanted to put on her, saying that they were going to enter the hotel very soon.

 Chapter 179 â€“ A Pregnant Lady Who is Bloodthirsty and Violent

    <h4>Chapter 179 ¨C A Pregnant Lady Who is Bloodthirsty and Violent</h4>

    In reality, tonight¡¯s gathering was nothing like what Ye Zhongjue described, withdies abound.

    It was actually arge-scale business gathering in A City, and the top businessmen were all gathered here tonight. Ye Wentian wanted Ye Zhongjue to take Jian Jie to the gathering, but Ye Zhongjue refused and brought his legal wife instead.

    Aside from the heads of the top two business empires in A City, Ye Zhongjue from Mighty Empire and Leng Haoyun from The Unparalleled, there was a new yer who was purportedly attending the gathering tonight. It was none other than Su Jincheng from the Tianyue Group.

    Though Tianyue Group was quite well-known in A City, Mighty Empire and The Unparalleled still held more influence since the Tianyue Group had been focusing on expanding their business in America in recent years.

    Now that Su Jincheng had returned to the country, it looked like he had the intention to focus on expanding the business locally.

    Being the one who set up this gathering, it looked very much like he was openly challenging Mighty Empire and The Unparalleled.

    Ye Zhongjue had never been afraid of such challenges, but he usually stayed away from such gatherings. The fact that he even brought Mo Suqing along this time had surprised everyone.

    It was a lively gathering as A City¡¯s business elites streamed in. Leng Haoyun and Ye Zhongjue were the only ones who had yet to arrive.

    A sudden but slightmotion at the entrance attracted Su Jincheng¡¯s interest as he looked down from the second floor.

    Leng Haoyun was alone, a cold and imposing air surrounding him as he walked in.

    He was in a ck tuxedo, and he dressed in ck from head to toe. Even his shirt was ck.

    Su Jincheng frowned and turned to Zheng Hao.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Leng Haoyun?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know, boss? Leng Xiyao is Leng Haoyun¡¯s niece, but I¡¯ve heard that they¡¯re not blood rted!¡±

    Su Jincheng¡¯s expression changed imperceptibly, and his voice turned chilly when he spoke.

    ¡°Go back and warn Jian Jie not to trifle with dangerous people like that next time. If anything goes awry, she¡¯ll have to deal with it herself!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Boss!¡± Zheng Hao acknowledged respectfully before returning to his position beside Su Jincheng, standing still and observing everything that was happening on site, ready to jump into action if needed.

    Leng Haoyun sat himself down on a sofa after entering. No one dared approach him as they were repelled by that gloomy, cial aura that seemed to envelope him.

    Everyone seemed to be stealing nces at him, but nobody went up to him because he was just too imposing.

    There was anothermotion at the door after some time, and the buzz from the crowd did not seem to abate this time.

    Everyone looked towards the entrance, including Su Jincheng and Zheng Hao.

    Su Jincheng was surprised when he saw Mo Suqing. Never did he expect for her to be so charming.

    Mo Suqing was in avender gown, looking mysterious and elegant. Her make up was not too heavy, and it served to add to her allure and charm.

    Ye Zhongjue was in a midnight blue suit, bringing out his steadyposure.?Though he looked aloof and distant, everyone noticed the tenderness in his eyes when he looked at Mo Suqing.

    They were the perfect pair, a match made in heaven.

    Ye Zhongjue held Mo Suqing close and made her giggle as he whispered in her ear from time to time, making all the other women jealous.

    Jian Jie had her fists clenched from the very moment she saw Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue walk in.

    All the glory and envious looks should have been directed at her, but it was stolen by that woman. She hated it so much.

    Biting her lips, she resolved to work faster on her current investigation. She wanted to collect as much information as she could so that she could knock Mo Suqing down with a single blow!

    She will not give Mo Suqing any chances to start over!

    Ye Zhongjue led Mo Suqing to a sofa and sat her down.

    He went to pick up some food for her. She was getting more and more gluttonous ever since she got pregnant, just like a child. This was also why Ye Zhongjue wanted to pamper and indulge her.

    Mo Suqing felt someone sit beside her shortly after Ye Zhongjue left. She was shocked when she realized who it was.

    <i>Isn¡¯t he the man I saved at the Shallow Sea Area on the very night I was kidnapped?</i>

    <i>Why is he here?</i>

    Su Jincheng smiled amiably when he saw that Mo Suqing had her guard up.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to look at me with such a piercing gaze. I happened to see you here, so I came over to say hi. You did save my life, right?¡±

    Mo Suqing remained vignt as she continued observing Su Jincheng.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that it¡¯s getting harder to tell the good guys and bad guys apart these days? Even if I did save your life, it¡¯s hard to tell if...¡±

    Su Jincheng raised his brows and gave her a questioning look.

    ¡°Hard to tell if I¡¯ll have some corrupted thoughts in my head?¡±

    Seeing the dazed Mo Suqing made Su Jinchengugh out loud.

    ¡°That¡¯s highly possible too! But I¡¯m not someone who¡¯s ungrateful, and I believe in returning more than I owe, so there¡¯s no need for you to be so afraid. I can¡¯t do anything since we¡¯re in public anyway!¡±

    Su Jincheng then extended his right hand for a handshake. ¡°Hello! I¡¯m Su Jincheng!¡±

    Mo Suqing felt slightly ashamed when she saw Su Jincheng being so magnanimous. She felt bad for having assumed the worst.

    She gave an awkward chuckle before extending her own hand and introducing herself. ¡°Mo Suqing!¡±

    A great force pulled her back just as her hand touched Su Jincheng¡¯s.

    She turned to see that it was Ye Zhongjue.

    Mo Suqing then lowered her head and pretended like nothing happened.

    Ye Zhongjue would chastise her if he learnt of the fact that she had harbored a dangerous man in her home that night. Now that it was over, she hoped that this Su Jincheng person would keep it under wraps so that she would not have to exin herself.

    Ye Zhongjue grabbed her hand and took it in his own, studying Su Jincheng with a cautious gaze.

    ¡°Is anything the matter, President Su? I don¡¯t believe the two of you have met!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue said this on purpose, hinting at Su Jincheng that he should not approach Mo Suqing in future.

    Mo Suqing became nervous at this, silently hoping that Su Jincheng would not reveal anything to Ye Zhongjue. <i>Please don¡¯t say anything, don¡¯t say a thing!</i>

    Her expression of solemn despair made Su Jincheng secretly snigger. She looked like she might kill herself if he told the truth.

    <i>This woman is interesting.</i> He knew that it would be best for the both of them if what happened that day was kept a secret, and he knew exactly what not to say.

    His voice was hoarse as he spoke. ¡°You¡¯re mistaken, President Ye. I just wanted to ask about you, so I came over to say hi. I didn¡¯t expect you to have such a big reaction. Indeed, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯m meeting this woman!¡±

    Su Jincheng shot a knowing look at Mo Suqing, and she heaved a sigh of relief. <i>I¡¯m guessing he probably wants to keep it under wraps too. Or else, I would have killed him on the spot.</i>

    One might ask how a pregnantdy could be so bloodthirsty and violent, but this was all because she was influenced by the man beside her!

    ¡°Great! I¡¯ll introduce her to you now. She¡¯s my wife, Mo Suqing. So, please don¡¯t address her as <i>this woman</i> anymore!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue kept his eyes on Su Jincheng, and although they were both silent, Mo Suqing could feel the tension in the air.

    Su Jincheng smiled.

    ¡°I¡¯ve just learnt Miss Mo¡¯s name as well, but thank you for the reminder, Mr. Ye!¡±

    This seemingly innocuous banter continued for some time, and Mo Suqing felt a little sleepy after a while.

    Due to her pregnancy, she often felt drowsy, and she did not take a proper nap earlier in the day, causing her to feel even more lethargic in the evening.

    Just as Mo Suqing was about to fall asleep, the music began, signalling the start of the dance.

    Su Jincheng stood up and walked over to Mo Suqing. He bent over with a weing gesture.

    ¡°May I ask the beautiful Miss Mo for a dance?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression turned ghastly. He never expected for Mo Suqing to agree to dance with a man whom she had literally just met.

    Mo Suqing stood up with a smile and turned to blink cheekily at Ye Zhongjue before she took the other man¡¯s hand and slid onto the dance floor.

    If Mo Suqing was not pregnant, Ye Zhongjue would probably have blown his top right there and then!

    He would need to teach this little devil a lesson tonight. How could she dance with a businesspetitor!

    For her sake, he tried to tamp down his jealousy.

    Once they were on the dance floor, Mo Suqing said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about what happened that night! Ye Zhongjue must never know!¡±

    Su Jincheng looked at that adorable face of hers and decided to tease her.

    ¡°What happened? I don¡¯t even know what happened!¡±

    Mo Suqing was annoyed with his reaction, but Ye Zhongjue can never find out!

    ¡°That night when I saved you. Ye Zhongjue doesn¡¯t want me anywhere near dangerous people like you, and he¡¯ll skin me alive if he ever knows that I saved you!¡±

    Su Jinchengughed softly. ¡°I find that Ye Zhongjue is also an extremely dangerous individual!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s different!¡± Mo Suqing pursed her lips. ¡°Are you listening to me! I¡¯ve saved your life once! If you continue to act like this, I may just reveal the truth about you!¡±

    Her attempt to threaten seemed rather dimwitted at best, and she looked so lovely that he wanted to continue pranking her.

    ¡°About me, what about me? You seem to know a lot huh!¡±

 Chapter 180 â€“ The World Number One Narcissist

    <h4>Chapter 180 ¨C The World Number One Narcissist</h4>

    Mo Suqing was exasperated. <i>He¡¯s doing it on purpose! I don¡¯t believe he doesn¡¯t know what I¡¯m talking about.</i>

    She then tried to look more vicious as she spoke. ¡°You had a gunshot wound, so you¡¯re definitely no angel. Not afraid I¡¯ll tell others about what happened?¡±

    Su Jincheng was tickled. He found her very amusing. If she had threatened ruffians like this, they would likely just stare at her in disbelief.

    ¡°Fine. What do I need to do for you to keep it a secret?¡±

    Su Jincheng looked at her expectantly. After a moment of contemtion, Mo Suqing answered, ¡°Just don¡¯t tell anyone about what happened that night!¡±

    ¡°Which night are you talking about? Why don¡¯t I remember anything...¡± Su Jincheng yfully asked.

    Mo Suqing was absolutely maddened now. She could murder this man. <i>He¡¯s so bothersome!</i>

    ¡°Sure you won¡¯t regret this?¡±

    Mo Suqing asked the question through gritted teeth, as if she was about to unleash her ultimate attack on him. Su Jincheng observed her, slightly puzzled at her tone.

    While he was still rather bemused, he felt a piercing pain in his left foot. His jaw clenched at the sudden pain. <i>This woman is really vicious! My foot!</i>

    Mo Suqing gave him a smug look before she turned to leave.

    Su Jincheng scratched his nose, amused.<i>?She¡¯s really adorable and interesting!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue was not happy that they were dancing so closely together, and he wanted to walk over to stop them when he saw Mo Suqing turn back gracefully and return to him.

    Seeing her return made the expression on Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face a little less dreadful, but the stormy aura around him did not abate.

    Mo Suqing sat beside him and took his arm teasingly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be mad, dear. I did that to take revenge for you, and I¡¯ve made Su Jincheng wish he was dead!¡±

    Mo Suqing threw her head back as sheughed, but she saw Su Jincheng approaching fast.

    The smile on her froze immediately and she started coughing, as if something was stuck in her throat.

    Ye Zhongjue quickly patted her on the back, shooting a cold re at Su Jincheng at the same time.

    Su Jincheng put on an innocent expression. He had just gotten stomped on, but he¡¯s seen as the bad guy now!

    <i>The world is a scary ce!</i>

    After Ye Zhongjue led Mo Suqing away from the sofa, Su Jincheng did not approach them again.

    On the way back, Ye Zhongjue still felt ticked off, so he decided to bring this up to Mo Suqing.

    ¡°Why did you dance with Su Jincheng? Don¡¯t you know that I hate him?¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head innocently. ¡°It was the first time I met him. I didn¡¯t know you hated him!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue stepped on the brakes and looked at Mo Suqing with incredulity.

    <i>Does she really want to agitate me like this?</i>

    Mo Suqing knew he was upset, so she quickly coaxed him.

    ¡°I¡¯m at fault, dear!¡±

    ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have danced with Su Jincheng!¡±

    ¡°Do you dare to do it again?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°Then tell me, why did you dance with him today?¡±

    Mo Suqing answered with excitement. ¡°To get revenge for you!¡±

    ¡°Revenge?¡± Ye Zhongjue looked at her questioningly, sure that she was just spouting nonsense again.

    Mo Suqing then exined. ¡°Didn¡¯t he challenge you on purpose? So I stepped on his foot while we were dancing, and then¡­ I ran away!¡±

    She looked expectantly at Ye Zhongjue. Her face was smug, as if she was waiting for him to shower her withpliments!

    Speechless, Ye Zhongjue nced at her, tenderness in his eyes. <i>So silly!</i>

    ¡­¡­

    Guan Zixuan came over after Ye Zhongjue left for work the next day.

    Curious, Mo Suqing asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you have any work these days? You seem to have a lot of time!¡±

    What she did not know was that Guan Zixuan had either rejected the jobs or rescheduled them to be at night so that he could make time to keep herpany.

    Guan Zixuan gestured with raised palms. ¡°Well, that¡¯s because I¡¯m a top actor. Others have to take on a few jobs to get what I earn with just one!¡±

    Mo Suqing sneered at him. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you just said that with a straight face. You¡¯re really the world number one narcissist!¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t help being this good-looking!¡± Guan Zixuan answered yfully.

    Mo Suqingughed. ¡°Let¡¯s go downstairs and take a walk. I¡¯m about to rot from staying at home all day!¡±

    Guan Zixuan nodded and went to get a thick jacket for her.

    Mo Suqing did not expect that she would meet Su Jincheng downstairs.

    She turned away immediately as she saw the man approach.

    Su Jincheng spoke mischievously. ¡°Miss Mo, why are you running away like a timid mouse when you see me? Are you afraid of me?¡±

    Mo Suqing stiffened before turning to look at the man. ¡°I¡¯m justmenting at the fact that I didn¡¯t choose the right time of day to leave the house, and I¡¯ve bumped into someone I don¡¯t wish to see!¡±

    Su Jincheng sniggered. ¡°Miss Mo, that someone must be me then!¡±

    Mo Suqing answered with impatience, ¡°Obviously!¡±

    Su Jincheng twisted her words on purpose. ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to see me? Miss Mo, you¡¯re my saviour and I¡¯m ted to see you!¡±

    Guan Zixuan could tell that something was amiss, so he tugged at Mo Suqing, asking, ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Someone I don¡¯t know!¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s brows creased, but he remained silent.

    Su Jincheng, however, continued talking. ¡°Miss Mo, why don¡¯t you recognize me? You know that day...¡±

    Before he could say anymore, Mo Suqing rushed up and cupped his mouth with her hands, trying to stop him from saying anything else.

    Guan Zixuan went forward to support her quickly. ¡°Suqing, be careful, the baby!¡±

    Mo Suqing then realized that she had acted too impulsively. She had to take proper care of the baby in her! Even though she had a tiny baby bump now, she seemed to forget the fact that she was pregnant rather often. Instead, it was Guan Zixuan and Ye Zhongjue who were always trying to keep her out of harm¡¯s way.

    Mo Suqing waved at him. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I have something I need to tell this man, so just wait for me there!¡±

    Guan Zixuan nced at her, but relented eventually as he walked away to give them some space.

    The two of them seemed to be in deep discussion, and he could not help but wonder what they were talking about.

    Once Mo Suqing was sure that Guan Zixuan was out of earshot, she red at Su Jincheng angrily.

    ¡°Su Jincheng, what on earth are you trying to do?¡±

    Su Jincheng chuckled. ¡°Nothing. Is this your only question for me?¡±

    Mo Suqing frowned. ¡°Then why are you here? It can¡¯t possibly be a coincidence, can it!¡±

    Su Jincheng answered her seriously this time. ¡°I think it¡¯s time you know this too. I stay at Number 11 at Shallow Sea. Why else would I have left your ce if I was so heavily injured!¡±

    Though he did not sound like he was making it up, Mo Suqing was still unsatisfied with his exnation. She thus said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then let¡¯s not see each other again. Bye bye!¡±

    Su Jincheng grabbed her before she could leave. She shot him an angry re. ¡°What now?¡±

    Su Jincheng smiled. ¡°I have a bad habit of always returning a favor. I¡¯d feel that it isn¡¯t right if I don¡¯t repay the debt, and I¡¯d start spouting nonsense...¡±

    Mo Suqing fumed at this. <i>What does he want now!</i>

    ¡°Just tell me what you want, I can even address you as Master. Please stop pestering me like this, I can¡¯t take it, Big Brother!¡±

    At a loss for words, Su Jinchengughed. ¡°Are you going to address me as Master or Big Brother? Just settle on one!¡±

    Mo Suqing stomped on his foot. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Seeing how infuriated she was, Su Jincheng decided to stop being so cheeky.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. As long as you allow me to repay the debt, I won¡¯t pester or trouble you ever again, and I won¡¯t tell anyone about that night either!¡±

    Mo Suqing frowned at him. <i>I think I¡¯m the unluckiest person on earth. Why am I the one being threatened after helping this guy?</i>

    ¡°How do you wish to repay it?¡±

    Su Jincheng pointed at Guan Zixuan. ¡°Divert his attention tomorrow, and I¡¯ll teach you some self-defense. You¡¯ll then be able to protect yourself and fight back! Once you¡¯ve learnt the techniques, I promise I won¡¯t ever bring that up again.¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go look for you tomorrow. I¡¯m leaving now!¡±

    After they had reached an agreement, he looked at her departing figure as she left. His expression darkened.

    She was really kind, and he was no angel, but he will try his best to repay his debt.

    Her doorbell rang shortly after Mo Suqing returned home.

    Guan Zixuan had just gone out to buy some duck for her, and since she was craving for spicy food recently, Ye Zhongjue would also bring her some food when he returned.

    Therefore, she thought it was Su Jincheng at the door.

    She opened the door andshed out immediately. ¡°What do you want!¡±

    To her surprise, it was An Huilin.

    After she realized who it was, she quickly mmed the door shut with a loud bang.

    <i>What bad luck! Why do I keep meeting the people I don¡¯t wish to see!</i>

    ¡°Mo Suqing, open the door please. I have something to tell you. Could you open the door first?¡±

    Irritated by her incessant knocking, Mo Suqing opened the door. ¡°You have the cheek toe to me, An Huilin? Get lost. The sight of you disgusts me!¡±

    An Huilin was crossed, but her anger quickly subsided once she thought of Leng Haoyun.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s bark was worse than her bite, and she had not offended An Huilin either. Thus, An Huilin was able to control her temper rather well.

    ¡°Mo Suqing, please help me out. I heard that Leng Haoyun came to you earlier. What did you tell him? Why is he acting like that now!¡±

    Mo Suqing did not wish to answer An Huilin, but she had indeed met Leng Haoyun yesterday. He looked pretty fine to her, so she had no idea what An Huilin was going on about.

 Chapter 181 â€“ On Behalf of Someone Else

    <h4>Chapter 181 ¨C On Behalf of Someone Else</h4>

    An Huilin then exined that Leng Haoyun absolutely let himself go after returning home that day. He was out all day and got drunk every night. From an outsider¡¯s point of view, he did not look very different, just slightly more haggard and aloof.

    But every night when he returned, he would start drinking and smoking instead of sleeping and taking a good rest. He even asked Aunt Zhang to leave him alone.

    An Huilin cried, ¡°He might end up killing himself like this!¡±

    Initially, she had wanted to leave Leng Haoyun to his own devices and let him wallow in his own self-pity. Since he did not marry her, there was no reason she should involve herself in this. However, her heart broke when she saw him abuse himself like that.

    This might just be the fate of having an unrequited love.

    Eventually, An Huilin was able to convince Mo Suqing to go with her to the Leng¡¯s vi.

    Mo Suqing was helping out only because of Yao. She knew that if Leng Haoyun ever decides to kill himself, Yao would never forgive her.

    Guan Zixuan was by Mo Suqing¡¯s side throughout the journey, and when they arrived at the Leng¡¯s vi, the both of them followed An Huilin upstairs.

    They were immediately assailed with a heavy, smoky odor when An Huilin opened the door to Leng Haoyun¡¯s room.

    Guan Zixuan grimaced at the stench as he made out a dark figure somewhere in the room. He quickly walked in to pull the curtains apart and fling the windows open to allow the air to circte.

    Mo Suqing frowned at An Huilin. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that he drinks at night? It¡¯s so early in the day now, what is he even thinking!¡±

    An Huilin looked at Leng Haoyun with a pained expression. ¡°He didn¡¯t go to work today. He probably isn¡¯t feeling so great...¡±

    Mo Suqing said, ¡°Just because you¡¯re in a bad mood doesn¡¯t mean you should be allowing yourself to sink into such a pitiful state!¡±

    Mo Suqing contemted for a moment before turning to Guan Zixuan. ¡°Give us some space, I want to talk to Leng Haoyun in private. The both of you can wait outside.¡±

    Guan Zixuan nodded at her and walked out withoutint. An Huilin looked at the person sitting on the floor, leaning against the bed. He looked like a living corpse. Unwillingly, she dragged herself out of the room.

    She was betting everything on Mo Suqing now. Since Leng Xiyao was dead, she decided to look for whoever was the closest to her to try and get them to talk some sense into Leng Haoyun.

    Mo Suqing entered the room and closed the door behind her.

    Leng Haoyun nced up at her once when she arrived earlier, but was back to being immersed in his self-pity.

    Mo Suqing walked over and stood in front of him. She remained silent for a long time.

    She only spoke when she could no longer endure the sight of Leng Haoyun looking like he was half-dead.

    ¡°Leng Haoyun, whose attention are you trying to get? You were the one who rejected Yao, so why are you acting like this now? Without Yao, there¡¯s nobody to stop you from doing anything. You¡¯re free to do whatever you want, so why are you putting on this show?¡±

    Leng Haoyun did not make a sound. Mo Suqing then thought of something else that might elicit a reaction.

    She took out a bullet from her bag and threw it at Leng Haoyun. She said, ¡°This is the bullet that hit Yao. You can keep it!¡±

    Stunned, Leng Haoyun picked up the bullet thatnded on him. He stared at it beforementing in a low voice, his tone demonic.

    ¡°This is from Sin Eliminators!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Mo Suqing did not seem surprised that he recognized it. The fact that she revealed this to him meant that she was confident it would bring him out of his trance.

    It did not matter even if this meant that he would be fuelled by the thought of taking revenge for Yao!

    ¡°It is from one of Sin Eliminator¡¯s sniper rifles. Ye Zhongjue and Ceng Hanyu had left no stone unturned when they investigated Sin Eliminators, but they didn¡¯t manage to find any leads. This model is also sold to many others, so this can only mean one thing. Someone is trying to pit Sin Eliminators against Red Kill, and Yao was nothing but a sacrificialmb.¡±

    This caught Leng Haoyun¡¯s attention as he looked up at Mo Suqing.

    She then continued, ¡°Of course, there¡¯s also the possibility of Yao being personally targeted if she had offended anyone. But what do you think is more likely?¡±

    Mo Suqing spoke without emotion. ¡°Instead of trying to find out who killed her, you¡¯re here wasting your time getting drunk. Can you even face Yao like this?¡±

    She then turned to leave. An Huilin saw here down the stairs and rushed up to ask if it went well.

    Mo Suqing simply ignored her and left with Guan Zixuan.

    When An Huilin went upstairs, there was no one in the bedroom. Instead, she heard the sound of the shower.

    She waited in the room for about half an hour before Leng Haoyun finished showering. He no longer looked dishevelled. He had changed into a new outfit and was clean shaven. He was back to being that chilly and imposing man.

    He gave An Huilin a cursory nce.

    ¡°Don¡¯te here anymore, you¡¯re not wee here!¡±

    An Huilin was enraged. ¡°Haoyun, how could you say that. Do all these years of friendship amount to nothing?¡±

    ¡°Friendship?¡± Leng Haoyun shot her a look. ¡°There¡¯s no friendship left between us the moment Yao got shot. If I find out you had anything to do with this¡­ you¡¯re dead meat!¡±

    An Huilin shivered under Leng Haoyun¡¯s re. There was no warmth in those dispassionate eyes. She thought about the agreement with Jian Jie and shuddered inwardly.

    Not wanting to say anything else, she left the Leng¡¯s vi.

    After An Huilin left, Leng Haoyun called Aunt Zhang and told her to change all the passwords and locks used in the house. He reminded her, ¡°Don¡¯t let An Huilin in next time, she¡¯s not wee here!¡±

    Aunt Zhang nodded profusely as she thought to herself, <i>Young master should have done this earlier. I¡¯ve never liked that An Huilin woman.</i>

    ¡°Understood, Young master!¡±

    ¡­¡­

    Mo Suqing was bombarded with questions by Guan Zixuan on the way home.

    ¡°What did you say to Leng Haoyun? Will he really pick himself up after this?¡±

    Complex emotions passed through Guan Zixuan when he saw Leng Haoyun earlier.

    <i>How deeply did the man love her for him to torture himself like that after losing her?</i>

    <i>Or was it simply because we don¡¯t know how to cherish what we already have, and we¡¯ll only regret it when we lose them?</i>

    Mo Suqing nced at him. ¡°Zixuan, you seem pretty invested in Leng Haoyun¡¯s situation!¡±

    Guan Zixuanughed. ¡°I¡¯m worried on behalf of Leng Xiyao! We were friends once!¡±

    ¡°You mean to say you¡¯re no longer her friend?¡± Mo Suqing asked with raised brows.

    Guan Zixuan paused awkwardly before saying, ¡°I still am, I still am!¡±

    Mo Suqing smiled at this. ¡°Look at you, all nervous for nothing. I¡¯m fine even if Yao is gone, so you don¡¯t have to tread so carefully!¡±

    Guan Zixuan did not realize that Mo Suqing had said this so light-heartedly without any hint of sorrow.

    He fell silent, not knowing what to say. Though he did not show it, he felt rather sad that Leng Xiyao was gone.

    Though he had feelings for Mo Suqing, he had established a friendship with Leng Xiyao. They bickered a lot, but that did not mean that they were not friends!

    Seeing the moody Guan Zixuan lower his head, Mo Suqing reached out tofort him by patting his shoulder.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too sad! I don¡¯t mean anything, I just miss those times when the two of you would bicker. Yao is gone now, and there seems to be an empty space beside me all the time...¡±

    Guan Zixuan took her in an embrace and consoled her by soothing her back.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like this, there¡¯s no way for the dead toe back, so you¡¯ll only get more upset the more you think about it...¡±

    Guan Zixuan did not know what else to say when he felt Mo Suqing giggle.

    ¡°Why are you giggling?¡± He was astonished at how quickly Mo Suqing¡¯s mood changed.

    She raised her brows and straightened herself up. She then whispered in his ear, ¡°I forgot to tell you that Yao isn¡¯t dead!¡±

    ¡°What!¡± Guan Zixuan was shocked at the news.

    Mo Suqing signalled for him to be quiet, giving him a look that said she will exin itter.

    When they returned to the Shallow Sea Area, Guan Zixuan could no longer hold it in.

    ¡°Leng Xiyao is really okay?¡±

    Mo Suqing blinked at him cheekily. ¡°What do you think!¡±

    Realization then dawned upon Guan Zixuan. Though Mo Suqing looked quite upset in the beginning, it did not seem like she had just lost a close friend of hers. Furthermore, she did not even look sad at all recently.

    He even tried so hard to make herugh when Leng Xiyao¡¯s death was all a sham!

    ¡°What happened?¡± He asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s all Yao¡¯s idea. She doesn¡¯t want anyone to know that she¡¯s alive, especially Leng Haoyun!¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes suddenly dimmed. ¡°I remember what Yao told me when she woke up. She said she wanted to leave A City, and that Leng Xiyao was dead. She wanted to continue living as Anne from then on. I will never forget that hollow and emotionless gaze of hers when she said it!¡±

    ¡°So this was why you guys said she died, and even held a funeral for her? Don¡¯t you know that it¡¯s inauspicious to do that?¡±?Guan Zixuan frowned in disapproval.

    Mo Suqing looked at him. ¡°I know that, but Yao insisted on it so that everyone would think she was dead. I was afraid that you might let the cat out of the bag, so I didn¡¯t tell you!¡±

 Chapter 182 â€“ Mo Suqing, Iâ€™m Not Sick!

    <h4>Chapter 182 ¨C Mo Suqing, I¡¯m Not Sick!</h4>

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s brows creased. ¡°Where is she now?¡±

    At this, Mo Suqing looked downcast. ¡°Something happened to Grandpa An. He saw Yao getting shot right in front of him and fainted from the shock. He hasn¡¯t regained consciousness, so Yao and Ceng Hanyu took him to Ennd for treatment.¡±

    This was also shocking for Guan Zixuan. Grandpa An looked rather spritely, and he had just reunited with his granddaughter too. The heavens were really ying a joke on them!

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, don¡¯t think about it anymore!¡± Mo Suqing nudged Guan Zixuan to return home.

    ¡­¡­

    After Ye Zhongjue left the house the next day, Mo Suqing was racking her brains on how she could get Guan Zixuan to leave in order to meet Su Jincheng. Before she could think of anything, Guan Zixuan called.

    ¡°Suqing, I can¡¯te over today. Take care of yourself and don¡¯t leave the house. Be careful!¡±

    Mo Suqing almost cried out in joy. She no longer had to think of an excuse to get him to leave!

    ¡°Okay, okay! I got it, I¡¯ll take care of myself!¡±

    On the other end of the call, Guan Zixuan frowned. <i>Why did she sound like she was so happy about this?</i>

    He did not pay too much attention to it and ended the call anyway.

    Mo Suqing put on her jacket quickly and went downstairs.

    She stood at the door for a while to make sure that it was safe before continuing on her journey.

    Su Jincheng was expecting her today, so he was already waiting for her downstairs. He chuckled as he saw her act like a burr.

    Mo Suqing waited and looked around, but she did not spot Su Jincheng. When she was about to lose her patience, a wall of human flesh appeared right in front of her. She almost fell backwards in shock.

    Su Jincheng reached out to support her. He knew she was pregnant, and a bad fall might cause her to miscarry. <i>If that happens, she will definitely kill me!</i>

    Mo Suqing looked at him after she steadied herself. She then realized he was the one who had scared her, and he was also the one who kept her from falling backwards.

    She punched him in anger.

    ¡°Su Jincheng, you¡¯re sick!¡±

    Su Jincheng dodged her fist and answered in all seriousness. ¡°Mo Suqing, I¡¯m not sick!¡±

    Mo Suqing could not believe that such a haughty individual existed!

    Su Jincheng pulled on her arm in her maddened state.

    ¡°Stop struggling. I¡¯m taking you to my ce! I¡¯ll teach you self-defense!¡±

    Mo Suqing resisted him and shot him a cautious look. ¡°Self-defense? I think I should be defending myself against you instead!¡±

    Su Jincheng shook his head. ¡°What are you even thinking? You¡¯d be dead if I really wanted to do anything to you!¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes narrowed. She thought about who he was, and realized that what he said actually made a lot of sense.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go then!¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at Su Jincheng in disbelief when he led her to the vi that was diagonally opposite hers. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you live here!¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± He smiled yfully at her.

    She shot him a look. ¡°If it¡¯s your house, why aren¡¯t we entering? Waiting for me to open the door for you?¡±

    Su Jinchengughed at this. <i>She was pretty fierce!</i>

    He walked in confidently while Mo Suqing tiptoed into the house, looking around as if she was trying to hide from something.

    He did not mind it, allowing her to explore as she pleased.

    Su Jincheng had yet to tell her the exact purpose of him taking her here.

    When he brought two sses of water over, Mo Suqing asked, ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t need water. Can you tell me why we¡¯re here?¡±

    Su Jincheng nced at her. ¡°This isn¡¯t for you!¡±

    Mo Suqing then watched as he gulped down the two huge sses of water.

    She made a face. ¡°Su Jincheng, are you a buffalo?¡±

    He chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m thirsty, can¡¯t you tell?¡±

    ¡°Anyone can tell!¡± Mo Suqing retorted.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not waste more time. I¡¯ll take you to the second floor!¡±

    She then rolled her eyes before following him upstairs.

    She was surprised to see an indoor shooting range on the second floor, and she initially thought that the handguns there were just props. However, she was quickly reminded of Su Jincheng¡¯s gunshot wound.

    <i>Were these real?</i>

    She recalled what Su Jincheng told her.<i>?By self-defense, did he mean to teach me how to use a gun?</i>

    Seeing the bewilderment on Mo Suqing¡¯s face, Su Jincheng casually nced at her as he picked up a handgun. ¡°Exactly what you¡¯re thinking!¡±

    He pulled the trigger immediately after, and Mo Suqing covered her ears in shock.

    He then tossed the handgun to her. Mo Suqing caught it, but she did not know what to do with it.

    Su Jinchengughed. ¡°Just hold on to it. Nothing will happen if you don¡¯t pull the trigger. I¡¯ll teach you how to do it and you¡¯ll be able to protect yourself next time!¡±

    After a moment, Mo Suqing tossed it back to him. ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I¡¯m not learning this!¡±

    Su Jincheng was insistent. ¡°You have to learn it! This is self-defense, and it will only be of help to you in future!¡±

    Mo Suqing frowned as she looked at Su Jincheng unwillingly.

    Su Jincheng then walked over to another rack to get earplugs.

    ¡°This helps dampen the sound. It won¡¯t be too loud if you have these in your ears, and you can remove them after you¡¯re used to this!¡±

    She looked at the earplugs, hesitating as she said, ¡°Why do you want me to learn this? I know you have good intentions, but...¡±

    He regarded her seriously. ¡°No buts, just focus on your practice, and I guarantee that you¡¯ll be able to hit your target at least ny percent of the time after two months.¡±

    He then continued. ¡°I¡¯m teaching you solely because you saved my life, and I want to repay that debt. I know you¡¯re married, so I promise I¡¯m not trying to do anything else. I¡¯ve also heard that your good friend, Leng Xiyao, was shot and killed. So I thought it¡¯d be good for you to learn how to use a gun!¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s expression hardened when she heard Leng Xiyao¡¯s name.

    She then looked up at Su Jincheng with renewed resolve. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll learn!¡±

    Su Jincheng¡¯s smile returned.

    ¡°Great! Let¡¯s start now!¡± He helped her put on the earplugs and started coaching her on how to use a gun. Since she was pregnant, the handgun he chose was one with a shorter range and weaker recoil.

    Mo Suqing practiced for an entire morning till her arms were sore.

    She was against this idea initially, but the more she practiced, the more interested she got. She even wanted to take the gun apart to take a look at what was inside.

    She knew the basic structure of a handgun from looking through one of Ye Zhongjue¡¯s books, and coupled with her general knowledge of guns, she felt that the pictures wereing to life right in front of her eyes, and she became rather enthusiastic about the subject.

    From then on, Mo Suqing would sneak into Vi Number 11 whenever she had the time. She practiced her shooting and even worked on some amateur firearm designs.

    Su Jincheng did not know what she wanted stationery for at first, but he got a huge shock when he saw Mo Suqing¡¯s designs.

    ¡°You know how to design firearms?¡±

    Mo Suqing gave an awkwardugh.

    ¡°That¡¯s not possible, since I haven¡¯t touched a gun before this. But I¡¯ve seen books about designing firearms in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s study. I¡¯ll look through them from time to time and I¡¯ve found them rather interesting!¡±

    Su Jincheng looked at her with fervent emotion, as if he was looking at a treasure trove.

    Mo Suqing frowned. ¡°Hey! We¡¯ve known each other for about a month now. Can¡¯t you act more normal? Why do you look like you¡¯re about to devour me?¡±

    Su Jincheng guffawed. ¡°Devour you? No way! I was thinking of getting you to work on something else. It¡¯s much more useful than devouring you!¡±

    Mo Suqing asked in curiosity, ¡°Something else?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Su Jincheng smiled at her. ¡°I realize your designs are clever and practical. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be popr if we put them into production!¡±

    The exuberant Su Jincheng did not realize the change in Mo Suqing¡¯s expression. She snatched her designs back from him and tore it up.

    ¡°Though I¡¯m not able to prevent others from using firearms, I don¡¯t wish for my designs to hurt others!¡±

    Su Jincheng refused to give up. ¡°Your designs are really good though. You¡¯re really talented!¡±

    Without emotion, Mo Suqing said, ¡°No use trying to convince me on this. I won¡¯t agree!¡±

    Su Jincheng wanted to continue, but thought better of it.

    He then spoke after a while. ¡°Okay then, just focus on your practice. It¡¯s solely for self-defense, and I won¡¯t force you to design anything since you¡¯re unwilling. Moreover, you haven¡¯t been professionally trained, so your designs would definitely have some ws in them, and it¡¯s not possible for them to go straight into production anyway. So, you don¡¯t have to worry. I won¡¯t use your designs without your consent!¡±

 Chapter 183 â€“ Please Forgive this Horrid Laziness

    <h4>Chapter 183 ¨C Please Forgive this Horrid Laziness</h4>

    Mo Suqing paused, gun still in hand.

    She then replied calmly, ¡°Mm, I trust you on this!¡±

    Su Jinchengughed, and Mo Suqing continued with her practice.

    ¡­¡­

    The days passed uneventfully, and Mo Suqing was already five months into her pregnancy. The bulge in her tummy could no longer be hidden.

    Ye Zhongjue apanied Mo Suqing for a visit to the gynaecologist.

    They sat in the corridor as they waited for their turn.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s heart was filled with warmth. Both of them were looking forward to weing a new member of the family, and they were basking in the warmth and happiness of this!

    Ye Zhongjue wanted to get a top expert in the field to do the check-ups for her, but Mo Suqing insisted on doing things like an ordinary person would, saying that it would make her journey towards motherhood feel moreplete.

    She wanted to experience everything.

    Smiling sweetly, Mo Suqing leaned against him. ¡°Dear, do you want a son or a daughter?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s brows raised. <i>You¡¯ve asked me this countless times.</i>

    If he said he wanted a daughter, Mo Suqing would pout and say he doesn¡¯t love his son, but if he said he wanted a son, she would whine and say she wanted a daughter.

    Ye Zhongjue was in a bind. Having a conversation with a pregnantdy was no easy task, and he was still at the elementary level!

    Mo Suqing tugged at him. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering? You don¡¯t like kids? Then I¡¯ll go and¡­.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue took her in a gentle embrace before she could finish her sentence. He coaxed her softly.

    ¡°My dear, what are you thinking about! How is it possible I don¡¯t like my own child! I¡¯ll like them as long as you give birth to them!¡±

    Seeing Mo Suqing smile in satisfaction, Ye Zhongjue sighed in relief.

    It was finally their turn, and Ye Zhongjue supported her to enter the room for her check-up.

    After a series of tests, the doctor said the baby was very healthy.

    Ye Zhongjue asked the doctor eagerly, ¡°Doctor, is it a boy or a girl?¡±

    The doctor gave him a look, and immediately assumed that he was the type who preferred sons over daughters. He scoffed, ¡°I can¡¯t believe there are still people who have such old-fashioned mindsets of wanting to have sons. ording to the rules in our hospital, we¡¯re not supposed to reveal the baby¡¯s sex beforehand!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face darkened.

    Mo Suqing held onto the report and grabbed his arm to lead him out of the room.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression was even more dreadful now. <i>Wasn¡¯t she the one who had been so curious? Why did it now look like he was the one who was eager to know?</i>

    Mo Suqing knew he was upset again, so she tried cajoling him.

    ¡°My dear, there¡¯s no need to be so angry. That doctor is going through menopause and she¡¯s just being rude, so don¡¯t mind it!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue shook his head at this and looked at her with loving eyes.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to know if the baby was a boy or a girl? This was why I asked.¡±

    Mo Suqing yfully stuck her tongue out at him. ¡°I¡¯m not actually that curious, I just wanted to know what you think. I¡¯m more excited to actually find out after giving birth!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue ruffled her hair and supported her as they walked back to the car.

    Guan Zixuan was waiting for them at the entrance when they arrived back home. He was holding a suitcase.

    Mo Suqing looked at him quizzically. ¡°Zixuan, this is?¡±

    Guan Zixuan seemed anxious. ¡°I¡¯m here to bid you farewell. Something happened back at home, and I¡¯ll have to go back. I don¡¯t know when I can return to A City, so Suqing, ¡­make sure you take care of yourself!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue could tell that something major had happened in Emperor City by observing Guan Zixuan¡¯s behaviour. Thetter would not leave so suddenly otherwise.

    But he knows how to take care of his wife on his own.

    He spoke with a tinge of indignance. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of my wife myself!¡±

    Mo Suqing was rendered speechless at his reaction, and rolled her eyes at his childish behaviour.

    ¡°Nobody will think you¡¯re mute even if you don¡¯t speak!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face dimmed. <i>This pregnantdy is getting more gutsy by the day!</i>

    Guan Zixuan gave them a nk look. He could only wish them all the best now, and he was happy as long as she was happy!

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve got to go now. All the best!¡±

    Guan Zixuan then left.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes reddened. She cried out, ¡°Zixuan!¡±

    Guan Zixuan paused, but instead of turning back, he took a deep breath and continued forward.

    Mo Suqing teared up. Ye Zhongjue could only hug her tight as he tried his best to console her.

    She sniffed as she looked at Guan Zixuan¡¯s departing figure, and her voice was nasal as she yelled.

    ¡°Yao is gone, and Guan Zixuan is gone too! I have no more friends!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue lowered his head to gently kiss her on the forehead. ¡°You still have me!¡±

    ¡­¡­

    Guan Zixuan headed directly to the airport.

    His flight was scheduled to take off soon, so he rushed towards the departure gate as soon as he alighted.

    However, he bumped into someone on the way.

    A crisp, angry voice rang out. ¡°Are you blind!¡±

    Afraid of getting recognized and missing his flight, Guan Zixuan wanted to leave after apologizing quickly. He did not expect for the other person to stop him.

    Someone grabbed his arm and he heard a voice say, ¡°Your apology wasn¡¯t even sincere!¡±

    Guan Zixuan looked up to take a good look at this person, but when he did, ady dressed in ck from head to toe had dragged the person away.

    For a moment, he thought he saw Mo Suqing.

    He shook his head to clear the image from his mind, and turned to take a second look. But this time, there was no one to be seen.

    Guan Zixuan thought it was his eyes fooling him. He just said goodbye to Mo Suqing, so why would she be here!

    He thus continued towards the departure gate without giving it further thought.

    A¡¯zi held onto Luo Qiqi¡¯s arm and dragged her all the way out of the airport.

    Luo Qiqi spoke excitedly, ¡°Did you see that? Isn¡¯t he the international superstar Guan Zixuan? He¡¯s from China and he just returned to the country this year. I think it was him. I could¡¯ve gotten his autograph if you didn¡¯t pull me away earlier!¡±

    Exasperated, Xia Zi turned to look at her. ¡°Yes, it was him, but with how loud you were, we would¡¯ve been surrounded the instant you call out his name. So, you should count yourself lucky that I pulled you away!¡±

    Xia Zi then continued dragging Luo Qiqi to get a car.

    Luo Qiqi was unhappy. ¡°What a waste!¡±

    Xia Zi shook her head at Luo Qiqi¡¯s incessant grumbling. Passersby were already stealing nces at them with their gorgeous looks!

    <i>Seriously, what is she even thinking!</i>

    ¡°Oh! Right!¡± Xia Zi gave Luo Qiqi a sudden squeeze on the arm.

    ¡°Qiqi, where shall we stay this time?¡±

    They had received confirmation about The Dark Night¡¯s activities in A City, and Xia Zi expected that they would need to stay for quite a while this time. It was no easy task tracking The Dark Night, and they would likely need more time to do so. They had to be ready for a prolonged battle!

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind cleaning up on your own, we can go to the vi at Shallow Sea, otherwise, we can check in at a hotel!¡±

    Luo Qiqi frowned as she pondered over this. She had to do the housework if they stayed in the vi, since they did not trust anyone else to do it, and it also felt like an invasion of her personal space.

    She was toozy to do the chores, and it was such a huge vi.

    ¡°Then¡­ let¡¯s check in to a hotel!¡± Luo Qiqiughed and looked at Xia Zi mischievously.

    XIa Zi shot her a cold look. She had expected such an answer, and thus had already booked a hotel.

    ¡°To Tianyu Hotel!¡±

    Surprised, Luo Qiqi asked, ¡°You already booked it?¡±

    ¡°What do you think!¡± Xia Zi then closed her eyes to rest them.

    Luo Qiqi was silently annoyed. <i>Would it kill you to say a few more words!</i>

    ¡­¡­

    Ye Zhongjue had basically decided to work from home after Guan Zixuan left A City.

    Because of this, Mo Suqing did not have the chance to go to Su Jincheng¡¯s ce for shooting practice, and her pregnancy also made it more and more difficult for her to do so.

    Nheless, she had to find a way to tell Su Jincheng about this.

    Her opportunity came when Ye Zhongjue told her to stay home one morning as he had to return to the office to get something.

    Mo Suqing nodded, secretly excited about this.

    She sneaked off to Su Jincheng¡¯s vi immediately after Ye Zhongjue left.

    Su Jincheng looked at her clumsy self and reached out to support her. He was surprised at howrge her tummy was when she was only five months into her pregnancy. To him, she looked like she was about seven to eight months into it.

    <i>I wonder what Ye Zhongjue is feeding her!</i>

    ¡°Why did youe over? Isn¡¯t it difficult for you to move around like this!¡±

    Mo Suqing frowned. ¡°Su Jincheng, I¡¯m here to tell you that I won¡¯t being over for shooting practice anymore. I don¡¯t have the time now, and Ye Zhongjue is staying home to take care of me, so he won¡¯t let me sneak out either.¡±

    Su Jincheng looked at her, speechless. ¡°You¡¯re here just because of this?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Mo Suqing nodded seriously.

    Su Jincheng then asked, ¡°Mobile number?¡±

    ¡°132-XXXX-XXXX!¡±

    Su Jincheng dialled the number on his own phone.

    ¡°Okay, save my number and just call me next time. Don¡¯t move around like this. It¡¯s dangerous if nobody else is around to support you!¡±

    Mo Suqing stuck her tongue out at him and nodded. ¡°Got it!¡±

    Su Jincheng wanted to walk her back, but he suddenly thought of something else.

    ¡°Wait a moment. I¡¯ll get something from upstairs before sending you back!¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded as she watched him make his way upstairs.

 Chapter 184 â€“ A Second Mo Suqing Appeared

    <h4>Chapter 184 ¨C A Second Mo Suqing Appeared</h4>

    Mo Suqing saw Su Jincheng holding a gun when he returned.

    Mo Suqing frowned. ¡°What¡¯s that for?¡±

    ¡°Take it!¡± He put it into her hand. ¡°Remember to load it, you never know when it might be of use. Make sure you keep it properly hidden. We can¡¯t own firearms in this country, got it?¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded absent-mindedly before stuffing the gun somewhere inside her outfit.

    They happened to meet Ye Zhongjue on the way back.

    Ye Zhongjue was about to go out to look for Mo Suqing, since she was not at home when he returned. But just when he was about to do so, he saw the two of them walking side by side.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression turned grim.

    Mo Suqing hurriedly exined, ¡°I just went downstairs to empty the garbage. President Su saw me and decided to apany me back since I¡¯m pregnant!¡±

    She then gave an awkwardugh.

    Su Jincheng was dumbstruck at such a horrible excuse, but since she did not wish for Ye Zhongjue to know the truth, he decided to help her keep it under wraps.

    ¡°Yes, I thought it¡¯d be better if I walked Mrs. Ye back since she¡¯s pregnant.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was already seething, but hearing Su Jincheng say ¡®Mrs. Ye¡¯ made his anger subside considerably. He supported Mo Suqing and gently pulled her to his side.

    He then regarded Su Jincheng with slight hostility. Su Jincheng was friendly and kind to Mo Suqing, but for some reason, Ye Zhongjue did not feelfortable about the dynamics between the two.

    ¡°Thank you very much for your kind help, President Su. My wife and I will head back now!¡±

    They then turned and walked back to their own vi.

    Mo Suqing felt the gun under her dress and she turned to look back at Su Jincheng, only entering the vi after seeing that calm and serene gaze of his.

    Ye Zhongjue was very obviously unhappy about what had happened. He said, ¡°Don¡¯t get too close to Su Jincheng next time. I think he¡¯s dangerous!¡±

    Mo Suqing pursed her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t think he means any harm...¡±

    ¡°That kindness of his makes me ufortable!¡± Ye Zhongjue¡¯s tone was rather harsh, causing Mo Suqing to retreat into the room.

    She looked around for a ce to keep the gun, finally deciding to lock it in a drawer they seldom use.

    Looking at how Mo Suqing seemed to be defending Su Jincheng, jealousy rose in Ye Zhongjue, making him rather frustrated.

    In the days that followed, Mo Suqing basically did not go anywhere else as she would either be at home or in the hospital for her check-ups.

    Two months then passed in the blink of an eye.

    Mo Suqing had entered into her third trimester of pregnancy and her tummy was huge now.

    She remembered clearly when she first felt the baby move. It was the very day Su Jincheng had walked her back. She and Ye Zhongjue had refused to speak to each other for arge part of the day, but they got very excited when she felt the baby¡¯s movement.

    She remembered Ye Zhongjue leaning against her tummy, and that face of surprise and excitement would be something she would never forget.

    ----

    Gu Yi¡¯an was making his way back home after his shift at the hospital.

    Two attractive figures caught his eye, and one of them looked exactly like Mo Suqing, except that the aura around her seemed different.

    He thought he was just too tired and that his eyes were ying tricks on him.

    So, he shook his head to erase the image from his mind and took a closer look.

    Indeed, thedy looked exactly like Mo Suqing. He looked at her t tummy and knew instantly that she was definitely not the pregnant Mo Suqing.

    <i>But, how could there be two individuals who looked exactly like each other?</i>

    Before Gu Yi¡¯an could go up to them, the two of them had already left. His brows furrowed in confusion and felt a sense of foreboding.

    He felt rather uneasy these days, as if something major was about to happen. Everything seemed to be going pretty well recently, so he had no idea what caused him to feel this way.?Unable to ignore that feeling, he decided to call Ye Zhongjue eventually.

    Ye Zhongjue and Mo Suqing were reading books on the lounger in the greenhouse and cozying up to each other when he received the call.

    Ye Zhongjue did not usually allow the pregnant Mo Suqing to leave the house. Now that she¡¯s heavily pregnant, he had be her full-time nanny, taking care of all her needs since he could not be at ease if someone else did the job.?He had been doing a rather good job and she had also put on a little bit of weight with all that tender loving care he gave her.

    Being cooped up, Mo Suqingined that the air in the house was getting stale without any flowering nts around. Ye Zhongjue thus built a greenhouse in their yard, and Mo Suqing enjoyed going there to rx and read a book after her meals.

    Mo Suqing did not pay much attention when Ye Zhongjue answered the call.

    However, he stood up immediately when he heard the words ¡®two Mo Suqings¡¯.?He then walked out of the greenhouse with a solemn expression.?¡°What¡¯s going on? Why would there be two Mo Suqings?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s brows creased as he tried to exin what he saw. ¡°I have no idea. I saw twodies nearby right after my shift at the hospital, and upon closer look, I realized one of them looked exactly like Mo Suqing, but she seemed to have quite an icy disposition. They left before I could go up to them. I think you should be more careful. From the biology standpoint, if they look so alike, they must be twins. But you said Mo Suqing didn¡¯t have any siblings apart from that stepsister of hers. So, this can only mean that someone is trying to act like Mo Suqing, and that face is highly likely a prosthetic. Do you understand what I¡¯m trying to get at? Anyway, it¡¯s best that you keep your eyes peeled!¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡± Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression turned frosty.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get Lin Ran to look into this, so don¡¯t worry.¡±

    He then instructed Lin Ran to go to the hospital to begin investigating the matter.

    ¡°Boss, how do I start? I can¡¯t possibly find someone like this!¡±

    After a moment of contemtion, Ye Zhongjue answered, ¡°Go get the security camera footage from ces near the hospital. It¡¯ll be best if you can find out where they live, what they do, things like that. Remember, don¡¯t give yourself away before finding out who they are.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Boss!¡± Lin Ran carried out his duties immediately after ending the call.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyebrows twitched. For some reason, there was an unpleasant feeling in his heart.

    It was time for Mo Suqing¡¯s check-up today, and seeing her rxing quietly in the greenhouse made him calm down a little.

    He walked in and sat gently beside her. ¡°My dear, what time should we go to the hospital for the check-up today? Now, orter in the afternoon?¡±

    Mo Suqing thought about it for a while. ¡°Let¡¯s go now, I want to stay home in the afternoon!¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Ye Zhongjue smiled and helped her stand. They then drove to the hospital.

    Sitting in a white Maserati, Jian Jie¡¯s face darkened as she looked at Ye Zhongjue¡¯s car exit the Shallow Sea Area. She had waited a long time for this.

    She gripped the steering wheel hard as she stared at the Land Rover which was getting tinier and tinier. <i>Mo Suqing, I¡¯m going to make you suffer.</i>

    She then made a call.

    ¡°Okay, you can go to the city hospital now. You¡¯ll be able to get the news you¡¯ve been waiting for. Remember to tread lightly and don¡¯t get discovered.¡±

    Jian Jieughed in disdain at something the person on the other end said.

    ¡°Remember who you are. If you think that you¡¯re able to go against me in your current position...¡±

    She did not continue, but the threat was obvious in her words, akin to a venomous snake¡¯s dangerous hissing.

    The person on the call seemed to say something respectful next, making Jian Jie break into a smile instantly.

    ¡°It¡¯s good you know that. Go get that piece of news, don¡¯t me me if you miss your chance!¡±

    Jian Jie gave a long and heavy sigh. She had spent more than two months preparing for this very day.

    <i>I won¡¯t do anything for now if Dark Night does not allow me to touch Mo Suqing. I¡¯ll wait till the day where she turns into enemies with Ye Zhongjue, then I¡¯ll attack!</i>

    Her imagination was broken by a phone call.

    <i>It¡¯s that idiot, An Huilin, again.</i> Though annoyed, Jian Jie still answered the call. <i>I don¡¯t want this idiot to spoil my ns.</i>

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Jian Jie spoke rudely.

    An Huilin was not polite either. ¡°Of course there¡¯s something I want. Don¡¯t forget what you promised me!¡±

    Jian Jie¡¯s eyes narrowed. <i>Is this woman really an idiot or is she just shameless? She just knows my identity, that¡¯s all. What makes her think that she can lord over me like this!</i>

    Jian Jie spoke again after a short pause. ¡°Fine! Let¡¯s meet up and have a proper discussion to get everything straightened out. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Sure!¡± An Huilin answered.

    Jian Jie gave a cunning smirk. <i>You agreed to this, so don¡¯t me me for being cruel this time!</i>

    ¡°I¡¯ll send you the address!¡±

    Jian Jie then ended the call.?She will not allow anyone to threaten her like this, and An Huilin had gotten away with it only because they had known each other for a long time.

    Su Jincheng was busy with work at Tianyue Group and had no time to keep an eye on her these days, so it was the best time for her to act!

    At the thought, Jian Jie drove off quickly.

 Chapter 185 â€“ Brilliant Representation of a Prince Charming

    <h4>Chapter 185 ¨C Brilliant Representation of a Prince Charming</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue supported Mo Suqing as she alighted from the car, and they were swarmed by a mob of reporters as they exited the parking lot. A trace of anger shed in his eyes. <i>Who tipped them off?</i>

    The reporters were closing in, and Ye Zhongjue shielded Mo Suqing as they walked. The reporters did not pay any heed to the fact that Mo Suqing was a pregnantdy, they simply rushed forward and pushed the microphones in their faces.

    Ye Zhongjue was infuriated. He would have brought some men with him if he knew this would happen.

    Seeing someone about to knock into Mo Suqing, Ye Zhongjue quickly reacted to kick the reporter away.

    He was now seething in anger.

    The reporters backed away slightly as Ye Zhongjue looked like the devil¡¯s incarnate with how dreadful his expression was. Mo Suqing was temporarily safe.

    However, after an extremely brief pause, they began pushing forward with their microphones again.

    Ye Zhongjue yelled at them. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with all of you? Can¡¯t you see that my wife is pregnant? Where are your ethics as entertainment reporters? Do you guys even have a bottom line? Do you throw morals out the window just for a headline? I¡¯ll make all of you pay if anything happens to my wife!¡±

    No one doubted Ye Zhongjue when they saw his cruel visage. The reporters retreated slightly, afraid of bing the scapegoat.

    Ye Zhongjue continued supporting Mo Suqing as they walked. A small voice could be heard asking, ¡°Since President Ye has revealed that thisdy is none other than your wife, do your parents know about this too? Did she get pregnant without your parents¡¯ blessing?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue threw his mobile phone directly at that reporter!

    The phone hit the reporter squarely on the face and the screen cracked as it dropped to the ground.

    The cameras started shing as the reporters began snapping photos, bedazzling Mo Suqing. But no one else dared ask Ye Zhongjue any other questions.

    At this moment, the pictures where Ye Zhongjue hit a reporter and where he was supporting Mo Suqing had already been posted online.

    The pictures caused fervent discussion amongizens.

    Some said Ye Zhongjue was so protective of the woman only because she was pregnant with his child, while others argued that Ye Zhongjue and Mo Suqing had already gotten married earlier.

    There were also some who said that the Ye family did not consent to their marriage, and that Mo Suqing had probably never been to the Ye family home at all. They spected that the Ye family did not like her and did not wish to acknowledge her as a daughter-inw, even going so far as to say that they were preventing Mo Suqing from fulfilling her dreams of marrying into a rich family.

    ¡­¡­

    The picture of Ye Zhongjue hitting someone to protect Mo Suqing made huge waves among the public. Everyone was talking about how the president of Mighty Empire Group actually hit a reporter over a woman, and about how he could be so arrogant as to disregard how much it can actually affect his reputation in the business world.

    Mighty Empire¡¯s stocks plummeted and public sentiment was against them.

    Even so, there were still some who were on Ye Zhongjue¡¯s side, saying that he did all that for the woman he loved, and that it was chivalrous and manly. There were some who turned into literal fangirls.

    They felt that his actions were a remarkable representation of how a prince charming should be, a man with an indomitable spirit who wholeheartedly protected the one he loved.

    After the brief hindrance, Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue eventually entered the hospital.

    <strong>Meanwhile, Vi Number 6, Shallow Sea.</strong>

    A hint of concern shed past Xia Zi¡¯s impassive eyes as she looked at Luo Qiqi.

    ¡°Qiqi, are you okay?¡±

    Luo Qiqi pouted. ¡°Of course, how could I not be okay when I almost got chopped up by a cleaver?¡±

    Xia Zi scoffed at her.

    They have been in A City for two months now and were finally able to get some leads regarding The Dark Night. The organization seemed to be nning something major.

    At such a critical point however, Luo Qiqi refused to order takeout and kept insisting on making home-cooked meals back at the Shallow Sea vi.

    With how insistent she was, Xia Zi had no choice but to agree. They arrived at Shallow Sea yesterday, and spent the entire day cleaning up the vi. Doing the chores could tire them out faster than fighting could.

    Before Xia Zi got out of bed, Luo Qiqi was already up and raring to prepare breakfast. Xia Zi ignored her and closed her eyes to continue sleeping.

    Before she could fall asleep, she heard a bloodcurdling scream from the kitchen.

    Xia Zi rushed to the kitchen only to see Luo Qiqi clutching her left hand. It was bleeding profusely. It was difficult to stop the bleeding since injuries caused by cleavers are usually quite deep, and they did not have a first-aid kit in the house.

    Thus, Xia Zi decided to bring Luo Qiqi to the hospital.

    She then chided herself inwardly for forgetting that Luo Qiqi was an absolute idiot when ites to cooking! Luo Qiqi was definitely the first to end up in hospital because she was trying to cook!

    Back at the vi, Luo Qiqi was using theputer with her uninjured hand and looking through the forum she joined, while Xia Zi went straight to the kitchen to start cooking. Since the injured cooking idiot cannot do anything, they will both end up starving to death if she does not start cooking.

    Either that, or she would have to force herself to swallow Luo Qiqi¡¯s horrible dishes.

    When Xia Zi was toasting the bread, she heard Luo Qiqi criticizing somebody.

    ¡°What is this? Manly? It¡¯s more like unbridled arrogance to me! He looks exactly like those guys who¡¯ve never been in a rtionship, and the girl should be worried if she¡¯s with someone like him who hit others so openly! No, I can¡¯t take this anymore! I have toment on this!¡±

    Luo Qiqi was focusing on typing herment with only her right hand, and she did not realize that Mo Suqing¡¯s profile looked almost exactly like Xia Zi¡¯s. Luo Qiqi naturally did not pay much attention to Mo Suqing since only her profile was photographed, and she excitedly entered herment in the forum.

    Xia Zi put the toasted bread and milk on the dinner table before serving the dishes. She understood Luo Qiqi well enough to know that thetter was probably trying to chop up some vegetables to stir-fry them, but identally chopped at her own hand instead.

    The fragrance attracted Luo Qiqi to the dinner table, and she instantly forgot what she was doing on herputer.

    She was almost drooling when she saw the dishes on the table, and her eyes squinted in a smile. ¡°A¡¯zi, I love you, I know you love me too!¡± She then reached out with her uninjured hand to grab the vegetables and stuffed them into her mouth.

    Xia Zi witnessed the entire scene as she walked out of the kitchen. She was utterly dumbstruck. <i>You grab food with your bare hands?</i>

    ¡°Luo Qiqi!¡±

    Hearing Xia Zi¡¯s stern voice, Luo Qiqi looked up andughed. ¡°It smelled so good, so I just couldn¡¯t help myself. Please don¡¯t beat me up over this!¡±

    She then shuffled off to the washroom.

    When they started eating, Luo Qiqi went on a tirade.

    ¡°A¡¯zi, you know about A City¡¯s Mighty Empire right?¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Xia Zi nodded.

    Luo Qiqi waved her chopsticks in the air as she spoke. ¡°Do you know that he actually beat up a reporter over a woman, oh, they say it¡¯s his wife! Don¡¯t you think he¡¯s just asking for it?¡±

    ¡°There was probably no one else around to help!¡± Xia Zi said calmly and continued eating.

    Luo Qiqi was disgruntled. ¡°Why are you so emotionless? A¡¯zi, he¡¯s no ordinary person, and his parents don¡¯t seem to have consented to their marriage...¡±

    She continued talking about what happened, as if it was her duty to finish the story.

    However, Xia Zi said something that effectively stopped that monologue of hers.

    ¡°Anything to do with us?¡±

    Her spirit dampened, Luo Qiqi answered with disinterest.

    ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s eat!¡±

    Xia Zi sighed.

    ¡°Qiqi, I¡¯m not doing this on purpose. It¡¯s just that we¡¯ve already been in A City for two months, and the leads we have are so minute. Headquarters have already contacted us and asked about the progress, and all I could do was to ask for more time. We need to settle this quickly!¡±

    Luo Qiqi pouted. ¡°Do you think that we¡¯ll be able to track The Dark Night down this time?¡±

    Xia Zi¡¯s chopsticks paused in midair before she put it down and answered in a rather resigned tone. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we have to try. We¡¯ve been working on this for so many years.¡±

    ¡°You said there¡¯s something off about Jian Jie, but I think she¡¯s just a rich girl. Why would she have ties with The Dark Night?¡± The puzzled Luo Qiqi questioned.

    The lead they had now was merely the fact that Jian Jie knew people from The Dark Night, and they did not want to shake things up at this point. Their strategy was to lie in ambush and wait for the best opportunity to strike, so that they can bring the entire organization down in a single blow.

    ¡°Precisely because she¡¯s a rich girl and she knows people from The Dark Night. Isn¡¯t that suspicious in itself? Think about it, what would she becking?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think shecks anything!¡± Luo Qiqi frowned.

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Xia Zi spoke confidently. ¡°She doesn¡¯tck anything, but she¡¯s connected to The Dark Night. This means there has to be something she¡¯s trying to achieve. If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s likely that she wouldn¡¯t just be a lowly foot soldier there. Of course, these are all just spections, and if we have nothing else to work from...¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll take her back with us!¡± Luo Qiqipleted Xia Zi¡¯s sentence for her.

    ¡°Mm!¡± Xia Zi simply nodded.

    ----

    <strong>Meanwhile, at the Ye family home.</strong>

    Ye Wentian felt both surprise and anger when he saw the news online. He was surprised at the fact that he was about to be a grandfather soon, but he was angry that Ye Zhongjue did not even bother to inform him or Ming Jinhua about it. He would still be kept in the dark if he did not see the news online.

    Ye Wentian suddenly wondered if Ye Zhongjue kept this from him because he was worried that his own father might oppose it and do something to harm the baby.?<i>I¡¯ll skin him alive if that was really what he thought! I¡¯m not such a cruel man!</i>

 Chapter 186 â€“ Most Fortunate Person in the Entire World

    <h4>Chapter 186 ¨C Most Fortunate Person in the Entire World</h4>

    A cup of tea in hand, Ming Jinhua walked into the study and saw Ye Wentian acting out of sorts. He smiled one moment but looked angry in another.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Ming Jinhua put the tea on the desk and walked over, worried.

    The joy was apparent on Ye Wentian¡¯s face, but he pretended to be displeased.?¡°Look what your son did!¡±

    Ming Jinhua looked at theputer screen.

    Emotion overwhelmed her upon seeing the image of Ye Zhongjue holding the pregnant Mo Suqing as they walked towards the hospital.

    It took her a while topose herself.

    ¡°Is¡­ is that Jue¡¯s baby?¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Ye Wentian harrumphed, but there was an unmistakable trace of happiness in his voice.

    ¡°Would he do that if the baby wasn¡¯t his? He even hit a reporter and forgot all about Mighty Empire, spoiling the group¡¯s public image like that. He doesn¡¯t even care that it can affect the stocks!¡±

    Ming Jinhua spoke with fervent emotion. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter! If she¡¯s really pregnant with Jue¡¯s child, and Jue likes her so much, I don¡¯t think we can do anything to stop this. Also, what happened to us might not necessarily happen to them. Let¡¯s find some time to meet up with Jian Jie and have a good chat with her. Anyway, this girl here is rather to my liking!¡±

    Ming Jinhua was happy for the couple and the more she looked at the image of the pregnant Mo Suqing, the more she liked the girl.

    Ye Wentian cleared his throat. ¡°Ahem...¡±

    ¡°How about¡­ how about you give Jue a call and ask him to bring his wife over for a meal!¡±

    Ming Jinhua broke into a huge grin. ¡°You acknowledge her as Jue¡¯s wife now?¡±

    Ye Wentian looked like he was caught in the act, and his face instantly reddened.

    ¡°Your son has already impregnated her. If I still refuse to acknowledge her, my grandchild would end up being an illegitimate child!¡±

    Ming Jinhua did not lose her smile as she looked at Ye Wentian. <i>This man can¡¯t take jokes!</i>

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m just joking. I¡¯ll call our son now and ask him to bring the girl over for a meal. We can talk about the wedding after the baby is delivered. Judging by the size of her tummy, I think she¡¯s going to be due very soon!¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Ye Wentian put on a dispassionate facade and looked back at the image on theputer screen. It really looked like she was going to pop any moment.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s mobile phone rang during Mo Suqing¡¯s check-up.

    Seeing that it was his mother who called, he walked out of the room to answer.

    ¡°Hello, Mum. Anything the matter?¡±

    He could hear the happiness in Ming Jinhua¡¯s voice. ¡°I saw everything!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s brows creased. <i>Saw everything? What did she see?</i>

    He never expected for those images to be uploaded so quickly, much less for his parents to actually see them.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Ming Jinhuaughed. ¡°Stop pretending! The picture of your pregnant wife is all over the Inte!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face darkened immediately. <i>Those reporters are really asking for it.</i>

    As if she could sense his anger over the phone, Ming Jinhua said, ¡°Your dad is overjoyed that he¡¯s going to be a grandfather! He asked me to give you a call so you can bring her over for a meal!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue answered with a tinge of conceit, ¡°He¡¯s not against our marriage anymore?¡±

    ¡°You already have a baby, it¡¯s no use opposing now. Both your dad and I aren¡¯t actually too picky about marrying someone with equal social status, it¡¯s just that we are afraid that what happened to us may happen to you as well. We¡¯re just worried about you. But as long as you¡¯re happy, everything is fine!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue wasforted by her words. If he had known his parents could be so epting of Mo Suqing, he would have told them everything from the get-go.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take her when we have the time!¡±

    At this, Ming Jinhua got rather excited. ¡°When exactly will the both of you being over? I¡¯ll prepare some delicious dishes. What does she like? I¡¯ll make more for her. Pregnantdies usually have bigger appetites, and the baby needs the nutrients too!¡±

    Ye Zhongjueughed.

    ¡°Mum! There¡¯s no need to whip up anything special. Suqing said she wanted to stay home today, so we¡¯lle over tomorrow morning, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay!¡± Ming Jinhua was grinning from ear to ear.

    Ye Zhongjue returned to the room and heard the doctor say, ¡°The baby is doing fine. Sure that neither of you wants to know more? Like...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡± Mo Suqing interrupted before the doctor could finish.

    ¡°I want to keep it a mystery and give myself a surprise when the timees!¡±

    The doctor saw how joyful she looked and nodded, ¡°That¡¯s fine too!¡±

    Mo Suqing let Ye Zhongjue support her as they exited the room.

    ¡°My mum asked us to go over for a meal when we have the time.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Mo Suqing asked in surprise.

    ¡°Really!¡± Ye Zhongjue gently ruffled her hair.

    ¡°The fact that they asked us over for a meal means that they have begun to ept that we¡¯re together. We¡¯ll hold a wedding after the baby is delivered, and I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s the most spectacr wedding ever!¡±

    <i>I¡¯ll make you feel like you¡¯re the most blessed woman in the entire world!?</i>Ye Zhongjue thought to himself.

    What he did not know was that such bliss could be destroyed in the blink of an eye and disaster could befall at any time. Some things were simply destined not to be.

    ¡­¡­

    Jian Jie met An Huilin at a vi she owned somewhere in the suburbs.

    When An Huilin arrived, Jian Jie was lounging on the sofa and sipping on her coffee.

    ¡°Sit!¡± Jian Jie said casually.

    Without any civility, An Huilin sat herself down on the sofa and spoke immediately. ¡°Jian Jie, when are you going to help me take back those shares in the An Group? I¡¯m just like a homeless animal now, I can¡¯t even meet Haoyun. It¡¯s been two months, two months!¡±

    An Huilin was getting more and more agitated.

    Jian Jie looked at her without emotion. <i>You brought all of this upon yourself!</i>

    She then said with confidence, ¡°Huilin, have I ever told you that you¡¯re too impulsive? If you weren¡¯t this impulsive, I might have been able to help you...¡±

    She gave An Huilin a knowing look as she spoke slowly, her tone menacing.

    An Huilin was shocked. ¡°What! Jian Jie, what do you mean? By saying that you might have been able to help if I wasn¡¯t too impulsive, do you mean that you¡¯re not going to help me now? Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll reveal your identity to others?¡±

    Jian Jie gave her a mocking look.

    ¡°Huilin, did I not tell you that using the same tactic twice will make it lose its effectiveness? Or are you just too dumb to understand?¡±

    An Huilin¡¯s expression was awful. ¡°What are you nning, Jian Jie. Even if you kill me, your identity will be made known to others. When that happens, you¡¯ll be cornered and you won¡¯t even be able to return home. What would your parents think if they learn that their precious princess is actually a cold-blooded killer on the wrong side of thew?¡±

    Jian Jie stiffened slightly before ring at An Huilin.

    ¡°Instead of worrying about that, you should be worried that you¡¯ve used this method to threaten me more than once. Do you think I¡¯ll let you make use of me like this a second time? I¡¯m years ahead of you when ites to games like these, and you¡¯re not even a worthy opponent. Do you think you¡¯ll still be alive if I had decided to make a move on you?¡±

    Fear shed past An Huilin¡¯s face.

    Jian Jie continued without pausing, ¡°I¡¯ve already given in to you once by helping you get rid of Leng Xiyao, but I can¡¯t believe you have to gall to continue threatening me after that. You did it again just now. I¡¯d suggest you take a look at your phone and see if it still has a signal.¡±

    Jian Jie¡¯s face was full of disdain.

    An Huilin looked down at her phone and realized there was absolutely no signal in this ce. She was instantly terrified.

    ¡°What are you doing, Jian Jie? Have you gone mad? Even if you lock me up in here and my phone doesn¡¯t have a signal, your identity will still...¡±

    ¡°My identity will still be revealed? Is it a scheduled email, or a scheduled post online? Or is it just a memo on your phone...¡±

    Jian Jie smiled viciously at An Huilin.

    An Huilin froze. ¡°How did you know?¡±

    Jian Jie raised her brows. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that there are hackers in this world? That lousyputer and encryption method of yours were so easily broken. I know everything!¡±

    An Huilin¡¯s lips trembled as her face paled. ¡°What¡­ what are you doing? Jian Jie, don¡¯t forget our friendship. We¡¯ve known each other for so long¡­ You...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re talking about friendship now? Why didn¡¯t you think of that when you were threatening me?¡±

    Jian Jie walked over to An Huilin in slow, measured steps.

    An Huilin was frozen with fear. She stuttered, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯te over! What are you trying to do!¡±

    ¡°Huh¡­ What am I trying to do?¡± Jian Jie inched closer, that vicious smile never leaving her face.

    ¡°What do you think I¡¯m trying to do?¡±

    An Huilin backed away slowly on the sofa, but she was already trapped by the hunter and she would not be able to escape the cage that would imprison her.

    No matter how she struggled, she would not be able to break free of that cage.

    ¡°Don¡¯te any closer...¡± An Huilin was about to cry. To her, Jian Jie was just like the devil¡¯s incarnate, able to take her life on a whim.

    ¡°If I don¡¯te close...¡± Jian Jie sounded like she just heard a joke.

    ¡°Do you know what¡¯s my goal for today? It¡¯s to have you captured so that you can¡¯t threaten me anymore. How would I do that if you don¡¯t allow me toe closer?¡±

    Jian Jie pretended to look frustrated, while An Huilin was petrified.

    She was regretting everything now. She should never have made a deal with this madwoman, Jian Jie.

 Chapter 187 â€“ Been Through So Much

    <h4>Chapter 187 ¨C Been Through So Much</h4>

    Jian Jie¡¯s eyes narrowed as she smiled sweetly at An Huilin. ¡°What? Scared? I thought you weren¡¯t afraid of anything! What happened to that high and mighty An Huilin now?¡±

    An Huilin stumbled from the sofa to the ground as she tried to back away to safety. An expression of utter hopelessness appeared on her face when her back hit a wall.

    She started chuckling suddenly.

    ¡°Jian Jie, are you going to kill me?¡±

    Jian Jie did not lose her smile. She simply looked at An Huilin silently.

    She finally spoke after a while. ¡°I can¡¯t really bear to kill you though! We¡¯ve known each other for such a long time, and I¡¯m not as cruel as you are. I¡¯m a kind soul, unlike someone who kept threatening me...¡±

    In the next second, she whipped out a gleaming cleaver and hacked at An Huilin¡¯s neck. An Huilin slumped to the ground instantly. An enchanting smile appeared on Jian Jie¡¯s face.

    <i>Ye Zhongjue is mine, no one can take him away!</i>

    <i>Whoever it is, I¡¯ll kill them if they get in my way!</i>

    ¡­¡­

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s subordinates who had been tailing An Huilin reported to him immediately when they realized that An Huilin¡¯s phone signal could not be detected.

    ¡°Boss Ceng, that woman has gone missing! The tracker installed on her phone isn¡¯t working either!¡±

    ¡°Where are you guys?¡± Ceng Hanyu spoke with an impassive voice.

    ¡°At a residential area in the suburbs of A City. Most of the residents here are rich folk who want to escape from city life!¡±

    ¡°How big is the area?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s quite big, there are probably a hundred or so families here!¡±

    ¡°Search every single one of them and find An Huilin. It¡¯s highly likely that she¡¯s connected to somebody from The Dark Night.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Boss!¡± His subordinate began the search immediately after ending the call.

    ----

    Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue returned home right after the check-up waspleted.

    Worried that there might be some reporters camping near the house, Ye Zhongjue had Lin Ran send the both of them home. There would be someone else around to help fend the reporters off if that happens.

    Lin Ran was rather anxious after he saw the videos circting online.

    ¡°Are the both of you alright, Boss?¡±

    Lin Ran asked as soon as Ye Zhongjue got into the car.

    Ye Zhongjue shook his head and answered after Mo Suqing settled in the car, ¡°We¡¯re fine, but we can¡¯t have this happen a second time. While you¡¯re looking into what we learnt from Yi¡¯an this morning, look into what happened earlier as well. There must have been someone who leaked it to the media, otherwise there wouldn¡¯t have been so many reporters appearing at the same time. Find out who it is. Whoever it is, that individual will be a danger to us!¡±

    ¡°Got it, Boss!¡±

    Mo Suqing tugged at his sleeve and asked softly, ¡°What happened in the morning?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue stroked her hair gently. He wanted to get to the bottom of the matter before telling her about it.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing major. You must have been scared earlier, since we haven¡¯t dealt with any simr situations ever since you¡¯ve gotten pregnant. It¡¯s all my fault, I didn¡¯t know there would be reporters there. I¡¯ll take note in future, it won¡¯t happen again!¡±

    Mo Suqing smiled at him. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m not scared as long as you¡¯re around.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue raised his brows at this.

    Mo Suqing blinked at him.

    ¡°You won¡¯t let me get hurt, right?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nodded and took her in an embrace. ¡°Mm, I¡¯ll always protect you!¡±

    Lin Ran felt like a third wheel. <i>Boss, can¡¯t the both of you do this at home instead?</i>

    They arrived at the Shallow Sea Area shortly.

    Lin Ran stopped at the entrance for Ye Zhongjue and Mo Suqing to alight.

    When Lin Ran drove away, someone else was observing the entire scene while sitting in a white Maserati nearby. Jian Jie stared at the couple with her brows deeply furrowed.

    She then whipped out her phone, made a call, and berated whoever it was on the other end.

    ¡°Why are the entertainment reporters so useless? I said to knock into them, knock into them! Did you not understand? Why did I just see them arrive back home perfectly fine?!¡±

    A wretched male voice answered, ¡°I¡¯m an entertainment reporter, an entertainment reporter! You didn¡¯t see how vicious Ye Zhongjue looked at the time. My life is more important than a job! I¡¯d suggest you get someone else to do the job, I won¡¯t be taking the final payment either!¡± With that, he ended the call.

    Jian Jie threw her phone aside in anger. <i>There¡¯s nobody reliable. I guess I¡¯ll just have to do it myself.</i>

    Her initial n was to get rid of the baby first, but the baby was basically what kept Mo Suqing safe at the moment.

    <i>No way!</i> Jian Jie gripped the steering wheel in agitation. She decided to go to the Ye family home to sound them out before taking any further action.

    She mmed her foot on the elerator and sped off.

    <strong>At Vi Number 6, Shallow Sea.</strong>

    Luo Qiqi was standing at the balcony, and she saw the white car leave through her binocrs.

    She called Xia Zi over.

    ¡°A¡¯zi, A¡¯zi,e over quickly. Jian Jie has left!¡±

    Xia Zi frowned. All she saw was the trail of dust left by the speeding car.

    ¡°Hasn¡¯t she always been camping there recently? Why did she leave so suddenly?¡±

    Luo Qiqi pouted. ¡°I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s trying to do. How about I follow her, and find an opportunity to do something to her car on the way. What do you think?¡±

    Xia Zi answered coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s smart at all? It¡¯s too easy for you to be discovered like that. Don¡¯t you know that she¡¯s a great agent? Her skills are top-notch!¡±

    Luo Qiqi continued pouting. ¡°A¡¯zi, don¡¯t traumatize me like that. Haven¡¯t I already been through enough?¡±

    Xia Zi looked at her injured hand, smirking.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been through so much!¡±

    Luo Qiqi stared at her wide-eyed.

    ¡°A¡¯zi, you¡¯re bullying me! I hate this life¡­ wuu...¡±

    Xia Zi was speechless.<i>?Why am I wasting time with this child!</i>

    ¡°Qiqi, stop messing around. Let¡¯s go and take a look at what that woman is trying to pull.¡± Xia Zi left immediately after.

    Luo Qiqi stuck a tongue out at her, but followed right behind her.

    They did not ce any trackers on Jian Jie¡¯s car, but having monitored her for two whole days, it was easy for them to find her since they were rather familiar with the routes Jian Jie took.

    ---

    <strong>At the Ye family home.</strong>

    Ye Wentian and Ming Jinhua faced the unexpected guest sitting on the sofa. Though Jian Jie was a generation younger, she exuded such a resentful aura which made the older couple feel like they really owed her something.

    They watched Jian Jie grow up, and they thought she would end up together with Ye Zhongjue when they went abroad for their studies seven years ago. No one expected things to turn out this way.

    Ye Wentian and Ming Jinhua were sitting opposite Jian Jie when the helper brought some water over.

    Ming Jinhua smiled at Jian Jie. ¡°Jian dear, have some water!¡±

    Jian Jie forced a smile.

    ¡°No, thanks. Auntie Ye, I¡¯m here to ask about something.¡±

    Ming Jinhua looked to Ye Wentian, heaving a resigned sigh.

    Pressure weighed down on Ye Wentian. To prevent history from repeating itself, they will need to talk to Jian Jie properly about this. Jue was way too stubborn, so he and Ming Jinhua would have to do the job.

    He spoke steadily. ¡°Go ahead, Jian dear!¡±

    Jian Jie did not expect Ye Wentian to be so direct. He was already inviting her to talk about the matter when she had not even begun to touch on the topic.

    Ye Wentian had a wealth of experience and had gone through the vicissitudes of life. Jian Jie could not help but feel slightly afraid when facing him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead then, Uncle Ye. Both you and Auntie should be aware that I have had feelings for Jue ever since we were little, and I know the both of you were supportive of this. But, I¡¯m sure the both of you have also seen the news about that woman getting pregnant with Jue¡¯s child. I wanted to know what your thoughts are on that.¡±

    Ming Jinhua and Ye Wentian exchanged a look. They had to face Jian Jie sooner orter.

    Ming Jinhua cleared her throat slightly and answered Jian Jie gently.

    ¡°Jian dear, you¡¯d be able to see that she¡¯s heavily pregnant. She¡¯s probably at least seven months into the pregnancy now. If Jue likes her so much, and the baby is due soon, both Uncle Ye and I don¡¯t see any reason to object to that...¡±

    Anger shed across Jian Jie¡¯s face. ¡°So you¡¯re nning on epting her? How can that woman be a good match for Jue? Weren¡¯t the both of you supportive of us in the past?¡±

    Jian Jie looked at the older couple in disbelief.

    Ye Wentian turned serious. ¡°Jian Jie! You have to look at the big picture. You know about what happened to our family, and you¡¯re well aware of why we objected in the beginning. But there¡¯s no use in us still objecting to it if they already have a baby. Do you really think Jue will ept you? If the both of you get along well, we can help out a little, but it¡¯s obvious that Jue only has eyes for that girl. There¡¯s no use even if you insist on being together with him. Silly girl, there are tons of better men out there!¡±

    Jian Jie gritted her teeth in her ire, unable to control her anger and tone, she almost yelled at the old couple. ¡°But Jue¡¯s the only one that I want!¡±

    Ming Jinhua felt rather awkward at this. <i>Why did it have toe to this!</i>

    ¡°Jian dear, don¡¯t be like this! These are feelings we¡¯re talking about, no one can force it upon anyone else.¡±

    Upset, Jian Jie sniffed. ¡°Fine, I know what Uncle and Auntie thinks now. I won¡¯t bother the two of you. I¡¯ll take my leave!¡±

 Chapter 188 â€“ Jian Dear, Slut Dear

    <h4>Chapter 188 ¨C Jian Dear, Slut Dear</h4>

    Jian Jie stood up to leave.

    Ming Jinhua reached out in an attempt to make her stay, but Jian Jie tly refused the olderdy.

    Ye Wentian said, ¡°Let us walk you out!¡±

    Without answering, Jian Jie continued walking towards the door. Her car was parked right outside the house.

    None of them spoke as they walked.

    Ming Jinhua and Ye Wentian felt bad for Jian Jie, which was why they let Jian Jie be even when she was being rather rude.

    The more Jian Jie thought about it, the more upset she got. <i>Even Ye Wentian and Ming Jinhua could ept that woman. Is it because of the baby?</i>

    <i>Fine! I¡¯ll not allow Mo Suqing to have her baby. I¡¯ll see if they¡¯re still willing to ept her that way.</i>

    After a short walk, the three of them finally reached the parked car.

    Jian Jie lowered the car windows after getting into the vehicle.

    She forced herself to smile at the old couple.

    ¡°Uncle and Auntie, thanks for walking me out. I¡¯m leaving now!¡±

    Ye Wentian looked at her with a fatherly gaze.

    ¡°Jian dear, don¡¯t be too upset over this. I¡¯ll talk to Jue when hees home. My child, it¡¯s better to let go of certain things, you¡¯ll gain a sense of freedom...¡±

    Jian Jie answered, ¡°Mm, Uncle, I know!¡±

    She then left right after.

    Shaking his head, Ye Wentian walked back into the house with Ming Jinhua.

    Not far from the Ye family home, Luo Qiqi and Xia Zi were sitting in a car and observing everything.

    Confusion appeared on Luo Qiqi¡¯s face.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xia Zi¡¯s clear voice rang out.

    Luo Qiqi shook her head. ¡°Nothing, I just find this ce¡­ I don¡¯t know why but I find it quite familiar. I¡¯m probably just thinking too much!¡±

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s brows creased, feeling rather confused.

    ¡°Oh! Right!¡± Luo Qiqi grabbed Xia Zi¡¯s arm. ¡°A¡¯zi, did you see what they said earlier?¡±

    Xia Zi frowned. ¡°Jian Jie was in the car, so I couldn¡¯t see it clearly. As for the old couple, I think they said something along the lines of - Jian dear, it¡¯s better to let go of certain things!¡±

    ¡°Pft!¡± Luo Qiqiughed when she heard this.

    ¡°Jian dear, slut dear! Which do you think it is?¡±

    Xia Zi gave a tiny smirk. ¡°It should be Jian dear, since Jian Jie¡¯s surname is Jian.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s slut dear! That Jian Jie looks pretty slutty to me...¡± said Luo Qiqi as she chuckled to herself.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s head back. We¡¯ll see what Jian Jie does next!¡±

    Xia Zi made a u-turn and headed for the Shallow Sea Area.

    ---

    Mo Suqing woke up early the next day.

    She was moving around in bed, feeling ufortable because of her pregnancy.

    Ye Zhongjue opened his eyes slightly and asked in a daze, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, dear?¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at him with pitiful eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m a little nervous. What do I do?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue sighed and gently caressed her head.

    ¡°Silly girl, you¡¯re overthinking! My parents aren¡¯t monsters!¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s the first time I¡¯m formally meeting them. Is it okay if I go just like this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡± Ye Zhongjue stroked her hair. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry. The baby is the greatest present we can give to them!¡±

    Mo Suqing frowned. ¡°Is it only because of the baby that they¡¯re epting me now?¡±

    It hurt Ye Zhongjue to see Mo Suqing upset like this. He did not want to tell her the truth, because it was exactly that. His parents asked them to go over for a meal only because they learnt of the fact that they were expecting a baby.

    She would be even more troubled if he told her that.

    However, he did not want to lie to her either.

    Seeing Ye Zhongjue looking like he was in a dilemma, Mo Suqing pouted. ¡°It¡¯s fine, there¡¯s no need toe up with any excuses. I¡¯m d that your parents can ept me. It hasn¡¯t been easy for us either.¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Ye Zhongjue held her hand tightly. ¡°We¡¯ll be together from now on.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was wide awake now, so he went to prepare breakfast.

    They were nning to leave after having their breakfast, but Mo Suqing heard the doorbell ringing.

    Ye Zhongjue was collecting his jacket and car keys in another room, so it was Mo Suqing who answered the door.

    A deliveryman was at the door. ¡°This is Mo Suqing¡¯s ce right? This parcel is for her.¡±

    Mo Suqing answered quickly, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me!¡±

    ¡°Sign here please!¡±

    Mo Suqing signed off on the delivery without much thought.

    She turned and saw Ye Zhongjue walking over.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Ye Zhongjue took her hand in his as he passed her.

    Mo Suqing then absent-mindedly ced the parcel on the shoe rack, and smiled sweetly at him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    The both of them left and the documenty abandoned on their shoe rack.

    Jian Jie frowned as she saw Ye Zhongjue¡¯s car leave. <i>Did Mo Suqing not receive the parcel?</i>

    Her brows furrowed deeply. <i>There had to be a problem somewhere. Why did Mo Suqing not have any reaction to it? The delivery should have already been made, so the only possibility is that Mo Suqing hadn¡¯t opened it yet.</i>

    Jian Jie gripped the steering wheel hard.<i>?Ye Zhongjue can¡¯t open it, or else he would have his guard up after seeing it.</i>

    <i>Damn it!</i>

    In fact, Jian Jie need not have stressed over this. Ye Zhongjue was absolutely unaware that the document even existed. Mo Suqing simply did not open the document immediately.

    Standing at the balcony, Xia Zi saw Ye Zhongjue¡¯s car leaving. The woman in the car seemed to look exactly like her.

    Before she could take a second look however, the car was already too far away.

    She saw Jian Jie follow right after Ye Zhongjue left, and tugged at Luo Qiqi, leading her down the stairs.

    Luo Qiqi looked at Xia Zi in confusion when they were in the car.

    ¡°A¡¯zi, why the rush?¡±

    Xia Zi was usually cool andposed, but Luo Qiqi saw a trace of panic on her face earlier.

    Xia Zi¡¯s brows creased and she began to tail Jian Jie.

    ¡°I might have seen wrong, but I think that the person Jian Jie is following might be rted to me in some way!¡±

    ¡°Rted to you!¡± Luo Qiqi cried out in surprise. ¡°A¡¯zi, did you remember something from your childhood?¡±

    Xia Zi nced at her impatiently. ¡°No way, I hadn¡¯t even turned two at the time. It¡¯d be a miracle if I could remember anything. I just saw¡­ someone who looked quite familiar. Let¡¯s just follow them first!¡±

    She did not tell Luo Qiqi that the person she saw basically looked like her twin.

    Luo Qiqi nodded and fell silent, keeping her eyes on the car in front.

    <i>What great effort from Jian Jie, using a different car everyday to personally camp outside the Shallow Sea Area. It¡¯s probably just to follow those in the car in front of her.</i>

    <i>Who knows, we might just stumble upon some clues that can lead us to The Dark Night. It¡¯s already been two months so it¡¯s time we show some results.</i>

    ---

    Mo Suqing started getting nervous when Ye Zhongjue turned into the Ye family home. She held onto his sleeve, looking rather pitiful.

    Those eyes of hers seemed to be telling him, <i>Dear, I¡¯m so afraid. I¡¯m really scared...</i>

    After the car stopped outside the vi, Ye Zhongjue stroked her hair tofort her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, silly. This is my home, so it¡¯s yours too. There¡¯s no need to worry. If my parents have decided that they¡¯ll ept you, they¡¯ll treat you just like I do.¡±

    Mo Suqing remained silent.

    Ye Zhongjue alighted before helping her out of the car.

    Right after Mo Suqing alighted, she saw Ye Wentian and Ming Jinhua walking out.

    She was so nervous that her heart could leap out of her chest. But she naturally rxed upon seeing Ming Jinhua¡¯s kind and friendly visage.

    Ming Jinhua went forward to lead Mo Suqing in by the hand. She spoke with an air of gentle kindness. ¡°You¡¯re finally back. Come on in, be careful!¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s heart was warmed by her affectionate tone.

    She had not felt familial love for a long time after her mother¡¯s death, and she could tell that Ming Jinhua was sincere towards her, without any trace of bias.

    <i>This is Ye Zhongjue¡¯s family. He was right, they are really willing to ept me.</i>

    ¡°Hello, Auntie and Uncle!¡±

    Ye Wentian nodded to acknowledge her greeting.

    Ming Jinhuaughed. ¡°Mm, silly. Your baby¡¯s due soon so don¡¯t call us Auntie and Uncle! Shouldn¡¯t you be calling us Mum and Dad instead?¡±

    Feeling slightly awkward, Mo Suqing looked towards Ye Zhongjue. He nodded to reassure her.

    Seeing Ye Zhongjue¡¯s reassurance gave Mo Suqing a sudden boost of confidence.

    It was as if she was just waiting for Ye Zhongjue to give her the green light on this.

    She then said loudly, ¡°Mum and Dad! Jue and I are back to visit!¡±

    ¡°Aye...¡± Ming Jinhua was grinning from ear to ear as she held onto Mo Suqing¡¯s hand.

    Ye Zhongjue was enjoying the bliss. Everything seemed perfect.

    A slight smile was even hanging on the lips of the usually stern Ye Wentian.

    He nodded and said, ¡°Come on in, stop standing around outside!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue had been holding onto Mo Suqing¡¯s hand throughout this entire time, while Ming Jinhua held onto the other.

    Ming Jinhua smiled and teased her son.

    ¡°Jue, afraid that we¡¯ll eat your wife up? Look, they¡¯re not even letting go of their hands!¡±

    Embarrassed, Mo Suqing lowered her head and slowly pulled her hand out of Ye Zhongjue¡¯s grip.

    He saw her blush and shook his head in resignation. <i>This girl gets embarrassed too easily!</i>

    ¡°Mum, don¡¯t tease her. She¡¯s really shy!¡±

    Mo Suqing gave Ye Zhongjue a look, as if she was saying, <i>Why say that in front of your parents!</i>

    He smiled and tried tofort her through his gentle gaze.

    Ming Jinhua was over the moon when she saw how happy her son was.

    <sup>[1]</sup> ¡®Jian¡¯ from Jian Jie and the word for slut (it can also mean cheap/lowly depending on context of use) is pronounced the same way, except they have different tones. One would not be able to tell merely from lip-reading which word was used, unless the context is apparent - as is the case in this chapter.

 Chapter 189 â€“ The Final Shot

    <h4>Chapter 189 ¨C The Final Shot</h4>

    Ming Jinhua was relieved.

    <i>Such happiness can be seen only when you¡¯re together with the one you love.</i>

    <i>It seems Jue has found true love.?</i><i>Maybe they shouldn¡¯t have objected to this in the first ce.</i>

    Sheughed as she heard Ye Zhongjue tease Mo Suqing. ¡°Jue, Mum is going to be jealous if you¡¯re so protective of your wife...¡±

    Ye Zhongjue shook his head in resignation at her teasing.

    ¡°Mum, stop teasing her like this. She¡¯ll get embarrassed!¡±

    Ming Jinhua turned to see Mo Suqing¡¯s face turn as red as a beetroot.

    The three of them were in good spirits. Mo Suqing sat beside Ming Jinhua on the sofa, while Ye Zhongjue sat opposite them.

    Ye Wentian was sitting on therge armchair.

    Ming Jinhua was an understanding woman, and although she was already fifty, she looked like a beautiful, elegant and knowledgeable woman merely in her thirties.

    It would never be awkward with her around.

    She held Mo Suqing¡¯s hand in hers as she asked, ¡°You¡¯re Suqing, right?¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded. ¡°Yes, Mum.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll call you Suqing from now on, okay?¡± The more time Ming Jinhua spent with Mo Suqing, the more she liked the girl. She felt that Mo Suqing had a gentle temperament, unlike Jian Jie who was spoilt and arrogant. To her, Mo Suqing was an adorable girl who was very understanding, and someone who blushed easily when teased.

    <i>Having a daughter-inw like her wouldn¡¯t be so bad. My son¡¯s taste is pretty good.</i>

    Mo Suqing peeked at her shyly before nodding quickly.

    She was extremely anxious on the way here, and she never expected to feel so at ease with Ming Jinhua.

    With Ming Jinhua¡¯s kind words, Mo Suqing felt extremely relieved.

    Ming Jinhua then asked, ¡°How many months in? You look like you¡¯re going to be due really, really soon!¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know why but my tummy started getting really huge at the five-month mark, and it just kept growing and growing. I think the baby might be very big. I¡¯m only seven months in.¡±

    ¡°Seven months?¡± Ming Jinhua paused. ¡°Could it be twins? Your tummy wouldn¡¯t be this big otherwise.¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head again. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The doctor wanted to tell us, but I stopped her from doing so. I want to surprise myself when the baby is delivered!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine too!¡± Ming Jinhua looked at Mo Suqing with a motherly warmth.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s mobile phone suddenly rang.

    It was Lin Ran calling.

    Mo Suqing looked at him pleadingly as he stood up, as if telling him not to leave. Even though his parents were not difficult, she felt less anxious with him around.

    Ming Jinhua did most of the talking, while Ye Wentian simply listened to the conversation.

    <i>But it¡¯s still the first time meeting his parents, how could he leave me alone like this!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue gave her a reassuring look tofort her, as if he was telling her,<i>?Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯ll be back real soon!</i>

    Knowing that Mo Suqing might feel awkward if he leaves, he did not exit the living room but moved to a corner to answer the call.

    ¡°Hi, Boss!¡±

    Lin Ran spoke as the call connected.

    ¡°The woman who looked like Sis-inw stays at vi number 6 in Shallow Sea. The ce is registered under a man called Feng Liluo. Boss, what do we do?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue frowned. <i>Feng Liluo. Why did that woman look exactly like Mo Suqing? What are they nning?</i>

    ¡°Let¡¯s just observe for now. We¡¯ll discuss this tonight. I¡¯m at my parents¡¯ ce now!¡±

    ¡°Got it, Boss!¡±

    Unease rose in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s heart. His parents had no further objections, but that feeling of foreboding grew stronger and stronger.

    ----

    <strong>At the international airport of Emperor City.</strong>

    Guan Zijue looked at the uneasy Guan Zixuan.

    ¡°Are you sure you want to leave so suddenly like this? What do I say if Mum and Dad ask about it?¡±

    ¡°Just make something up and stall for time. I have to go back. There¡¯s this uneasy feeling I have, as if something major is about to happen. I just can¡¯t seem to calm down.¡±

    Guan Zijue looked suave in his military uniform, a fine specimen of a dignified soldier.

    ¡°Is she really that important?¡± He frowned slightly as he asked.

    Guan Zixuan fell silent for a while before answering him.

    ¡°No matter what, I have to go back this time. I¡¯ll leave things to you, Big Brother.¡±

    Guan Zixuan then turned to leave.

    Guan Zijue sighed as he watched his younger brother leave.

    He did not know what love is, but it confused him when he saw his younger brother do so much for it.<i>?Could love really make one forget everything else?</i>

    The usually inattentive Guan Zixuan seemed like an entirely different person when it came to love.

    ---

    It was six in the afternoon when Jian Jie received a call from her subordinate telling her that An Huilin had been taken away.

    Jian Jie froze at the news, rushing to the vi in the suburbs as quickly as she could. However, there was already no one left when she arrived.

    Jian Jie was furious. <i>Who dared mess with my n!</i>

    She then made her way back to the vi at Shallow Sea.

    Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue should be arriving home soon.

    As Jian Jie was on her way back to Shallow Sea, Su Jincheng received a call from Zheng Hao.

    He just returned from a trip to America, and Zheng Hao informed him that An Huilin had been hanging around the Shallow Sea Area recently.

    His eyebrows twitched. Something told him that things were not as simple as they seemed on the surface. To others, Jian Jie looked like a harmless girl from a rich family.

    But he knew clearly how cruel and vicious she could be since he was the one who had trained her.

    She seemed to be disregarding his authority and acting on her own these days.

    ----

    Jian Jie saw Ye Zhongjue¡¯s car turn into the Shallow Sea Area.

    She felt a twisted feeling of satisfaction.

    <i>Will I finally witness the moment?</i>

    The document she sent Mo Suqing contained information about who Ye Zhongjue killed in the car ident three years ago.

    There were two victims, one of them was Tang Zeng¡¯s younger brother, Tang Mo, while the other was none other than Mo Suqing¡¯s mother, Xia Yanran.

    She learnt of this after saving Tang Zeng and getting her subordinate to look into the ident.

    A vileugh escaped her lips. <i>Even the heavens are on my side. There will be no happy ending for Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue!</i>

    ---

    Ye Zhongjue went to take a shower immediately after they returned home.

    Mo Suqing flipped through a book absent-mindedly as she rested on the sofa.

    Suddenly reminded of the parcel in the morning, she made her way towards the shoe rack to retrieve it.

    She found it weird that there was no address on it.

    Frowning, she took it into the bedroom and opened it with a letter opener.

    All color drained from her face as she looked at the document inside.

    It was a picture of her mother at the scene of the car ident.

    Who would send this to her?

    Feeling upset and slightly afraid, she slowly pulled the entire document out.

    She already knew what it meant after reading it halfway.

    She flipped to thest page to look at the name of the perpetrator.

    It made her freeze. This shocking piece of news made her gasp for breath.

    She looked at it again, and again...

    It was Ye Jue!

    Her husband, Ye Zhongjue, was the one who killed her mother. At the time, her father, Mo Zhenfeng, was given a huge sum of money and nothing much happened after that.

    Hatred was apparent in Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes.

    She never thought that life would y such a cruel joke on her.

    The man she shared her bed with was the killer, he was the killer!

    Anger and resentment rose in Mo Suqing¡¯s chest. She was screaming silently. <i>My mother was killed by my husband.</i>

    She was furious, furious at how the heavens seemed to be making fun of her. How she hated the fact that she was with Ye Zhongjue, and she hated Mo Zhenfeng even more for not telling her the truth about her mother¡¯s death.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s fists clenched tightly.

    There was only one thing on her mind now, and it was to take revenge for her mother.

    After his shower, Ye Zhongjue was looking all over the ce for Mo Suqing, finally discovering her in the bedroom. There was no answer even when he called out to her multiple times.

    With furrowed brows, he walked in and asked, ¡°Dear, why aren¡¯t you answering...¡±

    Mo Suqing turned to him in anger. Ye Zhongjue was momentarily stunned by her reaction.

    He then saw Mo Suqing holding a gun in her hand, her eyes full of hate. They were red and swollen from crying, and she was trembling in anger.

    ¡°Dear...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡± Mo Suqing yelled in her hysteria, staring at Ye Zhongjue with angry, loathing eyes.

    She never thought things would turn out like this.

    Ye Zhongjue then realized that there was a photo and some documents scattered on the floor as he moved a step forward.

    His gaze stopped at the photo, and something instantly clicked in him.

    He looked up at Mo Suqing in disbelief.

    Mo Suqing raised the gun in her hand and pointed it directly at Ye Zhongjue.

    She asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Ye Zhongjue, I¡¯ll ask you something. Was it you driving the car at the time?¡±

    She said every word with great difficulty, as if every single one of them was being engraved permanently onto her heart.

    Conflict ran through Ye Zhongjue. He wanted to deny it, but he did not want to lie to her either.

    But he knew very clearly that what he said next will seal their fate.

    ¡°It was¡­ me!¡±

    A gunshot rang out immediately after he spoke.

    Mo Suqing shut her eyes as she pulled the trigger, the bullet flying straight at Ye Zhongjue¡¯s heart.

    Blood sttered everywhere!

 Chapter 190 â€“ The Birth of Twins

    <h4>Chapter 190 ¨C The Birth of Twins</h4>

    Blood dyed his bathrobe red.

    Panic flickered across Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes as she covered her mouth in shock. The blood continued flowing and Ye Zhongjue reached out, as if trying to take her hand.

    Mo Suqing discarded the gun on the floor and exited the room as fast as she could.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her departing figure and said weakly, ¡°Careful...¡±

    Just as he was shot, Ye Zhongjue¡¯s mobile phone began to ring non-stop.

    On the other end, Ceng Hanyu was getting impatient. However, no one answered the call.

    He felt very uneasy, so he called Gu Yi¡¯an.

    It was Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s day off today, and he was about to climb into bed for a rest when Ceng Hanyu¡¯s call foiled his ns.

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu spoke in an urgent tone.

    ¡°Yi¡¯an, go to Shallow Sea immediately and check up on Jue. I think he¡¯s in danger. I sent someone to tail An Huilin and we found out that she ended up being kidnapped by Jian Jie. After our men saved her, she admitted that Jian Jie is part of The Dark Night, and it was her who asked Jian Jie to n the attack on Yao. Also, I found something at Jian Jie¡¯s ce. The woman Jue killed in the ident was actually Mo Suqing¡¯s mother. Go and check up on them. That crazy woman Jian Jie wouldn¡¯t let such a great opportunity slip!¡±

    There was an imperceptible change in Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s face before he rushed off, not even bothering to put on his shoes.

    ---

    When Mo Suqing exited the vi, she felt the entire world was copsing in on her.

    <i>Was this how fate toyed with us? Why did it have to be so cruel?</i>

    She trudged forward in her pain. She did not want to remind herself of how Ye Zhongjue looked, afraid that those hopeless eyes of his may make her sympathize with him.

    She felt a pair of eyes on her as she walked out.

    Looking up, she was met with none other than Jian Jie¡¯s cruel smile some ways away.

    Mo Suqing froze. ¡°You...¡±

    ¡°What about me! Are you surprised to see me here?¡±

    Seeing that look of satisfaction on her face, sudden realization hit Mo Suqing. ¡°You were the one who sent it?¡±

    Jian Jie stepped forward. ¡°Of course. I should share such a wonderful piece of news with you, shouldn¡¯t I? I would be letting your love down in that case!¡±

    Mo Suqing stared at her. ¡°Jian Jie, you¡¯re despicable!!¡±

    ¡°Despicable?¡± Jian Jieughed. ¡°Make sure you stay tuned for even more despicable partter. This is nothingpared to what¡¯s toe!¡±

    Mo Suqing paused, instinctively wrapping her arms around her tummy and backing away. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Jian Jie closed in on her.

    ¡°I heard that your baby is really valuable. Even Uncle and Auntie Ye agreed for you to bring this bastard child into the Ye family! How could that be! Tell me, why is that so?¡±

    Jian Jie looked crazed. Mo Suqing continued backing away in fear, but she tripped and fell backwards, and her stomach began to hurt.

    Jian Jie stepped forward to kick her in the stomach.

    ¡°I¡¯ll kick this bastard to death, you won¡¯t have anything backing you up after this!¡±

    Mo Suqing was in so much pain that her tears began flowing. She was trying her best to protect her stomach, but Jian Jie gave it a second kick.

    Before Jian Jie couldnd the third kick, a sweet voice sounded.

    ¡°Jian Jie, what are you doing?¡±

    Jian Jie turned to see two strangers behind her.

    Xia Zi looked at Mo Suqing who wasying on the ground in pain. She wanted to kill Jian Jie. How could she be so vicious?

    When Luo Qiqi looked at Mo Suqing, she was shocked at what she saw.<i>?She looked exactly like A¡¯zi, could it be...</i>

    <i>We should save her first!</i>

    Luo Qiqi kicked at Jian Jie, but Jian Jie was able to dodge it. Luo Qiqi then trapped Jian Jie with a quick swipe of her arm.

    All of Xia Zi¡¯s attention was on Mo Suqing as she rushed forward, not realizing there was a gun aimed right at her from behind.

    Su Jincheng thought Xia Zi wanted to harm Mo Suqing, and he opened fire without much thought.

    Xia Zi yelped silently as she was hit in the back. This instantly angered Luo Qiqi, who rushed at Su Jincheng.

    Mo Suqing wanted to say something, but she saw a jade pendant hanging on Luo Qiqi¡¯s waist. It seemed rather familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere.

    Xia Zi wanted to pull Mo Suqing to safety, but Jian Jie attacked her from behind.

    Gritting her teeth in pain, she fought Jian Jie.

    Su Jincheng saw Mo Suqing in agony, and he knew she needed help. He decided to run away from the fight. He turned into a corner and Zheng Hao took his ce instead.

    Zheng Hao had disguised himself to look like Su Jincheng, and because it was night, Luo Qiqi did not realize that it was a different person.

    Su Jincheng returned to the scene shortly, and he saw Xia Zi and Jian Jie engaged in a fierce fight. Xia Zi looked like she was at the end of her rope, and Jian Jie had spit out a lot of blood. Having been shot, Xia Zi was not in great shape either.

    Su Jincheng did not have much time to think through what he saw. All his focus was on Mo Suqing as he carried her off and headed for the hospital.

    Lin Ran made his way to the Shallow Sea Area after receiving a call from Gu Yi¡¯an, but he happened to witness Su Jincheng carry Mo Suqing into a car just as he arrived. He thus followed behind them without a second thought.

    ----

    In the midst of the fight, Xia Zi¡¯s facial prosthetics began toe loose. Her chin was beginning to wrinkle.

    Xia Zi was holding onto Jian Jie¡¯s arms, and both of them had been greatly weakened by the fight. Jian Jie saw Xia Zi¡¯s face out of the corner of her eye, and with much effort, was finally able to struggle free of her hold.

    Xia Zi felt her consciousness slipping, and reality seemed to blur for her.

    She wanted to take a nap so badly, but she knew that she could not fall asleep!

    She felt Jian Jie tear her facial prosthetics off, and it felt like she had yelled out.

    She then fell to the ground, and Jian Jie looked like she was being dragged away.

    Xia Zi did not see that it was Guan Zixuan who arrived. He was the one who kicked Jian Jie away from her.

    Guan Zixuan saw Xia Zi lying on the ground. She looked exactly like Mo Suqing, her face extremely pale.

    He then looked at her tummy. He was shocked to see it t. <i>The baby¡¯s gone?</i>

    He squatted and lifted the corner of her shirt. He saw a scar that looked like it was from a cesarean delivery.

    Guan Zixuan hugged her. <i>Suqing, what happened to you?</i>

    He then felt something gooey in his hands. It was stained with blood.

    Stunned, he quickly carried Xia Zi to safety, thinking that she was Mo Suqing. What he did not know was that Xia Zi had an operation done recently, and it left a scar on her abdomen.

    ----

    Luo Qiqi caught up to the man who was running away, but when he turned, she realized it was an entirely different person.

    She grabbed Zheng Hao, asking fiercely, ¡°Where did that man go?¡±

    ¡°How would I know?¡± Zheng Hao acted all innocent.

    ¡°Then why did you run!¡± Luo Qiqi was irate. How could she have lost the man like this!

    ¡°Then why were you chasing me? I was of course running away from you!¡± Zheng Hao answered matter-of-factly.

    Luo Qiqi gritted her teeth. She could murder someone now.

    When she rushed back to the scene, it was Jian Jie she saw lying on the ground and traces of blood all over the ce.

    Both Mo Suqing and Xia Zi were gone.

    Luo Qiqi wanted to leave, but she decided to drag Jian Jie all the way back to her vi and lock her in.

    As Gu Yi¡¯an sent Ye Zhongjue to the hospital, Guan Zixuan left A City with Xia Zi.

    Mo Suqing delivered a pair of twins, a boy and a girl. The babies had to be sent to another operating theater as they were very premature.

    Su Jincheng frowned as he saw the babies. He was not optimistic about their chances of survival.

    Being premature and the blunt trauma from Jian Jie¡¯s kicks would likely have lowered their chances of survival. He prayed for Mo Suqing to be safe.

    On the other hand, the only thing on Lin Ran¡¯s mind was to keep the babies safe. When Lin Ran arrived, he waited outside the operating theater with Su Jincheng.

    Seeing the babies¡¯ breathing being so shallow, and the only thing he thought of was to protect them, because they were his boss¡¯ children.

    ¡­¡­

    Mo Suqing woke up to see Su Jincheng by her bedside.

    Events of yesterday night seemed to overwhelm her.

    Learning the truth about her mother¡¯s ident, shooting Ye Zhongjue, and the baby... <i>Right! What about the baby?</i>

    ¡°Su Jincheng, where¡¯s my baby?¡±

    Su Jincheng realized she was awake only when he heard her hoarse voice. Reminded of how weak the babies were, he did not know what to tell her.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes darkened. <i>I definitely wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep the child safe in such a situation!?</i>Tears welled up in her eyes.

    ¡°Is it a boy or a girl?¡± She never expected that she would find out in such a way.

    Su Jincheng thought that if he revealed that they were twins, the blow would be too great for her. He thus decided to tell her, ¡°A girl...¡±

    Mo Suqing closed her eyes and turned away, silent tears falling. Su Jincheng ced some tissues by her pillow and left the room, closing the door behind him.

    When he returned to the wardter, Mo Suqing made a request.

    ¡°Take me away! I want to leave A City!¡±

    Su Jincheng frowned, but agreed in the end. ¡°Okay!¡±

    When Ye Zhongjue regained consciousness, Mo Suqing was already on the ne leaving A City.

    In his dream, she had left, and he could not grab hold of her hand no matter how hard he tried.

    He forced himself to wake up from that dream, but to his dismay, Gu Yi¡¯an informed him that Mo Suqing had left the city.

    Ye Zhongjue stared at him in disbelief. Gritting his teeth, he shut his eyes in pain.

    <i>She won¡¯t ever forgive me, will she?</i>

    <i>But I can¡¯t bear for her to leave. How about the child? Is she going to take the child away with her?</i>

    <i>Did she really not feel for me anymore?</i>

    He never expected for that ident to throw him into an abyss of pain.

    Getting to know Mo Suqing was like having a sweet dream¡­ but it pained him so!

 Chapter 191 â€“ Time Flies

    <h4>Chapter 191 ¨C Time Flies</h4>

    <strong>Five yearster.</strong>

    <strong>In the President¡¯s office of Fengteng Group, Emperor City.</strong>

    Guan Zixuan rubbed his forehead as he looked at the rows and rows of figures on hisputer screen.

    After taking Mo Suqing away, she had lost her memories.

    He remembered she hated it when he called her Suqing. She said even though she did not remember what happened in the past, she felt that it was not her name.

    Until one day, she suddenly told herself that she should be called A¡¯zi, because she always heard a crisp female voice calling her A¡¯zi everytime she dreamt.

    Guan Zixuan started calling her A¡¯zi from then on.

    After some time, he felt that Mo Suqing belonged to Ye Zhongjue, while A¡¯zi belonged to him!

    When he took A¡¯zi home, his family had just one request. They wanted him to take over the family business, or he can forget about being a part of their family ever again. A¡¯zi needed treatment at the time, and he had agreed to their request as he wanted to save her.

    Both his father and older brother were in politics, while his mother was taking care of the business. His older brother would follow in his father¡¯s footsteps, while he had to follow in his mother¡¯s.

    They had no other siblings, and this was what their parents wanted for them.

    Time flies, and five years pass in the blink of an eye. A¡¯zi was getting more and more reliant on him as time went by. She was extremely wary of outsiders, but she never treated him like one.

    His family wanted them to get married soon.

    A tiny smile hung on the corner of Guan Zixuan lips as he thought about the wedding that was to happen a weekter.

    He could not be sure before, but he was very sure now that he and A¡¯zi were in love. This was why he promised her, and why he decided to marry her.

    Guan Zixuan was deep in thought when his mobile phone rang.

    His butler spoke in an urgent tone right after he picked up the call.

    ¡°Young master! Miss A¡¯zi fell!¡±

    A¡¯zi had finished her check-up when Guan Zixuan arrived at the hospital.

    He felt the air change when he stepped into the ward, as if something was different now.

    A¡¯zi looked at him coldly, her gaze devoid of the usual warmth.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? A¡¯zi?¡± Guan Zixuan stepped forward in concern, not minding the change.

    Xia Zi shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not the one you¡¯re looking for!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Guan Zixuan¡¯s brows creased, puzzled by what she just said.

    Xia Zi looked at him and tried to mask her emotions. Guan Zixuan loved her, and she had grown to rely on him. She had even fallen in love with him.

    <i>So what??</i><i>He mistook me for someone else, so I need to end this quickly and cleanly. I can¡¯t trap myself in this.</i>

    ¡°Let me ask you something. Who do you like more? Mo Suqing or A¡¯zi?¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s brows were furrowed deeply now. <i>What is she talking about? Isn¡¯t she both A¡¯zi and Suqing?</i>

    ¡°I...¡±

    Guan Zixuan was at a loss for words. Xia Zi then decided to go straight to the point.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to exin. I remember everything now. What I¡¯m trying to tell you is that I¡¯m not Mo Suqing, I¡¯m Xia Zi, an interpol agent based in Lyon, France. I got shot while trying to save Mo Suqing, so this happened. There¡¯s no need for you to feel responsible for me, because I¡¯m not the one you¡¯re looking for.¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s expression turned awful, and hesitation shed past Xia Zi¡¯s face.

    She steeled her heart and continued.

    ¡°I¡¯m an orphan, and I don¡¯t know who my rtives are. Mo Suqing is definitely rted to me, otherwise we won¡¯t look so simr. However, I can¡¯t confirm anything without looking into it first. So, you don¡¯t have to keep taking care of me. I think it¡¯s time I leave too.¡±

    Guan Zixuan staggered backwards as she finished.

    He looked at her in disbelief.<i>?She isn¡¯t Mo Suqing, but¡­ I¡¯ve already fallen in love with her. What do I do?</i>

    After a moment of contemtion, Xia Zi plucked out the drip in her hand and made her way out.

    Guan Zixuan wanted to stop her, but he froze with a cold re from her.

    He was frozen in ce, feeling utterly lost. <i>She really isn¡¯t Mo Suqing!</i>

    Mo Suqing would never re at someone in such a way, and she could never be this callous.

    He wanted to take Xia Zi¡¯s hand, but she dodged it instinctively and walked her shoulder into him, making him fall backwards unexpectedly.

    He did not expect for someone who looked so feeble to have such great strength of will, even though she looked chilly on the outside.

    Guan Zixuan picked himself up quickly. He had no grounds to deny that she was, in fact, interpol agent, Xia Zi, and neither could he insist that she was Mo Suqing, the girl he once had feelings for.

    Xia Zi walked out without a second nce, leaving Guan Zixuan alone in the ward.

    The wedding had turned into nothing but a joke.

    It was fate that allowed him to meet Xia Zi, causing him to subsequently fall in love with her. However, his love seemed to be unrequited. <i>Why would she have been so adamant in wanting to leave otherwise?</i>

    Furthermore, he knew it was difficult to stop her from leaving if she had already made her decision.

    Guan Zixuan was all alone in the ward.

    He never knew the heavens would y such a big joke on him.

    Xia Zi leaned against the wall after she exited the ward. She shut her eyes in her agony. <i>Let¡¯s end everything here.</i>

    The butler brought her daily necessities to the hospital, but the only item she took with her when she left was her wallet.

    She wanted to locate Luo Qiqi as quickly as she could. She knew the other girl would be going insane trying to look for her.

    Xia Zi obtained a fake passport and flew directly to France from Emperor City.

    Meanwhile, Luo Qiqi was ying a game of cat and mouse with Su Jincheng in Munich.

    It all started five years ago.

    Luo Qiqi did not manage to capture Su Jincheng, and she did not know where Xia Zi went either. Only Jian Jie was left at the scene.

    She learnt from Jian Jie that Su Jincheng was in charge of The Dark Night, and his moniker was none other than ¡®Dark Night¡¯.

    Xia Zi went missing after he shot her, so Luo Qiqi had suspected that it was Su Jincheng who captured Xia Zi.

    She initially pulled out all stops and chased after Su Jincheng in a frenzy. Everywhere he went, she would arrive shortly after.

    Su Jincheng was a cunning individual. He had disguised himself with facial prosthetics countless times, but she was able to recognize him almost every single time.

    By a twist of fate, she got entangled in a mafia war while in Ennd, and of all people, it was Su Jincheng who saved her.

    Luo Qiqi remembered he did not have any help when he extricated her from that dangerous situation.

    When she asked him why he shot Xia Zi, he exined that he thought Xia Zi was trying to harm Mo Suqing, and Mo Suqing was his saviour, so he wanted to prevent any harm from befalling her.

    She then asked if he was the one who captured Xia Zi, but he told her he merely sent Mo Suqing away from A City, and he had not involved himself with any other individual.

    Luo Qiqi felt rather confused. Su Jincheng did not seem to be lying, but where did Xia Zi go?

    She refused to believe that something untoward might have happened to A¡¯zi.

    The rtionship between the two of them was rather intriguing.

    One was an interpol agent while the other was in charge of The Dark Night. Logically, they should be at loggerheads with each other, but interestingly, they were not at each other¡¯s throats.

    Luo Qiqi nned to leave with Su Jincheng, but the jade pendant on Luo Qiqi caught his eye.

    Luo Qiqi saw him staring at her pendant, and looked at him cautiously.

    Unexpectedly, Su Jincheng asked if she had been in B City during a certain period of time.

    Luo Qiqi then began to tell him her story of how a criminal stole her jade pendant, and how she was smart enough to track the viin down and sessfully retrieve her pendant.

    There was a subtle change in Su Jincheng¡¯s expression as he listened to her. Just as she described how the arrogant thief was shot, Su Jincheng said something.

    He said, ¡°I¡¯m that thief you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    What happened next was an absolute surprise to him.

    Luo Qiqi ran away.

    Su Jincheng was quite bewildered. He was her saviour, but she decided to run away like this without even a word of thanks. What annoyed him was the fact that she was the one who had shot him and almost got him killed.

    Su Jincheng was experiencing a flurry of emotions he had never experienced before.

    He and Luo Qiqi had been spending a lot of time together.

    Everytime shended in the city he was in, he would put on facial prosthetics and follow her around as she embarked on her search. He did not expect that he would actually love pranking her like that. This time, however, she no longer wanted to chase after him. She ran away instead.

    She literally ran away from him.

    Su Jincheng could not believe she did that. Thus, this evolved into a long-running game of cat and mouse.

    Luo Qiqi was the cat chasing after him initially, but for the past two years, it was Su Jincheng chasing after Luo Qiqi.

    Luo Qiqi put all her effort into locating Xia Zi, and she hid from Su Jincheng whenever she saw him.

    She contacted headquarters for help when Xia Zi went missing five years ago, but no help was sent. At that time, she had made a decision to leave Interpol.

    If they did not even bat an eyelid when one or two of their agents went missing, then justice was nothing but a fancy word to them.

    Luo Qiqi heard that Xia Zi might be in Munich, but she only realized it was a trap set by Su Jincheng when she arrived.

    This was what happened that led up to this very moment.

    <strong>On a dreary street, Munich.</strong>

    Luo Qiqi stared at the man in front of her. ¡°Are you sick in the mind, Su Jincheng? Stop chasing me around!¡±

    Su Jincheng raised his brows. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to help you locate someone. Why don¡¯t you believe me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d have to be retarded to believe you! Stop shedding crocodile tears. If you¡¯re still sore over being shot five years ago, then I¡¯m right here in front of you. I¡¯ll let you take a free shot right now!¡±

 Chapter 192 â€“ Anne is Alive

    <h4>Chapter 192 ¨C Anne is Alive</h4>

    Su Jincheng smirked as he saw Luo Qiqi throwing a tantrum. <i>Why is she so hot-tempered!</i>

    ¡°Oh, are you sure?¡±

    Before Luo Qiqi could react, he rushed forward and scooped her up in his arms, his movements quick as lightning.

    Luo Qiqi was infuriated.

    ¡°What are you doing, Su Jincheng! Put me down!¡± Luo Qiqi struggled to break free.

    Su Jincheng trapped her by grabbing both her hands tight. Her legs were swinging wildly in the air.

    To the passersby, he casually said, ¡°Bad-tempered girlfriend, sorry about that!¡±

    Luo Qiqi stared at him wide-eyed.

    ¡°Who¡¯s your girlfriend!¡±

    Su Jincheng spoke with indifference. ¡°You are!¡±

    What followed were sounds of a couple having a fight echoing through the streets of Munich.

    ¡­¡­

    <strong>At A City¡¯s airport.</strong>

    Leng Xiyao walked out of the airport with a young boy.

    Seeing the familiar scene around her, she suddenly felt like she had been living in a different world.

    It has been five years since she left.

    The past five years had changed her greatly. She was no longer that naive girl who had practically zero idea of how the real world worked.

    Leng Xiyao was dead, and she died five years ago. She was now Anne, the only heir of An Group and famous jewelry designer - Anne.

    She knew very well what was lying in wait for her once she returned, but she was not afraid because the most important person was right beside her.

    She looked down at the little guy, a gentle smile spreading across her face.

    He was her baby, the one she loved the most in the world.

    She never thought that she could survive after getting shot, much less keep her baby.

    But he lived, and he was now the most important person in her life.

    She was extremely grateful to Selina. It was Selina who saved her, giving her the courage and confidence to take a second chance at life.

    However, the wound caused Selina to be bedridden for the past five years.

    The bullet damaged her nerves, and she was paralyzed from the waist down. Selina was always confident and proud of herself, but she could only live life in a wheelchair now. It seemed like she was reluctant to even go for physiotherapy.

    Others might not be aware, but she knew in her heart that Selina was doing it to keep Ceng Hanyu by her side. He would stay with her as long as she was not fully recovered.

    Leng Xiyao did not rat on her. She could see that Ceng Hanyu loved Selina, but the two of them could not see things clearly from their own perspective. They cared deeply for each other, but both of them refused to admit it.

    Leng Xiyao knew that Selina did not want Ceng Hanyu to take care of her because he felt like he owed her one for saving Leng Xiyao.

    Leng Xiyao was still technically Ceng Hanyu¡¯s fiancee.

    If a woman could forgo her life to save your fiancee, staying by her side to take care of her would be the least one could do.

    No matter what, Leng Xiyao was most grateful to Selina.

    Old Man An went into aa after he copsed five years ago.

    Nobody knew how long it would take for someone in aa to wake up, and Leng Xiyao felt bad every time she visited An Zhenguo. Seeing her grandfather like that reminded her of that wedding ceremony five years ago, where her dear uncle got married.

    She smiled at her son. <i>The heavens gave me another reason to live.</i>

    An Baobei saw her smiling and asked, ¡°Mummy, why are you smiling?¡±

    Leng Xiyao answered, ¡°Mummy grew up here, so I¡¯m naturally happy to be back. This is why I¡¯m smiling!¡±

    An Baobei nodded as if he understood everything she said. An Baobei was his nickname, his full name was An Yichen.

    <i>Mummy must be really happy, she¡¯s smiling so happily.</i>

    He knew that his mum had been rather unhappy for the past few years, and this was especially so when he asked about his dad. Initially, he was adamant about finding out more, but upon realizing that his questions upset his mum, he stopped questioning her, and he also decided tobel his dad as a bad person.

    Leng Xiyao held onto An Yichen¡¯s hand as they travelled to the An family home.

    A wave of emotion overwhelmed her as she took in the sights of A City.

    A City had literally transformed in five years, and she heard that the person had also changed greatly after she left.

    <i>If even I could change so much, he should definitely have changed too. He should already be married with kids now, since he thought I had really died at the time!</i>

    No one would have expected for a pregnantdy to be able to keep the baby after getting shot.

    She was hesitant about returning at first, but she knew she had to try her best to save her grandfather¡¯s business. She will not let it be taken away by outsiders just like this.

    If her grandfather woke up and saw that all his efforts were wasted, he would be even more upset.

    Before returning, Leng Xiyao had prepared herself for whatever is toe, including how she had to face that person!

    He was now the second-biggest shareholder in the An Group, and she heard that he had requested for the position of Chairman to be given to someone else since An Zhenguo had been lying in aa for so many years.

    The only reason Leng Haoyun did not make bigger changes was probably because Ceng Hanyu was still around.

    But he got more aggressive as time went by.

    His fangs were finally showing now!

    Leng Xiyao had already filed a motion to take over the position of Chairman before returning to the country.

    She was the rightful heir, and An Zhenguo had already transferred all the shares over to her.

    Logically speaking, she should be the one who wielded the most power in the An Group.

    If Leng Haoyun wanted to fight, she will ept the challenge!

    Her purpose in returning this time was to throw down the gauntlet, but there was still a sense of unease in Leng Xiyao¡¯s heart.

    She knew very well what she was uneasy about.

    But no one knew what the future holds, so she decided it was best to face it head on!

    Recalling what some of the shareholders told her a few days ago, she smirked to herself.

    They told her what Leng Haoyun said at the annual general meeting. He said that although the heir of An Group, Anne, was a jewelry designer of great international repute, she knows nothing about the business world. He said a youngdy in herte twenties would not know a thing about how to work in the business world, and there was no way she could be the chairman of An Group.

    Leng Xiyao merelyughed when she heard about what Leng Haoyun said.

    <i>Sad? Laughable? What could a jewelry designer do?</i>

    <i>Who knows? The results would only be unveiled after the fight is over!</i>

    In the first year after leaving A City, she gave birth to An Baobei. After which, she continued to study jewelry design for two years and was able to achieve some results in the field.

    In the fourth year, she focused on joining majorpetitions for jewelry design, and it was then that she really found her ce in the field.

    In the fifth year, she decided to study economics and financial management due to the trouble brewing at the An Group.

    Though she was not exactly an expert, she was also nothing like what Leng Haoyun described, a youngdy who knew nothing. She was no longer her past self.

    A sad smile hung on her lips as Leng Xiyao braced herself for the storm that wille.

    ----

    Leng Haoyun cooped himself up after Leng Xiyao left five years ago.

    He would stay in Leng Xiyao¡¯s room for what seemed like an entire night, and did not budge no matter what Aunt Zhang said.

    When Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue fell out, Ye Zhongjue captured An Huilin after Mo Suqing left, forcing her to tell him everything. Fearing for her life, An Huilin told them everything Jian Jie did.

    This included the fact that Jian Jie was a part of The Dark Night, and the fact that she was the mastermind behind Tang Zeng¡¯s abduction of Mo Suqing. Even the bullet that she took for Ye Zhongjue in Ennd was nned. He learnt that she helped An Huilin n the attack on Leng Xiyao and that she saved Tang Zeng and found out that Mo Suqing¡¯s mother was the other victim in the car ident Ye Zhongjue caused.

    The current Ye Zhongjue was not much better than a living corpse, living in pain and agony every day.

    When Ye Zhongjue told Leng Haoyun everything, he handed An Huilin over to him as well.

    Leng Haoyun wanted to kill An Huilin at the time. How could he let her go scot-free with all the suffering she inflicted on Yao?

    He thus had her sent to thergest mental institution in A City. He might be able to forgive her if she went insane one day.

    It did not matter how long they had known each other. The fact that she hurt Yao was enough for him to make her life hell!

    Upon returning home, Leng Haoyun went to Leng Xiyao¡¯s room at night, as per his usual routine. He buried his head in her pillow.

    He had been trying to numb himself for the past five years. He tried to hypnotize himself by telling himself that she was still alive somewhere in this world, and she did not return only because she did not want to see him.

    Even though he tried to convince himself, he would always visit her grave on her death anniversary.

    He regretted it now. Five years ago, he should never have hurt her on the pretext of protecting her.

    He felt his world crumble after learning that she was carrying his child. It was Mo Suqing who personally gave him the bullet which took Yao¡¯s life.

    He had kept the bullet with him for the past five years, and it was always kept near his chest. The bullet gave him the feeling that it could connect Yao to him in some way.

    If he knew what would happen, he would never have chosen to get engaged with An Huilin!

    It was the greatest regret in his life...

 Chapter 193 â€“ Father and Son Meet

    <h4>Chapter 193 ¨C Father and Son Meet</h4>

    It was gettingte, and Leng Haoyun wrapped himself up in the nket as he thought of the board meeting to be held tomorrow at the An Group.

    He did not know what he was doing all this for, but without her around, he simply could not stop.

    What awaited him was nothing but endless solitude and loneliness. He would be devoured by his agony and everything woulde to naught.

    ----

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s son woke her up the next morning.

    The adorable An Baobei looked at her. ¡°Mummy, you said you¡¯ll take me to the theme park!¡±

    Seeing her son look so excited, Leng Xiyao stretched and got up.

    She had been focusing on her career these past few years, spending very little time with her son. Although An Baobei was still very young, he was very mature for his age.

    He seemed to understand when his mum seemed to be unhappy, and that she was working hard all for him.

    He was extremely understanding towards Leng Xiyao.

    Leng Xiyao knew that he yearned for parental love.

    But not only was she unable to shower him with the love of a father, she did not even do well as a mother.

    She felt sorry for An Baobei at times, sorry that she owed him so much.

    She decided that once things settle down in An Group, she would spend some quality time with her little angel.

    Before returning to the country, she had promised An Baobei that she would take him to a theme park.

    Since the board meeting would be held tomorrow, they could go today.

    Leng Xiyao freshened up and saw An Baobei waiting for her with a face full of excitement. It suddenly hurt her to see him like this.

    She went to him, squatting down in front of him.

    ¡°Baobei, Mummy is going to spend the entire day with you today. Excited?¡±

    Unadulterated joy emanated from him as he nodded happily.

    Leng Xiyao caressed his face and said gently, ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll leave soon!¡±

    Leng Xiyao dressed herself in light blue sportswear, and put on matching clothes on An Baobei.

    They seemed to attract everyone¡¯s attention when they were at the theme park.

    They looked too outstanding, and An Baobei looked extremely adorable. Everyone who stopped to say hi had sung praises of An Baobei.

    A motherly smile appeared on Leng Xiyao¡¯s face as she held onto An Baobei¡¯s tiny hand.

    This was her son, and she was proud of him. Though young, he was already so mature, and she knew that he was always taking care of her feelings.

    She knew what it was that made him seem older than his peers, but there was nothing she could do about that.

    Leng Xiyao spent her day with An Baobei, taking all the rides they could in the theme park.

    After they alighted the viking ship, Leng Xiyao started vomiting. An Baobei wanted to take more rides, but he felt bad when he saw his mum feeling so sick.

    His tiny face was full of concern. ¡°Mummy, let¡¯s go back. You¡¯re not well!¡±

    Leng Xiyao felt like her heart was being pricked by a thousand needles when An Baobei was being so understanding.

    <i>I can¡¯t even give my child something simple like this. Why can¡¯t I even do this well?</i>

    Leng Xiyao forced a smile and stroked his hair.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Mummy¡¯s okay now. Mummy promised you to take you here and have fun, so I won¡¯t go back on my word!¡±

    ¡°Mummy, I don¡¯t want to y anymore...¡± An Baobei pouted as he looked at Leng Xiyao sadly. He did not want his mum to feel sick because of him.

    Leng Xiyao shook her head in resignation. She suddenly felt useless, unable to fulfil such a simple wish from her son.

    She took a sip of water and stood up, leading An Baobei to the ferris wheel.

    Looking at him gently, she asked, ¡°Baobei, we¡¯ll take gentler rides instead, okay?¡±

    Light reflected off the tears that had welled up in his eyes as he nodded.

    They went to shoot at balloons after riding the ferris wheel.

    It was already afternoon when they exited the theme park.

    Leng Xiyao asked, ¡°Baobei, what do you feel like having for lunch? Mummy will treat you to a sumptuous meal!¡±

    Being a child, An Baobei got all excited at this.

    ¡°Mummy, didn¡¯t you say that there was a restaurant in A City that had delicious food?¡±

    An Baobei made an exaggerated face as he spoke.

    Leng Xiyaoughed at how adorable he was acting.

    But she could no longerugh when she thought of that ce.

    An Baobei was referring to Pin Xiang Xuan, the ce that she visited frequently with that person.

    But if her son wanted to go there, then she had to take him there.

    Leng Xiyao smiled.

    ¡°Okay, Mummy will take you there for a nice meal!¡±

    ---

    When Leng Xiyao walked into Pin Xiang Xuan, the manager stared at the both of them in wide-eyed wonder.

    <i>What an adorable little child, and his sister looks so pretty!</i>

    The manager started working here only after Leng Xiyao had left the city, so he was not aware that she was actually a frequent visitor in the past.

    He left them alone after taking them to their seat and taking their orders.

    Leng Xiyao drank too much water at the theme park and she felt like visiting the washroom.

    She told An Baobei, ¡°Baobei, wait here for Mummy while I make a quick trip to the restroom, okay?¡±

    His head bobbed as he nodded. ¡°Go ahead, Mummy, I¡¯ll stay here!¡±

    Leng Xiyaoughed at how he was trying to act like a grown-up. <i>My son is so adorable!</i>

    Leng Haoyun stepped into the restaurant immediately after Leng Xiyao left for the restroom.

    He had a strong urge toe to Pin Xiang Xuan for lunch today instead of getting delivery. That urge was so strong that it seemed to devour him whole, it was just like how he felt when he would think of Leng Xiyao from time to time.

    He spotted a young boy as he entered.

    The boy looked very elegant, and although he still had baby fat on his face, it made him look extremely adorable.

    He was in light blue sportswear, and looked like he was about four or five. He was sitting there like a little knight.

    Leng Haoyun seemed to freeze in his tracks.

    If Yao had given birth to their child, he would be around this age now.

    His heart ached at this.

    He had been telling himself that Yao did not die. But everything else told him that she was dead, and he caused her death because he was not able to protect her.

    Leng Haoyun then turned to leave.

    It was at this moment that the mobile phone in front of An Baobei rang.

    An Baobei reached out for the phone, but his hand was too short and he knocked over the cutlery on the table.

    He was momentarily stunned as he stared at the shattered cutlery on the floor.

    <i>Oh no, I just wanted to help Mummy answer the call. How did this happen?</i>

    He climbed down from his seat carefully. It looked rather dangerous as he was still rather tiny, and he was stepping on the floor littered with shattered cutlery.

    Leng Haoyun automatically went towards An Baobei.

    He grabbed An Baobei and looked at him calmly.

    He tried his best to look at An Baobei with a gentle gaze, but that naturally imposing aura of his and his sudden movement had already frightened An Baobei.

    An Baobei stared at this man who was holding onto him.

    <i>What does he want? I hope he won¡¯t beat me up!</i>

    <i>Right! I broke these, so this uncle must be someone working here, and he must be angry with me!</i>

    An Baobei frowned. ¡°Uncle, let me go, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. I can pay you back for this!¡±

    He spoke in a tiny voice belonging to a child, but what he said made a lot of sense.

    Leng Haoyun then realized that the boy had mistaken him for an employee.

    He turned to look at the boy, still gripping his arm.

    It looked like he was catching a thief red-handed.

    <i>Damn it!?</i>Frustration appeared on Leng Haoyun¡¯s face. He wanted to prevent the boy from hurting himself but was misunderstood instead.

    <i>Did I really look that terrifying?</i>

    He tried to speak in a gentle tone and loosened his grip slightly.

    ¡°Little guy, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose, and I¡¯m not here to ask you to pay me back for this. I was just worried that you would hurt yourself with the shattered cutlery. Your skin is still very fragile!¡±

    An Baobei felt that Leng Haoyun did not seem to mean any harm.

    An Baobei was confused.<i>?Did I misunderstand this uncle?</i>

    <i>But he looks so fierce!</i><i> </i>

    <i> </i>

    <i>Also, why did he call me a little guy? I really don¡¯t like that!</i>

    He pouted angrily. ¡°I¡¯m not a little guy! I have a name, I¡¯m called An Yichen. Can you remember it, Uncle?¡±

    Leng Haoyun was tickled as he saw An Baobei answer him so matter-of-factly, even telling him his full name.

    <i>Who did this cute little guy belong to? Why is he so cute!</i>

    ¡°Nice to meet you, An Yichen, my little friend. I am Leng Haoyun, you can call me Uncle Leng!¡±

    For some reason, Leng Haoyun wanted to have a conversation with the boy. He felt a sense of familiarity with him.

    An Baobei¡¯s face crinkled up.

    <i>Why did this uncle call me a little friend! I¡¯m all grown up now! I can help Mummy do so many things!</i>

 Chapter 194 â€“ A Clarion Call for War

    <h4>Chapter 194 ¨C A rion Call for War</h4>

    Leng Haoyun kept his eyes on the little boy.

    The boy did not seem happy about what he just said.

    <i>Why would he be upset? Wasn¡¯t I quite friendly?</i>

    An Baobei pouted as he looked at Leng Haoyun.

    ¡°I¡¯m An Yichen, not An Yichen little friend. Please don¡¯t give me extra names. Also, it¡¯s no surprise that you¡¯re so cold, even your surname means ¡®cold¡¯! Okay, I¡¯ve said my piece, Uncle Leng!¡±

    Leng Haoyun was at a loss for words as he faced the boy. He suddenly felt likeughing.

    For the past five years, this boy was the very first person who could make himugh.

    <i>Such an adorable kid, so interesting and lovable!</i>

    Wanting to tease the boy, he made a face on purpose and looked at An Baobei seriously.

    ¡°An Yichen, that¡¯s a good name. But has your dad ever taught you that you should treat others with respect and be polite to them? Do you know you look exactly like a little old man when you were talking earlier?¡±

    An Baobei stared at him incredulously. <i>He called me a little old man!</i>

    His brows furrowed deeply as he regarded Leng Haoyun with resentment.

    Leng Haoyun smirked.<i>?Did he go too far with this? A mere child might not be able to understand what I just said.</i>

    He then tried to salvage the situation by speaking gently.

    ¡°Uncle was just joking. You look adorable, and I think it¡¯s fate that we could meet here, so...¡±

    <i>This is why I actedpletely differently from how I usually am.</i> He finished the sentence in his head instead.

    What An Baobei said next came as a surprise. ¡°I don¡¯t have a dad!¡±

    He spoke clearly, enunciating every word.

    Stunned at what he just heard, Leng Haoyun realized that he should not have made thatment about his dad. It had hurt the boy so!

    Given hisck of experience inmunicating with children, he was rather flustered, unsure what he should do. But he liked this boy, and he really felt it was fate that brought them together.

    It was rare that he felt such a sense of familiarity with any stranger.

    He began to apologize profusely. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Uncle didn¡¯t know that, I didn¡¯t say that on purpose, really!¡±

    An Baobei looked at him calmly, shaking his head. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. I¡¯m just telling you the facts. It¡¯s not your fault that I don¡¯t have a father anyway!¡±

    He fell silent after this, sitting in a corner on the sofa like a miniature, unspeaking knight.

    Leng Haoyun looked at him helplessly. Eventually, he asked a waiter to clean up the mess on the ground so An Baobei would not identally injure himself.

    Seeing An Baobei gazing out the window with a slightly drooping head made Leng Haoyun feel sad for some reason.

    He nced at An Baobei onest time before making his way towards the private room he reserved.

    Just as Leng Haoyun left, Leng Xiyao returned from the restroom.

    The waiter had already cleaned up the shattered cutlery on the ground, so things were exactly as they had looked before she left, nothing changed.

    However, Leng Xiyao could tell that An Baobei was a little upset. He was no longer as happy as he was when they just entered.

    ¡°Baobei? What¡¯s wrong?¡± She asked in concern.

    This child was mature beyond his age. She sometimes wondered if it was her who affected the boy.

    An Baobei shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Mummy. Your mobile phone rang!¡±

    Leng Xiyao did not pursue the matter. Since An Baobei told her someone called, she made a return call immediately.

    After the call, she asked An Baobei, ¡°Baobei, let¡¯s go back a little earlier after we finish our meal, okay?¡±

    An Baobei nodded in silence.

    Leng Xiyao sighed.

    The earlier call was from her informant, someone she had tasked to find out more about the An Group and Leng Haoyun. Although she knew that person very well in the past, she knew that time would change everyone.

    <i>Why wouldn¡¯t he have changed if I have already changed so much?</i>

    <i>You will never be defeated if you know your enemy and know yourself. I will not lose this time!</i>

    The information had already been sent to her home, so she wanted to return and take a look at it quickly in order to prepare for the board meeting tomorrow.

    Leng Haoyun exited his room only after Leng Xiyao and An Baobei left after having their meal.

    He caught a glimpse of Leng Xiyao¡¯s departing figure and found it rather familiar, but he did not think too much about it.

    The Leng Xiyao five years ago had a bob haircut while the current Leng Xiyao had a head of long, silky hair.

    No one would be able to tell she was the same person from five years ago if one did not see her in person.

    Leng Haoyun took another nce before settling the bill and leaving the restaurant.

    ¡­¡­

    The general meeting took ce as scheduled.

    When Leng Haoyun arrived at the meeting room, the legendary Anne, An Zhenguo¡¯s only granddaughter and the only heir to the An Group, had not yet arrived.

    Most of the shareholders were already there, and everyone was waiting for Anne to arrive.

    The meeting was supposed to start at ten o¡¯clock in the morning.

    It was ten minutes to ten, but Anne had yet to arrive.

    Some of the shareholders were unhappy about this.

    Someone then started criticising her.

    ¡°It¡¯s just as President Leng said, what can a weess like her do? Does she think it¡¯s that easy to be the chairman of the An Group? Just because you hold the majority of the shares doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll automatically be able to do a good job. Everyone here will be affected. I think the girl is afraid now, and she¡¯s running away at thest minute!¡±

    Another shareholder chipped in.

    ¡°That¡¯s for sure. How much experience would a young girl like her have? She probably doesn¡¯t know a single thing about how to operate in the business world. She¡¯ll just be an extra person here at the board meeting, she probably can¡¯t do much.¡±

    Her detractors seemed to be getting more daring with thements as yet another person spoke.

    ¡°President Leng could stay in his position for so many years because he has the skills, the connections and the experience. Some mere girl wouldn¡¯t be able topare to him! I wonder where she gets her confidence from!¡±

    A different voice then chimed in.

    ¡°But I¡¯ve heard that Anne is an internationally renowned jewelry designer!¡±

    Someone else instantly retorted.

    ¡°What do you know? Having a jewelry designer take over as our chairman is akin to getting a mourner to sing at a wedding. We need to put the right people at the top, and I think President Leng is the man for the job. Let¡¯s just talk about how many shares he holds. He¡¯s the secondrgest shareholder in the An Group, and it¡¯s a mere one percent differencepared to what that girl holds. How can she even hold a candle to President Leng!¡±

    He then stole a nce at Leng Haoyun after saying his piece, as if trying to signal to Leng Haoyun, <i>President Leng, I¡¯m on your side.</i>

    Majority of those at the meeting were leaning towards Leng Haoyun.

    Half of the remaining twenty percent had a neutral stance, while the other half were shareholders who had seen An Group grow through the years.

    Even though they knew that Leng Haoyun was a better choice in terms of his ability in taking thepany to greater heights, to them, Anne had all the right to take over while Leng Haoyun was nothing but an outsider.

    Letting Leng Haoyun take over was basically giving up thepany to somebody else, and they did not wish for that to happen.

    Leng Haoyun remained silent throughout, despite the fervent discussion.

    There was no change in his stony expression no matter what the shareholders said to get into his good books.

    He shut his eyes to pretend that he was resting, and no one could tell how he was feeling.

    He was, in fact, rather unhappy.

    It was five minutes to ten, and the other contender for the position of Chairman had yet to appear.

    One possibility was that his opponent was strong enough to be able to convince everyone here in mere seconds.

    But, the fact was that she was just a young girl.

    Another possibility was that she got scared and decided not to turn up at thest minute.

    His brows creased slightly at the thought. <i>If that was really the case, then why did she even choose topete with me!</i>

    In the business world, it did not matter if you were male or female. It was all about ability and tactics. Someone like her without a sense of urgency would never be able to convince the shareholders here, much less take up the position of Chairman of the An Group.

    Leng Haoyun had analyzed the situation in his head, and to him, Anne had zero chance of victory.

    It was two minutes to ten, and she was still nowhere to be seen.

    The shareholders began to discuss among themselves. Most of them had already decided on who they wanted to support before Anne arrived, and they were simply waiting for the rion call that signalled the start of the war!

    -

    Leng Xiyao viewed today¡¯s board meeting with great importance. She knew that her chances of victory were slim, but she would trudge forward bravely even if it was a one in a million chance.

    She left the house at eight in the morning.

    It would probably take her about half an hour to get from the An family home to the An Group, and she left early to give herself plenty of time. However, she forgot about a practical problem.

    It was the morning rush hour at eight, and a half hour journey would take an hour toplete.

    She only realized this after she began hermute. What was worse was that after travelling a short distance, an ident further down the road created a traffic jam.

    She thus decided to alight and take a cab instead.

    She arrived at An Group at nine fifty sharp, but when she was right outside the meeting room, she suddenly realized she looked extremely frazzled. If she appeared as she was, no one would have a good first impression of her, and her image would go up in mes.

    Leng Xiyao refused to let that happen. She looked at the time and saw that she had five minutes left. She rushed to the washroom to touch up her makeup and adjust her outfit before finally entering the meeting room with just a minute to spare.

    <sup>[1]</sup> As exined in the dialogue itself, ''Leng'' is a word that means ''cold / chilly''.

 Chapter 195 â€“ Meeting Five Years Later

    <h4>Chapter 195 ¨C Meeting Five Years Later</h4>

    The meeting room was abuzz with discussion.

    It was one minute to ten, and the other contender for the position of An Group¡¯s Chairman, the only daughter from the An family and internationally renowned jewelry designer, Anne, had yet to appear.

    There was slight disgruntlement in the air as everyone began specting, with the exception of Leng Haoyun, who still had his eyes shut as he pretended to rest, as if he was not involved in whatever was happening at all.

    Just when they were about to decide to begin voting in the absence of the other candidate, the door to the meeting room burst open!

    Everyone instantly fell silent as they looked towards the door.

    What they saw was a woman dressed in the newest Chanel suit and three-inch ck heels calmly walking in, unruffled as she carried a simple and elegant Hermes briefcase.

    She had light makeup on, and coupled with her head of smooth, ck hair which looked like it would billow beautifully in the wind; her elegance was unparalleled.

    Not sparing anyone in the room a single nce, she entered the meeting room with steady steps, finally taking her ce in the main seat!

    No one realized how shocked Leng Haoyun was when he saw her walk in. He continued staring in wide-eyed disbelief, his gaze locked onto the person who just entered.

    Leng Haoyun did not dare blink. He refused to believe that Leng Xiyao could still be alive.

    In five years, she had changed greatly. Her bob haircut was reced with long, silky hair that reached her waist, and her facial features looked less girlish and more womanly now.

    She had matured, and there was a charming aura about her. It was extremely different from how she had been in the past. That unruly, reckless girl had grown up.

    No one would understand how Leng Haoyun felt at this very moment.

    It had been five years, and he had been living in the sorrow and pain of losing her every single day.

    To him, it felt as if the heavens were merciful and allowed her to live. Leng Haoyun could only be grateful for the heavens taking favor on the girl, and the joy in his eyes could not be concealed.

    He never would have thought that the girl the An family found five years ago and the granddaughter that An Zhenguo had lost was the very same girl who grew up beside him.

    Utter joy reced the initial shock and disbelief he felt. It was akin to getting a second chance at life.

    He felt his hearte alive again after five years.

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s happiness was a stark contrast to Leng Xiyao¡¯s dispassionate visage.

    No one understood why Leng Haoyun seemed to be so emotional after Anne walked in.

    Leng Haoyun did not care what others thought as he kept his eyes on her. He did not wish to look away, nor did he dare to, afraid that he would lose her again.

    He never wanted to feel the crushing pain of losing her ever again.

    He suddenly recalled something. <i>If she was the Young Miss of the An family, then wouldn¡¯t she be Ceng Hanyu¡¯s fiancee?</i>

    He was jealous of how Ceng Hanyu treated Yao as he witnessed Ceng Hanyu getting angry on her behalf and caring so much for her. He now knew why Ceng Hanyu acted the way he did five years ago.

    It was because he already knew who Yao was at that time.

    When Yao had been in an ident, he was also the one who provided the blood.

    Leng Haoyun knew that he probably had Ceng Hanyu to thank for Leng Xiyao being here today, and even though he knew Leng Xiyao was supposed to be Ceng Hanyu¡¯s fiancee, he was morose.

    Ceng Hanyu was also the person who separated them for the past five years.

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s emotions went through a roller coaster ride as he looked at Leng Xiyao.

    Shock turned into joy before it turned into guilt¡­ He could only stare at Leng Xiyao asplex emotions assailed him, rendering him speechless.

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s fiery gaze seemed to bore through Leng Xiyao, and she could definitely tell that he had been staring at her from the moment she walked in.

    She was nervous, even resorting to pinching her own thighs to get herself to calm down. <i>I have to be calm and steady here, I have to face the storm.</i>

    Although she knew Leng Haoyun was not an easy opponent, she was no easy target either.

    She met Leng Haoyun¡¯s eyes confidently as she spoke, her voice crisp and clear.

    ¡°President Leng!¡± She maintained eye contact with Leng Haoyun as she addressed him.

    ¡°I heard you want topete with me over the position of Chairman...¡± She then shifted her gaze to look at the shareholders sitting around the table.

    ¡°My grandfather spent his whole life building up An Group, and this is the fruit of hisbor. If President Leng wants topete, I¡¯ll dly take up the challenge! Everyone, listen to me before you decide on your vote!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone already knows that I studied jewelry design. But what you don¡¯t know is that I did a double major, and I¡¯ve also studied economics and financial management. Grandpa left this for me. Why would I even be here if I don¡¯t have the skills?¡±

    ¡°All of you might not know me well before this, but now that I¡¯m here, you can see that I¡¯m not afraid of being criticized or looked down upon, because I¡¯m here for thepany, I¡¯m here to take it to greater heights. Whether I¡¯m really just a mere jewelry designer who doesn¡¯t know a thing, I believe everyone has already begun forming their own opinions after what I¡¯ve just said.¡±

    ¡°Also, please note that for the past two years, almost all major decisions in the An Group had had to go through me. This includes the retrenchment exercisest year, which I had personally overseen and was very involved in. Even if I¡¯m not in the country, I¡¯m kept abreast of everything that¡¯s happening here!¡±

    After hearing Leng Xiyao, some of the shareholders looked surprised. She was totally different from how they had imagined her to be!

    She was not merely an ornamental nt, beautiful but non-functional!

    Someone then posed a question.

    ¡°After hearing what Miss An said, it seems you have some knowledge regarding business management. But you¡¯d still need to clear our doubts in order to prove that you have the ability. You said you were the one in-charge of approving the retrenchment name list, so why did you retrench the jewelry design director, Yang Wen, when both her design and management skills are rather outstanding?¡±

    Leng Xiyao smirked.

    ¡°Dear shareholder, you asked a very good question. You¡¯re right that Yang Wen had superb skills, so why did Iy her off? Did I do it randomly because we were in an economic crisis? Obviously not. Do you know that Yang Wen earned extra ie on the side by selling the designs that weren¡¯t approved to others? Do you think we should keep an employee like her in the An Group? She¡¯d only adversely affect the jewelry design team!¡±

    The shareholders looked at one another after Leng Xiyao spoke.

    They knew what Yang Wen was doing, but all of them deliberately closed their eyes to it as it would create some turmoil in thepany if a director of the jewelry design team was suddenlyid off, and the morale of the design team would definitely be greatly affected.

    How would this Miss An know about this if she was overseas?

    It seemed that they had really underestimated her.

    Within an hour, some of those who had pledged allegiance to Leng Haoyun earlier seemed to have their faith shaken.

    Everyone in the room was engaged in quiet discussion, and there were two shareholders who even stood up to ask Leng Xiyao some questions directly.

    Leng Xiyao did not fail to answer every single one of their questions.

    The shareholders began to view Leng Xiyao in a new light. That confident aura of hers was no sham!

    With her brilliant performance, they now had to carefully consider if they really wanted to have the secondrgest shareholder take up the position of Chairman in the An Group.

    Furthermore, everyone who had been in that position was someone from the An family, and that had yet to change. If someone not from the An family ends up taking the position, it would create major upheaval in the business world for sure.

    Leng Xiyao sat in her seat calmly, her anxiety and nerves long gone.

    Leng Haoyun remained silent throughout. To be urate, he was silently observing Leng Xiyao and the minute changes in her, to see what had changed in these past five years.

    She had changed too much. Not only did she look like an entirely different person, it was a different air that she emanated.

    Leng Haoyun looked at her, deep in thought.

    Except for the first time she addressed him, Leng Xiyao did not spare him a second look.

    One look was enough to leave an impression on her.

    He looked imposing, and time did not seem to leave a single trace on him. He still looked dashing, with an authoritative air about him.

    Leng Xiyao mocked at herself inwardly.<i> Seems the heavens had treated him well.</i>

    She had to admit that she was attracted by that handsome face of his in the beginning, and even though five years had passed, she felt that his imposing aura and that familiar face could still draw her to him in a way that she could not resist. She might as well just try her best to ignore him!

    Leng Haoyun kept staring at her, while she was practically ignoring him. No matter how confident he was, slight disappointment still showed on his face.

    <i>Did I make a mistake at the time? Did she still hate me?</i>

    <i>Right! The child! Having been so gravely wounded, it was unlikely that she could keep the baby at the time. If so, it was absolutely right for her to hate me.</i>

    Leng Xiyao stood up slowly.

    ¡°I believe everyone here has decided, so let¡¯s start voting. Those who agree for me to take over the position of Chairman, please cast your votes!¡±

    Everyone started scribbling on their voting slips.

 Chapter 196 â€“ Contending in Business or Love

    <h4>Chapter 196 ¨C Contending in Business or Love</h4>

    Some of the shareholders switched allegiance and decided to support Leng Xiyao after hearing what she had to say. With the addition of the older shareholders who were already on her side, she had quite a few supporters now.

    The votes were finally being counted, and no one had expected it to be a tie.

    Just as everyone started discussing the results and on how the tiebreaker should be held, Leng Haoyun suddenly stood up.

    What he said next shocked everyone.

    ¡°I¡¯m willing to give up the position of Chairman and vote for Miss An!¡±

    His words were like a sudden disturbance to a calm body of water, instantly creating huge ripples on its surface.

    Nobody could believe their ears!

    They thought that Leng Haoyun had been biding his time for the past five years before finally deciding to strike at the most opportune moment, but it came as a surprise to all of them that he wanted to give it up when he was already so close to taking over the entire An Group!

    Bewilderment appeared on everyone¡¯s faces, while Leng Xiyao smirked.

    She shot Leng Haoyun a cold, indifferent gaze.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to thank President Leng then!¡±

    She then looked around at the shareholders.

    ¡°Since the results are out, I¡¯ll be taking over as Chairman. I¡¯m willing to hold a re-election if Grandpa wakes up. I¡¯ll being into thepany tomorrow to have a look at everything, and I hope for the best for our group!¡±

    Leng Xiyao turned to leave immediately after speaking.

    Leng Haoyun followed right behind her.

    Instead of walking towards the elevator, Leng Xiyao headed towards the stairs, as if she had already expected for him to do that.

    She did not want to be aughing stock in front of everyone.

    She was determined to portray and maintain her image of a strong and resolute leader in order to convince all the shareholders that she was the right choice!

    <i>I think I could¡¯ve done better if I drove here instead of hailing a cab. This was a miscalction on my part. Wouldn¡¯t I be the joke if I keep sitting in cabs as the Chairman!</i>

    A tiny smirk formed on her lips as she continued in an unhurried manner towards the stairs.

    Just as she was about to take the first step down, a hoarse, emotional voice spoke.

    ¡°Yao!¡±

    Leng Xiyao stopped in her tracks for a moment before continuing on her way.

    Leng Haoyun was suddenly desperate.

    ¡°Yao!¡±

    Leng Xiyao did not stop at all this time. She continued walking down the stairs as if she did not hear a thing.

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s eyes narrowed. <i>She¡¯s not going to stop.</i>

    He then grabbed the handrail as a pivot and jumped to the bottom of the stairs.

    In the next second, Leng Xiyao saw him standing right in front of her. His expression was abination of guilt, joy and resignation.

    ¡°Yao...¡±

    Seeing no other possible escape to this encounter, Leng Xiyao spoke to him coldly.

    ¡°President Leng must have gotten the wrong person. I¡¯m Anne, not Yao. Please make way!¡±

    Leng Haoyun was stupefied.<i>?She wouldn¡¯t treat me like this if she didn¡¯t know me.</i>

    <i>If she really didn¡¯t know me, she would probably just be hostile towards me.</i>

    <i>But I can feel such a strong sense of resentment directed at me!</i>

    He knew that she med him for everything, but to him, the heavens had been extraordinarily merciful by allowing her to live. He did not ask for anything else, but he could not stand the fact that she practically ignored his existence. The pain he felt for the past five years was already a great punishment.

    He could not bear to lose her again.

    Leng Haoyun suddenly reached out to touch Leng Xiyao on her shoulder.

    ¡°Yao, listen to me. I didn¡¯t do it on purpose at the time, I didn¡¯t know that you were...¡±

    Leng Xiyao cut him off before he could finish, her voiceced with anger.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about you, but please address me as Miss An, President Leng. Stop telling me about things that I don¡¯t know about!¡±

    She continued after taking a breath. ¡°I don¡¯t wish to listen to that. Do you understand, President Leng?¡±

    Disappointment showed on Leng Haoyun¡¯s face. <i>Will she never forgive me?</i>

    He did not want to give up so easily, but her attitude greatly dismayed him.

    ¡°Yao, please listen to my exnation. I really can¡¯t live without you. I didn¡¯t know you were pregnant then...¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s calm facade turned into ire instantly.

    ¡°Can¡¯t live without me¡­ then why didn¡¯t you do anything when I tried to make you stay? Why didn¡¯t you listen to my exnation then? Things wouldn¡¯t have turned out this way otherwise. Pregnant? That child and the Leng Xiyao of the past have already died. I¡¯ll say this again. Anne is the one who¡¯s alive now, and as for that fool who loved you, Leng Xiyao, she was shot and killed at your wedding. Do you understand?¡±

    Leng Haoyun staggered backwards at her words.

    His lips paled.<i>?Was Yao really dead?</i>

    <i>She would never know that he had already lost the fight the moment she appeared before him!</i>

    Leng Xiyao nced at him coldly. ¡°If you couldn¡¯t live without me, then you wouldn¡¯t have tried to take over the An Group!¡±

    What she just said was akin tonding a final blow on Leng Haoyun as he copsed on the floor in shock.

    Leng Xiyao took another look at the lifeless Leng Haoyun, who was now sitting in a daze on the stairs, before she continued her way downwards.

    Leng Haoyun spoke slowly, his voice sounded like it was sapped of all hope and strength. She was the only one who could affect him so.

    ¡°Do you know that I¡¯ve lost the very moment I saw you appear in the meeting room. Do you know that I did all this for you? Everything I¡¯ve taken, it¡¯s all yours. I¡¯d fight anyone but you. If only I had known, if only I knew that you were Anne...¡±

    Leng Haoyun gritted his teeth in self-mockery.

    ¡°There¡¯s no room for regret now!¡±

    Leng Xiyao paused at what he said.

    If only she had known, she would never have fallen in love with him, and it would never have caused the tragedy five years ago. Her grandfather would not be lying in aa now, nor would Selina be confined to a wheelchair because of her.

    All of this happened because of her.

    Leng Xiyao ran out of the stairwell towards the corridor. She did not know what she would do next if this man was right in front of her.

    It had been five years, but his presence still affected her. <i>Am I really an idiot, or did I just love him too deeply?</i>

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s eyes drooped as he saw Leng Xiyao escape to the corridor.

    After sitting there for a while, he stood up and made a call on his mobile phone.

    ¡°Look into someone for me, Anne, the young miss of the An Group. I want all the information about her life for the past five years, take note, I mean everything! Get it to me fast!¡±

    Leng Haoyun then trudged downstairs after he ended the call.

    Five years ago, he tried to protect her in his own way, but it ended up hurting her, and it also caused him to eventually lose her. He was not going to make the same mistake this time. Since she had appeared before him, he would cherish this opportunity and protect her well. He was not going to let her leave him once more.

    ¡­¡­

    When Leng Xiyao arrived in the office the next day, there was an unwee visitor waiting for her in her office.

    Leng Haoyun sat on the sofa opposite her desk, still as a statue. He only looked up when Leng Xiyao opened the door.

    Displeasure flickered across Leng Xiyao¡¯s face.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Leng Haoyun stood up and looked at her calmly. He was no longer the emotional mess he was yesterday.

    ¡°To look for you!¡±

    Leng Xiyao walked over to her desk and took a seat. ¡°Fine. How can I help you, President Leng?¡±

    Leng Haoyun gave a tiny smirk. ¡°You addressed me as President Leng, so I¡¯m naturally here to discuss some work matters with you. There¡¯s a piece ofnd in A City which the government is eyeing, and they¡¯re nning to build arge za there. The initial design n is more or less ready, and The Unparalleled has already signed the construction deal on this. However, I¡¯ve been thinking, as the secondrgest shareholder of An Group, I¡¯ll have to make some contribution to thepany as well. So, I¡¯m thinking of handing this project over to the An Group. How about that?¡±

    Leng Xiyao frowned and looked at him purposefully.

    ¡°You¡¯re willing to hand such a big project over to the An Group?¡±

    Leng Haoyun then asked, ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Leng Xiyao fell silent. She knew that the project looked extremely beneficial on the surface, but she was not aware of the nitty gritty details, so it may possibly be a trap!

    ¡°What? Afraid I would lie to you? Don¡¯t forget that this would affect me as well. And since you¡¯ve just joined thepany, how are you going to convince everyone of your abilities if you don¡¯t show some results?¡±

    What Leng Haoyun said indeed made sense.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s brows creased as she pondered over this.

    ¡°How about I let you know tomorrow?¡±

    Leng Haoyun smiled. ¡°Sure!¡±

    Leng Xiyao immediately sent her subordinates to look into that project after he left.

    On the other hand, Leng Haoyun received a call right after stepping out of the An Group¡¯s building.

    He learnt of a shocking piece of news.

    Leng Xiyao had been living with a little boy for all these years, and he had seen that boy once. His name was An Yichen, the very same boy he saw at Pin Xiang Xuan yesterday.

    There was a gnawing feeling in Leng Haoyun¡¯s chest, but he refused to believe that there would be such coincidences in this world.

    <i>If that boy is four, then he¡­ might be his child. But if that¡¯s the case, why didn¡¯t she tell me about it and choose to raise the boy alone instead?</i>

    <i>She must have gone through so much for the past few years. </i>Leng Haoyun¡¯s heart jolted as he recalled that the boy said he did not have a father.<i> I need to see that boy now!</i>

 Chapter 197 â€“ A Family of Three Having a Meal

    <h4>Chapter 197 ¨C A Family of Three Having a Meal</h4>

    Leng Haoyun stood right outside the entrance of the An family home, afraid to step in. How would he exin to An Yichen if what he suspected was true?

    A mere child should not have to bear the brunt of what happened between him and Leng Xiyao.

    Leng Haoyun paced to and fro for a while before finally picking up the courage to enter the house.

    A domestic helper stopped him at the door.?She looked at Leng Haoyun cautiously. ¡°Who are you? What are you doing here?¡±

    After a moment of contemtion, Leng Haoyun said, ¡°Is Young Master at home? Miss An asked me toe over and take him out for a while. She said that she wouldn¡¯t have the time to keep himpany for these few days.¡±

    The helper did not trust him, and she continued to regard him with suspicion.?¡°Really?¡±

    A young voice spoke before Leng Haoyun could answer.

    ¡°Uncle Leng, why are you here?¡±

    The helper turned to look at An Baobei. ¡°Do you know him, Young Master?¡±

    An Baobei nodded. ¡°Mm, I know him!¡±

    He then said, ¡°Go on ahead, I want to talk to Uncle Leng!¡±

    The helper looked at him as she was put in a difficult position. She did not dare to disregard his instructions, since the boy was the only male heir in the An family.

    She left unwillingly, ncing back to the both of them from time to time as she walked into the house.

    An Baobei looked up at Leng Haoyun only after the helper had entered the house.

    ¡°You came looking for me?¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Leng Haoyun nodded. ¡°I¡¯m here to look for you!¡±

    An Baobei frowned, looking mature beyond his years. ¡°How did you know I live here?¡±

    Leng Haoyun was caught unawares by his question, but he answered steadily. ¡°That¡¯s because I know your mummy!¡±

    ¡°You are?¡± An Baobei looked at him as he wondered about this, his disposition just like that of an adult.

    ¡°I¡¯m a shareholder of the An Group, and I¡¯ve known your mummy for a long time!¡±

    ¡°How long?¡±

    ¡°Probably from the day she was born!¡±

    An Baobei¡¯s brows furrowed deeply. ¡°That¡¯s long. Why didn¡¯t she tell me about you then?¡±

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s eyes dimmed slightly. He then looked at An Baobei with all his sincerity. ¡°That¡¯s because I didn¡¯t know she was pregnant with you five years ago, and she might be ming me for that.¡±

    ¡°Then, why are you here today?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to take you out for a while. Do you want toe with me?¡± Leng Haoyun decided to be honest with the boy. He did not want to lie to the boy even though he was still a child, and Leng Haoyun wanted to cherish every moment spent with him, because he knew that the boy would not leave Leng Xiyao¡¯s side in future.

    She was an obsession of his, and that would never change.

    Leng Haoyun could tell that An Baobei was tempted by his offer, and that conflicted expression of his looked extremely adorable.

    It was obvious that the boy wanted to go, but he was also afraid to do so because Leng Haoyun was still a stranger who might do him harm.

    Leng Haoyun pondered for a moment before handing his mobile phone to the boy. ¡°How about this, you give your mummy a call and see if she allows you toe y with me?¡±

    An Baobei looked at the phone as thoughts raced through his mind. <i>If I told Mummy, she would probably disagree anyway.</i>

    He then nodded. ¡°Okay! Can you take me to the amusement park then? Mummy can¡¯t apany me on some of the rides, so could you apany me for those?¡±

    Leng Haoyun broke out in a smile. He would love to do so!

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Uncle Leng will take you there now!¡±

    Leng Haoyun looked at An Baobei when they were on their way, and he finally asked the boy, ¡°How old are you?¡±

    An Baobei looked cautiously at him. ¡°Why do you want to know?¡±

    A tiny smirk formed on Leng Haoyun¡¯s lips. <i>This child has such a guarded nature.</i>

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I was just curious!¡± He then kept his eyes on the road and continued driving.

    An Baobei was no fool. He could tell that this man was definitely his mum¡¯s acquaintance.

    However, the man did not seem to harbor any ill intentions towards him, so he agreed to go out with him.

    To keep his mum from worrying, he switched on the location tracker on his phone so that she would still be able to locate him.

    He then began thinking about all the rides that he could sit onter, looking forward to those that he could not enjoy when he visited with his mum yesterday.

    Leng Xiyao studied the project Leng Haoyun mentioned for the entire morning, looking at the details of its profit and loss margin, and what issues they might face during the construction process.

    After an entire morning of thorough research, she decided to take up the project eventually.

    She gave the An family home a call during lunch.

    It was the domestic helper who answered, and she told Leng Xiyao that there was a gentleman who took her son out to y, and it sounded like he addressed the man as ¡®Uncle Leng¡¯.

    Leng Xiyao paled at this. She already knew that Leng Haoyun would look into what happened these past five years and it was inevitable that he would find out about everything once she decided topete with him out in the open.

    She knew that An Baobei¡¯s existence could not be kept a secret forever, but she did not expect for Leng Haoyun to be so quick! He had found An Baobei on the very next day after she made her reappearance!

    Leng Xiyao would have never thought that Leng Haoyun had already met An Baobei on the very day they returned to the country.

    She opened the location tracking application and it showed An Baobei¡¯s current location.

    An Baobei had the habit of switching on the location tracker on his phone whenever they were out, so she would be able to locate him wherever he was.

    <i>Although he¡¯s still a child, he is very guarded against strangers. How did Leng Haoyun convince him to leave?</i>

    Leng Xiyao was puzzled. <i>Could it really be because blood is thicker than water?</i>

    Leng Xiyao left the office in a hurry and made her way towards the amusement park.

    An Baobei was at the very same park they visited a day ago.

    Slight regret filled her as she thought about what happened. <i>He¡¯s just a child, I should¡¯ve just taken him on the rides he wanted to try.</i>

    ----

    Leng Haoyun spent the whole day at the amusement park with An Baobei. Everyone who passed themplimented An Baobei, and they were even approached by a talent scout who tried to convince the both of them to be in amercial.

    Leng Haoyun did not want to do so, and he politely declined.

    However, the scout kept showering them withpliments, saying that both father and son looked dashing!

    Leng Haoyun was rather pleased, but An Baobei looked at him in confusion.<i>?Father and son? Do I look like Uncle Leng?</i>

    Initially, Leng Haoyun wanted to do a DNA test with the boy, but he scrapped the idea in the end.

    Even if An Baobei was his son, if Leng Xiyao was unwilling, he would not fight her over the rights to raise the child either. What he wanted was to be together with her and the child.

    So, he decided not to take any action and to let Leng Xiyao tell him only when she was ready.

    Although she could not forgive him as yet, he believed that he would be able to move her one day!

    Right after Leng Xiyao arrived at the amusement park, she realized that the location tracker indicated Pin Xiang Xuan instead.

    Frustration flickered across Leng Xiyao¡¯s face. She wanted to vent it on someone else right at this moment. In the past five years, it was rare for her to have such an outburst of emotion.

    When Leng Xiyao arrived at Pin Xiang Xuan, Leng Haoyun and An Baobei were seated at the same table they were at when they visited before. Leng Haoyun was helping An Baobei remove the bones from the fish.

    Leng Xiyao felt a wave of sadness wash over her as she looked upon this scene.

    She saw An Baobei look at Leng Haoyun with those bright and clear eyes that were full of admiration. She wanted to cry. She simply couldn¡¯t provide An Baobei with what Leng Haoyun could give him!

    But...

    She was still in a daze when Leng Haoyun caught sight of her.

    He looked at An Baobei. ¡°Look who¡¯s here?¡±

    An Baobei saw Leng Xiyao as he turned to look, joy overflowing from him in an instant as he ran towards her.

    ¡°Mummy, you¡¯re here!¡±

    Leng Xiyao put on a serious face. ¡°An Yichen, didn¡¯t I tell you to be careful of strangers? Are you going to just leave with anyone?¡±

    An Baobei was filled with guilt when he saw Leng Xiyao get angry, and he was almost crying.

    ¡°Mummy, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose!¡±

    Leng Haoyun then walked over.

    He looked at Leng Xiyao. ¡°Yao, are we strangers?¡±

    Leng Xiyao pulled An Baobei to her and looked at Leng Haoyun angrily. ¡°Are we not? Who allowed you to get close to my son? Also, I¡¯ve said this countless times. I¡¯m Anne. Leng Xiyao is dead, she¡¯s dead! Why don¡¯t you understand?¡±

    Leng Haoyun did not have much reaction to what she said and he looked calm as he reached out to An Baobei and carried him up.

    He then looked back at Leng Xiyao, continuing stubbornly, ¡°Yao, you¡¯re my Yao, and I¡¯m never going to change that. Since the boy is here, shall we finish the meal before we discuss other matters?¡±

    Guilt instantly assailed her as Leng Xiyao looked at An Baobei¡¯s frightened expression. She had been too emotional and impulsive, and it had inadvertently frightened An Baobei.

    She nodded after a moment of contemtion.

    ¡°Call me whatever you want, it¡¯s nothing but a name anyway!¡±

    She then walked towards the table.

    Leng Haoyun stroked An Baobei¡¯s hair as he mumbled to himself, ¡°Then don¡¯t harp on it so much!¡±

    He shook his head in resignation as he carried An Baobei back to the table.

    Leng Xiyao ate peacefully, as if nothing had happened.

    An Baobei also ate in silence, as if he was afraid Leng Xiyao would get angry again.

    Leng Xiyao looked at An Baobei and picked up some of his favourite food for him.

    An Baobei stole a nce at Leng Xiyao, breaking into a wide smile as he quickly picked up the food she ced in his bowl and ate it. He looked so full of joy in that moment.

    Leng Xiyao continued with her meal, feeling rather bad about herself.

    <i>I must have scared An Baobei earlier!</i>

 Chapter 198 â€“ Your Focus is All Wrong

    <h4>Chapter 198 ¨C Your Focus is All Wrong</h4>

    Leng Xiyao stood up to leave immediately after the meal. Seeing his mum get up, An Baobei followed suit and quickly chased after her.

    Leng Haoyun shook his head at this. He got up slowly and followed after the both of them.

    Although she had changed greatly, that obstinance in her was still very apparent!

    Hearing her son follow after her, Leng Xiyao lips turned up in a loving smile. <i>My baby knows exactly what to do!</i>

    She reached out to take An Baobei¡¯s pudgy little hand.

    An Baobei broke into a smile instantly and looked up at her. <i>Phew! Mummy isn¡¯t angry with me!</i>

    As they exited Pin Xiang Xuan, warmth flooded Leng Haoyun¡¯s heart as he watched the two of them. It felt as if his empty heart was instantly filled with thefort he had been seeking for the past five years.

    Leng Xiyao settled An Baobei in the car before she turned back to look at Leng Haoyun.

    He looked much younger as he stood there in his white shirt and grey jogger pants.

    There was a saying that males bloomed like a flower when they are forty, and he was definitely blessed by the heavens in this aspect. He did not change much even after so many years.

    Even now, he was able to attract looks of admiration from passersby.

    She noticed that some young girls even stole second nces at him from time to time.

    He stood there unmoving as all his attention was ced on no one but Leng Xiyao alone.

    In all honesty, she did me him for what happened. If he had chosen differently then, things may be very different now.

    Leng Xiyao stood there looking at him, her expression betraying nothing.

    Leng Haoyun sighed and made his way towards her.

    When he reached her, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s sit down and have a proper chat!¡±

    Leng Xiyao nced at An Baobei, who was in the car. She said, ¡°No, Baobei is still in the car. I can¡¯t leave him alone there. Let¡¯s just talk here!¡±

    Leng Haoyun observed her, trying to find cracks in her facade. But he realized that she was entirely different from the Leng Xiyao of the past, who used to have everything written clearly on her face.

    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go to my car instead. It¡¯s¡­ not very good to stand right here on the road!¡±

    Leng Xiyao nodded after a moment. She could be considered a public figure now, and if she ended up quarelling with Leng Haoyun in the open, rumors would start flying everywhere if reporters caught them. This would only be detrimental to thepany¡¯s overall image.

    Leng Haoyun remained silent after the both of them got into his car.

    Leng Xiyao decided to keep quiet as well. She wanted to see how he would start the conversation since he was the one who initiated this. <i>I won¡¯t be the one giving away this time!</i>

    <i>I¡¯ve had enough! I couldn¡¯t be with the one I loved five years ago, and when I found out that there was in fact nothing that prevented us from getting together, he chose to be with An Huilin instead. Wasn¡¯t that just a huge p in my face?</i>

    After she got shot, she felt like she was just a fool for the past ten years for harboring those feelings!

    As if he felt the anger emanating from Leng Xiyao, Leng Haoyun quickly spoke.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Leng Xiyao kept her eyes on the car in front of them instead of looking at him as she asked, ¡°Go on, what¡¯s up?¡±

    Leng Haoyun was rather stunned. Leng Xiyao then turned to him. ¡°What do you want to talk about? Our story ended five years ago. What are you trying to do by approaching me and my son?¡±

    Leng Haoyun gazed at her deeply. ¡°Is An Yichen my son?¡±

    There was a subtle change in Leng Xiyao¡¯s expression. She fell silent because she knew this could not be kept a secret forever. The child¡¯s age fits, and the fact that they are indeed rted could not be changed.

    Leng Haoyun frowned. ¡°Does your silence mean you¡¯re admitting to it? But I¡¯d like to hear you say it!¡±

    Leng Xiyao got impatient and stared at Leng Haoyun angrily. ¡°Leng Haoyun, what do you want? So what if he is? Even if the both of you are rted, he is only my son, and he is the only reason I was able to continue living these past five years. But all you want to know is that if he¡¯s your son?¡±

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s brows furrowed deeper.

    ¡°Yao! If he¡¯s my son, are you going to deny the fact that you gave birth to him because you still loved me? That you gave birth to him for me?¡±

    Leng Xiyao gave a mockingugh.

    ¡°Leng Haoyun, who do you think you are? So what if he is your son? You really think that you can do whatever you want just because I had feelings for you, like five years ago? I¡¯ll tell you now, love is nothing to me!¡±

    ¡°Do you think I can forgive you when Selina¡¯s still in a wheelchair, and when my grandfather is in aa? Or do you think that there¡¯s a chance that I may still ept you and that we might be able to get together? Leng Haoyun, you¡¯ve gotten so naive after five years!¡±

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s expression turned grim.

    He then asked, ¡°So, you¡¯re admitting that he¡¯s my son then?¡±

    Leng Xiyao felt exasperated. It felt like she was preaching to deaf ears.

    <i>Leng Haoyun, what are you even thinking? Did you even listen to what I just said?</i>

    <i>Why is he cing the focus elsewhere!</i>

    Leng Xiyao felt that even the most dignified individual would get annoyed at Leng Haoyun.

    ¡°Leng Haoyun, were you even listening to me? Do you know what my point was? Even if he¡¯s your son, us getting together is impossible. Do you understand? Please don¡¯te looking for me again, okay?¡±

    Hearing Leng Xiyao tell him not to look for her again made him rather upset.

    After a while, he said, ¡°I can¡¯t do it...¡±

    Leng Xiyao was furious now. ¡°Leng Haoyun, just what do you want?¡±

    Seeing her anger, Leng Haoyun felt guilty all of a sudden. His head drooped like a child who did something wrong.

    ¡°I won¡¯t disturb you. I¡¯ll take care of everything that you think is preventing us from getting together, and I¡¯ll look for you only after I¡¯ve ?settled everything. During this time, you can oversee thend in the city¡¯s east and start on the construction work. You don¡¯t have to think too much into it. I¡¯ve already taken care of everything regarding that piece ofnd, and there are basically no problems at all, also...¡±

    He paused shortly before continuing, ¡°You just need to know one thing, that is the fact that I will never hurt you. Everything I do, I do with the intention of protecting you, and I would never hurt you on purpose!¡±

    There was a subtle change in Leng Xiyao¡¯s expression before she alighted the car.

    She never knew how he felt and he had never told her that he loved her. But they already have a child, and even though he had never said explicitly that he had feelings for her, he had always been helping her.

    She knew all this, but pretended to not care about it. What else could she do about this?

    There was nothing she could do now, and all she wanted to focus on was to protect what her grandfather had painstakingly built throughout the years.

    In the days that followed, Leng Xiyao¡¯s time was preupied by the construction project in the city¡¯s east. To prevent any mishaps and mistakes, she would even personally visit the site at times.

    Leng Haoyun kept his promise. Just like what he said, he did not bother her after that day.

    She heard that he left the country, and she did not think too much about it either. She did not have any say over what he wanted to do anyway.

    She settled An Baobei into a local school as well.

    The boy seemed rather upset on the first day of school, but he seemed to enjoy going to school more and more as the days passed.

    Leng Xiyao was relieved when she saw how much he looked forward to school.

    An uneventful month passed just like this.

    Leng Xiyao was looking through some documents at work one day.

    As Chairman, she did not have toe into the office daily. But because of her young age, some of the directors still doubted her ability.

    So, she put her heart and soul into thepany and took care of all matters to the best of her ability. She would be able to rx a little afterpleting the za project.

    Her phone rang shortly after she asked her secretary to order lunch.

    She quickly picked up the call seeing that it was from the doctor taking care of her grandfather.

    She could not believe what the doctor told her.

    ¡°Miss An, your grandfather had woken up for a bit, but because he¡¯s still very weak, he fell asleep soon after. If you have time,e over and visit him. He probably misses you a lot. He kept holding onto me when he woke up, asking about you!¡±

    Leng Xiyao nodded profusely at this. She almost cried at the news.

    Her eyes welled up with tears.

    She had prayed for this moment for the past five years. The heavens had finally answered, and her grandfather had finally woken up.

    Without hesitation, Leng Xiyao asked her secretary to book the earliest flight to Ennd!

    She did not have lunch before her flight, but she did not have the appetite to finish the on-board meal after just one mouthful either.

    After arriving, she immediately hailed a cab and headed for the hospital!

    Old Man An was all Leng Xiyao could think about, but what she did not realize was that there was too much of a coincidence.

    Leng Haoyun disappeared after she told him about what happened to Old Man An, and her grandfather woke up a monthter.

    She never thought that these could be linked, until she saw the man at the hospital.

    Leng Haoyun stood outside the entrance of the hospital, looking at her.

    He was the first person Leng Xiyao saw when she arrived.

    In that very moment, her heart seemed to skip a beat. Everything seemed to fall into ce now...

 Chapter 199 â€“ Youâ€™ll Always Get Hurt in Love

    <h4>Chapter 199 ¨C You¡¯ll Always Get Hurt in Love</h4>

    Leng Xiyao took cautious steps towards him. If she guessed right, he was the one who made this happen.

    <i>Was he here trying to find ways to help Grandpa when he was out of the country??</i><i>But how did he aplish something that I couldn¡¯t for the past five years?</i>

    As Leng Xiyao got closer to Leng Haoyun, her grandfather¡¯s doctor, Professor Lan, stepped out.

    He looked at Leng Xiyao in pleasant surprise.

    ¡°Miss An, you¡¯re here! It¡¯s all thanks to this gentleman that your grandfather was able to wake up! He organized a seminar for a group of experts on this, and even invited an old physician who practiced traditional chinese medicine to do acupuncture on your grandfather. I thought it wouldn¡¯t help at first, but after about ten days or so, your grandfather actually woke up. Isn¡¯t that amazing? Miss An,e in quickly!¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked at Leng Haoyun,plex emotions whirling in her heart.

    She followed Professor Lan to the ward her grandfather was in.

    Since he had regained consciousness, there was no more need for some of the machines, and he could already eat normally.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s heart hurt as she saw that haggard and sallow face on her grandfather.<i>?Grandpa, you¡¯ve suffered so much these past five years. It¡¯s my fault for being ipetent and for not being able to find ways to help you wake up!</i>

    Professor Lan was behind her. He sighed at the absolute miracle he was able to witness. It was highly unlikely for stroke patients who had been in aa for five years to be able to wake up.

    But Leng Haoyun made it happen.

    Leng Haoyun asked him not to tell Leng Xiyao about it when the former first approached him, and Professor Lan was hesitant about it initially, but after seeing that Leng Haoyun sincerely wanted to help the old man regain consciousness, Professor Lan let him try his methods. He did not think that Leng Haoyun would actually be able to seed.

    It was a miracle in the medical field!

    Leng Xiyao sat at Old Man An¡¯s bedside for a while before she got up and went to Leng Haoyun.

    She said, ¡°Come out, let¡¯s talk!¡±

    A slight smile appeared on Leng Haoyun¡¯s face.

    It was her who initiated the conversation this time.

    <i>My efforts have not been wasted!</i>

    The two of them exited the hospital and walked on the pavement.

    After a while, Leng Xiyao spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll have to thank you this time. I¡¯m really d that Grandpa could wake up, and of course, I¡¯m grateful to you!¡±

    Leng Haoyun answered her seriously, ¡°Yao, you should know that I don¡¯t need you to thank me for this. Your problems are mine too, and if you wish for your grandfather to wake up, that would also be my wish. I would help you fulfil what you wish for!¡±

    Leng Xiyao turned to look at him. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know how I should be addressing you now. Should I be calling you Uncle, or President Leng, or Leng Haoyun? Whatever is between us isn¡¯t a problem that can be solved so easily!¡±

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s expression turned a degree colder. ¡°Then how do we solve it? You¡¯re the one who said we can¡¯t be together because of Grandpa An and Selina. So, what if I help them get well? I can do anything for you! Can¡¯t you give me a chance?¡±

    A sudden wave of sadness washed over Leng Haoyun as he looked at her. ¡°Do you know that I¡¯m willing to do anything for you? What I¡¯m afraid of is that you¡¯re unable to ept my feelings, or if something happened to you. Do you know how I lived my life these past five years? You disappeared and made me think that you were really dead. I couldn¡¯t sleep at all for the past five years.¡±

    ¡°I remember seeing you get shot over the security cameras, and that image has already been burnt into my brain, it¡¯s something that I can never forget! I¡¯ve been tortured relentlessly by that pain. If you still have some feelings for me, why don¡¯t you give us a chance? Do you need me to dig my heart out for you? Or are you still mulling over the fact that I chose to get married?¡±

    Tears had already welled up in Leng Xiyao¡¯s eyes, but hearing him mention his marriage and all that happened five years ago, everything seemed to rey itself in her mind.

    She regarded Leng Haoyun coldly.

    ¡°I admit that I¡¯m upset about all that, but after five years, my heart had been hardened like steel. It¡¯s stronger than what you imagine it to be. Nobody is able to break it down, not even myself. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not giving you a chance, it¡¯s that I didn¡¯t even think about giving myself a chance. Get it now?¡±

    ¡°What about An Yichen? The child is innocent. Don¡¯t you want to give him aplete family?¡± Leng Haoyun looked incredulously at Leng Xiyao.

    He never expected for Leng Xiyao to be this cold-hearted. She was no longer the Leng Xiyao who cared deeply for him.

    But he was the one who had destroyed everything between them!

    Leng Xiyao paused for a moment.

    ¡°I know that Baobei is still a child. You can still give him fatherly love. You can always go back and tell him that you¡¯re his dad, or I can tell him that, it doesn¡¯t matter. If you wish, you cane over to visit him anytime. I won¡¯t object to that!¡±

    Leng Haoyun was dumbstruck by what she just said. <i>She isn¡¯t willing to give me a chance no matter what?</i>

    He then asked, ¡°I never thought you could be this cruel and heartless. Was I really wrong? Was I wrong to want to protect you?¡±

    Leng Xiyao turned to him. ¡°No! You weren¡¯t at fault. It was my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have fallen in love with you. It¡¯s because I fell for you that everything happened!¡±

    Her words felt like a thousand arrows piercing his heart. Leng Haoyun paled instantly. <i>Was falling in love with me a mistake from the beginning?</i>

    <i>Why do I feel so upset! Was it because I loved her too deeply?</i>

    <i>How can she be so cruel? Did she have to inflict all that pain on me again before she is satisfied?</i>

    If that was really what she wanted, he would dly ept it.

    Leng Xiyao did not want to see Leng Haoyun like this. To her, he was always that cold, imposing individual who would never show a flicker of emotion no matter what happened.

    He was always the brightest star among the crowd, able to attract everyone¡¯s attention.

    She did not want him to change for her, and she knew that they could not turn back time either. She already made her choice five years ago when she chose to leave and pretend she was dead.

    It was close to impossible for anyone to try to change her mind after these five years.

    <i>Why did he have to force himself into a corner like this? Isn¡¯t it good for all of us that we¡¯re separated?</i>

    She spoke through gritted teeth. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to do anything else. I¡¯ve told you, Leng Xiyao is dead, but you¡¯re the one who refuses to believe it!¡±

    Her back was towards him as she continued.

    ¡°You can go visit An Baobei in future. An Baobei is his nickname, don¡¯t keep calling him An Yichen. He might end up feeling upset if he finds out that you¡¯re his dad but you keep calling his full name like an outsider would. I have to go take care of Grandpa now. Before I return, you can take care of An Baobei. I¡¯ll let the An family back at home know about this arrangement. You can choose to tell An Baobei the truth in whatever way you deem fit. I won¡¯t mind it if you tell him the truth!¡±

    Leng Xiyao turned back into the hospital after speaking.

    Her tears fell as she walked. This was thergest leeway she could allow.

    Even if Grandpa woke up, she still could not face up to herself. She could not convince herself to do otherwise with Selina still in that state. It was all because of her that Selina ended up paralyzed. If she did not insist on going to that wedding, nothing like that would have happened.

    It was no longer an issue of whether she could forgive Leng Haoyun.

    <i>Then again, what did he do wrong? If he didn¡¯t like me and chose to get married with An Huilin, would that be wrong too?</i>

    <i>The problem lies with me!</i>

    Leng Haoyun went back home shortly after they had that conversation.

    They did not meet for a long time after that.

    She was not aware of how Leng Haoyun broke the news to An Baobei, but before she returned with her grandfather, the boy already knew that Leng Haoyun was his father.

    Leng Xiyao did not ask about it, nor did she want to know about it. An Baobei did not say much, but she could tell he was very happy.

    Everytime Leng Haoyun picked him up, he parked his car outside of the An family home, never taking a step into the house. It was like she said, she did not mind him visiting the child, but it was impossible between them, so he did not meet her.

    Leng Xiyaoughed inwardly at herself. <i>This arrangement isn¡¯t all that bad either!</i>

    Leng Haoyun kept an eptable distance from her, but he would remind her of his presence from time to time.

    An indescribable emotion would well up in Leng Xiyao¡¯s heart every time she saw An Baobei rushing out to meet him.

    <i>Is he going to ignore Mummy now that he has Daddy??</i>She felt that An Baobei was getting more and more cheerful, just like how children his age should be. While she was getting a little more downcast as days went by.

    Just as Leng Haoyun was preparing to go pick up An Baobei one day, the mental institution called.

    An Huilin had gone missing!

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s heart almost stopped. <i>How could she have escaped?</i>

    It felt more fishy the more he thought about it. An Huilin has been in there for five years with no issues, so why was she suddenly able to escape now? He could not help but suspect that she already knew that Yao was back in the country.

    He suspected that she knew Yao was alive, and that she was now the only rightful heir of the An family.

    <i>That must be it!</i>

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s concern grew by the second. He thus called An Baobei to postpone their day out.

    ¡°Baobei, Daddy has something to take care of, so I can¡¯t pick you up today. Sorry about that!¡±

    ¡°Mm, okay!¡± He could tell from An Baobei¡¯s voice that he was a little upset.

    Guilt assailed Leng Haoyun instantly.

    ¡°Baobei, Daddy wille pick you up next time and I¡¯ll bring you to y with the little girl at the Ye¡¯s. I¡¯ll invite them over for a meal too, okay?¡±

    An Baobei brightened up the moment he heard about the little girl at the Ye¡¯s.

    ¡°Okay!¡±

 Chapter 200 â€“ This is Fate

    <h4>Chapter 200 ¨C This is Fate</h4>

    Leng Haoyun was defenceless against that boy.

    The little girl from the Ye family was Mo Yanxi, one of the Ye twins.

    Mo Suqing gave birth to a twin boy and girl, and Ye Zhongjue named them Ye Yanchen and Mo Yanxi. They were born on September 6th, so the girl¡¯s nickname was Xiaoliu, while the boy¡¯s nickname was A¡¯jiu.

    It was a miracle that they survived. They were very premature, and Jian Jie had kicked Mo Suqing in the stomach before she gave birth.

    It was also because of the kids that Ye Zhongjue could pull through all these years.?Leng Haoyun and Ye Zhongjue had gotten much closer during this time, maybe because they could sympathize with each other.

    Leng Haoyun brought An Baobei to the Leng¡¯s vi one day, and?Ye Zhongjue just so happened to take the twins there for a visit as well.

    An Baobei could not stop smiling from the very moment heid eyes on Mo Yanxi.

    Leng Haoyun found outter that his son and Mo Yanxi were actually ssmates, and that he loved to y with the girl in school.

    He sighed inwardly to himself. <i>Is this fate?</i>

    He realized that the boy would look rather downcast if Mo Yanxi was not there when they returned to the Leng¡¯s vi.

    Leng Haoyun wondered to himself,<i>?Is this really fated to be? I¡¯m his father but I¡¯m literally being ignored.</i>

    Fortunately, his son was growing closer and closer to him daily, and the boy was very willing to spend time with him.

    An Baobei was very mature for his age.

    Leng Haoyun picked him up everyday after he returned to the country. He asked the boy casually once, ¡°Do you wish that I was your dad?¡±

    But An Baobei actually answered, ¡°I know you¡¯re my dad!¡±

    At the time, Leng Haoyun was stunned at his reply, wondering how he found out.

    An Baobei then exined that he already had his suspicions from the beginning. He first saw a photo of Leng Haoyun in his mother¡¯s study, and he was able to meet Leng Haoyun in person after returning to the country.

    He started suspecting that Leng Haoyun was his father from then onwards.

    That day after their meal at Pin Xiang Xuan, he secretly made a call to his mother¡¯s mobile phone and left it in her pocket with the call connected before he entered the car. So, he had actually overheard their entire conversation, and he was simply waiting for them to tell him the truth.

    Leng Haoyun was rather astounded after listening to the boy¡¯s exnation.

    He never expected for a little boy to be so mature and calm, totally unlike children his age.

    Since the boy already knew, Leng Haoyun did not have to spend much time and effort exining it to him either. He had never actually thought of how he would go about revealing this to the boy.

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s lips turned up into a smile as he thought of An Baobei.

    His son and his lover, he won¡¯t give up either of them!

    Leng Haoyun ordered his men to search for An Huilin right after he ended the call with An Baobei.

    He suddenly regretted his decision of letting An Huilin live.

    He initially thought that she would not be able to hurt Yao anymore, since Yao was dead.

    So, if he let An Huilin die just like that, it would be a mercy for her.

    What he did not expect was that Leng Xiyao did not die, and that she would actually appear before him five yearster.

    This time, he would protect her at all costs!

    ----

    As Leng Haoyun was sweeping the entire city for An Huilin, Leng Xiyao saw her son¡¯s happy face and got curious.

    She led him to the sofa and sat the both of them down.

    ¡°You¡¯re so happy that Daddy¡¯sing to pick you up?¡±

    An Baobei frowned, unsure why she asked such a question. After a while, he realized that his mum was actually jealous!

    <i>What do I do? Mummy¡¯s jealous face is so cute!</i>

    <i>But it¡¯s because I¡¯m going to meet my future wife that I¡¯m so happy. How do I tell Mummy about this though!</i>

    Seeing Leng Xiyao look upset, An Baobei tugged on her hand and spoke seriously.

    ¡°Mummy, answer me this. If my wife and you both fell into the water, who do you want me to save first?¡±

    Leng Xiyao was puzzled at his question.

    <i>He¡¯s just a little boy and he¡¯s already talking about his wife?</i>

    ¡°Mummy, answer me!¡± An Baobei looked at Leng Xiyao in all seriousness.

    Leng Xiyao yfully pinched his chubby cheeks.

    ¡°To ensure you continue having a happy rtionship, I think it¡¯s better for you to go save your wife!¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t get angry, Mummy?¡±

    Leng Xiyao answered without hesitation, ¡°Why should I get angry? Mummy will just swim to the shore on my own!¡±

    An Baobei narrowed his eyes at her.

    ¡°Mummy, you don¡¯t have a sense of humor!¡±

    Leng Xiyao carried him up and ced him on herp.

    ¡°Then tell me why you¡¯re asking me that question. It has nothing to do with what I asked you at all!¡±

    An Baobeiughed suddenly.

    ¡°It does! I¡¯m going to Daddy¡¯s house to see my future wife!¡±

    ¡°Your future wife?!¡± Leng Xiyao¡¯s jaw dropped.

    ¡°Yes!¡± An Baobei answered seriously. ¡°It¡¯s because of my future wife that I¡¯m so happy about it. I don¡¯t want to y with Daddy, he doesn¡¯t know what children like. ying with him is not as fun as ying with my future wife!¡±

    Leng Xiyao was stunned. <i>He¡¯s thinking about his future wife already?</i>

    She then asked, ¡°Can you tell me who is the lucky girl my son has his eyes on?¡±

    In her heart, she was actually wondering to herself who the unlucky soul was. The kids were still too young!

    Just the thought of it made it seem sinful!

    An Baobei had a face full of excitement and happiness once he started talking about his future wife.

    ¡°It¡¯s the daughter of Daddy¡¯s friend. Her name is Mo Yanxi, and her nickname is Xiaoliu. Her name is so nice right?¡±

    An Baobei started pouting as he got reminded of something else.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that her older brother Ye Yanchen is always trying to find fault with me, he¡¯s so annoying. Every time I¡¯m ying with Xiaoliu, he would have a frown on his face and he would take Xiaoliu away!¡±

    Leng Xiyao was dumbstruck. <i>Why is my son so cute?</i>

    She then asked in curiosity, ¡°They have different surnames? One is Mo and the other is Ye?¡±

    They had the same surnames as Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue, and she felt that this was too much of a coincidence, but she did not think too much about it.

    Ceng Hanyu was the one who told her that Mo Suqing had lost her babies at that time.

    An Baobei did not know what was going through his mum¡¯s head, and he answered without hesitation, ¡°One of them has their mum¡¯s surname, while the other has their dad¡¯s surname!¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s her dad then?¡± Leng Xiyao asked without thinking.

    ¡°Uncle Ye Zhongjue. He¡¯s the big boss of a bigpany, just like Daddy!¡±

    Leng Xiyao was astonished. Twin boys and girls, one has the surname of the mother, while the other has the surname of the father. <i>Isn¡¯t this too much of a coincidence? Are they really Mo Suqing¡¯s children?</i>

    However, what she saw on television a few dayster killed all her suspicions - she saw Ye Zhongjue and Mo Sulian attend a banquet together.

    She chided Ye Zhongjue inwardly. <i>How could I forget about Mo Sulian!</i>

    <i>I¡¯ve never seen such a shameless slut! Why¡¯s she always out to snatch Suqing¡¯s men!</i>

    <i>Of course, there¡¯s no use saying all this now!</i>

    After asking An Baobei those questions, Leng Xiyao finally broached the main topic.

    ¡°Baobei, how did Daddy reveal the truth to you?¡±

    An Baobei looked at her, puzzled. ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who asked Daddy to tell me?¡±

    ¡°I let him tell you, but I don¡¯t know how he did it exactly.¡±

    ¡°Daddy didn¡¯t tell you?¡± An Baobei frowned. He seemed to only realize it now that the three of them had never gone out together after Leng Haoyun had revealed the truth to him.

    His parents had not seemed to have met after that either. An Baobei looked downcast as he thought about this.

    Leng Xiyaoughed dryly. ¡°That¡¯s because I didn¡¯t ask...¡±

    It was obvious that she was lying, and An Baobei knew it too, but he did not have the heart to call her out on it.

    ¡°Mummy, actually I already knew. I was the one who told Daddy about it, that I already knew he was my real father...¡±

    An Baobei then told Leng Xiyao about what happened on the day he overheard their conversation.

    Leng Xiyao was rather shocked to hear his exnation. She suddenly felt that her son had the potential to be a secret agent!

    He could actually connect a call and secretly put her phone into her pocket to eavesdrop on their conversation, and this was all done without her knowledge.

    She was rendered speechless!

    ¡­¡­

    In the An family home, Leng Xiyao continued asking An Baobei various questions. She suddenly felt as if she did not know her son well enough!

    On the other hand, Leng Haoyun was pulling out all stops to capture An Huilin. He dispatched the Red Kill personnel in A City, and he even asked for Ye Zhongjue¡¯s help on this.

    He knew that taking revenge on Leng Xiyao would be the only reason An Huilin escaped.

    However, there was still no news of her after they searched for two whole days.

    What he did not know was that An Huilin had been rather resolute even when she had beenmitted to the mental institution for the past five years. She told herself that she was there to take care of the mentally ill, and she kept telling herself that she was normal, and that she was only there to be a caregiver.

    Of course, she knew that this was Leng Haoyun¡¯s way of punishing her.

    He never would have expected for An Huilin to be able to remain sane after five years.

    One day, she came across a news report on television that said the richest man on the, An Zhenguo, had actually found his long-lost granddaughter five years ago. The report said she had been overseas all this time and had just returned to the country to oversee the An Group.

    The camera panned towards Anne after the report ended.

    An Huilin recognized that face immediately. It was Leng Xiyao.

    <sup>[1]</sup> ¡®Xiaoliu¡¯ means ¡®little six¡¯ while ¡®A¡¯jiu¡¯ means ¡®number nine¡¯.

 Chapter 201 â€“ More Worrying than My Son

    <h4>Chapter 201 ¨C More Worrying than My Son</h4>

    An Huilin would recognize Leng Xiyao anywhere, even if she turned into ashes.

    Her love for Leng Haoyun had already warped into a kind of possessive obsession.

    This was the reason she hated Leng Xiyao, but in her heart, Leng Xiyao was already dead.

    It was only until she saw the report that she realized Leng Xiyao was still alive, and that she was Uncle An¡¯s granddaughter. She could not take this lying down!

    An Huilin began plotting her escape from then on.

    There was heavy security in the mental institution, and it was almost impossible for her to escape the ce.

    She waited for two months before an opportunity finally came. She knocked out the janitor and escaped the institution.

    The current An Huilin was almost as mad as a hatter.

    <i>I won¡¯t let Leng Xiyao live this time.</i> This was the only thought that motivated her.

    Leng Haoyun could not locate An Huilin even after he swept through the entire A City.

    An Huilin had really hidden herself well this time. But he knew he had to find her before she did anything to Leng Xiyao, or else the distance between him and Leng Xiyao would only get further.

    ---

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s secretary entered her office in a panic as she was looking through some documents.

    ¡°Chairman An, something¡¯s happened at the construction site!¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked up calmly, repeating what her secretary just said to herself.

    ¡°Something¡¯s happened...¡± she mumbled, frowning.

    There was a feeling of foreboding in her chest. <i>We¡¯re building a za, so it¡¯s unlikely for any copses to ur, but if my secretary says this, then...</i>

    She tried to calm her secretary down.

    ¡°Don¡¯t panic, tell me everything slowly, and I¡¯ll see how we can take care of it!¡±

    Trying to calm down, the secretary said, ¡°Thend area of that za is huge, so there are some construction workers who basically live on-site. But one of them died suddenly yesterday night, and the cause of death is as yet unknown.¡±

    <i>A sudden and unnatural death!?</i>Leng Xiyao frowned. <i>Why would something like this happen!</i>

    ¡°I¡¯ll go on-site to take a look!¡± She stood up, grabbed her jacket and left immediately, her secretary following closely behind.

    Soon after, they arrived at the city¡¯s east, the location where the za was supposed to be built.

    Leng Xiyao asked the supervisor to take her to where the death happened, and he exined everything as they walked.

    He looked rather terrified and flustered. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened either. We only found out someone died after waking up this morning, and it was right below that statue we¡¯re building. It didn¡¯t look like he had sustained any injuries, but we¡¯ll need the coroner to verify this. The police haven''t arrived yet, so I contacted thepany quickly. What should we do? Even if the za is built, members of the public might not want to visit if they learn about what happened here.¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s brows creased. Deaths were always an inauspicious omen, no matter where.

    She told the supervisor, ¡°Let¡¯s first keep the news from spreading and prevent anyone else from hearing about it. We¡¯ll look into this after the police investigation!¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± The supervisor nodded, leading her forward.

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s mobile phone rang after she took a couple of steps.

    It was an unknown number, but she decided to take the call.

    ¡°Hello!¡±

    A restless voice spoke, ¡°Yao, it¡¯s me. Are you at the construction site?¡±

    Leng Xiyao nodded and looked around, but she did not see Leng Haoyun anywhere.

    She then asked, ¡°Where are you? How did you know I¡¯m here?¡±

    Leng Haoyun sounded like he was running as he panted lightly between his breaths.

    ¡°That¡¯s not important. Anyway, stay where you are and don¡¯t move. I just heard about what happened at the site, and I think something¡¯s fishy. I¡¯ll exin everything when I get there. I¡¯m nearby now, so just stay where you are and wait for me! Don¡¯t move!¡±

    Leng Haoyun ended the call immediately after, causing Leng Xiyao to be rather puzzled.

    He asked her not to move, but he did not say why. Hearing how anxious he sounded, something major had probably happened.

    After a moment of contemtion, she spoke to the supervisor in front of her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s wait a while here. President Leng ising over, and he asked us to wait for him!¡±

    The supervisor nodded.<i>?That was probably a good idea. Chairman An looks just like a young girl, too young to know how to handle things.</i>

    <i>It was still better for men to take care of matters like death and the like.</i>

    The both of them stood where they were for a while, before Leng Xiyao caught sight of Leng Haoyun running over.

    He anxiously looked Leng Xiyao up and down, as if afraid that something would happen to her.

    Leng Xiyao nced at him in puzzlement. Neither of them mentioned what happened in Ennd, and it seemed like nothing had actually happened between them. One could not even tell that they had not met even once for the past month.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Leng Haoyun asked in concern.

    Leng Xiyao shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine, why did youe? And what did you mean on the phone? What¡¯s fishy about this? Do you actually know something about the death of the worker?¡±

    Leng Haoyun nced at the supervisor before pulling her to a side.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Leng Xiyao tried to struggle free of his grip. ¡°Why are you being so crazy!¡±

    Leng Haoyun shook his head at her.

    ¡°Do you know where An Huilin went after you left A City?¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s expression turned cold instantly!

    ¡°Didn¡¯t she marry you? What has that got to do with me? If you¡¯re here just to ask me this, please go back!¡±

    Leng Haoyun looked at her in exasperation. ¡°Yao, don¡¯t be stubborn. Listen to me. I chased after you when you left the hotel, but Ceng Hanyu had already taken you away, and I didn¡¯t marry An Huilin!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to exin!¡± Leng Xiyao¡¯s tone was icy.

    ¡°It¡¯s none of my business who you marry!¡±

    Leng Xiyao wanted to leave after that.

    Leng Haoyun grabbed her arm. ¡°Yao, stop throwing a tantrum. Listen to my exnation. It was An Huilin who asked Jian Jie for help, and she dispatched personnel from The Dark Night to attack you. You know this right?¡±

    Leng Xiyao pursed her lips, remaining silent. She only found out right before she gave birth to An Baobei. But all this had nothing to do with her now.

    Seeing her keep quiet, Leng Haoyun continued.

    ¡°Imitted An Huilin to a mental institution in A City after I found out, but I think she might have found out about you recently, and she actually escaped. I know she¡¯ll definitely be looking for you once she¡¯s out, and her heart is so warped that I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll hurt you. I¡¯ve been looking high and low for her these few days, but I couldn¡¯t locate her even after I¡¯ve overturned the entire A City. I rushed over the moment I heard about what happened, because I suspect An Huilin is involved. I won¡¯t let her hurt you this time!¡±

    Leng Xiyao remained silent with her lips pursed.

    <i>An Huilin wasmitted to a mental institution? Didn¡¯t he want to marry her? How could he do something so cruel? Was it like how he rejected me at the time??</i>

    All of her sudden, she grabbed Leng Haoyun in a panic.

    ¡°Does An Huilin know about An Baobei? Didn¡¯t you say she¡¯s out now? Will she do anything to An Baobei?¡±

    Leng Xiyao was anxious now. Leng Haoyun did not think about this possibility at all.

    He frowned and called An Baobei immediately.

    ¡°Baobei, where are you?¡±

    Leng Xiyao observed him closely as he spoke, as if afraid she would miss out any clues. <i>What would I do if anything happened to An Baobei?</i>

    An Baobei looked at Mo Yanxi, who was talking to other kids, and answered in puzzlement, ¡°Daddy, what¡¯s wrong? I¡¯m still in school now! I¡¯m busy so I¡¯ll talk to youter!¡±

    An Baobei sounded like a grown-up, as if he was so much busier than Leng Haoyun.

    Leng Haoyun spoke quickly, afraid the boy would end the call.

    ¡°Baobei, don¡¯t end the call. Listen to Daddy first!¡±

    Leng Haoyun sounded anxious but serious at the same time, and An Baobei could tell that something was wrong.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Daddy, what happened?¡±

    ¡°If there¡¯s anyone else who¡¯s there to pick you up today, don¡¯t follow them, no matter what. Stay in school, and wait for me and Mummy toe pick you up, okay?¡±

    An Baobei nodded, knowing that it was extremely important for him to do what Leng Haoyun said.

    ¡°I know, Daddy. I¡¯ll be careful!¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Leng Haoyun heaved a sigh of relief. He probably had to worry less about his sonpared to Leng Xiyao!

    Leng Xiyao looked at him anxiously after Leng Haoyun ended the call.

    ¡°How is it? What¡¯s Baobei doing?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s fine!¡± Leng Haoyun patted her on the shoulder. ¡°Baobei¡¯s in school now, and I asked him not to leave with any strangers. He¡¯s very mature and I believe he can take care of himself. As for you...¡±

    Leng Haoyun paused as Leng Xiyao¡¯s expression turned cold. <i>What is wrong with this man. I can¡¯t evenpare to a child?</i>

    ¡°Whatever! I¡¯m not going to waste anymore time with you here. I¡¯m going over to have a look!¡±

    Leng Xiyao then walked forward.

    Leng Haoyun frowned. He was very worried. There was an ill feeling of foreboding, just like what he felt five years ago, and he just could not rx.

    He will not let Leng Xiyao be more than five steps away from him, or else he would be ill at ease.

    He followed closely after Leng Xiyao.

 Chapter 202 â€“ Sacrificing Oneself for Love

    <h4>Chapter 202 ¨C Sacrificing Oneself for Love</h4>

    Leng Haoyun knew that she did not mean what she said, and of course he did not mind it. He had already decided to ept whatever came his way. It had been five years now, and he was the one at fault five years ago. It was his unteral decision that caused the tragedy then.

    He did not want another tragedy to happen again five yearster.

    Leng Haoyun followed behind her. Seeing how stubborn she was, he felt as if everything returned to how it was five years ago.

    When they arrived at the statue, Leng Haoyun looked up at the scaffolding. Someone very slim was standing there, and that person did not have the build of a construction worker at all.

    He wanted to tell Leng Xiyao to be careful, but just as he said, ¡°Yao...¡±, the head of the statue came crashing down towards her.

    He looked up to see An Huilin smiling in satisfaction.

    In a split second, he realized why he was not able to locate An Huilin.

    She had been hiding at the construction site. There was no need for the workers to prove their identities on the site, and he had forgotten to check this ce. He had checked everywhere, under bridges, in the slums¡­ He looked everywhere except here.

    Leng Xiyao saw the statue¡¯s head falling towards her, but it was toote for her to get away.

    It looked like a gigantic boulder that was going to hit her anytime.

    Images of the time she spent with Leng Haoyun shed through her mind.

    She was suddenly filled with regret. <i>If I knew this would happen, I would¡¯ve forgiven him sooner. I can¡¯t solely put the me on him for what happened at the time!</i>

    Leng Xiyao wanted to say that she regretted everything, but she had no opportunity to do so now.

    Right before the statue¡¯s head hit her, she felt a force pushing her away.

    She turned in shock, witnessing the huge piece of rock hit Leng Haoyun on the side of the head. He fell to the ground instantly.

    Leng Xiyao panicked.

    She rushed forward, her tears unstoppable.

    As she hugged Leng Haoyun in her arms, she lifted a trembling hand, shocked to see it stained with blood.

    It was at this very moment that she realized there was so much blood on his head...

    She bawled like a madwoman, ¡°Someone, someone save him!¡±

    She looked crazed as she held onto Leng Haoyun. Some of the construction workers at the scene then helped to call the ambnce quickly.

    There were other workers who dragged An Huilin away from the scaffolding and captured her.

    It was clear that An Huilin had just attempted a murder, and she would minimally be charged with assault. Her actions also made everyone on-site suspect that she was involved in the death of the workerst night!

    An Huilin did not look the least bit remorseful even when she got caught. Sheughed like a lunatic and stared at Leng Xiyao with narrowed eyes. ¡°Why did youe back? Didn¡¯t you die five years ago? Don¡¯t you hate it that Leng Haoyun married me even when you were pregnant? Do you think I¡¯ll leave you alone now? I¡¯ll definitely kill you today!¡±

    A trace of sadness flickered in her eyes as she nced at Leng Haoyun, who was lying in Leng Xiyao¡¯s arms. She then suddenly pounced forward, causing the workers holding her back to almost lose their grip on her.

    ¡°Leng Xiyao, you slut! Haoyun would have married me if it weren¡¯t for you! We¡¯d be living happily together now, and he wouldn¡¯t treat me like this!¡±

    Seeing An Huilin in such a psychotic state, Leng Xiyao felt rather sorry for her.

    She initially thought An Huilin was just a cold, chic and serious woman, causing others to keep a safe distance from her. It was only until An Huilin got together with her uncle did she begin to feel jealous and harbor resentment towards the woman.

    Even so, she had never thought of harming the woman.

    She never expected that this woman could be this vicious to actually want her dead.

    <i>Was it karma that she ended up like this, or did she deserve all this? She was just too obsessed and fell in love with the wrong person. She refused to let go even when she knew the man didn¡¯t care about her at all.</i>

    Leng Xiyao wiped the tears from her face and stared squarely at An Huilin.

    ¡°An Huilin, I pity you. Do you know you look so sad right now?¡±

    This instantly triggered An Huilin, causing her to break free of the workers¡¯ grip as she dived for Leng Xiyao.

    Fortunately, the supervisor acted fast, kicking An Huilin to the ground.

    An Huilin was captured once again. She cried out in anger.

    ¡°Leng Xiyao, you bitch, you¡¯re a slut! It¡¯s all because of you! Who are you to pity me? Are you not pitiful then?¡±

    Leng Xiyao looked at An Huilin calmly, Leng Haoyun still lying in her arms.

    ¡°It¡¯s because he loves me, and he¡¯s willing to do so no matter what happens. This is why I don¡¯t think I¡¯m pitiful!¡±

    An Huilin was rendered speechless.

    Both the police and the ambnce arrived right at this moment.

    Right before Leng Xiyao boarded the ambnce, she instructed the supervisor, ¡°It¡¯s best we keep this news from spreading. Let the police deal with An Huilin, and I¡¯ll get Secretary Liu to look into the matter!¡±

    The supervisor nodded as he watched the ambnce leave.

    ¡­¡­

    After the operation, Leng Haoyun¡¯s life was no longer in danger. However, he injured his head, so no one knew when he would be able to regain consciousness.

    Leng Xiyao decided to invite that old physician who did acupuncture on An Zhenguo for help.

    However, there was no improvement even after half a month had passed.

    Leng Xiyao turned into an entirely different person after his ident.

    Because of the ident, she also found out that Leng Haoyun had already written up his will.

    Thewyer told her that he had the will drawn up the day after she returned to the country.

    It basically stated that all his assets and shares would go to Leng Xiyao if anything untowards happened to him.

    Leng Xiyao did not need any of that, but she knew that his intention of doing this was to leave whatever he had for her.

    She knew that she cannot afford to copse under the pressure at this juncture.

    Even though she had tried her best to stop the news about Leng Haoyun¡¯s ident from spreading, it had already made its way to the ears of the public.

    The Unparalleled was left without a leader. Though this situation was simr to what happened to the An Group when Old Man An was in aa, Ceng Hanyu had been around to take care of things. Currently, The Unparalleled could only be handed over to Leng Xiyao.

    She had to oversee things in the An Group as well.

    Having to oversee both of these huge organizations was an extremely heavy responsibility for her. She took care of thepany matters in the day and went to the hospital to take care of Leng Haoyun in the evening.

    Leng Haoyun had not woken up even after a month had passed.

    Leng Xiyao felt numb. She did not dare vocalize what little hope she had left in her, for fear of it being unfulfilled if spoken.

    An Baobei visited Leng Haoyun in the hospital often, and he had gotten more obedient after Leng Haoyun¡¯s ident.

    He never would have thought that the call with Leng Haoyun that day might very well be thest time they spoke over the phone.

    He was very mature, and did not question his mum about what exactly happened on that day, nor did he ask her about why his dad ended up like that.

    An Huilin was being punished by thew, and the truth finally came to light.

    It turned out An Huilin only realized that Leng Xiyao was alive after seeing the news about her returning to the country.

    She treaded very carefully after escaping from the mental institution, more so after she found out that Leng Haoyun was searching for her.

    To prevent Leng Haoyun from locating her, she snuck onto the construction site as a worker and mixed with a bunch of men there.

    She had never imagined that luck would be on her side, as she learnt that it was the An Group which was overseeing that very construction project.

    During lunch one day, she heard some of the workers gossiping about the new Chairman. They said she was just a youngdy, so she wanted to personally oversee many things in order to prove her ability to the rest.

    An Huilin then began formting a n.

    On that fateful night, one of the workers got aroused by her, and An Huilin decided to put her n of luring Leng Xiyao onto the site into action.

    She and the man were in a tight embrace near that statue when she used a steel needle to pierce the man¡¯s head.

    It was difficult for ayman to determine the cause of death unless a coroner examines the body.

    Leng Xiyao was very calm even after she learnt about everything.

    The fact that An Huilin turned into someone so vicious and cruel in just five years was something she did not expect.

    Since she had killed someone, thew will not let that woman go unpunished, so Leng Xiyao did not have to bother with her anymore.

    She had only one wish, and that was for Leng Haoyun to wake up. She would try her best to protect what he had during this time.

    Old Man An could tell that his granddaughter was almost buckling under the pressure from having to take care of Leng Haoyun and the corporate matters in bothpanies. Thus, he decided to take on the mantle of Chairman once again.

    No one dared challenge him as long as he was in the position. He was still able tomand the same amount of respect as he did in the past.

    Though Leng Xiyao had been Chairman of the An Group for only two months, that helped her build the foundation in taking over the group in the future.

    Ye Zhongjue did not explicitly offer his help after Leng Haoyun¡¯s ident, but he had provided some aid through their business when Leng Xiyao needed a helping hand.

    This was not only because he was friends with Leng Haoyun. Considering how close Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao were, he would not leave her in the lurch either.

    Leng Xiyao was able to heave a sigh of relief with all the help she received.

    Leng Haoyun had personally handled most of the matters in The Unparalleled.

    It was very difficult for her when she first took over, but she would do her best to keep it afloat no matter what happens...

 Chapter 203 â€“ Is it Love or Guilt

    <h4>Chapter 203 ¨C Is it Love or Guilt</h4>

    <strong>London, Ennd.</strong>

    The fog which enveloped the entire city could make anyone feel somber.

    Selina looked tired as she sat beside the window.

    She had been stuck in a wheelchair for five whole years, and it had already be a part of her.

    She kept asking herself if what she did was all worth it.

    But the truth was that no one actually knew the answer.

    She turned to look at the closed door and looked downstairs at the garden before slowly standing up just like any other normal person, and she took a couple of steps forward.

    A bitter expression formed on her face. <i>When will I end this and stop lying to everyone, including myself?</i>

    She did take a bullet for Leng Xiyao five years ago, and in fact, that was not a big deal to her.

    She was just unlucky that the bullet did some damage to her sciatic nerve, which caused mobility problems. She was unable to walk at first, and physiotherapy did not help either.

    Eventually, she did not want to go out in public at all.

    She sat in the wheelchair all day, and she knew very well that the only reason Ceng Hanyu stayed by her side was because he felt guilty.

    Sometimes, she hated it, but it also brought her joy at other times. She would think that it was fortunate, because if it were not for that guilt, he might not be willing to stay by her side and treat her with such tenderness.

    She had sincerely wanted to save Leng Xiyao, but things took another turn after she woke up.

    Everyone thought that she traded her legs for Ceng Hanyu¡¯spany on purpose.

    She used to be so proud, but now, she could not entirely disagree with what these people were saying, because that was exactly what she was doing.

    In fact, she could already stand three years ago.

    After she stopped going to physiotherapy, Ceng Hanyu thought that she hadpletely given up on walking again.

    What he did not know was that she would practice alone at night, and do physiotherapy exercises on her own.

    At the moment when she realized she could walk on her own, there was a mix of happiness and guilt that overwhelmed her.

    Happy because she could finally stand beside him again, and guilt because she had decided to continue to pretend to be cripple, to be that Selina who could not walk.

    He had to carry her up and down the bed everyday.

    She did not have the courage to tell him that she could walk now, and she feared that he would end up leaving her alone if she did.

    Others might think about it differently, but in her heart, she believed that he would never stay solely because of her.

    That was because in the very beginning, he stayed with her to take care of her, and it was also because she saved Leng Xiyao.<i>?Maybe he thinks that he owes me because I saved Leng Xiyao.</i>

    No matter what it was, five years passed just like this.

    She still remembered how much her mother, Melissa, cried when they found out she could not stand up. She never wanted her mother to feel sad, but she knew that she had hurt her mother greatly by what she did.

    She was the most important person to her mother, and not only was she unable to protect herself well, she had been willing to do something so foul in the name of love.

    A year after she was able to walk again, her mother realized something amiss.

    Her mother initially tried to sound her out, until she finally asked Selina outright why she was pretending.

    Selina found it hard to give her an honest answer, but nobody knew her as well as her mother did, and she did not even have to say much for her mother to guess the reasons for it.

    Selina remembered what her mother told her clearly.

    She said, ¡°Child, Mummy doesn¡¯t want you to go through the pain of love. But when you met Ceng Hanyu, I knew I couldn¡¯t stop you from the moment you firstid eyes on him. I¡¯ve told you this before, he isn¡¯tpatible with you, but you chose to ignore my advice. Now that you¡¯re pretending to be crippled, how do you think he¡¯ll react when he finds out? Mummy is saying this for your own good. It¡¯s better if you tell him the truth as soon as possible!¡±

    After listening to her mother¡¯s words, Selina felt that she shoulde clean. However, she decided against it on the very next day.

    Though she felt cowardly, she simply could not bear to have Ceng Hanyu leave her side.

    When her mother told her that she had lost her way because of love, she remained silent.

    It was a foggy day in London when her mother left.

    She asked Selina to contact her only when the girl had thoroughly thought things through.

    Her mother decided to go travel the world, and Selina continued living in the castle with Ceng Hanyu for the next two years.

    Every time Ceng Hanyu had to leave, she would stay in the castle alone, just like those consorts in an ancient royal pce who were waiting for their king to return.

    She hated herself like this, but she eventually epted that this was her decision.

    She knew that Ceng Hanyu would choose to leave if she told him the truth.

    She knew him too well to the point that it seemed as if she knew him better than he knew himself.

    Hearing a disturbance from downstairs, Selina quickly turned and sat back down on the wheelchair.

    Support us at Innread.

    She could tell that he was back.

    She could discern his footsteps anywhere now.

    She sat calmly in the wheelchair as she looked at the garden downstairs, with her usual indifferent expression.

    However, nobody knew the anxiety she felt in her heart.

    She heard him at the door, but he seemed different today. He stood at the door for a long time instead of entering the room.

    She continued sitting there like a simpleton, not turning around to look.

    She had wanted to turn and greet him many times, she wanted to call out to him and say, ¡®Hi, Yu, you¡¯re back!¡¯

    But there was no way she could do it now. She had already lost that haughtiness in her from five years ago.

    Ceng Hanyu treated her very differently after she got shot. When she could not walk, he would care for her with so much tenderness that one would think she was a precious doll made of ss.

    At the door, Ceng Hanyu quietly looked at the girl on the wheelchair with sorrow in his heart.

    He had been taking care of her for the past five years, and he would feel sad every time she needed his help toplete some simple, daily tasks.

    Selina would not have ended up like this if it were not for Anne, and she definitely would not have ended up like this if Anne was not his fiancee.

    He would sometimes wonder to himself if things would be different if he had gotten Gu Yi¡¯an to save Selina instead, whether the bullet would not do damage to her sciatic nerve if that was the case, and if Selina could still be that haughty and prouddy he knew.

    He felt that he was being selfish. The current Selina was just like a bird who had its wings broken.

    Selina could have had all the freedom she wanted, but all of this was caused by him. She ended up like this because of how much she loved him.

    He already knew who he loved five years ago, but he was also the one who did this to her, so what right did he have to continue loving her?

    Ceng Hanyu stood at the door for a long time watching Selina.

    She had changed greatly. She was extremely calm and quiet now, very much like a lifeless soul.

    There was always this gnawing feeling in his heart every time he saw her like that.

    He suddenly thought of the news he had heard earlier.

    Grandpa An had woken up and Anne had met up with Leng Haoyun after returning to the country.

    He also heard that it was Leng Haoyun who invited an old physician who practiced traditional chinese medicine to do acupuncture on Grandpa An, and that it helped to bring him out of thea.

    He knew about all of this, but another piece of news shocked him greatly.

    He heard that Leng Haoyun was hit on the head by a huge rock in an attempt to save Anne, and that he was already unconscious for a few days.

    Anne was now overseeing things in The Unparalleled alone, and it was fortunate that Old Man An had already woken up so he could help her on some matters as well.

    However, the both of them might not be able to hold up against those with ambitious hearts.

    After much deliberation, Ceng Hanyu decided that he had to make a trip back.

    He wanted to tell Selina about this today, but he did not know how to broach the topic once he saw her sitting there in silence.

    He could not leave without saying goodbye to her either.

    Before he returned, he had already tried to brainwash himself.

    He told himself that he was only going back because Anne was in trouble, and that he was not going back for any selfish reasons of his own. He kept telling himself that if he exined this to Selina, she would understand his actions for sure.

    However, he did not know what to say now that Selina was right there in front of him.

    He then heard her crisp voice.

    ¡°Why are you not talking?¡±

    Her back was towards him, but he could see that usual indifferent expression of hers.

    Instead of telling her what he nned to say, he said, ¡°I¡¯m back to visit. I¡¯ll carry you downstairs for lunch!¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Selina answered simply.

    Ceng Hanyu did not want to upset her before her meal.

    Her appetite had decreased greatly after her injury, and the sharp chin she had now was a stark contrast to her previously rounded face.

    He thought that she did not have an appetite because she was frustrated due to her injury. This was corroborated by the fact that some doctors also told him that Selina did not want to eat because she was not in a good mood.

    He had tried various means to make her happy, but he seemed to have failed every time.

    The helper began serving the dishes after they arrived downstairs.

    Ceng Hanyu kept putting food onto Selina¡¯s te as he tried to get her to eat more.

    ¡°You have to eat more, it¡¯s good for your health like that. Do you know that you feel as light as a feather when I carry you?¡±

    He might have exaggerated it a bit too much, but Selinaughed.

    ¡°Is that so? I¡¯ll eat more then...¡±

 Chapter 204 â€“ Selina Leaving Resolutely

    <h4>Chapter 204 ¨C Selina Leaving Resolutely</h4>

    Selina then finished the chicken thigh Ceng Hanyu put on her te.

    Ceng Hanyu feltforted as he saw her smile.

    <i>Sheughed...</i>

    He did not want to say anything that might make her unhappy during their meal, but his mobile phone rang right when they were eating.

    After taking a look at the caller, he looked up at Selina and said, ¡°I¡¯ll have to take this call!¡±

    Selina lost her smile as she watched Ceng Hanyu walk out.

    She could tell that Ceng Hanyu seemed to have something to tell her, but for some reason, he was finding it difficult to say it.

    She could no longer bear it, especially when she could feel Ceng Hanyu steal nces at her from time to time in order to gauge her mood. He looked like he had something to say, but it seemed like he was afraid of upsetting her if he did so.

    Thus, she asked, ¡°What do you want to tell me?¡±

    Selina stunned Ceng Hanyu with her question.

    <i>How did she know?</i>

    He frowned and looked at her with concern before he finally spoke.

    ¡°I have to tell you about something, but don¡¯t get angry after that, okay?¡±

    Selina gave a tiny smirk. ¡°Am I that bad tempered?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu exined hastily, ¡°No, I¡¯m just afraid and worried that you might be upset!¡±

    ¡°Go ahead!¡± Selina said cidly, her face expressionless.

    She could already guess that whatever Ceng Hanyu wanted to tell her, it had to be rted to Anne in some way or another. It was the only reason that could make him act this way.

    ¡°Well!¡± Ceng Hanyu started to exin.

    ¡°Anne met Leng Haoyun when she returned to the country.¡±

    ¡°I know, I could¡¯ve guessed that!¡± Selina answered without looking up at him.

    ¡°But of course, that¡¯s not the point.¡± Ceng Hanyu paused before continuing.

    ¡°Anne met Leng Haoyun, and because Leng Haoyun feels so guilty about what happened, he tried his best to keep her by his side this time. He was able to find someone to save Grandpa An, and he had also acknowledged An Baobei as his son. However, An Huilin reappeared not too long ago...¡±

    At this, Selina¡¯s expression changed.?¡°Didn¡¯t Leng Haoyun kill her? Doesn¡¯t he know that she wants Anne dead?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu stood up and walked over to Selina to hug her, trying tofort her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get too worked up, listen to me! Leng Haoyunmitted An Huilin to a mental institution at the time, and he thought that this punishment was a heavy enough one. He thought she would go insane if she was trapped in there, but who knew that An Huilin could be so resolute. Not only did she not go crazy, she even escaped the facility after she learnt that Anne returned to the country. She nned to kill Anne and she almost seeded at a construction site! Leng Haoyun was the one who pushed Anne away in the nick of time, and Anne is fine, but Leng Haoyun is now in aa. Anne now has the pressure of overseeing both the An Group and The Unparalleled at the same time, and she¡¯s all alone. I¡¯m afraid that she...¡±

    ¡°I know you¡¯re worried about her. Go back and help her out!¡±

    Selina¡¯s expression returned to being calm, and her answer was a logical one, it was an answer that any logical, understanding person would give.

    For some reason, Ceng Hanyu felt uneasy at this. He could not put his finger on it, but something felt amiss.

    ¡°Okay, take care of yourself then. I¡¯ll be back when I¡¯m done settling everything there!¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Selina kept her head low as she acknowledged him.

    The both of them then fell silent for a while.

    Selina was the first to speak. ¡°I¡¯m sleepy. Take me upstairs and you can start packing!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu then nodded and carried her upstairs.

    Selina burrowed her head into the nket as soon as Ceng Hanyu ced her on the bed.

    Ceng Hanyu looked at Selina, who was now wrapped under the nket, with concern. He sighed and left.

    Instead of closing the door, he left it slightly ajar, thinking ofing back to see her again right before he leaves.

    Selina heard him leave and she tried to sleep, but she did not feel the least bit drowsy even after tossing and turning for quite a while.

    She knew very clearly that she should let him go back, since Anne was all alone now and she was also worried about how Anne would be able to handle the huge pressure.

    But that did not help alleviate the bitterness she felt in her heart.

    After lying on the bed for a while more, she slowly got up as she heard the sound of a car engine from downstairs.

    She got down from the bed slowly, put on her bedroom slippers and walked to the balcony.

    She had never expected for Ceng Hanyu to have seen everything she just did.

    Ceng Hanyu looked at her in shock. He stood there, frozen stiff.

    An expression of betrayal and anger appeared on him, and that dismal feeling of not being trusted assailed him.

    Selina looked down from the balcony only to see one of the subordinates drive away.

    Her brows creased before she turned around to see a man with an extremely surprised expression standing at the door.

    Panic shed past Selina¡¯s face. She had imagined this very scene ying out multiple times, but never would she have guessed that it would happen like this.

    She felt like a thief who was being caught red-handed.

    The panic on her face dissipated quickly as she took slow steps towards Ceng Hanyu.

    She looked extremely calm, totally unlike someone who just had their secret exposed.

    <i>It looks like it had already been quite some time since she could walk. Why did she lie to me?</i>

    ¡°When did youe?¡± Selina looked at him with a ratherposed expression.

    The fire in Ceng Hanyu¡¯s heart seemed to suddenlye alight.

    He pursed his lips and paused for a long time before answering.

    ¡°Just now!¡±

    The both of them then fell silent again. They simply looked at each other nkly.

    Ceng Hanyu broke the silence as he finally asked, ¡°When did your legs recover?¡±

    He wanted to know the truth, but at the same time, he was afraid of hearing her answer. He was afraid that she would tell him that it was fine from the very beginning, that she had been lying for the past five years!

    If that was really the case, he did not know how he could face her.

    Selina stared at him as she said, ¡°Three years ago!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu frowned. <i>Three years ago? Why did she lie to me if she had already recovered? Did she do this to make me feel more guilty?</i>

    ¡°Why did you lie?¡±

    Selinaughed sarcastically. ¡°I thought you knew!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t!¡± Ceng Hanyu was angry now. He did not understand why she had to lie to him. <i>Is she happy to see me in pain?</i>

    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t!¡± Selina said as she walked towards the door.

    Ceng Hanyu grabbed her arm tight and yelled, ¡°Selina!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Selina looked at him with nary a change in her expression. ¡°We can talk, but can you please let go of me?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu red at her. He released her arm and the both of them were now standing as they faced each other.

    Selina kept quiet as she waited for Ceng Hanyu to ask his questions. <i>He¡¯s the one who stopped me, so what did he want to ask?</i>

    <i>Is he going to ask me why I lied, whether it was because I was treating him like a fool? Or is he going to ask me if this was revenge for how coldly he treated me in the past?</i>

    Ceng Hanyu stared at Selina, his gaze almost boring through her.

    He tried his best to keep his anger and emotion in check before he posed his question to her through gritted teeth.

    ¡°I just want to know why you lied to me when you had already recovered three years ago. Is it fun to lie to me?¡±

    Selina looked at him like she was looking at a monster. She thenughed. It sounded passionate and enchanting, just like the Selina of the past.

    ¡°Yes, lying to you is very fun! Don¡¯t you know that having you act like a fool made me so happy!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu stared at her incredulously. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you!¡±

    Selina shrugged. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether you believe it or not!¡±

    Ignoring Ceng Hanyu, she made her way downstairs. He heard the sound of a car engine starting, and it was Selina who had left.

    The butler witnessed Selina walk downstairs, make her way to the garage, get into the car and start the engine before she drove off. All her actions looked very smooth.

    The butler was surprised at this.<i>?I thought Miss Selina couldn¡¯t walk?</i>

    <i>It had already been five years, and it¡¯s a miracle that she could recover!</i>

    Before he could share the news with Ceng Hanyu, thetter was alreadying down the stairs.

    Ceng Hanyu frowned at him as he asked, ¡°Where did Miss go?¡±

    The butler stuttered as he spoke, ¡°Miss just drove away!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?!¡±

    He literally flew down the stairs and dashed out.

    Selina was nowhere to be seen when Ceng Hanyu drove out. He smashed his fist into the steering wheel and made a call to his subordinate to get them to look for Selina.

    Although she was skilled, she had been out of action for the past five years. If she reappeared now, it would be extremely dangerous as she would be a very easy target for others.

    Ceng Hanyu started searching high and low for Selina, but when he finally found some clues as to where she was, she had already left Ennd.

    Ceng Hanyu felt a sense of defeat overwhelm him. <i>How could I forget that she was a top agent? Maybe she doesn¡¯t need my help at all.</i>

    She was good at evasion, and if she really wanted to leave, she could have easily gotten hold of a fake passport. He would never be able to locate her like that.

    He returned to the castle alone at night.

    Recalling their conversation in the day, he felt rather upset.<i> She said she lied to me on purpose, but I refuse to believe her!</i>

    He would rather she lied because of something else.

    Ceng Hanyu went upstairs and was about to retire to his room when he decided to go to Selina¡¯s room instead.

    They had been living together for the past five years, and she had only been gone for half a day, but he had already started to miss her.

 Chapter 205 â€“ Too Full of Yourself

    <h4>Chapter 205 ¨C Too Full of Yourself</h4>

    As Ceng Hanyu entered Selina¡¯s room, he noticed that the corner of the nket was lifted, just like how it was before she left.

    He walked over as images of the time spent with her yed in his head like a movie.

    He crashed onto her bed, feeling as if he could still make out her lingering smell.

    He remembered how she looked when she left. Though she spoke with sarcasm and her tone was cold, her eyes seemed to have beenced with a hint of disappointment.

    Ceng Hanyu could not wrap his head around it. <i>She was the one who lied, so why did she have such an expression? Was she right to have done that? Didn¡¯t she know that she had hurt me greatly by doing that?</i>

    <i>What happened to all that trust between them? Where did it go?</i>

    He was very flustered when she left, because she was too proud.

    Her legs had recovered, but the fact that he had witnessed everything in that particr way would definitely be a huge blow to her dignity. Though Ceng Hanyu was still confused as to why she would lie about her condition, he was still very concerned about her safety.

    Hey on Selina¡¯s bed for a long time before he heard a knock on the door. He jumped up immediately.

    Disappointment washed over him as he opened the door to see the butler.

    ¡°Anything the matter?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu asked cidly.

    Seeing Ceng Hanyu in Selina¡¯s room, the butler heaved a sigh of relief.

    He then asked, ¡°Young Master, will you still be going back?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu paused at the question. All he could think about was Selina, and whatever was happening back at home had already been ced at the back of his mind.

    He thought for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m not going back yet. We¡¯ll look for Selina first!¡±

    ¡°Then how about Miss An?¡± The butler asked, unsure. He knew that Anne was under immense pressure back at home.

    Ceng Hanyu sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll think of a way. Go on with your duties!¡±

    He then closed the door and leaned against it, sighing again.

    He felt like he was trapped in a house with a leaking roof on a very rainy day.

    He could not leave Anne in the lurch and he could not ignore Selina, but he could not break himself into two either.

    Finally, he gave Ye Zhongjue a call.

    It was in the middle of the work day back at home, and Ye Zhongjue could already guess what Ceng Hanyu had to say once he saw the man calling.

    ¡°Hello! What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Jue, help me out on something!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue knew what it was, but he still asked.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Tell me!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about what happened back at home after Anne returned. I initially nned toe back today, but Selina went missing. I have to find her first, she¡¯s very emotionally unstable now!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue asked in a rather cold tone, ¡°How did she go missing? I thought you were taking care of her? She can¡¯t move her legs, so could she have been abducted?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu gave a bitterugh and shook his head.

    ¡°Jue, you¡¯re overthinking it. She drove off in a car herself! I¡¯m just worried about her safety!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue asked in belief, ¡°She drove off on her own?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m not making this up!¡± Ceng Hanyu¡¯s tone carried a hint of indignation.

    ¡°Her legs had recovered three years ago, but she said she had been lying to me all this time. If I didn¡¯t see it for myself today, I don¡¯t know how much longer she would have kept up with the act!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was stunned at this. <i>If Selina¡¯s legs had already recovered three years ago, why did she choose to lie to everyone?</i>

    He had gotten his answer the very moment the question crossed his mind.

    He did not know the current Selina well, but he could understand her intentions.

    <i>Love changed people in various ways, and some of us would even be willing to give up all that arrogance and dignity we had.</i>

    If anyone asked him how he would act when he was in love, he might probably have said that even if the other person pped him, he would ask her if her hand hurt instead.

    This was love!

    ¡°Have you thought about why she kept it from you for such a long time?¡±

    ¡°Why she kept it from me?¡± Ceng Hanyu repeated the question to himself thoughtlessly.

    Ye Zhongjue sighed. Selina probably wanted for Ceng Hanyu to figure it out himself, which was why she did not tell him the reason.

    ¡°Think about it. You don¡¯t have to worry too much about what¡¯s happening back at home. I¡¯ll help out with Leng Xiyao¡¯s matters here, and I won¡¯t let anything happen to The Unparalleled and An Group.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu was rather startled at what Ye Zhongjue told him. He asked him to think about it.

    Ceng Hanyu then said ¡°Thank you!¡± and ended the call before Ye Zhongjue could say anything else.

    He walked towards the bed andy on it in silent confusion.

    He was then reminded of Leng Xiyao, and decided to give her a call.?He thought that he may be able to get some clues from Leng Xiyao, since the girl had always been on good terms with Selina.

    Leng Xiyao was by Leng Haoyun¡¯s bedside when the call came.

    She exited the ward to answer the phone.?¡°Hello! Hanyu, what¡¯s up?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu found it difficult to broach the topic. ¡°Anne, I can¡¯te back to help out this time.¡±

    Leng Xiyaoughed. ¡°I thought something major had happened! I¡¯m fine. Mighty Empire will also be helping out on some projects, so don¡¯t worry about me!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu then asked, ¡°Is Leng Haoyun alright?¡±

    Leng Xiyao gave a bitter smile as she answered.

    ¡°He¡¯s okay. He¡¯s just asleep, and we don¡¯t know when he can wake up.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu felt guilty all of a sudden. <i>Why did I have to bring this up to upset her?</i>

    He quickly tried tofort her. ¡°Anne, don¡¯t be too upset over this. Take care of yourself and everything will be fine.¡±

    ¡°Mm, I know!¡± Leng Xiyao nodded as a tear fell from the corner of her eye.

    Ceng Hanyu suddenly asked, ¡°Anne, do you know that Selina¡¯s legs have recovered?¡±

    Leng Xiyao was shocked at the news. <i>Selina¡¯s legs have finally recovered??</i>This was the greatest piece of news she had heard in a while!

    ¡°Really?¡± She almost cried out with tears of joy. ¡°That¡¯s great! When did she recover?¡±

    ¡°Three years ago!¡± Ceng Hanyu answered.

    Leng Xiyao was puzzled at this. <i>Three years ago? Wasn¡¯t Selina still in a wheelchair three years ago?</i>

    She frowned and asked, ¡°Hanyu, what happened?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu then told her everything that happened today.

    ¡°I initially nned to go back today to help you out at home, but when I finished packing and I wanted to go say goodbye to Selina, I saw her standing at the balcony. It didn¡¯t look like she was just able to stand either. When she saw me, she didn¡¯t look guilty at all. She simply told me that she had already recovered three years ago and that she could already stand. Before I could ask any further, she left...¡±

    ¡°Are you looking for her now?¡± Leng Xiyao asked.

    ¡°Mm!¡± Ceng Hanyu answered.

    ¡°If you¡¯re calling me, then it¡¯s definitely not just about what¡¯s happening at home. I know you well enough to know that you must have already called Ye Zhongjue before you called me, right?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu felt a little awkward at this, as if someone had just seen right through him.

    ¡°Mm, I wanted to ask you why Selina kept this from me for such a long time. Why did she not tell us even when she had recovered? Is she happy seeing all of us worry about her?¡±

    At this moment, Leng Xiyao really wanted to fly over there just to open up Ceng Hanyu¡¯s skull and see what it was that was going on in that brain of his.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you get it? She feels bad if we¡¯re all so worried about her, but what¡¯s more unbearable is you leaving her. Do you understand?¡±

    Leng Xiyao stunned Ceng Hanyu with her words.

    <i>Was Selina really afraid of me leaving her? Couldn¡¯t she tell that I¡¯ve already made the decision of being with her in this life?</i>

    Leng Xiyao continued impatiently. ¡°Are you telling yourself that she should already have known about your feelings? But do you remember how you treated her in the past? You ignored her and you were cold to her, you never told her how you felt, and this made her worry that you¡¯ll leave her one day. Do you think she knows that you love her? Why don¡¯t you tell her so?¡±

    Dismay washed over Ceng Hanyu in an instant.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that. I didn¡¯t know that she would think like this!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re too full of yourself. I think you feel that Selina won¡¯t ever leave you, and that¡¯s why you kept her waiting all this time!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± Ceng Hanyu got emotional all of a sudden.

    He buried his head in the nket and curled up in his pain.<i>?I really didn¡¯t mean for this to happen. I¡¯ve never been someone who knew how to express my love, and I didn¡¯t know that not telling her would actually hurt her so much.</i>

    He had always thought that Selina had been aware of his feelings!

    Leng Xiyao did not want to waste any more time with him. She knew that he had to think it through on his own on matters like this.

    ¡°Well, then you had better go look for Selina and exin everything to her. You shouldn¡¯t be telling others about how much you love her because it¡¯s no help to the situation at all. Also, can you tell me who gave birth to Ye Zhongjue¡¯s children? Why didn¡¯t you tell me about that sooner? How is he going to face Suqing like this!¡±

    Leng Xiyao was a little emotional now.

    They treated each other like sisters would, but both their love lives seemed to be in shambles.

    Ceng Hanyu said, ¡°They are Mo Suqing¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not...¡± Leng Xiyao was surprised to hear this. <i>Didn¡¯t both the babies die?</i>

    ¡°They were saved! I have to go now.¡± Ceng Hanyu then ended the call.

    Leng Xiyao was still in a state of surprise. She stood at the corridor as thoughts raced through her mind. <i>So they really are Suqing¡¯s children. I even thought Ye Zhongjue was so heartless as to get together with Mo Sulian right after Mo Suqing left.</i>

    Fortunately, things were nothing like what she had imagined them to be.

 Chapter 206 â€“ The Past He Didnâ€™t Know About

    <h4>Chapter 206 ¨C The Past He Didn¡¯t Know About</h4>

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s words kept repeating themselves in Ceng Hanyu¡¯s mind as hey on the bed.

    <i>Had I really been too full of myself??</i><i>Did Selina keep the truth from me because she was afraid that I would leave her, just like Anne said?</i>

    Ceng Hanyu felt conflicted and confused. He was at a total loss of what to do. <i>She was the one who lied to me, but why do I feel so bad about it!</i>

    Ceng Hanyu hugged the nket and he felt something at his shoulder when he turned.

    He reached out for the item and realized it was a notebook. Under the moonlight, he saw the little girl sitting on a swing on the cover of the notebook, her expression sad and lonely. He was instantly reminded of Selina.

    Selina was just like that little girl for the past five years - she did not seem happy at all. Every time he returned and saw her sitting on the wheelchair looking at the garden downstairs, those eyes of hers emanated a hint of sadness.

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s heart hurt at this.

    He reached out to switch on the bedsidemp and opened the notebook.

    On the first page, the name ¡®Selina¡¯ was transliterated and ¡®Se Lin Na¡¯ had been written in huge letters. Ceng Hanyu was reminded of the time when he first learnt of Selina¡¯s name and he jokinglymented that ¡®Se Lin Na¡¯ was a better version of her name.

    <i>She actually remembered even after all these years.</i>

    He looked at the date of the diary. It was from five years ago. This meant that she had begun writing in it after she left China.

    He felt nervous at the possibility of finding answers in this diary, but he was also scared that those answers were not the ones that he could ept, or ones that he actually wanted. Although anxious, he began to flip through Selina¡¯s diary.

    2012, February 14.

    Today is Valentine¡¯s Day, and it is the day where my head is at its clearest after waking up.

    I took a bullet for Leng Xiyao, and everyone probably felt that I did it for Ceng Hanyu. I know that he would be upset if anything happened to her, but I didn¡¯t do it for him. It was my natural instinct to do so. Within this time, she had already be someone close to me, and no matter what others said, no matter what happens to her, myself and Ceng Hanyu after this, I would still treat her as one of my best friends.

    I don¡¯t have many friends, and she was the only one who made me feel like I had a real friend. I still remembered how she spoke up for me when Ceng Hanyu berated me at the bar. She stood up without hesitation, and I was touched by what she did. No one knew how I really felt then.

    I don¡¯t regret taking that bullet for her, and I feel bad that I wasn¡¯t able to protect her well. She still ended up getting shot, and she was even pregnant at the time. Fortunately, the heavens were not cruel, and she was able to keep both the baby and her life.

    After the three of us left for Ennd, we stayed at my ce.

    It¡¯s Valentine¡¯s Day today, but I can¡¯t go out. My mind is ying what the doctor said on repeat.

    He told me, ¡°Selina, the operation damaged your sciatic nerve, and you might not be able to stand anymore. But there¡¯s no need to fret. You just have to keep attending physiotherapy, and there would be a ten percent chance that you can stand again.¡±

    A ten percent chance is close to nothing.

    I never thought I was weak. But today, I feel like an absolute weakling. I cried after returning home. I was so upset. I don¡¯t regret saving the girl, but I can no longer stand. Ceng Hanyu would probably leave me now.

    I couldn¡¯t even chase after him when my legs were fine. Now that I can¡¯t walk, how would I be able to make him stay?

    Valentine¡¯s Day is bleak...

    2012, March 15.

    I don¡¯t know if I can be considered lucky.

    Ceng Hanyu had been taking care of me all this while. He¡¯s different now. He used to leave me hanging with no rhyme or reason, but now, he visits me everyday. He woulde over in the afternoon to take care of me even when there was a helper around. He was worried that the helper wouldn¡¯t do her job well.

    I feel blessed all of a sudden. This was the first time since I fell in love with Ceng Hanyu that I experienced the feeling of being loved and taken care of by the very one you loved.

    Leng Xiyao''s tummy is showing now, and every time I see her, I get reminded of the man she fell in love with.

    She insists on having the child even though he isn¡¯t by her side.

    She keeps saying that Leng Xiyao is dead, and that Anne is the one who¡¯s alive now, but I know in my heart that she had simply buried all thoughts of that man into the recesses of her own heart.

    2012, December 24.

    I¡¯ve been to physiotherapy for ten months now, but I don¡¯t seem to see any sort of improvement in my legs. They simply refuse to listen to me. I¡¯ve never felt so helpless in my life.

    If I can never stand again, am I still worthy of being with him? My Young Master Yu!

    I¡¯m beginning to give up now. Every time Ceng Hanyu takes me to physiotherapy, I keep falling in front of him. I feel really bad about myself every single time it happens. I don¡¯t want to go to physiotherapy anymore. I can¡¯t take it. I can¡¯t stand the way he looks at me in physiotherapy. It feels like he pities me and feels sorry for me. This hurts. It hurts so much that I can¡¯t sleep. I don¡¯t want to see that disappointment in his eyes again. I¡¯ll just let it be.

    Oh, Leng Xiyao gave birth to a chubby little baby boy a few days ago. She had changed so much. She is now a lot colder than the Leng Xiyao of the past. She¡¯s going to study jewelry design after giving birth, and I don¡¯t really know what she¡¯s thinking, but I guess everyone has to face some sort of change in their lives.

    No one knows how their lives will turn out.

    Just like how I¡¯ve never thought that I would be stuck in the wheelchair for the rest of my life.

    2013, June 13.

    I¡¯m still unable to stand even after a year and a half.

    I¡¯m guessing that the ten percent chance that the doctor mentioned would not be happening to me.

    Maybe it was because he didn¡¯t want to see me upset anymore, or maybe he was the one in pain every time he saw me go through physiotherapy.

    Because when I said I wanted to give up on this for the second time, Ceng Hanyu agreed to my request instantly.

    I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be able to stand beside him in this life.

    I would feel very bad about myself every time night came. I didn¡¯t want to give up, but I couldn¡¯t help but feel upset when I saw how he looked at me.

    I might as well just give up then, why am I working so hard?

    I can tell that Ceng Hanyu had already decided to stay by my side and take care of me if I¡¯m no longer able to stand.

    I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s good.

    But I know one thing for sure, I can never leave him.

    Sometimes, I feel that I¡¯m selfish and inferior. If he knew what went through my mind, would he look down on me?

    I should stop thinking so much. I can no longer stand anyway.

    2013, October 1.

    It¡¯s the national day holiday in China, and there are tons of tourists here. Although I¡¯m sitting in my castle, it seems that I can hear the hustle and bustle of the busy city.

    It¡¯s a pity that I can¡¯t stand.

    Ceng Hanyu took even greater care of me after I said I wanted to give up on physiotherapy. He woulde have breakfast and lunch with me everyday, and I¡¯m beginning to get addicted to this feeling.

    I sometimes feel inferior that I¡¯m dragging him down like this, but I feel blessed at other times. It¡¯s lucky that I still have him, I wouldn¡¯t know what to do with myself otherwise.

    Though I stopped going to the physiotherapy sessions at the hospital and everyone else thought that I had given up entirely, I still practiced some of the movements every night. No one knew that I had been practicing around the bed with only the cold night keeping mepany. I felt a lot better about it without Ceng Hanyu¡¯s gaze.

    I guess I still wanted to be able to stand up again.

    I don¡¯t know if this would even work...

    2014, March 8.

    Today is Women¡¯s Day, and I¡¯m feeling very emotional right now. I finally stood up yesterday night.

    I feel like I¡¯m dreaming. I couldn¡¯t believe it. It has already been two years, but now, I could finally, finally stand up again.

    I wanted to share this with Ceng Hanyu.

    I sat at the balcony, bathed in the warmth of the sun as I thought about this.

    When I heard the door open, I turned excitedly in my wheelchair, but I saw the girl by Ceng Hanyu¡¯s side. I suddenly felt horrible. It was as if my heart was swallowed by this gloominess.

    Ceng Hanyu probably felt responsible for what happened to me, and he probably loved the girl. It was just that the girl had feelings for someone else.

    The girl was also his official fiancee. What about me? I¡¯m nothing!

    I backed down at that very moment. I didn¡¯t want to share the news with him anymore. Will he continue taking care of me like this if I keep this from him? Will he stay with me forever like that? If so, then I¡¯d rather be selfish, petty and lie to him.

    Please forgive me!

    2014, December 24.

    I can stand up properly now, and I would practice walking in the room every night.

    I¡¯ve recovered fully, but I¡¯m worried that he will leave me one day.

    But if I don¡¯t tell him, does it mean I¡¯ll have to be in the wheelchair forever?

    I¡¯m at a loss. I think I¡¯ve lost myself.

    That pride and dignity of mine had made way for this love of mine. I can¡¯t help but ask myself if I really made the right choice?

    I don¡¯t know the answer, but I¡¯ll let it be. I¡¯m just a selfish person.

 Chapter 207 â€“ Hurting from a Trivial Love

    <h4>Chapter 207 ¨C Hurting from a Trivial Love</h4>

    2015, January 1.

    I¡¯ve tried very hard to hide the fact that my legs had recovered, but my mother found out eventually.

    My mother, Melissa, is an elegant and beautiful woman. She is very astute and intelligent, and I could neverpare with her.

    Though she reprimanded me for hiding the truth after finding out that my legs had recovered, I asked her to continue to lie for me.?My mother didn¡¯t have the heart to reject me, so she decided to leave instead. She decided to go travel the world, saying that she didn¡¯t want to be involved in this.

    I felt upset, but I was still a coward. I didn¡¯t dare tell Ceng Hanyu the truth because I had a cowardly heart.

    ¡­¡­

    Selina wrote about her feelings and how uneasy she felt as she tried to protect that love in the following pages.

    Ceng Hanyu felt as if his heart was being squeezed as he continued reading her diary, his tears dripping onto the pages.?He had never known that he could make Selina feel that way when she used to be so full of pride.

    He continued reading her diary and finally flipped to the first entry for this year.

    ¡­¡­

    2017, January 1.

    It¡¯s another new year and I¡¯ve already been able to stand for three years now, but I haven¡¯t told him yet.?Ceng Hanyu doesn¡¯t know the truth, and I think I¡¯d really have to apud myself for my acting skills.

    I actually hid the truth for three whole years.

    Leng Xiyao said she wanted to return home, and I know why.

    Others think that she¡¯s returning because An Group is in a crisis, but I know very well that she¡¯s returning because of that man.?She had been in love with that man for more than ten years, and I know that sort of feeling better than anyone else.

    If she goes back, there might be a chance for them.?Nobody can predict what would happen in love!

    2017, August 9.

    I¡¯ll have to admit that I¡¯ve lost. Sadness overwhelmed me when Ceng Hanyu said he wanted to go back. But how could I stop him when I¡¯m also worried about the girl?

    When would such days end? I keep worrying that he would leave and note back. I think it would really happen this time.

    I asked myself if I was brave enough to go look for him in China if he leaves and neveres back, but I know that my answer was a ¡®no¡¯.?I¡¯ve already used up all of my courage and I have no more energy to spare.

    ¡­¡­

    That was the veryst entry in the diary.

    It was August 9 today, and Ceng Hanyu surmised that she had been writing in her diary when she heard the car, which was why she walked out to the balcony. She did not expect that it had been someone else who was driving away.

    When he saw her, she left in such a hurry that she did not even have the time to keep her diary.

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s heart so badly. He never thought his heart could hurt that much. It hurt even more than when he had to make that decision when Selina and Anne both got shot five years ago.

    He could not stand it this time.

    He never knew that she loved him so much to the point that she was willing to throw away that dignity of hers.<i>?How could I do this to her?</i>

    <i>I was too full of myself. I thought she lied to me and yed me for a fool, and I even thought that she may have done so for revenge. But I¡¯ve never thought that she loved me this much, and that she was just afraid that I would end up leaving her.</i>

    He hated everything he did five years ago and how he treated her in the past. If he had just kept his emotions in check, things would never have turned out like this. <i>I¡¯m to me for everything!</i>

    Ceng Hanyu hugged the diary and slowly fell asleep, but he was quickly shaken awake by the sound of his mobile phone ringing.

    His subordinate had something to report.

    ¡°Boss, the Italian mafia caught an agent, and her features look very much like Selina. I can¡¯t confirm it yet, but I¡¯ve heard that she was caught earlier in the night. What should we do? We¡¯ve heard that the Godfather here is extremely cruel, and agents who have been caught will always end up dead, and they usually die a very horrible death...¡±

    His subordinate was hesitant to continue. Ceng Hanyu shot up immediately. ¡°Where? Send me the address and I¡¯ll be there!¡±

    Treating the diary like a treasured object, Ceng Hanyu carefully put it into the bedside drawer before he dashed out.

    His subordinate had already sent him the location, and Ceng Hanyu quickly put on a ck windbreaker as he went up to the upper level of the castle.

    There were three private jets parked at the small-scale airport on the upper level of the castle built for emergency use. Nothing was more important than saving a life, and this was an absolute emergency.

    Ceng Hanyu looked at the location again before he boarded the jet. A huge door at the side opened slowly as the ne glided along the runway in darkness, it then took off into the night.

    When Ceng Hanyu arrived at the location, he realized that it was the secret base of the Italian mafia in the country. Agents from Sin Eliminators were all on standby there, and though one hour had already passed, nothing seemed to have happened.

    He did not want to wait any longer. He would never be able to forgive himself if anything happened to Selina. He gave instructions to his subordinates and asked the snipers to look for a good vantage point before sneaking into the base.

    Ceng Hanyu entered from the sewers which directly led into a tiny garden in a courtyard. He quickly ran into one of the buildings to hide aftering out of the sewers and looked around to orientate himself. There was only one way to enter and exit this ce, and it was surrounded by four towering buildings. The entire ce looked rather gloomy and suffocating.

    He then heard footsteps and quickly turned into a dark corner. A man walked out.

    Without pausing, Ceng Hanyu rushed forward and knocked the man out before dragging him into the dark corner.?He changed into the man¡¯s clothes and heaved a sigh of relief when he realized that the man was also wearing a mask that covered half his face. That would save him a lot of trouble.

    After disguising himself, he walked in the direction the man came from.?When he reached the second floor, one of the henchmen walked towards him.

    The henchman sounded surprised as he asked, ¡°Master Doria, I thought the Godfather asked you to take care of that woman we caught? Why are you back so soon?¡±

    The gears turned in Ceng Hanyu¡¯s mind. ording to what the henchman just said, the masked man was on his way to see the woman.?He had to find out if she was in fact Selina.

    He did not want to make enemies with the mafia, and it would end up being a zero-sum game if that happened.

    ¡°I was thinking of getting someone else to go with me. I have something else to take care ofter, so how about you go ahead and ask the questions in my ce first. I don¡¯t think that we should torture her to death yet even if we¡¯re unable to get anything out of her. I have a feeling that she must know something important. Let¡¯s go!¡±

    The henchman seemed very surprised at what he just heard, but his surprise turned into happiness in the very next second.?¡°You think so too, Master Doria? That was what I thought, but I never dared say it in the past because I was scared of angering the Godfather. I was afraid that he would say I was overstepping my boundaries if I questioned his decisions!¡±

    ¡°But!¡± He paused suddenly and looked at Ceng Hanyu. ¡°Master, why does your voice sound different today...¡±

    Ceng Hanyu coughed. ¡°Is that so? I didn¡¯t realize that. It¡¯s probably just a cold!¡±?He then deliberately coughed two more times.

    Ceng Hanyu could guess the general direction where the woman was being held by looking at where the henchman was headed.

    When they arrived at the opposite building, they went downstairs instead of going up.?He then realized that there were two basement levels specially built to hold captured agents, traitors, killers, and the like.?In each basement level, there were two rooms at both ends that were used as interrogation rooms.

    Ceng Hanyu walked towards one of the rooms and said, ¡°Bring her here and we¡¯ll ask the questions in there!¡±

    The henchman nodded and quickly made his way to one of the other rooms.

    Ceng Hanyu waited for a while before he saw the henchman dragging a woman into the room.

    The woman had a familiar figure, but her head was kept low and he could not make out her appearance clearly.

    However, he was very sure she was not Selina since her height and her hairstyle were very different. One could put on a wig, but it was impossible to fake one¡¯s height. He heaved an inward sigh of relief at this.<i> Luckily it¡¯s not her!</i>

    But the next second made him catch his breath.

    She was not Selina, but there was no way he could stay calm after seeing the woman¡¯s face.

    He could never leave her in the lurch. She was Ye Zhongjue¡¯s life!

    After she shot Ye Zhongjue, he refused to let Ceng Hanyu look for her to demand an exnation. He really loved her so much that he could die for her. Ceng Hanyu did not try to change Ye Zhongjue¡¯s decision since he knew that everyone reacted differently when it came to love.

    Ye Zhongjue had loved Mo Suqing for so long, while he had only just realized how deeply Selina had loved him. If he was already in so much pain, Ye Zhongjue¡¯s heart would probably feel like it had been pierced through a thousand times.

    He knew that the stubborn man was still waiting for that woman, and that woman was right in front of his eyes.

 Chapter 208 â€“ Finally Found You

    <h4>Chapter 208 ¨C Finally Found You</h4>

    Ceng Hanyu was very surprised when he realized it was Mo Suqing.

    <i>Why would Mo Suqing be here? And how did she get herself involved with the mafia? What happened after she left A City?</i>

    A thousand questions were running through Ceng Hanyu¡¯s mind, but he knew that saving Mo Suqing was now the priority.

    He would be saving Ye Zhongjue by doing so, and he wanted to know what happened in all these years. Why did she pull the trigger at Ye Zhongjue, give birth to the children and choose to leave heartlessly in the end?

    Ye Zhongjue refused to talk about what happened at the time, but Ceng Hanyu could feel the palpable sorrow and pain inside of him.

    Ceng Hanyu saw Mo Suqing look up to nce at him, but she looked back down immediately after.

    She had changed a lot in five years. She did not look like her past self, someone who was frail and weak. The current Mo Suqing seemed to emanate a chilly aura instead.

    Before Ceng Hanyu could say anything, the henchman spoke. ¡°We¡¯ve heard that she¡¯s the weapon designer for The Dark Night, but she refuses to work for us, otherwise she¡¯d be a great addition to our group. But it feels like such a waste of talent if we kill her just like this...¡±

    The henchman kept shaking his head as he spoke.

    Ceng Hanyu pondered for a moment. <i>When did Mo Suqing be a weapon designer for The Dark Night? Did she join them five years ago, or was she already a part of that organization way before that??</i>He could not wrap his head around it at all.

    He then said to the henchman, ¡°Go get some water!¡±

    The henchman was confused at the order, wondering what the water was supposed to be for, but he still walked out to get the water since he did not dare refuse Ceng Hanyu.

    Ceng Hanyu then stood up and walked to Mo Suqing. ¡°I¡¯m here to save you,e with me!¡±

    Mo Suqing did not recognize his voice, and she looked cautiously at him as she asked, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Instead of answering her question, Ceng Hanyu asked her another one. ¡°Who do you think I am? Are you waiting for Su Jincheng toe save you instead?¡±

    Mo Suqing was rather stunned. <i>Who is this guy?</i>

    She wanted to investigate some matters and it was her idea to sneak into the mafia base this time. Although Su Jincheng did not agree, he still approved it after she left to work on this alone. If she guessed right, this base would be blown to smithereens in a few minutes, and Su Jincheng would probably be right outside at this very moment. <i>Why did a third party suddenly appear now?</i>

    Ceng Hanyu watched her in frustration. ¡°Stop looking at me like that. I¡¯m really here to save you!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to save me. Also, who in the world are you?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu was annoyed. <i>Why am I wasting my time arguing with Mo Suqing when Selina is still missing??</i>He took off his mask and put it back on quickly, allowing Mo Suqing to take a quick look at his face.

    She staggered backwards in shock and cried out, ¡°Ceng Hanyu!¡±

    ¡°Shh!¡± Ceng Hanyu shushed her. ¡°Someone else will being over soon, so it¡¯s up to you whether you want to leave with me or not!¡± Mo Suqing was still in a surprised state.

    Seeing her hesitate, he wanted to ask her why she abandoned the children and Ye Zhongjue so heartlessly, but he heard footsteps outside the room before he could say anything.

    He then spoke harshly. ¡°Are you going to tell us who sent you? Do you understand that death will be your only way out if you refuse to work for us?¡±

    The henchman brought a bucket of water back to the room as he thought Ceng Hanyu was going to torture Mo Suqing, and that he needed the water to wake her up if she fainted. Mo Suqing did not look like the type who could withstand torture.

    Irritation suddenly filled Ceng Hanyu as he nced at Mo Suqing. <i>Why did it feel like she became even more stubborn after five years?</i>

    He walked to the henchman and instructed, ¡°You may leave first. You can continue with the questions after I finish!¡± The henchman nodded and left.

    Ceng Hanyu looked at Mo Suqing. ¡°Are you leaving or not? This is your only chance!¡±

    Gunshots could be heard right after he spoke, and the henchman ran back in a fluster. ¡°Master Doria, the base is being attacked. Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu nced at Mo Suqing. She did not look surprised at this turn of events at all.

    <i>So she already knew that this would happen.</i>

    He waved dismissively and said, ¡°I¡¯ll stay to keep an eye on her, you go on ahead to help the rest!¡±

    The henchman pondered for a moment and exited the room.

    With the gunshots sounding more intense in the background, Ceng Hanyu was speechless as he regarded Mo Suqing. <i>This woman actually had the guts to do something like this?</i>

    He would never have guessed what she had been doing for the past five years.

    He tugged on her arm and dragged her out without asking for her opinion a second time.

    The entire base was in a mess, and he was able to sessfully escape through the gate that led to the prison.

    When they got out, he saw a man with a poker face standing some distance away. Su Jincheng walked towards them as he saw Mo Suqing.

    ¡°You alright, Suqing?¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head to signal that she was fine, before turning to Ceng Hanyu and saying, ¡°You should go too!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu stared at her. <i>I can¡¯t believe she was mucking around with Su Jincheng all this time. It¡¯s no wonder we couldn¡¯t find her.</i>

    Su Jincheng wanted to stop Ceng Hanyu from leaving, but Mo Suqing prevented him from doing so.

    ¡°He saved me, consider him a friend!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu sighed inwardly to himself in frustration.<i>?Friend? What was Ye Zhongjue to her then? An enemy?</i>

    <i>She probably doesn¡¯t need my help since someone else is protecting her!</i>

    Ceng Hanyu left quickly, but he heard Su Jincheng say something as he left.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you so many times not to do this. It¡¯s too dangerous. But you just refuse to listen. Why are you so stubborn?¡±

    ¡­¡­

    Ceng Hanyu located his men from Sin Eliminators and instructed them to continue searching for Selina.

    He hesitated for a long time, but decided not to share the news about Mo Suqing with Ye Zhongjue and simply kept it to himself.

    They were enemies five years ago, and they are still on opposite sides now.?He would literally be sending Ye Zhongjue to his death if he told the man about Mo Suqing now!?It was better to bide his time on this!

    Three dayster, Ceng Hanyu received some news about Selina.

    She rented a tiny cabin in the Alps in Switzend, and she went skiing alone very often.

    Initially, Ceng Hanyu refused to believe this, because he felt that such a lifestyle was not something Selina would enjoy at all.

    But it was indeed Selina when he saw the photo that his men sent over. Although it was just her side profile, he would recognize her anywhere.

    Ceng Hanyu left for Switzend immediately.

    Even after his subordinates found the location of her home, he did not dare enter.?He stood a distance away from the door for a long time before an olddy passed by.

    ¡°Are you here to ski, young man? Do you need a ce to stay?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu shook his head at the olddy¡¯s smiling face.?¡°No, Granny, may I ask if there¡¯s a beautifuldy staying in this house? Thatdy might be my girlfriend!¡±?He then pointed towards the door of the tiny cabin.

    The olddyughed at him.?¡°Your girlfriend! It belongs to me. I stay here and I own many of these. Most of them are being rented to the tourists. Thisdy you¡¯re talking about probably arrived four or five days ago. She¡¯s really good at skiing, and many young men have their eyes on her too!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s expression turned glum when he heard that others had their eyes on Selina.

    The olddyughed again.?¡°You have to be gentle to thedies, young man, or else you won¡¯t be able to get a wife!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu scratched at his ear, feeling instantly embarrassed.

    ¡°Granny, it¡¯s chilly here. Are there any cabins avable for rent? It¡¯s best if it¡¯s nearer to that one!¡±

    He pointed back at the tiny cabin. There was a two-storey one right beside it, with a loft on the second floor.

    The olddy smiled and said, ¡°Yes, there are. That one right beside the tiny cabin is more expensive because it has a loft, so it¡¯s seldom booked!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu thus rented it immediately.

    In the afternoon, he spotted Selina at a distance as he stood at the loft.

    He felt downcast as soon as he saw the other man beside Selina.

    The olddy was right. <i>Men were attracted to this woman anywhere. This won¡¯t do, I have to make a move!?</i>Ceng Hanyu got dressed and left quickly.

    Selina had already spotted Ceng Hanyu, but she continued talking to the man beside her instead. This man was Eric, and he was here to ski too. He was familiar with the ce because he visited often, and he had been kind to her when she had just arrived. He was an interesting person to hang out with as well.

    Ceng Hanyu caught Selina nce at him once, only to see her turn back to the other man and continue their lively conversation. He was being ignored!

    This annoyed Ceng Hanyu, but he could not help feel upset when this was the very person he had missed so dearly for the past few days.

    Recalling what she wrote in her diary, he suddenly felt that he had no right to get angry at all.?She had been chasing after him all this while, so this time, it was time he chased after her.

    He would not leave her hanging this time. He would not allow her to be lonely and upset again.

    Her heart will no longer be in solitude.

    That was because he understood everything now!?He finally knew how she felt!

    Ceng Hanyu tried to calm himself down as he made his way towards her.

    ¡°Selina, I¡¯m here!¡±

    Eric realized that the man who was looking at Selina was now walking towards them and saying hello to Selina.

    It seemed like they already knew each other from before, and the man was not just an admirer of hers!

    Selina looked up at Ceng Hanyu.

    ¡°Mm!¡±

    She then walked away with Eric, ignoring Ceng Hanyupletely.

 Chapter 209 â€“ A Very Huge Blow

    <h4>Chapter 209 ¨C A Very Huge Blow</h4>

    Ceng Hanyu was dumbstruck.

    <i>She¡¯s really ignoring me?</i>

    He could not believe that the very same woman who always smiled at him was being so cold towards him now.

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s heart felt like a thousand arrows had just pierced through it, clenching his fists as he watched Selina leave with the other man.?He felt dismayed in the very next instant.

    The road to getting his girl back will be a long and arduous one!

    He heaved a sigh of relief when he finally saw Selina wave goodbye to the other man and return to her tiny cabin. He red at the other man¡¯s back angrily. <i>Well, at least he knows how to give us space. Or else, I would¡¯ve beat him up so bad!</i>

    He was once again at a loss for what to do when he returned to his loft. He had never pursued other girls before, and he did not even know where to start when Selina was being so indifferent.

    After a while, he decided to call Leng Xiyao for help again.

    Leng Xiyao was very d when she heard that he had found Selina, but at the same time, she felt a little downhearted when shepared herself to them. Other couples could be together like this, but Leng Haoyun was still unconscious.

    She gave Ceng Hanyu some pointers. Firstly, she told him to be sincere. If he was not sincere, nothing he do would work, because Selina would be able to feel it. Secondly, she said he had to n for them to meet coincidentally and create a romantic atmosphere, reminding him that he had to work very hard and be very insistent. Lastly, she told him to give Selina a sense of security, because she knew that Selina had never felt it when she was with Ceng Hanyu in the past.

    Ceng Hanyu gave a tiny scoff after Leng Xiyao finished talking.

    He nced at Selina, who was in the cabin beside him. It was very cold where they were, and it often snowed here. Selina came out to get something from the front yard before she went back into the cabin.

    Ceng Hanyu looked at the cabin as he thought about what Leng Xiyao said. <i>Showing my sincerity is not an issue, but as for creating a romantic atmosphere¡­ Right, flowers! Roses! Don¡¯t all women love roses?</i>

    He remembered Anne telling him that no woman could resist roses, because they represented love.

    <i>Okay! Roses it is!</i>

    Selina just finished making her lunch. She prepared her own food since she was not used to the food here. Her stomach felt so ufortable after she ate the food here on the first day! She thus went to the town to purchase some groceries so that she could make her own food.

    She heard a knock on the door after preparing her meal. It was an incessant knocking. Selina initially thought it was one of those men who tried to chat her up while they were skiing. They wanted to pursue her, but she had rejected all of them. She never would have guessed that it would actually be Ceng Hanyu. He was never the sort toe to her of his own ord.

    Five years ago, she was the one always chasing after him, and he only started taking care of her when she could not walk. She never dared wish for Ceng Hanyu to chase after her to the ends of this earth after she left.

    She thought her eyes were fooling her when she opened the door, but her expression turned cold when she realized who it was.

    Although she did not expect for Ceng Hanyu toe knocking at her door, she was reminded of the day when he asked her why she lied to him...

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu looked at her gently, a hand hidden behind him. Selina was rather baffled at this. She had never seen him like this before.

    He slowly revealed the rose he was holding behind him and gave it to Selina.

    ¡°For you!¡±

    Selina was caught by surprise with the rose, but she decided to cruelly reject it anyway.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need it!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu watched her, and he suddenly felt that Selina, though angry now, was much livelier than before.?He did not want her to go back to being grim and looking upset all the time.

    He looked at her and carefully asked, ¡°You really don¡¯t want it? I¡¯ll throw it away then?¡±

    Selina¡¯s expression changed as she snatched the rose from him. ¡°Give me that. I need to freshen the air in here a little!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu smiled. <i>That¡¯s good! Why is she so adorable like this!</i>

    He tried poking his head into the house. He sniffed the air and thought it smelled like hotpot.

    He was then reminded of what Leng Xiyao told him, that he had to be very insistent at times like these.

    He decided to pluck up his courage and ask, ¡°What¡¯s that in the house? Smells good!¡±

    Selina wanted to ignore him after she took the rose from him, but it felt too impolite to do so. She thus answered cidly, ¡°It¡¯s lunchtime, so that¡¯s the smell of food!¡±

    ¡°Is it hotpot? I think I smell hotpot!¡± Ceng Hanyu smiled at her as he leant against the door, refusing to budge.

    Selina stared at him. ¡°Are you a dog or something? How can you even tell what it is from just the smell? Anyway, what I¡¯m eating is none of your business.¡±

    Thinking on his feet, Ceng Hanyu answered quickly, ¡°Of course it is! Having hotpot alone is no fun at all! The more the merrier!¡±

    Selina frowned at him. <i>He wants to have lunch together?</i>

    She wanted to reject him, but the possibility of him continuing to harass her like this crossed her mind instantly.

    She already expected him to send men to look for her, and she knew she would be located, since she was still a part of Sin Eliminators. However, she did not expect to be found so quickly, and for Ceng Hanyu to evene to her personally.

    She was not ready to face everything at this point!

    ¡°You can go in first. I¡¯ll be back in a while!¡± Selina then left.

    Ceng Hanyu was almost jumping for joy. He never thought that she would agree to let him in so easily!

    He quickly entered and started seasoning the food, preparing the bowls, washing the vegetables... He then smiled and turned to look when he heard a sound at the door.

    The smile on his face instantly froze.

    Selina brought with her a number of people, two of whom he recognized. They were the olddy who rented out these cabins and the other guy, Eric, who was with her earlier.

    <i>What did she mean by doing this?</i>

    Ceng Hanyu suddenly remembered what he said earlier. He said that it was no fun eating hotpot alone at all, and he also said ¡®the more the merrier¡¯!

    <i>Did I just do myself in?</i>

    Selina seemed to give him a satisfied look as she went to collect the bowls and cutlery.

    Ceng Hanyu felt extremely awkward during the lunch. He had wanted to enjoy the hotpot meal with Selina, and he wanted for the both of them to have a nice meal together.

    Little did he expect for Selina to invite so many others.

    He had lost all his appetite as he watched the rest engage in lively conversation. His heart was weeping. <i>The more the merrier? I won¡¯t say that ever again!</i>

    Selina sent all of them off after the meal, and although he did not want to leave, he could tell from Selina¡¯s gaze that it was not the best time. He thus decided to retreat and try again next time!

    Ceng Hanyu returned to his cabin deep in thought. <i>What should I do next?</i>

    <i>Right! Create opportunities where we can meet coincidentally! But we¡¯re staying right beside each other, so rather than creating an opportunity, it¡¯s probably better for me to just sit and wait for a chance!</i>

    Ceng Hanyu watched the cabin beside him for the entire afternoon, but Selina did note out of the house.

    He thought, <i>Maybe it¡¯s too cold today.</i>

    The next day, Ceng Hanyu went to the loft immediately after getting up, only to be shocked at what he saw.

    Selina was going out with that pretty boy Eric. They looked like they were going skiing together.

    Ceng Hanyu was angered. <i>Why didn¡¯t she ask me to go skiing with her? Why did she have to ask that little white face instead? Unforgivable!</i>

    After fuming for a while, he quickly packed his things and chased after the two of them.

    Ceng Hanyu called Eric ¡®little white face¡¯ simply because he was caucasian and he was extremely fair-skinned. Eric¡¯s figure looked nothing like a gigolo at all.

    Ceng Hanyu did not like it that the man seemed to be trying to get into Selina¡¯s good books, so instead of his name, Ceng Hanyu would rather call him ¡®little white face¡¯.

    Eric was an American, and when Ceng Hanyu called him ¡®little white face¡¯ for the first time, Eric did not understand it at all. He thus asked Selina to exin the term, but she simply shot a cold look at Ceng Hanyu before telling Eric that it meant ¡®handsome¡¯.

    Eric smiled at that, while Ceng Hanyu turned glum.

    Ceng Hanyu wondered to himself if the two of them had been spending all their time here together before he arrived. He felt consumed with jealousy.

    He put on a blue jacket and left his cabin quickly.

    When he arrived at the ski slope, he spotted Eric and Selina from afar.

    Anger rose in him when he saw the two of them holding hands.<i>?I haven¡¯t even skied with Selina like that before!</i>

    He then realized he had, in fact, never once skied with Selina.

    <i>Damn it! I¡¯ve missed out on so many things in the past!</i>

    Ceng Hanyu put on his skis and went in the direction they were in. He just so happened to be a skiing expert, so he was able to catch up to them very quickly.

    Selina was surprised when she saw Ceng Hanyu. A flurry of emotions stirred in her. She felt that Ceng Hanyu had changed greatly.

    While she was in a daze, Ceng Hanyu had alreadye in front of her. Selina suddenly felt very conscious that she was holding Eric¡¯s hand.

    She smiled at Eric and withdrew her hand from his. ¡°I¡¯d like to ski on my own for a while!¡±

    There was a subtle change in Eric¡¯s expression when he saw Ceng Hanyu, but he did not say anything and simply let go of Selina to let her ski on her own.

    Selina watched Ceng Hanyu ski down the slope skilfully. He was looking at her as if to say, <i>Look at me! I¡¯m great at this!</i>

    With her attention on him, Selina got distracted and lost control as she was going downhill. She was new to this, and this was why she had Eric guide her so closely.

    The skis seemed to have a life of their own as Selina simply stood on them, at a loss for what to do. She continued picking up speed as she went downhill.

    <sup>[1]</sup> ¡®Little white face¡¯ is the literal trantion of a derogatory term used to refer to gigolos.

 Chapter 210 â€“ Are You Acting Pitiful

    <h4>Chapter 210 ¨C Are You Acting Pitiful</h4>

    Ceng Hanyu could tell something was amiss and quickly skied to where Selina was heading.

    Selina saw him right in front of her, but she did not know how to stop herself from crashing into him.

    She had imagined simr situations in the past, wondering if Ceng Hanyu woulde and save her if something happened to her. But now, she would rather get hurt than see him get hurt because of her.

    The slope was too steep and Selina¡¯s speed was extremely fast.

    With a huge ¡®thud¡¯, Selina felt herself in a warm embrace. A tear escaped from the corner of her eye as she sank into Ceng Hanyu¡¯s jacket.

    She thought she heard a breath escape from Ceng Hanyu as the both of them rolled downhill from the momentum.

    Ceng Hanyu hugged her tight, and she quickly got up when they came to a stop.

    ¡°Ceng Hanyu, are you okay?¡± Selina was almost crying now.

    Ceng Hanyu hurt his leg and his face was scrunched up in a frown from the pain, but he forced himself to smile as he was afraid that Selina would be too worried.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, how about you?¡±

    Selina shook her head and looked at him in concern.

    However, Ceng Hanyu continued lying on the ground.

    Selina then realized that there was blood oozing out from somewhere near his leg. The blood stained the snow a bright red, just like a red plum blossom in full bloom. Selina¡¯s eyes welled up with tears.

    ¡°You¡¯re a liar, Ceng Hanyu. Didn¡¯t you say you were fine?¡±

    It was at this moment that Eric skied down the slope. He looked at Selina in concern.

    ¡°Selina, you okay?¡±

    Selina looked like she just saw a saviour. ¡°Eric, help him out, I think Ceng Hanyu hurt his leg!¡±

    Seeing how worried she looked, Eric¡¯s eyes dimmed. He would not have let go of her if he knew this would happen.

    Seeing Ceng Hanyu on the ground, he quickly helped him up.

    Eric tried to carry Ceng Hanyu on his back, but he identally hit Ceng Hanyu¡¯s leg while lifting him, causing Ceng Hanyu to suck in a breath in pain. Selina shot an angry look at Eric.

    ¡°Be careful, you just hit him!¡±

    This surprised Eric. <i>Why did it be my fault when I was just trying to help?</i>

    With how flustered Selina was, he did not want to do anything to frustrate her further. He thus quickly carried Ceng Hanyu out of the area.

    Selina got Ceng Hanyu transferred into the small hospital in the town to get a proper diagnosis. They then returned to Ennd together after Ceng Hanyu went through a quick operation and his leg was ced in a cast.

    Because of the huge impact, the bones in Ceng Hanyu¡¯s calf had been broken, and he had to stay in a wheelchair for a while.

    <strong>Ennd, Selina¡¯s castle home.</strong>

    Ceng Hanyu looked at Selina who was busying herself with things.

    He said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for so many carpets, I¡¯m fine! I can¡¯t walk now, so the carpets won¡¯t be of use anyway!¡±

    Selina shook her head.

    ¡°No, this is just in case.¡±

    Ceng Hanyu watched as she continued, his gaze gentle.

    He then said, ¡°Were we enemies in our past lives? Why can¡¯t we seem to live a peaceful life when we¡¯re together? You chased after me in the past, and you ended up hurting your legs. Now that I¡¯m chasing you around, I¡¯ve ended up in a wheelchair instead!¡±

    Selina paused. She was reminded of how she kept the truth from him for so long when Ceng Hanyu talked about her getting hurt.

    Ceng Hanyu seemed to be able to read her mind and waved at her.

    ¡°Selina,e,e over!¡±

    Selina turned to look at him in puzzlement. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Come over!¡±

    Selina then walked over, not thinking too much about it. He was the patient who needed to be taken care of right now.

    When she was right in front of him, he suddenly pulled her into an embrace. This shocked Selina, but she held onto the arms of the wheelchair to bnce herself as she stared at him.

    This crazy man. <i>Doesn¡¯t he know that his leg is injured?</i>

    She stared angrily at him. ¡°You don¡¯t want your leg anymore?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need it as long as you¡¯re around!¡±

    Selina was surprised, but she chided him, ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu blinked at her like a hurt puppy. ¡°I¡¯m injured now. How can you do this to me?¡±

    Selina was utterly shocked at what he said. <i>Did he just try to act all pitiful?</i>

    ¡°You...¡± She stuttered.

    Ceng Hanyu stroked her hair and spoke gently.

    ¡°What? Silly, I¡¯ll always be by your side from now till forever. I won¡¯t give up on us. You don¡¯t have to worry anymore, because I won¡¯t ever leave you. I won¡¯t leave you hanging ever again...¡±

    Selina was astounded. <i>Did Ceng Hanyu really just whisper these sweet nothings in her ear?</i>

    He took Selina¡¯s hand and ced it on his chest as he looked at her.

    ¡°You¡¯re the only one in my heart. From now on, I¡¯ll be bringing you with me wherever I go, because you¡¯re my life, and I won¡¯t leave you ever again.¡±

    Selina saw Ceng Hanyu reach into his pocket to take out a shiny, diamond ring.

    Selina was about to cry.

    Ceng Hanyu continued looking at her with a gaze so gentle and loving.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want us to keep chasing each other around like this, it¡¯s such a waste of time. I¡¯d like for us to say <i>I love you</i> to each other from now on. Selina, are you willing to be with me? Will you marry me?¡±

    Selina¡¯s tears fell.

    She turned away from him. She had dreamt about this so many times, and she had never expected for it to turn into reality. She did not know how to react all of a sudden.

    Nothing couldpare to those three words - I love you.

    <i>He loved me. He really loved me.</i>

    Ceng Hanyu watched Selina and wondered if he had been too rash. Afraid that she would not agree, he exined hastily.

    ¡°I just wanted so badly for you to be by my side. I can¡¯t go down on one knee now, and I know this isn¡¯t romantic enough. I¡¯ll do that when my leg recovers. Don¡¯t be angry, and don¡¯t reject me, okay?¡±

    Selina deadpanned. <i>What an idiot! Did I refuse him?</i>

    <i>I just didn¡¯t think that my dream would actuallye true!</i>

    She thought Ceng Hanyu would never fall in love with her in this life, but this actually happened!

    She turned back to him slowly and looked at him with tears in her eyes. ¡°Idiot, did I refuse you? I just didn¡¯t think that...¡±

    Selina felt like she would burst into tears anytime now, so she fell silent and tried to control her emotions.

    She sniffed loudly as Ceng Hanyu hugged her tight. ¡°So you agree!¡±

    He was over the moon. Selina nodded at him as she blushed.

    Ceng Hanyu was so happy and he quickly put the ring on Selina¡¯s finger, as if he was afraid that she would disappear in the next moment.

    Selina smiled at him...

    Ceng Hanyu kept looking at the ring that was on Selina¡¯s finger, finding it extraordinarily beautiful.

    He would be responsible for the woman in his arms from now on, she would be his life and he would never let her down...

    Selina extricated herself from his embrace after a while.

    Ceng Hanyu felt slightly disappointed when she left.

    He looked at her and asked, ¡°Wifey, can¡¯t we cuddle a bit more?¡±

    Selina instantly broke out in a cold sweat. <i>This man is really shameless! He just proposed and he¡¯s acting as if we¡¯ve already gotten married! I¡¯m speechless!</i>

    ¡°Who¡¯s your wife!¡± Selina stared at him.

    Ceng Hanyu put on an innocent face.

    ¡°You are. Aren¡¯t you my wife? Didn¡¯t you just agree?¡±

    Selina frowned at him. <i>What was this man thinking? Wouldn¡¯t we be husband and wife only after we get married?</i>

    <i>He¡¯s...</i>

    ¡°Fine!¡± Selina shook her head in resignation. ¡°It¡¯s up to you. You can call me whatever you want!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu broke out in a huge grin. ¡°Wifey,e and give me a hug...¡±

    Selina rolled her eyes.<i>?Why did I not realize this in the past? This man was a literal child!</i>

    ¡°I need to go get groceries...¡±

    ¡°Get the helper to go, please? Stay here with me. I took such great care of you when you were in a wheelchair, and I always checked in on you first...¡±

    Selina was rendered speechless by Ceng Hanyu. She then said, ¡°That¡¯s all your fault. You looked so guilty that you made me think that...¡±

    Selina stopped suddenly. Ceng Hanyu looked at her questioningly.

    ¡°Made you think what...¡±

    ¡°Made me think...¡± Reminded of the fact that she actually lied to him for three whole years, Selina did not want to broach the topic again. ¡°Nevermind!¡±

    A yful smile appeared on Ceng Hanyu¡¯s face. <i>It¡¯s pretty fun to tease my wife like that.</i> ¡°Then I¡¯ll help you say it, okay?¡±

    ¡°Made you think that I did all that because I felt responsible for what happened to you, since you got hurt because of Anne, right?¡±

    Selina stared at him angrily. <i>He already knew why, and he still had to ask. Annoying!</i>

    Seeing Selina¡¯s pissed off expression, Ceng Hanyu decided to stop there. <i>Did I go overboard?</i>

    ¡°That¡¯s not the case at all! I wasn¡¯t aware in the past, and it¡¯s all my fault. I didn¡¯t tell you about how I felt, and I¡¯ve already made the decision to be with you five years ago. I realized how important you were to me the moment you got shot. I had taken you for granted before that, and that made me ignore my feelings for you. I really have to say sorry to you!¡±

    He continued as he watched Selina, who looked at him without much expression.

    ¡°I thought you knew that I had made that decision to be with you forever, but I never expected for you to keep the truth from me even after your legs recovered. You literally ran away when I found out. I saw your diary that very day, and it was only then that I learnt how you really felt...¡±

 Chapter 211 â€“ Wanting to Murder Someone

    <h4>Chapter 211 ¨C Wanting to Murder Someone</h4>

    Selina stared at him wide-eyed when she heard that he had read her diary. <i>How could he read everything? I could murder him now!</i>

    Ceng Hanyu immediately felt something amiss. <i>Did I say something wrong again?</i>

    He pretended to act all pitiful again, trying to beg for her forgiveness.

    ¡°Wifey, please don¡¯t be angry. It was so difficult to locate you. Did you know that I even snuck into a mafia base to look for you? Luckily, you weren¡¯t the one who was caught...¡±

    He then fell silent at the thought of Mo Suqing. He had already told Ye Zhongjue about what happened, and he would let Ye Zhongjue decide on the next steps.

    ¡°You went to Italy to look for me...¡± Selina sounded very surprised. She did not n to return when she left. Ceng Hanyu¡¯s attitude towards her had hurt her greatly in the past, and she never expected for him to actuallye looking for her.

    She was still in disbelief over the turn of events. <i>Not only did hee for me, he even saved me, and he had just proposed to me.</i>

    Ceng Hanyu could not suppress his smile as he looked at the dazed and confused expression on Selina¡¯s face. <i>What a silly girl. But I like it.</i>

    A wide grin appeared on him, but Selina suddenly turned cold.

    ¡°Since you read my diary without my consent, this means that we don¡¯t know each other that well yet. I¡¯m wondering if I should reconsider being with you!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s grin froze. <i>Will I still be able to be together with her after she takes some time to reconsider?</i>

    Selina looked up sneakily at him, trying to suppress herughter when she saw how glum he looked.

    She ran to the door before Ceng Hanyu could react and stuck her tongue out at him. ¡°Silly! I was just pulling your leg and you believed it!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu was stupefied, but he heaved an inward sigh of relief. <i>So she was just joking, this littledy...</i>

    He looked down at his leg and looked back at the door where Selina had just been, shaking his head at himself. <i>The hero saved the beauty, but the injured hero is left all alone sitting in a wheelchair as the beauty runs away.</i>

    ¡­¡­

    Leng Xiyao was helping to clean Leng Haoyun when she received Selina¡¯s call.

    This was what the caregiver was supposed to do, but the thought of having a youngdy look at Leng Haoyun from top to toe made Leng Xiyao ufortable.

    She had to give a better reason if she wanted to hire another caregiver, since the youngdy was still doing her job properly.

    After pondering over this, Leng Xiyao thus decided to do it on her own. They already have a child anyway.

    Therefore, Leng Xiyao was now personally wiping Leng Haoyun daily.

    Her mobile phone rang right after she took off his clothes.

    She wanted to reject the call initially, but was reminded of what happened recently after she saw Selina¡¯s name on disy. She thus decided to take the call. She left the room after covering Leng Haoyun with a nket.

    Shortly after she left, there was slight movement from Leng Haoyun, and he opened his eyes slowly.

    Leng Haoyun had actually been awake for a while.

    He seemed to have felt someone touching his body, and realized it was Leng Xiyao who had been removing his clothes.

    He did not know how long he had been unconscious for, but if she was helping to clean him up like this, it would mean that he had been out for quite a while.

    He thought that if he opened his eyes while she was helping to clean him, it would probably make the girl turn away in embarrassment.

    However, her phone rang before she could even do anything.

    Leng Haoyun knew that if he continued to pretend to be unconscious, his body might react involuntarily when her hands started touching him. He was not confident that he had the willpower to control himself.

    He was still a healthy male, and he practically lived like a celibate monk in the five years without her as he plunged himself into work.

    Leng Xiyao heard Selina¡¯s excited voice over the phone right after she picked up the call.

    ¡°Anne, Ceng Hanyu proposed!¡±

    Leng Xiyao smiled knowingly to herself. <i>He¡¯s finally done it. I thought he would need another few years to think it through!</i>

    Compared to others, she could tell that Ceng Hanyu was slow to react in love, but he had to think things through on his own, and it was rather pointless for others to say more if he chose not to be honest with himself.

    ¡°Congrattions, Selina. He¡¯s finally done it...¡±

    Selina was then reminded of the fact that Leng Haoyun was still unconscious, and she felt a little dispirited at the thought.

    ¡°Sorry, Anne...¡±

    Leng Xiyao knew why she said that, but she forced herself to smile as she looked towards the room where Leng Haoyun was in.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you don¡¯t have to feel sorry or afraid that you¡¯ve said something wrong, I¡¯m already used to this. I believe he¡¯ll be able to wake up. Ceng Hanyu proposing to you is something to be happy about anyway! Don¡¯t be affected by me. I¡¯m really happy for the both of you now that you guys are together...¡±

    Leng Xiyao then said, ¡°He should do a proper proposal after he¡¯s recovered. You can¡¯t let him off that easily just because he¡¯s injured now. He acted all high and mighty in the past. Remember to puncture a little bit of that arrogance!¡±

    Selinaughed when she heard what Leng Xiyao said.

    ¡°Anne, you¡¯re so naughty. Aren¡¯t you afraid that Ceng Hanyu will beat you up?¡±

    Leng Xiyao pursed her lips at this. ¡°Am I more important to you or is he more important to you? If I¡¯m more important, remember toe save me when he beats me up, or else I won¡¯t love you anymore...¡±

    Warmth filled Selina¡¯s heart with Leng Xiyao¡¯s loving teasing.

    She never had a little sister, but she became good friends with Leng Xiyao almost immediately after they met. It was just a pity that they did not meet earlier.

    Her heart felt full and happy now that she had Ceng Hanyu and Leng Xiyao by her side. There was really nothing else she could wish for.

    After their chat, Leng Xiyao was reminded of the fact that Leng Haoyun was currently lying buck naked on the bed. That would be quite embarrassing if the doctor entered.

    She thus ended the call with Selina.

    The happiness from Selina¡¯sughter seemed to be able to spread through the phone to her. This was the sound of someone who felt blessed. She would ask for nothing else as long as An Baobei and Leng Haoyun were living well.

    <i>I wonder when he would be able to wake up...</i>

    Leng Xiyao walked towards the room absent-mindedly, only to be surprised at what she saw.

    She panicked. <i>Where is he?</i>

    Leng Haoyun, who had been lying on the bed, was nowhere to be seen.

    She looked around in a fluster, checking the washroom to see if there was anyone in there.

    She was almost in tears when she realized that there was nobody around.

    <i>Right, I should ask the doctor!?</i>She started ming herself as she made her way to the doctor¡¯s office.<i>?I shouldn¡¯t have left the room earlier. What could have happened in those few short minutes?</i>

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s eyes had already welled up with tears as she opened the door to the doctor¡¯s office.

    She stared in astonishment at the man sitting opposite the doctor.

    <i>Leng Haoyun is awake? And I wasn¡¯t aware!</i>

    Leng Xiyao had hoped that she was the first person Leng Haoyun saw when he woke up, but little did she know that he would actually wake up while she was in the middle of a phone call. Not only did he wake up, he even had the energy to go to the doctor¡¯s office on his own. <i>Just how energetic is he? Shouldn¡¯t he feel weakened since he just woke up?</i>

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s emotions seemed to be on a roller coaster ride. She was shocked and surprised at everything that just happened.

    She stood at the door in bewilderment, still as a statue.

    Leng Haoyun saw those swollen eyes of hers and knew that she had been worried sick about him. He simply wanted to ask the doctor when he could be discharged.

    He felt like he had been lying down for a long time.

    Leng Haoyun stood up slowly and walked towards Leng Xiyao. ¡°Yao, why did youe?¡±

    She stared at him, the tears in her eyes sparkling like tiny crystals.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me when you woke up?¡±

    Leng Haoyun knew that he had upset her. He should have known how much she worried about him...

    Leng Xiyao ran out of the office before he could react. He turned back to nce at the doctor before chasing after her.

    Leng Haoyun managed to stop her only when they were outside of the hospital, near the entrance of another building.

    He hugged Leng Xiyao and said, ¡°Yao, sorry, I¡¯m so sorry. I thought you¡¯d be taking a while beforeing back in. Don¡¯t be angry, okay?¡±

    Leng Xiyao¡¯s tears started to fall uncontrobly as he hugged her, and Leng Haoyun¡¯s white hospital gown was drenched by her tears.

    He was in a fluster now. ¡°Yao, you can hit me or even bite me if you want. Don¡¯t cry, I¡¯ll feel so bad!¡±

    Hearing how sincere he sounded, Leng Xiyao hit him on the chest with her fists. ¡°It¡¯s your fault, all your fault! You didn¡¯t tell me when you woke up, and I thought that...¡±

    Before she could finish, Leng Xiyao started sobbing. Leng Haoyun hugged her in an attempt to console her.

    He then saw that there were passersby who seemed to be looking at them, and it was only then did he realize that he was still in the hospital gown.

    He tugged at Leng Xiyao¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back, Yao. Look at me in this gown, people are going to mistake me for an insane person!¡±

    Leng Xiyao smiled in between her sniffles.

    ¡°They won¡¯t mistake you for an insane person!¡±

    ¡°Huh...¡± Leng Haoyun was confused by what she said.

    Leng Xiyaoughed. ¡°That¡¯s because you are insane!¡±

 Chapter 212 â€“ Not Listening to Your Older Brother

    <h4>Chapter 212 ¨C Not Listening to Your Older Brother</h4>

    Leng Xiyao felt herself being lifted up into the air.

    She cried out in surprise, ¡°Ah!¡±

    Leng Haoyun smiled at her yfully. ¡°Little girl, you dare call me insane? If I¡¯m insane, then you¡¯re an insane person¡¯s wife!¡±

    Leng Xiyao stared at him in mock anger. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Who¡¯s your wife now!¡±

    ¡°You are!¡± Leng Haoyun answered,ughing as they returned to the hospital.

    ¡­¡­

    <strong>At the Ye family home.</strong>

    Ye Zhongjue was trying to suppress hisughter as he watched his son and daughter.

    Ye Yanchen looked at little Yanxi with an expression of disdain. ¡°Xiaoliu, I¡¯ve told you so many times not to bother with that An Yichen boy, but you refuse to listen! When will you ever learn to listen to what your older brother tells you!¡±

    Mo Yanxi looked at her older brother. She liked her older brother, and she also liked An Yichen, but her brother did not allow her to y with An Yichen. How can she make a choice between the two like that?

    <i>Why do I feel like my brother has been bullying me recently?</i>

    Mo Yanxi pouted and sniffed. ¡°Older Brother, Grandma said that An Yichen is not the same as you. Xiaoliu can like both you and An Yichen too!¡±

    Ye Yanchen turned glum. ¡°What¡¯s so great about that An Yichen guy? You¡¯ve only known him for a few days and you¡¯re speaking up for him already. Grandma was just joking, but you actually believed it!¡±

    Mo Yanxi was frowning, and she was almost about to cry.

    Ye Zhongjue stepped forward and carried his daughter in his arms to coax her gently.

    ¡°Older Brother is just joking. Xiaoliu can y with An Baobei, Daddy and Grandma wouldn¡¯t mind it at all. Your Mummy and An Baobei¡¯s Mummy are good friends too, so I¡¯m sure she would be happy about it!¡±

    Ye Yanchen seemed to want to say something else, but he fell silent upon hearing his dad mention their mum.

    Mo Yanxi fidgeted in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s arms. The tiny girl looked at him suspiciously with an adorable little face.

    ¡°Daddy, will Mummy really be happy?¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Ye Zhongjue nodded. Joy instantly emanated from the little girl. She pouted and looked at her brother.

    ¡°Naughty A¡¯jiu, how dare you lie to me. I¡¯m not going to help you out next time if the teacher asks to meet your parents again!¡±

    Ye Yanchen frowned slightly. He felt a little upset as he watched his dad carry Xiaoliu in his arms so lovingly.<i>?If only Mummy was around, he could hold her hand while Daddy carried Xiaoliu, and our family...</i>

    Ye Yanchen felt miserable as the image of a happy shed in his mind. He had never seen his mum in person, and he only had photos of her. His dad told him that she would return one day.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes dimmed when he recalled what Ceng Hanyu told him the other day.

    Ceng Hanyu said that he saw Mo Suqing at the Italian mafia base while he was looking for Selina, and that Mo Suqing was now a part of The Dark Night.

    Ceng Hanyu even told him to be careful if he happens to meet Mo Suqing again, because she was apletely different person now.

    He knew Ceng Hanyu would never lie to him, but he felt that their feelings for each other would not have changed.

    The only thing on his mind for the past five years was to tell Mo Suqing the truth about that car ident.

    But she seemed to have vanished into thin air and there seemed to be absolutely no traces of her left.

    He felt very emotional when he heard the news!

    He would go to her even if she wanted him dead...

    Ye Zhongjue looked at his children. They were obedient at times, but they could also be mischievous sometimes. He could not bear to leave them.

    He cleared his throat. ¡°A¡¯jiu, I¡¯ll take you and Xiaoliu to the supermarket to do some shopping, okay?¡±

    Ye Yanchen looked at him with suspicion. <i>Going to the supermarket? I thought Daddy hated crowded ces?</i>

    Mo Yanxi looked at her dad curiously. <i>Did Daddy have a change of heart today?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue felt rather ufortable at the questioning looks from his children.

    He then cleared his throat again and said, ¡°Don¡¯t we need to prepare some daily necessities for your Mummy if she¡¯s going toe back soon? I wanted the three of us to help her pick out the items...¡±

    Ye Zhongjue had already decided to start looking for Mo Suqing in the next two days. He would be able to find a way to locate her if she is part of The Dark Night.

    Ye Yanchen was surprised to hear this. <i>Mummy ising back?</i>

    ¡°Really?¡± Mo Yanxi was so happy that she almost jumped out of Ye Zhongjue¡¯s arms.

    Ye Zhongjue nodded slowly as he watched how happy his daughter was.

    ¡°Daddy will go look for Mummy the day after tomorrow, and I¡¯ll definitely bring her back if it¡¯s possible!¡±

    Mo Yanxi asked as she watched Ye Zhongjue, ¡°Daddy, you never told us why Mummy left us.¡±

    A flicker of gloom passed Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face. This was a question he did not know the answer to himself. He wondered if Mo Suqing really hated him so to the point that she could abandon both her children.

    No matter what he thought of this, that cruel woman was not here right now to give him an answer.

    ¡°She might have been¡­ ming Daddy all this time!¡±

    ¡°Did you do something to disappoint Mummy?¡± Mo Yanxi asked him seriously.

    He was caught by her question. <i>Disappoint her? Now that I think about it, I think I¡¯ve indeed done a few things to disappoint her. I kept my identity hidden just to keep her by my side, and I lied to her.</i>

    <i>But she had already forgiven me for this. It was probably that car ident eight years ago that she couldn¡¯t forgive me for.</i>

    He never thought that the ident would end up changing his life to such an extent. If he knew that the victim was Mo Suqing¡¯s mother at the time, he would have taken her ce in a heartbeat.

    There was no cure for regret in this world, and it was even more difficult to predict what would happen in the future.

    Ye Zhongjue was afraid that the children would continue asking more questions which he did not have the answers to.

    He thus said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Daddy will bring the both of you shopping. Also, An Baobei is the son of Mummy¡¯s close friend, so Mummy would definitely want you to be nice to him. A¡¯jiu, stop trying to make things difficult for him next time, okay?¡±

    Ye Yanchen nodded unwillingly. <i>Even Daddy is asking me to stop making things difficult for that annoying guy. But he is really annoying! He was the annoying one!</i>

    Joy emanated from Mo Yanxi as she felt extremely excited on the way to the supermarket. Ye Yanchen, on the other hand, looked rather serious, like a little prince charming.

    Ye Zhongjue suddenly wondered what Mo Suqing would think if she saw the children. <i>She would probably like it that the girl was treated like a little princess and the boy was taught to be a little gentleman.</i>

    <i>Would she return if she saw them like this?</i>

    Mo Yanxi skipped behind Ye Yanchen as they arrived at the supermarket, and the three of them made their way in quickly.

    ¡­¡­

    Xia Zi was unable to get in touch with Luo Qiqi after leaving Emperor City.

    Many things changed in five years.

    She learnt that Interpol refused to send help to look for her when she went missing years ago, and Luo Qiqi was so angry that she decided to quit and look for Xia Zi on her own instead.

    No one knew what she did in the past five years. Everyone said that Xia Zi was already dead, but Luo Qiqi refused to believe it.

    Xia Zi felt miserable when she heard about this. Luo Qiqi was like a sister to her, even though they were not blood rted, they were close enough to be family.

    Luo Qiqi and Xia Zi were supposed to be an inseparable pair!

    After Xia Zi left Emperor City, she headed to America to look for Feng Liluo. Feng Liluo was an FBI informant, and he had grown up with Luo Qiqi and Xia Zi. Xia Zi had always known that he had feelings for Luo Qiqi, so she expected to be able to get some clues about where Luo Qiqi was if she got in touch with Feng Liluo.

    However, Feng Liluo told her that he no longer kept in contact with Luo Qiqi, and that he had no way of locating her.

    Xia Zi was disappointed at the news, but Feng Liluo gave her a suggestion. He told her to try her luck in A City, since it was where she had initially gone missing.

    Xia Zi took his suggestion and left for A City.

    Xia Zi did not know anyone in A City, and she had originally wanted to order delivery after she checked into the hotel. She decided against it eventually since she thought she might just be able to get some clues if she were to go out in person.

    Luo Qiqi loved eating snacks in the past, and she would basically try every single one of the snacks avable wherever they were. With this in mind, Xia Zi headed straight for the supermarket.

    She and Luo Qiqi used tomunicate through an online channel, but after going missing for five years, she thought that it was likely for Luo Qiqi not to be using that ount anymore. Nevertheless, Xia Zi had been sending messages through the tform, only to receive no replies.

    Xia Zi sent one more message before she left the hotel to inform Luo Qiqi that she was now in A City.

    Xia Zi looked around expectantly in the supermarket, hoping for Luo Qiqi to miraculously appear in front of her. However, what she wished for did not happen.

    Just as she was leaving, two young children caught her eye. For some reason, there was this indescribable emotion in her as she saw the two of them.

    It felt like she already knew them, and there was a sense of joy and happiness when she saw them.

    She was surprised at herself. <i>Why do I feel this way? I¡¯ve never given birth, so where did these feelingse from!</i>

    Before she could think further about it, the two children were already running towards her, yelling in excitement.

    ¡°Mummy!¡±

 Chapter 213 â€“ Xia Zi Posing as Mo Suqing

    <h4>Chapter 213 ¨C Xia Zi Posing as Mo Suqing</h4>

    Xia Zi was dumbfounded. <i>Mummy? What¡¯s happening? Why did these two little kids call me Mummy?</i>

    <i>Also, why do I feel so close to them?</i>

    Mo Yanxi and Ye Yanchen stood in front of Xia Zi, tears escaping their eyes. This has to be their mum. Their dad often showed them photos of her, so they recognized Xia Zi¡¯s face immediately upon seeing her.

    <i>This is Mummy!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue turned the corner just as Mo Yanxi and Ye Yanchen ran up to Xia Zi.

    His breath caught when he saw that face. It looked exactly like Mo Suqing¡¯s.

    He did not dare to take another breath, afraid that she would disappear again.

    <i>Was it really her?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue took careful steps towards Xia Zi. He was scared that one wrong move would make him fall into the abyss of despair.

    Xia Zi recalled what happened five years ago almost immediately after spotting Ye Zhongjue. She remembered that there was a pregnant woman who looked exactly like her.

    She did not have the chance to find out if she was indeed rted to that woman from five years ago, so this time, she was bent on looking into the matter!

    She had to find out what exactly happened.

    Xia Zi assumed the role of somebody else in an instant.

    ¡°You guys...¡±

    She lifted a trembling hand, acting almost exactly like how a mother would if she did not see her children for the past five years, with the exception of just a sliver of conflict and unease in her eyes.

    Ye Zhongjue stopped right in front of her.

    He looked at Xia Zi and greeted her in trepidation.

    ¡°Suqing...¡±

    Xia Zi looked up at him, slightly flustered.

    Her acting, however, was top-notch. She had decided to y the amnesia card, and the scenario was that she would pretend to be shocked and confused when she saw her children and that man from five years ago.

    Her character would be shocked at how familiar they felt, but confused because she did not recognize them at all in the first ce.

    Ye Zhongjue did not take his eyes off her.

    Mo Yanxi and Ye Yanchen were standing between them, and they looked from Xia Zi to their dad.

    <i>Daddy was not lying to us, Mummy is really here.</i>

    Xia Zi made sure there were no cracks in her expression as she stood in ce, waiting for Ye Zhongjue to make the next move. She did not want Ye Zhongjue to detect that she was acting. She was determined to find out about her own birth circumstances even if she was not able to locate Qiqi this time.

    Ye Zhongjue continued staring at Xia Zi, finding her aurapletely different from five years ago. It was no surprise that Ceng Hanyu said she had changed.

    Ye Zhongjue did not want to stay in the supermarket any longer. He took Xia Zi¡¯s hand in his and carried Mo Yanxi in his arms before saying to Ye Yanchen, ¡°Come on, A¡¯jiu!¡±

    He looked cold and imposing. No one knew what was going through his mind.

    Ye Zhongjue settled the children in the car before he turned to Xia Zi, leading her to the roof of the building that housed the supermarket.

    The building was sixty storeys high, and the sound of the wind on the roof was almost deafening.

    Ye Zhongjue looked upon the people and the vehicles on the ground with a profound gaze.

    Xia Zi¡¯s expression remained the same, and she stuck to her strategy of keeping quiet before Ye Zhongjue made the next move. It was too easy for her to be found out if she said anything wrong at this point.

    Ye Zhongjue finally turned back to look at that face which he had missed for the past five years.

    His voice trembled as he spoke. ¡°Why did youe back?¡±

    Xia Zi looked at him cidly. ¡°Why can¡¯t Ie back?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue took a breath. ¡°You don¡¯t mind what happened five years ago?¡±

    The gears turned in Xia Zi¡¯s mind. <i>Five years ago? What exactly happened five years ago? I¡¯m not sure of what happened at all!</i>

    Since she was alreadymitted to this role, she had to stick to it. Afraid Ye Zhongjue would ask about something else, she pretended not to care about it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re asking me about it, but I can tell you that I¡¯ve forgotten about it. You¡¯re nothing but a stranger to me now.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was stunned at her answer. <i>Amnesia? Did she forget about me? But judging by how she acted earlier, it didn¡¯t look like she forgot anything at all. Especially when she looked at Xiaoliu and A¡¯jiu.</i>

    ¡°Then why did you look at A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu that way?¡±

    Xia Zi¡¯s mind was racing. <i>So the kids are called A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu??</i>She could not put a finger on it either, but for some reason, she felt a sense of familiarity when she saw the children.

    There was no need for her to lie about this. From Ye Zhongjue¡¯s perspective, she would be their mother, and it was totally normal for her to react that way.

    ¡°They are strangers to me, but for some reason, I felt a sense of familiarity when I saw them. I don¡¯t know why either!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was bewildered. <i>Was this how a mother would feel when she looked at her own children? She had forgotten about them, but that rtionship between a mother and a child could never be erased.</i>

    At this, Ye Zhongjue felt rather puzzled. Ceng Hanyu did not mention that Mo Suqing had lost her memory when he called. <i>What is really going on here?</i>

    He then suddenly thought of Mo Suqing¡¯s doppelganger who appeared near the hospital five years ago. He had gotten Lin Ran to look into the matter and they found out that she lived in the Shallow Sea Area before everything happened.

    <i>Would she be that doppelganger they saw?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue had been involved with the dealings in the underworld since he was a teenager, and having established the foundation of Sin Eliminators with Ceng Hanyu, his skills in observation and deduction could be considered superb.

    He began to suspect that the woman in front of him now was not Mo Suqing. <i>It was fine if she was really Mo Suqing, but if she wasn¡¯t, then why is she approaching me? What is she nning?</i>

    Even if Mo Suqing did not lose her memory, she would probably not be very happy to see me right now, since he was the perpetrator of the car ident eight years ago.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at Xia Zi with slightly narrowed eyes. ¡°You said you¡¯ve lost your memories, so where have you been in the past five years? What happened? Why are you back here in A City? Where are you staying at now?¡±

    Xia Zi shifted her gaze from Ye Zhongjue to the building opposite. She did not expect for him to suspect her so quickly. <i>Where did she go wrong? Or did he simply know that woman so well?</i>

    Since he asked, her answer might be able to remove his doubts about her identity.

    She thus answered him. ¡°I was in Emperor City for the past five years, and I¡¯ve forgotten everything that happened before that. I can definitely tell you about what happened after I left. It was Guan Zixuan who saved me and he was the one who took me to Emperor City. We had almost gotten married, but I decided toe back to A City to have a look. I¡¯m staying at a hotel now. Any other questions?¡±

    What he heard stunned Ye Zhongjue. <i>Guan Zixuan saved her and they almost got married? It¡¯s no surprise I couldn¡¯t find her then. So it was Guan Zixuan who took her away.</i>

    <i>But why did her story not match up to what Ceng Hanyu said? This woman doesn¡¯t seem to be lying either.</i>

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s brows furrowed.

    He then asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Guan Zixuan then?¡±

    He thought about contacting Guan Zixuan about this to corroborate her story.

    With his feelings for Mo Suqing, Guan Zixuan was unlikely to lie to him.

    Xia Zi¡¯s emotions welled up involuntarily when Ye Zhongjue mentioned Guan Zixuan.

    <i>He must have been greatly disappointed in me with how I just left the hospital without a word.</i> She was not a cold-blooded animal. After spending five years together, she did have feelings for him. However, she did not want him to take her for someone else.<i>?I¡¯m not that pitiful.</i>

    ¡°After learning about my intentions to return to A City, he failed to stop me from leaving, so he¡¯s upset and we haven¡¯t been in contact for a while now!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue observed Xia Zi. <i>This woman did not look like she was lying, and everything she said seemed to make perfect sense. It was also natural for Guan Zixuan to get angry if the woman he was about to marry wanted to leave him to know more about her own past.</i>

    Doubt remained in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s heart even though everything sounded logical and usible.

    Mo Suqing was all he could think of when he first saw the woman, but he felt something amiss when he took her hand as they left.

    He could not put a finger on it since she looked exactly like Mo Suqing. There is the possibility that this woman was her, and five years might have really changed her greatly to the point that he felt that she was apletely different person. However, instinct told him that such a possibility was close to zero.

    This was because he knew there was a possibility that she was actually Mo Suqing¡¯s doppelganger, so he was being cautious.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, do you know how those children are rted to you?¡± Ye Zhongjue stared at Xia Zi expectantly, as if he could not wait any longer for her answer.

 Chapter 214 â€“ Ye Zhongjue Carefully Exposing a Lie

    <h4>Chapter 214 ¨C Ye Zhongjue Carefully Exposing a Lie</h4>

    Xia Zi did not look up, but she could feel Ye Zhongjue¡¯s burning gaze on her.

    She took a deep breath before looking back up at him. ¡°They¡­ They should be my children right? Or else, I wouldn¡¯t have felt that sense of familiarity with them...¡±

    Though Ye Zhongjue chatted with Xia Zi for a while, he was still unable to confirm if the woman before him was indeed Mo Suqing.

    He knew that the Mo Suqing of the past was not as harsh, nor did she pay this much attention to detail.

    Ye Zhongjue sent Xia Zi back to the hotel. He stood at the door before leaving.

    ¡°The kids and I are staying at vi number 8 in the Shallow Sea Area. You cane over anytime if you want to see them!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue then turned to leave immediately.

    Xia Zi¡¯s gaze deepened as she watched Ye Zhongjue leave. Her instinct told her that he was already suspecting her, but she decided to continue with the ruse. She was determined to find out who she actually was.

    In the past, she was able to put this on the back burner, but now, with the truth seemingly just in sight, she was no longer able to ignore it and convince herself to turn a blind eye to this.

    She thus stood by her decision.

    Mo Yanxi and Ye Yanchen followed behind him right after Ye Zhongjue arrived back home. The two of them followed him into the study.

    His heart melted when he turned to see two pairs of pitiful eyes looking at him.

    Ye Zhongjue was unsure what he should do. He regretted showing them Mo Suqing¡¯s photo, otherwise this would not have happened, and the two children would not be asking for their mother now.

    He still suspected that the woman was not Mo Suqing.

    If she really was Mo Suqing, he would be willing to die for her. But he was worried for the children if she turned out to be an impostor.

    Ye Zhongjue rubbed his forehead and said to Ye Yanchen, ¡°A¡¯jiu, take Xiaoliu out to y. Daddy will fetch Mummy back some timeter, she...¡±

    <i>I shouldn¡¯t be telling them that I suspect the woman was not their mother!</i>

    Thus, he said, ¡°I believe Mummy wille back to live with us after some persuasion from me!¡±

    Disappointment flickered in Ye Yanchen¡¯s expectant eyes. Though he was still a child, he was able to tell that something was wrong.

    He then asked, ¡°Daddy, does Mummy not like us?¡±

    The girl started crying at that question, causing Ye Zhongjue to panic.

    He quickly carried Xiaoliu in his arms. ¡°Xiaoliu, your brother is just joking. Your Mummy loves the both of you so much, why wouldn¡¯t she like you? She just has to do some thinking on her own, and she would get in touch with us after that.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue continued coaxing Mo Yanxi until she fell asleep in his arms.

    He shook his head as he settled his daughter into her bed, only to see Ye Yanchen standing outside after he closed the door.

    ¡°A¡¯jiu, Daddy knows that you¡¯re very mature, but your sister doesn¡¯t understand certain things, so don¡¯t say such things in front of her next time, or else her imagination will start running wild...¡±

    Ye Yanchen nodded, feeling guilty. He already regretted it when Xiaoliu started crying earlier, and he made a note to himself to think twice before saying anything in future.

    Afterforting his children, Ye Zhongjue entered the study to make a call to Ceng Hanyu.

    He waited for a long time before someone answered the call.

    Ceng Hanyu picked it up only when he was about to end it.

    ¡°Hello, Jue, what¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°What took you so long?¡±

    He could hear the joy in Ceng Hanyu¡¯s voice. It was obvious he was in a very good mood.

    ¡°What? You forgot that I¡¯m injured after just a few days? My phone wasn¡¯t near me, so I had to roll over there in my wheelchair just to pick up the call! Think about that!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue almost rolled his eyes at Ceng Hanyu¡¯s exaggeration.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind it if you continued sitting in your wheelchair for the rest of your life and continue to be a cripple!¡±

    Hearing the annoyance in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s voice, Ceng Hanyu could immediately tell that he was not in a good mood.

    He quickly said, ¡°Jue, I¡¯ve made a mistake, please don¡¯t say that! I was just telling the truth!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d better be!¡±

    ¡°So, why did you call?¡±

    After a moment of contemtion, Ye Zhongjue asked, ¡°You sure it was Mo Suqing you saw at the Italian mafia base?¡±

    ¡°A hundred percent!¡± Ceng Hanyu answered confidently. As if afraid that Ye Zhongjue would doubt him further, he even added, ¡°Though she looked rather cold, but she was definitely Mo Suqing, it was her for sure!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue thought about that woman they met who said she had amnesia. He then asked, ¡°Was she unable to recognize you?¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± Ceng Hanyu answered almost instantly.

    ¡°She even asked me to leave that base first. I¡¯d know if she didn¡¯t recognize me.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes shed with a dangerous light.

    ording to Ceng Hanyu, Mo Suqing was now in The Dark Night, and she did not suffer from amnesia at all. If she remembered Ceng Hanyu, then she would definitely still remember everything that happened five years ago.

    <i>If that¡¯s the case, then the woman they met was an impostor. But why did she pretend to be someone else?</i>

    Ceng Hanyu was slightly irritated when all he got was silence.

    ¡°Hello hello hello, Jue, where are you? Why are you asking me about this? Can you talk?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue spoke after a while. ¡°I met Mo Suqing¡¯s doppelganger today, and she told me that she felt a sense of familiarity with A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu. She even said that it was Guan Zixuan who saved her five years ago. I don¡¯t believe her fully, but she doesn¡¯t look like she was lying either. Do you think she could be Suqing?¡±

    This absolutely stunned Ceng Hanyu.

    He thought about it before answering. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about what happened that night when I met Mo Suqing, and I¡¯m very sure that it was her. Even though her aura was rather chilly, everything else about her screamed Mo Suqing to me. Most importantly, she recognized me!¡±

    ¡°Okay! I got it!¡± Ye Zhongjue ended the call right after this.

    Ceng Hanyu wanted to hear what Ye Zhongjue had to say about this, but he did not expect for the call to be ended so abruptly. He only realized Ye Zhongjue ended the call when he heard the dial tone on the phone.

    <i>He¡¯s ignoring me after he¡¯s made full use of me!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue instructed Lin Ran to take A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu to his family home.

    He then dialled a new number on his phone.

    ¡°Hello!¡± A crisp voice answered.

    ¡°I¡¯m Ye Zhongjue!¡±

    ¡°Mm, I know!¡±

    ¡°A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu kept asking to see you after we went back home. They recognized you as their mummy because I showed them your photos...¡±

    Xia Zi understood what he meant before Ye Zhongjue could continue.

    ¡°Okay! I cane over in the afternoon!¡±

    ¡°Mm...¡± Ye Zhongjue ended the call after answering in acknowledgment.

    He had originally nned to go to America to look for Mo Suqing. He was confident that he would be able to find her if it was The Dark Night hiding her, but another Mo Suqing appeared out of nowhere to throw a wrench in his ns. She looked exactly like Mo Suqing, and she even knew Guan Zixuan. Though Ye Zhongjue knew something was fishy, he decided to stay to look into this first!

    He heard the doorbell ring at about three in the afternoon.

    As he had expected, the woman was at the door.

    He nodded slightly to wee her in. ¡°Come on in!¡±

    Xia Zi followed him into the house without a second thought. However, she felt something amiss immediately after she stepped inside.

    <i>Didn¡¯t Ye Zhongjue say that the kids missed her? But they aren¡¯t even here now. </i>Having been in Interpol for quite a while, her listening and observational skills were both top-notch.

    Seeing Ye Zhongjue look so calm, she decided to keep quiet first instead of confronting him directly.

    They sat on opposite ends of the sofa, with a tiny coffee table in between them.

    Ye Zhongjue watched her. She was so calm and collected that it was difficult to detect any traces of her lying. He was extremely sure at this point that Mo Suqing, whether an amnesiac or not, would never be able to act so calmly.

    Ye Zhongjue decided to go straight to the point. ¡°Who are you? What are you trying to do by approaching me?¡±

    Seeing Ye Zhongjue¡¯s determined visage, Xia Zi heaved an inward sigh. <i>Busted before I can even do anything else.</i>

    She looked curiously at him.

    ¡°I thought it was the perfect lie, even our meeting was a coincidence. I didn¡¯t n that. How did you find out?¡±

    There was no change in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression as if he had already expected that she would admit to her lie quickly. ¡°There was a woman who looked exactly like Mo Suqing five years ago and I had thought it was just a coincidence at the time, but I realized that the woman stayed at the Shallow Sea Area too. I thought the woman wanted toe between us, but something happened to Mo Suqing before I could look into the matter proper, and that woman disappeared at the same time as well!¡±

    Xia Zi was a little shocked to hear him say that. ¡°You¡¯re so sure I¡¯m not Mo Suqing just because of this? Why do you think that? Even Guan Zixuan couldn¡¯t tell at the time. Do you know that I can even show you the scars if you had asked me for evidence of having given birth to Xiaoliu and A¡¯jiu?¡±

 Chapter 215 â€“ Luo Qiqi Comes Online

    <h4>Chapter 215 ¨C Luo Qiqi Comes Online</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s gaze turned sharp when he heard Xia Zi say she had scars that looked like she had given birth.

    ¡°You did that on purpose!¡±

    Xia Zi shook her head. She knew there was no point in keeping up with the act now that he knew she was lying.

    ¡°You¡¯ve overthinking. I¡¯ve not stooped so low to create scars on myself on purpose just to pretend to be someone else. Everything was simply a coincidence. I just happened to go for an operation for appendicitis five years ago before everything happened. I saw that Mo Suqing looked exactly like me, and something in me told me that I had to save her. How did you think she was able to keep the babies when Jian Jie was attacking her at the time?¡±

    ¡°I was shot by Su Jincheng, and my facial prosthetics were torn off by Jian Jie in our fight. At the time, Su Jincheng had already carried Mo Suqing away for treatment, and Jian Jie and I were the only ones left at the scene. It was Guan Zixuan who rescued me, but he thought that the scar from my appendicitis operation was from a cesarean delivery. Of course, I don¡¯t expect a grown man to be able to tell the difference, but I had lost my memory after that, causing me to think that I was the very person Guan Zixuan was initially looking for. I regained my memories only a short while ago, and that was when I realized that everything was in a mess.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not nning anything by approaching you. I just want to find out why I look like Mo Suqing and why I felt so close to A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu when I first saw them...¡±

    Ye Zhongjue frowned at what Xia Zi just said.

    If Xia Zi was telling the truth, then she would be rted to Mo Suqing in some way, otherwise, it was impossible for two people to look so alike.

    ¡°Have you ever done any sort of facial reconstruction surgery?¡± Ye Zhongjue wanted to ask if she had undergone any cosmetic procedures.

    Xia Zi understood the meaning in his question and red at him. ¡°Do I even need to do that?¡±

    She put on facial prosthetics most of the time while she was in Interpol in order to disguise herself, and there were very few who knew how she really looked like. So, there was almost no need for her to go through such a procedure!

    Ye Zhongjue could tell that Xia Zi was a little irritated at his question, so he decided to take a gentler approach since thisdy could very well be rted to Mo Suqing.

    ¡°Then why did you use facial prosthetics?¡±

    Xia Zi thought about what she said and realized that she just told him about the facial prosthetics which were torn off by Jian Jie, and that led to Guan Zixuan mistaking her for Mo Suqing.

    She knew who Ye Zhongjue was, so she decided not to beat around the bush and answer him truthfully. ¡°I¡¯m part of Interpol, my name is Xia Zi. Criminals nowadays are extremely cunning, so I used facial prosthetics as a disguise.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was surprised when he heard her name. <i>Xia Zi, was it the same Xia Zi that partnered Luo Qiqi? The white and red roses?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue sniggered inwardly at the current situation. He was one of those criminals that she was talking about, the one at the very top of Sin Eliminators. Right now, he was chatting with someone from Interpol. The entire scene seemed rather out of ce to him.

    Ye Zhongjue answered after a while. ¡°I believe you now. You¡¯re the legendary white rose right? Your partner is the red rose, Luo Qiqi.¡±

    Xia Zi was nonplussed. Though she knew this was how their team of two was known to many others, it was the first time someone actually said it to her so directly.

    She then nodded. ¡°Mm, I¡¯m telling you about my identity to show that I don¡¯t have a hidden agenda. I just want to find out who I really am. I was kidnapped by human traffickers when I was two, and I don¡¯t know what happened before that. All this time, I¡¯ve never thought of looking for my family since I know such a task would be close to impossible. But I was quite shaken up when I saw Mo Suqing, because we all know that there¡¯s only one reason that two individuals will look so alike.¡±

    ¡°Mm, twins. I know that!¡± Ye Zhongjue answered.

    ¡°Can you tell me now how you found out I was lying? I thought I covered my tracks perfectly!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue smirked. ¡°Of course, having been with Interpol, you were perfect in covering your tracks. Firstly, I¡¯ve been with Suqing for so long, and I just don¡¯t feel like you were her at all. You also appeared at an inopportune time, because I happened to receive news about her a few days ago. She¡¯s with The Dark Night now, and she isn¡¯t suffering from amnesia either. So even if your cover was perfect, you would still end up being busted!¡±

    Xia Zi nodded at this.

    Ye Zhongjue thought about the events five years ago and realized that Mo Suqing might not forgive him even if she really returned.

    He said, ¡°I can help you look into your birth circumstances and find out how you and Suqing are rted, but if Suqing returns, you have to help me out. We have a little misunderstanding...¡±

    Xia Zi looked at him. ¡°Is this a condition?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Ye Zhongjue shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s a request. I¡¯m asking for your help to repair things between us. Treat it as a favor for Xiaoliu and A¡¯jiu. They really miss their mummy.¡±

    Seeing the sincerity in Ye Zhongjue, Xia Zi nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll help you out as long as she returns. Also, may I ask how you n to start in terms of looking into my birth circumstances?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue said, ¡°That¡¯s easy. I¡¯ll take you to the Mo family home tonight. My guess is that Mo Zhenfeng will know the truth!¡±

    ¡°Mo Zhenfeng?¡± Xia Zi¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue answered after a moment of contemtion. ¡°He¡¯s Mo Suqing¡¯s father. If my prediction is urate, he would be your father too. He¡¯s not on good terms with Suqing, because he remarried soon after Suqing¡¯s mother passed away eight years ago in a car ident. Suqing was then often ostracized at home. After he learnt that she was with me, he even tried to make use of Suqing and wanted me to help the Mo Group. I¡¯m guessing that there isn¡¯t much love left between them now!¡±

    Xia Zi frowned at this. She did not expect for Mo Suqing to have such a background. She felt rather sorry for Mo Suqing. Although she grew up in an orphanage, Luo Qiqi had always been by her side. She knew for a fact that Luo Qiqi would never choose to abandon her, and they treated each other as a real family would.

    ¡°Okay! Let¡¯s go in the evening!¡± Xia Zi agreed quickly.

    Ye Zhongjue nodded. Xia Zi then asked, ¡°Oh, where¡¯s A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue said, ¡°I sent them away earlier because I was afraid that you had some sort of hidden agenda.¡±

    She gave a deadpan expression at his direct answer. ¡°Come over to the hotel in the evening and we¡¯ll head over together. I need to go back to do something.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue then nodded. ¡°No problem!¡±

    ¡­¡­

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s words kept repeating themselves in Xia Zi¡¯s mind. She realized that Mo Suqing¡¯s life was not a bed of roses either.

    If they were really twins, she would feel so bad for not finding her sooner. If she had returned earlier to look for her, she would have tried her best to protect her!

    It was about six in the evening when Xia Zi picked out a violet dress from her suitcase and let her hair down instead of tying it up.

    She was about to leave since Ye Zhongjue called to tell her that he was arriving soon.

    However, she nced at herptop on the desk and decided to log in to that onlinemunication tform to check if Luo Qiqi had replied.

    She did not hope for much, but to her surprise, two notifications popped up when she logged in. Emotion overwhelmed Xia Zi.

    She clicked to open the notifications and saw Luo Qiqi¡¯s messages.

    ¡°A¡¯zi, are you really back? I¡¯m going to A City to meet you now!¡±

    ¡°A¡¯zi, there¡¯s so much I have to tell you. I¡¯m a little busy these few days so I haven¡¯t been online. I never thought you¡¯d contact me here! Woww! I¡¯m super excited and super happy!¡±

    Xia Zi smiled upon reading the messages. <i>Qiqi, you silly girl!</i>

    She thought for a moment before she started typing a reply.

    ¡°I¡¯m in A City now. Come to Room 2115 of Tianyu Hotel to look for me. My number is 157¡­...8579. I think I¡¯m about to find out who I really am. I¡¯ll tell you more when you arrive!¡±

    After she typed her reply, Xia Zi looked at the screen in satisfaction before turning to leave.

    Ye Zhongjue could tell that Xia Zi was in a very good mood when he saw her.

    He thus asked after she entered the car, ¡°Any good news? You¡¯re so happy!¡±

    Xia Zi smiled mischievously. ¡°It¡¯s good news for sure. I heard that Qiqi had been searching for me for the past five years, and I¡¯ve been trying to get in touch with her recently. I wasn¡¯t sessful, so I¡¯m here in A City to look for her actually. I didn¡¯t expect for her to reply to my previous messages. Qiqi said she¡¯ll being over to A City in a couple of days...¡±

    Her usual icy facade was now reced by an expression of happiness, showing how important Luo Qiqi was to her.

    Ye Zhongjue pondered over this. <i>Xia Zi is someone very loyal. If she had appeared earlier, she might have been able to help out with everything that had happened since she was probably biological sisters with Mo Suqing.</i>

    Guilt assailed Ye Zhongjue as he was once again reminded of how Mo Suqing was left all alone after Xia Yanran passed away. <i>If I didn¡¯t cause that ident, Xia Yanran would not have died and Mo Suqing wouldn¡¯t have lost her mother...</i>

 Chapter 216 â€“ Born of the Same Root

    <h4>Chapter 216 ¨C Born of the Same Root</h4>

    Xia Zi realized that Ye Zhongjue seemed to be out of sorts.

    She suddenly yelled at him. ¡°Ye Zhongjue, what¡¯s wrong with you!¡±

    That jolted him back to reality. He shook his head and said, ¡°Nothing, let¡¯s go!¡±

    He then started the engine and headed for the Mo family home. The both of them were silent throughout the ride.

    Ye Zhongjue saw Mo Zhenfeng walk out just as he arrived.

    Ye Zhongjue was surprised to see him. He did not inform them beforehand that he was visiting tonight, so why did Mo Zhenfenge out just as he arrived!

    He had always felt that the circumstances of Xia Yanran¡¯s death were questionable. His car hit Tang Mo during the ident, so Tang Mo¡¯s death was directly caused by him.

    However, he clearly remembered that Xia Yanran was not very heavily injured at the time, and he always felt that there was something fishy going on. He got his men to investigate and found out that Xia Yanran had met Bai Lian before the ident happened. He found this to be rather dodgy. Something unexpected must have happened, thus Ye Zhongjue had been looking into this in an attempt to uncover the truth.

    This was why he did not avoid Mo Sulian even when she approached him since he might be able to make use of her to find some clues to what happened in the past.

    Mo Zhenfeng smiled as he saw Ye Zhongjue¡¯s car. Although Mo Suqing went missing, Ye Zhongjue still visited them from time to time in the past five years, and he felt that the rtionship between Ye Zhongjue and Sulian seemed to have improved overtime.

    The Mo Group¡¯s status had been elevated because of their ties to Mighty Empire, and Mo Zhenfeng could only smile at the thought of always being under the protection of Mighty Empire.

    Aunt Wu had turned back to inform him that Ye Zhongjue came to visit since she happened to see his car on her way out to get the groceries, or else he would have no idea that Ye Zhongjue had arrived.

    Sulian was also at home tonight, and since she seemed to be on rather good terms with Ye Zhongjue, he believed that it would not be a problem for the Mo family to continue having Ye Zhongjue on their side. He was akin to a treasure trove for them.

    Mo Zhenfeng watched the car as he began formting a n.

    Ye Zhongjue smirked as he saw the expression on Mo Zhenfeng¡¯s face. He could not believe that there would be a father who continued shamelessly making use of his son-inw even after his own daughter went missing. Such a father even wanted to matchmake his other daughter with his son-inw in tant disregard for his missing daughter.

    <i>Were benefits that important to him?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue tried to calm himself down before turning to Xia Zi.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Xia Zi nodded.

    Ye Zhongjue alighted first, his poker face betraying none of that anger he had just felt.

    Mo Zhenfeng pulled Mo Sulian along with him as he saw Ye Zhongjue alight.

    ¡°Xiaoye, you¡¯re here! Come on in!¡±

    Mo Sulian looked at him shyly. After Mo Suqing went missing, she had maintained a close rtionship with Ye Zhongjue for the past five years and apanied him to various events and functions. She had been a frequent visitor to his office as well, and he had visited the Mo family home rather often. <i>Isn¡¯t it obvious that he¡¯s here to see me?</i>

    This was what Mo Sulian thought, but the color drained from her face when she saw the person who exited the door from the other side.

    Ye Zhongjue caught the look of surprise on Mo Zhenfeng and the shock on Mo Sulian¡¯s face.

    He looked at Xia Zi and said, ¡°Suqing, didn¡¯t you say you miss home? Let¡¯s go in now that we¡¯re back!¡±

    Xia Zi nced at him and nodded.

    Mo Zhenfeng was a sly old fox, and he literally abandoned Mo Sulian instantly after seeing Xia Zi and how Ye Zhongjue interacted with her. He rushed forward in a show of emotion.

    ¡°My dear daughter Suqing, you¡¯re finally back! Do you know how much Dad misses you?¡±

    He wanted to take Xia Zi¡¯s arm in his, but Xia Zi instinctively shrunk away from him.

    Instead of answering, Xia Zi simply gave him a look of disdain.

    Ye Zhongjue tried to suppress theughter in him. Xia Zi waspletely different from Mo Suqing in this aspect. Mo Suqing would usually give in to Mo Zhenfeng, since she had grown up under his care.

    It was just that her home no longer felt like a home, and her father did not feel like a father anymore.

    He looked at the stunned Mo Zhenfeng who probably did not expect his own daughter to shrink away from him like that.

    Ye Zhongjue then spoke to alleviate the awkward situation. ¡°Suqing just returned and she had forgotten everything that happened in the past, so please don¡¯t mind her!¡±

    Mo Zhenfeng gave a politeugh and waved. ¡°No worries, I don¡¯t mind it at all!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue then took Xia Zi¡¯s hand and walked into the house.

    Mo Sulian was left alone in the yard as she watched Xia Zi and Ye Zhongjue¡¯s figures. <i>Now that Mo Suqing is back, does it mean I don¡¯t have a chance with Ye Zhongjue anymore?</i>

    Anger consumed her at the thought.

    She quickly chased after them, telling herself that she would not give up no matter what!

    Mo Zhenfeng instructed the helper to prepare a few more dishes in order to show how d he was that Mo Suqing had returned, but Bai Lian¡¯s expression was awful when she saw Mo Suqing.

    In mere minutes, Xia Zi could already tell how Mo Suqing had been treated in the Mo family. <i>Her life was not an easy one after her father remarried.</i>

    She could feel the enmity directed towards her in the house, and that made her feel even more upset.

    She was trying hard not to gag in her disgust when she saw how Mo Zhenfeng acted. <i>I wonder what sort of father treated their daughter like that. Was there even any love and affection he felt for her??</i><i>This was such a huge sham!</i>

    Xia Zi ate without caring how the others looked at her. She had her meal in silence and she chose to ignore Bai Lian when the olderdy asked her how she had been for the past five years.

    Bai Lian was embarrassed and angered, yet she had no choice but to swallow her pride, since she knew that their entire family had to rely on Ye Zhongjue. If they wanted to continue relying on him, they had to acknowledge Mo Suqing as part of their family.

    She red at Mo Sulian in her anger, as if annoyed at how useless her daughter was.<i>?If only my daughter was as capable as I was, Ye Zhongjue would probably be wrapped around her finger now. We wouldn¡¯t have had to go through these five years only to get nothing in return!</i>

    <i>Her chances are very slim now that Mo Suqing has returned.</i>

    <i>I¡¯m reminded of that slut, Xia Yanran, every time I see Mo Suqing. Didn¡¯t she act all high and mighty in the past? She still ended up dead!</i>

    Thinking of this, Bai Lian regarded Xia Zi with a vicious look.

    Though Ye Zhongjue looked down as he had his meal, he was able to catch that look from Bai Lian.

    After dinner, he told Mo Zhenfeng that he had somepany matters he wanted to discuss and suggested they talk in the study.

    Mo Zhenfeng smiled and dly followed him into the study, but confusion quickly appeared in his eyes when he saw Ye Zhongjue pull Xia Zi along with him.

    ¡°Xiaoye, Suqing isn¡¯t familiar with such matters. You¡¯re going to ask her to join in too?¡±

    He wondered if Ye Zhongjue was just confused in the moment, but he did not expect for Ye Zhongjue to say, ¡°She knows everything about me, so there¡¯s no need for her to stay away from such discussions!¡±

    Mo Zhenfeng did not give up. ¡°Xiaoye, these are business secrets!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue turned and shot Mo Zhenfeng a cold re.

    ¡°She¡¯s your daughter, and my wife. Get your facts right!¡±

    Mo Zhenfeng was stupefied. He could tell that Ye Zhongjue was angry.

    Thus, he added in a haste, ¡°You¡¯re right, Xiaoye. Let¡¯s go upstairs!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue ignored him and continued his way upstairs.

    Ye Zhongjue turned around the moment they stepped into the study. He looked at Mo Zhenfeng with a rather peculiar expression.

    ¡°Suqing, take a look at Dad¡¯s hair. Is there a strand of white in there?¡±

    He shot a meaningful look at Xia Zi right after.

    Xia Zi understood what he was getting at and nodded slightly.

    Mo Zhenfeng reached up to touch his head. <i>I have white hair?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue continued, ¡°Suqing, look at your dad. He¡¯s grown so many strands of white hair in the time you were gone. Go help him pluck them out!¡±

    Xia Zi went forward immediately and plucked out two strands of hair when Mo Zhenfeng was still in a daze.

    She then ced the strands on her palm and said, ¡°Jue, you were mistaken. These are ck!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue wanted tough when he saw Xia Zi acting all serious and Mo Zhenfeng¡¯s pained expression.

    <i>She plucked out more than one!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue then sat down on the armchair in front of the desk.

    He looked at Mo Zhenfeng and said, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t stand on ceremony. Take a seat!¡±

    Mo Zhenfeng felt like he was on tenterhooks. Everything Ye Zhongjue said seemed to be targeted at him now.

    <i>This was my house and my study. What do you mean by telling me not to stand on ceremony in my own home?</i>

    He felt so pitiful in the current situation, but there was nothing he could do about it if he wanted to continue relying on Ye Zhongjue.

    Mo Zhenfeng sat on a chair at the side and felt rather ufortable as he saw how the younger man was watching him.

    After a while, Ye Zhongjue finally spoke. ¡°Dad, did Suqing have a twin sister?¡±

    Xia Zi was shocked at how direct Ye Zhongjue was.

    She turned to look at Mo Zhenfeng¡¯s expression.

    Mo Zhenfeng seemed astonished at what he just heard.

    He looked at Ye Zhongjue in disbelief. ¡°Xiao, xiao¡­ Xiaoye, how did you find out?¡±

    Xia Zi clenched her fist, those strands of hair scrunching up in her palm.<i>?Judging from his reaction, it was likely to be true!</i>

    <sup>[1]</sup> Mo Zhenfeng uses ¡®Xiaoye¡¯ to address Ye Zhongjue as a term of affection.

 Chapter 217 â€“ Collateral Damage

    <h4>Chapter 217 ¨C Coteral Damage</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue was shocked at how readily Mo Zhenfeng answered.

    He stood up and walked to the door, quickly opening it before Mo Zhenfeng could react.

    Mo Sulian fell into the room.

    Ye Zhongjue dodged her, watching her fall to the ground with a cid expression. He said, ¡°Is it fun to eavesdrop?¡±

    Mo Sulian picked herself up and denied it in embarrassment.

    ¡°I just so happened to¡­ pass by!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue kept quiet at this, while Xia Zi narrowed her eyes, smirking. <i>Passing by¡­ haha!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue knew what Mo Sulian was thinking. He only approached her in order to get more clues to uncover the truth of what happened years ago.

    Seeing the unwee gazes of those in the room, Mo Sulian stood up awkwardly and said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave, the three of you please continue¡­ continue!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue ignored her since it was unlikely for Mo Sulian to have heard anything. He went to open the door almost immediately after feeling her presence when she just arrived outside.

    Mo Zhenfeng looked at Mo Sulian in a daze. He then said, ¡°Sulian, go on out!¡±

    Mo Sulian nced at Ye Zhongjue cautiously, wondering how she got caught so quickly when she tried to eavesdrop outside.

    Although she liked and admired the man, she found it hard to fathom the reasons behind his actions and his thoughts.

    She left the room quickly. Mo Sulian was angry and upset about how she was being treated. She could tell that Ye Zhongjue had been ignoring herpletely now that Mo Suqing has returned.

    She no longer dared to try to eavesdrop again after being caught the first time.

    Mo Zhenfeng answered Ye Zhongjue seriously only after Mo Sulian left.

    ¡°Xiaoye, how did you find out?¡±

    <i>Ye Zhongjue should¡¯ve only been about three or four years old at the time...</i>

    Mo Zhenfeng looked at him anxiously, eagerly awaiting his answer. Mo Suqing going missing had been a blow to him, but if he had news about where his other daughter was, then he would definitely go search for her.

    Even though he was a greedy man who ced importance on riches, he was filled with guilt every time he thought about the girl. Xia Yanran was carrying Mo Suqing at the time, while he was the one who was taking care of her sister, and he was the one who lost her...

    Ye Zhongjue asked, ¡°Can you tell me what happened? Why did Suqing¡¯s sister go missing?¡±

    Mo Zhenfeng sighed heavily.

    ¡°Children were going missing in A City in that year, and most of them were about two or three. Suqing¡¯s sister went missing at around that time.¡±

    He looked at Xia Zi before continuing. ¡°If she¡¯s still alive, then she would probably be like Suqing now. She¡¯s Suqing¡¯s twin. I didn¡¯t keep an eye on her properly when I was buying the groceries, causing a two-year-old to get abducted by human traffickers just like that. The police told us that most of the abducted children got sold overseas, and we¡¯ve tried to look for her but we¡¯ve been unsessful. Suqing doesn¡¯t remember it because she was too young, so Yanran and I decided to keep it from her. She probably doesn¡¯t even know that she has a twin sister. Xiaoye, how did you find out about this?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nced at Xia Zi instead of answering.

    Xia Zi was the one who asked Mo Zhenfeng the next question. ¡°What was her name?¡±

    <i>A child should already have had their identity registered by the time they turned two, so I should at least have a name!</i>

    Guilt flickered across Mo Zhenfeng¡¯s eyes as he answered. ¡°Her name was Mo Ziqin. We have no idea where she is now. Yanran was very upset after that, and she had probably never forgiven me!¡±

    Xia Zi felt quite despondent. Her mother had died, Mo Suqing was nowhere to be found, and she did not want to acknowledge the father who was before her either.

    She then said, ¡°Jue, let¡¯s go!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue could tell that Xia Zi felt awful, so he quickly answered with an affirmative, ¡°Mm!¡±

    The two of them left the room, leaving Mo Zhenfeng alone in the study.

    Ye Zhongjue sent Xia Zi back to the hotel and told her that she could visit the Ye family home and their vi in Shallow Sea if she had the time since the children loved her.

    Xia Zi agreed without hesitation.

    She then plucked a strand of hair from her own head and gave it to Ye Zhongjue, together with the strands that she took from Mo Zhenfeng¡¯s head earlier.

    ¡°Although we can be almost a hundred percent sure now, I¡¯d still like to get it checked and confirmed. Thanks for your help on this!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue took the strands of hair from her and said, ¡°You¡¯re Suqing¡¯s sister, so I¡¯m sure she¡¯d want me to help you out too!¡±

    Xia Zi looked at him as if to say something, but she kept quiet in the end. No one knows what the results would be at this point.

    Ye Zhongjue headed for the hospital immediately after leaving the hotel and passed the strands of hair to Gu Yi¡¯an, asking him to work on the DNA testing and report as quickly as he can.

    When Ye Zhongjue returned to his vi at Shallow Sea, Lin Ran had already sent the children back home.

    With one look at Mo Yanxi¡¯s swollen eyes, he could already tell that the little girl had been crying a lot when she was at the Ye family home.

    Ye Yanchen looked at his sister with a gaze that was a mixture of affection and disdain.

    Ye Zhongjue could only shake his head as he watched the two of them. <i>These children were really as stubborn as Mo Suqing.</i>

    He walked over to carry Mo Yanxi in his arms and asked her gently, ¡°Xiaoliu, what happened? Did your older brother bully you?¡±

    Feeling like he had just turned into coteral damage, Ye Yanchen looked up at Ye Zhongjue with an incredulous look, as if to say, <i>Daddy, why did you push the me onto me for no reason?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue ignored his son and continued coaxing his little princess.

    Mo Yanxi kept pouting, and she looked like she was about to cry in the next second.

    ¡°No! Older Brother¡­ Older Brother is good to me. I just miss Mummy. Daddy said you were going to take us to see Mummy, you lied!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked her at, feeling sorry. <i>Why did this little girl have to be so stubborn?</i>

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t your Mummy...¡± Ye Zhongjue wondered how he should exin the situation to his children, but before he could continue, his daughter pouted and frowned at him.

    ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re a liar. Mummy looks like that, I¡¯ve seen her pictures!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue smacked his own forehead. <i>Did I make a mistake?</i> He was trying to show them that their mum was still around, but he did not expect for his children to end up insisting on seeing her so badly.

    ¡°That¡¯s your aunt!¡± The girl was surprised at Ye Zhongjue¡¯s words, staring at him in disbelief.

    Ye Yanchen was shocked too. <i>It¡¯s not Mummy but our aunt?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue then exined patiently. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your Mummy, but your aunt. Your aunt and your Mummy are twins, and twins are children who look like each other. Understand? They look like each other, but they¡¯re actually not the same person. This is why you thought that your aunt was your Mummy.¡±

    The children continued looking at him with quizzical expressions. ¡°Do the two of you understand it now? It¡¯s not that Daddy lied, but this is the truth. If you really want to y with your aunt, I¡¯ll ask her toe over tomorrow, okay?¡±

    At that, Mo Yanxi jumped for joy in his arms, causing Ye Zhongjue to almost drop her with how sudden her movements were.

    ¡­¡­

    Xia Zi returned to her hotel room quickly, wanting to check if Luo Qiqi had replied to her messages.

    Xia Zi saw the notifications and clicked them open with excitement.

    ¡°A¡¯zi, I can¡¯t wait to fly over to you! I¡¯m boarding the ne now, wait for me!¡±

    Xia Zi smiled as she typed in her reply. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for you. There¡¯s something I have to tell you now. I think I¡¯ve found out who I really am!¡±

    Xia Zi initially wanted to tell Luo Qiqi about it in person.

    It just so happened that Luo Qiqi was online at the same time and she replied instantly.

    ¡°Really? Tell me! I can¡¯t wait to know!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re online?¡± Xia Zi asked in surprise.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you. Tell me what happened!¡±

    Luo Qiqi sounded impatient and excited in her messages.

    Xia Zi knew that she had a rather impatient nature, so she replied to her without much of a preamble.

    ¡°Do you remember that woman who looked exactly like me on that night we got separated five years ago?¡±

    ¡°Of course I remember. You wouldn¡¯t have lost your memories if it weren¡¯t for what happened, and we wouldn¡¯t have been separated. That woman you¡¯re talking about is Mo Suqing, right?¡±

    ¡°You know her?¡± Xia Zi was rather shocked. Luo Qiqi answered as if she knew Mo Suqing in person, but she was sure that they had not been acquainted with each other five years ago. <i>Did something happen within these five years?</i>

    ¡°Of course I know her, she¡¯s now...¡± Instead of finishing the sentence, Luo Qiqi typed in an ellipsis. Xia Zi frowned at this, wondering why she would do that.

    ¡°How is she doing now? Tell me, she might be my twin sister!¡±

    Seeing Xia Zi¡¯s message, Luo Qiqi was in a little bit of a dilemma. <i>I should be telling A¡¯zi about this, but A¡¯zi might be ced in a difficult position if she knew the truth.</i>

    <i>A¡¯zi is in Interpol, while Mo Suqing...</i>

    She pondered over this for a while before deciding to tell Xia Zi the truth. She had, in fact, guessed how they were rted when she saw Mo Suqing.

    ¡°She¡¯s now a weapon designer for The Dark Night. She¡¯s very good at what she does. She doesn¡¯t go around killing others though, she simply designs the weapons. But...¡±

 Chapter 218 â€“ Youâ€™ll Never Escape

    <h4>Chapter 218 ¨C You¡¯ll Never Escape</h4>

    Xia Zi could sort of make a guess at why the usually direct Luo Qiqi seemed a little unwilling to tell her the truth, but she never expected for Mo Suqing to actually be in The Dark Night.

    ¡°How did you know?¡±

    Luo Qiqi did not answer the question directly. ¡°Wait for me? I¡¯ll tell you all that happened in the past five years after I¡¯m in A City, okay?¡±

    Xia Zi did not press her further and replied, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait!¡±

    ¡­¡­

    Right after Luo Qiqi saw Xia Zi¡¯s reply, she felt someone standing right in front of her, blocking the light.

    She looked up in disbelief only to see Su Jincheng¡¯s charming face. He smirked at her, as if to say, <i>You¡¯ll never be able to escape.</i> This exasperated Luo Qiqi.

    <i>How did he even locate me? I thought I was being super careful!</i>

    Luo Qiqi closed herptop and looked at Su Jincheng.

    ¡°Big Brother Su, Old Master Su, what do you want from me? Could you please stop following me around? I¡¯m sorry that I used to chase after you, but I thought Xia Zi went missing because of you since you were the one who shot her, and I mistook Mo Suqing for Xia Zi as well when I saw her with you. I had my reasons for whatever I did, and it was definitely my fault. Could you stop following me around like that? I¡¯m busy!¡±

    Luo Qiqi waited for Su Jincheng¡¯s answer after she said her piece.

    But instead of answering, Su Jincheng simply looked at her with his brows raised. It looked like he was telling her, <i>So, what does all that have to do with me?</i>

    Luo Qiqi was vexed. <i>This man had no reaction to what I just said!</i>

    ¡°You...¡± She pointed at Su Jincheng, ring at him angrily.

    He continued looking at her innocently. <i>I didn¡¯t say anything, so how could I have upset her?</i>

    Luo Qiqi was rendered absolutely speechless. She did not know what to do when faced with gangsters like this man. She did not know how to get Su Jincheng to stop following her around either. She had apologized and exined herself, but this man was being so insistent, and it was extremely difficult to shake him off.

    ¡°What about me?¡± Su Jincheng¡¯s spirits rose as he watched Luo Qiqi in her exasperation.

    She was nonplussed at his reaction.

    <i>The more annoyed I am, the more excited he gets. Su Jincheng, you sick man.</i>

    She took a deep breath to calm herself down and forced herself to smile at him.

    ¡°Why are you bugging me?¡±

    ¡°Well!¡± Su Jinchengughed. ¡°You forgot that you¡¯re my girlfriend!¡±

    Luo Qiqi was instantly reminded of the incident that happened on the streets of Munich a few months ago. The man told passersby that she was his girlfriend, and he even carried her on the street.

    She really wanted to beat Su Jincheng up, but she knew it would not be an easy fight if she were to really take him on. She thus gave up on the idea.

    There was no real need for her to make enemies out of Su Jincheng either.

    ¡°Can you leave? I get dizzy whenever I see you!¡±

    Su Jincheng nced at her before sitting on the seat next to her.

    ¡°It¡¯s the departure lounge here right? Or is this a ce where only you¡¯re allowed in?¡±

    Luo Qiqi stared at that face. <i>This man was shameless!</i>

    ¡°Fine!¡± She spoke through gritted teeth, ¡°If you¡¯re not leaving, I am!¡±

    Luo Qiqi took herptop with her and turned to leave.

    She heard Su Jincheng¡¯s voice behind her. ¡°Fine, you can always leave. It¡¯s not like I won¡¯t be able to locate you after that!¡±

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s eyebrows twitched in irritation. <i>Threatening me now??</i>She knew how skillful the intelligence team in The Dark Night was with how fast Su Jincheng could locate her. Wherever she went, he would literally appear within five meters of her within 24 hours, causing her to almost go insane.

    <i>Someone please make him go away, I¡¯ll be prepared to do charity for the rest of my life just to repay anyone who could do that for me.</i>

    Luo Qiqi stopped in her tracks and gave a viciousugh. She stared at Su Jincheng. ¡°Since you love following me around so much, I¡¯ll see if you can follow me for the rest of my life!¡±

    ¡°How did you know I wanted to do that? I guess you secretly wish to spend the rest of your life with me too. Am I not aggressive enough for you?¡±

    Luo Qiqi fumed. ¡°Su Jincheng, how can you be so shameless? You¡¯re so thick-skinned. Please wake up. You¡¯re a terrorist, I¡¯m Interpol, we¡¯re supposed to be at odds with each other. Do you think that this is a good idea?¡±

    Su Jincheng watched her calmly, as if he was not affected by what she just said at all.

    ¡°That¡¯s all in the past. Do you think Interpol will still recognize you, the red rose, as one of them now?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all your fault!¡± Luo Qiqi was infuriated now. ¡°If you didn¡¯t hurt A¡¯zi five years ago, and if she didn¡¯t go missing, I would never have left the organization. You have the gall to mention this when you practically caused everything!¡±

    Su Jincheng raised his palms in mock defeat. ¡°Fine, I confess. You can capture me and take me back to get a promotion then. I promise I wouldn¡¯t resist capture!¡±

    Su Jincheng looked very serious when he said this.

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s blood boiled.<i>?Is he so daring because he knows I wouldn¡¯t do that to him?</i>

    Though she had quit the organization five years ago, it would not be too difficult for her to join it again since she did not have any sort of a criminal record. <i>How could Su Jincheng be so sure that I wouldn¡¯t return to them ever again?</i>

    <i>Or did he think that I would give up such a possibility because of him?</i>

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s expression dimmed. She did not want to waste anymore time with Su Jincheng, seeing that it was almost time for the ne to take off.

    Before she could say anything however, Su Jincheng¡¯s mobile phone rang.

    Su Jincheng¡¯s expression turned dreadful after he answered the call.

    He looked at Luo Qiqi and said, ¡°I¡¯ll look for you when I take care of this. Luo Qiqi, you¡¯ll never be able to escape me!¡±

    He then left immediately after.

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She thought to herself, <i>Crazy man!</i>

    She wondered if anything major happened as she thought about how anxious he looked when he answered the call earlier. It was rare to see him so anxious and flustered.

    When the announcement sounded for the passengers to start boarding the ne, she shook her head to try to clear her mind of his image.

    <i>Su Jincheng is the big boss of The Dark Night, so why should I worry about him? He can do whatever he wants!</i>

    Before she boarded the ne, she turned back to give a cursory nce behind her. She would be missing the bustling New York City.

    ¡­¡­

    Xia Zi arrived at the Shallow Sea Area early in the morning of the next day. Since she knew Xiaoliu and A¡¯jiu were living there, and Luo Qiqi was alsoing to town, she went to vi number 6 to do some cleaning up before she checked out of the hotel and moved in.

    She received Ye Zhongjue¡¯s call almost immediately after she arrived.

    ¡°Are youing over today? Xiaoliu misses you a lot...¡±

    A gentle smile appeared on Xia Zi¡¯s face as she thought of that adorable little girl and the tiny gentleman.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    She quickly changed and made her way to vi number 8.

    Ye Zhongjue did not expect her to arrive so quickly, literally just minutes after they ended their call.

    Seeing his surprised look, Xia Zi pointed towards vi number 6. ¡°Qiqi and I bought vi number 6. I was thinking it¡¯s better that I stay closer to you guys, and Qiqi needs a ce to stay when she arrives too. It¡¯s easier for me to visit Xiaoliu and A¡¯jiu if I move in there.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue then nodded at her exnation.

    Hearing her dad and her aunt¡¯s voices, Xiaoliu got so excited that she dashed out of her room.

    ¡°Auntie!¡±

    Xia Zi smiled lovingly and reached out to carry the girl in her arms.

    ¡°Good girl, Xiaoliu!¡±

    Ye Yanchen followed closely behind, scoffing at his sister¡¯sck of grace. He greeted Xia Zi politely, ¡°Hi, Auntie!¡±

    Xia Zi smiled and nodded at him. Afraid that she would scare the children, she was all smiles when they were around.

    Ye Yanchen watched as Xia Zi carried Xiaoliu into the house, recalling what he learnt about twins when he did some researchst night.

    If it was a boy and a girl, they were fraternal twins, just like him and Xiaoliu. He knew that his mum and aunt were identical twins, since they looked the same. He also found out that there was a third possibility, that two babies could be conceived from two separate eggs even if they were both of the same sex, and that would result in fraternal twins as well.

    Though he knew that his aunt and his mum looked alike, the fact that he met his aunt before meeting his mum seemed to gnaw on him.

    As for Xia Zi, she never thought she was the type to like children. However, she felt even closer to them when she realized that these children could very well be her niece and nephew.

    Xiaoliu loved to be with her, while A¡¯jiu seemed a little distant. Even so, Xia Zi did not mind it.

    She acted simrly as a child, always keeping her distance from others.

    She did that to protect herself. When she was younger, she had always thought that she had been abandoned by her family, and it was only when she grew up that she slowly got over this.

    Xia Zi was putting together a puzzle with Xiaoliu while A¡¯jiu was reading a book some distance away. He had a look of slight contempt, but there was also a trace of envy in his eyes.

 Chapter 219 â€“ Dainty Little Lady

    <h4>Chapter 219 ¨C Dainty Little Lady</h4>

    Xia Zi¡¯s mobile phone rang after she fixed one of the puzzle pieces.

    Mo Yanxi looked up at her with sparkly eyes as if trying to tell her, <i>Auntie, your phone is ringing.</i>

    Xia Zi¡¯s heart melted at that adorable face of hers.

    She nodded at the girl and answered the call.

    ¡°A¡¯zi, I¡¯ve just arrived in A City¡¯s airport. I saw your message, so I¡¯m going straight to Shallow Sea!¡±

    Emotion welled up in Xia Zi. <i>Qiqi is finally here.</i>

    She wondered if Qiqi had changed in the past five years.

    ¡°I¡¯lle pick you up!¡±

    Luo Qiqi answered immediately.

    ¡°I¡¯m not some dainty littledy who can¡¯t even carry her own suitcase. It¡¯s just a notebook and some clothes inside it, so I¡¯ll just take a cab there. You don¡¯t have toe pick me up. See you soon!¡±

    Luo Qiqi ended the call right after.

    Xia Zi shook her head at this. <i>This girl was always rushing everywhere, I guess she didn¡¯t change at all.</i>

    Having been apart for the past five years, Xia Zi was a little nervous knowing that they were finally going to meet soon.

    Guan Zixuan took care of her for five years after she lost her memories while Luo Qiqi almost went insane trying to look for her. Though Luo Qiqi sounded loud on the phone, she knew that Luo Qiqi must be feeling very emotional right now. She knew that Luo Qiqi was trying to suppress the overwhelming emotion that was inside her by acting like that, since they were both individuals who did not show their feelings to others easily.

    She would still have a poker face on even if there was a storm in her heart, while in Luo Qiqi¡¯s case, she would beughing as if it were nothing.

    Mo Yanxi observed Xia Zi, instantly forgetting about the puzzle she was working on.

    ¡°Auntie, is it Mummy?¡±

    Xia Zi was caught unawares by her question. <i>Mummy? This little girl thought I was talking to her Mummy!</i>

    She wanted to meet Mo Suqing as well, since she was her sister, but there are some things that they were unable to do at this point.

    Ye Zhongjue had spent the past five years searching for her to no avail, so it was impossible to find her overnight!

    Seeing Mo Yanxi¡¯s heartfelt gaze, she really could not bear to tell her that it was not their mum on the phone earlier.

    But she had to tell her the truth even if it hurt, because disappointment would only upset her more.

    She shook her head slowly as she answered. ¡°Xiaoliu, Auntie will help you look for Mummy. The person who ising overter is not your Mummy but a good friend of your Auntie¡¯s! You can call her Aunt Qiqi.¡±

    Obvious disappointment shed across Mo Yanxi¡¯s eyes when she heard that it was not her mum, and Xia Zi could only hug her tofort her.

    She did not realize that Ye Yanchen, who was sitting behind her, was listening in to their conversation very carefully. Disappointment shed in his eyes after he heard what Xia Zi said.

    When Luo Qiqi called a second time, she was already in the Shallow Sea Area.

    Xia Zi went to the study to say goodbye to Ye Zhongjue.

    ¡°Ye Zhongjue, Qiqi is here. I¡¯m heading back first, keep an eye on Xiaoliu and A¡¯jiu.¡±

    Before Ye Zhongjue could answer, Mo Yanxi appeared in the room out of nowhere.

    ¡°Daddy, I want to go out and y with Auntie!¡±

    Xia Zi did not expect for Mo Yanxi to follow her. The little girl looked so excited, as if she was about to go on a big adventure.

    Ye Zhongjue nced at Xia Zi before nodding. ¡°Take her with you since she wants to go.¡±

    Xia Zi nodded and reached out to take Mo Yanxi¡¯s pudgy little hand. The little girl broke into a big smile.

    She saw Ye Yanchen looking at her when she turned around. His face was devoid of emotion, and she could hardly tell what was going on in his mind.

    Xia Zi pondered for a moment. She then asked, ¡°Does A¡¯jiu want toe along too?¡±

    Ye Yanchen¡¯s expression turned slightly glum. He wanted to say that it was too childish if he yed with girls, but Mo Yanxi was the one who answered for him.

    ¡°Older Brother ising too! Older Brother said he would protect Xiaoliu!¡±

    Seeing how excited his sister was, Ye Yanchen decided not to say anything. <i>Fine, since this little pixie wants me toe along, I will. I may even be able to find some clues about Mummy if I go.</i>

    No one knew how obsessed Ye Yanchen was about looking for his mum.

    Ye Zhongjue received a call right after Xia Zi left with A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu. He put on a jacket and left the house immediately after.

    He called Lin Ran on the way out and asked him to book a flight to New York for him!

    Luo Qiqi waszing on the couch when Xia Zi arrived with Mo Yanxi and Ye Yanchen at vi number 6. One of her legs was resting on the coffee table and she looked like a king. Xia Zi burst out inughter when she saw her.

    <i>She didn¡¯t change at all.</i>

    Luo Qiqi looked up in surprise only to see Xia Zi walking in with two little children.

    She practically flew towards Xia Zi when she saw her.

    She cried out, ¡°A¡¯zi!¡±

    Xia Zi smirked at her reaction. Qiqi¡¯s movements were so huge and she was being so dramatic that it was as if she created a mini earthquake in the house.

    Just as Luo Qiqi got up from the couch, A¡¯jiu instinctively pulled Xiaoliu towards him as if he already predicted her next move.

    He watched the twodies hug each other and thought to himself, <i>Luckily I¡¯m smart, or else Xiaoliu might have been crushed in between these two crazydies.</i>

    <i>Was that Aunt Qiqi??</i><i>Why do I feel that she should be called Mad Qiqi instead?</i>

    Luo Qiqi hugged Xia Zi and began to tell her about how pitiful she had been in the time they were separated. Xia Zi knew how she felt, especially so when she had never given up searching for her all these years.

    She tried to console Luo Qiqi as best as she could.

    After letting off some steam, Luo Qiqi seemed to finally notice the two children at the corner.

    When she saw them, her eyes sparkled like a predator who just locked onto its prey.

    She literally looked mad with hunger!

    A¡¯jiu pulled Xiaoliu closer to him and backed away from her, finding this woman terrifying. She looked like a hungry wolf which saw fresh meat right before it. <i>Xiaoliu and I aren¡¯t meat!</i>

    Luo Qiqi got even more excited as they started backing away.

    Xiaoliu did not seem to understand what was happening as she continued staring at Luo Qiqi with a curious look.

    Luo Qiqi asked Xia Zi, ¡°A¡¯zi, I think I looked a lot like her when I was younger, right? Do you remember?¡±

    Xia Zi scoffed at her. She could not remember what the younger Luo Qiqi looked like at all especially when her image of Luo Qiqi was that of her current look.

    She thought Luo Qiqi was just joking and said it simply because Xiaoliu looked too adorable.

    Sheughed and said, ¡°Yes, you look so alike! Everyone likes you and flowers bloom when you pass them, happy now?¡±

    Luo Qiqi answered quickly, ¡°Of course! I know I must have been super cute when I was younger!¡±

    She then narrowed her eyes at Xia Zi. ¡°But, if you didn¡¯t say the words <i>happy now</i> at the end, I¡¯d be even more satisfied!¡±

    Xia Zi smirked. ¡°Your reaction is pretty slow huh!¡±

    Luo Qiqi rolled her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that my reaction time is the slowest in the world?¡±

    Xia Ziughed. <i>This woman was hrious!</i>

    Luo Qiqi was closing in on the children while she continued her banter with Xia Zi.

    She smiled mischievously. ¡°Tiny tots, big sister ising!¡±

    A¡¯jiu shivered. <i>Tiny tots? I just felt goosebumps all over me!</i>

    He looked at Xia Zi as if trying to send her aint through telepathy. <i>Auntie, why is your friend so abnormal?</i>

    Xia Zi turned away from him, pretending not to have noticed his gaze. <i>Dear A¡¯jiu, don¡¯t me Auntie for this, I can¡¯t do anything about it either!</i>

    Luo Qiqi stood in front of the children. She then suddenly reached out to pinch A¡¯jiu¡¯s face.

    ¡°What an interesting little guy. A¡¯zi, where did you get them? Let¡¯s go steal some more!¡±

    Xia Zi deadpanned. <i>Steal? I can¡¯t believe Luo Qiqi could think of something like that. How about you go snatch one then?</i>

    A¡¯jiu¡¯s expression darkened when he heard it.?<i>Was thisdy really okay? Why did it feel like she just escaped from a mental institution!</i>

    Xiaoliu saw her brother¡¯s serious face before turning to nce at the smiling Luo Qiqi.

    She suddenly cried out. She bypassed Luo Qiqi and ran towards Xia Zi to hug her leg as she sniffed.

    ¡°Auntie, save Older Brother. That weird Auntie is so scary! Wuuu...¡±

    A¡¯jiu, Luo Qiqi and Xia Zi were all shocked by what Xiaoliu just said.

    It took a while for Luo Qiqi toe back to her senses. She stopped pinching A¡¯jiu¡¯s face and pointed at Xiaoliu in disbelief.

    ¡°Little girl, how dare you use me!¡±

    Xiaoliu started crying for real this time. She turned to Xia Zi as she sobbed.

    ¡°Auntie, that weird Auntie is threatening me!¡±

 Chapter 220 â€“ Weird Aunt, So Scary

    <h4>Chapter 220 ¨C Weird Aunt, So Scary</h4>

    Xia Zi shook her head and shrugged as she looked at Luo Qiqi, as if to say, <i>There¡¯s nothing I can do.</i>

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s face scrunched up. <i>I¡¯ve met my match! And it¡¯s a little kid. What should I do next?</i>

    A¡¯jiu could tell that Luo Qiqi was just ying with them and he calmly nced at Xiaoliu, who was still hugging Xia Zi¡¯s leg, before he walked over to the sofa and sat down. He then started reading a book which he had brought with him.

    Luo Qiqi pointed at A¡¯jiu before pointing back at herself and looking at Xia Zi with an innocent look as if she had been wronged. <i>Why do I feel looked down upon? Did I just hallucinate? That was just a child, but why does he act so much like a grown-up!</i>

    <i>Not cute at all!</i>

    Xia Ziughed at Luo Qiqi¡¯s troubled expression.

    ¡°Okay, I think it¡¯s time I introduce you. This is my niece and my nephew. Don¡¯t you dare bully them, or else I¡¯ll take revenge as their Auntie!¡±

    Luo Qiqi stared wide-eyed at her. <i>You¡¯ll take revenge on me too?</i>

    She simply wanted to have some fun with the kids, but she did not expect for them to be so unfriendly to her!

    A¡¯jiu looked up slowly at Xia Zi, his expression one of slight disbelief. It seemed like he was saying, <i>I don¡¯t believe you¡¯ll help us out and take revenge on this weird, scary Aunt!</i>

    Xia Zi always felt that children should be innocent and naive, and she absolutely did not know what to do with this mature little boy right in front of her.

    She carried Xiaoliu up in her arms and walked towards the sofa.

    Luo Qiqi regarded A¡¯jiu with an emotionless smile. She had a feeling that her life from now on would probably turn into a very exciting one!

    She sat herself down on the rocking chair and asked Xia Zi, ¡°A¡¯zi, you said you were able to find out about your birth circumstances. Were you referring to these kids?¡±

    Before Xia Zi could answer, her mobile phone rang.

    She put her finger to her lips as a signal to the others to keep quiet.

    It was Ye Zhongjue, and he sounded very serious over the phone.

    ¡°Xia Zi, let me know what you need since you¡¯re taking care of A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu. I¡¯ll get someone to send any items over. Don¡¯t leave the ce. Something cropped up in America, and I have to go over to take care of it urgently!¡±

    Xia Zi was instantly confused. <i>Why am I not allowed to leave this ce if something happened all the way in America? Why did he make it sound like I¡¯m a fugitive now?</i>

    She thought he asked this of her because he was worried about A''jiu and Xiaoliu¡¯s safety, so she answered with a hint of irritation and impatience.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to keep A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu safe, but don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too much if you¡¯re asking me not to leave this ce at all!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue could tell from Xia Zi¡¯s voice that she was annoyed and that she would only get angrier if he did not exin himself quickly.

    He then informed her of what was happening. ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m restricting you, but you¡¯re now on the global wanted list. Do you think it¡¯s a smart move if you were to leave?¡±

    Xia Zi was stunned at this. <i>Wanted list? But I didn¡¯t do anything! Is this a joke?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue continued, ¡°Xia Zi, this is no child¡¯s y. I¡¯m sure you understand what it¡¯s like to be on a wanted list especially when you used to be a part of Interpol!¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Xia Zi was in a panic. ¡°Ye Zhongjue, what did I even do? Why am I on the wanted list? I didn¡¯t do anything to warrant that!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue sighed and answered her with a serious tone. ¡°It¡¯s not you, and it has nothing to do with you at all. They simply mistook Suqing for you!¡±

    ¡°My sister!¡± Xia Zi¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°Why is she on the wanted list?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue sounded slightly distracted when he answered.

    ¡°You might not know this, but she¡¯s now a weapon designer for The Dark Night. Her designs have caught the attention of the American government because they¡¯re simply too powerful. She had been in the organization for a while now, and I¡¯ve heard that her position is pretty high up. Since she looks exactly like you and she happened to join the organization five years ago, which is when you also went missing, someone mistook her for you. Interpol now thinks that Xia Zi is a traitor and that you¡¯re working for The Dark Night, which is why they put you on the global wanted list. I¡¯ve also heard that you¡¯re wanted dead or alive!¡±

    Xia Zi was dumbstruck at the news. <i>Mo Suqing was a part of The Dark Night and she was now on the wanted list.</i>

    She suddenly felt conflicted. She used to be a part of Interpol, but her biological sister was now working for a terrorist organization.

    She spoke softly. ¡°Okay, I understand. I won¡¯t leave this ce, and I¡¯ll take care of Xiaoliu and A¡¯jiu. I hope you¡¯ll be able to bring her back!¡±

    Xia Zi ended the call right after.

    Luo Qiqi knew something was amiss simply by looking at Xia Zi¡¯s flustered expression.

    She walked over to sit beside Xia Zi.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, A¡¯zi?¡±

    Xia Zi looked up at Luo Qiqi. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me online yesterday that you knew Mo Suqing? Are you familiar with her?¡±

    Luo Qiqi heard her say something about her sister while she was on the phone earlier, and she could sort of guess what Xia Zi was about to ask her.

    ¡°Mm!¡±

    ¡°Then, do you know that she¡¯s a part of The Dark Night?¡±

    Luo Qiqi once again answered in the affirmative.

    Xia Zi paled. ¡°Then, how did you get to know her?¡±

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s expression turned rather glum at this. ¡°A¡¯zi, please don¡¯t me me for what I¡¯m about to tell you!¡±

    ¡°Mm, go ahead!¡± Xia Zi answered calmly, fully prepared to listen to what she had to say.

    Luo Qiqi contemted for a while before she started telling Xia Zi about everything that happened in thest five years.

    ¡°I left Interpol to search for you five years ago. In the beginning, I kept bugging Su Jincheng since he was the one who shot you. I thought he was the one who had taken you away, and seeing Mo Suqing with him only served to confirm my suspicions. But I realized after some time that she was simply someone who looked like you, and she was an absolutely stranger to me. Su Jincheng told me that I mistook her for you, and...¡±

    Luo Qiqi began to stutter and hesitation was apparent in her eyes.

    ¡°What happened? Tell me!¡± Xia Zi asked coldly.

    Luo Qiqi felt like she was ced in a difficult position as she looked at Xia Zi awkwardly. ¡°A¡¯zi, I¡¯m actually not on bad terms with Su Jincheng. I kept chasing him around in the beginning because I wanted to look for you, but I left immediately after realizing that you weren¡¯t with him. I never expected for him to keep tailing me after that, and he would literally follow me wherever I went, I can¡¯t shake him off at all! He tried to stop me at the airport yesterday, but he left after taking an urgent call!¡±

    Xia Zi looked at her and asked seriously, ¡°He likes you, right?¡±

    Luo Qiqi simply looked down without answering.

    Xia Zi gave a wry smile.

    ¡°Or should I say that you already know him so well after five years that you can¡¯t bring yourself to hate him, and you might even have some feeling for him now? Did you realize that your eyes were sparkling when you mentioned Su Jincheng? My eyes might have fooled me, but I think you know this very well, and you¡¯re just afraid to admit it, right?¡±

    Luo Qiqi remained silent. Xia Zi knew her so well that she was easily able to guess what was on her mind by what she just said. Luo Qiqi was in a slight fluster. She did not n for this, so why did things turn out like that?

    Xia Zi regarded Luo Qiqi with a stoic face. Her sister was a weapon designer for The Dark Night while her good friend had feelings for the boss of the organization. She was at a loss for what to do.

    After a while, Luo Qiqi looked up at Xia Zi and asked carefully, ¡°A¡¯zi, don¡¯t be angry. You¡¯re the only one I have left in this world...¡±

    Xia Zi shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not because of you. I just wonder why fate loves to y such games with people. Do you know why Su Jincheng left the airport in a hurry yesterday?¡±

    Luo Qiqi shook her head at this. Although she knew him quite well, she had never poked her nose into The Dark Night.

    Xia Zi then said, ¡°If I¡¯m right, Su Jincheng went to save Mo Suqing. Or should I say, he went to protect her!¡±

    ¡°Something happened to Mo Suqing?¡±

    Luo Qiqi looked at Xia Zi quizzically.

    Xia Zi nodded. ¡°Yes, something happened to her. She joined The Dark Night five years ago, while I went missing at the same time. Someone saw her face and everyone now thinks that Xia Zi is in The Dark Night. Interpol has already put me on the global wanted list, and I¡¯m sure you know what happens after!¡±

    Luo Qiqi was shocked at the news. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean that you¡¯re in danger?!¡±

    ¡°Mm, this was why Ye Zhongjue called earlier. He told me to stay put!¡±

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s expression turned awful. ¡°Who is he to say that! Why do you have to be the scapegoat? No way, I need to go back to America and exin this!¡±

    Luo Qiqi stood up, but Xia Zi stopped her from leaving.

    ¡°Qiqi, she¡¯s my sister. What are you trying to do? Let¡¯s not be hasty. I¡¯m sure Su Jincheng and Ye Zhongjue will take care of this after she leaves America. Wouldn¡¯t you just be harming her if you expose everything now?¡±

 Chapter 221 â€“ Mo Suqingâ€™s Flashy Return

    <h4>Chapter 221 ¨C Mo Suqing¡¯s shy Return</h4>

    Realization hit Luo Qiqi only after what Xia Zi said.

    <i>She was right. It didn¡¯t matter if Mo Suqing was unrted to Xia Zi, but they were sisters, and I¡¯m sure Xia Zi wouldn¡¯t want to harm Mo Suqing by exposing her either.</i>

    ¡°What do we do then?¡±

    Xia Zi said, ¡°Everything will be fine. I guess I won¡¯t ever be able to wear that uniform again in this life!¡±

    Xia Zi¡¯s sad smile made Luo Qiqi feel sorry.

    She stole a nce at A¡¯jiu, and then at Xiaoliu, who was ying with a doll. She looked so naive and innocent in that moment.

    Luo Qiqi sighed. ¡°So they¡¯re your sister¡¯s children?¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Xia Zi nodded.

    Luo Qiqi looked confused. ¡°I thought, five years ago, they were already...¡±

    Xia Zi¡¯s brows creased. ¡°Something happened five years ago? I¡¯m not aware, but aren¡¯t they fine now!¡±

    Luo Qiqi then began to exin.

    ¡°I heard this from Su Jincheng. He said that the babies did not survive after Mo Suqing gave birth. Mo Suqing was like a literal zombie after that, but she got better after a while. She doesn¡¯t know that her children are still alive, and I know that it was hard for her to ept the fact that they died. This is why I¡¯m quite shocked to see them right in front of me.¡±

    Xia Zi was stunned at this. <i>Mo Suqing thought she had lost her babies five years ago? Is this why she refused toe back and why she couldn¡¯t forgive Ye Zhongjue?</i>

    ording to what she knew, Ye Zhongjue was not entirely at fault because he can be considered a victim as well.

    Luo Qiqi grabbed Xia Zi suddenly. ¡°A¡¯zi, do you think I should tell your sister about this and get her toe back? She doesn¡¯t even know that her children are alive. From what you¡¯re saying, it sounds like Ye Zhongjue thinks that Mo Suqing knows about the children!¡±

    Xia Zi shook her head after a moment of contemtion.

    ¡°It¡¯s not the right time. If she rushes back here after you tell her everything, she might get caught by Interpol. We won¡¯t be able to save her if that happens!¡±

    Luo Qiqi nodded in agreement at what Xia Zi said.

    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll give it some time then. Maybe a month or so after everything settles before we tell her, okay?¡±

    Xia Zi nodded at this. Although the DNA report was not yet ready, everyone was already treating her like she was Mo Suqing¡¯s sister, herself included. <i>But was this really the case?</i>

    She would know the answer in three days.

    Gu Yi¡¯an informed Ye Zhongjue of the results immediately after it was ready, and Ye Zhongjue shared the news with Xia Zi.

    Mo Zhenfeng was Xia Zi¡¯s father, which meant that she and Mo Suqing were definitely rted. Ye Zhongjue had already been treating Xia Zi as if she was Mo Suqing¡¯s sister even before the report confirmed this.

    As expected, the results only served toy any further doubts to rest.

    Though Xia Zi had expected this, she still felt very emotional after receiving the confirmation on paper.

    ¡­¡­

    A week passed quickly and the situation seemed to have alleviated a little.

    For the past week, Luo Qiqi and Xia Zi never left the vi. Xiaoliu was her usual happy self while A¡¯jiu seemed to be quieter. He often sat alone and seemed to daydream.

    Luo Qiqi received some news on the eighth day.

    There was news of a voice recording that was allegedly made at the Los Angeles airport that said Xia Zi was being framed. Someone in the recording said that whoever was framing her was using facial prosthetics, and instead of noticing the prosthetics, the police put her on the wanted list instead.

    Shortly after, there was a video that showed an ordinarydy doing her makeup in the washroom who literally turned into Xia Zi after she put on the facial prosthetics andpleted her makeup.

    Xia Zi was then removed from the wanted list on the very same day.

    She heaved a sigh of relief. <i>It¡¯s a relief that nothing major happened.</i>

    Luo Qiqi, however, was still worried.<i>?I hope something like this wouldn¡¯t happen again!</i>

    <i>Guan Zixuan mistook Xia Zi for Mo Suqing five years ago, and five yearster, Interpol mistook Mo Suqing for Xia Zi. What the hell...</i>

    Ye Zhongjue returned to the country on the ninth day and picked up Xiaoliu and A¡¯jiu. He did not tell Xia Zi the details of what happened, nor did she ask about it.

    Ye Zhongjue did not get to meet Mo Suqing in person when he was abroad, but he had put in a ton of effort to help her leave New York safely.

    Those unaware of the truth would naturally question the fact that the big boss of Sin Eliminators would actually protect a weapon designer from The Dark Night.

    Su Jincheng had someone send the voice recording to Interpol, while the video was done by Ye Zhongjue.

    Initially, Ye Zhongjue wanted to force Mo Suqing out of hiding, but he eventually decided against it as her safety came first. He thought that he should give her time instead of forcing her into things.

    Two individuals arrived in the A City airport three days after Ye Zhongjue returned.

    A killing aura emanated from a man dressed in a ck windbreaker, looking like he had just returned from a war. His charming face was devoid of expression while his lips were pursed and his brows were slightly furrowed, as if he was deep in thought.

    A beautiful woman dressed from head to toe in ck leather was beside him, her golden brown hair fell in huge waves across her shoulders. She looked absolutely enchanting, her poise and elegance matched by none.

    Her expression was a stark contrast to how she dressed. A chilly and unweing aura surrounded her.

    The man turned and said, ¡°Suqing, sure you¡¯re noting to the Shallow Sea vi with me?¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head. ¡°Nope, I¡¯ll just stay at an apartment near the office.¡±

    She then turned to leave right after. The man shook his head at her in resignation. She has grown so much tougher in the past five years.

    He had always treated her like a younger sister, but her personality had gotten sharper and tougher over the years, as if she did not want anyone to see her weak side.

    After a moment of contemtion, he turned the other way.

    These two individuals were none other than Mo Suqing and Su Jincheng, who had not stepped foot in A City for the past five years.

    If Ye Zhongjue saw the current Mo Suqing, he would find it hard to believe that the fragile woman he once knew had changed so much to the point that her aura and temperament werepletely different from before.

    Su Jincheng had two reasons for returning this time. The first was because Luo Qiqi was in A City, and the other was because of Mo Suqing.

    After the dust settled in America, Mo Suqing actually said she wanted to return.

    Su Jincheng knew that Mo Suqing was aware of the fact that Ye Zhongjue went to America to help her out and to distract Interpol.

    He did not know what was going on in Mo Suqing¡¯s mind, but he knew without a doubt that she had not forgotten about Ye Zhongjue.

    She had always refused to speak about what happened five years ago.

    He knew it was Jian Jie who got hold of the evidence which showed that Ye Zhongjue was the one who caused Xia Yanran¡¯s death, and it was that evidence which caused Mo Suqing to almost go mad and shoot Ye Zhongjue in her frenzy.

    Ye Zhongjue had been in a critical condition a few times after they left A City, and Su Jincheng was very much aware of everything that was happening. However, Mo Suqing acted like an emotionless doll and refused to speak or ask about anything remotely rted to Ye Zhongjue.

    She got better after a while, but she turned into an entirely different person. He thus forbade anyone in the organization to speak about what happened in A City five years ago.

    Even so, he knew deep in his heart that Mo Suqing did not find closure.

    He wondered if he made the right choice by agreeing to her request this time.

    Mo Suqing felt a little mncholy when she watched the city pass by as the car drove towards the apartment reserved for higher level executives in the Tianyue Group.

    She left this ce five years ago with her love life in shambles. Her lover was the very person who caused the car ident that took her mother¡¯s life, taking her little family apart just like that.

    Her children died because her rival in love had attacked her, and she had asked herself how the world could be so cruel as to separate a newborn from their mother. She would rather die than be separated from her baby in such a way.

    Everything seemed to have changed.

    Her home did not feel like one, her love life burst into mes overnight, and she lost her baby. She wondered what else she had left.

    She felt like she turned into someone else in the past five years. She did not know why she changed, nor did she know how to describe herself now.

    She heard from one of her subordinates that it was Ye Zhongjue who helped create that video that was sent to Interpol. <i>Why did he help her? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to hate her?</i>

    She had almost killed him five years ago.

    Mo Suqing smirked to herself. She wondered why she had decided to return, but something told her that she would regret it if she did note back.

    Right now, she was back in A City as the Vice President of the Tianyue Group.

    Five years ago, she did not understand why people like Ye Zhongjue and Su Jincheng had to have separate identities and organizations. At the time, she felt that doing all that was just doing extra work.

    But she understood everything now after having been in The Dark Night for the past five years.

    Thepany and the organization were on opposite sides of thew, and both of them had to exist concurrently. Thepany could always protect the organization, and they had a symbiotic rtionship in such a way.

    <i>A City, I¡¯m back.</i>

 Chapter 222 â€“ Tianyueâ€™s Vice President, Annly

    <h4>Chapter 222 ¨C Tianyue¡¯s Vice President, Annly</h4>

    Lin Ran walked in with an invitation card to a banquet when Ye Zhongjue was in his office.

    ¡°Boss, Tianyue Group is holding a banquet tomorrow night to wee their new Vice President. They¡¯ve sent you an invitation. Would you like to attend it?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue thought, <i>Doesn¡¯t Tianyue Group belong to Su Jincheng?</i>

    He would have rejected such an invitation without a second thought in the past, but now that he was aware of the fact that Mo Suqing had joined The Dark Night, he would consider it carefully instead.

    He already felt something amiss when Su Jincheng tried to get into Mo Suqing¡¯s good books when they met five years ago, and he never expected for her to actually end up joining The Dark Night.

    Ye Zhongjue was not happy about this, but he would spare no effort in convincing Mo Suqing to return just for his children. Of course, part of it was for himself, since he had never let go of her for the past five years.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at the invitation and asked, ¡°Lin Ran, what¡¯s the name of their new Vice President?¡±

    Lin Ran was surprised at the sudden question. His brows creased as he tried to recall the name. ¡°I think it¡¯s an Asian American called Annly.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nodded and ced the invitation on his desk.

    ¡°Got it. Go on with your duties. Remember to inform Mo Sulian and ask her to be ready for the banquet tomorrow night.¡±

    Though Lin Ran was confused when he heard Mo Sulian¡¯s name, he did not pursue the matter further. He knew that his boss would have his own reasons behind such a decision and he simply needed to work on the execution.

    Ye Zhongjue wondered to himself after Lin Ran left if Mo Suqing had returned together with Su Jincheng this time.

    ¡­¡­

    <strong>Tianyue Group¡¯s meeting room.</strong>

    Su Jincheng stood at the main seat and smiled as he addressed the stakeholders.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone knows why I¡¯m back. I¡¯m here to introduce our new executive, our new Vice President, Miss Annly. I think most of you would have already heard about her, so let¡¯s put our hands together to wee Annly!¡±

    All of the stakeholders were sly old foxes. They knew that it was just a sham although such a position came with an impressive title, and that Su Jincheng must be backing this individual in some way. Of course, none of them would openly oppose Su Jincheng at this point.

    The stakeholders stood up and apuded as Mo Suqing walked in with Zheng Hao beside her.

    She was in a navy blue work suit which entuated her voluptuous figure, a rare feat for any woman to achieve.

    Mo Suqing spoke calmly after she entered, ¡°Hello everyone, I¡¯m Annly. I¡¯m very d to be able to join the organization and I hope to be able to learn from all of you here. I will try my best for the Tianyue Group and I hope to bring the organization to greater heights while I¡¯m here.¡±

    Those sly old foxes pped after she spoke, trying to show Su Jincheng that they were enthusiastic about having Mo Suqing join the team.

    The stakeholders had a discussion on some of thetest projects after Su Jincheng went through thepany¡¯s development n and Mo Suqing gave a short report. The meeting thus came to a close sessfully.

    Su Jincheng addressed everyone politely before the meeting ended.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be holding a banquet to wee our new Vice President tonight. I hope everyone will be able to attend it.¡±

    All the people pleasers in the room smiled and nodded, saying that they would definitely attend the banquet.

    Su Jincheng had a polite smile on his face as he observed the expressionless Mo Suqing.

    ----

    Luxury cars began to stop outside the Hilton Hotel at about seven in the evening with individuals dressed to the nines alighting from the vehicles and walking into the hotel with smiles on their faces.

    Tianyue Group had specially invited the business elites in A City for their banquet to wee their new vice president, and every single one of these individuals who attended were someone who was well-known.

    Mo Suqing and Su Jincheng watched from the second floor of the main hall as their guests streamed in.

    Every time somebody walked in, Su Jincheng gave Mo Suqing a short introduction about them.

    ¡°That¡¯s President Zhang from Jinmao Group. He¡¯s quite capable, but his son, Zhang Qian, is the perfect example of a stubborn child. Thatdy beside him is his secretary, but they have aplicated rtionship. President Zhang is probably aware of this, but he chooses to ignore it...¡±

    Su Jincheng continued giving Mo Suqing short summaries about the guests as they entered.

    There was a sudden disturbance at the entrance and everyone turned to look at themotion.

    The door opened, revealing Ye Zhongjue in a navy blue tuxedo.

    His cold and imposing aura instantly created an overbearing atmosphere around him, causing everyone there to be awed.

    <i>Why is he here today when he is usually not interested in attending functions like these?</i>

    All the men seemed to want to get to know him and introduce themselves to him, hoping to get his name card at the very least.

    The women were abuzz with excitement. All of them were checking their attire to see if they looked good. They still had a chance with him since Ye Zhongjue was still single, and being such an amazing catch, it would be equivalent to striking the lottery if any one of them were lucky enough to marry into the Ye family.

    Everyone had their eyes on Ye Zhongjue.

    It was at this moment that a woman appeared beside him. For some reason, she did not walk in together with him.

    Everyone¡¯s attention turned to her the very instant she stepped in.

    Mo Sulian could sense the envy in their gazes, and she acted like a proud peacock with her head held high above everyone else.

    She was in a light blue gown that matched Ye Zhongjue¡¯s suit, and he did not react even when she hooked her arm into his, allowing her to do as she pleased.

    Everyone seemed to notice what she just did.

    Mo Suqing suddenly felt a bitterness in her chest.

    After being separated for five years, she never expected that it would be Mo Sulian, the stepsister that she hated the most, who would be standing beside him now.

    Just watching the two of them made Mo Suqing harden her heart. <i>Was it just wishful thinking on my part?</i>

    <i>I guess he didn¡¯t care about me enough, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be together with Mo Sulian now. Wasn¡¯t he aware of how much I hated her?</i>

    <i>Or did fate dictate that Mo Sulian is destined to take everything away from me? She told herself that she fell in love with the wrong man when Gu Jiannan cheated on her, but what about Ye Zhongjue now?</i>

    Sheughed mockingly at herself. She was in a daze. <i>I¡¯ve already taken revenge for my mother by shooting him, and he¡¯s just lucky to be able to stay alive.</i>

    <i>Why do I feel so upset when I see another woman with him now?</i>

    <i>I should not be feeling like this!</i>

    Mo Suqing shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind, but she was unable to calm the flurry of emotion in her heart.

    Ye Zhongjue was surrounded by the crowd on the first floor as everyone wanted to speak to him personally. His expression was cid as he remained silent.

    He seemed to feel someone¡¯s gaze on him a moment ago, but when he looked up, all he saw was a hint of purple that disappeared near the stairwell.

    Compared to him, Mo Sulian was thoroughly enjoying all of the attention from the crowd.

    She loved the feeling of being admired and ced on a pedestal, but she was well aware that being with Ye Zhongjue was the only reason this was happening.

    She stole a nce at his handsome profile, her heart thumping wildly at the sight.

    A victorious glint shed in her eyes. <i>I have to get this man!</i>

    There was another sudden disturbance at the door.

    Everyone turned to see Leng Haoyun and Leng Xiyao walk in.

    Leng Xiyao had been taking care of two huge organizations while Leng Haoyun was out of action, and her decisiveness had helped project her into prominence. Her reputation among the business elites in A City was now one of the best, and no one dared belittle her.

    Now that Leng Haoyun has woken up, they were the very picture of the perfect power couple.

    After Leng Haoyun regained consciousness, he went ahead to the registry of marriages with Leng Xiyao. He had nned to give her a splendorous wedding, but she actually rejected him when he proposed.

    She told him that she wanted to wait for Suqing, since they had promised each other to get married at the same time.

    Leng Haoyun could only sigh at this and decided to go with her wishes. He knew how important Mo Suqing was to her.

    Once they entered, people immediately started going up to them and showering them withpliments.

    Leng Xiyao looked calm, as if she did not care much about what was happening. However, Ye Zhongjue noticed that her gaze turned cold when she spotted Mo Sulian beside him.

    Ye Zhongjue sighed inwardly to himself, knowing that he was once again misunderstood.

    If Mo Suqing had remained by the second floor¡¯s banister, she would definitely have flown downstairs when Leng Xiyao entered with Leng Haoyun.

 Chapter 223 â€“ Is this Real?

    <h4>Chapter 223 ¨C Is this Real?</h4>

    The banquet began proper at around seven thirty in the evening.

    The emcee went on stage and sang praises of the Tianyue Group after he did a brief introduction to signal the official start of the banquet.

    ¡°Let us wee the star for tonight toe up on stage to say a few words. Miss Annly from the Tianyue Group, please! A round of apuse, everyone!¡±

    Thunderous apuse sounded right after the emcee spoke.

    An elegantdy dressed in a purple gown walked up on the stage. Her hair fell across her shoulders in gentle waves, adding to her allure and charm.

    Every step she took was graceful and full of sophistication. She was wless, looking like she was sculpted by the heavens.

    Ye Zhongjue did not notice her at first since he was busy scanning the crowd for Su Jincheng.

    He only looked towards the stage when he heard murmurs from the crowd.

    What he saw absolutely stunned him.

    <i>Is this really happening?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue never expected for Mo Suqing to reappear in such a fashion. She was dazzling and enchanting.

    The purple gown only served to add to her allure and the mysterious aura about her.

    With one look, Ye Zhongjue knew that she was the very woman who had been on his mind for the past five years.

    He felt different when he saw her. That feeling was not the same as when he met Xia Zi. He felt very calm when he saw Xia Zi although she looked like Mo Suqing. But when he saw Mo Suqing, his heart began beating wildly.

    He was suddenly reminded of that hint of purple which disappeared into the corridor on the second floor earlier. <i>Was she the one who was looking at me earlier?</i>

    <i>Did she already spot me?</i>

    A bitter smile appeared at the corner of his lips at the thought. He regretted taking Mo Sulian with him to the banquet, and he wanted to p himself for having made that decision.

    His bitter smile turned into a slight frown when he realized that Mo Suqing did not even look in his general direction.

    <i>So she¡¯s the Vice President of the Tianyue Group, Annly!</i>

    Mo Sulian looked like she had been struck with a bolt from the blue. She remembered seeing Mo Suqing at the Shallow Sea Area ying with Xiaoliu and A¡¯jiu earlier, so she was shocked and confused at the appearance of this second Mo Suqing who was on the stage now.

    She was secretly d that Ye Zhongjue did not seem to consider Mo Suqing¡¯s feelings when he decided to take her to the banquet, but it seemed like things were not how she had imagined them to be.

    Leng Xiyao stared in wide-eyed wonder upon seeing Mo Suqing go on stage.

    <i>Suqing! It¡¯s really Suqing!?</i>She could cry tears of joy. She never expected for the Tianyue Group¡¯s Vice President to be Mo Suqing, and she almost decided not to attend the banquet tonight. <i>It¡¯s fortunate I¡¯m here tonight! I wasn¡¯t even aware that Suqing had returned!</i>

    She instinctively looked in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s direction, who was currently staring like an idiot at Mo Suqing. Mo Sulian was staring daggers at Mo Suqing as she quickly went to Ye Zhongjue¡¯s side and hooked her arm into his.

    Leng Xiyao red at Mo Sulian in anger. <i>She was annoying five years ago and she¡¯s still so annoying now!</i>

    However, seeing that priceless expression on Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face made Leng Xiyao feel so much better.

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s lips curled up in a slight smile as he felt the subtle change in Leng Xiyao¡¯s mood.

    Mo Suqing said a few words and wished for thepany¡¯s continued sess.

    She stared into the empty air as she spoke, trying hard not to look at Ye Zhongjue. She knew that it would hurt if she even took one look at him.

    She did not know what to feel right now.

    He killed her mother, so she had always thought that she was supposed to hate him for it. But after five years, she realized that she had actually been hating herself.

    She hated herself for falling in love with Ye Zhongjue, and she hated herself for not being able to let go. She wondered if she would be in less pain if she had let him go.

    Mo Suqing finished her speech in a daze, and after Su Jincheng went on stage to address the audience and wee her once again, he announced the start of the banquet.

    Mo Suqing and Su Jincheng had sses of champagne in their hands as they made their rounds and said hello to their guests politely.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s blood boiled as he watched Mo Suqing link arms with Su Jincheng. With a ss of red wine in hand, he walked over to the both of them.

    For some reason, Ye Zhongjue¡¯s brain did not seem to be working well that night. It was only when he reached Mo Suqing did he realize that Mo Sulian had her arm hooked in his.

    Su Jincheng regarded him with a mischievous look before ncing at Mo Sulian who was beside him.

    Mo Suqing looked at their arms cidly, not saying a word.

    Ye Zhongjue suddenly felt like he was the biggest idiot in the world.

    Without hesitation, he tipped the ss of red wine and spilled its contents onto Mo Sulian¡¯s gown.

    Mo Sulian cried out in shock, but she held back instead of making a scene. Ye Zhongjue was still beside her, and he was also the culprit. She thus decided to remain silent, though her expression looked slightly awful.

    Ye Zhongjue pretended to be a gentleman, but his eyes were on Mo Suqing as he spoke.

    ¡°The gown is dirty. You might want to clean up. I¡¯ll get Lin Ran to pick you upter!¡±

    Mo Sulian¡¯s expression turned dreadful. <i>Is he chasing me away? It would be too embarrassing for me to insist on staying.</i>

    She was fuming. <i>Why do I have to leave whenever Mo Suqing appears? This is unfair!</i>

    Even though Mo Sulian was not happy about this turn of events, she quickly left and made for the washroom when Ye Zhongjue turned his frigid gaze upon her.

    Su Jincheng looked amused by what just happened.

    He said, ¡°Very bold of President Ye!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue feigned a smile at him. ¡°As you are!¡±

    Su Jincheng smiled instead of replying.

    Ye Zhongjue then stared at Mo Suqing as he said, ¡°Tianyue Group can really attract talented individuals. You¡¯re able to collect all sorts of amazing people. I really have to take my hat off to you!¡±

    He gestured towards Mo Suqing and asked, ¡°Should I address you as Annly or Vice President Mo?¡±

    Mo Suqing looked up and shot Ye Zhongjue a cold gaze. ¡°President Ye, you may address me as Annly. I¡¯m just a small fry. You need not bother with me at all, President Ye.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue turned glum.

    ¡°President Ye...¡± He seemed to ponder over these words as he looked Mo Suqing. ¡°It¡¯s been five years. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re addressing me as President Ye!¡±

    Mo Suqing remained cid as she answered emotionlessly, ¡°Isn¡¯t President Ye addressing me as Annly too? We¡¯ll just keep our distance in this way!¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ is that so?¡± Ye Zhongjue kept his eyes on Mo Suqing. ¡°I thought Miss Annly wouldn¡¯t deign to know a ruffian like me!¡±

    ¡°Anyone who dares to treat President Ye like that is probably blind!¡± Mo Suqing retorted with a caustic reply.

    The both of them seemed to be having a war of words, their exchangeden with hidden meaning.

    Su Jincheng watched with interest. He did not expect for them to have such a heated exchange after meeting for the first time in five years.

    Curiosity got the better of her when Leng Xiyao saw Mo Suqing talking to Ye Zhongjue from a distance.

    She tugged at Leng Haoyun and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go over and greet the new vice president of the Tianyue Group too!¡±

    Her tone was yful, sounding just like when she joked with Mo Suqing in the past. Leng Haoyun caressed her head gently and agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue were right in the middle of their heated debate when she saw a couple walking towards them.

    She was stunned when she saw who it was. <i>Yao?</i>

    <i>And she¡¯s even with Leng Haoyun now. When did she return?</i>

    She thought Leng Xiyao would never return to A City since Leng Haoyun had hurt her so deeply in the past.

    <i>Did Leng Xiyao love him so deeply??</i>Little did Mo Suqing know that Leng Xiyao¡¯s feelings for him were so deep that it already became a part of her identity, and there was no way that Leng Xiyao would give him up easily.

    <i>Guess I was wrong.</i>

    Leng Xiyao rushed forward to Mo Suqing when she saw Mo Suqing¡¯s gazend on her.

    Mo Suqing passed her ss of champagne to Su Jincheng, who was simply enjoying the show, and ran towards Leng Xiyao with open arms to take her in an embrace. Leng Xiyao did not seem to have changed at all in the past five years.

    Leng Xiyao hugged Mo Suqing tight.

    ¡°Suqing, you¡¯re finally back! I thought you¡¯d never return to A City. Do you know how much I missed you? I was in Ennd at the time when I heard that something happened to you. I wanted to go look for you, but I just didn¡¯t know where to start!¡±

    Leng Xiyao continued talking. Ye Zhongjue stiffened when he heard her say ¡®thought you¡¯d never return to A City¡¯.

    He looked at the two of them as loneliness filled his heart.

    Leng Haoyun walked over to him and patted him on the shoulder as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t be disheartened, Brother...¡±

 Chapter 224 â€“ Itâ€™s Not Ye Zhongjue At All

    <h4>Chapter 224 ¨C It¡¯s Not Ye Zhongjue At All</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue nced at Leng Haoyun before nodding at him, a hint of gratitude in his eyes.

    <i>Hopefully, I can capture Mo Suqing¡¯s heart.</i>

    He nned to solve every single issue they faced, and he only hoped that she would trust him and stay by his side.

    There seemed to be no end in sight to Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao¡¯s conversation. It was only until Su Jincheng coughed on purpose that they let go of each other.

    Su Jincheng saw Leng Xiyao stare at him, and he quickly cleared his throat to say, ¡°I¡¯m just signalling to all of you that the dancefloor is now open.¡±

    He put on an innocent look, but Leng Xiyao did not fall for it.

    ¡°Who knows what you¡¯re actually nning!¡±

    Mo Suqing suppressed herughter at this. Leng Haoyun scratched his nose, pretending not to have seen or heard anything as he pulled Leng Xiyao towards him.

    Su Jincheng watched them, finding Ye Zhongjue to be the only normal person in the group. Ye Zhongjue¡¯s gaze had never once left Mo Suqing.

    Mo Suqing put her name card into Leng Xiyao¡¯s palm. ¡°Yao, let¡¯s chat over the phone tonight.¡±

    Leng Xiyao nodded before Leng Haoyun pulled her onto the dancefloor.

    Leng Xiyao looked at Leng Haoyun coldly. ¡°Why did you pull me away? I haven¡¯t finished catching up with Suqing yet!¡±

    Leng Haoyun pinched her waist yfully. ¡°Silly girl, don¡¯t you realize that you¡¯re like a super bright light bulb there?¡±

    Leng Xiyao let out a stifledugh, spitting her saliva onto Leng Haoyun¡¯s face. His face darkened slightly. <i>Naughty girl, let¡¯s see how I¡¯ll punish you tonight!</i>

    Seeing his expression dim, Leng Xiyao instinctively shrunk backwards, causing Leng Haoyun to break out in a satisfied smile.

    After Leng Haoyun and Leng Xiyao left for the dancefloor, Ye Zhongjue reached out to ask Mo Suqing for a dance before Su Jincheng could say anything.

    ¡°Annly, may I have this dance?¡±

    Mo Suqing was surprised. She did not expect for him to be this direct.

    She stole a nce at Su Jincheng, but he averted his gaze quickly.

    In the future, Su Jincheng would give himself a pat on the shoulder for his choice tonight.

    If he had stopped Ye Zhongjue from having that dance with Mo Suqing, he might not have been able to get married.

    Mo Suqing felt a little conflicted at this. However, she was now the vice president of Tianyue Group and it would be unbing of her if she were to refuse a dance with Ye Zhongjue -especially when he was so well-known in A City.

    After a moment of contemtion, Mo Suqing red at Su Jincheng before answering Ye Zhongjue. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯d like to dance with me, President Ye?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue calmly nodded.

    Mo Suqing then said, ¡°I¡¯ll have to warn you that I don¡¯t know how to dance. So don¡¯t me me if we turn into a joke!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue kept his eyes on her as he shook his head, his hand still extended towards her.

    Mo Suqing rolled her eyes. <i>He¡¯s really thick-skinned.</i>

    She feigned a smile at him. ¡°With President Ye¡¯s status, shouldn¡¯t you be dancing with your partner?¡±

    He looked down at her gown and answered, ¡°Her gown got dirty.¡±

    He answered cidly, but Mo Suqing was not happy at this. <i>Her gown is dirty so you¡¯re getting me to be her recement?</i>

    ¡°You love to joke around don¡¯t you, President Ye? I¡¯m here with President Su, so naturally...¡±

    Before she could finish, she spotted Su Jincheng walk towards anotherdy in the room and ask her for a dance.

    Mo Suqing stared at Su Jincheng angrily. She wanted to chop him into pieces at that very moment.

    Ye Zhongjue suddenlyughed.

    Mo Suqing was angered at this. ¡°Why are youughing? What¡¯s so funny?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face turned serious instantly. ¡°Nothing. I just want to have a dance with you, that¡¯s all!¡±

    Mo Suqing red at him, as if she was telling him,<i>?You¡¯d better not regret thister.?</i>She then reached out to ce her hand on his palm.

    When their palms touched, Mo Suqing felt a subtle change in the air.

    She awkwardly followed Ye Zhongjue onto the dancefloor.

    They moved harmoniously in a beautiful dance, and one could almost say it was perfect except for the asional wince from Ye Zhongjue.

    Mo Suqing seemed to be stepping on his foot on purpose and she would pretend to look apologetic every time she stepped on him, as if she was already preparing for her next strike.

    Though his feet hurt, this pain amounted to nothing for Ye Zhongjue. He could endure anything as long as Mo Suqing allowed him to go closer.

    One may call him a masochist or someone with brain damage, but he knew that Mo Suqing was the only one he wanted in this life.

    Mo Suqing got bored of stepping on him after a while since he did not react to her provocation. It only served to make her feel like a violent and abusive person.

    She was conflicted. She had not felt such overwhelming emotion in the past five years, and she wished that she could be as calm and unfeeling as she used to be, because she was afraid that her heart might get her to do something irrational.

    Not caring about Ye Zhongjue, Mo Suqing suddenly let go of him and exited the dance floor. He followed closely behind her and watched her go upstairs.

    He thus picked up a ss of champagne from a waiter and waited at a corner as he eyed the stairs, waiting for her toe back down. Mo Suqing made her way down after a while.

    Su Jincheng made his way towards her, and he nodded after she said something to him. Mo Suqing then put on a jacket before making her way out of the building.

    Ye Zhongjue quickly abandoned his champagne to follow her out.

    Someone called out to him when he was about to reach Mo Suqing.

    His expression turned awful when he turned only to see Mo Sulian looking at him pitifully. ¡°Zhongjue...¡±

    The hearts of any other men would have melted at that pitiful tone of hers, but it did not work on Ye Zhongjue. He saw Mo Suqing pause briefly. It was obvious that she heard it.

    However, she continued walking out without stopping. Ye Zhongjue¡¯s face darkened. He looked at Mo Sulian and asked, ¡°Why are you still here?¡±

    Mo Sulian looked like she was about to cry. ¡°You said you¡¯d get Lin Ran to pick me up...¡±

    Her tone was gentle, as if afraid whatever she said might upset him.

    Seeing Mo Suqing¡¯s figure get smaller and smaller, Ye Zhongjue could no longer be bothered with her.

    ¡°Get a cab on your own!¡± He then dashed after Mo Suqing.

    Mo Sulian stomped her feet as she watched Ye Zhongjue leave. <i>It¡¯s all your fault! You slut, Mo Suqing!?</i>A vicious glint flickered across her eyes as she adjusted her outfit and exited the building.

    Ye Zhongjue saw Mo Suqing head for the parking lot once she was out of the hotel.

    He followed quickly, seeing her hop into a yellow Ferrari. Ye Zhongjue went to his car and revved the engine, following closely behind the Ferrari.

    After driving for a while, Mo Suqing realized that there was a blue Lamborghini in her rearview mirror. She thought it was Ye Zhongjue at first, but felt that it was unlikely after taking a closer look at the car. Ye Zhongjue had always kept a low profile and his cars were either silver or ck in color, with the asional white. She had never seen him driving such a car, so she was very sure that it was not him.

    Mo Suqing realized that the car kept tailing her.

    She decided to pick up speed and go around A City in circles. Even so, the car kept on following her.

    She was momentarily confused. No one else but Ye Zhongjue would follow her like that, but it simply did not look like a car that he would drive.

    She did not know that this car did not belong to him at all. Luo Qiqi and Xia Zi used his car when they took A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu out to y, but his car turned into this blue Lamborghini when they returned. They told him that his Rolls-Royce had been sent for servicing.

    He knew what happened without having to guess, and this blue Lamborghini actually belonged to Luo Qiqi.

    He did not have the time to switch vehicles earlier, so Luo Qiqi drove the car directly to his office and he simply drove it to the banquet.

    Who knew that it would make Mo Suqing think that it was a stranger!

    Mo Suqing eyed the car behind her. They have already circled the entire A City twice, and even though she had left the banquet early, all her time had been wasted on this useless journey.

    She was very annoyed. Seeing a za in front of her, she stopped the car without a second thought.

    The car behind her stopped as well.

    Mo Suqing alighted and walked towards the car.

    The tinted windows made it difficult for her to see who was in the blue Lamborghini.

    She walked over to the driver¡¯s window and loudly knocked on it twice.

    Ye Zhongjue lowered the window.

    Mo Suqing did not expect it to be Ye Zhongjue, so she was rather surprised when she realized it was actually him.

    She seemed to be at a loss for words as she stared nkly at him.

    <i>He¡¯s driving such a shy car. This is unlike him at all!</i>

    Seeing Mo Suqing¡¯s surprised face, Ye Zhongjue coughed to alleviate the awkward atmosphere.

 Chapter 225 â€“ President Ye Stutters

    <h4>Chapter 225 ¨C President Ye Stutters</h4>

    ¡°The car...¡± Ye Zhongjue wanted to exin himself, but Mo Suqing turned away.

    ¡°What has it got to do with me!¡± She then walked back to her own car, trying to hide her awkwardness.

    Ye Zhongjue was flustered. He quickly alighted and went after her, grabbing her arm before she could reach her own car.

    ¡°You...¡± He looked at her, not knowing what he should say.

    Mo Suqing shrugged him off and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know President Ye stuttered!¡±

    He sucked in a breath. <i>This woman has such a vicious tongue. Can¡¯t she just have a proper conversation with me?</i>

    She looked up at him stubbornly, causing his heart to melt instantly. There were some things which simply did not change.

    ¡°Suqing, why can¡¯t we have a proper chat!¡± He asked her seriously. This was the first time he called her by her name in five years.

    He may have looked too solemn and serious, because Mo Suqing turned away from him instead.

    There was no way Ye Zhongjue would allow her to escape. He stepped forward to close in on her.

    She shrunk back instinctively, her back hitting the car.

    She looked at him and asked, ¡°What¡­ what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I just want to know if we can have a proper chat, Suqing!¡±

    She tried to avert her gaze as she answered, ¡°Aren¡¯t we already chatting now?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue stared squarely at her. ¡°Suqing, you know what I mean. I just want to talk to you!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about. Also, please don¡¯t call me Suqing. I¡¯m Annly now!¡±

    She did not want to entertain his request at all. Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression dimmed. He did not expect it to be easy, but he never thought she could be this cold-hearted.

    ¡°It¡¯s been five years. Don¡¯t you miss...¡±

    Mo Suqing cut him off before he could say ¡®the children¡¯.

    ¡°Why should I? Are you saying I should be reminding myself of that ident eight years ago?¡±

    Her words shocked him. Despair was apparent in his eyes as he stared at her, speechless.

    Mo Suqing walked away from him and spoke with her back to him.?¡°Please don¡¯t bother me anymore, President Ye. And please stop following me!¡±

    She got into her car and drove off. After some distance, she could still see Ye Zhongjue standing in the same ce, as still as a statue.?She felt frustrated all of a sudden. Scratching her head in irritation, she sped towards her apartment in the city center.

    She did not want to get in touch with Ye Zhongjue because she did not want to be reminded of what happened five years ago. She would only be reminded of her children, and how her mother died if she saw him. She could not forgive herself for not being able to let go of him.

    <i>What should I do?</i>

    When she returned to her apartment, Mo Suqing decided to take a bath to rx after the series of stressful events.

    Her mobile phone kept ringing after she came out of her bath.

    It was an unknown number from A City. Mo Suqing wondered who it could be.<i>?I¡¯ve only been back for a couple of days. Who would be contacting me? It can¡¯t be Ye Zhongjue, can it?</i>

    She shook her head at this.<i>?It can¡¯t be him. He should hate me now, especially after all that attitude I gave him earlier. Given his arrogant nature, he wouldn¡¯t stoop to look for me like that.</i>

    She heard the voice of a female when she answered.

    Mo Suqing smiled after recovering from her initial surprise.

    ¡°Yao, what¡¯s up?¡± Mo Suqing¡¯s mood instantly improved as she heard Leng Xiyao¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Suqing, why did you take so long to answer the call?¡± Leng Xiyao asked in concern.

    ¡°I was in the bathroom earlier and I didn¡¯t hear it. What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Did anything happen? I saw Ye Zhongjue follow you after you left.¡±

    Mo Suqing was reminded of the expression on his face when she left him earlier, paling at the thought.

    ¡°Nope. Oh! I didn¡¯t get to ask at the banquet earlier, but when did you return to A City? I wanted to go to Ennd after giving birth to look for you after your operation, but I didn¡¯t expect for things to turn into a huge mess after that.¡±

    Leng Xiyao had heard about what happened in the past five years from Leng Haoyun and Ceng Hanyu, and she tried to console Mo Suqing. ¡°Suqing, it¡¯s over now. I don¡¯t want to keep harping on the past, and I just want to spend my time with Leng Haoyun. I hope you can be happy too.¡±

    Mo Suqing replied with an affirmative and fell silent.

    Leng Xiyao then asked, ¡°Suqing, there¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand. Why did you choose to leave? I didn¡¯t think you could harden your heart like that. Sometimes when I look at A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu, I can¡¯t help but wonder how determined you had to be to actually choose to leave. How can you bear to leave them?¡±

    Mo Suqing was confused at this. She frowned as she asked, ¡°A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu? Who are they? I don¡¯t know them?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Leng Xiyao felt something amiss. ¡°You don¡¯t know who A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu are?¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head and answered with conviction. ¡°I don¡¯t!¡±

    Leng Xiyao was stunned. <i>It¡¯s no wonder Suqing chose to leave. She wasn¡¯t even aware of this!</i>

    But Leng Xiyao was still confused. If Mo Suqing had given birth, how would she not know that her children were alive?

    Leng Xiyao took a deep breath to steady herself. She knew this would be a very shocking piece of news to Mo Suqing.

    ¡°Suqing, listen to me. Don¡¯t get too emotional. Just listen to what I have to say first, okay?¡±

    Mo Suqing was thoroughly confused now. She asked, ¡°Yao, what¡¯s going on? I won¡¯t get emotional, just say what you have to.¡±

    After the past five years, she did not think that there would be anything that could shock her anymore.

    But disbelief and astonishment were apparent on her face when Leng Xiyao revealed the truth.

    ¡°Suqing, listen to me. I¡¯m not sure what happened then, but A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu are your children...¡±

    Mo Suqing was stunned at the news.

    ¡°What? What did you just say, Yao!¡±

    Leng Xiyao expected such a reaction from her. She knew very well how important her own children were to a mother.

    ¡°Suqing, listen to me. When you left after giving birth, Ye Zhongjue was in critical condition. This is what I heard from the others as well, and when I just returned, I even thought that A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu were Mo Sulian¡¯s children. I only learnt the truth recently. I think you can go to Ye Zhongjue if you want to know what happened. I believe he¡¯ll tell you everything.¡±

    Mo Suqing ended the call in disappointment.

    The color drained from her face. She never expected for her children to still be alive.

    Tears of joy escaped her eyes as inexplicable emotion welled up in her. It was Su Jincheng who told her that her children had died, causing her to make the decision to leave A City. If she had known that her children survived, she would never have left them.

    <i>Was it Ye Zhongjue who deliberately kept it under wraps, causing Su Jincheng to give me the wrong information??</i><i>But he couldn¡¯t have done so since he had been shot, and he had no reason to do so either.?</i><i>Who was the culprit then?</i>

    <i>Did Su Jincheng mislead me on purpose? But it was unlikely for him to lie to me.?</i>Having spent the past five years with him, she knew him enough to know that he was not someone who would do that.

    <i>What exactly happened then?</i> She was dying to know.

    Mo Suqing looked at the time. It was close to midnight.<i> Ye Zhongjue should already be asleep by now, and the children¡­ they were probably asleep too!</i>

    She thought about it for a while before calling Su Jincheng.

    Su Jincheng was getting into bed when his phone rang.

    ¡°It¡¯ste, Suqing. Not asleep yet?¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s voice trembled slightly. ¡°Jincheng, didn¡¯t you tell me that my child died...¡±

    Su Jincheng knew this was something that had always weighed heavily on her heart. He nodded as he answered, ¡°Mm!¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes were red. ¡°Jincheng, do you know that my children are fine? They should be about five now...¡±

    ¡°Huh!¡± Su Jincheng was shocked. <i>Her children were alive?</i>

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me!¡± Su Jincheng knew Mo Suqing would suspect him. He thus exined hastily, ¡°The children were barely alive, and they were sent straight to the operation room. Gu Yi¡¯an even said that their chances of survival were not very high. You had just given birth and in low spirits because of what happened with Ye Zhongjue, so I didn¡¯t dare to tell you the truth for fear of disappointing you if they didn¡¯t survive. When you asked me to take you away, I thought it was a good idea at the time, since time might be able to heal all wounds. I didn¡¯t know about this at all. I haven¡¯t been back to A City either and I¡¯ve not kept myself updated on things here. I had absolutely no idea...¡±

    Su Jincheng suddenly felt that it was pointless for him to continue exining himself. A gesture he had originally thought could protect her had be the very reason that separated her from her own flesh and blood for five whole years.

    Mo Suqing could feel his guilt even through the phone.

    She took a deep breath to calm herself down and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I know you didn¡¯t do it on purpose, Jincheng. Have an early night...¡±

    Mo Suqing ended the call before Su Jincheng could say anything else.

 Chapter 226 â€“ The Sisters Reunite

    <h4>Chapter 226 ¨C The Sisters Reunite</h4>

    It was Mo Suqing¡¯s first day at the Tianyue Group¡¯s office on the next day, and no one expected that their new vice president would actually be taking a day off on her very first day of work.

    Yes! Instead of going to the office, Mo Suqing drove to the Shallow Sea Area instead.

    Her mind was racing. She could imagine how confused Ye Zhongjue had been in the past five years as he wondered how she could bear to cruelly abandon both her children.?She wanted to fly to the children if she could.

    Su Jincheng gave her the ess card to the Shallow Sea Area, so she was able to enter without too much of a hassle.

    She parked at vi number 8 and rushed in to press the doorbell. It was quite a while before someone finally answered the door.

    Mo Suqing did not expect to see Ye Zhongjue at home at this hour. She thought he would be at the office. He looked sleepy, like he had just woken up.

    She asked, ¡°Where are the kids?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was surprised to see her at the door. He thought his eyes were fooling him at first and that he might have just mistaken Xia Zi for her. Rubbing his eyes hard, he wanted to make sure that it was really her.

    ¡°Suqing?¡±

    He thought she would never step foot into this ce ever again.

    Mo Suqing could not be bothered with him as she asked about the children again, sounding rather frustrated.

    ¡°Ye Zhongjue, please tell me where the kids are. I want to see them.¡±

    At this, Ye Zhongjue finally came to his senses. <i>So she¡¯s just here for the kids.</i> His expression dimmed as a bitter smile hung on his lips.

    ¡°Mo Suqing, you¡¯re here this early in the morning just to look for the kids?¡±

    She nodded profusely. ¡°Yes! Where are they?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°If you care about them so much, where have you been for the past five years?¡±

    She was caught unawares by his sudden question.

    <i>He was right. I wasn¡¯t there for them at all in the past five years.</i>

    ¡°I...¡± Mo Suqing did not know what to say. Unsure of how to exin herself, she simply stared at him.

    After watching her for a moment, he sighed and invited her into the house.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Come on in!¡±

    Mo Suqing lowered her eyes and followed him into the house.

    The interior did not change much and everything was rather simr to five years ago when she left, with the addition of some carpets and toys that were lying around.

    Thinking about her children, Mo Suqing imagined that they would look very mischievous. <i>My kids!</i>

    She suddenly regretted that she took so long to return, causing her to miss out on the chance to watch them grow up in the past few years.

    Ye Zhongjue looked towards the sofa and said, ¡°Have a seat. Let me get a change of clothes. The kids are not at home now. I¡¯ll get Xia Zi to bring them over!¡±

    He went into the bedroom after that.

    Mo Suqing was slightly confused. <i>Xia Zi sounded like a girl¡¯s name. Who is she? Why did he let her take care of the kids? There must be something else going on!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue called Xia Zi immediately and asked her to bring the children over.

    He did not tell her that Mo Suqing had returned, hoping that it would be a pleasant surprise for the both of them when they met.

    He took a quick shower and got changed just in time to answer the door when the doorbell rang.

    He saw Mo Suqing go to the door before he even exited the bedroom, so he decided to let her answer it instead.

    Seeing the bedroom door still closed, Mo Suqing decided to answer the door since she expected that it would be the Xia Zi person who would be bringing the children over.

    She was shocked to see someone who looked exactly like her when she opened the door.

    ¡°You are?¡±

    Xia Zi never expected to meet Mo Suqing here. She had initially wondered why Ye Zhongjue called her so early in the morning and asked her to bring the children over.

    As she took in Mo Suqing¡¯s reaction, she realized that Ye Zhongjue had not told her anything about them being sisters at all.

    She naturally broke out into a friendly smile. ¡°I¡¯m Xia Zi!¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯a imagination was running amok. <i>This woman looks exactly like me and she¡¯s involved with Ye Zhongjue. Did he do this on purpose...</i>

    Assailed by the flurry of emotion, her brain did not even register that there were two children standing behind Xia Zi.

    It was Xiaoliu¡¯s bright voice that shook her out of her reverie. ¡°Mummy!¡±

    Mo Suqing instantly looked down towards the source of the voice to see Mo Yanxi holding Xia Zi¡¯s hand.

    She knew it was her child with just one look.

    In a second, her eyes welled up with tears and her voice trembled as she spoke. ¡°Mm¡­ I¡¯m your mummy¡­¡±

    Emotion was apparent on Xiaoliu¡¯s tiny face as she rushed towards Mo Suqing. Hearing her say ¡®mummy¡¯ made Mo Suqing¡¯s heart quiver.

    ¡°Mummy, Mummy¡­ Mummy, you¡¯re finally back. Xiaoliu has been good while waiting for you...¡±

    Mo Suqing was surprised at this. She thought Ye Zhongjue found someone who looked like her on purpose in order to rece her and provide the children with motherly love. She never thought that her children would be able to recognize her even when Xia Zi was standing right there.

    <i>What actually happened?</i>

    As her mind wandered, her gazended on Ye Yanchen who was still standing behind Xia Zi.

    A¡¯jiu looked at her with eyes that were full of affection, sorrow and a hint of inquiry, as if he was asking her why she abandoned them for the past five years.

    Tears escaped from Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes.

    She carried Xiaoliu and walked over to A¡¯jiu. ¡°My children...¡± She reached out to them and said, ¡°Mummy let you down!¡±

    A¡¯jiu turned away slightly and shook his head, his tears threatening to overflow.

    Mo Suqing hated herself for making that decision five years ago. She would never have missed her children like this if she had just been a little less impulsive.

    She quietly med herself for just finding out that they were alive when they have already grown so much...

    Ye Zhongjue suddenly said, ¡°Come on in, let¡¯s talk in the house.¡±

    Mo Suqing walked in as she carried Xiaoliu in one arm and held A¡¯jiu¡¯s hand in the other. Though A¡¯jiu looked slightly ufortable, he did not shy away nor struggle free from Mo Suqing¡¯s grasp.

    Before entering the house, Mo Suqing took onest look at Xia Zi before turning back in.

    Xia Zi simply sighed and followed her in.

    Ye Zhongjue watched the interaction between Mo Suqing and the children. Although they were meeting for the first time, that blood rtion between them can never be erased.

    Mo Suqing did not need to say anything to Xiaoliu and A¡¯jiu for them to want to be close to her.

    Xia Zi walked in and sat some distance away from Mo Suqing.

    Ye Zhongjue then began to introduce them. ¡°Xia Zi, this is Suqing!¡±

    Xia Zi nodded and said, ¡°I know!¡±

    Mo Suqing watched as they spoke. From their tone and expressions, she had the feeling that they were hiding something from her.

    Having just reunited with her children, she was still very emotional. Xia Zi looked so much like her that it was impossible to get that sort of simrity even through cosmetic procedures.

    Mo Suqing looked at Ye Zhongjue, and then at Xia Zi.

    ¡°Do the both of you have something to say? If it¡¯s regarding the kids, know that I won¡¯t back down. I didn¡¯t even know that they were...¡±

    Mo Suqing stopped herself from continuing. Even so, Ye Zhongjue could already guess what she wanted to say. <i>She didn¡¯t even know they had survived!</i>

    Xia Zi heard about it from Luo Qiqi earlier, so she was not surprised at how Mo Suqing reacted.

    She nced at Ye Zhongjue and said, ¡°Let me exin!¡±

    She regarded Mo Suqing seriously. ¡°Do you know we look so alike?¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head.

    Xia Zi smiled and continued. ¡°Because I¡¯m your twin sister. Why else do you think there¡¯d be two individuals who looked so much alike? This was also why I decided to save you when I saw you five years ago!¡±

    Mo Suqing was instantly reminded of that fateful night, when Luo Qiqi and another woman saved her from Jian Jie¡¯s attacks, allowing Su Jincheng to take her away eventually.

    She looked at Xia Zi incredulously. ¡°It was you and Luo Qiqi who saved me five years ago!¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Xia Zi nodded. ¡°It was me, but I lost my memories after that. I was saved by someone else, and it was only recently that I regained my memories. I then made my way to A City to look into this, and I¡¯ve done the DNA testing with Mo Zhenfeng as well. I¡¯m his biological daughter, so how do you think we¡¯re rted?¡±

    Mo Suqing was absolutely stunned. She never thought that she would be meeting her own sister here at the Shallow Sea Area.

    She did not remember having a sister, even though she did have a vague feeling that she seemed to have a younger sibling when she was much younger.

    Her parents, however, told her that she had no siblings.

    This made her believe that it was the truth, and she never thought that her parents had actually lied to her.

    She looked at Xia Zi and asked in slight disbelief, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Xia Zi...¡±

    This again surprised Mo Suqing. ¡°You¡¯re A¡¯zi, the one Qiqi has been looking for?¡±

    Xia Zi nodded at this. Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes reddened at this. She never would have imagined that her own sister was actually in a ce that was so close to her.

    Having grown up in an orphanage, Xia Zi had quite an aloof demeanor. But upon seeing Mo Suqing overwhelmed with emotion, she naturally called out to her, ¡°Sis...¡±

 Chapter 227 â€“ Fighting For Custody

    <h4>Chapter 227 ¨C Fighting For Custody</h4>

    Mo Suqing reached out to Xia Zi tentatively. Her voice trembled as she said, ¡°A¡¯zi...¡±

    Xia Zi¡¯s eyes were filled with tears as she called out again. ¡°Sis...¡±

    Mo Suqing was already crying. She never thought that the heavens would dote on her so much and give her two huge surprises. After her mother passed away, she has not felt the warmth from a family member until now.?Although they had just met, she remembered how Xia Zi fought to save her five years ago.

    All her pain and sorrow seemed to be instantly erased as she looked down at her children. Xiaoliu¡¯s eyes were shiny with tears, and A¡¯jiu looked like a tiny gentleman.

    <i>I would never have imagined this...</i>

    Seeing Mo Suqing so emotional, Ye Zhongjue coughed to remind them of his presence.

    Xia Zi then addressed Mo Suqing. ¡°Sis, I¡¯ve heard from¡­ Brother-inw about what happened five years ago.¡±

    She instinctively nced at Ye Zhongjue since she was referring to him as ¡®brother-inw¡¯ now.

    Mo Suqing did not correct her, but she looked over at Ye Zhongjue as if she was wondering what he actually told Xia Zi.

    Xia Zi observed Mo Suqing¡¯s reaction. She did not seem opposed to listening to what she had to say.

    Xia Zi thus continued. ¡°I came to A City to look for Qiqi at first, but who knew that I¡¯d meet Brother-inw, Xiaoliu and A¡¯jiu at the supermarket. The kids even called me mummy the first time they saw me. I was quite stunned at the time, but it only took me a second to put all the pieces together, since I remembered seeing you five years back.¡±

    She then paused for a while. ¡°What I didn¡¯t expect was for Brother-inw to realize I was faking my identity in just half a day. So I had no choice but to tell him who I truly was. After which, we went to the Mo family home to check on my real identity. We found out that Mo Zhenfeng had another daughter who went missing when she was two. We took a strand of his hair and did the DNA testing, and the results were as what I¡¯ve just told you.¡±

    ¡°I only asked about why you left some timeter. Brother-inw then told me about what happened eight years ago. He said he remembered his car hitting Tang Mo, and Mummy didn¡¯t die at the time. Her car simply turned on its side. His parents took care of everything else after that so he wasn¡¯t sure about what happened after either. He wanted to exin himself to you, but he didn¡¯t expect you to pull the trigger at him...¡±

    Xia Zi had basically summarized everything that had happened in the past.

    Mo Suqing was dumbstruck. <i>Was this true?</i>

    She looked up at Ye Zhongjue. ¡°Is it true, what A¡¯zi just said?¡±

    He nodded in reply.

    Mo Suqing fell silent. <i>If this was true, then all that conflict and hatred within me was all for nothing...</i>

    Ye Zhongjue asked her a question while she was still in a daze.

    ¡°I just want to know something. How did you get to know Su Jincheng at the time? And why did he help you? And also, how did you be the weapon designer for The Dark Night...¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s mind went back to five years ago, the images ying in her head like a movie.

    She sounded distracted as she answered him. ¡°I saved Su Jincheng once five years ago. We actually already knew each other when you thought that we had met for the first time. We found outter that we lived in the same area. He decided to give me shooting lessons, probably just out of gratitude and to return the favor since I helped him out once. He knew that you had some sort of hidden identity and that things might get dangerous, so he said that it¡¯d be useful if I learned how to use a gun.¡±

    She nced at Ye Zhongjue as she continued. ¡°I already knew that you were the Poisonous Prince at the time, and since I was pregnant, I thought that it¡¯d be good for me to learn how to use a gun and defend myself if I ever need to. I never thought that I¡¯d pull the trigger at you. Do you still remember that book about firearm design in your study? Maybe I¡¯m just talented at this, but I didn¡¯t think that I¡¯d actually be able to design real weapons. That night five years ago...¡±

    Mo Suqing gave a bitter smile. ¡°A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu were sent into the operating room right after I gave birth. Su Jincheng thought they wouldn¡¯t survive, so he told me they died so that I wouldn¡¯t end up being disappointed. I felt utterly devastated at the time and decided to leave the city. But none of this matters anymore as long as I have my children with me...¡±

    She hugged Xiaoliu and A¡¯jiu tight.

    Being more mature than his peers, A¡¯jiu understood everything she said. Although he could not wrap his head around some of the details, he understood enough to know that his mother did not abandon them by choice. He suddenly felt very upset on her behalf.

    Xia Zi was reminded of Ye Zhongjue asking her to help him out when Mo Suqing returned.

    She thus said, ¡°Brother-inw suspects that Mo Sulian¡¯s mother, Bai Lian, was involved in the ident eight years ago. This was why he approached Mo Sulian. It¡¯s just to look into what really happened. I think we can make use of her to find out what role Bai Lian yed in the ident.¡±

    Mo Suqing frowned. ¡°You¡¯re saying that we put on a show?¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Xia Zi nodded. ¡°Brother-inw kept his distance from Mo Sulian because of you, but now that you¡¯re aware of the truth, we can put on a show and mislead Mo Sulian to think that Brother-inw has epted her. You know that women aren¡¯t very rational when ites to matters of the heart. We can then trick her into telling us about what Bai Lian did years ago.¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at Ye Zhongjue. ¡°He just needs to agree to it. I don¡¯t really care. I just want to protect A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu now. Ye Zhongjue, whether you genuinely ept Mo Sulian or not, you¡¯ll have to agree to one condition.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± He asked.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes shed. ¡°If you¡¯re going to put on a show for Mo Sulian, then you¡¯ll have to give me custody of the kids!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was stunned. He was afraid that Mo Suqing might take the children away and disappear, just like how she had disappeared in the past five years.

    Mo Suqing seemed to be able to read his mind as she said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t agree. We¡¯ll just have to meet in court. I won¡¯t give up on getting custody of the kids!¡±

    There was a subtle change in everyone¡¯s expression after she made thatment.

    Xiaoliu watched her with wide, watery eyes and A¡¯jiu turned serious. <i>Why can¡¯t both Daddy and Mummy be around?</i>

    Xia Zi did not expect for Mo Suqing to be so extreme. <i>She wanted custody of the kids right after reuniting with them. But with Ye Zhongjue¡¯s personality, would he really give up custody to Mo Suqing?</i>

    Ye Zhongjue stared at her, both their eyes glinting with anger.

    He spoke with an awful expression. ¡°Mo Suqing, how dare you!¡±

    She returned his stare. ¡°Ye Zhongjue, there¡¯s nothing that I, Mo Suqing, am afraid of!¡±

    He thenughed. Hisughter was a mixture of anger and shock, with a trace of mockery.

    ¡°Mo Suqing, I guess I¡¯ve really underestimated you. I¡¯ll just have to fulfil your wish since you¡¯re so adamant. You want to go to court? I¡¯ll see you there!¡±

    Xia Zi was at a loss for what to do. She did not expect for these two individuals to be so stubborn. <i>No one would emerge the real winner like this. Why can¡¯t they just sit down and think it through?</i>

    She then said, ¡°Sis, Brother-inw, are you sure you want to fight over this? Do you think that¡¯s fair to A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu? They¡¯ve just reunited with their Mummy and are suddenly faced with making a choice between Mummy and Daddy. They¡¯re still so young, how can the both of you bear to do this to them?¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s expression changed as she heard what Xia Zi said. She knew that she was too emotional earlier, but she could not help but feel immensely frustrated at the very thought of Mo Sulian approaching her children.

    <i>With how closely Ye Zhongjue is hanging out with Mo Sulian, what if the children actually want to stay with her? I¡¯ll never risk that. I won¡¯t ever hurt them like this. But as Xia Zi just pointed out, fighting over custody of the kids would hurt Xiaoliu and A¡¯jiu.</i>

    Mo Suqing¡¯s heart hurt as she looked at her children. She felt lost. <i>I didn¡¯t ask for this...</i>

    Ye Zhongjue saw the conflict in Mo Suqing and made a sudden suggestion.

    ¡°If you¡¯re worried about me being together with Mo Sulian while I try to get some information from her, the kids can stay with you during this time. How about that?¡±

    Mo Suqing was about to agree before he continued.

    ¡°I also have a condition for that. You¡¯ll have to live with Xia Zi. Firstly, Xia Zi is an exceptional police officer. I believe she and Luo Qiqi will be able to protect both you and the kids. Secondly, it would be convenient for me to visit the kids if you stay at the Shallow Sea Area. We can do that if you agree. Let¡¯s discuss custody after we settle this.¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at her children again. She then nodded in agreement.

 Chapter 228 â€“ The Plot Behind the Accident

    <h4>Chapter 228 ¨C The Plot Behind the ident</h4>

    Mo Sulian and Ye Zhongjue were then seen together in public very often as they attended various events and functions together. The media spotlight was on them as there was spection that Ye Zhongjue might marry the star soon.

    The rumor spread very quickly across A City because of the various media reports.

    Although Mo Suqing was aware that all of this was just an act on Ye Zhongjue¡¯s part, she still felt ufortable when she saw Mo Sulian with him.

    She had been staying at the Shallow Sea area for the time being. She went to work together with Su Jincheng and returned to Xia Zi¡¯s vi after work. Her time was either spent in the office or with the children, as if she was trying her best to make up for the lost time.

    Su Jincheng had been searching for Luo Qiqi since arriving in A City, and when Mo Suqing identally let slip that she was staying with Xia Zi and Luo Qiqi, Su Jincheng began to look for all kinds of reasons to visit Xia Zi¡¯s vi.

    Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng seemed to be born enemies. The house would be a noisy mess every time they were both around. Mo Suqing found their interaction amusing, and she sometimes even envied that they could banter like that.

    <i>Everyone says we should follow our heart, but how many people in this world can actually end up with the one they loved?</i>

    Mo Suqing felt distracted aftering back home from work, and she was even slow to react when Xiaoliu talked to her.

    Seeing her like that, Xia Zi decided to talk to her about it.

    ¡°Sis, do you want me to ask Brother-inw to stop? We can look into other individuals who knew Bai Lian at the time, but it¡¯s just that we might end up alerting her.¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine. There¡¯s no need to do that. I¡¯ll wait for him to give me the truth since he is so insistent on uncovering it, and he also insists that he only killed Tang Mo back then.¡±

    Xia Zi¡¯s gaze deepened. ¡°Then¡­ Sis, if Bai Lian was really involved in that ident, will you choose to be with Brother-inw?¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at her. ¡°I don¡¯t know. There are just too many things to consider. Let¡¯s not even talk about that ident eight years ago and whether it was Bai Lian pulling the strings behind the scenes. I shot him five years ago, and even if he doesn¡¯t mind it, I do. It¡¯s tooplex. Love and hate seem to be intertwined when ites to him, and it¡¯s not that easy for me to let go of everything. I kept dreaming of that moment when I pulled the trigger in the past five years, and I always jolt awake after hearing the gunshot.¡±

    Xia Zi hugged her. ¡°Sis, you don¡¯t have to say anymore. I understand. I couldn¡¯t sleep for a few days after I made my first kill years ago.¡±

    Mo Suqing fell silent.

    They had separated from a young age as sisters, not knowing that the other person existed, but the both of them had led rather difficult lives.

    Luo Qiqi saw them in an embrace when she returned. She felt a little awkward and decided to cough to signal her presence.

    ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m back!¡±

    Xia Zi nced at Qiqi and let go of Mo Suqing. She narrowed her eyes and looked behind Qiqi in suspicion.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Su Jincheng?¡±

    Luo Qiqi plopped herself onto the sofa.

    ¡°I shook him off. He¡¯s crazy annoying. I wonder what¡¯s in that brain of his. Why does he have to keep following me around!¡±

    Mo Suqing suppressed herughter at this. Su Jincheng would definitely be annoyed if he knew how Luo Qiqi was talking about him now.

    Xia Zi shook her head in resignation. ¡°You¡¯re such an idiot. Can¡¯t you tell that he likes you?¡±

    There was a subtle change in Luo Qiqi¡¯s expression. She suddenlyughed and took out a piece of white jade engraved with a light blue character.

    She said, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. He doesn¡¯t like me. He wouldn¡¯t bother about me at all if it wasn¡¯t for this piece of jade on my neck.¡±

    ¡°You mean...¡± Xia Zi was about to say something.

    Mo Suqing was reminded of something when she saw that piece of jade.

    She remembered seeing a simr piece five years ago in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s desk drawer, and she had asked him about it at the time. He said it was actually a pair of pendants, and that his younger sister had a simr one on her, but she went missing when she was two.

    Another scene reyed in her head. On that fateful night when Luo Qiqi and Xia Zi came to her rescue, she vaguely remembered seeing this pendant on Luo Qiqi. She was in too much pain to think about anything else at the time, but she remembered finding it familiar.

    Mo Suqing had a bold theory, so bold that she herself did not dare believe it.

    Her sister and Ye Zhongjue¡¯s sister both went missing in the same year in A City, so it was likely they went missing at around the same time. If Luo Qiqi¡¯s jade pendant really belonged to her, then it was highly likely that she was Ye Zhongjue¡¯s younger sister - Ye Mingke.

    Mo Suqing wondered if she was actually the sister Ye Zhongjue had been looking for all these years. If she was his sister, that would mean that she had always been so near, and that they had already brushed past each other five years ago.

    She stood up and walked towards Luo Qiqi.

    She grabbed the jade pendant hanging on Luo Qiqi¡¯s neck, her voice trembling with emotion as she asked, ¡°Qiqi, does this pendant belong to you?¡±

    Xia Zi found Mo Suqing¡¯s reaction out of sorts, and Luo Qiqi was a little ufortable at being questioned.?¡°Come on, Sis Suqing!¡±

    She had been addressing Mo Suqing ¡®sis¡¯ just like Xia Zi does and she had gotten used to it after a while, but Mo Suqing¡¯s reaction really confused her.

    She looked at Mo Suqing in confusion. ¡°Why are all of you from The Dark Night like this? This jade pendant has been with me since forever. What¡¯s so interesting about it? Why are both you and Su Jincheng so interested in it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s yours?¡± Joy was apparent in Mo Suqing¡¯s eyes.

    She wanted to tell Luo Qiqi that Ye Zhongjue has a simr pendant, but she decided against it in the end, afraid that it may only lead to disappointment if what happened was that his sister had simply gifted her jade pendant to a friend.

    If that happened, Ye Zhongjue would be disappointed and Luo Qiqi would be hurt. She thus decided not to say anything about it at this point.

    She closed in on Luo Qiqi and smiled at her. ¡°I suddenly thought of something, so I got a bit emotional. I hope you don¡¯t mind, Qiqi!¡±

    Luo Qiqi heaved a sigh of relief when Mo Suqing suddenly called out to her.

    ¡°Qiqi!¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Luo Qiqi cried out and looked up in surprise. Mo Suqing was staring at the top of her head. ¡°Don¡¯t move, it looks like there¡¯s something on your head. I¡¯ll help you get it out.¡±

    Luo Qiqi gave Mo Suqing an awkward smile and looked at Xia Zi, who looked like her usual dispassionate self. Mo Suqing seemed to look at her hair for a while before finally plucking a strand out.

    Mo Suqing looked at the strand in her hand before turning back to Luo Qiqi apologetically. ¡°Sorry, Qiqi. I identally plucked out a strand of your hair.¡±

    Luo Qiqi did not really mind it and waved dismissively. ¡°It¡¯s fine...¡±

    She felt that Mo Suqing was acting all fishy today, and it made her feel a little ufortable.

    Mo Suqing was about to turn to leave when she saw Xiaoliu run out of the room and jump into Luo Qiqi¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Aunt Qiqi, I¡¯vepleted the puzzle you gave me. Come to my room to have a look?¡±

    Luo Qiqi stood up, happy to get an excuse to leave the scene. She looked at Mo Suqing and said, ¡°Sis Suqing, I¡¯ll go take a look at Xiaoliu¡¯s puzzle...¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded, holding onto Luo Qiqi¡¯s strand of hair tightly.

    Xia Zi walked over to Mo Suqing after Luo Qiqi followed Xiaoliu into the room.

    ¡°Sis, what¡¯s wrong? You seem out of sorts today...¡±

    Mo Suqing gave a wry, unnaturalugh. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯ll go back to my room.¡±

    --

    Xia Zi realized why Mo Suqing acted the way she did on the next day.

    Ye Zhongjue and Mo Sulian announced that they would be getting engaged at the Hilton Hotel one weekter.

    Xia Zi wondered what Ye Zhongjue was thinking. <i>Doesn''t he know that he¡¯s supposed to put on an act? Isn¡¯t he being way too serious about this? It¡¯s no surprise that Sis is unhappy.</i>

    Although Mo Suqing refused to admit it, Xia Zi could tell that she still cared a lot about Ye Zhongjue.

    Xia Zi pondered about this for a long time before finally deciding to discuss it with Ye Zhongjue.

    Support us at Innread.

    When Xia Zi called, Ye Zhongjue was in a hotel with Mo Sulian.

    He had uncovered an important clue, and as long as he had Mo Sulian wrapped around his finger, handling Bai Lian would not be a challenge. He found that Bai Lian had been transferring a sum of money to this particr ount over the years.

    Ye Zhongjue did not pick up on this initially, but he realized there was something amiss when he finally connected the various puzzle pieces.

    He found out that Xia Yanran had been sent to the hospital after the ident, and that she had actually died in hospital.

    Mo Zhenfeng wanted to get morepensation from the Ye family at the time, so he told them that Xia Yanran died instantly. All Mo Suqing saw was her mother¡¯s corpse when she returned from ss, and she did not know what had actually happened.

    Mo Suqing thought her mother had died in that ident, but the truth was that she died in the hospital, and her death was a premeditated murder.

    This was what he theorized, since the doctor who treated Xia Yanran at the time was in aplicated rtionship with Bai Lian, and the ount which Bai Lian had been transferring money into belonged to that same doctor, Dr. Sun.

 Chapter 229 â€“ Iâ€™m Their Father

    <h4>Chapter 229 ¨C I¡¯m Their Father</h4>

    It did not cross Ye Zhongjue¡¯s mind that Dr. Sun could have been linked to Xia Yanran¡¯s death initially.

    However, he did not help out recently when Mo Group was facing financial difficulties. This was because Mo Suqing seemed like she did not care about the Mo Group at all. With her current position, she could easily have done so if she had really wanted to give the Mo Group a helping hand.

    The Mo Group ended up having a deficit since Ye Zhongjue did not assist them, and Bai Lian was thus unable to continue transferring so much money to the doctor, which led to Dr. Sun paying her a visit.

    Afraid of the truth being exposed, Bai Lian asked her daughter to go to Ye Zhongjue for help instead since she was out of cash.

    Mo Sulian was too naive to think that Ye Zhongjue would actually help her after she told him everything, when they just got engaged the day before.

    Of course, she did not give him all the details. She simply said that her mother owed someone a sum of money and that they did not have the ability to return that amount of money at the moment, which was why she was turning to Ye Zhongjue for help.

    All the information was then slowly revealed after Ye Zhongjue started looking into the funds.

    Mo Sulian had just finished whining to Ye Zhongjue about this when Xia Zi called him. He consoled Mo Sulian and told her that he would definitely help her out and take care of the matter.

    Ye Zhongjue had tried to sound Mo Sulian out by asking her about what happened, and that touched Mo Sulian so much that she thought he already knew the truth and he had really wanted to help her out.

    Ye Zhongjue only wanted Mo Suqing to see the truth since he now knew what actually happened.

    He told Xia Zi to take Mo Suqing with her to meet him at vi number 8 at Shallow Sea at night.

    To get Mo Sulian to leave, Ye Zhongjue asked her to go to Bai Lian in order to convince her mother that it should be the veryst time they would be giving any money over to the other party, and it would be in cash this time.

    Mo Sulian was worried that they would not be able to seed in convincing the doctor on this, but having seen many simr situations, Ye Zhongjue had his methods.

    He told Mo Sulian that she can tell Bai Lian to inform the doctor that it would just end up being a zero-sum game if he insists on getting more money from them. That was because no one would emerge the winner if the truth about Xia Yanran¡¯s death was revealed to the police, and he also told Mo Sulian that he had the ability to ensure Bai Lian was safe even if that really happened.

    What he said moved Mo Sulian.

    In order to get Mo Sulian to fully trust him, Ye Zhongjue even told her that there would be no way he would just sit and watch when Bai Lian was her mother and his mother-inw.

    After hearing that, Mo Sulian did not have any doubts.

    Ye Zhongjue was already in the house when Xia Zi and Mo Suqing went over at night.

    Seeing Ye Zhongjue¡¯s haggard expression, Mo Suqing rolled her eyes inwardly. <i>He just went on a date, so why is he even pretending to be so tired!</i>

    While in the house, Ye Zhongjue kept his eyes on Mo Suqing, as if he just could not get enough of watching her.

    That sort of attention could have made even the most thick-skinned individual feel awkward.

    Mo Suqing coughed, but Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes simply glinted, his gaze never leaving her.

    Xia Zi then said in a yful manner, ¡°Brother-inw, I¡¯m really curious how you differentiate me and Sis. Qiqi has known me for such a long time, but even she mistook Sis for me!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue continued staring at Mo Suqing with profound eyes.

    ¡°When you love someone, you love every single part of her, not just her outer appearance. If ever therees a day when there¡¯s someone who can tell you apart from your sister with just one look, it means he really cares about you, or you can even say that he loves you.¡±

    Xia Zi was caught unawares by Ye Zhongjue¡¯s rousing answer. She stole a nce at Mo Suqing, whose face was now flushed red, but she was unsure if her sister was blushing in embarrassment or boiling with anger.

    Seeing how Mo Suqing seemed to be quite ufortable, Xia Zi changed the subject quickly.

    ¡°Oh, Brother-inw, what¡¯s going on with you and Mo Sulian? Are you really nning to get engaged with her? We¡¯re just putting on a show, there¡¯s no need to be so serious about it.¡±

    Before Ye Zhongjue could answer, Mo Suqing gave him a re and said to Xia Zi, ¡°Don¡¯t call him your brother-inw. He¡¯s in no way rted to me now!¡±

    Xia Zi was shocked. <i>What¡¯s going on? Why is my sister acting like a temperamental youngdy?</i>

    It was obvious that Ye Zhongjue did not expect for Mo Suqing to say this either. He cleared his throat before he retorted, ¡°You¡¯re the mother of the children and I¡¯m their father!¡±

    This made Xia Zi burst out inughter.

    Mo Suqing looked infuriated.

    After a while, she said, ¡°Did you say you¡¯re Xiaoliu and A¡¯jiu¡¯s father? I don¡¯t believe it anyway!¡±

    She then walked up to Ye Zhongjue. He and Xia Zi had no idea what she wanted to do.

    Mo Suqing then plucked a strand of hair from Ye Zhongjue¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯m going to do a DNA test. I hope you don¡¯t mind!¡±

    Mo Suqing then returned to her seat on the sofa.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression darkened instantly. <i>She wanted to take a piece of my hair to do DNA testing because she doesn¡¯t believe I¡¯m their father? What is with this woman? Doesn¡¯t she know very well who the father is?</i>

    Mo Suqing ignored the murderous expression on his face and continued sitting there as if nothing had happened.

    Feeling the tension in the atmosphere, Xia Zi quickly asked Ye Zhongjue, ¡°Any progress? Tell us quickly, Sis and I have to go back soon. We¡¯re worried about A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu being left at home!¡±

    She wondered how she should address Ye Zhongjue now, since Mo Suqing suddenly stopped her from addressing him as ¡®brother-inw¡¯. Since it felt too impolite to call him by his name directly, she simply went straight to her question instead.

    Ye Zhongjue visibly calmed down a little as he said, ¡°Fine. Come over on Friday night. I¡¯ll link the security camera footage to myputer. I believe you¡¯ll know what¡¯s going on when you watch it.¡±

    ¡°Friday...¡± Mo Suqing gave an emptyugh. ¡°Isn¡¯t your engagement on the very next day? Not afraid that the video might ruin your engagement ceremony?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was speechless. <i>Did the heavens send this woman to me as an obstacle?</i>

    Xia Zi helped to quickly alleviate the situation by saying, ¡°Sis, we¡¯ll know when we see it...¡±

    Mo Suqing looked at Xia Zi, not saying anything. She felt that Ye Zhongjue was not revealing much, but it seemed he was extremely confident. She then turned to leave without saying anything more.

    As he watched the two of them leave, Ye Zhongjue rubbed his temples in frustration. <i>When can I get my wife toe back? It¡¯s so lonely being by myself.</i>

    One week passed in the blink of an eye.

    News about Mo Sulian and Ye Zhongjue dominated the headlines daily, with the majority of the news reports about them taking their wedding photos and looking at hotels.

    Mo Suqing would rather not watch any of this news.

    It was finally Friday night, and Xia Zi dragged Mo Suqing with her to Ye Zhongjue¡¯s ce.

    Ye Zhongjue gave them the keys to the vi since he would be busy with other matters. Although he was not able to verify the truth together with Mo Suqing about what happened eight years ago, he would let the truth be known to everyone.

    Mo Suqing began to snack in front of theputer. Xia Zi, Luo Qiqi, A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu were all there as well. Mo Suqing watched Luo Qiqi as she yed with A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu.

    She suddenly wondered if it was their blood rtion that made A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu grow so close to Luo Qiqi so quickly.

    Luo Qiqi liked the two children a lot, and she could tell that they had a very good rtionship. Mo Suqing had already sent the strands of hair she took from Luo Qiqi and Ye Zhongjue for testing at the hospital, and she had decided to inform Ye Zhongjue about this if the two were indeed siblings.

    This was her way of making up for having shot him. She also had a feeling that she would definitely be shocked at what she was about to find out tonight.

    Sometime after eight, they saw the door in the room open through theputer screen.

    Mo Suqing turned her attention to the screen immediately, and both Xia Zi and Luo Qiqi walked over to the screen as well.

    There were two individuals on screen, one male and one female.

    Mo Suqing did not recognize the man, but she felt that he looked rather familiar.

    She could recognize the woman immediately. It was none other than Bai Lian.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s gaze turned cold when she saw how the man hugged Bai Lian excitedly when they walked in.

    <i>Was Ye Zhongjue trying to get them to watch porn? Or was this just evidence of Bai Lian having an affair??</i>She was not interested in either of these.

    Just as Mo Suqing was about to switch theputer off, she saw Bai Lian push the man away in disdain. This caused the man to lose his smile as he immediately stiffened, his expression dark.

    Mo Suqing suddenly remembered why the man looked familiar to her. <i>Wasn¡¯t he the doctor in the hospital who told me that Mum had died?</i>

    Mo Zhenfeng told her that her mother died on the spot during the ident, and that she was sent to the hospital morgue immediately.

    But looking at the current situation, it seemed like Mo Zhenfeng had not been telling the truth.

    They heard Dr. Sun speak through the security camera.

    He looked around at the presidential suite they were in before looking at Bai Lian.

    He scoffed. ¡°What, you¡¯re forgetting about me now that you¡¯re rich? Do you know how many secrets of yours I hold?¡±

    Bai Lian¡¯s expression turned awful in an instant. She stared at Dr. Sun. ¡°Don¡¯t think that you can scare me with that. Don¡¯t forget that you were the one who killed Xia Yanran in the hospital. It wouldn¡¯t do you a whole lot of good if you were to expose me either. Do you really think that I¡¯m scared of you?!¡±

    Mo Suqing was shocked at this. <i>Mum was murdered?</i>

    She stared at theputer screen, watching as Dr. Sun gave a wretched smile. ¡°Bai Lian, are you sure you want to go all out like this? Don¡¯t forget you¡¯re the one who told Xia Yanran that your daughter is Mo Zhenfeng¡¯s! If it weren¡¯t for that shocking piece of news, Xia Yanran wouldn¡¯t have been in that ident either, and you wouldn¡¯t have had such a great chance to kill her! Also, I was just listening to your instructions. You¡¯re more culpable!¡±

 Chapter 230 â€“ The Truth from Eight Years Ago

    <h4>Chapter 230 ¨C The Truth from Eight Years Ago</h4>

    Bai Lian was slightly flustered at Dr. Sun¡¯s unexpected retort.

    She red at him. ¡°Sun Zhijie, do you really think you¡¯re able to threaten me like this? Let me tell you this. Sulian is Mo Zhenfeng¡¯s biological daughter. I got pregnant just after his wife, Xia Yanran, gave birth to twins. If Mo Zhenfeng had kept his word, do you think I would¡¯ve done that to Xia Yanran?¡±

    Sun Zhijie¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Sulian was my daughter?¡±

    Something shed across Bai Lian¡¯s mind after seeing his reaction. ¡°You chose not to leave A City because of Sulian?¡±

    Sun Zhijie looked like he could murder Bai Lian at any moment now.

    ¡°You vicious woman, how dare you lie to me! You made me kill Xia Yanran! I would never have done so if it wasn¡¯t for Sulian!¡±

    Bai Lian looked at him calmly as she spoke.

    ¡°You¡¯re a surgeon, and no one would have found out about what happened at the time. Everyone thought Xia Yanran was killed in the ident. But you simply refuse to leave A City. You¡¯re a risk. Just know that I¡¯m capable of doing horrendous things to anyone who dares impede me and my daughter!¡±

    Sun Zhijie looked at her with incredulity.

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you take Sulian to the Mo family right after she was born?¡±

    Sun Zhijie had always treated Mo Sulian like his own daughter, and even though Bai Lian did not allow him to meet her on his own, he had tried his best to help her out wherever he could.

    Bai Lian glowered at him.

    ¡°You think I didn¡¯t? Mo Zhenfeng treated Xia Yanran¡¯s two baby daughters like absolute princesses. I had given birth to a daughter too, but he didn¡¯t seem to care at all. I could literally have murdered him then. But I was too naive. I thought that he would beg me to take Sulian home to him as long as I got rid of Xia Yanran and her daughters. Those traffickers couldn¡¯t even do their job properly. I paid them to kidnap both the children but they left out Mo Suqing! Being the lucky survivor, Mo Zhenfeng and Xia Yanran now pampered and showered her with even more love. I had absolutely zero opportunity!¡±

    She then started cackling.

    ¡°Well, humans are greedy creatures at the core. Old mes never burn brighter than new love interests. Even though Mo Zhenfeng acted like he was faithful, Xia Yanran was blissfully unaware that he was already together with me while she was pregnant. I loved that shocked look on her face when she learnt that Sulian was Mo Zhenfeng¡¯s daughter, it was almost cathartic for me. She always thought Mo Zhenfeng was loyal, and she had never expected for him to have already betrayed her, much less having another daughter with somebody else! She died with regrets, and everything in the Mo family belongs to me and Sulian!¡±

    It was the first time Mo Suqing witnessed Bai Lian in such a frenzied state. She involuntarily shivered as she saw Bai Lian¡¯s vicious gaze. She could barely believe that she had actually lived under the same roof with such an individual for three years. Her mother would have feared for her if she had known.

    A¡¯zi was abducted by the traffickers because of her, and the ident happened because her mother was too agitated after learning about Mo Zhenfeng¡¯s affair. She realized that her mother did not actually die on site, and it was Bai Lian who was in cahoots with Sun Zhijie to cause her death. She also realized why her father treated Mo Sulian so well, because she was his daughter! She always felt that he loved her a little less after Mo Sulian started living with them. Now, she knew that it was because he actually had another daughter!

    Mo Suqing was boiling with anger. She could no longer contain all her grief, outrage, sorrow and her hatred towards Bai Lian and Mo Sulian.

    Her lips trembled as sheughed. <i>The heavens were so unfair, letting her mum die with unresolved hatred. I didn¡¯t protect her well.</i>

    She started crying, and Xia Zi hugged her with reddened eyes. Such a truth was a huge blow to Mo Suqing.

    Xia Zi nced back at the screen to see Bai Lian go up to give Sun Zhijie a kiss before starting to undress.

    She whispered in his ear, ¡°Zhijie, don¡¯t evere back after this. We might have been able to build a future together if it wasn¡¯t for my hatred for Mo Zhenfeng. I¡¯ve brought enough cash for you to be able to livefortably for the rest of your life...¡±

    Sun Zhijie was tempted by Bai Lian¡¯s voluptuous figure as he took her in his arms.

    Although she was almost fifty, her skin was still very smooth and fair. Sun Zhijie could not resist her at all if she decided to seduce him like this.

    He made a low grunt before the two of them started getting passionate.

    Xia Zi felt like she could hear their breaths intermingling even through theputer screen.

    Just as the two of them seemed to be getting hot and heavy, the door to the presidential suite opened suddenly with a loud thud.

    Xia Zi watched as a group of policemen entered.

    They arrested Bai Lian and Sun Zhijie immediately.

    ¡°You are under suspicion of being involved in Xia Yanran¡¯s death. We suspect that her murder was premediated although it was staged to look like an ident, and we¡¯ve just gotten the evidence. You will now be arrested.¡±

    The police put handcuffs on Bai Lian and the stunned Sun Zhijie, whose clothes were in a mess.

    Mo Suqing and Xia Zi were both shocked to see this.

    However, everything fell quickly into ce when they spotted Ye Zhongjue right behind the police. They realized that Ye Zhongjue had contacted the police about the case beforehand.

    The police were then able to act swiftly, right after they got proof of what happened.

    Ye Zhongjue made an announcement overnight to rify the matter of his engagement with Mo Sulian. He said that the announcement was made simply to create a distraction as he was working with the police on an investigation about a murder that happened years ago. He also made it clear that there would only be one Mrs. Ye in his life, and that she was none other than Mo Suqing!

    Not only was Ye Zhongjue not criticized for cancelling the engagement, he was even praised for being a good citizen who helped the police in their investigation. Many people thought that it was a very honorable thing to do.

    One could say that whatever happened had actually given Ye Zhongjue a warning, or rather, a lesson. No one knew what he did, but after this, Mo Suqing did not see Mo Sulian ever again.

    There was spection that Mo Sulian had retired and quit the entertainment circle, and there were some who guessed that she felt too embarrassed about the fact that she had been used by Ye Zhongjue, causing her to decide to live in seclusion after that.

    There were many theories, but all of them led to the same result, that is, Mo Sulian seemingly having disappeared off the face of the earth.

    After the dust settled, Luo Qiqi and Xia Zi still felt that it was pretty out of ce to see Ye Zhongjue, who was the big boss of Sin Eliminators, working with the police.

    Mo Suqing sent that video to Mo Zhenfeng on the very same night that they saw it.

    It was also a huge blow to Mo Zhenfeng, having to grapple with the truth so suddenly.

    His ex-wife was killed by his current wife, and Bai Lian had already gone behind his back to be with another man thousands of times. She even worked with traffickers to n the abduction of his younger daughter, Mo Ziqin. The severity of the news seemed to make him much older overnight.

    When Mo Suqing and Xia Zi visited the Mo family home on the next day, Mo Zhenfeng was shocked and surprised to see the two of them, but all he could do was just to sigh in resignation.

    Mo Suqing did not know how to react when she heard that Mo Zhenfeng had actually sold the Mo Group and transferred all the money to her so that she could use it to livefortably with Xia Zi in future.

    The doorbell to their house rang just as Mo Suqing and Xia Zi returned home from their visit.

    Xia Zi walked over to answer the door without much thought, but she was stunned by the handsome face that met her.

    Her surprise only grew when the man started speaking.

    It was Guan Zixuan, the very person who had taken care of her for the past five years when she had lost her memories.

    Pleasant surprise shed across his eyes as Guan Zixuan looked at her.

    ¡°A¡¯zi, Ye Zhongjue said that Suqing lived here, and I expected her to answer the door. I didn¡¯t think it would be you. Are the both of you living together now?¡±

    Xia Zi was instantly reminded of what Ye Zhongjue said, that a man who could tell her and Suqing apart would be a man who cared a lot about her, or possibly loved her.

    But the purpose of Guan Zixuan¡¯s visit was to look for her sister. She was unsure if this was why he could differentiate them, or if he had really instantly recognized her at the door.

    She felt conflicted because she knew very well that it was Mo Suqing whom Guan Zixuan had had feelings for.

    In the two months after he separated from A¡¯zi, Guan Zixuan was finally able toe to terms with how he really felt.

    He might have had feelings for Mo Suqing in the past, but right now, he had fallen irrevocably in love with Xia Zi. He did not treat her like a recement for Mo Suqing, and he genuinely loved her for who she was.

    He had thoroughly fallen in love with Xia Zi.

    Since they were in A City before he took Xia Zi away, he eventually decided to contact Ye Zhongjue in the hopes of being able to find some clues as to where Xia Zi might possibly be.

    He was prepared to go look for her, but what he did not expect was for Ye Zhongjue to tell him that Xia Zi and Mo Suqing were actually biological sisters.

    After recovering from his initial surprise, he congratted Ye Zhongjue for being able to reunite with Mo Suqing before asking for her whereabouts.

    Ye Zhongjue initially thought he was being stubborn and refused to give up on his feelings for Mo Suqing, but Guan Zixuan simply wanted to ask Mo Suqing about Xia Zi so that he could locate her. After patiently exining the situation to him, Ye Zhongjue finally relented and revealed her location.

 Chapter 231 â€“ Out of Sight, Out of Mind

    <h4>Chapter 231 ¨C Out of Sight, Out of Mind</h4>

    Even so, Ye Zhongjue did not tell him that Xia Zi was living with Mo Suqing.

    Surprised, Guan Zixuan was d to see her there.?But from Xia Zi¡¯s perspective, Guan Zixuan looked excited only because he knew that her sister was here. She thus spoke with a cid expression.?¡°Come in. My sister¡¯s inside.¡±

    She then turned and walked in without a second nce.

    Mo Suqing saw Guan Zixuan¡¯s excited face and Xia Zi¡¯s icy expression when she turned to see who had visited.

    Xia Zi did not tell her that it was actually Guan Zixuan who saved her.

    Mo Suqing went up to him and asked, ¡°Zixuan, why are you here?¡±

    Guan Zixuan involuntarily stole a nce at Xia Zi before he said, ¡°I heard you were back in the country, so I decided toe over to A City for a visit.¡±

    Mo Suqing smiled and invited him to take a seat before introducing him to Xia Zi. ¡°A¡¯zi, this is my good friend, Guan Zixuan.¡±

    She then looked to Guan Zixuan and said, ¡°This is my younger sister, Xia Zi. We¡¯re twins. See, don¡¯t we look so much alike!¡±

    Guan Zixuan smiled without answering.?They looked so simr that anyone would think they were the same person, and this was also what caused him to mistake Xia Zi for Mo Suqing five years ago.?When Xia Zi lost her memories, he thought that it caused a huge personality change in Mo Suqing.?Now, he knew that it was simply because Xia Zi¡¯s personality was a little more chilly.

    Xia Zi scoffed inwardly to herself as Mo Suqing introduced Guan Zixuan to her. Having spent five years with the man, she knew him very well. <i>Sis is treating him like a little bunny. She doesn¡¯t know that he¡¯s actually a big, bad wolf.</i>

    She wondered what would have happened if Guan Zixuan did not mistake her for Mo Suqing five years ago. He would have been able to change so many things in just five years. <i>Would Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue still have a chance together if that was the case?</i>

    The man was unfathomable to her.

    For some reason, Xia Zi felt ufortable and even found it annoying as she watched Guan Zixuan smile and chat with her sister.?She would rather not be present to witness this.

    Xia Zi looked at Mo Suqing and said, ¡°Sis, have a good catch up. I¡¯m going upstairs to take a nap.¡±?She then turned to leave without much ceremony.

    She did not catch that glimpse of disappointment that flitted across Guan Zixuan¡¯s eyes when she turned.

    Seeing him stare at the stairs, Mo Suqing could tell that Guan Zixuan seemed rather distracted and yelled at him, ¡°Zixuan, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Brought back to reality by Mo Suqing, he quicklyposed himself. Mo Suqing was confused. <i>Why did he keep staring in that direction!</i>

    As if a thought just appeared in his mind, Guan Zixuan said, ¡°Suqing, I¡¯m actually here to get your help.¡±

    ¡°Help?¡± Mo Suqing watched him with suspicion, frowning slightly.

    ¡°Mm!¡± Guan Zixuan nodded. ¡°I found out from Ye Zhongjue that Xia Zi is your sister. I¡¯ve actually been looking for her all this while.¡±

    Mo Suqing was thoroughly confused now. She pointed upstairs before pointing back at him. ¡°You¡¯re looking for A¡¯zi?¡±

    Guan Zixuan nodded slowly at her look of surprise.

    He knew instantly that Xia Zi did not tell Mo Suqing about what happened five years ago, that he was the one who took her away.

    ¡°Suqing, you were super important to me five years ago, and when I heard that you might be in trouble, I rushed back to A City overnight. But just when I arrived at the Shallow Sea Area, I saw Xia Zi barely hanging on to life, and she even had a gunshot wound. She lost arge amount of blood when I brought her back to Emperor City, causing the brain to experience ack of blood. She suffered from amnesia for five years, and I¡¯ve been taking care of her for all that time.¡±

    Mo Suqing stared at him ck-jawed. <i>This actually happened between A¡¯zi and Guan Zixuan! Was it destiny?</i>

    ¡°How do you want me to help you?¡± Mo Suqing asked in her surprise.

    Guan Zixuan was confident that Mo Suqing would agree to help him on this, and he said, ¡°A¡¯zi left Emperor City without a second thought when she remembered who she actually was and what happened five years ago. I became lost after she left, but I missed her dearly. I wanted to be with her, so I decided toe to A City to look for her. Since you¡¯re her older sister, I¡¯m sure she¡¯d listen to you. I¡¯m not asking anything of her. I just hope that she¡¯s willing to give me a chance and let me protect her.¡±

    Mo Suqing finally understood everything. Guan Zixuan was not the kind to give up his feelings easily, and it was even more difficult for him to do so when he had spent five whole years with her.

    Mo Suqing felt that a rtionship built upon such a foundation would be strongerpared to the mes of something that had been sparked in the moment. Five years together was a lot of time.

    <i>But why did the two of them pretend not to know each other when I introduced them earlier?</i>

    Mo Suqing sounded doubtful as she asked him, ¡°Then why did the two of you pretend not to know each other when I did the introductions earlier!¡±

    Guan Zixuan gave a bitter smile. ¡°We weren¡¯t pretending to be strangers. Didn¡¯t you see for yourself? A¡¯zi doesn¡¯t seem to want to talk to me at all. She left immediately after she regained her memories, she didn¡¯t even give me a chance to process everything. I now know that I¡¯ve already fallen in love with her. No matter what my intentions were in the beginning, Xia Zi is the one I love now.¡±

    This made Mo Suqing feel rather emotional. <i>Feelings are really unpredictable.</i>

    She looked at him. ¡°How about this. Since A¡¯zi is in A City now and she¡¯s staying at Shallow Sea, how about you just move back into your old vi here? You¡¯ll be able to visit her anytime you want then. I¡¯ll help you out by mentioning your good points to her, and I¡¯ll also tell you where she is and what she likes.¡±

    Guan Zixuan chuckled foolishly as Mo Suqing spoke. He knew Xia Zi¡¯s likes and dislikes better than anyone else.

    Mo Suqing watched the foolish grin on him and she was about to say something when the door opened suddenly.

    Luo Qiqi and Ye Zhongjue entered unexpectedly.

    Something smelled fishy to her, because the two of them appeared at the same time shortly after she began suspecting that Luo Qiqi was Ye Zhongjue¡¯s younger sister.

    It seemed as if there was something invisible in the air that linked the two of them together.

    Seeing Mo Suqing¡¯s look of suspicion and a stranger in the house, Luo Qiqi was suddenly reminded of Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue¡¯s rtionship before she quickly put some distance between themselves.

    ¡°Sis Suqing, I went out to get some stuff and saw President Ye along the way. He wanted to drop by so we returned together.¡±

    She gave an awkwardugh.

    An inexplicable smile then appeared on Mo Suqing.

    Luo Qiqi felt her hairs stand on end. <i>What is Sis Suqing trying to do?</i>

    Not bothering with the stranger in the house, she quickly made her way to the stairs, not wanting to be caught in any sort of oing crossfire.

    Mo Suqing suppressed herughter at Luo Qiqi¡¯s reaction and shook her head before looking up at Ye Zhongjue who was still standing at the door.

    ¡°Come on in.¡±

    She felt a little guilty as she watched him. It seemed that she was the distrustful one and that she had always misunderstood him for what he did.

    Everything that happened five years ago was a testament to that.

    Seeing the cid expression on Ye Zhongjue, Mo Suqing asked, ¡°You don¡¯t have to go to work today?¡±

    She instantly regretted the question. <i>How could I have forgotten that it¡¯s a Saturday! If it weren¡¯t for what happened yesterday, he would be at his engagement ceremony instead.</i>

    Guan Zixuan quickly spoke to give the awkward Mo Suqing a helping hand.

    ¡°Thanks for telling me that A¡¯zi is here, President Ye. How about we go out for a drink or two?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nodded in agreement after ncing at Mo Suqing and realizing that she seemed to be a little ufortable.

    As she watched them leave, Mo Suqing wondered to herself, <i>The DNA report should already be out. I¡¯ve almost forgotten about that because of everything happening with Mo Sulian and Ye Zhongjue recently.</i>

    Mo Suqing then left for the hospital. She knew that the Ye family would be overjoyed if Luo Qiqi was really Ye Zhongjue¡¯s biological sister.

    A warm smile appeared on her lips at the thought.

    She quickly opened the report when the doctor handed it to her, but the results were far from what she had expected.

    She was almost a hundred percent sure that Ye Zhongjue and Luo Qiqi were biological siblings, but the report clearly stated that they were not.

    She left in disappointment. At that moment, a girl in a white chiffon dress walked out of the corridor on the other end, her face bright and clear like a porcin doll.

    However, a sudden vicious smile appeared on that delicate face of hers.?She was mumbling to herself, and if anyone could hear her, she was actually saying, ¡°I¡¯m going to take everything from you, Ye Mingke!¡±

    ¡­¡­

    Mo Suqing felt dispirited when she returned home.

    She stuffed the report into her bag and sat silently in her room, thinking to herself that it was fortunate she did not tell Ye Zhongjue about this, because it would only have disappointed him.

    When Ye Zhongjue dropped by a second time, she was still sitting in a daze. But she knew she could not avoid him forever and that she had to rify matters with him sooner orter.

    Mo Suqing went to get a ss of water for him before sitting opposite him.?The both of them then looked at each other, neither of them speaking,

    It was Ye Zhongjue who finally broke the silence.

    ¡°Let¡¯s have a proper talk, Suqing!¡±

 Chapter 232 â€“ The Only One That I Want

    <h4>Chapter 232 ¨C The Only One That I Want</h4>

    Mo Suqing nodded without rejecting or avoiding him this time.

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her seriously. ¡°Are you still going to fight with me over custody of the children?¡±

    Mo Suqing was surprised at his question. She knew she would not, since it would be their children bearing the brunt of the consequences if that happened. She did not want her children to grow up in a broken family.

    She shook her head as she answered. ¡°No, you can continue taking care of them. I¡¯ll drop by to see them everyday. I¡¯ll try my best to do my duty as a mother and protect them.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes dimmed. ¡°What about us?¡±

    There was a subtle change in Mo Suqing¡¯s expression. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But at the end of the day, I¡¯m the one who let you down. I wasn¡¯t able to fully trust you, and that caused the tragedy five years ago. There may be someone else out there who¡¯s more suitable for you...¡±

    Ye Zhongjue stood up in anger before Mo Suqing could finish.?¡°How could you say that, Mo Suqing? You know very well that you¡¯re the only one I want to be with! How could you say that...¡±

    Mo Suqing stiffened as panic rose in her. She knew better than anyone else that she would not be able to reject Ye Zhongjue for too long, but she wanted to consider things carefully this time. She did not want to hurt him again. She was afraid that she would misunderstand him again, and she would never be able to forgive herself if that happened.

    ¡°Jue, give me some time. Let me think about this, okay? I¡¯ll give you a satisfactory answer...¡±

    Her reply seemed to calm Ye Zhongjue down instantly.

    She suddenly asked, ¡°Jue, where¡¯s Mo Sulian?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to know!¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head, a glint in her eye. ¡°Jue, I hope you can let Mo Sulian go even though she has hurt me countless times. No matter what, we¡¯re still rted. My father has left A City, and I don¡¯t wish for anything to happen to her. We¡¯re simply unable to interfere with whatever happened among those of the previous generation...¡±

    Ye Zhongjue fell silent for a while before he nodded slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure she doesn¡¯t hurt you, but I won¡¯t endanger her life in any way.¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded, relieved to hear this.

    Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue took A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu to the theme park the next day. Xiaoliu was overjoyed and even A¡¯jiu, who usually wore a cid expression, had a slight smile on his face throughout the entire day.

    Guan Zixuan was carrying out his mission of getting his girl, trying all ways and means to make Xia Zi happy.

    Everyone had their own daily agenda, but Mo Suqing realized that Su Jincheng seemed to have disappeared. He used to drop by the vi from time to time, but he was nowhere to be found recently.

    Luo Qiqi seemed to be out of sorts as well.

    Mo Suqing had an ill feeling of foreboding, as if this was the calm before a storm she could not prevent.

    ¡­¡­

    Su Jincheng awoke in the middle of the night.

    In his dreams, the voice calling ¡®Big Brother¡¯ got louder and louder. The person was shrouded in mist, and every time he wanted to see who it was, the mist dissipated into nothingness.

    He felt that his throat was about to be ripped open by how loudly he was calling for ¡®Yaya¡¯, but nobody answered no matter how loudly he cried out.

    Su Jincheng rested his head on his palms, feeling as if it was about to burst. This had been a recurring dream of his for many years.

    The jade pendant was a prominent feature in that dream, together with that voice calling ¡®Big Brother¡¯.

    Su Jincheng took a sip of ice water to clear his mind.

    It all began when he was only eighteen and when he had just assumed the position of Dark Night. All who had assumed the top position in The Dark Night had to go through a cruel test, and it would always be held in a different manner at a different location.

    He was in the Soviet Union at the time, and going through that test was the only condition for him to assume the top position in the organization.

    At eighteen, he was a hot-blooded teenager full of confidence and drive.?He might have been too full of himself and overestimated his abilities at the time, because he was caught in an ambush right after going through his test. He almost died after breathing in huge amounts of the poisonous gas, but he was saved by someone who, to him, was an angel sent from heaven.

    He remembered that she was called ¡®Yaya¡¯, and a white jade pendant hung on her waist. The poisonous gas caused his vision to blur, and the people and objects before him looked like fuzzy images to him.

    He was unable to locate Yaya after he recovered from that ordeal, and he had never given up on searching for her.

    He remembered how Luo Qiqi beat him up the first time he picked up her jade pendant. It was only after that he realized it was something that she carried with her at all times. This made him think that she was Yaya, which was also why he lowered his defences around her and allowed himself to get closer to her.

    He never thought that he would find the real Yaya when he returned to A City this time.

    A few days ago, one of his subordinates informed him that Luo Qiqi¡¯s jade pendant had actually been stolen from another girl.?He then instructed Zheng Hao to do a confirmation on this, only to find out that the girl had grown up in the same orphanage as Luo Qiqi in the Soviet Union.

    Everything seemed to be thrown into chaos in his mind. He knew that he had already fallen for Luo Qiqi.

    He began to feel conflicted, and he begrudged Luo Qiqi for having snatched Yaya¡¯s jade pendant away when they were younger.?But he knew very well that there was no one but himself to me. He was the one who did not look into it beforehand, and he was the one who allowed Luo Qiqi to take up space in his heart.

    Su Jincheng recalled what happened when he saw Yaya two days ago. He tentatively called out ¡®Yaya¡¯, and the reply was almost immediate¡­ She answered with ¡®Big Brother¡¯.

    He had always thought that Luo Qiqi was Yaya, which was why he never tested her. But after what happened, he was very sure that he had been mistaken.

    Yaya was the only one who would call him ¡®Big Brother¡¯, and no other woman would do that.

    The next day, Su Jincheng¡¯s mobile phone rang right after he had his breakfast.

    Zheng Hao sounded urgent. ¡°Boss, Miss Ming fainted. She¡¯s in the city hospital now,e over quickly!¡±

    Su Jincheng grabbed his jacket and dashed out instantly.

    No one understood how important Yaya was to him. She literally gave him a second chance at life, and he swore to himself that he would treat her well. He would give his life as long as she was safe.

    She had already gone through a series of tests at the hospital when Su Jincheng arrived.

    He watched the girl whoy on the bed with a hint of sorrow in his eyes. He kept herpany daily after learning that she had a weak constitution, and he would send his men to take care of her when he was not around.

    The sickly girl had such an angelic face. Upon closer look, one would realize that she was the very same girl who was at the other end of the corridor when Mo Suqing left the hospital the other day.

    The girl known to Su Jincheng as Yaya was called Ming Ruoyuan.

    Su Jincheng helped adjust her nket and took another look at her tiny face as he gently stroked it. He made a silent promise to himself that he would help Yaya recover to the best of his abilities.

    Little did he know that he was about to hear worse news.

    Ming Ruoyuan opened her eyes right after he exited the ward. Instead of looking sickly, her eyes looked clear as day. She blinked as a slightly sinister smile hung on the corner of her lips.

    Zheng Hao seemed to be waiting for Su Jincheng to exit the ward as he went up to him. ¡°Boss, you might want to go to the doctor¡¯s office. The doctor said that he wanted to speak to you about Miss Ming¡¯s illness.¡±

    Su Jincheng thus nodded and made his way to the doctor¡¯s office only for Dr. Yang to drop a bomb on him as he sat himself down.

    ¡°The prognosis for Miss Ming¡¯s illness is poor. I¡¯m afraid you might have to prepare yourself for the worst, Mr. Su. We need to find a kidney donor soon. The longer we wait, the lower her chances of survival.¡±

    Su Jincheng knew that Ming Ruoyuan was sickly, but he was not aware that she had any pre-existing conditions.

    He frowned at Dr. Yang. ¡°Kidney donor? What¡¯s wrong with her?¡±

    Dr. Yang answered him seriously. ¡°It seems like Mr. Su is unaware. Miss Ming suffers from a congenital kidney disease, and the symptoms for her condition usually only show themselves when the patient is in their mid-twenties. There might be triggers which would cause her condition to worsen as well. Miss Ming¡¯s kidneys are starting to lose their function and her life will be in danger if we are unable to find a suitable donor within half a year. You understand what I mean right, Mr. Su?¡±

    Su Jincheng felt as if his world was about to fall apart. He just found Yaya, and never had he thought that Yaya¡¯s life would be in such danger.

    Seeing Su Jincheng in a state of disbelief, Dr. Yang continued, ¡°Mr. Su, we understand that such news is usually devastating for the family members of the patient, but it is still my duty to inform you that it is of utmost importance that we find a kidney donor. I¡¯ll be unable to do much otherwise. I¡¯ll help to keep a lookout on this in the hospital and let you know if there may be any suitable donors. Mr. Su might also want to search for a donor on your end. Miss Ming fainting is a sign that her condition is worsening, so I hope that you can find a donor soon, Mr. Su.¡±

    Su Jincheng trudged back to the ward after hearing what Dr. Yang said. He had immediately sent his men to look for a suitable organ donor, but he knew it would be no easy task.

 Chapter 233 â€“ A Wave of Emotion

    <h4>Chapter 233 ¨C A Wave of Emotion</h4>

    Su Jincheng put on a calm expression before he entered the ward again. Ming Ruoyuan had sat up, and her eyes looked like dazzling crystals when she saw him walk in.

    ¡°Big Brother, you¡¯re here!¡±

    Su Jincheng smiled upon hearing her sweet voice. He could not bear to tell her what the doctor said earlier. <i>Why did she have to be inflicted with such a disease at such a young age!</i>

    ¡°Yaya, apart from your time at the orphanage, do you remember if you have other rtives?¡±

    Ming Ruoyuan¡¯s eyes welled up with tears instantly. ¡°You don¡¯t want Yaya anymore, Big Brother? We¡¯ve met after such a long time, but why don¡¯t you want me anymore!¡±

    Su Jincheng had never witnessed a woman crying, especially one who looked so defenseless. He had only ever seen Mo Suqing cry, and that was after she lost her children five years ago. It looked like her world had crashed down upon her with that palpable sorrow. As for Luo Qiqi, he had never seen her shed a single tear.

    It was literally his first time witnessing someone cry so temperamentally like Ming Ruoyuan.

    His heart seemed to be slowly torn apart as he watched her.

    ¡°Yaya, don¡¯t cry.¡±

    ¡°Big Brother...¡± The tears fell down Ming Ruoyuan¡¯s face, causing Su Jincheng to panic.

    ¡°Be good, Yaya. I¡¯m not abandoning you.¡± He recalled the time in the Soviet Union when she saved him. She was so brave and nothing seemed to faze her. It was a stark contrast to how she looked now. He marveled to himself how time could change a person.

    Since he was unlikely to find out about anything else from Yaya, he had to find a suitable kidney donor as soon as possible to save her.

    Ming Ruoyuan tugged on his sleeve when he wanted to leave, looking at him with pitiful eyes. ¡°Big Brother, Yaya doesn¡¯t want to stay here. Yaya wants to leave with you!¡±

    Su Jincheng removed her hand and spoke gently, ¡°Yaya, be good. Stay here and recuperate. I¡¯ll take you out when you¡¯ve recovered, okay?¡±

    Ming Ruoyuan nodded quickly, afraid that she would end up annoying him if she insisted any further.?¡°Remember to take me out, Big Brother!¡±

    Su Jincheng nodded before he turned to leave.?Although he knew that Yaya was right before him, he had this unexinable feeling every time he saw her, as if the real Yaya was not actually there.?He thought that his recurring dream would stop after he found Yaya, but instead of stopping, the dreams got more and more intense. He would go back to when he was eighteen every night in his dreams.?He even went to the hospital to get himself checked. The doctor said that he had taken in arge amount of hallucinogens at the time, and this caused his memories to be fuzzy.

    The doctor said that these symptoms might stop if he was able to remember what really happened, and he advised Su Jincheng not to try too hard to recall those past events since it may just lead to more headaches.?He refused to listen to the doctor¡¯s advice initially, and there was a period of time where he forced himself to try and recall everything, only to get bogged down with splitting headaches.

    On his way back from the hospital, he felt as if he had either forgotten or missed something. Something felt out of ce but he simply could not put his finger on it.

    He went ahead to start contacting hiswork in order to find a suitable kidney donor.

    After dinner, he went downstairs to take a walk when he felt like a headache wasing on.

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s cid expression greeted him the moment he stepped into themunity garden.?Su Jincheng was suddenly at a loss for what to do. He had not dropped by her ce for a while now, and the two of them have not met for some time because he stopped himself from going to Luo Qiqi after he had found Yaya.?Seeing her in the flesh felt like a dream to him, and a wave of emotion washed over him when he saw Luo Qiqi.

    She nced at him, as if she did not care for him at all.?That gaze of hers made Su Jincheng feel suffocated. It did not feel good at all.

    Seeing Luo Qiqi about to turn to leave, he went up to her and grabbed her arm.?¡°What¡¯s up with you, Luo Qiqi! Running away at the sight of me. Am I terrifying like a ferocious beast?¡±

    Luo Qiqi looked down at her arm before looking up at him, as if she was waiting for him to make his next move.?However, she simply could not predict what he was trying to do.?She thus apologized and said, ¡°Oh¡­ Sorry, I didn¡¯t see you earlier!¡±

    She spoke calmly without a hint of emotion, but this made Su Jincheng¡¯s blood boil.?He seemed to have had enough of her choosing to ignore him like this. He would rather have her kick up a fuss and give him an attitude rather than treat him like a stranger.

    He had been in low spirits recently even though he had found Yaya. He thought it was because he missed Luo Qiqi too much and that he would feel better if he saw her. However, now that he had met her, he felt worse.

    Although she had her poker face on, Luo Qiqi smirked inwardly to herself as she saw Su Jincheng¡¯s expression of anger.

    <i>What¡¯s he doing? Who is he to question me like this? He¡¯s the one chasing me around all over the world, and he¡¯s also the one who suddenly decided to ignore me.?</i><i>I¡¯ll grant his wish if he wants to be strangers so badly. Why is he so unreasonable?</i>

    Su Jincheng red at her and said through gritted teeth, ¡°Luo Qiqi, do you think I¡¯m blind? It was obvious you saw me earlier, so why did you pretend not to see me? You¡¯re doing it on purpose!¡±

    Luo Qiqi frowned, but she answered serenely, ¡°Does that make a difference?¡±

    This surprised Su Jincheng. <i>She¡¯s right. Does it make a difference? Didn¡¯t I already decide not to see her and treat her like a stranger? Why am I being so emotional right now?</i>

    He took a deep breath to calm himself down before saying to Luo Qiqi, ¡°Leave!¡±

    Disappointment flitted across her eyes when he let go of her, but it was almost imperceptible...

    Su Jincheng was in a state of conflict as he watched Luo Qiqi leave. He felt like he was about to go mad, and he was the very person driving himself insane.

    No longer in the mood for a stroll, he returned to his vi, not realizing that there was another figure in the corner of the garden watching him in silence.

    Luo Qiqi watched Su Jincheng¡¯s departing figure, a wave of solitude washing over her as the setting sun lengthened her shadow on the ground little by little...

    Su Jincheng made a trip to the hospital the next day to check in with the doctor. Dr. Yang rified that Ming Ruoyuan could actually be discharged, but they had to find a kidney donor in order for her to go through the operation at the earliest.

    He decided to bring Ming Ruoyuan to the Shallow Sea Area so that he could take care of her daily.

    In the meantime, an exceptional individual arrived in A City.

    It was FBI¡¯s Feng Liluo. He made his way to the Shallow Sea Area right after arriving in A City.

    He sessfully contacted Luo Qiqi earlier. Though she had already left Interpol, having grown up with her, his feelings for her were still very strong. He heard that someone in A City was pursuing her, so he decided that he had to go to her.

    Feng Liluo called her right after arriving at the Shallow Sea area.

    ¡°Qiqi, I¡¯m here in A City to look for you!¡±

    Luo Qiqi was daydreaming on the sofa, but surprise appeared on her face when she heard him say that. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me beforehand!¡±

    Given how close they were in the past, Luo Qiqi never thought that she would one day be afraid of letting Feng Liluo approach her. She was worried that Feng Liluo would find out about the people around her - Su Jincheng, Ye Zhongjue, and even Sis Suqing, all of them had secret identities. If Feng Liluo learnt about their identities, he would have to arrest them.

    Luo Qiqi pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°Hold on for a while, Liluo. Let me get changed and I¡¯ll take you to check in at a hotel!¡±

    Feng Liluoughed. ¡°What hotel? We¡¯ve known each other for so long, so can¡¯t I just stay here with you and A¡¯zi?¡±

    <i>This vi is even under my name</i>, he added inwardly to himself.

    Afraid that Feng Liluo would smell something fishy, Luo Qiqi hastily exined, ¡°Liluo, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m not allowing you in. It¡¯s just that A¡¯zi¡¯s sister is here too. It¡¯s not that nice to just barge in like this. It would be fine if it was just me and A¡¯zi though!¡±

    Feng Liluo frowned.?A¡¯zi¡¯s sister.

    ¡°A¡¯zi found her rtives?¡±

    Luo Qiqi nodded. ¡°Yes! They found each other recently, and they¡¯re super close! It would be weird for a grown man like you to enter a house where it¡¯s only usdies around. I¡¯ll help you look for a hotelter!¡±

    Luo Qiqi sounded like she was coaxing a little child as she spoke.

 Chapter 234 â€“ Luo, Su, Ming, Feng At the Table

    <h4>Chapter 234 ¨C Luo, Su, Ming, Feng At the Table</h4>

    Feng Liluo sighed, but he realized that it would indeed be rather awkward if he were to barge into a house when there were threedies already living in it.

    ¡°Fine then, I¡¯ll just wait for you downstairs.¡±

    ¡°Mm...¡± Luo Qiqi nodded as she answered.

    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll be right there. I¡¯ll get A¡¯zi toe along tomorrow so we can have a nice catch-up.¡±

    Luo Qiqi changed quickly into a pair of loose denim dungarees and a dark green checkered shirt, looking very much like a teenage girl in her get-up.

    She spotted Feng Liluo from afar and ran to him enthusiastically.?¡°Let¡¯s go, Liluo!¡±

    Feng Liluo smiled at Luo Qiqi¡¯s cheerful disposition and took his suitcase with him as they left together.?It had been almost two years since theyst met, with only an asional call here and there.

    He had tried very hard to persuade her not to leave when Luo Qiqi wanted to quit Interpol. He knew that she and Xia Zi were as close as sisters, and there was no way she would just sit and watch if something happened to Xia Zi.?It felt surreal when he finally met her again.

    Now that Xia Zi was found, he had two aims foring to A City. The first was to persuade Luo Qiqi to rejoin Interpol. It was highly unlikely that her application would be rejected given her and Xia Zi¡¯s reputation.?His second aim was to confess his feelings to Luo Qiqi. He had never made his feelings known to her and simply protected her from afar, believing that she would see his feelings for her eventually.

    He never expected that it would take five years for her to find Xia Zi.

    Furthermore, hearing that there had been someone trying to pursue Luo Qiqi recently made him all the more nervous. He knew he could not do without her.?They grew up together and he had harbored feelings for her for twenty-odd years. This was not something he could give up on easily.

    Luo Qiqi realized that she was the one who had been chatting all the way only when they arrived at the Tianyu Hotel. It felt as if Feng Liluo did not say a single word. She wondered if he had something to say, since being so quiet was rather out of the ordinary for him.?She felt slightly awkward after they were done checking into the room.

    Scratching her head, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s¡­ let¡¯s go downstairs for food.¡±

    Feng Liluo contemted in silence.<i>?I¡¯ll tell her after a few days. It isn¡¯t super urgent anyway.</i>

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Luo Qiqi forced herself to smile under the awkward atmosphere and quickly turned to leave after giving an ufortableugh.

    She frowned to herself as she walked, wondering why she felt that way. <i>I¡¯ve known Feng Liluo since we were young and we¡¯re closer than blood rtives at times. Why do I feel so awkward and strange now? Is it because we haven¡¯t met in too long?</i>

    She nodded to herself. <i>That must be it, or else I wouldn¡¯t feel so awkward with him.</i>

    That awkward feeling began to dissipate when they arrived at the crowded main lobby.

    Feng Liluo seemed to be able to sense the stiffness in Luo Qiqi, so he went up to her to get the conversation going.

    ¡°Qiqi, any ns after finding A¡¯zi?¡±

    The intelligent Luo Qiqi knew what he was getting at, so she blinked yfully at him as she answered. ¡°What ns?¡±

    Feng Liluo frowned. He knew that she was doing it on purpose, but he still chose to borate on his question. ¡°Are the two of you never returning to Interpol? You guys n to stay in A City from now on?¡±

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s eyes dimmed. ¡°I don¡¯t know. We¡¯ll see about that.¡±

    Feng Liluo fell silent as he followed behind her.

    Luo Qiqi always had a taste for food with heavy vor, and having been influenced by her in the past, Feng Liluo had simr preferences to her when it came to food. The two of them thus drove to Pin Xiang Xuan.

    Luo Qiqi spotted Su Jincheng and Ming Ruoyuan a short distance away the very moment she stepped into the restaurant. Seeing them there was like a bolt from the blue for her. <i>Ming Ruoyuan? Why is she with Su Jincheng?</i>

    Luo Qiqi, Ming Ruoyuan, Xia Zi and Feng Liluo had grown up together in the same orphanage, and Ming Ruoyuan had been adopted at a very young age. Luo Qiqi was suddenly at a loss for what to do.

    Her expression was dreadful. <i>So it¡¯s Ming Ruoyuan who had been taking up all of Su Jincheng¡¯s time recently.?</i>She smirked as she mocked herself inwardly for actually worrying about Su Jincheng.

    Anger filled Luo Qiqi, and she could feel herself trembling in her fury. She had never been on good terms with Ming Ruoyuan, and she would never have expected to meet her again in A City, much less for Su Jincheng to be with her.

    Feng Liluo seemed to be able to sense her anger when Luo Qiqi turned to leave. He looked inside the restaurant and spotted Ming Ruoyuan immediately.

    He thought that Luo Qiqi was annoyed by the sight of her, since they were never on good terms in the past, having constantly fought when they were at the orphanage. However, it surprised him that Luo Qiqi actually wanted to leave. He thought she was over-reacting and reached out to grab her, causing Luo Qiqi to be absolutely incensed.

    The slight disturbance attracted Ming Ruoyuan¡¯s attention as she looked up to see the two familiar faces.

    She stole a quick nce at Su Jincheng, realizing that he had not yet spotted Luo Qiqi. An idea popped into Ming Ruoyuan¡¯s head as she called out loudly, ¡°Qiqi, Liluo!¡±

    Su Jincheng looked towards the entrance in surprise, only to see Luo Qiqi staring at Feng Liluo in anger, as if she was ming him for missing the window of opportunity to leave.

    Feng Liluo was confused as to why she was so adamant on leaving. Although Luo Qiqi disliked Ming Ruoyuan, she had never avoided her like that. ?He felt that she was acting very out of sorts. He could not recall anything that happened when they were younger which might make her hate Ming Ruoyuan so much, and he thought it would be fine if it was just having a meal together. However, he could feel Luo Qiqi¡¯s angry re directed towards Ming Ruoyuan growing more intense by the second.

    Luo Qiqi inwardly cursed at Ming Ruoyuan. Though she looked frail, she was the most vicious breed of venomous snake Luo Qiqi had seen. She knew that Ming Ruoyuan was the type who could trap someone without even them knowing it. Others saw that fragile outer shell of hers, but she knew Ming Ruoyuan all too well to fall for that trick. Now that Ming Ruoyuan is with Su Jincheng, it was highly likely that she already knew about their rtionship dynamics.

    <i>She wants to brag about it? Fine! I¡¯ll let her do it if she wants to brag. It¡¯s just another man anyway! I, Luo Qiqi, am much better than that.</i>

    Ming Ruoyuan broke out in a sweet smile and went up to them when she saw the two of them still rooted to the spot. She did not catch Su Jincheng¡¯s awful expression. He was staring at Feng Liluo, who had his hand on Luo Qiqi¡¯s arm. If looks could kill, that hand would have been chopped off.

    Ming Ruoyuan pretended to be surprised to see them. ¡°Qiqi, you and Liluo are in A City too? Are you guys here on tour?¡±

    Luo Qiqi remained silent, a cid expression on her face as Feng Liluo answered without emotion, ¡°I¡¯m here to look for Qiqi. She¡¯s been in A City for a while now.¡±

    Luo Qiqi scoffed inwardly to herself. She would never believe that Ming Ruoyuan was not aware of her presence in A City. She knew the woman well enough to almost be able to read her mind.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat together. Jincheng and I just ordered and the dishes haven¡¯t been served. Join us!¡±

    Feng Liluo was surprised at what he just heard. <i>That man over there with the fiery gaze is Su Jincheng??</i><i>But I heard that Su Jincheng was the one pursuing Qiqi now. What¡¯s going on here?</i>

    Feng Liluo was not someone who gave up easily, and he would be relentless if there was a puzzle to be solved. He thus agreed instantly when Ming Ruoyuan invited them for the meal.

    ¡°Sure, we haven¡¯t met in a while, so it¡¯s nice to catch up over a meal!¡±

    Luo Qiqi was no easy target, so he wanted to meet this man to gauge hispetition.

    Luo Qiqi did not want to join initially, but upon seeing Ming Ruoyuan¡¯s provoking gaze, she decided to take up the challenge. She gave an insincere smile as she said, ¡°Sure, I¡¯d love to join if someone else is buying!¡±

    She then made her way directly to Su Jincheng without waiting for either of them to answer.

    Su Jincheng¡¯s eyebrows twitched at this. He thought Luo Qiqi would refuse to join them, and he never expected her to be the first one toe over.

    She already took a seat before Feng Liluo and Ming Ruoyuan returned. Luo Qiqi asked loudly, ¡°What do we haveing up?¡±

    Ming Ruoyuan answered gently, ¡°We have steamed carp...¡±

    Luo Qiqi suddenly cut her off at that. ¡°Gosh, you¡¯re so slow. Why can¡¯t you talk like a normal person. You sound so annoying like a mosquito that keeps buzzing in my ear!¡±

    Ming Ruoyuan looked to Su Jincheng, pretending to be wronged. That look seemed to say,<i> I didn¡¯t do it on purpose, I just wanted to tell Luo Qiqi about the uing dishes. Why did she reproach me like this?</i>

    Luo Qiqi smirked at Ming Ruoyuan. <i>That fox¡¯s tail can never be hidden, can it? Dishing out a move right after we sit down.</i>

 Chapter 235 â€“ Bloody Retarded

    <h4>Chapter 235 ¨C Bloody Retarded</h4>

    Ming Ruoyuan looked at Su Jincheng pitifully, as if she was saying, <i>Big Brother, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.</i>

    Su Jincheng wanted to say something, but thought the better of it. With Luo Qiqi¡¯s personality, he knew that she would definitely hone in and mock him for it if he were to say anything that sounded like he was on Ming Ruoyuan¡¯s side.

    He thus lowered his eyes as he answered, ¡°We have steamed crab, steamed carp and vegetables with mushrooms...¡±

    Luo Qiqi did not cut him off while he was listing the dishes, instead, she waited for him to finish listing everything before saying, ¡°Are these even enough? Who¡¯re you feeding? Ants? And we¡¯re having either steamed dishes or greens. Do you really think we¡¯re freeloaders? Can¡¯t you order anything more ptable? We can always leave otherwise!¡±

    Su Jincheng frowned at the unreasonable Luo Qiqi. Ming Ruoyuan¡¯s expression looked even more pitiful now. It was the first time Feng Liluo saw Luo Qiqi acting like a bully. Though she had always been quite imposing, Luo Qiqi would never be unreasonable and pick a fight for no rhyme or reason. But it looked like she was doing exactly that right now. <i>Was this Su Jincheng person able to affect her so much?</i>

    What Su Jincheng said next surprised everyone.

    ¡°Waiter, menu please. This Miss here wants to order a few more dishes!¡±

    A cold glint shed past Luo Qiqi¡¯s eyes. <i>Not angry yet? Seems like his temper has improved after hanging out with Ming Ruoyuan!</i>

    She stared at Su Jincheng angrily as she threw the menu aside unceremoniously. ¡°Who¡¯s the Miss here? Your family is full of Misses!¡±

    Ming Ruoyuan¡¯s eyes welled up with tears as Luo Qiqi continued being unreasonable. ¡°How could you say that, Qiqi? We invited you over for a meal, how can you talk to him like that! Where are your manners!¡±

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s blood boiled. <i>Manners? Anyone but you can criticize me for having no manners!</i>

    She stood up and ced a foot on her seat in anger. ¡°No manners? Ming Ruoyuan, you¡¯d better think twice before you speak. Don¡¯t think that I¡¯m afraid of you because someone else is backing you up!¡±

    Feng Liluo quickly tugged at her to try and alleviate the tension. ¡°Qiqi, calm down!¡±

    Su Jincheng scratched his head as he watched Luo Qiqi burst out in anger. He had not seen such an outburst in quite a while now.

    He then said, ¡°Take a seat first, Qiqi. It¡¯s my fault for addressing you in that way earlier, I¡¯ll apologize, okay?¡±

    Ming Ruoyuan got all flustered when she heard Su Jincheng say that.?¡°Big Brother, how can you take that lying down? She just scolded you!¡±

    Su Jincheng patted her on the shoulder tofort her.?¡°It¡¯s fine. I know that she didn¡¯t mean it!¡±

    He then turned to Qiqi and said, ¡°Qiqi, sit down. We can have a nice chat.¡±

    There was a subtle change in Luo Qiqi¡¯s expression. <i>Big Brother? Why do I find this term of address familiar? And why would Ming Ruoyuan call Su Jincheng Big Brother?</i>

    She calmed down and put her foot back on the ground before dragging another chair towards herself and sitting on it. Sheid back in the chair like a royal.

    ¡°Okay! Go ahead then!¡± She made a gesture with her palms lifting upwards.

    None of them had probably expected for Luo Qiqi¡¯s attitude to change so quickly. They all knew that she had quite a blunt personality, but it was rare to see her back down so quickly like this.

    Feng Liluo shook his head at the situation. He simply wanted to take a look at who Su Jincheng was, and he never thought that things would take a turn for the worse. He passed the menu to Luo Qiqi and said, ¡°Qiqi, order the dishes first!¡±

    It was Feng Liluo who looked awful now. He knew Luo Qiqi too well and it was clear that she was acting up because she wanted to hide all that emotion that was running through her right now.

    Feng Liluo turned to Ming Ruoyuan after Luo Qiqi took the menu. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to do the introductions, Ruoyuan? This is?¡±

    Su Jincheng knew about Feng Liluo, but there was no way for Feng Liluo to find out that he was Dark Night even when he was right before him.

    He smiled a meaningful smile.

    This made Ming Ruoyuane back to her senses as she realized that she had not yet introduced Su Jincheng to Luo Qiqi and Feng Liluo. She was aware that Luo Qiqi knew Su Jincheng, but she knew that Su Jincheng would not be aware that she had this knowledge.

    She broke into a smile again as she said shyly, ¡°This is my boyfriend, Su Jincheng!¡±

    Luo Qiqi thought, <i>Go ahead and continue with your act. Pretending to be frail and weak is your strong suit. I¡¯ll see just how long you can continue with it.</i>

    However, she did not expect her to introduce Su Jincheng as her boyfriend.

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s face paled when Su Jincheng did not deny it. Remaining silent is equivalent to agreeing with it. He just admitted that he was her boyfriend.

    Her blood boiled, but there was no way for her to let off steam.

    <i>If Su Jincheng was her boyfriend, then why did he still chase me around like that? He even said he wanted to be with me. Was that all a joke??</i><i>Did he think that I, Luo Qiqi, was some easy target?!</i>

    Su Jincheng stiffened at Ming Ruoyuan¡¯s words, but he had no reason to deny it. He had said he would take care of her forever, and he would keep his promise. He kept telling himself that Luo Qiqi was just Luo Qiqi, while Ming Ruoyuan was his Yaya.

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s lips turned up in a mocking smile. It was unclear if she was mocking herself or the two of them.

    She then sighed. ¡°I suddenly feel full and I feel like vomiting. Continue without me!¡±

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s jade pendant hung out when she stood up.

    When Ming Ruoyuan saw it, panic flitted past her eyes.

    Su Jincheng spotted it and stood up suddenly.

    ¡°Qiqi! Return Ruoyuan her jade pendant!¡±?His tone was icy, but Luo Qiqiughed. It sounded almost like a cackle.

    ¡°What are you talking about, Su Jincheng? Return the jade pendant to Ruoyuan? Su Jincheng, are you bloody retarded? Asking me to return the jade pendant to this slut? The jade pendant is...¡±

    <i>If Luo Qiqi says that the pendant belongs to her and Su Jincheng pursues the matter, the truth will be out. I won¡¯t be able to keep up my act in that case!</i>

    Ming Ruoyuan stood up as she overturned her ss of water, causing the hot water to scald the back of her hand, turning it instantly red. ¡°Ah!¡± she yelled.

    Su Jincheng¡¯s attention turned to Ming Ruoyuan at her cry.

    He frowned when he saw the back of her hand. He quickly walked over and pulled Ming Ruoyuan with him to get an ice pack from the waiter.

    Luo Qiqi was annoyed at his reaction. <i>It was just some hot water, does he need to be this worried?</i>

    She suddenlyughed loudly as if releasing all the pent up anger in her before making her way out of the restaurant. Feng Liluo followed quickly behind her.

    Su Jincheng looked at Luo Qiqi¡¯s departing figure as he hid the hint of sorrow which shed past his eyes. He swore that he would treat Yaya well if he ever found her, and that he will never abandon her.

    <i>Luo Qiqi, I¡¯m sorry¡­</i>

    It was raining heavily when Luo Qiqi exited the restaurant, but she ignored Feng Liluo and she walked directly into the downpour.

    Feng Liluo eventually sent the drenched Luo Qiqi back to her vi.

    A concerned Xia Zi ran up to her. ¡°Qiqi, what happened to you?¡±

    Feng Liluo looked at her apologetically. ¡°A¡¯zi, I didn¡¯t take good care of Qiqi.¡± Xia Zi looked at him and shook her head.

    She knew Luo Qiqi well enough to understand that no one could stop her if she had her heart set on something, and it was impossible for Feng Liluo to have done anything about it. Everyone knew that Feng Liluo loved Luo Qiqi, but she never epted his feelings and simply treated him like a good friend.?¡°It¡¯s fine. I know Qiqi¡¯s personality. Oh, where are you staying?¡±

    Feng Liluo paused before he answered. ¡°In a hotel. Take care of Qiqi. I¡¯ll be going now. I¡¯ll pop by tomorrow.¡±

    Feng Liluo never thought that he would be thiste to the game.?He thought he could make it in time, but he could tell that Luo Qiqi had already fallen deeply in love.?He gave a bitter smile before turning to leave.

    Xia Zi looked back at Luo Qiqi to find her trudging mindlessly up the stairs. She sighed at the sight. <i>I¡¯ll have to wait till tomorrow before I ask her about what happened.</i>

    Su Jincheng took Ming Ruoyuan back to his vi at Shallow Sea on the very same night.

    He closed the door gently and left after Ming Ruoyuan fell asleep.

    Before long, Ming Ruoyuan¡¯s eyes opened. She picked up the mobile phone beside her to make a call.

    ¡°Okay, we can begin. I can¡¯t wait!¡±

    <sup>[1]</sup> ¡®Miss¡¯ can also be used to imply ¡®prostitute¡¯. In their conversation, Luo Qiqi was picking a bone with Su Jincheng even though he obviously did not mean it that way.

 Chapter 236 â€“ Want One of Her Kidneys

    <h4>Chapter 236 ¨C Want One of Her Kidneys</h4>

    A sinister expression appeared on Ming Ruoyuan¡¯s face as she ended the call. She clenched her fists tightly as she thought, <i>Luo Qiqi, you¡¯re too full of yourself. I won¡¯t let you off!</i>

    Su Jincheng received a call from Dr. Yang right after she ended her call. ¡°Dr. Yang, what¡¯s up?¡±

    Yang Tianlong¡¯s voice had a rather joyous note to it as he spoke. ¡°Mr. Su, congrattions, we found a suitable kidney source in our hospital. All we need now is for Mr. Su to persuade the donor and we can do the transnt right away.¡±

    Su Jincheng marveled at this. <i>That was fast.?</i><i>Why don¡¯t I feel happy about this though? Why is there a feeling of foreboding?</i>

    <i>This concerns Yaya¡¯s life. I can¡¯t let my emotions get the better of me.</i>

    ¡°Dr. Yang, could you contact the individual to see if they might agree? As long as they agree, money is not an issue here!¡±

    Dr. Yang sounded like he was ced in a difficult position when he answered. ¡°Mr. Su, this individual lives in the Shallow Sea Area, so it¡¯s unlikely that she needs the cash.¡±

    Su Jincheng¡¯s eyes narrowed. <i>She lives in the Shallow Sea Area too?</i>

    ¡°She is?¡±

    Dr. Yang said, ¡°Her name is Luo Qiqi and she had been to our hospital for a check-up in the past. She indicated that she was willing to donate her organs to those who needed them if anything happened to her, and I found that she is actually a suitable donor when I went through our database.¡±

    Su Jincheng stiffened at the name. <i>Qiqi? She was a suitable donor for Yaya, but I¡¯ve already let her down. How do I ask her to donate her kidney to Yaya?</i>

    Su Jincheng¡¯s voice trembled as he spoke, ¡°Dr. Yang, let me think about this...¡±

    He retired to the study after ending the call, sitting in there to chain-smoke the entire night away. He did not want to use Luo Qiqi¡¯s kidney if possible.

    Ming Ruoyuan was assailed with stale cigarette smoke when she opened the door to the study the next day, causing her to cough vigorously.

    Su Jincheng quickly moved to draw the curtains and open the windows. He pulled her out of the room. ¡°The air in here is bad for you, don¡¯t stay in here!¡±

    Ming Ruoyuan looked at him with concerned eyes. ¡°Why did you smoke so much, Big Brother?¡±

    Su Jincheng shook his head, not wanting her to worry.?¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just a little frustrated.¡±

    ¡°Something happened at thepany?¡±

    He took a deep breath before looking at her seriously.?¡°Yaya, if there¡¯s a suitable kidney donor, and you also happen to know her, would you want me to convince her to donate?¡±

    Ming Ruoyuan frowned in confusion. ¡°Big Brother, you¡¯re referring to?¡±

    Realizing that he had almost put the burden of making the choice on Ming Ruoyuan, he decided not to talk about it further.

    ¡°Nothing! It¡¯s just a scenario.¡± He stroked her hair and said, ¡°Go drink a ss of milk. I reek of cigarettes now. Let me take a quick shower!¡±

    He made his way to his bedroom right after.?He tried to clear his mind as he stood under the shower.

    <i>Didn¡¯t the doctor say there was still half a year? If we can find another suitable donor within this time, then I won¡¯t have to go to Luo Qiqi for this.</i>

    After his shower, he decided to continue looking for another donor. He will not ask Luo Qiqi for her kidney unless they had no other choice.

    ¡­¡­

    Luo Qiqi acted like apletely different person when she woke up the next day.

    After she freshened up, she dragged Xia Zi along with her to look for Feng Liluo, and the three of them basically toured the entire A City in a day.?She went back to her usual cheery selfplete with a devil-may-care attitude, as if whatever happened yesterday did not concern her at all.

    Feng Liluo found it difficult to confess his feelings as he watched her like this.

    A month passed uneventfully, and though Feng Liluo was still in A City, he did not meet Su Jincheng and Ming Ruoyuan a second time. He spent most of his time with Luo Qiqi, but the more Luo Qiqi acted like she did not care, the more he knew that she could not let go of Su Jincheng.

    No matter what, Feng Liluo was willing to wait until Luo Qiqi forgets him.

    ----

    Ming Ruoyuan was getting increasingly nervous as time passed. She had already gotten someone to inform Su Jincheng about how Luo Qiqi was a suitable donor, but he did not seem to act on it even after a month had passed.

    <i>I guess it¡¯s time for me to take some drastic action.</i>

    They just finished their lunch and Ming Ruoyuan got up to leave, but she copsed before even taking a single step.

    Su Jincheng rushed to her, catching her before she could hit the ground. He cried out, ¡°Yaya, what¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t scare me like this!¡±

    Ming Ruoyuan blinked weakly before pretending to faint.

    Su Jincheng carried her up immediately and dashed out.

    He waited anxiously in the hospital for Dr. Yang to give his prognosis. He asked, ¡°Dr. Yang, how¡¯s Yaya?¡±

    Yang Tianlong gave him a meaningful look before answering. ¡°Mr. Su, have you contacted that donor I told you about earlier? Can¡¯t you tell that Miss Ming¡¯s condition has worsened recently? We originally had six months to work with, but it¡¯s been halved. More than a month has already passed. If we don¡¯t do a transnt soon, Miss Ming might not even be able to survive the month. Think about it!¡±

    Su Jincheng was dumbstruck. <i>A month? Yaya might not even survive the month.</i>

    He watched as Dr. Yang left,ughing bitterly to himself. <i>W</i><i>as it the heavens forcing me to make a decision?</i>

    He shut his eyes and raised his head, looking like he was thinking about something.

    When he opened them after a while, there was a decisive glint in his eyes. He had made his decision!

    Luo Qiqi looked at the disy in disbelief when she received his call. She looked again to make sure she saw it right, that it was Su Jincheng calling her.

    ¡°Hello!¡±

    Her voice seemed tock any emotion and she sounded colder than she usually was. It seemed to pierce through Su Jincheng¡¯s heart like icicles.

    He asked tentatively, ¡°Qiqi, I want to talk to you. Do you have time now?¡±

    Reminded of what happened the previous time, Luo Qiqi answered instantly, ¡°I¡¯m not free!¡± before she ended the call abruptly.

    She did not expect for him to keep calling her after that.

    The calls did not stop even when she rejected every single one of them.

    Luo Qiqi could no longer stand it and finally answered the call, yelling into her phone, ¡°Su Jincheng, when are you going to stop!¡±

    Su Jincheng sounded calm on the phone as he answered, ¡°Never!¡±

    Luo Qiqi was rendered speechless by this. ¡°Fine. What do I have to do for you to stop bugging me!¡±

    ¡°Come meet me!¡± Su Jincheng¡¯s voice was steady and it sounded emotionless.

    Luo Qiqi finallypromised. ¡°Okay. Where are you? I¡¯ll make my way there!¡±

    She ended the call and got changed immediately after Su Jincheng gave her the address, mumbling to herself as she got dressed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him! Acting all high and mighty when he¡¯s asking to meet me. I¡¯ll teach him a lesson today!¡±

    Luo Qiqi seemed to beining on the surface, but an almost imperceptible smile hung on the corner of her lips.

    Little did she expect that the meeting would bring her nothing but pain.

    Su Jincheng was already at the location waiting for her when Luo Qiqi arrived. Without asking for what she wanted, he passed her a ss of cold water. Luo Qiqi was rather confused at this. <i>When did Su Jincheng be such a miser? He¡¯s just getting me cold water?</i>

    Because of what happened previously, she did not want to bother with him, much less ask for a change in choice of drink.

    They sat opposite each other in silence for some time, and thissted for an entire hour.

    People came in and went out of the cafe, but the two of them seemed to be part of the furniture at the outlet as they sat in silence with two sses of cold water between them.

    Some from the passing crowd observed that their outfits were not the low-budget kind, seeing that it was from high-end brands that were rather low-profile. Nobody expected for people like them toe to a cafe just to get their free water, but this was exactly what was happening!

    The owner of the cafe had signalled to Su Jincheng with his gaze umpteen times before Su Jincheng spoke.

    ¡°Qiqi, I want to ask for your help. Are you willing to help me?¡±

    Luo Qiqi looked at him with one of her legs crossed. She took a sip of water before she answered, ¡°Go on, what is it? I¡¯ll try my best if it¡¯s something I can do!¡±

    She turned serious when she answered him. No matter what happened in the past, she was willing to go all out since Su Jincheng is asking for her help now.

    She would never have thought that he actually wanted one of her kidneys.

 Chapter 237 â€“ The Farmer and The Snake

    <h4>Chapter 237 ¨C The Farmer and The Snake</h4>

    Su Jincheng¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he watched Luo Qiqi answer him so seriously.

    He did not know if he was making the right choice, but there was only one thing on his mind right now, and that was to save Yaya!

    He thought to himself, <i>I¡¯m sorry, Qiqi. I¡¯ll return the favor next time...</i>

    What he did not know was that he would not be able to return this favor for a very long time!

    Su Jincheng then asked, ¡°Qiqi, you and Ruoyuan¡­ did something happen between the two of you in the past?¡±

    Luo Qiqi scoffed at the mention of Ming Ruoyuan. <i>Nothing happened, we just hate the sight of each other, that¡¯s all.</i>

    She could not understand why he was being so cautious. It felt as if he was trying very hard to look for the right words to say instead of getting to the point. She looked at him, displeased.

    ¡°Su Jincheng, can you get to the point? I, Luo Qiqi, am not so petty that I won¡¯t agree to help out with just a tiny request. Why are you fumbling over your words?¡±

    Su Jincheng sighed. ¡°Qiqi, don¡¯t get angry at me for what you¡¯re about to hear. Ruoyuan suddenly fainted a few days ago, and the doctor said it¡¯s a congenital kidney disease. It¡¯s unclear what the trigger was, but there are many possible factors. Ruoyuan¡¯s condition has worsened and she might not be able to survive past the month!¡±

    Luo Qiqi looked at him in slight confusion. ¡°Su Jincheng, I¡¯m not a doctor. I can¡¯t help her with that!¡±

    ¡°No, you can!¡± This was the first time Luo Qiqi saw Su Jincheng get so agitated.

    ¡°Qiqi, you really can help!¡±

    ¡°Oh...¡± Luo Qiqi took another sip of water and asked, ¡°How do I help?¡±

    Su Jincheng felt rather anguished as he watched Luo Qiqi. ¡°Your kidneys are a suitable match for her.¡±

    Luo Qiqi stiffened, the ss of water still in her hand. She looked up at him incredulously.

    ¡°What? Say that again!¡±

    Su Jincheng suddenly acted as if he was adamant about this as he said, ¡°Your kidneys are a suitable match for Ruoyuan, I want you to save her life!¡±

    Luo Qiqi smirked at this.

    ¡°Su Jincheng, you want to use one of my kidneys to save Ming Ruoyuan? Are you ordering me to do that, or are you asking if I¡¯m willing to help?¡±

    Realizing he sounded too overbearing earlier, Su Jincheng lowered his voice a little.

    ¡°I¡¯m asking for your help!¡±

    This frustrated Luo Qiqi. <i>Su Jincheng was asking for her help because of that woman?</i>

    She sshed the ss of water onto him and said through gritted teeth, ¡°Su Jincheng, you¡¯re doing this for that woman? And what¡¯s up with all that attitude if you¡¯re here to ask for help?¡±

    Instead of reacting with anger, Su Jincheng looked at her calmly.

    ¡°What I mean is that I want you to save her no matter what!¡±

    Seeing how Su Jincheng did not change his attitude, Luo Qiqi felt that something was amiss.

    She stood up, ready to leave.

    But all color drained from her face the moment she got up.

    She looked at him in shock, feeling all her energy instantly sap away from her as she copsed back onto the chair.

    She could not believe Su Jincheng.<i>?I trusted him fully but how could he drug me!</i>

    Luo Qiqi shut her eyes in pain.<i>?I, Luo Qiqi, am really a bad judge of character.</i>

    Though Su Jincheng¡¯s expression remained cid as he saw Luo Qiqi in pain, his heart felt like it was being stabbed.

    He did not want to do this, but he had no choice. Luo Qiqi can hate him, but he has to save Yaya. That was his only mission in life right now.

    Mockery was apparent in ?Luo Qiqi¡¯s eyes when she opened them again. She was still reeling from the fact that Su Jincheng would use such an underhanded method to force her to save Ming Ruoyuan.

    But he was right to do so, because she would never have agreed to save that woman otherwise!

    She did a full body check-up at the hospital in the past, and although she did indicate that she was a willing organ donor, she was thinking about donating them only after she was dead. <i>I¡¯m not some saint who¡¯d agree to donate my entire body and give my life to someone who was about to die!</i>

    Luo Qiqi was not as fearless as she made herself out to be. She only hoped that Su Jincheng would not regret his decision in the future!

    Su Jincheng avoided her cold re as he walked towards her and picked her up, carrying her out of the hotel room they were in.

    Luo Qiqi could only watch as he removed allmunication devices from her before taking her to the hotel lobby.

    She heard him tell the other party on the phone that the operation can proceed tomorrow since he had already found a donor.

    Luo Qiqi was powerless now. She was just like fresh meat on the chopping board waiting to be butchered!

    Su Jincheng was about to leave the room after his call, but he turned back to Luo Qiqi.

    He fumbled around her waist for the jade pendant she always carried around with her, only to find nothing.

    He wondered where the pendant would be when he spotted a brown ne on her neck. He then reached for it to take the pendant away.

    He knew Luo Qiqi well enough to know that she would either hang it at her waist or wear it around her neck.

    She gave him a murderous re.

    She would have put up a difficult fight if only she could move.

    Su Jincheng looked at the pendant to make sure that it was the one in his memories before turning to leave.

    Seeing him about to leave, Luo Qiqi yelled angrily, ¡°Su Jincheng!¡±

    Su Jincheng turned back to her as if he understood what she was getting at.

    ¡°This belongs to Yaya. It doesn¡¯t matter if you stole it and carry it around. It doesn¡¯t belong to you anyway!¡±

    Luo Qiqi was stunned at what Su Jincheng said.

    <i>Yaya...</i>

    Her mind went back to when she was sixteen, in her first year going out on missions at Interpol. She and Xia Zi were from the same batch of trainees, and she made a mistake at the time, causing her to fall into the hands of one of the anti-government organizations in the Soviet Union.

    She managed to escape, but she happened to see a dying man while she was making her way out.

    She remembered his face, and she thought that she would never be able to meet him again in this life. She never thought that he had been right in front of her all this while. That man had facial prosthetics on and the Luo Qiqi at the time was too much of a rookie to even know that there was such a method of disguise.

    After saving him, she called him ¡®Big Brother¡¯ and told him that she was called ¡®Yaya¡¯...

    Luo Qiqi shut her eyes at that memory. <i>I saved a wolf in sheep¡¯s skin, and I¡¯m now seeing for myself a real life rendition of the farmer and the snake. This is absurd!</i>

    Su Jincheng watched the emotion on Luo Qiqi¡¯s face, wondering what was on her mind.

    He then said, ¡°Don¡¯t struggle anymore. The operation will be tomorrow. I hope you¡­ won¡¯t have such a hard time. It¡¯s just a kidney, and I¡¯ll make sure that you¡¯ll be fine!¡±

    Luo Qiqiughed at herself. <i>Make sure I¡¯m fine? Just a kidney? Who in hell would agree to give up one of their kidneys just like that? Did he really think I¡¯m an idiot?</i>

    <i>Didn¡¯t he say that he would take care of me forever and never abandon me? Damn it, those were all lies!</i>

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s tears fell, her tormented sobs was something Su Jincheng could notprehend.

    He wanted to ask what was wrong, but he was unsure how to broach the question when he saw Luo Qiqi¡¯s state.

    He had never seen her cry before this despite having spent almost six years with Luo Qiqi. Her tears seemed to be an amalgamation of all the pain, grief and frustration she felt, it was heartbreaking to watch.

    ¡°Qiqi...¡± He called out to her.

    Luo Qiqi shut her eyes, not wanting to see him.

    She knew very well that if she told him that she was Yaya, he would look into it right away. But the fact that he drugged her and used such an underhanded method made her want to cut off all contact with him, even at the price of a kidney!

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s voice was hoarse as she said, ¡°Go away!¡±

    She added quietly to herself, <i>I don¡¯t want to see you anymore... Big Brother!</i>

    Su Jincheng sighed as he walked away.

    <i>That¡¯s fine, since we¡¯ll have nothing more to do with each other after tomorrow.</i>

    As she heard the door close, Luo Qiqi silently called out,<i>?Big Brother...</i>

    A tear fell onto the snow-white sheets, disappearing into the fabric quickly...

    -

    Xia Zi felt uneasy on the day Luo Qiqi went missing, but she did not know where to start investigating. She only realized Luo Qiqi was gone after returning home with Mo Suqing in the afternoon.

    The longer Luo Qiqi was gone, the more uneasy she felt.

    There was a feeling of foreboding in her, and it was that same feeling she felt when Luo Qiqi got in trouble during their first year going on missions.

    <sup>[1]</sup> Reference to a story in Aesop¡¯s Fables. Linking to the wikipedia page here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Farmer_and_the_Viper

 Chapter 238 â€“ Clues to Finding Luo Qiqi

    <h4>Chapter 238 ¨C Clues to Finding Luo Qiqi</h4>

    The uneasy Xia Zi told Mo Suqing about her concern, and the both of them started searching for Luo Qiqi.

    They started looking within the Shallow Sea Area, but they just could not find her.

    Xia Zi felt that Luo Qiqi had definitely gotten in trouble, or else she would not be uncontactable!

    They spent almost two hours trying to locate Luo Qiqi to no avail.

    Xia Zi finally asked Mo Suqing to get help from Ye Zhongjue while she contacted Feng LiLuo, the four of them separating to search in a wider area.

    Ye Zhongjue found footage of Luo Qiqi boarding a cab right outside of the Shallow Sea Area before the footage got corrupted.

    This made it all the more obvious that Luo Qiqi was a direct target of whoever took her away.

    Feng Liluo and Xia Zibed the entire A City, going to ces that Luo Qiqi frequently visited, but there was no news of her even when they seemed to have overturned the entire city.

    Ye Zhongjue asked Lin Ran to restore the security footage immediately after Mo Suqing told him that all the footage around the area had been corrupted after Luo Qiqi left the vi. However, the earliest they can review the footage would be ten in the morning tomorrow.

    Xia Zi was at a loss, and she did not even think of contacting Su Jincheng, since he had not been in contact with Luo Qiqi for quite a while now.

    Unease gued her throughout the night. She had not yet given up, but the fact that they were not getting anywhere was driving both her and Feng Liluo insane.

    ¡­¡­

    The sky brightened.

    Su Jincheng had stood outside Luo Qiqi¡¯s room for the entire night.

    He was feeling a plethora of emotions. There was guilt, reluctance and conflict in the mix. Even he did not know how to describe it.

    He kept telling himself that they just had to go through the day and everything will be fine after.

    They stayed at the hotel opposite the hospital, and when daylight came, Su Jincheng carried her out to make his way over slowly.

    The operation was scheduled to start at ten in the morning, and if there were no major hups, it would end sessfully at about twelve.

    Su Jincheng brought Luo Qiqi into the ward before leaving her in the hands of Dr. Yang.

    Dr. Yang gave Su Jincheng a look of reassurance after he sedated her.

    Su Jincheng left the ward, making his way to visit Yaya right before the operation started.

    Ming Ruoyuan¡¯s condition looked quite good, her eyes sparkling with joy as if she knew that she was about to be saved.

    She asked Su Jincheng excitedly, ¡°Big Brother, I heard Dr. Yang say that you¡¯ve found a suitable kidney donor?¡±

    Su Jincheng nodded as he reached out to stroke her hair.

    ¡°Be good, Yaya. You¡¯ll recover after the operation, and Big Brother will take you out to go have fun...¡±

    Ming Ruoyuan nodded like an excitable child.

    The gloominess in Su Jincheng¡¯s heart seemed to dissipate a little as he kept telling himself that his final goal was to save Yaya.<i>?I can¡¯t waver now, or else Yaya will die.</i>

    As for Luo Qiqi, taking one kidney from her will not kill her. With how strong she looked, she would just need some time to recuperate after the operation to return to her bubbly self. It did not look like she was nning to return to Interpol anytime soon, so she should be fine if she did not have to go through any form of rigorous training.

    Su Jincheng¡¯s fists clenched as he watched Luo Qiqi and Ming Ruoyuan being wheeled into the operating room.

    He held the jade pendant tightly in his hand, nning to give it to Ming Ruoyuan as a gift after the operation.

    -

    As Lin Ran worked on restoring the security footage, he realized that the footage had been tampered with everywhere Luo Qiqi visited, as he had expected. He finally saw the footage of Luo Qiqi entering the cafe.

    When they saw Su Jincheng take her away, they quickly began investigating from that angle.

    Lin Ran extracted the footage from the cameras around the area, and he saw Su Jincheng carrying Luo Qiqi into the hospital in the morning.

    At ten thirty, Xia Zi, Mo Suqing, Ye Zhongjue and Feng Liluo rushed to the hospital.

    Xia Zi prayed that nothing had happened to Luo Qiqi, and she had never wished for the heavens to answer her prayers so badly like she did now.

    She was never superstitious and she had always bet on science. But right now, she only wished that the heavens could protect Luo Qiqi. She was even willing to give her life in exchange for Luo Qiqi¡¯s safety!

    Xia Zi¡¯s heart was palpitating as they arrived at the hospital when it was ten minutes to eleven.

    Too many things seemed to have happened overnight. She saw Luo Qiqi being carried into the hospital by Su Jincheng.

    She knew Luo Qiqi well enough to know that it was impossible for her to ask for someone to carry her if she could walk on her own because she would never be this unreasonable.

    This meant that there could only be one reason, and that was because Qiqi could not walk.

    But Su Jincheng had not contacted her recently, so why did he appear out of nowhere? And why couldn¡¯t Luo Qiqi walk? These questions swum around in Xia Zi¡¯s head, confusing her to no end.

    She knew Su Jincheng is Dark Night, and Xia Zi found him to be dangerous from the get-go, especially when it was an irrefutable fact that she and Luo Qiqi were originally from Interpol.

    Su Jincheng looked harmless on the surface, but she knew very well that real beasts would never show their fangs until it was time.

    <i>What did he do to Qiqi? Why did he have to carry her to the hospital?</i>

    Xia Zi dashed in right after alighting the car.

    Ye Zhongjue found out that Su Jincheng was here for Ming Ruoyuan¡¯s operation when he asked the front desk about it, and everything became clear when he asked his men to look into this.

    Su Jincheng brought Luo Qiqi in for a kidney transnt because her kidney was a suitable match for Ming Ruoyuan.

    But from the security footage, it was obvious that Luo Qiqi had been drugged and she was powerless to fight back.

    This also meant that she was unwilling and that Su Jincheng used an underhanded method to force this on her.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s group rushed to the floor where the operating room was located.

    Xia Zi was consumed with nothing but anger. <i>How dare Su Jincheng do this to Luo Qiqi when she was unwilling! How dare he take a kidney from her!</i> She swore to take revenge on Su Jincheng for Qiqi after this.

    They spotted Su Jincheng leaning against the wall, his tired eyes resting shut. He was not asleep, he was simply closing them.

    Xia Zi wanted to go up to him in her anger, but before she could do anything, Feng Liluo beat her to the punch andnded a fist on Su Jincheng!

    Su Jincheng opened his eyes slowly, as if he had already expected to be pummeled. He expected for the group to want to clobber him after they found him, so he did not retaliate even when Feng Liluonded a second punch on him.

    However, he got anxious when he saw Xia Zi make her way towards the operating room.

    He pushed Feng Liluo away and walked up to Xia Zi, trying to stop her from going further with his anxious gaze.

    ¡°You can¡¯t go in. The operation is ongoing, and it won¡¯t help even if you barge in now. The both of them will die if you do so!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue scoffed. ¡°Die? I disagree!¡±

    At this point, Gu Yi¡¯an walked out of the elevator. Ye Zhongjue texted him to get him toe over on their way here.

    With Gu Yi¡¯an here, it was unlikely for things to take a turn for the worse.

    Su Jincheng paled as he saw Gu Yi¡¯an walk out. <i>Was I too careless? I didn¡¯t think that these people could be so cruel!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue signalled to Gu Yi¡¯an with his eyes as he and Feng Liluo went up to Su Jincheng to immobilize him. Xia Zi and Gu Yi¡¯an went ahead and entered the operating room.

    Yang Tianlong had just removed one of Qiqi¡¯s kidneys and transnted it into Ming Ruoyuan before he heard the door being forced open.

    He flinched in surprise, but he was very experienced in such operations, so nothing major happened.

    He calmly stitched Ming Ruoyuan up as Xia Zi glowered at the sight.

    She stared at Ming Ruoyuan, wanting to rip Qiqi¡¯s kidney out of her right there and then.

    Of course, Yang Tianlong would not give her that opportunity. He put his scalpel against Luo Qiqi¡¯s neck to threaten Xia Zi.

    ¡°You¡¯d better not take another step, or else, I¡¯ll kill her!¡±

    Xia Zi stared at him wide-eyed. She would be the world¡¯s biggest idiot if she was still unable to tell that Yang Tianlong was working with Ming Ruoyuan at this point.

    Xia Zi backed away as she saw a thin line of blood form on Luo Qiqi¡¯s neck as Yang Tianlong pressed his scalpel against it.

    ¡°Fine! Just let her go. What is it you want? Tell me your conditions!¡±

    Yang Tianlong signalled to the nurses in the room with his eyes and they pushed Ming Ruoyuan out quickly.

    Yang Tianlong removed his scalpel when the door closed again, giving a sinisterugh.

    Xia Zi wanted to clobber him right there, but Gu Yi¡¯an said, ¡°Get him out. I need to work on Luo Qiqi!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an could tell with one look that something was wrong with Luo Qiqi.

    Xia Zi understood what he meant immediately. She could tell that Yang Tianlong was trained in martial arts simply by looking at how he held the scalpel and those thin scars that were on his hands.

    If she really got into a fight with him here, Gu Yi¡¯an will not be able to operate on Luo Qiqi properly.

 Chapter 239 â€“ Losing a Kidney, Missing a Heart

    <h4>Chapter 239 ¨C Losing a Kidney, Missing a Heart</h4>

    Xia Zi stared at Yang Tianlong,mitting his face to her memory.

    ¡°Get out!¡± She yelled in anger.

    Yang Tianlong did not linger any longer as he immediately turned to leave.

    Xia Zi prepared the scalpel for Gu Yi¡¯an as he began working on Luo Qiqi immediately.?She watched anxiously as he worked steadily with practiced movements.

    Xia Zi did not dare ask what he was doing, but she could tell that something was very wrong with Luo Qiqi.?She saw Gu Yi¡¯an break out in cold sweat, but she did not dare go any closer for fear of disturbing him.

    Ye Zhongjue and Feng Liluo were still trying to prevent Su Jincheng from entering when they saw Ming Ruoyuan being wheeled out.

    Su Jincheng struggled free of Ye Zhongjue¡¯s grasp but he happened to see a corner of the white jade pendant Su Jincheng was holding.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes narrowed and he stopped the man from going any further.

    Annoyed, Su Jincheng started to exchange blows with Ye Zhongjue in the corridor.

    He stared at Ye Zhongjue angrily as he saw Ming Ruoyuan being pushed further and further away by the nurses.

    ¡°Are you out of your damned mind, Ye Zhongjue? Can¡¯t you see the operation has already ended? Out of my way!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue stared at him as he grabbed Su Jincheng¡¯s arm tightly.

    He said, ¡°Hand over that jade pendant!¡±

    Su Jincheng scoffed. ¡°Who are you to take it? Let me go, or else I¡¯ll turn violent!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue did not want to continue this pointless conversation with him as he focused on that pendant and started fighting Su Jincheng for it.

    He nced at Feng Liluo to the side, calling out to him. ¡°What are you doing! Come and help!¡±

    Following Ye Zhongjue¡¯s line of sight, Feng Liluo spotted the white jade pendant in Su Jincheng¡¯s hands. <i>Didn¡¯t that belong to Luo Qiqi?</i>

    He dashed forward and attacked Su Jincheng from behind, causing Su Jincheng to have to turn around to parry the blow. This created an opening for Ye Zhongjue to obtain the pendant as he twisted Su Jincheng¡¯s wrist.

    Ye Zhongjue released Su Jincheng immediately after getting the item.

    Su Jincheng stared at Ye Zhongjue before looking at Feng Liluo. A precarious glint flitted across his eyes before he turned to leave.

    Feng Liluo and Ye Zhongjue were no easy opponents. He would not win this fight when it was two against one. The jade pendant belonged to Ming Ruoyuan, and he decided that he would find a way to get it back for her sometime in future.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression darkened as he watched Su Jincheng¡¯s departing figure. He held the pendant tightly, as if it were the key to some sort of hidden truth.

    Feng Liluo wanted to go up to get the pendant from Ye Zhongjue, but Ye Zhongjue did not allow him to do so.

    Confused by Ye Zhongjue¡¯s reaction and his cautious gaze, he asked, ¡°Weren¡¯t you trying to get the jade pendant back for Qiqi earlier?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue stared at him as the words rang loudly in his mind. ¡°You mean¡­ this belongs to Luo Qiqi?¡±

    ¡°Yes, she had the pendant with her since she was young and it¡¯s a treasured item of hers. She¡¯d be very anxious if she lost it!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue took in a deep breath to calm himself. <i>This belonged to Luo Qiqi?</i>

    Mo Suqing was observing everything on the sidelines. She went up to Ye Zhongjue and whispered in his ear, ¡°Jue, give it back to Feng Liluo first. I know that Luo Qiqi has this pendant with her at all times, but I¡¯ve done a DNA test for the both of you, and...¡±

    She shook her head slowly.

    That glimmer of hope in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s eyes dulled. Emotion welled up in him when he saw the pendant earlier. It was the only item he knew belonged to his sister.

    But Mo Suqing just told him that they were not rted, and that she had even got their DNA checked.

    Ye Zhongjue thus handed the pendant over to Feng Liluo. He would be able to start investigating somewhere since there was now a lead. He might just be able to find Ye Mingke soon.

    Feng Liluo looked at the pendant,menting to himself, ¡°I wonder why Su Jincheng insists that this belongs to Ming Ruoyuan when it¡¯s obviously Qiqi¡¯s. Qiqi always had it with her. I won¡¯t let him get away if he dares snatch Qiqi¡¯s pendant again!¡±

    Hope returned to Ye Zhongjue¡¯s disappointed face at this. He looked at Feng Liluo and asked, ¡°You said Su Jincheng insisted that this belonged to Ming Ruoyuan?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Feng Liluo did not understand why Ye Zhongjue seemed so agitated, and he even added, ¡°It¡¯s that woman who was wheeled out of the room earlier!¡±

    At that, Ye Zhongjue wanted to go after Su Jincheng, but Mo Suqing¡¯s shocked expression stopped him.?She was staring at the doctor who just exited. He asked in confusion, ¡°Suqing, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°He¡­ he...¡± Mo Suqing was at a loss for words. She shook her head to calm herself down before saying, ¡°Jue, that doctor is the one I went to when I got your DNA checked. But isn¡¯t he from the gics department? Why is he here doing a kidney transnt?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue found this dodgy, but nothing could be confirmed at this point.

    If he was the doctor who operated on Luo Qiqi earlier, then he was eighty percent sure that something was wrong simply judging by the doctor¡¯s expression when he walked out.

    Xia Zi exited as Ye Zhongjue was about to enter the operating room.

    She looked at the group and said, ¡°That was Dr. Yang, he¡¯s working with Ming Ruoyuan and they¡¯ve taken one of Qiqi¡¯s kidneys and transnted it into Ming Ruoyuan! I just don¡¯t get it though. How is it so coincidental? Qiqi and I have known Ming Ruoyuan for such a long time and this is the first time I¡¯m learning of the fact that Qiqi is a suitable kidney donor for her. Something is fishy!¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s Qiqi now?¡± Mo Suqing asked in concern.

    Xia Zi shook her head. ¡°Gu Yi¡¯an said that the doctor from before removed a part of her heart, and if we didn¡¯t arrive in time, Qiqi might have died on the operating table! He¡¯s trying his best to save Qiqi now. I felt so uneasy all day, and it felt just like that time when we were sixteen when Qiqi got in trouble. I have to look into this!¡±

    Something clicked in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s mind following their conversation.

    Between Luo Qiqi and Ming Ruoyuan, one of them has to be Ye Mingke, the sister he spent more than twenty years searching for.

    Something had to have gone wrong when Mo Suqing went to get their DNA checked, especially if that doctor was working with Ming Ruoyuan and if she suddenly wanted one of Luo Qiqi¡¯s kidneys so soon after the DNA report was done.

    This made him suspect that Ming Ruoyun had already nned to take Luo Qiqi¡¯s kidney from the beginning, and that she might have tampered with the DNA report.

    But ording to Feng Liluo, Su Jincheng insisted that the pendant belonged to Ming Ruoyuan. Judging by Su Jincheng¡¯s personality, he would only insist on something like that if he had enough proof for it.

    If that was the case, the only way forward was to do two sets of DNA tests, one for him and Ming Ruoyuan, and the other for him and Luo Qiqi!

    At the thought, Ye Zhongjue texted Lin Ran and instructed him to work with the hospital staff to get a strand of hair from Ming Ruoyuan.

    He then continued waiting in the corridor with Mo Suqing, Xia Zi and Feng Liluo for Luo Qiqi¡¯s operation to end.

    For some reason, he felt that it was more likely for Luo Qiqi to be Ye Mingke.

    They waited for more than two hours before Gu Yi¡¯an finally emerged.

    Xia Zi was the first to go up to him. ¡°Gu Yi¡¯an, how is it? Is Qiqi safe?¡±

    There was an imperceptible change in Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s expression as he saw Ye Zhongjue walk up to him, as if urging him to give them an update as quickly as he could.

    A dangerous glint shed in Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s eyes before he spoke. ¡°I''d suggest for you to look into that doctor earlier, there¡¯s something off about him. Not only did he transnt Luo Qiqi¡¯s kidney into another patient, he also removed a part of her heart. It¡¯s almost impossible for anyone to survive that, but it¡¯s fortunate that we arrived in time and I was able to save her from death¡¯s door.¡±

    ¡°From the looks of it, it seemed like he had the intention to kill Luo Qiqi and say that she died in the operation. Most doctors are unable to determine the cause of death in such cases, and even if it was really the doctor who made a mistake, he wouldn¡¯t have to carry that responsibility. Luo Qiqi could have died!¡±

    The four of them listened very carefully as Gu Yi¡¯an spoke.

    Xia Zi knew that it was serious, but she had no idea that Luo Qiqi could really have died if they had been just a step slower¡­ She was ready to murder someone now.

    Mo Suqing was worried, while Ye Zhongjue had a skeptical look. <i>If Luo Qiqi was Ye Mingke¡­ this was way too cruel and inhumane!</i>

    Feng Liluo was seething in anger. It looked like he could have an outburst any moment now. He med himself inwardly at this. <i>How can I allow Luo Qiqi to be in danger when I¡¯m right here in A City?</i>

    <i>This was unforgivable! I¡¯m not Feng Liluo if I don¡¯t get even!</i>

 Chapter 240 â€“ Two DNA Reports

    <h4>Chapter 240 ¨C Two DNA Reports</h4>

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked at all of them. ¡°Luo Qiqi isn¡¯t out of danger yet. I¡¯ve gotten the staff to put her in the intensive care unit. Make sure somebody keeps an eye on her, I¡¯m afraid that whoever wants her dead would take the opportunity to do something!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll send my men. We¡¯ll also take turns to look after her until she wakes up!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded at this. ¡°That works too!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue then said, ¡°Yi¡¯an, let¡¯s go work on the documents for admittance. Xia Zi and Feng Liluo can stay and keep an eye on Luo Qiqi.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded as he understood that Ye Zhongjue wanted to discuss something with him in private.

    After they left, Feng Liluo looked at Xia Zi and said, ¡°A¡¯zi, take care of Qiqi. I¡¯m looking for Su Jincheng!¡±

    Xia Zi frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t fight him!¡±

    Feng Liluo reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t. I just want to hear his exnation on why this happened when he said earlier it was only donating a kidney to Ming Ruoyuan. Just imagine if we had been just a bitter. I can¡¯t take this lying down!¡±

    Xia Zi regarded him seriously. ¡°Liluo, you¡¯re fromw enforcement. Both Qiqi and I had been with the police, so you should know very well that we shouldn¡¯t be going above thew no matter what!¡±

    ¡°I know that!¡± Feng Liluo answered in exasperation.

    ¡°Fine!¡± Xia Zi shook her head at him. ¡°I won¡¯t say more. I won¡¯t leave this matter hanging. I¡¯ll look into this as well, but I hope to do it only after she wakes up. I don¡¯t want to go against any of her wishes. I know her better than anyone else. You can start investigating, but make sure you don¡¯t do anything overboard!¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Feng Liluo nodded and left. He was determined to speak to Su Jincheng about the events of today.

    Xia Zi sighed in resignation as she watched Feng Liluo leave in his anger.

    She knew Luo Qiqi well enough to see that she had fallen in love with Su Jincheng, or else Xia Zi would fight to the death with him.

    But Xia Zi knew that she should not do that without Qiqi¡¯s consent, because that would only upset her if she found out.

    Qiqi would not me her for it since she would understand that Xia Zi did it for her, but Xia Zi did not want to see Qiqi upset.

    Although she told Feng Liluo to wait till Qiqi wakes up, she found everything to be rather fishy, and she wanted to start investigating it as soon as possible.

    The enemy was hidden in the shadows, and Qiqi would still be in danger even if she woke up.

    No matter how strong she was, it would be almost impossible to guard against someone who was adamant at taking her life!

    Xia Zi¡¯s heart sank as she looked at Luo Qiqi, who was nowying in the intensive care unit with several tubes all over her. She felt as if they were embroiled in a conspiracy since five years ago.

    It all started with someone leaking information about The Dark Night to lure them to A City, which led to the events that happened after. She almost died after being shot by Su Jincheng by mistake when trying to save Mo Suqing, but it was fortunate that Guan Zixuan had saved her. Even so, it was five years before she regained her memories.

    During that time, Luo Qiqi was relentless in her search for her, causing her to have a ratherplex rtionship with Su Jincheng. It was unlikely for the head of a criminal organization and someone from Interpol to be together happily ever after, since their beliefs were fundamentally different to begin with.

    <i>Silly Qiqi, she¡¯s really naive.</i>

    She thought that they would be able to spend some time together after five years of being apart, away from conspiracies and tricks, away from bloody struggles.

    But after this happened, she felt that there seemed to be someone pulling the strings behind the scenes from five years ago when they first arrived in A City. And that someone was the real mastermind behind everything.

    Xia Zi was overwhelmed with anguish as she watched the pale Luo Qiqi.

    She felt that she had everything under control, but no one could understand how important Luo Qiqi was to her. They were closer than blood rtives, and even though Mo Suqing was someone dear to her, Luo Qiqi was someone even more so.

    There was something else she did not have control over, and that was falling in love with Guan Zixuan. She could not seem to rein in her feelings for the man who was supposed to fall in love with her sister, Mo Suqing. Even though she had regained her memories, it was no easy task to erase the five years they had spent together.

    When Guan Zixuan arrived in A City, she felt a slight hint of joy even though she treated him coldly. She was happy that he came for her.

    But he returned to Emperor City after only staying for a few days since he had something to take care of back at home.

    She knew how prominent the Guan family was in Emperor City, and it must have been something pertinent for him to leave in such a hurry. Even so, she felt empty and disappointed that he left.

    Xia Zi¡¯s mind continued to wander as she watched Luo Qiqi, recalling the times when they were younger.

    Ming Ruoyuan was already six when she arrived in the orphanage, while she and Qiqi arrived there when they were only two.

    Even at such a tender age, Ming Ruoyuan was already an expert maniptor. She knew that people believed what they saw, and she was acutely aware of the fact that it was human nature to sympathize with those who were weaker.

    Because she was so good at manipting others, she and Luo Qiqi had fallen victim to her tricks umpteen times.

    She and Qiqi were taken away by a police officer for training when they were ten, and they went through a strict and rigorous program where they learnt everything ranging from cultural knowledge tobat and firearms!

    Theypleted their training in five years at the top of their ss, bing the youngest to graduate in their batch.

    When they returned to the orphanage, Ming Ruoyuan was no longer there, and they heard that she had already been adopted.

    They met her a few times on some missions, but they were never on good terms with her, and they even picked a fight with her at times.

    Now that Xia Zi thought about it, everything seemed too coincidental. Ming Ruoyuan seemed to appear every time they arrived in a new city...

    Mo Suqing noticed that Xia Zi looked rather glum and walked up to hug andfort her.

    -

    Ye Zhongjue and Gu Yi¡¯an headed for the roof of the hospital after they finished with the admittance documents.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was the first to speak. ¡°Go ahead. What¡¯s up?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at him before turning in the direction of where the air vent was.

    Gu Yi¡¯an followed his gaze to see Lin Ran running up to them.

    Lin Ran handed something to Ye Zhongjue as he said, ¡°Boss, I got this personally. There wouldn¡¯t be any problems.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue took the item and looked at Gu Yi¡¯an.

    ¡°Yi¡¯an, take this.¡± After passing it to him, he plucked out a strand of his own hair and said, ¡°Help me work on two sets of DNA tests, one with this and my hair, and another with Luo Qiqi and mine. You can take a strand from her when you check up on herter. I want to find out if I¡¯m rted to any of them. I think one of them has to be Ye Mingke!¡±

    Surprise appeared on Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s usually cid face.

    ¡°You mean your sister, Ye Mingke?¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Ye Zhongjue nodded slowly. ¡°I found the jade pendant on Luo Qiqi, but Su Jincheng insisted that it belonged to Ming Ruoyuan. I need to confirm who¡¯s actually my sister.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded at this.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Jue. Leave this to me. I¡¯ll work on this as quickly as I can and you¡¯ll find out in three days, at thetest. You¡¯ll get the answer then!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nodded and looked into the distance, hoping silently that he would seed in finding Mingke this time. He knew that losing her child was something his mother had never gotten over.

    In the meantime, Feng Liluo had located Ming Ruoyuan¡¯s ward. Yang Tianlong watched him with suspicion.

    He asked directly, ¡°Where¡¯s Su Jincheng?¡±

    Yang Tianlong had stayed put to ensure Ming Ruoyuan was safe, since she was still under the effects of the anesthesia.

    Realizing that he was not here for Ming Ruoyuan, Yang Tianlong looked towards the door and answered, ¡°He just left!¡±

    Yang Tianlong did not lie. He had been in the ward and left for the washroom earlier, only entering again after he saw Su Jincheng leave the room.

    He could not let Su Jincheng know how he was rted to Ming Ruoyuan yet, or else she would be upset.

    Feng Liluo made Yang Tianlong ufortable with his cold re.

    He looked at Feng Liluo cautiously, ¡°What are you trying to do? This is a hospital.¡±

    Feng Liluo simply scoffed.

    ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m just looking at your neck and wondering if it¡¯s worthy of carrying a brain on top of it!¡±

    Yang Tianlong kept his gaze on the other man, as if afraid he would attack him at any moment.

    Feng Liluo shot him a look of disdain.?<i>How cowardly. How dare you even touch Qiqi. I won¡¯t let you off!</i>

    <i>But I need to locate Su Jincheng first!</i>

    Feng Liluo rushed out of the hospital to see Su Jincheng approaching with food. He guessed that it was probably for Ming Ruoyuan.

    He gave a wide smirk as he went up to Su Jincheng to block his way.

 Chapter 241 â€“ Unexpected Results

    <h4>Chapter 241 ¨C Unexpected Results</h4>

    Su Jincheng looked up at Feng Liluo coldly before saying, ¡°Move!¡±

    Feng Liluo stared at him. ¡°Wow, Mr. Su has some good tricks up his sleeve. You¡¯re able to get twodies wrapped around your finger but you¡¯re acting like a total coward now!¡±

    Su Jincheng¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about!¡±

    Feng Liluo scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t know what I¡¯m talking about? Su Jincheng, why don¡¯t you have the guts to admit what you did!¡±

    Su Jincheng looked down at the food in his hands and said, ¡°Feng Liluo, move. I don¡¯t want to waste anymore time with you here. I¡¯m busy. Please don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±

    ¡°Hmph...¡± Feng Liluo smirked. ¡°You¡¯re busy? Getting food for Ming Ruoyuan? Do you know what kind of a person she is? Or did the both of you n this together to try and kill Luo Qiqi!¡±

    The mention of Luo Qiqi seemed to instantly trigger Su Jincheng.

    ¡°Feng Liluo, I have absolutely no idea what you¡¯re talking about. Please stop spouting nonsense here and stop trying to frame Ruoyuan!¡±

    ¡°Hah! Me framing her! Su Jincheng, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m looking down on you. Ay individual might not even be able to see what Ming Ruoyuan is really like even after spending three or four years with her. How long have you known her? You¡¯re already protecting her like that!¡±

    Whatever happened in the Soviet Union shed past Su Jincheng¡¯s mind again. <i>No matter what, that was my second chance at life, and it was Yaya who gave it to me. I could never forget that!</i>

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you talk bad about her like that. And there¡¯s no need for me to tell you how many years we¡¯ve already known each other!¡±

    Feng Liluo¡¯s eyes shed. <i>Years? Did Ming Ruoyuan already meet Su Jincheng after she left the orphanage?</i>

    He then said, ¡°Then you guys must have nned this together, or else, why would Qiqi¡¯s heart be damaged when it was supposed to be a kidney transnt? Are you going to tell me that the doctor can¡¯t tell which is the heart and which is the kidney? Why would his scalpel even be anywhere near Qiqi¡¯s heart? Su Jincheng, if Xia Zi and I didn¡¯t arrive in time, Qiqi¡¯s entire heart would have been taken out. I didn¡¯t know you could be so vicious as to kidnap her to take her kidney and dig her heart out, and act like nothing happened after. You disgust me. You call yourself a man? Let me tell you, I won¡¯t forgive you if Qiqi doesn¡¯t wake up!¡±

    This struck Su Jincheng like a bolt from the blue as he dropped the food packet he was holding. He looked at Feng Liluo in disbelief. <i>Remove her heart? I would never do that!</i>

    <i>I just wanted to save Yaya, but I would never want to take Qiqi¡¯s life!</i>

    Feng Liluo paused before continuing, ¡°No, I won¡¯t forgive you even if Qiqi wakes up. You should pay for what you did to her, with interest!¡±

    Feng Liluo left, leaving Su Jincheng rooted to the spot.

    He had almost wanted to hit Su Jincheng, but he stopped himself as Xia Zi¡¯s words rang in his mind. He was an enforcer of thew, and he also knew Luo Qiqi cared deeply about this man. He wanted to kill Su Jincheng!

    Su Jincheng returned to his senses as he watched Feng Liluo depart.

    <i>Something happened to Luo Qiqi? That can¡¯t be. Feng Liluo must have been lying. Why would anything happen to her? I just wanted a kidney from her to save Yaya, so why would anything happen?</i>

    Su Jincheng then made his way towards Ming Ruoyuan¡¯s ward. He wanted to rify things with her and ask her what was going on. Only the three of them - him, Dr. Yang and Ming Ruoyuan - were aware of this, and of course Luo Qiqi since she had been forced into it.

    What he witnessed when he opened the door gave him a surprise.

    Dr. Yang was holding a bowl of porridge and feeding Ming Ruoyuan gently.

    <i>When did they be so close to each other?</i>

    Yang Tianlong stood up hastily when he saw Su Jincheng enter.

    Ming Ruoyuan looked up at Su Jincheng weakly, ¡°Big Brother, where did you go? I didn¡¯t see you when I woke up...¡±

    Yang Tianlong suddenly began exining himself. ¡°Ms. Ming just woke up and wanted some porridge, so I got some for her¡­ Mr. Su, you can feed Ms. Ming now that you¡¯re here!¡±

    He wanted to rush off immediately after, but Su Jincheng stopped his escape.

    He asked, ¡°This saves me a trip since Dr. Yang is here. I have a question. What happened to Luo Qiqi¡¯s heart!¡±

    He kept his eyes on Yang Tianlong, as if already sure that he was the culprit.

    Yang Tianlong paled as he pleaded, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me!¡±

    Ming Ruoyuan frowned at the flustered Yang Tianlong, immediately putting on an act to distract Su Jincheng.

    ¡°Big Brother¡­ It¡¯s painful here¡­ Where I just had the op, it hurts...¡±

    Su Jincheng went over to her instantly.

    ¡°Yaya, what¡¯s wrong? Are you okay?¡±

    Ming Ruoyuan pretended to be in pain as she lowered her head and made a hand signal to Yang Tianlong to get him to leave quickly.

    She tugged at Su Jincheng when he wanted to chase after the doctor, preventing him from leaving.

    Su Jincheng thus waited until Ming Ruoyuan fell asleep before going to look for Yang Tianlong again. However, the hospital staff told him that the doctor had already left half an hour before.

    He then asked around about the intensive care unit that Luo Qiqi was now in and made his way there.

    All his energy seemed to be sapped from him, and he felt like he had just made a huge mistake. But he did not know where he went wrong.

    Xia Zi spotted him from a distance and watched him with cautious eyes, her expression was dreadful.

    Feng Liluo looked up immediately, as if he could sense the change in Xia Zi¡¯s expression, only to see Su Jincheng approaching them.

    He stood up, wanting to rush towards Su Jincheng, but Xia Zi stopped him.

    ¡°Liluo, control your temper!¡±

    Feng Liluo then took a deep breath and red at Su Jincheng before sitting back down and turning away from him.

    Dressed in personal protective equipment, Gu Yi¡¯an walked out of the intensive care unit. He looked at Xia Zi as he said, ¡°Everything is good. Keep an eye on her and don¡¯t let anyone else enter!¡±

    He then purposely looked towards the nearby Su Jincheng.

    Su Jincheng did not dare go any nearer as everyone standing outside the intensive care ward was staring at him with unwee gazes. He then decided to lean against the wall and stay put.

    Everyone then ignored him when they saw that he was not going to approach.

    He nced sideways at the usually bubbly and cheerful Luo Qiqi who was now lying in the ward, surrounded by medical equipment. His heart hurt seeing her like this.

    He knew very well that he cared deeply for her, but he refused to admit it. What happened had made him realize how much he actually cared for her.

    <i>I am the one who did this!</i>

    Yang Tianlong seemed to have gone into hiding as no one could locate him, and he knew he would be killed the moment he was found.

    But he did not mind taking all the me for this. He would try his best to keep Ming Ruoyuan safe.

    -

    Three days passed in the blink of an eye. With the asional visit to Ming Ruoyuan, Su Jincheng was near the intensive care ward most of the time.

    He looked extremely dishevelled and had not even gotten a change of clothes.

    No one knew what was on his mind, and Feng Liluo could not help butsh out at him again.

    But Su Jincheng simply ignored him no matter what he said, and he let Feng Liluo continueshing out at him as he pleased.

    Luo Qiqi went through two more operations within these three days, and both of them had been done sessfully by Gu Yi¡¯an. Luo Qiqi, however, had not regained consciousness.

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked slightly more rxed when he walked out of the ward earlier.

    ¡°Good news. Luo Qiqi¡¯s condition is quite stable. If her condition does not worsen and remains like this until eight o¡¯clock in the evening, we can move her to a normal ward.¡±

    Xia Zi heaved a sigh of relief as she heard what Gu Yi¡¯an said. He then returned to his office.

    Ye Zhongjue entered right after him just as he stepped into the office.

    ¡°How is it?¡± It was a rare sight to see Ye Zhongjue even slightly flustered.

    Gu Yi¡¯an walked over and retrieved a document from a safe before he turned to Ye Zhongjue.

    ¡°I wanted to give this to you right after, but you¡¯re already here. Your reports. Take a look.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at Gu Yi¡¯an, trying to obtain some sort of clue as to what the results were. This was extremely important to him.

    Gu Yi¡¯an said something just as he took the report.

    ¡°The results will be shocking to you. Be prepared. Honestly, I never expected the results to be like this!¡±

 Chapter 242 â€“ Unraveling the Events of the Past

    <h4>Chapter 242 ¨C Unraveling the Events of the Past</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue gave Gu Yi¡¯an a purposeful look. <i>I should prepare myself for this since even Gu Yi¡¯an says that it¡¯s shocking.</i>

    The truth was something that no one had control over.

    Ming Ruoyuan was safe for these few days, not because no one wanted to take revenge for Luo Qiqi, but because Ye Zhongjue did not allow anyone toy a finger on her, in case she turned out to be Mingke.

    He had to protect her before he knew the results.

    But if Luo Qiqi was Ye Mingke, he was bent on taking revenge.

    He opened the document and flipped to the veryst page where the results were. This was the report for him and Luo Qiqi.

    Relieve flooded him when he saw the words ¡®biological siblings¡¯. He was right, Luo Qiqi is Mingke.

    Was this what Gu Yi¡¯an meant by shocking? Though unexpected, it was still within the realms of logic.

    When he wanted to keep the reports, Gu Yi¡¯an reached out and said, ¡°Jue, you haven¡¯t seen the other report!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was confused. He was looking for his sister Ye Mingke, and her identity was now confirmed. Why would he have to care about who the other person was?

    ¡°Do you mean that Luo Qiqi isn¡¯t Ye Mingke?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an shook his head. ¡°Look at it first. You¡¯ll know what I mean.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue then opened the other report and flipped to thest page.

    He was struck with disbelief when he saw the words ¡®maternal cousins¡¯. <i>So this was what Gu Yi¡¯an meant by shocking.</i>

    If Ming Ruoyuan and him were actually maternal cousins, it meant that she and Luo Qiqi were cousins too. <i>Why did she want to do this to Luo Qiqi? And who were her parents? I never even knew she existed.</i>

    Hundreds of questions instantly appeared in his mind. Gu Yi¡¯an looked at him and nodded, confirming the result.

    ¡°If Ming Ruoyuan and Luo Qiqi are maternal cousins, then it¡¯s no surprise that Luo Qiqi is a suitable kidney donor. But I think you might have to check in with your parents on what actually happened in the past!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was still in a state of shock when he exited Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s office. The results were indeed shocking to him. He needed to understand what really happened.

    He saw Mo Suqing approach him just as he stepped out of the office.

    He immediately showed her the document in his hand, saying, ¡°Suqing, the report you previously had was a fake!¡±

    ¡°Fake?¡± Mo Suqing stared at him in disbelief. ¡°Why would it be fake?¡±

    He shook his head in resignation. ¡°It was as Yi¡¯an expected. Yang Tianlong is working with Ming Ruoyuan, and everything had already been nned. Luo Qiqi is the real Mingke. They probably tweaked the report, and nned to murder Luo Qiqi after. They might even have wanted to mislead me and make me think that Ming Ruoyuan was Mingke. I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s doing this, but I¡¯m sure there¡¯s something I¡¯m unaware of...¡±

    ¡°Something you¡¯re unaware of?¡± Mo Suqing frowned and looked at him in confusion.

    ¡°Mm!¡± Ye Zhongjue nodded. ¡°Something I don¡¯t know. There are two reports in here, one of them is for me and Luo Qiqi and the other is for me and Ming Ruoyuan. Luo Qiqi and I are biological siblings, but you¡¯d never guess that Ming Ruoyuan and I are actually maternal cousins! If I¡¯m not wrong, Ming Ruoyuan should already know about this, which is why she targeted Luo Qiqi as a kidney donor. Since they¡¯re cousins, there would be a higher probability that Luo Qiqi¡¯s kidney could be suitable for her.¡±

    ¡°What? Ming Ruoyuan is your maternal cousin?¡±

    Mo Suqing was overwhelmed with surprise. She had never expected this at all!

    ¡°Yes! I need to make a trip back home to ask my parents about this. I may not be fully aware of what happened with the generation before us, so I¡¯m going to go back and ask them about it. I might be able to find out what really happened back then. Take care of Ye Mingke in the hospital. I¡¯m going first.¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Mo Suqing nodded. ¡°Go ahead. Leave Qiqi to me. Xia Zi and I will take good care of her.¡±

    She then made her way back to the intensive care ward as he left.

    She realized Su Jincheng, who would usually be standing in an obscure corner, had left hurriedly, as if something had happened to Ming Ruoyuan.

    She did not think much about it and walked towards Xia Zi instead.

    Ming Jinhua and Ye Wentian were enjoying their afternoon tea when Ye Zhongjue arrived back at the Ye family home.

    Seeing her son in such a fluster, Ming Jinhua stood up in concern. ¡°Jue, what¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡±

    He did not dare tell them about what Ming Ruoyuan just did to Luo Qiqi since it would only worry them, so he simply said, ¡°Dad, Mum, I found Mingke.¡±

    His words were akin to a ripple on a calmke. Ye Wentian shot up immediately. ¡°Really?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue passed him the reports and said, ¡°Dad, have a look. This is the report for me and Mingke. It says that we are biological siblings. She has that jade pendant with her too.¡±

    Ye Wentian was trembling now, while Ming Jinhua was already in tears. ¡°Daughter, my daughter. Jue, can you tell Mum where the poor girl is?¡±

    He frowned as he thought of Luo Qiqi¡¯s condition. Instead, he said, ¡°Before that, I¡¯d like to show the both of you another report.¡±

    Ye Wentian¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Another report?¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Ye Zhongjue nodded as he passed the other report to his father. Surprise appeared on Ye Wentian¡¯s face as he saw the results.

    ¡°Where did you get this, Jue? Who is she?¡± Ye Wentian passed the report to Ming Jinhua as he asked Ye Zhongjue about it.

    Ye Zhongjue said, ¡°From what I understand, she and Mingke grew up in the same orphanage, but they are on bad terms. There are differences in opinion as to who the jade pendant really belongs to, which was why I ran the report for the both of them. I never thought Ming Ruoyuan would actually be my maternal cousin!¡±

    Ming Jinhua staggered backwards and copsed onto the sofa.

    ¡°What? Her name is Ming Ruoyuan?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Ye Zhongjue nodded. ¡°Mum, what¡¯s wrong? Do you know her?¡±

    Ye Wentian and Ming Jinhua exchanged a look before the both of them nodded.

    Ye Wentian then said, ¡°I think it¡¯s better for your Mum to tell you about this!¡±

    Ming Jinhua then directed her gaze upon Ye Zhongjue, looking as if she was reminiscing about the past.

    She spoke slowly. ¡°When I decided to marry your father, he already had a fiancee at that time. She was the daughter of the head of A City¡¯s Mingcheng Group, Yun Cheng¡¯er. She never gave up on your father even until the day we got married. I thought she would give up after Mingke was taken away by the babysitter.¡±

    Ming Jinhua gave a bitterugh. ¡°I never thought that she would actually target my older brother after causing my daughter to go missing. Your uncle, Ming Zhenhua, was a professor in A University at the time. When I learnt about it, he was already together with Yun Cheng¡¯er, and their daughter was about the same age as Mingke. I thought Yun Cheng¡¯er had already given up, but she didn¡¯t. She ran away with your uncle¡¯s daughter, and your uncle left A City in order to look for her. I¡¯ve never seen him since, and I¡¯m guessing that the child ended up in the same orphanage as Mingke all due to Yun Cheng¡¯er pulling the strings behind the scenes. She was fuelled by hatred and wanted to destroy all that she couldn¡¯t have. She caused my daughter to go missing and did that to my older brother. I guess that was the greatest revenge against me. She hated that I was with your dad, so she tried to break our family apart and hurt us...¡±

    Ye Wentian reached out to take her in aforting embrace as Ming Jinhua cried.

    The events of the past seemed to sh across Ye Zhongjue¡¯s mind as he listened to his mother speak.

    A myriad of emotions washed over him. He wondered how his parents would react if he told them that Ming Ruoyuan acted just like her mother, plotting to kill Ye Mingke after taking one of her kidneys. How could such a debt left behind by the older generation have such an impact on them even now!

    When Ye Zhongjue brought his parents to the hospital, he also realized that Su Jincheng was no longer hanging around in his usual spot.

    Mo Suqing told him that he was now looking for Ming Ruoyuan because she went missing.

    Ye Zhongjue called Lin Ran immediately to get him to locate Ming Ruoyuan. He did not want anything to happen to her before everything was rified, and he knew Ming Jinhua would be upset if that happened.

    His parents watched Luo Qiqi through the ss of the intensive care ward. Ming Jinhua could not stop her tears from falling, while Ye Wentian was trying hard to be strong.

    Their daughter, who had been missing for more than twenty years, had finally been found. But she was now lying in an intensive care ward. There was no way they could be happy about this!

    Ye Zhongjue knew that there was no way Ming Ruoyuan could keep this a secret forever and that he had to tell his parents the truth.

    Afraid that his mother would not be able to take the news, he pulled his father aside to tell him what really happened.

    Ye Wentian was shocked after hearing everything. ¡°How could your uncle¡¯s daughter be so vicious!¡±

 Chapter 243 â€“ Luo Qiqi is Missing

    <h4>Chapter 243 ¨C Luo Qiqi is Missing</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue shook his head in response. Luo Qiqi is his sister, and he would like to take revenge for her more than anyone else.

    But it was his cousin on the other end, and he knew it would hurt his mother if he really exacted revenge on her.

    He looked at Ming Jinhua before turning back to his father.

    Ye Wentian patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Child, just try your best. Just remember that you guys are still rted.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue simply nodded at this.

    He decided to let Ming Ruoyuan go as long as she did not do anything else to Luo Qiqi. But if she dared toy her hands on Luo Qiqi again, he would not forgive her a second time!

    Everyone heaved a sigh of relief when Luo Qiqi was finally transferred into a normal ward.

    Ye Wentian and Ming Jinhua stayed by her side. Xia Zi was afraid that Ming Ruoyuan would do something to Luo Qiqi again, so she also stayed in the hospital to keep an eye on Luo Qiqi.

    Su Jincheng tried to visit a few times, but Xia Zi had never allowed him to enter.

    Ming Ruoyuan was currently missing, and Su Jincheng did not manage to find her even after a few days had passed.

    Earlier in the day, Su Jincheng came to visit Luo Qiqi again. He knew that she was no longer in critical condition, but she had yet to wake up.

    Although Xia Zi stopped him from taking a single step into the ward, he remained outside and refused to leave.

    Xia Zi then asked, ¡°Su Jincheng, can we have a chat?¡±

    He nodded after a moment of contemtion.

    The both of them went up to the rooftop. Xia Zi¡¯s hair was whipped up by the strong wind, making her look even more forbidding than she usually did.

    She spoke with her back to him. ¡°Su Jincheng, I just want to understand something. You have feelings for Qiqi, so why did you do that to her? How well do you even know Ming Ruoyuan? How could you hurt Qiqi because of her? How could you be so cruel?¡±

    Su Jincheng paled at this. ¡°Xia Zi, it¡¯s not like that at all!¡±

    This angered Xia Zi instantly. She turned to re at him. ¡°Not like that? Then tell me, what is it actually?¡±

    A bitter smile tugged at the corner of Su Jincheng¡¯s lips. <i>Why does everyone say that I don¡¯t know Ming Ruoyuan? Did I really not know her?</i>

    ¡°Xia Zi, you might not know this, but do you remember that time when I stole Luo Qiqi¡¯s jade pendant and ended up getting pursued by her? I didn¡¯t know it belonged to her then, and she didn¡¯t even bother to rify anything before shooting me...¡±

    Xia Zi interrupted him before he could finish. ¡°You did the same thing five years ago when you shot me!¡±

    He gave a wryugh. ¡°I wanted to protect Suqing. She was the one who helped me when I was wounded by the both of you. I¡¯ve always treated her as a good friend. I thought you guys were the viins and that you wanted to hurt Suqing, which was why I took the shot. But, what I¡¯m trying to say is that Luo Qiqi shot me without hesitation because that pendant is very important to her. What she doesn¡¯t know is that it is also something that¡¯s important to me!¡±

    Xia Zi frowned at this. ¡°Qiqi had that pendant with her ever since I¡¯ve known her. What has it got to do with you!¡±

    ¡°When did you know her?¡± Su Jincheng asked. ording to what Ming Ruoyuan said, Luo Qiqi should have been the one who took the pendant from her, which caused others to think that the pendant belonged to Luo Qiqi instead.

    Xia Zi scoffed at him. ¡°Trying to figure out who the real owner of the pendant is, are you? I¡¯ve grown up with Luo Qiqi in the same orphanage since we were two. I know very well who the real owner of the pendant is!¡±

    The gears were turning in Su Jincheng¡¯s head.

    <i>If I was eighteen at the time, both Luo Qiqi and Ming Ruoyuan should have been sixteen.?</i><i>ording to Xia Zi, the pendant belongs to Luo Qiqi. So why did Ming Ruoyuan say it was hers??</i><i>But no matter what Xia Zi says, my memory from back then can¡¯t possibly be wrong.</i>

    Su Jincheng regarded Xia Zi seriously. ¡°Xia Zi, you have no idea how important the owner of the jade pendant is to me. Back when I was only eighteen andpeting for the position of Dark Night, I was ambushed and almost lost my sight because of the poisonous gas released. I remember seeing the owner of that pendant take me to safety. I¡¯m not sure about anything else, but I¡¯m very sure about that pendant. I remember touching it, and it had the character ¡®ke¡¯ engraved on it. She helped fix my sight, but I could not find her after that. She¡¯s none other than Ming Ruoyuan! I swore to protect her forever, so how can I go back on my word!¡±

    Xia Zi¡¯s expression changed as she listened to Su Jincheng.

    She asked, ¡°You hurt Luo Qiqi because of this?¡±

    Su Jincheng shut his eyes in pain. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to!¡±

    A bitter smile appeared on Xia Zi.

    ¡°What a cruel fate! Su Jincheng, do you know what the character ¡®ke¡¯ stands for?¡±

    He shook his head and answered in slight exasperation. ¡°I don¡¯t!¡±

    Xia Zi smirked at this. ¡°I guess I can tell you then. Ye Zhongjue has a younger sister called Ye Mingke who went missing when she was two. She carried a jade pendant with her everywhere, and it is that very pendant with the character ¡®ke¡¯ engraved on it. Qiqi always had it with her and it was her life. She would never misce something that important to her. Like what you said, she treated you like a thief and shot you without hesitation when you stole it. Why can¡¯t you understand how important the pendant is to Qiqi?¡±

    Su Jincheng could only look at her in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re telling me that the pendant belongs to Luo Qiqi and she¡¯s actually Ye Zhongjue¡¯s biological sister, Ye Mingke?¡±

    ¡°What do you think!¡± Xia Zi continued ring at him. ¡°Ye Zhongjue had already gotten the sibling DNA test done. Why would I lie to you about this?¡±

    All color drained from Su Jincheng¡¯s face.

    Xia Zi was not satisfied. <i>How could thispare with all the pain Qiqi was put through!</i>

    Her smile wasced with anger. ¡°You said something happened when you were eighteen, right? Was it in the Soviet Union?¡±

    Su Jincheng staggered backwards as he stared at her. ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡±

    Xia Zi continued mercilessly, ¡°I also know who you¡¯re talking about. She¡¯s called Yaya!¡±

    Her words were like a dagger that pierced through him. He copsed onto the ground instantly.

    He refused to believe her. ¡°How did you know?¡± Although he did not dare admit it, his heart already knew the answer.

    ¡°Hah...¡± Xia Zi looked at him mockingly. ¡°How did I know? Su Jincheng, don¡¯t you know that Qiqi and I are as close as sisters? She tells me everything! She didn¡¯t even hide the fact that you were actually Dark Night. Do you think she¡¯ll keep this from me? We don¡¯t have any secrets. I bet you don¡¯t know this, but to save you, she had to distract an entire group of Soviet Union agents, and it was just to save you. Who knew that she saved a wolf in sheep¡¯s skin. You¡¯re actually trying to kill her! Why did she have to do that? She might have died if I didn¡¯t arrive on time! Su Jincheng, I don¡¯t know what to say to you. Please don¡¯te looking for Luo Qiqi anymore, you¡¯re not wee!¡±

    Xia Zi turned to leave after her tirade.

    Su Jincheng was in a daze. He was motionless even as the biting wind assailed his face, as if he could feel nothing.

    He felt like someone was twisting a knife in his heart. He never thought that Luo Qiqi would be the real Yaya, and that he almost caused her death.

    <i>It¡¯s all my fault!?</i>Su Jincheng felt his entire world crashing down upon him. She was the one he loved and the one he wished to protect the most, but he had actually put her through so much pain. Xia Zi could not forgive him, and he could not forgive himself for it either.

    He simply sat there staring into thin air. More than ten minutes passed like this, when all of a sudden, Xia Zi came rushing up to the rooftop and yelling at him.

    ¡°Su Jincheng, you asshole! Tell me where that bitch Ming Ruoyuan is now! Qiqi is missing! It has to be her again!¡±

    Feng Liluo followed closely behind Xia Zi, his re at Su Jincheng full of a murderous intent.

    Su Jincheng shot up instantly. ¡°What? Qiqi is missing?¡±

    ¡°Damn it, enough talk! You should know where Ming Ruoyuan is since you¡¯ve been looking all over for her!¡±

    Xia Zi saw the door ajar when she went back to the ward, and she opened it to see both Ye Wentian and Ming Jinhua knocked out on the floor. Luo Qiqi was simply gone.

    Feng Liluo returned with food just as she exited the ward. She never thought that Luo Qiqi could go missing in such a short span of time! She would never forgive herself if anything happens to Qiqi!

    Seeing the fuming Xia Zi, Su Jincheng quickly suggested, ¡°Might Qiqi have woken up and left the ward?¡±

    This was him trying to console himself as he hoped that Qiqi was safe.

    Incensed, Xia Zi grabbed Su Jincheng and shook him like a madwoman. ¡°Su Jincheng, are you and Ming Ruoyuan working together? Did you take Qiqi away? How can it be such a coincidence? Tell me!¡±

 Chapter 244 â€“ Qiqi is the Real Yaya

    <h4>Chapter 244 ¨C Qiqi is the Real Yaya</h4>

    Luo Qiqi just returned from the gates of hell and something had to happen to her again. Xia Zi was going absolutely insane.

    Su Jincheng shook his head profusely. ¡°Calm down, Xia Zi. We¡¯ll go look for Qiqi. I¡¯m not lying. I really don¡¯t know where Ming Ruoyuan is, but I believe we can find her. She¡¯ll definitely have a goal since she kidnapped Qiqi, because there¡¯s no need for her to do that if she simply wanted to kill Qiqi!¡±

    Xia Zi calmed down slightly after this, but she continued ring at Su Jincheng.

    ¡°Su Jincheng, I want you to die if anything happens to Qiqi!¡±

    ¡°No need for you to tell me! I would kill myself!¡±

    Su Jincheng then said, ¡°Looking for Qiqi is our priority now. Believe in me. I¡¯ll bring her back!¡±

    Xia Zi was in pain. Luo Qiqi was still unconscious, and she was basically fresh meat waiting to be butchered.

    Su Jincheng, Xia Zi and Feng Liluo went downstairs to see an approaching Ye Zhongjue. His expression was terrifying when he looked at Su Jincheng.

    Xia Zi informed Ye Zhongjue about what happened after sending his parents for treatment, which was why he rushed to the hospital.

    Ye Zhongjue had been busy investigating Ming Ruoyuan, but he never thought Luo Qiqi would be abducted like this. He thought that she would be safe with Xia Zi and Feng Liluo around, but it turned out that he was still too careless.

    He nced at Su Jincheng emotionlessly before choosing to ignore himpletely.

    ¡°I¡¯ve blocked all the entry and exit points in A City, so it¡¯s impossible for Ming Ruoyuan to take Qiqi out of the city. I¡¯ve found some information about her as well. Ming Ruoyuan was ten when she left the orphanage, and she was adopted by Yang Tianlong. It¡¯s that Dr. Yang who did the operation on Ming Ruoyuan and Qiqi. He¡¯s a military doctor from the Soviet Union. Ming Zhenhua, my uncle, saved his life once, so he decided to adopt and take care of my uncle¡¯s only child, Ming Ruoyuan, when he had the ability to. Ming Ruoyuan became a Soviet Union agent and we can¡¯t confirm what actually happened between the years. But one thing is for sure, that after she turned sixteen, she became very familiar with what Su Jincheng and Luo Qiqi were up to all these years.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue then continued speaking as they walked. ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, Ming Ruoyuan already knew who Qiqi was, which was why she targeted Qiqi in the first ce. She simply wanted revenge for her mother, Yun Cheng¡¯er, who probably told her everything when she was on her deathbed. She probably wanted to kill Qiqi in the beginning, to take revenge for Yun Cheng¡¯er, but she didn¡¯t expect Qiqi to be that tough.¡±

    ¡°Thus, she decided to monitor Qiqi, nning to take everything away from her. She also probably learnt about Su Jincheng¡¯s identity that very year when Qiqi got in trouble in the Soviet Union. So her goal changed from killing Qiqi to understanding everything about her before killing her and recing her. This was also why Ming Ruoyuan had always been nearby wherever you and Qiqi were. She was trying to observe the two of you. She leaked some information to lure the two of you into A City, and the fact that Su Jincheng is Dark Night was also information provided by her. She initially wanted to see you guys kill each other, but what happened five years ago had been totally unexpected. You were taken away by Guan Zixuan and Su Jincheng saved Mo Suqing while Jian Jie became a useless chess piece.¡±

    ¡°She always wanted to kill Qiqi, but Qiqi always emerged unscathed, and she even befriended Su Jincheng. This was probably what upset her most. From what I understand, Ming Ruoyuan has feelings for Su Jincheng. I¡¯m not sure why, but she would have been hopping mad at the fact that things did not go her way five years ago. It was also at this juncture that she was diagnosed with a chronic condition. She wasn¡¯t lying about her chronic kidney disease but her condition was nowhere near critical. It would be at least ten years before she would die without a transnt.¡±

    ¡°She had been seeking treatment for her disease in the past five years, but unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t able to find any suitable kidney donor. Eventually, she set her sights on Qiqi. She might have thought that it was worth a try, but who knew that Qiqi turned out to be a suitable donor. This was basically a gift from heaven to her. And that led to everything that happened after.¡±

    ¡°When Suqing went to get the DNA test done for me and Qiqi, Ming Ruoyuan asked Yang Tianlong to tweak the results. After which, she made use of Su Jincheng to take Qiqi¡¯s kidney. She knew everything about Qiqi and wanted to lie to everyone. If I didn¡¯t do the DNA test for all three of us, I wouldn¡¯t have known she could be this vicious. We shouldn¡¯t be too worked up now, since she took Qiqi away, it meant that she wouldn¡¯t kill her that quickly. This also means that we have something she wants. We can just wait for her to contact us. Before that, all we have to do is stay calm.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°I¡¯ve already sent men to search in all the ces a human can possibly stay in, and I believe Ming Ruoyuan is aware what would happen to her if she gets caught. She¡¯s sure to be extra careful. Of course, apart from searching the entire area like that, another option will be for Su Jincheng to go looking for her personally. Or we can use Su Jincheng as bait to lure her out of her cave!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue shot Su Jincheng a nce after he spoke, and Su Jincheng answered without even the slightest hint of hesitation.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡±

    When Ye Zhongjue and Xia Zi were busy searching for Luo Qiqi, Tianyue Group announced that it had gone bankrupt, causing the President of the Tianyue Group, Su Jincheng, to spiral into instant depression. He attracted the media¡¯s attention by pretending that he wanted to take his own life by jumping off a building.

    Su Jincheng was standing on the roof of the Tianyue Group¡¯s building when Ye Zhongjue received the call from Ming Ruoyuan.

    Mockery was evident in Ming Ruoyuan¡¯s voice.

    ¡°My dear cousin, I thought you were intelligent. Why use such a dumb method? Do you think I¡¯d show myself if Su Jincheng really jumped off?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s tone was frigid. ¡°I don¡¯t care. And I care even less about Su Jincheng¡¯s life!¡±

    ¡°How about Luo Qiqi then?¡± Ming Ruoyuan chuckled. ¡°Cousin, are you going to tell me that you don¡¯t care about Luo Qiqi too? If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll just push her down the mountain right this moment! Don¡¯t be sad after that. She¡¯s your real sister after all!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s brows knitted at this. ¡°Ming Ruoyuan, don¡¯t you dare. What do you want!¡±

    ¡°Simple!¡± Ming Ruoyuan sounded like she was at a high altitude, with the wind howling through the phone and her voice being buffeted by the wind as she spoke.

    ¡°Transfer all your shares in Mighty Empire to me!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue fell silent as he waited for her to continue.

    He then heard herugh. ¡°What? My dear cousin, you don¡¯t seem too willing to do that. Shares are something that you can¡¯t bring to the afterlife. Using them to exchange for your sister¡¯s life is such a good deal! And, Mighty Empire belonged to the Yun family originally. If it weren¡¯t for your mother, Ming Jinhua, who insisted on marrying your father, my mother wouldn¡¯t have died. She wouldn¡¯t have looked down upon my father!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was at a sudden loss for words as he heard what Ming Ruoyuan said. Bitterness tugged at him. The hatred from the previous generation could actually affect them in such a huge way.

    Ming Ruoyuan lived her entire life in hatred and pain as she tried to hurt and take things from others, while Qiqi should not have had to go through all that suffering.

    He cared for his sister, and he was rendered speechless by Ming Ruoyuan. Ming Ruoyuan had crossed the line this time.

    He finally spoke. ¡°I can transfer all the shares to you if you want them, but you have to promise me that Qiqi is safe!¡±

    ¡°Rx...¡± Ming Ruoyuan spoke in a rather creepy way. ¡°I¡¯ll keep my promise and I won¡¯t hurt her. But you¡¯ll have to promise me something too. Tell Su Jincheng that he has to marry me, or else I¡¯d kill Luo Qiqi. Whether I kill her or not is not up to you now. Just remember to tell him that. Before you guys arrive, I want to see my marriage certificate with him. With his abilities, I believe it¡¯s not difficult for him to obtain that document!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression darkened. He knew that Ming Ruoyuan had already gone mad. Fearing that she might do anything unexpected, he had no choice but to agree to all her requests in the meantime.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll promise you. I¡¯ll tell him that. I¡¯ll send you the recordingter. Happy now?¡±

    Ming Ruoyuanughed. ¡°I guess you care a lot about this sister of yours! If that¡¯s the case, I guess I don¡¯t have to keep this from you either. I¡¯ll tell you where we are! When Su Jincheng is done with that marriage certificate, go to the northern peak of Xingping Mountain. I¡¯ll be waiting!¡±

    She then paused before continuing with a harsher tone, ¡°If I see your men instead of you guys, I will push Luo Qiqi off the mountain in a heartbeat. Don¡¯t doubt me!¡±

    Ming Ruoyuan ended the call right after.

    Ye Zhongjue called Su Jincheng immediately. ¡°Leave the roof. Ming Ruoyuan has told me their location - the northern peak of Xingping Mountain. She has conditions though. She wants me to bring her the document that states I¡¯ve transferred my shares to her and you¡¯ll have to bring a marriage certificate, for you and her. She¡¯ll push Qiqi down the mountain otherwise. I believe she¡¯s capable of doing that, considering how crazed she is now. I¡¯m off to work on my document, so you think about how you¡¯re going to get that certificate!¡±

 Chapter 245 â€“ Destroying What You Cannot Obtain

    <h4>Chapter 245 ¨C Destroying What You Cannot Obtain</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue ended the call quickly and sent the call record to Ming Ruoyuan. He then proceeded to get Lin Ran to prepare the document on the transfer of shares.

    Xingping Mountain was a popr tourist destination in A City. The northern peak is the highest point on the mountain, and visitors do not usually go there since the terrain was rather dangerous.

    That madwoman Ming Ruoyuan wanted to prevent them from being able to bring arge team, or else she would not have revealed her location to them this easily.

    He would do anything if that meant saving Qiqi!

    A sinister smile hung on Ming Ruoyuan¡¯s lips as she stood at the peak, listening to the howling winds, looking extremely different from that fragile image she usually portrayed.

    Yang Tianlong was standing in a clearing some distance away. Someoneid at his feet, unmoving, as if dead.

    He looked at Ming Ruoyuan wistfully. He remembered when he collected her from the orphanage. She was but a little girl at the time. Now, she had grown to be a youngdy, and he had started falling for her over time. No matter what she did, he helped and supported her as best as he could. She had told him that he was the only one left in this world who would actually help her.

    He could not bear to leave her in the lurch and see her all alone. As long as it was something she wanted to achieve, he would do his best to help her reach her goal.

    Ming Ruoyuan¡¯s mobile phone vibrated. She smiled as she opened the notification.

    A voice recording yed, seemingly echoing through the empty mountains.

    ¡°Su Jincheng, you cane down from the rooftop now...¡±

    It was the conversation between Ye Zhongjue and Su Jincheng. A satisfied smile appeared on Ming Ruoyuan. She had already predicted that this was what Ye Zhongjue would do.

    All those years of studying his every move had not been wasted.

    She simply had to sit and wait for those two documents!

    Yang Tianlong continued to stare at Ming Ruoyuan wistfully, and she did not notice that Luo Qiqi, who was nowying on the ground, had heard the recording.

    Luo Qiqi had actually already woken up. She was about to regain consciousness right before she was abducted, and when Yang Tianlong ced her in the car boot, she was literally shaken awake by the bumpy journey.

    The winding road up the mountain almost made her sick, and it was fortunate that she had recovered from her operations, or else her condition might have worsened on that journey.

    She did not dare to show that she was already awake since she knew that Ming Ruoyuan was right beside her. She wanted to wait for an opportunity to escape.

    However, having her heart damaged and losing a kidney, she knew very well that she was in no condition to put up a fight. She would most likely end up dead if she tried to escape now.

    Her only option was to bide her time.

    Su Jincheng called right after Ye Zhongjue had his document done.

    Su Jincheng sounded calm and collected as he spoke.

    ¡°I¡¯m done here. I¡¯m at your office. Let¡¯s go together!¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue then grabbed the document and left immediately.

    He made brief eye contact as he saw the familiar figure of Su Jincheng, but none of them spoke as they got into the car and headed for Xingping Mountain.

    Though Xingping Mountain was a tourist area, the roads were winding and it was difficult to travel. The both of them stopped the car at the bottom of the northern peak and made their way up by foot.

    The first thing they saw was Luo Qiqi lying on the ground when they arrived at the peak.

    Both of them stiffened at this. With a single nce from Ming Ruoyuan, Yang Tianlong whipped out a pistol and aimed it at Luo Qiqi¡¯s head.

    Ming Ruoyuanughed. ¡°I wonder if you guys brought the documents I¡¯ve asked for?¡±

    Su Jincheng opened the red marriage certificate so that she could see the names and the photos on it.

    When Ming Ruoyuan saw the doctored photo of them together with both her and Su Jincheng¡¯s names, she suddenly felt that she had no more regrets in this life.

    After so many years, she had finally gotten her wish.

    It was because of Luo Qiqi that she started noticing Su Jincheng. But no one told her that the more you monitored someone, the more it became a habit and a routine that was difficult to shake off.

    She was addicted to it. She waspletely addicted to this man before her. It took her a while to realize that some of her actions were actually motivated by her feelings for him.

    This was also why she decided to take Luo Qiqi¡¯s ce as Yaya and pretend to be the owner of the jade pendant.

    On her deathbed, her mother had told her to take back Mighty Empire. ording to her mother, Mighty Empire belonged to the Yun family, and none of this would have happened if it wasn¡¯t for Ming Jinhua. Her mother would not have died before her time, and neither would her father.

    Ming Jinhua was only aware that Ming Zhenhua went to look for Yun Cheng¡¯er, but she did not know that he was beaten to death by a bunch of gangsters in order to protect Yun Cheng¡¯er. Ming Ruoyuan was only five at the time, and all she saw was her father¡¯s body.

    She hated Ming Jinhua, Ye Wentian, and she hated their children even more, because all they had now was supposed to be hers. Of course, there was a time when she hated her own mother, Yun Cheng¡¯er.

    Ming Ruoyuan was someone who hated the world, but she was not able to change much of it in the end.

    Right now, all she wanted was to take over Mighty Empire and to have this man in front of her.

    Su Jincheng looked at her. ¡°The marriage certificate is done, but I have some questions for you. Why! You¡¯re not Yaya, but how did you know everything about her? Don¡¯t you feel the slightest bit of remorse when you lie to me?¡±

    Although Ming Ruoyuan had considered the possibility that Su Jincheng would be furious when he found out the truth and refuse to marry her, she was still caught off guard by his question.

    She never thought that he would ask her if she felt bad when she lied to him.

    Only she knew how much it hurt her to lie to him. It felt like her heart was being wrenched every time she lied, because she knew very well that every lie she told would just push him further away from her.

    <i>A horrible end awaits me if Luo Qiqi doesn¡¯t die and if I¡¯m unable to take her ce.</i>

    Ye Zhongjue turned to Su Jincheng in slight puzzlement. He never expected Su Jincheng to y the emotion card, but looking at the current situation, it seemed to work quite well.

    Ming Ruoyuan looked at Su Jincheng as she answered him.

    ¡°You probably don¡¯t know this, but everything that happened in the Soviet Union was nned by me. I set the trap for Luo Qiqi, but you walked in by ident. I didn¡¯t expect for the both of you toe out alive from that. I ced a device on Luo Qiqi to eavesdrop on her, and although I couldn¡¯t pinpoint the location, I heard everything that happened between the two of you. I know Luo Qiqi well enough to rece her, I¡¯ll love you with all my heart!¡±

    Ming Ruoyuan sounded absolutely insane while Su Jincheng could only stare at her incredulously. <i>I¡¯m such an idiot to push Luo Qiqi away.</i>

    <i>I¡¯ve known her for so long but I wasn¡¯t able to treat her well nor protect her. I¡¯m useless!</i>

    Ming Ruoyuan continued staring at him, not noticing the subtle change in Su Jincheng¡¯s expression.

    ¡°I feel so bad every time I lie to you, and it hurts so much that I could die. I know very well that I¡¯m pushing you away with every single lie, and I was so afraid that you¡¯d find out one day¡­ Big Brother, you know that I¡¯ll be scared...¡±

    The seemingly emotionless Su Jincheng was instantly triggered by the phrase ¡®Big Brother¡¯.

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me Big Brother. You¡¯re not Yaya. You¡¯re not worthy!¡±

    Ming Ruoyuan was stunned. She thenughed a sorrowfulugh, the sound echoing through the mountains.

    ¡°So I¡¯ve been lying to myself all this while. You don¡¯t see me as Yaya anymore...¡±

    Su Jincheng was infuriated now. ¡°You¡¯re not worthy, Ming Ruoyuan. You¡¯re vicious. Yaya isn¡¯t like that!¡±

    Ming Ruoyuan got agitated.

    ¡°I¡¯m not worthy? How many times have you called me Yaya? How can you be this cruel? You¡¯ve already gotten the marriage certificate. Do you believe me if I say that I¡¯m going to push Luo Qiqi off this cliff? There would be no more Yaya in this world then!¡±

    Su Jincheng stiffened at this. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare, Ming Ruoyuan!¡±

    Ming Ruoyuan stared at him fearlessly. ¡°Try me then!¡±

    He stared at her, but she shifted her gaze to Ye Zhongjue instead.

    ¡°My dear brother, where¡¯s the document that I¡¯ve asked for? Did you bring it with you?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue passed the document to her and said, ¡°You can check it!¡±

    She smiled at this and opened the document slowly, scanning through it carefully as if she was analyzing it in great depth.

    She finally answered after a while.

    ¡°Mm, my cousin, all that¡¯s left is for you to sign off. I¡¯d be satisfied if you ce your signature on it!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue retrieved the document from her and watched her in silence for a while before asking, ¡°Ming Ruoyuan, aren¡¯t you tired of living a life fuelled by nothing but hatred?¡±

    She scoffed at this. ¡°Tired! Why would I be tired?¡±

    ¡°Do you think that being fuelled by hatred is a good thing?¡± Ye Zhongjue asked.

    She seemed rather surprised at his question. ¡°Hatred¡­ I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s good to be fuelled by hatred. But I know that my only other option is to destroy anything that I can¡¯t get my hands on!¡±

 Chapter 246 â€“ Blood and Ties

    <h4>Chapter 246 ¨C Blood and Ties</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue smirked. ¡°Like Mighty Empire and Su Jincheng!¡±

    There was a subtle change in Ming Ruoyuan¡¯s expression as she chuckled. ¡°Yes, but that doesn¡¯t matter anymore!¡±

    Ye Zhongjueughed when he caught that almost imperceptible change in her.

    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll be able to forget all this hatred in your next life. Don¡¯t be tied down by it anymore!¡±

    Right after he spoke, Ming Ruoyuan doubled over as she held her stomach in pain. She spat out a mouthful of blood.

    ¡°You actually¡­ put poison on that document!¡±

    Seeing Ming Ruoyuan like this, Yang Tianlong aimed his gun at the ground as he pulled the trigger before dashing towards her.

    ¡°Ruoyuan!¡± There was a mix of sorrow and anger in his voice, and he did not even seem to have realized that Luo Qiqi had rolled away just when he fired.

    Su Jincheng was stunned at this turn of events. Everything seemed to happen in a sh, and everyone seemed to be moving at the same time.

    It was Ye Zhongjue putting poison in the document, and now, it was Luo Qiqi waking up. All of this seemed nned, like it was too much of a coincidence.

    Ye Zhongjue did not expect for Luo Qiqi to wake up. He expected for Yang Tianlong to rush over to Ming Ruoyuan when the poison took effect, but he never thought that Yang Tianlong would pull the trigger.

    It was fortunate that Luo Qiqi woke up in the nick of time.

    Yang Tianlong hugged Ming Ruoyuan, who had already copsed. As a doctor, he could tell that the poison was cyanide, and it was instantly fatal. He never thought that he would witness Ming Ruoyuan die right before him like this.

    Ming Ruoyuan had already stopped breathing.

    Incensed, Yang Tianlong stood up and stared at Ye Zhongjue.

    ¡°Why did you have to do that? She¡¯s your cousin!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at him as he ced himself between the doctor and Luo Qiqi. ¡°Yang Tianlong, you call yourself a doctor when you¡¯ve done all that? Just what else did Ming Ruoyuan get you to do? You ask me why I did that? If I don¡¯t, my own sister might be the one who¡¯s dead. Do you really think I¡¯m that naive to believe Ming Ruoyuan when she says that she¡¯ll let Luo Qiqi go after she obtains those documents? Qiqi has been unconscious all this while. I don¡¯t believe that you guys will be keeping your word!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Yang Tianlong smirked suddenly as he shifted his gaze to look somewhere behind Ye Zhongjue.

    Though Ye Zhongjue felt something amiss, it was toote when he acted.

    The Luo Qiqi who was behind him shot him directly in the back. It was then that he realized he had been too flustered to even consider the possibility that the Luo Qiqi with them now is a fake!

    Although Luo Qiqi did wake up, Yue Wuxin, one of Ming Ruoyuan¡¯s partners and a special agent from Soviet Union, arrived at the scene before Su Jincheng and Ye Zhongjue reached the same location.

    She asked Ming Ruoyuan to hide Luo Qiqi somewhere else since she was not much different from someone who was dead, and it was quite impossible for her to escape on her own.

    Her idea was that she would pretend to be Luo Qiqi instead. She had facial prosthetics on and with everything in chaos, no one actually realized she was an imposter.

    Su Jincheng came to his senses when he saw Ye Zhongjue get shot. <i>This Qiqi is a fake.</i>

    He dashed forward, knocking the gun out of Yue Wuxin¡¯s hands.

    However, Yang Tianlong already had his gun aimed squarely at Su Jincheng. Now that Ming Ruoyuan was dead, he wanted to drag everyone else to hell together with her. With Ye Zhongjue already gravely injured, he decided to turn his focus on Su Jincheng.

    Ye Zhongjue wanted to push Su Jincheng out of the way, but he had no energy to even get up as he felt the sticky blood on his back.

    The only thing he could do was cry out. ¡°Su Jincheng!¡±

    It was all toote when Su Jincheng spotted the nozzle. He was entangled with Yue Wuxin inbat and there was no escape. The bullet lodged itself into his chest.

    He felt his vision turn fuzzy and he thought he heard Luo Qiqi¡¯s sorrowful cry.

    <i>If it has alreadye to this, one of us has to stay alive, or else Luo Qiqi would be devastated.</i>

    <i>Yaya, Big Brother can no longer keep my promise to you.?</i><i>I¡¯m so sorry, Yaya!</i>

    All of a sudden, Su Jincheng rushed forward with the veryst of his energy to grab Yue Wuxin and Yang Tianlong. Yang Tianlong stared at him wide-eyed, shocked that Su Jincheng would make such a choice. Su Jincheng wanted to protect Ye Zhongjue by bringing them down with him.

    With onest spurt, Su Jincheng drove himself into the two of them and they all fell off the cliff!

    ¡°Su Jincheng!¡±

    The voice seemed to be buffeted in the mountainous wind, sounding like a sorrowful cry.

    Luo Qiqi was not fully recovered, and Yue Wuxin had sequestered her in some cave in the mountains. She struggled her way up to the peak only to witness what just happened.

    She never imagined having to bid farewell to Su Jincheng like this.

    Ye Zhongjue turned at the voice, afraid to make eye contact with her. <i>She probably doesn¡¯t know that Su Jincheng was the very person who¡¯d been through all that with her back in the Soviet Union.?</i><i>It¡¯s best if she doesn¡¯t find out now.</i>

    He could tell that Luo Qiqi was barely holding herself together. It would onlypound her sorrow if he revealed it to her now.

    Although Luo Qiqi had been unconscious for a while, she was still able to hear the conversations that urred near her. She just felt extremely exhausted and tired, and no matter how she tried, she simply could not open her eyes.

    She heard the others say that Ming Ruoyuan took her kidney, and that her heart seemed to have been damaged.

    She heard Xia Zi saying that Su Jincheng had always been standing outside her ward, and she also heard them say that she was Ye Zhongjue¡¯s younger sister, Ye Mingke.

    She also felt the love from her parents.

    It was only until now did she know that she was not orphaned. While she was unconscious, she seemed to recall that the Ye family home was where she lived when she was younger, which was why she found it oddly familiar.

    Children did not have great memories, but she knew that the sense of familiarity could not be replicated in any way.

    She had also told Xia Zi multiple times that Xiaoliu looked a lot like her, but Xia Zi did not think much of it. Now that she recalled the past, she realized that Xiaoliu indeed looked a lot like her when she was younger.

    So this was all because she was rted to her. She was Xiaoliu¡¯s aunt. Though she had heard the saying that nieces are likely to look like their aunts, it was now that she really understood it.

    She never understood why she felt oddlyfortable with Ye Zhongjue. There was a period of time when she even felt like she was letting Mo Suqing down, but all of it was because he was her older brother.

    <i>I¡¯ve finally found my family...?</i><i>But am I going to lose that man forever¡­?</i>

    Luo Qiqi crawled to the edge of the peak and cried out to the heavens. It felt as if all the flora and fauna were weeping with her. If it wasn¡¯t for Ye Zhongjue who held onto her ankle, she might have even jumped off the cliff.

    The entire scene looked tragic. Pieces of the share transfer document fluttered all over while the red booklet holding the marriage certificateid on the ground somewhere away from the two frail and weak siblings.

    Everything seemed to have been stained red with blood.

    This was the scene that greeted Xia Zi, Feng Liluo and Gu Yi¡¯an when they arrived.

    One of them carried Luo Qiqi while the other put Ye Zhongjue on his back. Gu Yi¡¯an did some emergency treatment on Ye Zhongjue to help staunch the blood before they headed down the mountain.

    Luo Qiqi was crying the entire journey as they sent Ye Zhongjue to the hospital. She watched Ming Jinhua, knowing how worried her mother must be feeling right now.

    Her long-lost daughter had to be put through such an ordeal after she had just been found.

    Luo Qiqi then decided that she should stop crying and insisted on going to look for Su Jincheng.

    Unable to reject her request, Xia Zi apanied her.

    Xiaoliu and A¡¯jiu visited Ye Zhongjue when he was in the hospital. Xiaoliu bawled loudly, and although A¡¯jiu did not shed a tear, everyone could see those red, swollen eyes of his.

    Mo Suqing felt sorry for her children. <i>Would it be worth it if I continue fighting with Ye Zhongjue like this my whole life?</i>

    Now that Qiqi has been found, she decided that she would agree to marry him if he proposed to her.

    Seeing Su Jincheng and Luo Qiqi made her realize that nothing was easy, and one had to persevere to see the light.

    Luo Qiqi and Xia Zi left no stone unturned at the foot of the northern peak, but Su Jincheng was nowhere to be found. The police found one body, but it belonged to Yang Tianlong.

    After some time, they found a ravaged corpse in the ditch wearing what Su Jincheng wore on the day he fell off the cliff.

    The police did a DNA test on the corpse and confirmed that it was Su Jincheng.

    No one actually realized that there was one more missing person, Yue Wuxin.

    With Su Jincheng dead however, no one bothered to look into her.

    Luo Qiqi refused to believe that Su Jincheng was dead. She continued going to Xingping Mountain to look for him, as if she was ced under a spell.

    Xia Zi could only apany her every time she made a trip there, hoping that she would be able to walk out of her sorrow eventually.

    When Luo Qiqi met Feng Liluo again, she only said one thing to him.

    ¡°Liluo, you should leave A City. My heart is already dead.¡±

    Feng Liluo thus left. A City suddenly felt much emptier now, even though it was only a few people who had left.

    ¡­¡­

    <strong>In the ward.</strong>

    Ye Zhongjue woke up on the third day after his operation.

    Mo Suqing was the first one he saw when he awoke.

    The first thing he said was, ¡°Mo Suqing, marry me!¡±

    Mo Suqing was stunned at this. She did not expect for them to actually be thinking the same thing.

    Seeing that she seemed to be hesitating, Ye Zhongjue continued, ¡°Suqing, do you know that when it felt like I was about to die, there was only one thought on my mind. I promised myself that if I survived, the first thing I had to do was to marry you!¡±

    Mo Suqing¡¯s tears started falling¡­

 Chapter 247 â€“ Getting Married to Love

    <h4>Chapter 247 ¨C Getting Married to Love</h4>

    Little did Mo Suqing expect that the both of them would actually think about marriage after facing a life-and-death situation.

    Getting married would mean that they would be together for their entire lives.

    Ye Zhongjue grasped her hand tightly. Although his wound still hurt, his heart felt warm and full.

    A¡¯jiu stopped Xiaoliu before she could rush into the room. He?said, ¡°It¡¯s not nice to disturb Daddy and Mummy now!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Xiaoliu looked at him innocently.

    ¡°Because if we disturb them, they might not be together after this. If they separate, we might end up with either only Daddy or Mummy instead of having the both of them here. If they have their own separate families in future, we¡¯ll be abandoned. Wouldn¡¯t that just be sad? So we need to give them space to spend time with each other!¡±

    Though Xiaoliu seemed a little confused, she nodded and listened to A¡¯jiu. She peeked into the room through the gap in the door.

    She then cried out softly, ¡°Brother, Daddy and Mummy are ying kissy-kissy!¡±

    A¡¯jiu facepalmed. <i>What¡¯s wrong with this sister of mine!</i>

    Mo Suqing opened the door at this moment. She looked down to see Xiaoliu curled up on the floor and looking up at her withrge, innocent eyes.

    She then turned to see her son, disdain written all over his face as he looked at Xiaoliu.

    She reached out to take Xiaoliu¡¯s hand and turned to A¡¯jiu to say, ¡°A¡¯jiu, go in and see Daddy. He¡¯s awake now.¡±

    A¡¯jiu walked towards her awkwardly, and Mo Suqing walked back into the room with the two of them in tow.

    After Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue decided to get married, the entire A City was inundated with the news.

    Mo Suqing decided to leave from the Mo family home on her wedding day.

    Since Leng Xiyao had promised Mo Suqing to get married at the same time, the both of them decided to have their weddings on the same day and in the same hotel.

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s injury had more or less recovered after a month.

    ¡­¡­

    It was bright and sunny on the day of their wedding, and A City seemed to be bathed in a warm glow of happiness.

    Mo Suqing looked at her reflection in the mirror as she donned her white wedding gown. <i>After all these years, I¡¯ve finally put on a wedding gown for him.</i>

    Everything seemed to sh past her mind.

    It had been seven years since that fateful night when she mistook him for Gu Jiannan, and she felt fortunate to be able to meet him again.

    All the trials and tribtions they had been through had now be a foundation for their love.

    She felt that she was the luckiest woman in the world, because she¡¯s getting married for love.

    She smiled as she thought about Leng Xiyao, who was currently in another room. She felt lucky that she was able to keep her word with Leng Xiyao and get married at the same time, and at the fact that she had such a good friend!

    Xia Zi and Luo Qiqi were the bridesmaids, while Xiaoliu, A¡¯jiu and An Baobei were the page boys and flower girl. An Baobei had changed his name to Leng Yixuan, and he had already been given five percent of the shares in the An Group as well as ten percent of the shares in The Unparalleled.

    Everyone called him a mini tycoon.

    The boy smiled sweetly at everyone as he remained silent.

    After what happened to Su Jincheng, Luo Qiqi did not seem to be able to let him go even after some time had passed. Xia Zi did not dare reveal the truth about what happened in the Soviet Union to Luo Qiqi, fearing that she would not be able to take it.

    She saw Su Jincheng fall with her own eyes, but it was still extremely difficult for her to ept the fact that he was gone!

    Xia Zi did not know how Luo Qiqi would react if she told her the truth, so Xia Zi chose to keep it from her for now.

    <i>I hope Qiqi will understand why I kept this from her when she finds out.</i>

    Though dressed in her white bridesmaid get-up, there was a hint of sorrow in Luo Qiqi¡¯s expression. The previously bubbly and cheerful Luo Qiqi was gone.

    It hurt Xia Zi to see her like this, but there was nothing she could do. Luo Qiqi had to go through this and walk out of it on her own.

    Ye Zhongjue looked suave as he led a convoy of a hundred bright red Ferraris and cruised down A City¡¯s streets.

    Leng Haoyun¡¯s convoy was made up of a hundred all-white BMWs, and it carried the meaning of growing old together.

    It was an unforgettable scene in A City as the red and white vehicles dotted the main streets of A City.

    Leng Xiyao was in a fiery red off-shoulder wedding gown with a fishtail design. She looked beautiful and enchanting as Leng Haoyun carried her into his white BMW.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s white gown had a long train, and when Ye Zhongjue saw her, he said affectionately, ¡°My dear wife, I¡¯m here!¡±

    Mo Suqing lowered her head, embarrassed at him. That shy expression of hers made Ye Zhongjue fall head over heels for her again as he slowly walked up to her.

    He scooped her up before Mo Suqing could even react.

    She panicked and spoke softly in his ear, ¡°Jue, your wound!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her reassuringly, his warm and gentle breath falling on her neck.

    She turned shy again as he said, ¡°My dear wife, this happens only once. How can I let you walk on your own, silly!¡±

    Mo Suqing blushed as she buried her head into his chest while he carried her all the way to his red Ferrari.

    The white BMW and red Ferrari circled A City nine times, representing that the couples would be together for a long time.

    The convoys stopped at the Hilton Hotel for the banquets.

    As a bridesmaid, Xia Zi was busy ushering the guests at the hotel, but she did not see the person that she wished to see the most even when most of the guests had already arrived.

    She seemed rather disappointed. <i>How could Guan Zixuan not turn up for my sister¡¯s wedding? He should havee to congratte her no matter what.</i>

    She knew very well how important Mo Suqing was to Guan Zixuan because she had spent the past five years with him.

    Guan Zixuan took care of her so tenderly, and she knew that it was because he thought she was Mo Suqing. She knew that she could never be Mo Suqing¡¯s recement either.

    Mo Suqing caught Xia Zi¡¯s disappointed expression and made a call to Guan Zixuan. However, his phone seemed to be switched off and he was unreachable. She thus decided to tell him everything only after her wedding.

    It was obvious that Xia Zi did not feel too happy about the fact that Guan Zixuan did not turn up.

    Mo Suqing shook her head. <i>My silly sister, why don¡¯t you tell him how you feel?</i>

    ---

    Mo Suqing went to touch up her makeup after all the guests had arrived.

    The next event was the exchange of rings. It represented how she and Ye Zhongjue will depend on each other and not abandon each other.

    Ye Zhongjue was nervous as he heard the master of ceremonies invite the bride. He had never felt this nervous all his life and his heart was thumping wildly like never before.

    He was entranced when he saw the figure in white walk towards him.

    She was the only one he could see and everything else seemed to fade into the background as she shone with dazzling light.

    When Mo Suqing arrived before him, he was suddenly at a loss of what to do.

    The pastor then proceeded with the formalities.

    The couple exchanged their rings and everything seemed toe to a happy end at this moment.

    Reporters had been reporting on the entire day of events, from the convoys to the current banquet, and everything came to a close at night.

    Mo Suqing, Ye Zhongjue, Leng Xiyao and Leng Haoyun changed intofortable clothes after the banquet, as their next step would be to go on their honeymoons immediately.

    At the airport, Mo Suqing pulled Xia Zi to the side when she spotted her sister looking rather down.

    ¡°A¡¯zi, I think we¡¯ll be spending at least a month abroad before returning. There¡¯s something I wanted to tell you all this time.¡±

    Xia Zi looked up at her in puzzlement. <i>My sister had something to tell me?</i>

    Mo Suqing continued gently, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be surprised at this. I¡¯ve wanted to tell you a long time ago, but I just couldn¡¯t find the right time to broach the subject. I can tell that you have feelings for Guan Zixuan ever since he came to A City previously.¡±

    ¡°Sis¡­ You...¡± Xia Zi stuttered and lowered her head.

    Mo Suqing stroked her hair and looked at her gently.

    ¡°Silly girl, you have to be brave when ites to love. If I didn¡¯t run away at the time, it wouldn¡¯t have taken me and Ye Zhongjue such a long time to get together. It¡¯s good that you go through some difficult times, but the most important thing is to face it with courage.¡±

    Xia Zi looked at Mo Suqing and nodded.

    Mo Suqing smiled and whispered in her ear, ¡°Actually, Guan Zixuan came to A City previously because he was looking for you!¡±

    She then smiled meaningfully at Xia Zi before leaving.

    The surprised Xia Zi was left rooted to the spot!

    <sup>[1]</sup> For those unfamiliar with Chinese wedding customs, the groom usually goes to the bride¡¯s family home to pick her up. This is why it¡¯s stated that Mo Suqing leaves from the Mo family home on her wedding day.

    <sup>[2]</sup> The phrase used here to represent ¡®a long time¡¯ has a word in it that sounds the same as the word for ¡®nine¡¯. This is why it¡¯s stated that they circled the city nine times.

 Chapter 248 â€“ A Storm in Emperor City

    <h4>Chapter 248 ¨C A Storm in Emperor City</h4>

    It took a while for Xia Zi to digest what Mo Suqing just told her.

    <i>Guan Zixuan made a trip to A City not to look for her but to look for me?</i>

    Xia Zi stood where she was for a while, dazed at the news...

    She saw Luo Qiqi spacing out on the sofa when she returned to their vi. Luo Qiqi seemed to be spacing out like this every single day after what happened to Su Jincheng. She was unable to get over the fact that he was already gone.

    Seeing her like this, Xia Zi shook her head in resignation. <i>When will she be able to walk out of it?</i>

    She sat beside Luo Qiqi gently and said, ¡°Qiqi, I know you¡¯re upset. Just cry if you want to. Don¡¯t torture yourself like that. It hurts me to see you like this¡­¡±

    With Luo Qiqi ignoring her and still staring into the empty space, Xia Zi decided to use a moremanding tone. ¡°Qiqi, do you n to live the rest of your life like this? Su Jincheng did that because he knew you were nearby, and between him and Ye Zhongjue, he had to make sure one of them stayed alive. He knew that Yang Tianlong would hurt you, which is why he did that. It¡¯s not for you to end up sulking all day like this!¡±

    Hearing Su Jincheng¡¯s name triggered Luo Qiqi.

    She turned to Xia Zi with tears escaping her eyes. ¡°A¡¯zi, I feel so empty, as if there¡¯s no ce for me in this world anymore. Why did he have to jump off? He might have been able to survive if he didn¡¯t, so why did he choose to do that!¡±

    Luo Qiqi then buried herself into Xia Zi¡¯s chest as she wept.

    Support us at Innread.

    Xia Zi wiped the tears off her face and kept herpany.

    The both of them talked for a long time, with Xia Zi listening to Luo Qiqi as she spilled her heart out. She knew Luo Qiqi had feelings for Su Jincheng, but she never knew that Luo Qiqi had already fallen so deeply in love with him.

    <i>Just what is love? It seemed to be something that could change a person entirely.</i>

    When Xia Zi woke up the next morning, she decided to go to Emperor City to look for Guan Zixuan. She wanted to tell Luo Qiqi about her ns after preparing breakfast and tell her to take good care of herself when she was away.

    The television was switched on and everything seemed peaceful and normal when she was preparing breakfast.

    However, she happened to hear a major news reporting from the television after she had just toasted the bread.

    ¡°After going on a hiatus for five years, top star Guan Zixuan has been exposed for taking drugs. He is still under investigation, but some of our media friends have found out that Guan Zixuan has a rather prominent family background. It seems that he is no ordinary individual, which was why this news had been suppressed. Now that it has been exposed, I wonder how this previous top star would react to these allegations...¡±

    Xia Zi could no longer hear the rest of the report as her thoughts were currently in a mess.

    <i>Something happened to Guan Zixuan.?</i>She found it weird that he did not attend Mo Suqing¡¯s wedding, and the worst had happened.

    Luo Qiqi saw Xia Zi standing in a daze when she made her way downstairs. She had also heard the news.

    She walked up to Xia Zi and hugged her gently. ¡°A¡¯zi, don¡¯t be upset. We don¡¯t know what exactly happened yet. It¡¯s better if you go over to take a look in person. I know the both of you spent five years together, so¡­ A¡¯zi, go ahead. There¡¯s no need to worry about me. I¡¯ll take care of myself. I¡¯m still that head-strong Luo Qiqi if you ever need me. A¡¯zi, you don¡¯t have to worry about me. Do what you want to do!¡±

    Xia Zi nodded slowly, her mind abuzz with what was just reported on the news. <i>Guan Zixuan is in trouble, he¡¯s in trouble...</i>

    After her breakfast, Xia Zi packed up quickly and Luo Qiqi sent her off at the airport on the next avable flight to Emperor City.

    The flight took two hours, and Xia Zi immediately hailed a cab to the ce where she had lived with Guan Zixuan for the past five years.

    She was heading for a high-end residential area near Jinan Avenue, but what she saw shocked her when she alighted.

    There were reporters everywhere and it looked like their entire vi was swarming with reporters.

    Her brows creased at this. She never expected to witness something like this upon her return.

    Her surroundings seemed strange yet familiar, but Guan Zixuan was nowhere to be found.

    She stood a distance away from the vi as she contemted her next steps, finally deciding to visit the Guan family home instead.

    The Guan family home was a <i>siheyuan?</i> located in the old city area and it had extremely heavy security.

    Xia Zi had to go through countless rounds of checks and approvals before she sessfully entered thepound.

    Guan Zijue was surprised to see her.

    Xia Zi was the only one in Guan Zixuan¡¯s heart right now, and if it wasn¡¯t for her, he would never have agreed to return to the Fengteng Group either.

    However, the current situation was tooplex, and if their family wanted to interfere, it might only lead to more questions and more trouble for the entire Guan family.

    Fengteng Group¡¯s shares had been plummeting because of this major drug scandal, and the possibility of copse was very real. This was also why Guan Zijue rushed back to take care of matters even though he was supposed to be in the military right now.

    He knew that his parents wanted to help Guan Zixuan, but it was not an easy feat. Throughout history, all acts of crime are seen equally whether it ismitted by a royal or by amoner. Coupled with the fact that the Guan family already held a prominent status in society, trying to help Guan Zixuan out might backfire and turn public sentiment against them.

    Guan Zixuan was a child of the Guan family, and there was no way his parents would just sit and watch if he¡¯s in trouble. But the current situation was nothing but a stalemate.

    Though Guan Zixuan was important, preserving the honor of the Guan family was above that.

    For the past three generations, the Guan family had always held a prominent ce in politics, and his parents would never allow them to lose the political power they had. Even if his parents did not mind it, their extended rtives would not be happy about it. There were too manyplexities within, and a single wrong move might end up destroying their entire n.

    Guan Zijue looked at Xia Zi in puzzlement. Guan Zixuan had been adamant at marrying Xia Zi, and his parents had eventually agreed, but he never expected for Xia Zi to leave so suddenly.

    Though his parents felt that this brought shame upon their family, they were relieved that Guan Zixuan no longer insisted on marrying Xia Zi.

    This was why Guan Zijue was surprised that Xia Zi would actually return when she had left so resolutely.

    Guan Zijue thought that his brother meant nothing to Xia Zi, but it seems like he was wrong about her now...

    Xia Zi cut to the chase and asked, ¡°Big Brother, just what¡¯s going on with Guan Zixuan?¡±

    Guan Zijue was surprised at how stern Xia Zi was. She was aloof in the past, but she seemed to be a lot tougher now.

    Both Guan Zixuan and her addressed him as ¡®Big Brother¡¯, and Guan Zijue wondered if he should tell her everything, since she might just be able to help.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside.¡± Guan Zijue led her into the living room.

    Xia Zi followed him quietly. She predicted that Guan Zijue would be home, and she was right.

    If it were his parents, Guan Mingchang and Xia Xinsheng, she wouldn¡¯t have known how to face them.

    She always felt that his parents did not seem to like her much, and it did not help that she was so aloof either.

    She also found it pretty bizarre for Guan Zixuan¡¯s mother to have a name like Xia Xinsheng, but it made sense when Guan Zixuan exined the reasons to her.

    Xia Xinsheng was not his biological mother.

    His birth parents had been in a political marriage and there was no love between them, leading to an eventual divorce after five years of being together.

    ording to Guan Zixuan, his stepmother used to be from A City and she actually changed her name. After being saved by his father from some ident nine years ago, she changed her name before they got married.

    Guan Mingchang and Xia Xinsheng said they already knew each other when Guan Mingchang was studying in a university in A City, and they had been together once. They had to break up eventually because his family disagreed.

    Xia Xinsheng married someone else while Guan Mingchang agreed to go into that political marriage ording to his parents¡¯ wishes.

    It was not easy for them to get together again, so Guan Zixuan and Guan Zijue had always been respectful to Xia Xinsheng. Furthermore, she treated them just like her own sons.

    Xia Zi turned to Guan Zijue, waiting for him to continue.

    He took a deep breath before he began his exnation.

    ¡°What happened to Zixuan is kind ofplex. So there¡¯s this girl called Su Xiaoran from the Su family who had always carried a torch for Guan Zixuan. She was obviously unhappy when he brought you back here five years ago. Even so, there was no way she could make Guan Zixuan do anything, so she had to suffer in silence. She never expected for Guan Zixuan to decide to marry you in the end, especially when the marriage between her and Guan Zixuan was actually something that the elders of the family had decided and agreed upon much earlier on. You were just like someone who appeared out of nowhere.¡±

    ¡°Zixuan had almost fallen out with the family because of you, and nobody would have guessed that you would leave just right before the wedding when everything seemed to already be set in stone. Su Xiaoran saw an opportunity then, but when she found out that Guan Zixuan abandoned thepany and left for A City to look for you, she was absolutely furious. She¡¯s been treated like a princess in the Su family, so she¡¯s very spoiled, and she¡¯s bent on destroying everything that she can¡¯t get her hands on!¡±

    <sup>[1]</sup> A <i>siheyuan?</i>is a style of historical architecture found in China. Here¡¯s the Wikipedia link if anyone may be interested to learn more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siheyuan

 Chapter 249 â€“ The White Rose, Xia Zi

    <h4>Chapter 249 ¨C The White Rose, Xia Zi</h4>

    Xia Zi was stunned upon hearing what Guan Zijue just said.

    ¡°You mean, Su Xiaoran wants to destroy Guan Zixuan?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that she wants to. She has already done it!¡±

    Xia Zi was in disbelief. ¡°She¡¯s the culprit behind everything?¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Guan Zijue nodded and said, ¡°She¡¯s the one behind all of this. Those photos where he was allegedly taking drugs were taken from when they hung out at the bar a long time ago. It¡¯s true that Zixuan didn¡¯t live a saintly lifestyle before he became a celebrity, but he probably didn¡¯t think that his past would end up destroying him like that.¡±

    Xia Zi then asked, ¡°What do we do now? Is there anything we can do to alleviate the situation? I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a way, right? Also, what does Su Xiaoran stand to gain from all of this? Isn¡¯t she afraid that the Guan family might start targeting her like this?¡±

    Guan Zijue was rather impressed with Xia Zi¡¯s quick analysis, finding her intelligent and astute.

    ¡°Something she stands to gain...¡± Guan Zijue smirked. ¡°Su Xiaoran is taking a gamble. If she wins, she¡¯ll be able to be with Guan Zixuan, and I guess she¡¯s ready to face the music if she loses the bet!¡±

    Xia Zi shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand though!¡±

    Guan Zijue continued, ¡°There are two options if we want to save Zixuan. The first to get him to marry Su Xiaoran. If she can expose those photos, then she¡¯ll definitely be able to speak up and clear up the misunderstanding. If Zixuan agrees to marry her, she¡¯ll definitely help him out on this. So all she¡¯s doing now is taking a gamble on his life. She¡¯s betting on the chance that Zixuan would choose to marry her in order to save his career!¡±

    Xia Zi scoffed at this. <i>Su Xiaoran didn¡¯t know Guan Zixuan at all. He might look no different from a hobo at times, but he wasn¡¯t someone who would yield that easily.</i>

    ¡°What¡¯s our other option?¡±

    Guan Zijue watched Xia Zi as he thought, <i>Zixuan was right about her. Someone who doesn¡¯t back down in the face of adversity. It¡¯s no wonder Zixuan fell for her.</i>

    ¡°It¡¯s to make the Su family fall from grace!¡±

    Xia Zi¡¯s eyes widened. <i>Make the Su family fall?</i> She always knew that Guan Zijue was not someone to be trifled with, but she never thought that she could actually be this vicious.

    In Emperor City, the Su family was only second to the Guan family in terms of status, and it would not be an easy task to make their family fall from grace. If Guan Zijue says this is an option, then it was highly likely that he was more than confident of being able to seed.

    She looked at Guan Zijue with a resolute gaze. ¡°Okay! I agree with that second option of yours. You just need to tell me what to do!¡±

    ¡°You...¡± Guan Zijue was rather surprised at this, and he was unsure of what Xia Zi meant.

    Instead of exining herself, Xia Zi immediately kicked at him. Guan Zijue dodged it easily, but he could feel the power from her kick, and he knew it was not something that an ordinarydy could manage.

    He felt excited all of a sudden.

    He began to spar with her, first attacking with a hand and then aiming at her hip with his right leg. Xia Zi dodged all his attacks nimbly and tried to immobilize him by grabbing his elbow. However, he was able to struggle free in less than a second.

    <i>What power. But I¡¯m no meek kitten either!?</i>Xia Zi trapped his ankle with her legs and started aiming punches at him.

    The both of them were extremely agile and if any experiencedbatant had seen them spar, they would have definitely sung their praises!

    With every move, the surprise in Guan Zijue grew. He never expected Xia Zi to have such superbbat skills. <i>Who is she, really?</i>

    The sparring match ended in a draw.

    Guan Zijue looked at Xia Zi, obviously impressed.

    ¡°Who are you, really? Where did you get those skills?¡±

    He never found out even though Xia Zi actually stayed in the same house with him for five years.

    ¡°Xia Zi from Interpol! Big Brother, I hope you don¡¯t mind. Guan Zixuan wouldn¡¯t have been able to bring me over if it weren¡¯t for my amnesia five years ago, and I wouldn¡¯t have gotten to know the Guan family otherwise.¡±

    He stared at her in disbelief as all the doubts circling Guan Zijue¡¯s mind were instantly rified. <i>She¡¯s none other than THE White Rose. It¡¯s no wonder she¡¯s so skilled.</i>

    <i>Seems like I¡¯ve found the right person for the job. Her skill set is exactly suitable for some parts of my n, and it would be best if we could save Zixuan too!</i>

    ¡°You can start by looking into these people. They seem pretty close with the Su family...¡±

    Guan Zijue outlined his n, to which Xia Zi agreed. She was willing to do anything as long as it could save Guan Zixuan.

    ording to Guan Zijue, he already had most of the pertinent information on hand. It seemed like he had been collecting the information for years, but there were some major pieces of evidence that he had not yet been able to conveniently get his hands on. No one would expect that he would get Xia Zi¡¯s help for the job either. With her aid, they had a huge chance of winning!

    Xia Zi watched Guan Zijue. <i>This man is too dangerous. I¡¯d better not get on his bad side.</i>

    Before she left, she suddenly recalled the most important reason she was here.

    She asked, ¡°Oh, do you know where Zixuan is right now?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± Guan Zijue asked in surprise.

    ¡°I came here to look for you because I don¡¯t!¡±

    Guan Zijue sighed. ¡°I thought you already knew and that you decided toe to me to discuss possible solutions. Zixuan was taken away by the disciplinarymittee yesterday! The Guan family has manyplex ties, and apart from the drug scandal, there are some other individuals who took the opportunity to add fuel to the fire, hoping that themittee will add to his charges. From what I know, the evidence that these people have presented are barely enough. You¡¯ll just have to wait for my final blow. It will definitely ensure Zixuan¡¯s safety!¡±

    Xia Zi nodded. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be going now. I¡¯ll go get that first piece of evidence for you tonight.¡±

    Guan Zijue nodded in response as he walked her out of their home.

    ----

    When night fell, Xia Zi entered Emperor City¡¯s Shengshi Hotel in a light blue evening gown with a red invitation card embossed with gold lettering.

    There was a banquet happening in Shengshi Hotel tonight.

    It was a charity banquet on the surface, but there were many underlying motivations and goals behind it. The Su family were the organizers.

    Her first mission would be to find evidence of the Su family pulling the strings in the background.

    Xia Zi had handled countless simrrge-scale cases, and she knew that it was easier to get hold of the evidence in thete game. She thus sat elegantly at a quiet corner, ignoring everyone else.

    Though she looked rather imposing, there was an elegant charm about her that made her hard to miss.

    Su Jing spotted Xia Zi almost immediately.

    He walked over and took a seat beside her. ¡°My deardy, might we have met?¡±

    Initially, Xia Zi did not want to entertain yboys like him whose pick-up lines were overused, but she decided to engage him in conversation when she looked up at him and recognized him as Su Jing. Su Jing was the oldest son in the Su family, and he was the main decision-maker.

    She smiled at him. ¡°Is that so? You might have forgotten then. We¡¯ve indeed met.¡±

    ¡°Oh...¡± Su Jing answered nomittally as he continued being enamored with Xia Zi. He did not ask her where they had met.

    Because of his status, he was usually swarmed by everyone wherever he went.

    <i>This woman is interesting. She says that we¡¯ve met. There¡¯s a chance here!</i>

    Someone called for him at this very moment and it seemed like he had to attend to some matters as the banquet was about to start.

    He stood up and whispered into Xia Zi¡¯s ear, ¡°Wait for me after the banquet ends!¡±

    Xia Zi remained cid and betrayed nothing on her face. She simply looked up at him with a purposeful gaze.

    This made Su Jing find her all the more intriguing. He then left,ughing to himself.

    Xia Zi was supposed to help Guan Zijue out on three matters, two of which had to do with Su Jing. She never expected to be able to bait Su Jing so quickly.

    She thus sat there waiting for the banquet to end. Su Jing returned shortly after, and just as he was about to whisper in her ear again, she stood up abruptly.

    Losing her bnce, she toppled forward onto Su Jing. He supported her quickly.

    After finding her footing again, Xia Zi said, ¡°Thank you!¡± before she lowered her head and remained silent.

    Su Jing loved that he was able to embrace a beautiful woman like her, and his grin grew wider as he saw Xia Zi lower her head nervously.

    He looked down at her and took her in an embrace.

    ¡°Wait for me, don¡¯t go anywhere. I¡¯ll be able to find you no matter where you go!¡±

    An expression of surprise appeared on Xia Zi after he spoke. Satisfied with his own performance, Su Jing left in all smiles.

    Xia Zi simply stood in ce. To bystanders, it would look like she had been frightened by that encounter.

    But no one knew that she had already secretly ced a camera on Su Jing when she fell on him earlier. It was ced near his chest and barely noticeable.

    Xia Zi gave an imperceptible smirk as Su Jing left. <i>That was easy!</i>

 Chapter 250 â€“ Is She Insane?

    <h4>Chapter 250 ¨C Is She Insane?</h4>

    Xia Zi waited for about half an hour before Su Jing appeared.

    His grin widened as he saw Xia Zi.

    She looked up at that satisfied grin of his before giving an imperceptible smirk after confirming that the pinhole camera was still secure on his chest.

    Su Jing walked up to her and put a hand over her shoulder as he smiled.?¡°Sorry for the wait!¡±

    Xia Zi shook her head shyly and stole another nce at the camera before they walked out.?She already had the camera back in her hands before they entered the car. This made her smile even more sweetly than before.

    She had wanted to leave after retrieving the camera, but she realized that the contract Guan Zijue asked her to obtain was also with Su Jing.

    Su Jing would probably keep an important document like that either in the safe or take it with him wherever he went, and Xia Zi found that he just happened to have it in his document bag.?She thus decided to leave with him in his car.

    Su Jing was satisfied with how willing Xia Zi was. <i>She¡¯s still one of those cheap girls even though she looks so pretty. Pouncing on me because I have both the money and the looks. But I¡¯m in a good mood today, so I¡¯ll give her a chance.</i>

    He drove all the way to Hotel Arthur, walking in with his document bag in one hand and Xia Zi in the other. The moment they entered the room, he dropped everything and headed for the shower.

    Xia Zi moved quickly, snapping photos of all the relevant documents before putting everything back into ce. She was gone before Su Jing came out of the shower.

    He looked around the room and checked his documents. Nothing seemed to be amiss.

    He then went downstairs to ask the hotel staff and they told him that Xia Zi ran out in tears earlier. Puzzled, he went back upstairs to retire for the night.

    After exiting the hotel, Xia Zi found a secluded corner and removed her facial prosthetics before putting on another set and heading for the next location.

    Her next location was a condominium apartmentplex and her target was a politician. He was usually stationed at the military headquarters, but he had a mistress who stayed in the city. He purchased a condominium for her and visits her at least once a week. Today was the day of his visit. His wife did not know about this at all. Guan Zijue¡¯s n was to ckmail the politician after they obtained photos of him and his mistress together.

    Xia Zi was unsure if he would relent based on a few photos alone, but Guan Zijue said it was sure to work as their target was extremely fearful of his wife.?Even so, she would never do something that might end in failure.

    She entered the building opposite the apartmentplex armed with a pair of binocrs and watched her target. Xia Zi was presented with a live-action porn as he did not even bother to draw the curtains. He probably never thought anyone would actually be snapping photographs of him from the opposite building at this hour.

    Xia Zi packed up and left quickly after snapping a few photos on her camera.?She only had to give all the materials to Guan Zijue before he arranged everything to take down the Su Family once and for all.

    Xia Zi asked Guan Zijue out on the next day to give him all the materials.?He was surprised at the speed with which she worked. ¡°That was quick!¡±

    She nodded. ¡°When can we save him?¡±

    Guan Zijue changed the subject instead of answering her question.?¡°I¡¯m nning to go visit Zixuan today. I can pass a message if you¡¯d like.¡±

    Xia Zi shook her head. ¡°No. Everything¡¯s good as long as he¡¯s fine!¡±

    Guan Zijue nodded before saying, ¡°Actually I would¡¯ve asked to meet you even if you didn¡¯t ask me out for these materials today.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Xia Zi looked at him in puzzlement.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get angry.¡± He looked at her as he spoke in a serious tone.

    ¡°Go ahead!¡± Xia Zi remained cid as she waited for his answer.

    He then said, ¡°I¡¯m actually visiting Zixuan today to get him to agree to the Su family¡¯s marriage proposal!¡±?He watched Xia Zi to gauge her reaction on this, but she remained expressionless.

    Guan Zijue then continued, ¡°Once he agrees, Su Xiaoran will be willing to rify everything. I¡¯m nning to submit these materials one day before their wedding, which will then cause the wedding to be cancelled. It¡¯s a little despicable, but Su Xiaoran never wanted to make it easy for Zixuan either. I¡¯m just giving her a taste of her own medicine. I hope you don¡¯t mind!¡±

    Xia Zi already expected that there would have been more to Guan Zijue¡¯s n that he had yet to share with her.

    It was indeed rather despicable, but anything was fine with her as long as they could save Guan Zixuan. She just did not want to see him get hurt.

    She was no expert in the field of politics, and she merely wanted Guan Zixuan to be safe.

    ¡°Big Brother, I¡¯ll leave it to you. I¡¯ll wait for Guan Zixuan!¡±

    Guan Zijue nodded at her in acknowledgement.

    -

    When Xia Zi returned to her hotel, she heard news that Su Jing had been looking all over the city for a girl he met at the banquetst night, a beautiful girl in a blue gown.?However, Su Jing could not locate her no matter where he looked.?That woman seemed to have disappeared into thin air.

    Guan Zijue left to visit Guan Zixuan immediately after his meeting with Xia Zi.?Guan Zixuan was still in detention since his case was still under investigation, and Guan Zijue was only able to visit him through some connections he had.

    Guan Zixuan was sitting in a tiny room that was walled on three sides. There was only one door which served as the entrance and exit.?Guan Zijue saw his brother sitting at the desk with his head lowered, as if he was deep in thought.?He knew instantly that the room would be monitored by security cameras, and everything they said would be recorded as potential evidence.

    That did not matter since he was here to tell Guan Zixuan to agree to the marriage.

    Su Xiaoran¡¯s parents had already agreed to it, so it was now down to Guan Zixuan.

    Guan Zixuan saw his brother walk in when the door opened, but looked back down quickly.?Guan Zijue was momentarily angered by the sight of him. ¡°Stop that! What are you doing?¡±

    Guan Zixuan looked up and asked, ¡°Does it matter what I¡¯m doing now?¡±

    ¡°Are you going to give up just like that?¡±

    Guan Zixuan turned away from him. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that!¡±

    Guan Zijue did not want to waste any more time with him and went straight to the point. ¡°I wanted to ask if you¡¯re willing to marry Su Xiaoran.¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s head shot up as he scoffed. ¡°Is she insane? Why would she want to marry me when I¡¯m in such a state?¡±

    Guan Zijue continued, ¡°Whether she¡¯s really insane or not, I¡¯m here to ask on behalf of the Su family if you agree to this marriage!¡±

    Guan Zixuan looked at his brother incredulously. ¡°Bro, are you really my brother? I don¡¯t think you should be the one saying that!¡±

    Guan Zijue stared at him. ¡°Answer me. Are you going to get married or not? If you¡¯re not, then you can stay here and rot to death!¡±

    Guan Zixuan scoffed at him. ¡°I guess you¡¯re here to force me into the marriage!¡±

    Guan Zijue shot him a cold re. ¡°Do you think I would bother with you if you weren¡¯t my brother? Answer me. Are you getting married or not? It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re going in for eight years or ten years, as long as both of you are willing, the Guan and Su families will make it happen!¡±

    ¡°No way! Bro!¡± Guan Zixuan stared at Guan Zijue wide-eyed. ¡°You think she¡¯s insane, but I¡¯m not. I don¡¯t like her, so why do I have to marry her!¡±

    Guan Zijue tried to signal to him with his gaze that the only way out for him now was to agree to the marriage, and it was obvious that Guan Zixuan understood, but he chose to ignore it instead.

    Anxious, Guan Zijue decided to use his trump card. ¡°Xia Zi is in Emperor City!¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s expression changed immediately. He stood up and walked up to Guan Zijue. ¡°What did you say? A¡¯zi is here?¡±

    Guan Zijue was losing his patience. ¡°Why would I lie to you? You decide if you want to get married or not!¡±

    Guan Zixuan contemted for a moment before answering resolutely, ¡°I want to!¡±

    He decided that he had to agree even if it meant reneging on the marriage since he knew that someone will help him out of the current situation as long as he agreed.?His A¡¯zi has arrived, so he can¡¯t waste any more time here.?Joy and anxiety filled up in him when he heard Guan Zijue say that she had returned.

    He could barely believe it. She seemed so cold and aloof thest time he went to A City, and he thought that she would never havee for him on her own volition. Even though he thought she did not care for him at all, he was unable to forget how they relied on each other for the past five years.

    In those five years, though it felt like he was the one taking care of her and that she was relying on him, he knew very well that he had already gotten used to her and everything about her. He had gotten used to being by her side every day and seeing her there all the time.

    A routine could be terrifying. It made him fall in love with her.

    He never expected that he would have feelings for anyone else in this world apart from Mo Suqing. Little did he know that fate would let them meet...

 Chapter 251 â€“ Wise Are Those Who Can Adapt

    <h4>Chapter 251 ¨C Wise Are Those Who Can Adapt</h4>

    Guan Zijue heaved a sigh of relief when his brother agreed. He knew that convincing Guan Zixuan would not be easy, and seeing how Guan Zixuan was willing topromise to such a great extent upon hearing Xia Zi¡¯s name only served to prove how important she was to him.

    Guan Zijue took another look at Guan Zixuan before leaving.?If everything went smoothly, Guan Zixuan should be able to leave by tomorrow afternoon.

    The contents of their conversation was very quickly made known to the Su family.

    <strong>At the Su family home.</strong>

    Su Xiaoran spoke to her brother, Su Jing, smugly. ¡°Look, I told you. Guan Zixuan would surely agree to this. The Guan family¡¯s honor is on the line. He would have to consider them even if he doesn¡¯t care about himself!¡±

    Su Jing shook his head in resignation. ¡°Xiaoran, you¡¯re only forcing him into this. What if he doesn¡¯t treat you well in future?¡±

    Su Xiaoran tilted her head back as sheughed. ¡°As long as we get married, I have my ways!¡±

    ¡­¡­

    A video was posted online in the afternoon of a group of rich heirs and heiresses hanging out at a bar. Guan Zixuan was one of them, and it was obvious that the photo that led to his scandal was a screen grab from that video.?The disciplinemittee continued investigating the case even after the video had already made its way into the public sphere. They were extraordinarily strict since this could affect the Guan family greatly.?Even so, the video had already proven that Guan Zixuan was innocent, and he was thus released very quickly.

    Guan Zixuan rushed back home to look for his brother immediately. ¡°Bro! Where¡¯s A¡¯zi?¡±

    Guan Zijue frowned at this.?¡°It wasn¡¯t convenient for me to tell you everything the other day. The only reason you¡¯ve been released now is because you agreed to the marriage, so don¡¯t think about running away from it. Start preparing for the wedding. Forget about the engagement, we¡¯re nning to go straight to the wedding. A¡¯zi is in Emperor City, but it¡¯s not the right time for her to meet you now. Our families have already discussed matters regarding the wedding. It¡¯ll be held next Friday. There are only ten days left, so I hope you keep yourself in check!¡±

    Guan Zixuan was stunned upon hearing this. ¡°Bro, are you serious about asking me to marry that Su Xiaoran? That vicious woman mighte up with another evil n to harm me again. Can you bear to see me marry her?¡±

    Guan Zijue smirked. ¡°That¡¯s none of my business. Go prepare for it and don¡¯t get in trouble!¡±?He then left right after.

    Guan Zixuan stood there in disbelief. <i>Why is my own brother pushing me into the fire like this! This won¡¯t do. I have to find A¡¯zi.</i>

    He suddenly remembered that he could have actually called her. <i>Why didn¡¯t I think of that earlier? I just wasted my timeing over.</i>

    He quickly switched on his mobile phone only to receive tons of notifications. He was surprised to see so many missed calls from Mo Suqing.

    ¡°Zixuan, I¡¯m getting married. Call me back if you see my text!¡±

    ¡°Zixuan, why can¡¯t I reach you? A¡¯zi seems to be feeling rather down because you¡¯re not here. So many things happened in A City, and her mood has not been greattely. Talk to her if you have the time.¡±

    ¡­¡­

    Herst text to him was sent before she boarded the ne.

    ¡°Zixuan, I¡¯m going on my honeymoon now. We¡¯ll probably be gone for quite a while. Anyway, A¡¯zi isn¡¯t in a good mood. I know she¡¯s usually aloof, but she¡¯s really feeling down this time. I¡¯ve already talked to her and asked her to go to you. I hope you cherish this!¡±

    Those were all of Mo Suqing¡¯s text. The rest of the notifications were of missed calls.?He looked through them to realize that Xia Zi called him quite a few times just a few days ago. He had already been taken away and locked up then.

    He never expected things to turn out like this. He knew that his family would try their best to help him, so he did not feel stressed about his scandal at all.?If he had really taken drugs, he would just be tested for it and sent to rehabilitation. The worst that could happen was leaving a tiny mark on the Guan family¡¯s impable reputation.

    He never expected Mo Suqing to get married this suddenly either. She seemed that she was not ready for it thest time he visited A City, which was why he thought that it would need some time for her to actually get married. Who knew that Ye Zhongjue acted this quickly?

    Just thinking about his marriage with Su Xiaoran could make his blood boil.?If it was not for his desire to be released so that he could see Xia Zi, he would never have agreed to marry that woman.

    He dialled Xia Zi¡¯s number on his phone.

    Xia Zi was enjoying the sunlight at the balcony when she heard her phone ring.

    She picked it up and saw that it was Guan Zixuan calling.

    She had already heard about his uing marriage with Su Xiaoran. Guan Zijue did not hide anything from her either. He told her that if they failed at bringing down the Su family this time, there might be no way out for Guan Zixuan and he would have to really marry Su Xiaoran.

    She already knew that Guan Zixuan would be safe when she saw the video online yesterday.?But she never expected him to be calling her so soon. Guan Zijue told her that Guan Mingchang and Xia Xinsheng had really bad impressions of her because she left without a word months ago. Because of that, it would be quite difficult for her to get together with Guan Zixuan again in future.

    Guan Mingchang and Xia Xinsheng were unaware of his ns to bring the Su family down. They simply thought that Guan Zixuan decided topromise and agree to the marriage and that everything just happened to go its natural course.

    What they did not expect was the ensuing drama. Guan Zijue had nned everything, and he was bent on preventing the marriage no matter what. He decided to do it for Xia Zi who risked herself in order to obtain the evidence and material.

    He was very impressed with Xia Zi now, and needless to say, he hated Su Xiaoran. This was why he decided to make use of the material he had to bring her family down.

    At this point, Xia Zi was unaware Guan Zijue had already ced her in such high regard.?To her, loving someone means giving them her all. She does not care what will happen to her as long as Guan Zixuan is well.?She could remember very clearly how tender Guan Zixuan was to her in the past five years where he had mistaken her for Mo Suqing.

    She then decided to answer his call.?¡°Hello...¡±

    Emotions overwhelmed Guan Zixuan as he heard her voice.

    ¡°A¡¯zi, where are you?¡±

    Xia Zi told him the hotel she was in, almost bursting into tears at the sound of his voice.

    Nobody knew how anxious she felt when Guan Zixuan¡¯s fate was still undecided. Having lived abroad for most of her life, she was unfamiliar with how things worked in their country, and she feared so much for him.

    No one would have understood that anxiety.

    ¡°I¡¯m going over now. Don¡¯t leave. Stay in the hotel and wait for me, okay?¡±

    Guan Zixuan sounded like he was coaxing a little child, making Xia Zi feel like they were transported back to when she still had amnesia, to when he was still her Zixuan, and she was still his A¡¯zi. <i>But I can never rece my sister.</i>

    ¡°Okay!¡± She answered. She heard Guan Zixuan¡¯s heavy breathing from the other end of the line, as if he was running.

    Guan Zixuan was almost jumping for joy upon hearing Xia Zi¡¯s answer.?¡°I¡¯ming over now!¡±

    He then ended the call.

    Xia Zi was in a daze as she listened to the dial tone on the phone.

    <i>If the Su family falls and that marriage does not happen, how would I face his parents in future? But what if the Su family manages to survive this? Should I still stay?</i>

    She would never hang onto someone who was already married.

    Guan Zixuan arrived rather quickly. It had barely been ten minutes since they ended the call.

    Xia Zi walked to the door and opened it nervously.?However, she was shocked to see her visitor.?Instead of Guan Zixuan, it was Su Xiaoran - someone whom she had not met in a long time.

    She had in fact, met Su Xiaoran before.

    Five years ago, before Guan Zixuan brought her back to his home, Xia Zi had been in the hospital for a long time.

    There had always been a frequent visitor to his home in those five years she spent there, and that visitor was none other than Su Xiaoran. She seemed to always hover around like a fly.

    Xia Zi was no easy target even though she had lost her memories then. Every time Su Xiaoran wanted to get her into trouble, it would backfire instead.?They could thus be considered enemies of some sort. Su Xiaoran hated Xia Zi, and Xia Zi did not like Su Xiaoran at all.?She even fought with Su Xiaoran shortly before she left Emperor City. She had yet to regain her memories, so even though she knew how to protect herself, she did not have much of an upper hand in their fight either.

    Now that Su Xiaoran was right before her, she did not have to lift a finger to be able to pressure Su Xiaoran by her presence alone.

    Su Xiaoran felt smug now that Guan Zixuan had agreed to marry her, but she also knew that it was because he wanted to see Xia Zi that he did so.

    Since she was able to get Guan Zixuan released in such a short amount of time, it was no surprise that she was able to locate Xia Zi even before he did.

    She gave a satisfied smile. ¡°Xia Zi, you didn¡¯t expect to see me here, did you? I didn¡¯t want to meet you either, but let me tell you this. I won¡¯t let you spoil my wedding ns with Guan Zixuan! So, are you going to back down or do I have to do something about it?¡±

 Chapter 252 â€“ I Saw Everything

    <h4>Chapter 252 ¨C I Saw Everything</h4>

    Su Xiaoran raised her brows at Xia Zi.

    Xia Zi¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly at this. <i>Did Su Xiaoran just try to threaten me? She¡¯s using this tactic even when she knows clearly it doesn¡¯t work on me?</i>

    She thus gave Su Xiaoran the side-eye and said, ¡°I¡¯m really curious to see what you¡¯ll do if I don¡¯t back down! And also, what happens if I do?¡±

    Su Xiaoran¡¯s expression changed. For some reason, she felt that Xia Zi seemed different from the past, but she just could not put her finger on it.

    <i>I have nothing to be afraid of. This is Emperor City, and Xia Zi doesn¡¯t have any backing here.</i> She thus decided to go head to head with Xia Zi on this.

    ¡°If you refuse to back down, I¡¯ll make you regret evering to Emperor City. If you do, then I won¡¯t make things difficult for you either! It¡¯ll be a win-win situation in that case!¡±

    Xia Zi smirked at her. ¡°Make things difficult for me¡­ I¡¯m really curious to see how you¡¯ll do that!¡±

    ¡°You...¡± Su Xiaoran pointed an angry finger at Xia Zi. ¡°Xia Zi, don¡¯t be stubborn. I¡­ I...¡±

    ¡°You what!¡± Xia Zi stared at her coldly, her expression rather terrifying. There were only a handful who dared threaten her so openly like this.

    Su Xiaoran was infuriated.<i>?When did Xia Zi be so fierce?</i>

    She reached out to grab Xia Zi¡¯s hair without a second thought. Xia Zi dodged her easily and grabbed her elbow, causing Su Xiaoran to cry out in pain.

    <i>When did Xia Zi be like this? She¡¯s the devil¡¯s incarnate!</i>

    Guan Zixuan was about to turn the corner into the walkway when the familiar-sounding cry made him stop in his tracks.

    An elegant-lookingdy walked out of the elevator just as Su Xiaoran cried out. Thedy looked at Xia Zi sternly as she yelled at her. ¡°Audacious!¡±

    Xia Zi looked up, shocked to see Xia Xinsheng.

    <i>Why would Guan Zixuan¡¯s mother be here? Didn¡¯t Guan Zixuan say he would be arriving soon? Why were these unrted individuals appearing one after another?</i>

    Xia Xinsheng walked up to Xia Zi with elegant steps as Xia Zi let go of Su Xiaoran. Su Xiaoran went to Xia Xinsheng immediately, her face pale with fear.

    <i>Why was Xia Zi so terrifying? She had so much strength in her. It felt like she could just kill me with a flick of her wrist!</i>

    Xia Xinsheng looked at Su Xiaoran and frowned. She never liked Su Xiaoran. She found the girl too spoilt and arrogant. But it was thanks to her that Guan Zixuan could be released, and their families were already discussing the marriage. She had to be on Su Xiaoran¡¯s side even if she did not like her. She then turned to look at Xia Zi.

    ¡°Xia Zi, we¡¯ve met a few times, so you should know how I am. There¡¯s no need for you to continue this fight. Xiaoran and Zixuan¡¯s marriage is already set in stone. I hope you won¡¯t interfere!¡±

    Weirdly, Xia Zi was unable to muster up that intense aura she used to pressure Su Xiaoran when she looked at Xia Xinsheng. A natural fear enveloped her every time she saw Xia Xinsheng. It was a bizarre desire to not upset the older woman, and she did not know why she felt that way every time she saw Xia Xinsheng.

    She looked at the older woman with a cid expression. ¡°Aunt Xia, I¡¯m not fighting anything. It¡¯s Miss Su Xiaoran who came knocking, and I¡¯m already being very polite. She managed to get away very lightly for someone who challenged me.¡±?Xia Zi then stood there in silence, not uttering another word.

    Xia Xinsheng frowned at this. <i>Why did Xia Zi seem to have changed so much after just a few months? I heard Zixuan say that she remembered her past. Was this change caused by that?</i>

    She knew Su Xiaoran was unreasonable, and she would rather not bother with what happened between her and Xia Zi, but she did not want Guan Mingchang to be embarrassed by this.

    ¡°No matter what, you¡¯ve already punished Xiaoran enough. I hope you will stop harassing our Zixuan in the future, Miss Xia. I thank you in advance.¡±

    Xia Xinsheng turned to leave, with Su Xiaoran following behind her unhappily.

    Xia Zi did not like Xia Xinsheng, but she had no choice but to bow down in front of Xia Xinsheng because Guan Zixuan respected her greatly. She knew that Guan Zixuan would be furious if she was rude to the older woman.

    Guan Zixuan appeared before them just when Xia Xinsheng turned to leave.

    He looked at Xia Xinsheng with a dark expression. She treated him well even though she was his stepmother, so both he and his brother respected her greatly.

    But he could not stand to see her treat Xia Zi this way. No one could rece Xia Zi in his heart, not even his parents.

    A tiny flicker of panic shed past Xia Xinsheng¡¯s eyes when she saw Guan Zixuan approach. If it wasn¡¯t for Su Xiaoran asking her for help, she wouldn¡¯t even have deigned to interfere in that matter. She did it only because of Guan Zixuan.

    But she knew Guan Zixuan well, and she knew that he would not be happy about how she had just treated Xia Zi. She asked in a surprised tone, ¡°Why are you here, Zixuan?¡±

    Guan Zixuan answered her without emotion. ¡°I¡¯m here for the same reason as you are!¡±

    He sounded a little annoyed. His gaze then shifted to Su Xiaoran, who was now cowering behind Xia Xinsheng. ¡°How did you know she was here?¡±

    His tone was a million times icier.

    Su Xiaoran tried to make herself even smaller as she lowered her head. ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I just happened to be here today and I happened to see her¡­¡±

    Guan Zixuan scoffed at this. ¡°What a coincidence that you¡¯re here with my mum!¡±

    Su Xiaoran fell silent. She looked up and stole a nce at Guan Zixuan, suddenly feeling afraid of his menacing aura.

    She decided to frame Guan Zixuan and use him of taking drugs because she thought that he would not do anything to her even if he found out. But that look of his made her shiver in fear.

    She then turned to Xia Xinsheng, pleading with her eyes. ¡°Zixuan, it¡¯s not what you think.¡±

    ¡°Then what!¡± Guan Zixuan was not about to listen to her excuses.

    Seeing Xia Xinsheng look surprised, Guan Zixuan suddenly felt that he might have sounded too harsh. Though Xia Xinsheng was his stepmother, she was also his saviour. He refused to ept her in the beginning too, but what happened made him change his opinion of her entirely.

    His father was running in an election at the time, and he had just graduated. He never thought that he would actually meet a bunch of thugs when he was on his way home. His father¡¯s opponents had sent those thugs.?They wanted to use him to threaten his father, and he knew what the opponent had nned, so he wanted to escape when he had the chance.

    He never thought that Xia Xinsheng saw everything, and she rushed to save him without sparing a thought for her own safety, and she was almost raped by those thugs.?It was fortunate that his father¡¯s men arrived in the nick of time and they were both ferried to safety. That incident made asting impression on him.

    He was not afraid at the time, but what surprised him was that she was willing to go all out to save him. From then on, he started addressing her ¡®mum¡¯.

    Though Xia XInsheng was not one who showed her emotions easily, he began to get to know her better and he realized that she treated him like her own. She was someone who was burning with warmth on the inside while she simply looked cold on the outside.

    He knew very well that she was on Su Xiaoran¡¯s side because of him, but he just could not stand the sight of Xia Zi being bullied. No one was an exception to this, not even himself.

    He then adjusted his tone to sound a little gentler.?¡°Mum, I saw everything earlier.¡±

    Xia Xinsheng then realized that he had actually emerged from a corner in the hallway. Slight frustration shed in her eyes as she said, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything by that, but you and Xiaoran are about to get married soon. You agreed to this yourself, so I hope that you¡¯ll know what is best. Your dad will have his hands full otherwise.¡±

    Guan Zixuan nodded at this. ¡°I know. You don¡¯t have to worry. Go back first.¡±

    Xia Xinsheng took another look at him and left.?Su Xiaoran watched her departing figure and turned back to look at Xia Zi. Resentment shed in her eyes, but she could only follow behind Xia Xinsheng.

    After the both of them left, Guan Zixuan turned to Xia Zi with nothing but tenderness in his eyes.?¡°Why are you here, A¡¯zi?¡±

    Xia Zi was never someone who liked beating around the bush, and she was always straightforward and direct, especially with those she cared about. If she came here to look for him, she would tell him straight instead of pretending that she came here for something else.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to look for you!¡±

    ¡°To look for me?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I believe you know that my sister got married. You didn¡¯t attend the wedding, so I was worried that something might have happened to you. This is why I came over.¡±

    Guan Zixuan walked up to her slowly. ¡°You¡¯re not angry with me anymore?¡±

    ¡°Why should I be angry?¡± Xia Zi asked as she stood at the door, blocking the entrance to the room.

    Guan Zixuan watched that adorable and slightly mischievous look on her as he asked, ¡°You know about everything that¡¯s happening here?¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Xia Zi answered directly.

    Guan Zixuan looked into her eyes and asked, ¡°A¡¯zi, let¡¯s talk inside, okay?¡±

    Xia Zi raised her brows at him. ¡°Why do we have to go inside?¡±

    Guan Zixuan sighed. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll talk here then. You know that I¡¯ve agreed to the marriage with the Su family?¡±

    ¡°Your brother told me everything before he went to visit you!¡±

    Guan Zixuan scolded his brother inwardly. <i>Damn it! Am I his brother or is she his sister? You told her everything but kept everything from me! That brother of mine got me good this time.</i>

 Chapter 253 â€“ What has that got to do with me?

    <h4>Chapter 253 ¨C What has that got to do with me?</h4>

    ¡°A¡¯zi, trust me. I would never marry Su Xiaoran!¡± Guan Zixuan promised her.

    Xia Zi looked up at him. ¡°Does that have anything to do with me?¡±

    He literally felt like crying. He should have expected this. Having been in Interpol, Xia Zi¡¯s skills at investigation and observation were almost superhuman.?She was much more approachable when she still had amnesia, and he was able to coax her like a child, but the current Xia Zi felt absolutely imprable.

    Her aloofness in the past was because she felt like a stranger in a strangend, unable to remember anything about herself. But now, that aloofness seemed to be emanating from her very core instead of being brought about by circumstance.

    <i>She¡¯s right. It has nothing to do with her whether I get married or not!</i>

    He wanted to get back together with her when he went to A City previously, but he had to return to Emperor City due to an emergency. Little did he know he was stepping right into Su Xiaoran¡¯s trap when he returned.

    It was a mistake he regretted.

    He sighed as he watched Xia Zi.?¡°Then I¡¯ll just have to marry Su Xiaoran!¡±?He pretended that he was about to leave and then stole a nce at Xia Zi.

    She said, ¡°You won¡¯t be able to marry her!¡±

    Xia Zi then turned and returned to her room.

    Surprised, he turned and quickly followed her in. ¡°How do you know that I won¡¯t be able to marry her!¡±

    Xia Zi looked at him like she was talking to an idiot, and this hurt him.

    ¡°Because your family won¡¯t let that happen!¡±

    Because Guan Zijue did not share the n with his brother, Guan Zixuan had been racking his brains over how he could prevent the marriage.

    <i>But Xia Zi looks extremely confident that I won¡¯t be able to get married with Su Xiaoran, and she doesn¡¯t look the least bit worried.</i>

    ¡°Why won¡¯t they let that happen? You saw my mum earlier, and it was obvious that she was on Su Xiaoran¡¯s side only because of me. My brother told me to keep myself in check too, so that the wedding can proceed as nned. Everything seems to be going without a hitch!¡± The more he said, the more Guan Zixuan felt like he was digging his own grave.

    Xia Zi turned and said, ¡°Oh¡­ if that¡¯s the case, then go and marry her then!¡±

    Guan Zixuan hastily added, ¡°A¡¯zi, don¡¯t misunderstand. What I mean is that I won¡¯t get married even if my family insists on it!¡±

    ¡°Okay, then don¡¯t get married ever!¡±

    Guan Zixuan was at a loss for words. ¡°Huh...¡± He stood rooted to the spot for a while before realizing the ambiguity in his statement. ¡®I won¡¯t get married¡¯ could also be construed as ¡®not getting married ever¡¯.

    <i>Why am I so dumb!?</i>He wanted to hit himself.

    ¡°A¡¯zi...¡±

    Watching him beat himself up mentally, A¡¯zi finally relented and said, ¡°Your family won¡¯t let it happen because the Su family will crumble before the wedding happens!¡±

    ¡°Huh!¡± Guan Zixuan was genuinely shocked at this. <i>Is Emperor City going to face a major change?</i>

    <i>Why am I unaware that the Su family is going to crumble soon? How did Xia Zi find out when she had only just arrived two days ago? How did she know everything??</i>He looked at her in puzzlement as tons of questions circled his head.

    Xia Zi felt rather tired since she did not get a good night¡¯s rest. She thus yawned a few times and said, ¡°Go ask your brother about it. I even helped him collect some material on the Su family. He¡¯ll give you a satisfactory answer.¡±

    This seemed to enlighten Guan Zixuan instantly. Everything suddenly seemed to make a lot of sense now.

    <i>So my brother wanted me to agree to the marriage because he had already prepared everything beforehand, and as long as the Su family crumbles before the wedding, our parents would never let me go through with the marriage.?</i><i>That was a pretty good idea! Why didn¡¯t I think of that!?</i><i>But ording to what Xia Zi just said, she helped collect some material on the Su family too. Does this mean that she doesn¡¯t want to see me marry Su Xiaoran?</i>

    Happiness bloomed in him and he started grinning absent-mindedly to himself.

    Xia Zi wanted to take a nap, but she turned to see Guan Zixuan smiling to himself. <i>What¡¯s wrong with him?</i>

    ¡°Why are you smiling like an idiot?¡± Xia Zi¡¯s voice shook him out of his reverie.

    Guan Zixuan blinked in response. ¡°I¡¯m willing to be an idiot for you!¡±

    Xia Zi deadpanned. That answer made her rather flustered.

    Her ears turned red as she said, ¡°Go back and ask your brother about this. He¡¯ll exin everything to you. I¡¯m going to take a nap for real now!¡±

    He followed her with a huge grin. ¡°I¡¯m taking a nap with you!¡±

    He hopped up to her and leaned his head on her shoulder, only to receive an automatic punch in his face. It was a reflex action and it made his nose start bleeding.

    The both of them looked at each other in shock!

    The conversation then went like this.

    ¡°Ouch, it hurts. A¡¯zi, be gentle!¡±

    ¡°Die from the pain! Where did you go earlier!¡±

    ¡°Can you bear to see me die from pain?¡±

    ¡­¡­

    Silence followed.

    Xia Zi then said, ¡°Guan Zixuan, you should go to hell!¡±

    Scuffling ensued.

    ---

    Guan Zixuan returned to the Guan family home after night fell.

    Everyone was already back home.

    He saw his father, Guan Mingchang, sitting at the main seat in the main hall, with Xia Xinsheng beside him while Guan Zijue was on the side.?The three of them looked extremely serious when he walked in.

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s eyebrows twitched at this. <i>Why does this feel like I¡¯m going to be interrogated?</i>

    He stole a quick nce at his brother only to see a face absent of any emotion.<i>?Not even giving me any clue.</i>

    He thus walked up to his father and said, ¡°Dad, you¡¯re back early!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d die of anger otherwise!¡±

    Guan Mingchang smashed a teacup on the floor right after.

    ¡°You unfilial son. You just returned from the disciplinemittee today. Where did you go to create trouble again!¡±

    He took a peek at Xia Xinsheng and she shook her head at him slowly. He inwardly heaved a sigh of relief at this.

    His father was unaware that he was at the hotel.

    He thenughed and said, ¡°I just went out for a bit!¡±

    ¡°You call going to a hotel <i>went out for a bit</i>?¡± Guan Mingchang¡¯s voice got much louder at this.

    Guan Zixuan did not want to anger his father. His father was very mad at him when he decided to be a celebrity, and he did not want to make him so mad again.

    <i>What¡¯s with him though? I really just went out for a bit!</i>

    ¡°Dad, calm down. Tell me what happened and I¡¯ll be able to exin everything to you. I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about now. Aren¡¯t you using me too quickly!¡±

    Guan Mingchang was visibly infuriated. ¡°I¡¯m using you?! Why would Xiaorane to me crying then? Tell me why you didn¡¯t return home. And you didn¡¯t even contact yourpany about your work. You¡¯re an embarrassment to me!¡±

    The smile on Guan Zixuan¡¯s face faded.?He realized that Xia Xinsheng¡¯s signal to him was for him to tell the truth. She usually wouldn¡¯t share such information with his father, but he forgot that Su Xiaoran was there too.

    <i>Fine. Trying to challenge me? Game on!</i>

    An evil glint flickered across Guan Zixuan¡¯s eyes.

    He was one of those rich, arrogant brats before he became a celebrity, and he had tons of connections of his own. There was basically nobody to keep him in check with Guan Zijue in the military and his father being swamped at work.?Hiswork was influential enough for them to get away with criminal activity!

    Su Xiaoran learnt all her tricks from him, but he never thought he would be at the receiving end one day.

    <i>Fine! I have no reason to be polite to her anymore. I guess she must have forgotten that I¡¯m no easy opponent either!</i>

    He looked at Guan Mingchang and said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m not going to beat around the bush since you¡¯re already aware. Whatever Su Xiaoran told you, that¡¯s just her side of the story and it¡¯s skewed. I won¡¯t embarrass you. I¡¯d marry her if you want me to, and you don¡¯t have to worry about anything else!¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Guan Mingchang stood up to leave.

    Guan Zixuan turned to see Guan Zijue staring at him.

    Guan Zijue knew him too well. If he said that earlier, it meant that he was already aware of the ns. Otherwise, he would not have told his father that he would marry Su Xiaoran as long as they wanted him to.

    It would be great news for Guan Zixuan if the Guan family did not want to have anything to do with the Su family anymore after their fall from grace. But Guan Zixuan¡¯s tone when he spoke earlier made it sound like he had something else up his sleeve. Guan Zixuan was quite the bad egg when he was younger, and that expression would always appear every time he wanted to create trouble. His brother knew him too well and he could catch that subtle change in expression instantly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t create any trouble and make Dad angry again!¡±

    ¡°I know!¡± Guan Zixuanughed and said, ¡°Bro, why did you keep everything from me? You made me so worried!¡±

    From this, Guan Zijue could tell that he had already met Xia Zi.

    ¡°Well, now you know. Anyway, don¡¯t act recklessly. Or else you just might throw a wrench into my ns!¡±

 Chapter 254 â€“ Donâ€™t Mess Around

    <h4>Chapter 254 ¨C Don¡¯t Mess Around</h4>

    A devilish smile appeared on Guan Zixuan. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Bro, I won¡¯t go too far. My happiness hinges on this!¡±

    Guan Zijue watched him for a while before saying, ¡°Don¡¯t mess around!¡±?He then turned to leave.

    Guan Zixuan stood wondering if anything had happened to his brother recently. What he just said seemed different from how he would usually react.

    Guan Zixuan made a quick call when he returned to his room.

    ¡°Help me take care of something!¡±

    Heughed at the reply from the other end of the call. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much. Just teach that vicious woman a lesson so that she¡¯ll know that I¡¯m no easy target!¡±

    He listened carefully to what the other person had to say before continuing.

    ¡°You¡¯re free to decide how to go about it, but don¡¯t go easy either. But I just want to scare her, so make sure you don¡¯t end up hurting her for real. I¡¯ll give you the details after this.¡±?He then sent relevant information rting to Su Xiaoran over.

    Su Xiaoran had overstepped his boundaries this time. He usually did not deign to challengedies like this, but he simply could not sit still when it came to Xia Zi.

    <i>That will teach her a lesson. She won¡¯t be able to continue being her arrogant self after the Su family falls from grace either.</i>

    Guan Zixuan never expected that one phone call from him was enough to change Su Xiaoran¡¯s fate.

    ---

    Su Xiaoran wanted to go look for Xia Zi the next day, but she decided against it after reminding herself of Guan Zixuan¡¯s terrifying expression when she saw him there the other day.

    <i>I¡¯ll just have to bide my time. We¡¯re already getting married, so I¡¯ll have all the time in the world to teach her a lesson after that. I¡¯ll teach her that she shouldn¡¯t be coveting things that didn¡¯t belong to her in the first ce.</i>

    <i>I won¡¯t be polite when the timees.</i>

    A vicious smile appeared on her face. Satisfied with her own ns, she called a few of her friends for a fun day out.

    She drove to where they were supposed to meet, but as she travelled, she realized there was a vehicle which seemed to be following her. No matter how she tried, she could not shake the car off.

    Being in the rich kids circle, having a stranger tail her was not much of a surprise. She thus decided to speed up and go onto the overpass. As she expected, the car behind her disappeared after she went up onto the overpass.

    After going down from the overpass, she heaved a sigh of relief after confirming that there was no one else following her.?What she did not realize was that the cars behind her were still on her tail, and more than one vehicle was used now. A few cars behind her looked like the drivers were on their usualmute but they were, in fact, tailing her.

    She felt someone approach from behind when she arrived at the parking lot near the bar, but she reacted too slowly. She was knocked out the moment she turned around.

    It was pitch dark in the room she woke up in, and it felt like she was in a tiny house that had nothing but a stool and a lousy bed.

    She was on the ground and tied to the bed frame. She looked around in fear and realized she had been gagged when she wanted to scream for help. She was wrapped up so securely that she could not move an inch.?She looked at the window to try to determine the time of day. From the diffused light that seemed to being in through the curtains, she surmised that it was sometime in the afternoon even though thepound was very dark.

    She tried moving again, but she was absolutely trapped.

    The door opened after a while and five men walked in.?They started cing professional camera equipment around the room, causing Su Xiaoran¡¯s eyes to widen. She could already guess what they nned to do, and she tried her darndest to struggle free.?She was so scared that she squirmed under the bed to hide.

    One of the men saw it and walked over to drag her out immediately. Without preamble, he started tearing her clothes apart and only stopped when she was stripped naked.

    Everything else was already set up.

    One of the men walked over with a grin, an evil glint flickering across his eyes as he looked all over Su Xiaoran¡¯s body.

    The ropes on her had loosened.

    The man dragged her by the ankle and secured her with the ropes once again.

    Su Xiaoran was crying now, but she was unable to cry out for help as she had been gagged very tightly. She was now buck naked and the rough ropes hurt her skin.

    After she was tied up securely, the men startedughing at her plight.?One of the men who wore a thin porcin mask said, ¡°Had enough fun? Let¡¯s start!¡±

    The rest of the men walked over and surrounded Su Xiaoran immediately, careful not to block the camera that was on her.

    Su Xiaoran had never been one to shy away from the camera, even in situations like this, but she was literally unable to do anything to get herself out of this situation.

    She watched the men take off their clothes and get into various different poses around her. Even though they did not do anything else, a video like this was enough to destroy her.

    Her tears were unstoppable. One of the men came up to her and kissed her tears away with a grin. Su Xiaoran tried to dodge by turning her head away from him as best she can, but the man started kissing her body instead.

    The man who was filming then said, ¡°Enough!¡±

    This caused the four others around Su Xiaoran to stop immediately.

    Su Xiaoran was left crying and whimpering after they stopped. She felt absolutely disgusting.

    They packed up and left, and before long, she was left all alone in the room once again.

    Su Xiaoran was infuriated at this. <i>Those animals didn¡¯t even bother to cover me up with clothes!</i>

    When she was still reeling from the experience, she heard the door open again.

    Her eyes shot towards it.

    Two of the men returned - the one who tied her and the one who kissed her tears away.

    Fear shed past Su Xiaoran¡¯s eyes. <i>Why are they back? What are they trying to do!</i>

    The two of them walked up to her.

    The one who kissed her seemed unsure as he said, ¡°What if the boss finds out about this...¡±

    His partner in crime reassured him and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s nothing. Boss wouldn¡¯t say anything about it. No one knows but us anyway...¡±

    An evil grin appeared on his face right after.

    Su Xiaoran tried hard to struggle free but the men were too strong and she was unable to overpower them at all.

    ¡­¡­

    The men got dressed after they finished the deed, with one of them pping Su Xiaoran¡¯s body and pinching her face.

    Su Xiaoran¡¯s mouth was filled with blood, but she did not have the courage to kill herself. She red angrily at the two men.

    <i>Animals! Beasts! All of you are animals! I¡¯ll destroy all of you if I see you again!</i>

    Su Xiaoran¡¯s tears made her vision all fuzzy. She never wanted to remember what just happened.

    She heard footsteps from outside the door when night fell, and she involuntarily tried to curl up into herself.

    The dark figure seemed to have a slightly hunched back.

    The light in the room was suddenly switched on and Su Xiaoran shut her eyes due to the sudden piercing brightness.

    An old voice gasped, and an old man quickly picked up the clothes on the floor to cover Su Xiaoran.

    He mumbled to himself, ¡°Poor thing, poor thing! Who did this!¡±

    Su Xiaoran opened her eyes slowly when she heard him, only to see the old man¡¯s back towards her.

    ¡°Miss, put on the clothes!¡±

    Su Xiaoran wanted to tell him that she was tied up and was unable to do so, but she was not even able to speak with that gag. She could only whimper.

    The old man then realized that she seemed to have been tied up when he entered.

    He then searched for a pair of scissors and walked over to Su Xiaoran, closing his eyes as he did so.

    However, he realized that there was no way he could free her without looking at the ropes, and he may even identally hurt her with the scissors if so.

    He thus decided to open his eyes and cut the ropes on Su Xiaoran. He turned away quickly after she was freed.

    ¡°Miss, put some clothes on!¡±

    Su Xiaoran wiped her tears, threw the ropes on the floor and removed her gag before putting her clothes back on.

    The old man¡¯s back was still towards her after she had gotten dressed.

    She initially wanted to leave, but she wondered to herself, <i>That old man saw everything. He must know what happened.</i>

    With her voice still sounding nasal and sore from all her crying, she asked tentatively, ¡°Grandpa, do you live here?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I went out for errands today so I have no idea what happened here. This ce is quite a distance away from the city center...¡±

    He spoke in a sympathetic tone.

    Su Xiaoran¡¯s eyes glinted. <i>No one must learn about this. Everyone who knew has to die!</i>

    Only dead men tell no tales.

    Her eyes narrowed as she picked up the pair of scissors beside her...

 Chapter 255 â€“ Mental Su Xiaoran

    <h4>Chapter 255 ¨C Mental Su Xiaoran</h4>

    The old man did not turn back when he asked, ¡°Miss, do you know who did this to you? You can go sue them!¡±

    Su Xiaoran trembled as she gripped the scissors. She was wavering.

    <i>The old man helped me.</i>

    But she hardened her heart in the next second.<i>?I don¡¯t know him, and I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s being genuine. I¡¯m getting married to Guan Zixuan soon, so nobody can find out about what just happened.</i>

    <i>The Guan family would abandon me if they found out.?</i><i>I won¡¯t allow anyone to destroy my marriage, not this old man, not those men from before.</i>

    Su Xiaoran then stabbed him in the back with the scissors! Her eyes were glinting with viciousness.

    The man yelped in pain and he turned around to look at her in disbelief. He never thought that she would want to kill him after he helped to free her.

    The old man crumpled to the ground in pain.

    Su Xiaoran raised the pair of scissors in the air. <i>It¡¯s not my fault, it¡¯s not my fault. It¡¯s his fault for appearing in such an untimely manner.</i>

    She looked at the old man¡¯s bleeding wound and decided to check if he was still breathing.

    Upon realizing that he was not yet dead, she plunged the scissors right into his heart.

    Fresh blood sttered all over her face and clothes.

    Su Xiaoran was unconvinced that the old man was already dead at this point. She continued stabbing him repeatedly like a mindless machine.

    She got up only after confirming that the old man had stopped breathing and had no pulse. She then decided to take the scissors with her as she realized her fingerprints were left all over it.

    After exiting the room, she quickly walked over to a tap she spotted a short distance away and started washing the blood from the scissors.

    She cleaned up the blood on her clothes and she was dripping wet when she left.

    Before leaving the area, she did not forget to look around to check for security cameras. Only when she was convinced that there would be no footage recorded did she escape into the night.

    No one would be able to save her now if whatever happened was made known, and she would only be a liability to those around her. <i>No one must know.</i>

    Su Xiaoran hopped onto a tractor to travel to the city, but it was not allowed into the city. She thus had to hail a cab. When she arrived at her vi, she asked the driver to wait while she went in to get some cash.

    The driver was surprised that she lived in such an expensive area, and he did not really believe it at first as she dressed pretty sloppily.

    He watched as a middle-ageddy answered the door after Su Xiaoran pressed the bell. ¡°Miss, what happened to you? What¡¯s wrong with your clothes!¡±

    Su Xiaoran answered her unceremoniously, ¡°Aunt Wu, don¡¯t ask. Give that driver a hundred dors. I¡¯m going in first!¡±

    The driver then witnessed Su Xiaoran going into the vi before the middle-ageddy walked out to give him the cash.

    <i>Wow, you really shouldn¡¯t judge a book by its cover.?</i>He then left after shaking his head at this.

    Su Xiaoran threw her clothes into the trash immediately and took a bath. She only went downstairs after changing into a fresh outfit.

    Aunt Wu walked up to her when she saw Su Xiaoran downstairs. ¡°Miss, what happened? Do you want me to tell your brother, or your parents?¡±

    Su Xiaoran¡¯s eyes shed as she covered herself tightly with her clothes.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Aunt Wu. Go make some food. Remember, don¡¯t tell anyone about what happened tonight!¡±

    After a moment of contemtion, Aunt Wu nodded and left to prepare dinner.

    Su Xiaoran went back upstairs and took out her spare phone. She initially wanted to hire a private investigator to look into who those men were, but she decided against it in the end.

    <i>That would mean having another individual learn about what happened.</i>

    Those men would definitely use those photos they had taken to ckmail her, so all she had to do now was to wait for the men to contact her and she could track them down. If that fails, she would just have to get her brother to settle matters for her. Her expression was dreadful as nothing but revenge clouded her mind. <i>I won¡¯t let them get away. All of them must die!</i>

    Her fists clenched tightly as she frowned angrily. <i>I won¡¯t show any mercy to those trying to destroy my marriage ns with Guan Zixuan!</i>

    -

    The next day, Guan Mingchang stopped his son before Guan Zixuan could leave to visit Xia Zi.

    ¡°Stop there! Where are you going so early in the morning? Don¡¯t you have better things to do?¡±

    Guan Zixuan looked at his father and said, ¡°I¡¯m not fooling around outside. Didn¡¯t you guys tell me to wait for my wedding day! I¡¯m not doing anything wrong. What exactly do you want me to do then!¡±

    His retort made Guan Mingchang even angrier. Just when Guan Zixuan thought he was about to get beaten up by his father, Xia Xinsheng walked out just in time.

    She went up to her husband, tugged him by the elbow and said, ¡°Old Guan, what¡¯s wrong with you? Why are you blowing your top so early in the morning!¡±

    Though she was not very gentle about it, she was able to tamp down Guan Mingchang¡¯s anger.

    He pointed at his son. ¡°It¡¯s all because of him! Messing around all day. He¡¯s going to be the death of me!¡±

    Guan Zijue then happened to enter at this point.

    Upon seeing Guan Zijue, Guan Mingchang pointed at him and said, ¡°Guan Zixuan, I¡¯d be so much more relieved if you can just learn a little from Zijue. I disagreed when you said you wanted to be a celebrity, but you still went ahead and did it! Do you think that you¡¯ll be able to achieve that sort of sess if I really wanted to stop you from doing so? Why can¡¯t you learn from your brother? You refuse to go to the military, you refuse to go into politics, you¡¯re not taking care of thepany that your mum left you, do you expect us to take care of you forever? You¡¯ve been in thepany for the past few years too. Don¡¯t you know how much we¡¯ve lost!¡±

    Guan Zixuan raised his brows but remained silent. He knew that his father was not going to relent anytime soon, so all he did was listen. <i>He should be happy if I don¡¯t leave the house today.</i>

    That brother of his is too extraordinary, and that pressurized him as well.

    His parents had to bring Guan Zijue up every time they reprimanded him, asking him to learn from his brother.

    Guan Zixuan stole a nce at Guan Zijue, who simply scratched his nose at this. He knew that he appeared at a bad time and it was just his luck to get embroiled into this situation.

    Guan Zixuan chuckled as he watched his brother, but this made Guan Mingchang furious.

    Xia Xinsheng quickly patted her husband on the back and said, ¡°Old Guan, why are you fighting with a child? He¡¯s going to get married soon, so there¡¯s no need for you to think too much about things. Let¡¯s have breakfast. Don¡¯t you have to make a trip out of the city today?¡±

    Guan Mingchang red at Guan Zixuan before making his way to the sofa.

    Xia Xinsheng and their helper served breakfast while Guan Mingchang switched on the television as per his usual routine.?Just as Guan Zixuan and Guan Zijue sat down on the sofa, all of their expressions stiffened as they saw the news.

    The reporter said, ¡°An old man in his seventies was found dead in a dpidated home this morning at eight in an area within the western suburbs of Emperor City. One look at the scene made it obvious that it was a murder. The old man had suffered multiple stab wounds, one on his back and several near his heart. The police had found the murder weapon a distance away near a tap. It was a pair of old scissors.¡±

    ¡°ording to the coroner, the old man died on the spot from the wounds he sustained. From how the murder was carried out, the perpetrator is highly likely someone who might be mentally unstable. ording to the people living nearby, the old man did not seem to have any enemies and he was on good terms with everyone around the area. The case is still under investigation. It is difficult to locate the murderer with what little clues have been left behind. The murderer covered his or her tracks well by removing all fingerprints on scene and on the weapon. Due to the residents in the area being moved gradually, there are very few security cameras in the area as well, so the security footage avable might not give us any clues. Even though this area is far from the city, there are quite a number of people who enter and exit the area daily. We can only begin looking for the murderer like this...¡±

    The three men were stunned at the report they just heard. The reporter had been on the scene and viewers could see the dpidated house and the crime scene in its full glory.

    One could sense the thinly-veiled anger in Guan Mingchang. Not many dared to openly murder someone like that around Emperor City, much less use such a vicious method.?<i>This criminal has to be stopped. I should order some men to look into this and arrest the murderer.</i>

    Guan Zijue wanted to inform his dad that he was returning to his military camp after breakfast, and that he would be back for Guan Zixuan¡¯s wedding. But after seeing the news, he decided to postpone his return to the military instead.

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s eyebrows kept twitching when he saw the news as a feeling of foreboding crept up on him.

 Chapter 256 â€“ Karma

    <h4>Chapter 256 ¨C Karma</h4>

    A rather notorious figure in Emperor City, Longge, was the one Guan Zixuan contacted to give Su Xiaoran a scare, and the man had agreed to the job very quickly.

    Having just learnt about the murder in the suburbs today, Guan Zixuan had a nagging feeling that it might have had some connection with what he asked Longge to help with.

    His instincts were always pretty urate, but he really hoped he was wrong this time.

    Guan Zixuan returned to his room after breakfast and gave Longge a call.

    ¡°Hey, A¡¯long, how did the job go?¡±

    The man on the phone sounded rather hesitant as he said, ¡°Zixuan, it¡¯s my fault. I didn¡¯t expect things to turn out this way!¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s heart sank at this. Something had gone terribly wrong.

    Longge then continued. ¡°I asked a few men to capture Su Xiaoran and simply give her a scare by taking all her clothes off and snapping some photos so that you can use them as leverage in case she tries to threaten you again. I didn¡¯t do anything overboard, but I didn¡¯t expect two of my men to actually go back and¡­ rape her.¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s eyes widened at this. <i>They did what to Su Xiaoran...</i>

    He tried to simmer down after hearing the news. <i>I was the one who caused this.</i>

    ¡°The murder reported on the morning news today has nothing to do with you right? You¡¯ve been hanging around that area recently, so I was a little worried.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t kill him. But I have no excuse for what happened yesterday!¡± Longge answered immediately.

    Guan Zixuan raised his brows at this. ¡°What happened exactly? Who did it then? Do you know how the old man died?¡±

    ¡°I saw the news. I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. I¡¯m quite familiar with the old man, and he usually goes out to pick up the trash everyday andes back only at night. I wanted to keep Su Xiaoran in that house for a while after we took those photos, but my men got drunk and did not release her in time. I didn¡¯t think that those two idiots would actually go back and¡­ And I definitely didn¡¯t expect for Su Xiaoran to kill anybody just to cover it up.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re saying Su Xiaoran is the murderer?¡± Guan Zixuan raised his voice in shock.

    He knew that Su Xiaoran was arrogant, but he would never expect her to kill anyone.

    Longge then said, ¡°It has to be her. None of my men were there at the time, so it can¡¯t be them. I didn¡¯t expect Su Xiaoran to be this vicious. Her methods were so cruel. Zixuan, let me give you a word of advice, you¡¯d better not marry her. You might just be walking straight into a trap! You¡¯d better be careful!¡±

    ¡°Okay, got it.¡± Guan Zixuan then ended the call.

    He stood at the balcony and wondered what the old man¡¯s son would feel after learning that his father died in such a manner.

    <i>Su Xiaoran turned out to be this crazy.?</i>Guan Zixuan knew that he was actually the root cause of everything, but he rationalized very quickly by telling himself that if she did not look for Xia Zi, he would not have wanted to create trouble for her in the first ce.

    <i>It¡¯s karma!</i>

    Guan Zixuan heard that the police were still investigating the case, and he did not pursue the matter further.

    The Guan family had been busy preparing for his wedding with Su Xiaoran, and he knew that Su Xiaoran would be keeping a low profile these few days to prevent any hups.

    Guan Zixuan grew more anxious as his wedding day neared.

    Guan Zixuan decided to go discuss the matter with his brother when they were left with only one more day to the wedding.

    ¡°Bro, when are you going to do something about the wedding?!¡±

    Guan Zijue shot him a cold nce. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? It''s just getting married. You¡¯re the one getting married, not me. Why are you asking me this?¡±

    Guan Zixuan looked at him in disbelief. ¡°Are you my real brother or not?¡±

    ¡°You can go to the hospital and do a check to find out.¡± Guan Zijue did not deign to look at him when answering.

    <i>Bro, why are you doing this to me?</i>

    ¡°Stop it. When are you going to do something? You mustn¡¯t push me into the fire like this!¡±

    Guan Zijue slowly closed the book he was looking at.

    ¡°What? It¡¯s just getting married! How is that pushing you into the fire? Anyway, Su Xiaoran grew up together with us. Even though she might be a bit arrogant, she¡¯s still a good match for you. A bright future lies ahead for the Su and Guan families once we¡¯re connected via this marriage, so tell me, why should I prevent this from happening?¡±

    Guan Zixuan could not believe he was hearing this from Guan Zijue.<i>?Bro, are you being serious now? I¡¯ll be walking into a trap!</i>

    <i>I have to convince my brother otherwise.</i>

    ¡°Bro, there¡¯s something I have to tell you!¡±

    Guan Zijue raised his brows, curious to find out what Guan Zixuan had to say. ¡°Go on. What is it?¡±

    Guan Zixuan then said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing big actually, but I know who murdered the old man. The one we saw on the morning news the other day.¡±

    Guan Zijue shot up from his seat and grabbed his brother by the cor, staring daggers at him. His aura was extremely imposing.

    This shocked Guan Zixuan. He didn¡¯t think that his brother would have such a huge reaction to this.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Tell me! Who¡¯s the murderer?¡± Guan Zijue sounded like he wasmanding one of his men in the military, and Guan Zixuan was not used to being spoken to in this manner.

    ¡°Bro, what¡¯s wrong? Why are you being so serious all of a sudden?¡±

    Guan Zijue then asked, ¡°Do you know who that old man is?¡±

    Guan Zixuan shook his head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t!¡±

    He could not understand why Guan Zijue reacted in such a manner, and even though he knew how cruel the murderer was, his brother was not someone who would sympathize with a stranger like this.

    Guan Zijue said, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you who he was!¡±

    ¡°That old man is the father of one of my men. I spoke to his son on the very night he was killed. I sent his son on a dangerous mission, and I even told him to be careful. He told me that he had an elderly father waiting for him to go back home, so he¡¯d definitely be careful. But who knew that something like this would actually happen to his father? Do you know how horrible I felt...¡±

    With this, Guan Zixuan understood immediately. As themander of Team Langya, his brother cared for his men well. That team was sent on the most dangerous and critical missions.

    His brother treated all of his men like family. Because of his position and how critical it was, his brother was also able to rise up the ranks very quickly.

    Bing a major at twenty nine was rare, and he was probably the youngest major in the country.

    Guan Zixuan knew that his brother¡¯s dream was to be a general before he turned thirty five, and he had always supported his brother on this.

    This was the first time his brother told him anything about his team in the military.

    Guan Zixuan said, ¡°Brother, this is also why I can¡¯t marry Su Xiaoran. Though it¡¯s not the main reason, it¡¯s among the many reasons I can¡¯t do so. Su Xiaoran is the murderer!¡±

    Guan Zijue¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°What!¡±

    Guan Zixuan sighed and started exining everything.

    ¡°I initially wanted to teach her a lesson because I knew she would go to Xia Zi to create more trouble for her in future, so I asked A¡¯long to scare her for a bit. But who knew that A¡¯long¡¯s men would actually rape her? Su Xiaoran thus decided to kill the old man so that she can keep the entire matter under wraps.¡±

    Guan Zijue listened to his exnation without a trace of emotion.

    ¡°Are you okay, Bro?¡± Guan Zixuan asked in concern.

    Guan Zijue looked at him for a while before answering.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. You don¡¯t have to worry either. I nned to give the Su family a fatal blow on the wedding day itself. But now that Su Xiaoran did something like that, I¡¯m definitely not going to have any mercy on the Su family nor on Su Xiaoran!¡±

    Guan Zixuan sighed and fell silent.

    Before he left, he said, ¡°Bro, it¡¯s fine if you just continue with your initial n. I don¡¯t mind it if we were to give the Su family a fatal blow only on the wedding day. It¡¯s fine as long as the wedding is prevented. As for your teammate, I¡¯m very sorry about that. It¡¯s partially my fault.¡±

    Guan Zijue had turned around to make a call, and he tightened his grip on the phone as he heard what Guan Zixuan said.

    Shaking his head, he answered, ¡°It¡¯s hard to predict the future, so it¡¯s not your fault. I know you only asked A¡¯long to scare her and nothing else, so what his men did was out of your control. You didn¡¯t ask Su Xiaoran to murder anyone either. If she could kill someone now, it means she has the propensity to kill somebody else in future. There¡¯s no need for you to feel guilty. I won¡¯t let anyone from the Su family get away with this!¡±

    Guan Zijue looked terrifying.

    It was the first time Guan Zixuan saw his brother get so angry. He then turned to leave the study.

    <i>It¡¯s partially my fault this happened...</i>

 Chapter 257 â€“ Acting High and Mighty

    <h4>Chapter 257 ¨C Acting High and Mighty</h4>

    One day passed in the blink of an eye. It was the day of Su Xiaoran and Guan Zixuan¡¯s wedding.

    Xia Zi¡¯s calmness made Guan Zixuan feel a little disappointed when he visited her during the day. <i>How could she be so calm? Is it because I¡¯m not important?</i>

    He pondered over this to no avail, and he eventually had to leave the hotel after being summoned by Guan Zijue through a phone call.

    He knew it would be chaotic tomorrow. The Su family had no idea what wasing, and unbeknownst to them, the war had already started.

    Guan Zijue submitted the incriminating evidence against the Su family in the morning.

    Based on the customs in Emperor City, Guan Zixuan had to go to the bride¡¯s house to pick her up.

    They chose to act on this very day in order to make sure that this would be a fatal blow for the Su family.

    Since the wedding was between the Su and Guan families, all the business elites would definitely congregate. It was too good an opportunity to be missed.

    Su Xiaoran and Guan Zixuan were weing the guests at the door.

    One could sense the unbridled joy in Su Xiaoran. Her wish had finallye true after waiting for more than twenty years.

    Guan Zixuan, on the other hand, looked rather emotionless. It looked as if he wasn¡¯t at his wedding but attending a funeral instead.

    Su Xiaoran shot a sideways nce at him, but remained silent.

    <i>Even if Guan Zixuan was unwilling, he still had to marry me.</i>

    Out of nowhere, ady dressed in a purple dress approached them. Her long hair billowed in the wind, and she was a picture of elegance. Su Xiaoran spotted her and kept her eyes on thedy.

    <i>Who is she? Why have I not seen her before?</i>

    Luo Qiqi walked up to Guan Zixuan and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you¡¯re getting married? Do you even treat me as a friend? I¡¯m here without an invitation, so I hope you don¡¯t mind!¡±

    Guan Zixuan shook his head. ¡°Of course not!¡±

    He did not know why Luo Qiqi spoke to him in such a manner, nor when she actually arrived in Emperor City. <i>Why didn¡¯t she look for Xia Zi since she¡¯s here? And where¡¯s Xia Zi? Didn¡¯t she get an invitation card from me yesterday?</i>

    Luo Qiqi walked straight into the ballroom, casting a cold nce at Su Xiaoran as she passed her.

    She made her way to the wedding right after alighting from the ne.

    She already spoke to Xia Zi on the phone and Xia Zi told her that she would be at the wedding as well. She asked Luo Qiqi to go first because Guan Zixuan would definitely let her in.

    They did not speak about anything else on the phone, and Luo Qiqi was unsure what was really going on. She was totally unaware of Xia Zi¡¯s ns.

    She had never been separated from Xia Zi before, and Xia Zi made the trip to Emperor City only because she was in such a bad mood.

    Luo Qiqi was still unable to ept the fact that Su Jincheng was already dead after cooping herself up at home for half a month.

    Although she had not yet fallen into pieces, she knew that it would not be healthy for her to stay cooped up alone for much longer. She thus decided toe to Emperor City to look for Xia Zi. What she did not expect was for Xia Zi to tell her that Guan Zixuan was getting married the moment she stepped out of the ne.

    <i>What exactly is happening here?</i>

    Right after Luo Qiqi entered, Xia Zi appeared in a white dress.

    She had facial prosthetics on and Guan Zixuan was unable to recognize her at first. He simply felt that she looked familiar, while Su Xiaoran watched her with wary eyes.

    <i>Why are there so many strange women appearing out of nowhere? Did Guan Zixuan hire these people to test me?</i>

    There was slight enmity in Su Xiaoran¡¯s eyes, and at this point, Guan Zixuan had already recognized Xia Zi. He never expected her to put on facial prosthetics.

    He smiled at Xia Zi, who simply looked at him coldly before she walked into thepound.

    Angered, Su Xiaoran wanted to grab Xia Zi by her arm, but Guan Zixuan stopped her quickly by saying, ¡°Su Xiaoran, don¡¯t forget who you are today. Make sure you conduct yourself appropriately. You¡¯re the Su family¡¯s representative!¡±

    Su Xiaoran was incensed at how he seemed to be protecting that woman who just walked in.

    ¡°I represent the Su family, and you represent the Guan family. I haven¡¯t evenmented on the fact that you¡¯ve been pulling a long face the entire day, and you¡¯re telling me how to behave? Does it give you the right to act all high and mighty just because you¡¯re from the Guan family?¡±

    Guan Zixuan shot a cold look at her and did not deign to answer.

    Su Xiaoran went to touch up her makeup after most of the guests had arrived, while Guan Zixuan walked into the ballroom trying to locate Xia Zi.

    He spotted Xia Zi and Luo Qiqi sitting on a sofa somewhere at the side.

    Upon seeing him, Luo Qiqi red at him icily, making him feel guilty, as if he was cheating. <i>But, was he, really?</i>

    Xia Zi and Luo Qiqi were engaged in conversation, but Guan Zixuan could feel the murderous auraing from Luo Qiqi.

    He shrunk into himself. <i>How is this my fault? Why didn¡¯t A¡¯zi exin everything to her!</i>

    When he stood there wondering if he should approach them, the emcee went up on stage to announce that the wedding ceremony had begun.

    The emcee then went on to cue the bride and groom for the exchange of rings.

    He then invited the pastor up on stage.

    Guan Zixuan felt antsy as the exchange of rings would happen anytime now. <i>Where¡¯s my brother? Why isn¡¯t he here yet? Is he only going to appear after I get married to Su Xiaoran?</i>

    It would be an embarrassment for the Guan family if he didn¡¯t go up on stage, and his father would probably be hopping mad if that happened.

    He thus shook his head and resigned himself to fate as he walked up the stage.

    He spotted Luo Qiqi at the corner, and she looked like she wanted to destroy this entire ballroom.

    Guan Zixuan shivered at this. <i>How could the aloof Xia Zi be such good friends with the hot-headed Luo Qiqi!</i>

    After he went on stage, the emcee said, ¡°Let¡¯s wee the bride!¡±

    Su Xiaoran then walked in with her father.

    It was obvious that Guan Zixuan was anxious. <i>Why is my brother not here yet! Save me!</i>

    Su Xiaoran¡¯s father had already arrived before him. He said with a full voice, ¡°Zixuan, I¡¯m handing my daughter over to you. I hope you¡¯ll treat her well!¡±

    Guan Zixuan remained silent as he took Su Xiaoran¡¯s hand. Her father was instantly angered at his reaction.?But even so, he knew that his daughter had feelings for Guan Zixuan, so he let it be.

    He shook his head as he exited the stage.

    The pastor looked at the couple and said, ¡°Mr Guan, are you willing to take the beautiful Ms Su Xiaoran as your wife, to stay together with her in sickness and in health, till death do you part?¡±

    Guan Zixuan stiffened at this. He felt like crying. <i>Brother, if you don¡¯t appear soon, I may have to embarrass the Guan family.</i>

    He did not answer for a long time. There were murmurs among the audience as they wondered what was going on. Guan Zixuan kept his eyes on the entrance of the ballroom, hoping desperately for something to happen.

    Guan Mingchang¡¯s expression was dreadful. He would go up on stage to pummel Guan Zixuan if possible. <i>How dare this boy embarrass the Guan family!</i>

    Luo Qiqi smirked at Guan Zixuan as she wondered how he would clean up this mess.

    Even though Xia Zi had already exined everything to her, she still felt rather indignant for her since it felt like Xia Zi had gotten the short end of the stick.

    Just as Guan Zixuan had mustered the courage to exit the stage, there was a disturbance at the entrance.

    He heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Guan Zijue at the door. <i>My dear brother, you¡¯re finally here!</i>

    There was a bunch of men from the disciplinarymittee who were following right behind Guan Zijue. Upon entering the ballroom, the men arrested Su Xiaoran¡¯s father without preamble.

    Everyone had probably witnessed simr situations, so all of them knew that something big was about to go down.

    Not only was Su Xiaoran¡¯s father taken away, many individuals from the Su family were also arrested one after another.

    It was obvious now that the Su family was in huge trouble.

    Su Xiaoran was shocked. She could only watch as her brother and her father were taken, while her mother wailed at the scene.

    Su Xiaoran understood everything when she looked at Guan Zixuan, who was now beside Guan Zijue. All of this was a trap set up by the Guan family!

    She hated Guan Zixuan. <i>How could he be so cruel to target my family?</i>

    When she looked at Guan Zixuan, she realized Guan Zijue was ring at her.

    Su Xiaoran shrank under that cial intensity, and her mind raced as she tried to recall if she ever did anything to piss Guan Zijue off. <i>Why is he staring at me like this? It¡¯s terrifying.</i>

    Guan Zijue wanted Su Xiaoran to be arrested as well, but the evidence he had presented was not yet sufficient at this point. He would also risk getting Guan Zixuan caught up in this if he were to actually find proper evidence for Su Xiaoran¡¯s arrest.

    Now that the Su family has fallen from grace, it would be impossible that the Guan family would want to have anything to do with them after this.

    Guan Zijue chose to bide his time. He promised himself that he would get Su Xiaoran arrested, and that he wouldn¡¯t let the death of his teammate¡¯s father be in vain.

    Su Xiaoran watched the guests leave one after another. Her wedding turned into a joke in a second. Hatred filled her, and that hate was enough to fuel her desire for revenge.

    She involuntarily lowered her head when she caught Guan Zijue¡¯s eye.

    Guan Mingchang finally understood why Guan Zixuan kept staring at the door earlier. He had also been wondering where Guan Zijue went the entire day.

    He never thought that the brothers would have actually nned something like this to bring the Su family down and prevent the marriage.

    <i>Well, it¡¯s fortunate that the wedding did not happen. </i>He broke out in cold sweat just thinking about it.

    On the very next day, Guan Zixuan heard the news that Su Xiaoran¡¯s mother had killed herself by jumping off a building!

 Chapter 258 â€“ Aâ€™zi is No Meek Kitten

    <h4>Chapter 258 ¨C A¡¯zi is No Meek Kitten</h4>

    Su Xiaoran disappeared after the death of her mother was announced.

    Guan Zixuan and Guan Zijue were both rather shocked at the current state of events.

    The Su family had been utterly destroyed.?Even though Guan Zijue had not found conclusive evidence to prove that Su Xiaoran was a murderer, he firmly believed that he would be able to get her arrested as long as she showed herself.

    The investigation on the Su family was done rather quickly. All evidence was corroborated within three days and the Su family copsed in the blink of an eye.

    Guan Mingchang looked at his older son slightly differently now. He always knew that Guan Zijue was daring and very decisive, but he never thought that his son would have the ability to make the Su family copse overnight.

    Guan Mingchang was relieved that it was actually his son. He would have feared him if it was anybody else.

    Emperor City seemed to enter a lull state after what happened to the Su family.

    When they were having lunch, Guan Zixuan suddenly said, ¡°I¡¯m bringing A¡¯zi here for dinner!¡±

    Guan Mingchang put him in his ce immediately. ¡°Stop your nonsense!¡±

    Tongues would start wagging if Guan Zixuan was to be seen with Xia Zi right after what happened to the Su family. Even if he did not mind it, Xia Zi had already embarrassed their family once by running away from her wedding, so he would not agree to weing her into the Guan family.

    Xia Xinsheng was on Guan Mingchang¡¯s side this time.?Guan Zixuan had failed to get married twice.?She did not agree to Xia Zi and Guan Zixuan¡¯s rtionship, but Guan Zixuan refused to listen and he was extremely adamant.

    Initially, Xia Xinsheng kept her guard up against Xia Zi because the girl looked too much like her own daughter.?Even though a child¡¯s looks might have changed after so many years, Xia Zi still looked extremely simr to her daughter.

    Xia Xinsheng guarded against Xia Zi because she did not want to face her past, and no one would be able to understand that.

    Five years ago, Xia Xinsheng naively thought that Xia Zi might just turn out to be her daughter. But Guan Zixuan was so protective of Xia Zi for the past five years that literally no stranger would be able to approach her.

    However, Xia Zi¡¯s personality was unlike her daughter¡¯s at all.?Xia Xinsheng was no fool. No matter how an individual might have changed, their personality was unlikely to have changed so drastically.?This was why Xia Xinsheng decided that it was unlikely that Xia Zi was her child.

    She had also heard rumors that Xia Zi was in Interpol. She heard of the red and white roses too, but she never expected for them to be a pair of youngdies.

    Guan Zijue remained silent, not giving any opinion on this. He hoped that his brother could be with Xia Zi. He appreciated girls who were decisive, daring and responsible, and he felt that girls like that were a rarity in the current society. However, he knew that his family needed time to ept her. Xia Zi was the one who ran away months ago, causing her wedding to be cancelled and embarrassing the Guan family.

    Though Guan Zixuan felt rather disappointed at his family¡¯s reaction, he still decided to take Xia Zi home with him. Attitudes can be changed, so all he had to do was to show his family how he felt towards Xia Zi and how he would never give up on her.

    Xia Zi and Luo Qiqi had been staying in Guan Zixuan¡¯s vi after that disastrous wedding day.

    After having his lunch, Guan Zixuan left his family home to his vi.?Before arriving, he went to purchase some items at the supermarket.?Though Luo Qiqi was Xia Zi¡¯s friend, Guan Zixuan knew that she treated Luo Qiqi like family. He wanted to change Luo Qiqi¡¯s impression of him.

    On the day of that wedding, he felt that Luo Qiqi had probably already failed him. He was very worried she might tell A¡¯zi that he was not a good choice.

    Guan Zixuan rushed back to his vi after getting the items.?However, upon arriving, there was no one to be seen.?He looked around for a while before spotting a tiny note that said, ¡°Zixuan, Qiqi and I are going out for a bit.¡±?He then stuffed the note in his pocket and started keeping the groceries.

    <strong>Emperor City, Mingcheng International, a cafe at level 1.</strong>

    Luo Qiqi and Xia Zi already spotted Xia Xinsheng from a distance away.

    Displeasure shed in Luo Qiqi¡¯s eyes. She hated women like this, those who went looking for others behind their son¡¯s back because they were unhappy with their son¡¯s marriage.?To her, women like that were the most vicious of the lot.

    Xia Xinsheng looked impable at her age. She was dressed in a <i>qipao</i> which only served to enhance her elegance. She was sitting near the full-length windows, and Xia Zi tugged Luo Qiqi along with her as they approached the olderdy.

    Luo Qiqi was slightly unwilling, but she decided to tag along as she was afraid that Xia Zi might inadvertently get hurt.

    Xia Xinsheng looked up slightly when they arrived before her.?Xia Zi greeted her politely, ¡°Hi Aunty, you wanted to meet me? This is my good friend, Luo Qiqi. We happened to be hanging out so we made the trip here together.¡±

    Luo Qiqi nodded slightly but remained silent. For A¡¯zi, she could put up with anything the older woman did.

    The elegant Xia Xinsheng spoke gently as she weed them. ¡°Come, take a seat!¡±

    She nced at Luo Qiqi. <i>So this is the red rose, Luo Qiqi. She looks like someone who would be pretty direct and unbridled.</i>

    Luo Qiqi chose to ignore the obvious scrutiny from Xia Xinsheng as she and Xia Zi took a seat opposite the olderdy.

    Out of politeness, Xia Zi asked, ¡°Aunty, why did you ask to meet me today?¡±

    Xia Xinsheng looked at her. <i>Broaching the topic so directly. If nothing happened in the past few months, the rtionship between Guan Zixuan and Xia Zi might still have been possible.?</i><i>However, it¡¯s something unimaginable now.</i>

    She knew she would not be able to convince Guan Zixuan, so she decided to meet Xia Zi instead.

    Xia Xinsheng sipped on her coffee and looked back at Xia Zi.

    ¡°Xia Zi, I¡¯m not going to lie to you. I wanted to talk to you about your rtionship with Zixuan. He is adamant on being together with you, and none of us at home can do anything about it. But we won¡¯t agree to the both of you getting married. Xia Zi, you¡¯re intelligent. I¡¯m sure you know why!¡±

    Xia Zi nodded as she answered, ¡°I know!¡±

    Xia Xinsheng nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Since you understand, I won¡¯t have to say much then. You embarrassed the Guan family after you ran away from the marriage previously. I¡¯m sure you know that very well. It also took great effort to convince Zixuan¡¯s dad to agree to your marriage. Do you think he¡¯ll agree a second time?¡±

    Xia Zi fell silent. Luo Qiqi thought that the older woman would either threaten or try to buy Xia Zi with some money, but she never expected for her to actually analyze the situation so calmly. <i>Was the older woman trying to get Xia Zi to empathize with her first in order to better convince her?</i>

    Xia Xinsheng continued when Xia Zi did not react. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know the answer to that. The Guan family will never ept a woman who ran away from marriage. Zixuan told us that he wanted to take you back home for dinner tonight. Xia Zi, you¡¯re intelligent, so I¡¯m sure you know what is best for you.¡±

    Luo Qiqi was annoyed. She mmed her palm against the desk and stood up. ¡°I¡¯m calling you Aunty out of respect. Who are you to say all this? It¡¯s Guan Zixuan¡¯s business if he wants to bring Xia Zi back home, and it¡¯s up to Xia Zi whether she chooses to go or not. Why are you allowed to tell them what to do? Don¡¯t you find it disgusting that you¡¯re doing this?¡±

    Xia Zi tugged at Luo Qiqi. ¡°Qiqi, stop it! Sit!¡±

    Luo Qiqi looked at Xia Zi in exasperation, sitting down in anger.

    Xia Xinsheng suddenly smirked. ¡°Xia Zi, this is your friend? Where did her manners go?¡±

    Xia Zi¡¯s expression darkened. She could put up with whatever Xia Xinsheng said about her, but she would not allow anyone to insult Luo Qiqi.

    ¡°Aunty, please be mindful of your words. Do you think you have such great etiquette when you¡¯re asking to meet me like this?¡±

    Xia Xinsheng did not expect for Xia Zi to say something like that. Xia Zi seemed like a fiercely loyal friend and the girl was not someone that she could convince easily either. She thus said, ¡°Xia Zi, I¡¯m not here to waste my time with you. Tell me what your conditions are for you to leave Zixuan!¡±

    Xia Zi scoffed at this. She thought Xia Xinsheng was different, but the woman seemed to be no different from the other rich folk.

    ¡°My condition is that I¡¯d like to have everything the Guan family owns. Can you give me that?¡±

    Xia Xinsheng was losing her patience. ¡°Xia Zi, you¡¯re really greedy. Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll tell Zixuan about it?¡±

    Xia Zi raised her brows. ¡°Go ahead and tell him then. Tell him that I want all your family assets and see if he still dares to marry me. I won¡¯t harass your family if he isn¡¯t willing.¡±

    Xia Xinsheng looked dreadful now. Xia Zi tugged at Luo Qiqi and said, ¡°Qiqi, let¡¯s go!¡±

    Luo Qiqi looked at Xia Xinsheng in satisfaction, as if she was saying, <i>Not so smug now, are you?</i>

    <i>Don¡¯t treat my A¡¯zi like a meek kitten. She just didn¡¯t want to show you her temper.</i>

    Xia Xinsheng clenched her fists as she watched Xia Zi and Luo Qiqi leave. She would never do this if it was not for Zixuan.

    She knew that Guan Mingchang would not agree to Xia Zi and Zixuan being together. <i>They would probably get into a fight over this again.</i>

    But it looked like Xia Zi did not really want to discuss this.

    Xia Xinsheng rubbed her temples. <i>What should I do?!</i>

    <sup>[1]</sup> A <i>qipao</i> is a traditional Chinese dress. Link to the wikipedia page here:

 Chapter 259 â€“ Big Brother to the Rescue

    <h4>Chapter 259 ¨C Big Brother to the Rescue</h4>

    Guan Zixuan came over shortly after Xia Zi and Luo Qiqi returned to the vi. He looked at Xia Zi tenderly. ¡°A¡¯zi, can I take you to my house tonight?¡±

    Luo Qiqi spoke before Xia Zi could say anything. ¡°Are you sure that your family will wee Xia Zi into your home?¡±

    Guan Zixuan was rather surprised at this. <i>What did that mean?</i>

    ¡°Luo Qiqi, what do you mean...¡±

    Xia Zi tugged at Guan Zixuan as she said, ¡°Qiqi, go upstairs first. Zixuan and I have something to discuss!¡±

    Luo Qiqi shook her head and said, ¡°You¡¯d better be careful. I¡¯ll kill anyone who dares bully you!¡±

    She then looked towards Guan Zixuan and drew her hand across her neck in a threatening manner.

    <i>This Luo Qiqi is a hundred times more violent than Leng Xiyao.</i> Guan Zixuan thought that Leng Xiyao was pretty violent before, but it seems to him now that Luo Qiqi takes the cake.

    ¡°A¡¯zi, how about it? Come back with me at night, okay?¡±

    Xia Zi nodded slowly. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    She knew that the rest of the Guan family was unlikely to wee her tonight, but she was willing to do this for Guan Zixuan.?She was not the kind to give up easily after making a decision.?Guan Zixuan was extremely important to her, so she would choose to go forward even if it meant choosing a path full of obstacles.

    At about six in the evening, Luo Qiqi saw Xia Zi changing her outfit.

    ¡°A¡¯zi, you¡¯re really going?¡±

    Xia Zi nodded at her. ¡°Mm!¡±

    Luo Qiqi frowned. ¡°A¡¯zi, you saw that woman¡¯s attitude earlier. What if she makes things difficult for you tonight?¡±

    Xia Zi turned to look at Luo Qiqi. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she won¡¯t seed anyway. Don¡¯t you know who I am!¡±

    Xia Zi gave her a look of reassurance, to which Luo Qiqi had nothing to say. She thus gave up on trying to convince Xia Zi.

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s parents had called her several times in the two days that she had been in Emperor City.?She could tell that her parents really loved her, and she also learnt that they had been searching for her all these years.

    Su Jincheng died just after she found her biological parents, and she chose to run away from everything because she could not face reality.

    <i>My parents are probably missing me.</i>

    <i>I¡¯ll go home after a few days, when A¡¯zi is settled properly here.</i>

    The purple dress Xia Zi wore showcased her figure well. She looked elegant but mysterious at the same time.

    Guan Zixuan was stunned by how she looked. He recovered quickly and rushed up to carry Xia Zi.

    Xia Zi thought that he just wanted to hug her and she did not expect him to scoop her up in his arms.

    Though she was shocked, Xia Zi reacted rather calmly, not making a sound.

    Guan Zixuan looked at her surprised expression andughed.

    Xia Zi red at him. ¡°Put me down. Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Guan Zixuan nodded but before the both of them could step out of the house, Luo Qiqi suddenly appeared at the stairs and yelled at him.

    ¡°Stop right there, Guan Zixuan!¡±

    Guan Zixuan and Xia Zi turned back to see Luo Qiqi staring sternly at Guan Zixuan.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about this for a while. I¡¯ll have to tell you what happened in the afternoon. We went out earlier...¡±

    Xia Zi cut her off quickly. ¡°Qiqi!¡±

    Luo Qiqi looked at her. ¡°A¡¯zi, don¡¯t try to stop me. I¡¯m going to tell him what really happened.¡±

    She then turned to Guan Zixuan again.

    Xia Zi sighed. She knew that no one could stop Luo Qiqi once she had decided on something.

    ¡°Guan Zixuan, your stepmother, Xia Xinsheng, asked A¡¯zi out today. She asked A¡¯zi to leave you and even asked her what her conditions were. I hope that A¡¯zi isn¡¯t walking into a trap tonight. It¡¯s best if you¡¯re able to protect her well, if not there¡¯s still time for you to turn back. If anything happens to A¡¯zi, I won¡¯t let the Guan family off that easily!¡±

    Guan Zixuan asked Xia Zi, ¡°A¡¯zi, she went looking for you earlier?¡±

    Xia Zi nodded and said, ¡°Mm. It was just a quick chat, it¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s something that we¡¯ll have to face sooner orter anyway!¡±

    Guan Zixuan looked at her with gratitude. <i>I¡¯m so lucky to be able to meet such an understanding person like her.</i>

    He looked back at Luo Qiqi and said, ¡°Luo Qiqi, I know you care about A¡¯zi, but I love her and I won¡¯t let anyone hurt her. You don¡¯t have to be worried about that!¡±

    Luo Qiqi raised her brows, as if asking, <i>Is that so?</i>

    Xia Zi smiled and left with Guan Zixuan.

    Though Guan Zixuan already said he would take Xia Zi home for dinner, Guan Mingchang did not take it seriously at all. Xia Xinsheng also thought that Xia Zi would not appear tonight with what she had said to her in the day.

    However, they did not expect Xia Zi and Guan Zixuan to walk in before dinner.

    Upon seeing them, Guan Mingchang¡¯s expression turned dreadful. Xia Xinsheng was about to bring a cup of tea to him, but she stood stunned at the sight when she saw them.

    <i>Xia Zi is here!</i>

    Though they did not agree on Guan Zixuan and Xia Zi being together, they were still rather cordial about things.

    Xia Xinsheng served the cup of tea to Guan Mingchang and walked towards the couple.

    Guan Zixuan watched her cautiously. ¡°What are you doing! I already know that you went looking for Xia Zi earlier in the day!¡±

    Xia Xinsheng looked at Xia Zi, who returned her gaze with an emotionless facade. Anger bloomed in Xia Xinsheng.<i>?I¡¯ve underestimated this girl.</i>

    <i>She revealed this to Guan Zixuan so quickly. The Guan family can¡¯t have someone like her!</i>

    Xia Xinsheng then said, ¡°So what? Zixuan, don¡¯t forget that she was the one who ran away from the marriage. If she didn¡¯t do that, the both of you would probably be husband and wife now. Would I still treat her like this if that were the case?¡±

    Seeing the obvious anger on Xia Xinsheng, Guan Zixuan calmed himself down.

    He treated Xia Xinsheng like his biological mother, and he genuinely cared about her.

    ¡°Mum, I can exin everything. Are you going to chase us out when we¡¯re already here? Also, it¡¯s a fact that you went looking for Xia Zi earlier, so I¡¯m not using you of that!¡±

    ¡°You...¡± Xia Xinsheng pointed at him, shaking her head in exasperation.

    ¡°Fine. Take a seat since you¡¯re already here. I¡¯m afraid others might say that we don¡¯t treat our guests well.¡±

    Xia Xinsheng just described Xia Zi as a guest. Xia Zi did not say a single word from the moment she stepped into their home because she knew that nothing good woulde out of it if she reacted in any way.

    Guan Zixuan looked at his stepmother and said, ¡°Mum, there¡¯s no need for you to say things like that. This is my home, so it¡¯s Xia Zi¡¯s home too. If I¡¯m not a guest, then she definitely isn¡¯t. There¡¯s no need for you to treat her like a guest.¡± He then tugged Xia Zi along and sat on the sofa.

    Xia Xinsheng stood there in her anger, and the atmosphere became rather awkward.

    Upon hearing what his son just said, Guan Mingchang was indignant on Xia Xinsheng¡¯s behalf.

    ¡°How dare you talk to your mum like this? You have no respect!¡±

    Guan Zixuan knew that it would be a night of tribtions and he had to tread carefully, or else he just might get into a huge fight with his father like this.

    He did not want Xia Zi to see that side of him.

    He then said, ¡°Yes, I shouldn¡¯t have spoken to Mum like that. But you guys shouldn¡¯t have gone looking for Xia Zi like that either. How about you try to convince me!¡±

    Guan Mingchang was about to smash his teacup on the floor when another voice was heard.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening at home? I could hear your voices from a mile away!¡±

    Guan Zijue walked in and nodded slightly at Xia Xinsheng when he saw her. He then walked over to where Xia Zi and Guan Zixuan were.

    He turned to Guan Mingchang and said, ¡°Why are you guys quarreling when Zixuan brought his girlfriend back home?¡±

    Guan Zijue¡¯s naturally imposing aura was rather effective in calming Guan Mingchang.

    Guan Mingchang said, ¡°Ask that brother of yours!¡±

    The corner of Guan Zijue¡¯s lips turned up slightly as he looked at his brother.

    ¡°Zixuan, you¡¯re not a kid anymore. Don¡¯t fight with Mum and Dad, okay?¡±

    Guan Zixuan knew that his brother was trying to help him, so he quickly smiled and nodded. ¡°Okay, Bro. I won¡¯t do that again.¡±

    Guan Zijue looked at Xia Zi and saw that she seemed to have rxed a little under that icy facade of hers.

    ¡°Xia Zi, I haven¡¯t even thanked you for what happened recently. Please make yourself at home!¡±

    Xia Zi nodded and said, ¡°I will, Big Brother!¡±

    Guan Zijue nodded at this. He was busy looking for Su Xiaoran and possible witnesses these few days.

    His teammate¡¯s father was killed by Su Xiaoran and that there were no security cameras in that old area, but the area around Su Xiaoran¡¯s residence had working security cameras.

    He found some clues after looking through the footage near her ce.

    The rental car driver, the tractor driver, and even the toll collector would have seen Su Xiaoran that night...

 Chapter 260 â€“ Emperor Cityâ€™s Lu Ming from the Lu Family

    <h4>Chapter 260 ¨C Emperor City¡¯s Lu Ming from the Lu Family</h4>

    Guan Zijue had already found quite a bit of evidence that points to Su Xiaoran being the murderer. He simply had to find her and get her arrested.

    Guan Mingchang wondered what Guan Zijue meant when he said he had yet to thank Xia Zi for her help. <i>What did she help him with? Why was I unaware?</i>

    Guan Zixuan caught his father¡¯s expression and he knew instantly that though curious, pride would get the better of him and his father would not ask about it. He thus asked, ¡°Bro, what did A¡¯zi help you with? Why don¡¯t I know about it?¡±

    Guan Zijue looked at him, as if saying,<i>?You obviously already know.</i> He nced at his father and saw that he seemed not to mind this, so he answered, ¡°A¡¯zi didn¡¯t tell you? She was the one who helped to look for the final pieces of evidence so we could bring down the Su family.¡±

    Guan Zixuan pretended to be surprised at this. ¡°Oh¡­ I see!¡±

    Guan Zijue nodded and fell silent.

    Guan Mingchang looked at Xia Zi. He had heard about who she really was and that she was quite well-known in Interpol. The part about her helping Guan Zijue collect evidence was likely to be true.

    He turned to Xia Xinsheng who was now helping to serve the dishes.

    To him, his beautiful and elegant wife had always been understanding. It was Guan Zixuan who could not understand that what they were doing was all for his own good.?He then looked at Xia Zi and said, ¡°Since you¡¯re here, let¡¯s have dinner. We¡¯ll talk about things after!¡±

    Everyone heaved a sigh of relief at this. This meant that it would be peaceful tonight.

    It was an irrefutable fact that Xia Zi had run away from their marriage, but the fact that Guan Mingchang had not yet flown into a rage at this point meant that there was still a chance for them.

    Due to the change in Guan Mingchang¡¯s attitude, Xia Zi felt a lot morefortable now.

    While they were having dinner, something else was happening at a bar in Emperor City.

    At the Color of Water Bar.

    A woman sat at the counter as she drowned herself with endless drinks.

    Her eyes glinted when she spotted a man nearby. <i>Lu Ming from the Lu family. Great!</i>

    Before she walked over to Lu Ming, she spotted two sleazy men at a corner.

    She approached the men on purpose without rming them in order to eavesdrop on their conversation.

    ¡°Laosan, think about it. Even though we did that to Su Xiaoran that day, isn¡¯t it the boss'' fault for not reminding us? He didn¡¯t tell us that it was the Guan family¡¯s young master who wanted to scare Su Xiaoran!¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ Boss is looking for us everywhere now. If we really end up in a corner, we can always go look for Guan Zixuan and threaten him. It was his idea to capture Su Xiaoran in the first ce. We can sue him for that. When that happens, it¡¯ll be a lose-lose situation and I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t want to see that either...¡±

    The woman froze.

    <i>Guan Zixuan. The culprit was Guan Zixuan. I would never have guessed that it was him. How could it be Guan Zixuan who sent those men to take those photos?</i>

    That woman was none other than Su Xiaoran. Revenge was the only thing on her mind after her mothermitted suicide and her family fell from grace. She left with the facial prosthetics that her brother gave her and turned into someone even she herself could not recognize.

    She never expected for the Guan family to be behind everything.

    Su Xiaoran¡¯s fists clenched, but she forced herself to smile as she walked over to the men, revealing a little bit under her cor.

    ¡°Gentlemen, let¡¯s have fun together!¡±

    Su Xiaoran¡¯s voice was nothing but enchanting. The men exchanged nces before sleazy smiles appeared on their faces.?They had been trying to hide from their boss because of what happened recently, and they did not dare to go out much.?They were overjoyed now that there was one who came knocking on their door voluntarily!

    The three of them then walked out of the bar together.

    After a while, two cries could be heard from a dark alley nearby. Su Xiaoran walked out of that same alley shortly after with a?bloodthirsty smile.

    <i>Guan Zixuan, Guan Zixuan! It¡¯s all your fault! I¡¯m going to make you pay with your blood!</i>

    She entered the bar again and saw that Lu Ming was still sitting in the same ce having his drinks. He looked rather serious.

    Su Xiaoran walked over and smiled at him. ¡°Hey handsome, let¡¯s have a drink!¡±

    She looked quite refined and did not look like she was in prostitution, but what she said made Lu Ming frown slightly.

    Su Xiaoran knew Lu Ming very well.?Lu Ming had feelings for her from a long time ago, but because she only had eyes for Guan Zixuan, nothing had happened between them.

    She knew very well what kind of girls Lu Ming fancied.?Lu Ming thought that the woman in front of him felt familiar, and he even thought that she seemed rather simr to Su Xiaoran in a way. Even her build was simr to Su Xiaoran, but it was obvious from her facial features that she was not the girl.

    He wondered where Su Xiaoran went as he watched the woman in front of him act like a sly fox, trying to seduce him.?He then pulled her towards him and smiled at her, exchanging drinks.?They continued drinking for a while before they left the bar hand in hand.

    They spent the night together.

    Lu Ming saw Su Xiaoran smiling at him when he woke up the next day, revealing a little bit of her smooth shoulders.?His expression changed. ¡°We...¡±

    Su Xiaoran reached out to stop him from continuing. ¡°What? You¡¯re going to say that you drank too much and can¡¯t remember a thing?¡±

    Lu Ming shook his head at this. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. I just didn¡¯t think that...¡±

    He never thought that the woman would follow him to a hotelst night, and he never expected for them to...

    Su Xiaoran said, ¡°I know you¡¯re Lu Ming. The Lu family is quite well-known in Emperor City. I won¡¯t ask for much. I just want to spend some time with you. Because, I¡¯ve harbored feelings for you for a long time...¡±

    Su Xiaoran spoke gently, but her words were like a spell which enamored Lu Ming.

    Lu Ming¡¯s gaze darkened as he looked down, as if contemting something. He then looked back at her and agreed.

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Su Xiaoran reached up to touch Lu Ming¡¯s chest. ¡°All I want is to be together with you to make up for all this lost time over the years...¡±

    Though Lu Ming could not really understand her, he did not want to interrupt the woman either.

    Su Xiaoran targeted Lu Ming because she knew that he had feelings for her. Even though she was unable to reciprocate those feelings, she treated this as a way to pay him back for all those years. She was making use of him, but it was also an avenue for her to return his feelings.?She wanted to manipte Lu Ming and use him to get closer to Guan Zixuan!

    Su Xiaoran would fill with rage every time the name ¡®Guan Zixuan¡¯ appeared in her mind...

    She spent her time together with Lu Ming. There was something about her that made Lu Ming like her more and more, and he began taking her to most of the events that he had to attend.

    It was the Fengteng Group¡¯s annual g dinner tonight, and all the business elites of Emperor City were invited.?Lu Ming brought Su Xiaoran with him.

    Xia Zi¡¯s eyelids kept twitching when she was changing into her outfit for tonight. She had this sense of foreboding but did not know why she felt so uneasy.

    Guan Zixuan picked her up before the g dinner and they left together with Luo Qiqi.

    Luo Qiqi tried tofort Xia Zi when she saw how uneasy she seemed to look.?¡°A¡¯zi, are you okay? It¡¯s just a g dinner. There¡¯s no need for you to take it so seriously...¡±

    Xia Zi shook her head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know why but I just feel a bit uneasy!¡±

    Guan Zixuan smiled at Xia Zi through the rearview mirror.?¡°Don¡¯t worry, A¡¯zi. It¡¯s just business elites there tonight, and my dad wouldn¡¯t be there either. There¡¯s no need for you to feel uneasy...¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Xia Zi nodded.?She did not know how to describe that feeling to Luo Qiqi and Guan Zixuan, but she felt extremely anxious and uneasy, as if something bad was about to happen.

    When they arrived at the event, Luo Qiqi excused herself and left for the event first, giving Guan Zixuan and Xia Zi some time together.?Xia Zi shook her head at Luo Qiqi¡¯s smirk.

    When Guan Zixuan and Xia Zi walked in, everyone there seemed to freeze as all eyesnded on them. Guan Zixuan was the star for tonight.?Xia Zi was not used to this sort of attention and was slightly flustered at first, but she was able to calm herself down very quickly.

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s hand was on her shoulder as the both of them walked in.?A crowd formed around the couple, with many of the guests trying to get into Guan Zixuan¡¯s good books.

    Lu Ming kept his eyes on Guan Zixuan. <i>He¡¯s the one who caused Su Xiaoran¡¯s family to fall. I¡¯ve wanted to take revenge on him, but Dad just won¡¯t let me do so.</i>

    His father told him that the Guan family was not one to be trifled with, and he warned him multiple times not to do anything.

    Lu Ming clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking loudly as he did so.?He wanted to slice Guan Zixuan into a thousand tiny pieces right now. With all his focus being on Guan Zixuan, he did not realize how the woman beside him reacted when she saw Guan Zixuan walk in.

    A myriad of emotions seemed to sh in her eyes as she stared at Guan Zixuan.

    Lu Ming did not notice this change in her as he walked up to Guan Zixuan directly.?Su Xiaoran followed behind him quickly.

    Seeing how unfriendly Lu Ming was, some of the guests in the crowd made way for him, not wanting to be embroiled in a possibly messy situation.?The two men had never been on good terms in the past because of Su Xiaoran, and now that she was missing, it was highly likely that they might even get into a fight right here.

    Lu Ming looked at Guan Zixuan mockingly. ¡°Looking good, President Guan!¡±

 Chapter 261 â€“ Murder at the Gala Dinner

    <h4>Chapter 261 ¨C Murder at the G Dinner</h4>

    Guan Zixuan hugged Xia Zi closer to him as he answered Lu Ming, ¡°That has nothing to do with you!¡±

    This angered Lu Ming. He took one step forward and said, ¡°Guan Zixuan, there¡¯ll be retribution for you one day for all that you did to the Su family!¡±

    Su Xiaoran followed him as he moved closer to Guan Zixuan. She was now standing directly opposite Guan Zixuan.

    A vicious glint shed past her eyes and the scene of her brother and her father being taken away reyed itself in her mind, intersecting with her memories of seeing her mother lying in a pool of her own blood.?She closed her eyes as those painful memories resurfaced. Through gritted teeth, she reached into her LV bag.

    Even though Xia Zi reacted very quickly and pushed Guan Zixuan away in the nick of time, the fruit knife ended up being lodged into her abdomen instead.?Blood spurted from her wound when Su Xiaoran plucked out the knife.

    Xia Zi crumbled to the ground in pain as she held the wound.

    Lu Ming stared at the woman beside him incredulously. <i>Why did she do that?</i> Guan Zixuan held Xia Zi tightly as he took in the injury. His eyes were red with anger.

    <i>I¡¯m supposed to take care of her, but I let her get hurt! It¡¯s my fault!</i>

    He looked up and yelled angrily, ¡°Security! Call 120 and arrest that crazy woman! Move!¡±

    He stared at Su Xiaoran, wishing that he could tear her from limb to limb.

    Su Xiaoran did not expect for Xia Zi to jump in front of Guan Zixuan like that. But this did not foil her ns. Hurting Xia Zi meant hurting Guan Zixuan as well!

    But this was far from satisfactory. She wanted Guan Zixuan to pay for everything that the Guan family did to her family! She looked at Guan Zixuan with an evil glint, insanity apparent in those eyes of hers.

    Seeing that the security was about to arrive soon, she decided to try injuring Guan Zixuan with the fruit knife again. <i>Since I¡¯m about to be caught, I¡¯ll just bring everyone down with me!</i>

    Guan Zixuan refused to leave Xia Zi even though there was a knifeing straight for him. He held Xia Zi tight and reached out a hand to block Su Xiaoran¡¯s attack.

    This seemed to make Su Xiaoran go even more insane.

    Luo Qiqi arrived before the security and kicked the knife out of Su Xiaoran¡¯s hands. Before Su Xiaoran could react, she was already immobilized.

    Luo Qiqi was sipping wine in a corner and it was only when Xia Zi crumbled to the ground did she realize that Xia Zi was injured. She wanted to skin Guan Zixuan alive. <i>How dare he let her get hurt like this.</i>

    But first, this crazy woman had to be stopped.

    Luo Qiqi looked at Su Xiaoran beforeughing suddenly.?She reached for Su Xiaoran¡¯s facial prosthetics and tore it away.

    This shocked Lu Ming. He never knew that it had been Su Xiaoran all along.?Su Xiaoran was exposed just like this.

    Her expression was dreadful as she tried to struggle free, but Luo Qiqi was not going to let her escape that easily. Luo Qiqi red at Guan Zixuan as she handed Su Xiaoran over to the security personnel.

    Guan Zixuan was stunned when he realized it was Su Xiaoran, but it was only a momentary distraction as his attention went back to Xia Zi.

    <i>I¡¯ll kill Su Xiaoran if anything happens to A¡¯zi!</i>

    He held Xia Zi tightly, mumbling as the blood continued pouring from her wound. ¡°A¡¯zi, nothing can happen to you. What would I do without you?¡±

    It was heart-wrenching to watch.

    The crowd then realized that the woundeddy was who Guan Zixuan had feelings for. They started thinking that Su Xiaoran had really gone insane.

    Su Xiaoran continued struggling even after being captured by the security personnel. ¡°I hate you, Guan Zixuan! You destroyed me and my family! There¡¯ll be retribution for you and Xia Zi. She¡¯ll die horribly. Don¡¯t think that you¡¯ll be able to save her. I stabbed her very deeply¡­ Ha ha ha!¡±

    Su Xiaoran had be a lunatic.

    Guan Zixuan did not let go of Xia Zi, but he raised his head to instruct the security personnel, ¡°Let her stay!¡±

    He called Guan Zijue to get his brother to send her to the police station directly.

    Xia Zi mustered all her strength as she said to Guan Zixuan, ¡°Zi¡­ Zi¡­ Zixuan, if¡­ if anything happens to me, you have to¡­ continue living¡­ don¡¯t be¡­ don¡¯t be too sad. I¡¯m lucky¡­ lucky to have¡­ met you...¡±?It seemed to take great effort for Xia Zi to say these few words.

    Guan Zixuan held her wound as tears escaped him.?He cried out, ¡°No! A¡¯zi, I won¡¯t let you die. I won¡¯t let anything happen to you, I won¡¯t! Don¡¯t talk, okay? The ambnce is arriving soon!¡±

    Xia Zi continued, ¡°No. Let me talk. These things¡­ I¡¯ve wanted to say¡­ we¡¯ve been together¡­ for the past five years,... but¡­ even though you thought¡­ I was my sister... I still trusted you¡­ and relied on you. Do¡­ do you know¡­ when I recalled¡­ who I really was¡­ I was so... so upset. That pride of mine¡­ didn¡¯t allow me to¡­ continue staying here¡­ as my sister¡­ But¡­ even though I left¡­ you were always¡­ on my mind!¡±

    Guan Zixuan was bawling at this point.

    ¡°A¡¯zi, don¡¯t talk. Nothing will happen to you. I¡¯ll save you, A¡¯zi...¡±

    Xia Zi then passed out.

    Su Xiaoran cackled. ¡°Guan Zixuan, I told you. There¡¯ll be retribution!¡±

    Lu Ming watched her in a panic. He wanted to help Su Xiaoran, but she just attempted to kill someone in public. There was nothing he could do in such a situation! He was absolutely flustered!

    Guan Zijue arrived shortly and nced at his brother before checking on Xia Zi. He quickly tore the bottom part of her dress and created a makeshift bandage for her wound.

    All color had drained from Luo Qiqi¡¯s face by now. <i>How could I forget about such basic first-aid.</i>

    Guan Zijue looked at his brother and said, ¡°Are you dumb? Xia Zi¡¯s pulse is weak, and she has lost a lot of blood. Though the wound is on her abdomen, it doesn¡¯t look fatal, so there¡¯s a high chance she¡¯ll pull through. If anything really happens to her, I think you¡¯re the one who should be apanying her on her way to the afterlife!¡±

    His brother was harsh, but Guan Zixuan knew that he was right. If he continued staying here stunned, he should be the one to me if anything happens to A¡¯zi!

    ¡°I¡¯ll take Su Xiaoran away. Take care of A¡¯zi well!¡±

    Before Su Xiaoran left the scene, she yelled at Guan Zixuan, ¡°Guan Zixuan, this is karma! Xia Zi will die! I curse the both of you to die a horrible death!¡±

    Her voice grew smaller as Guan Zijue dragged her away.

    Though the ambnce arrived very quickly, it felt like an eternity for Guan Zixuan.

    Luo Qiqi, him and the paramedics boarded the ambnce.

    A g dinner turned into an attempted murder, ending before it even began.

    Xia Xinsheng was watching television when the news of what happened at the Fengteng Group¡¯s g dinner broke. The report stated that a woman attempted to kill someone at the dinner and that President Guan Zixuan had been sent to the hospital after getting injured.

    Xia Xinsheng panicked at the news. <i>How did a g dinner turn into a tragedy!</i>

    She tried calling Guan Zixuan¡¯s mobile phone but no one answered. She then tried Guan Zijue, but the line was busy. She was at a loss now.

    She treated Guan Zixuan like her own son, so hearing the news was a great blow to her.

    She called Guan Mingchang. His secretary interrupted him to inform him that there was an important call in the middle of his meeting.

    It was not a video conference, so he simply left to take the call. What he did not expect was to hear news that Guan Zixuan had been stabbed at the g dinner.

    <i>Guan Zixuan had been taking care of the g dinner on his own for the past few years, so how did this happen?</i>

    Guan Mingchang informed his secretary to postpone the meeting before he rushed to the hospital.

    Xia Xinsheng and Guan Mingchang arrived at about the same time. They asked around for information on where the victim from the g dinner was undergoing treatment and quickly made their way there.

    Xia Xinsheng was trembling, and although Guan Mingchang looked calm, his hands were shaking badly.?They saw Guan Zixuan leaning against the wall outside the operating room.

    Luo Qiqi was sitting in a corner. The words ¡®in surgery¡¯ were lit, and the light from the brightly lit sign felt blinding.

    Xia Xinsheng rushed to her son and looked him all over to ensure that he was fine.?She asked, ¡°Zixuan, are you okay? Are you hurt?¡±

    Luo Qiqi felt rather ufortable when she heard the voice. <i>It was A¡¯zi who got injured. It¡¯s fine if they thought it was Guan Zixuan, but aren¡¯t they curious who the victim is now that they see him safe and sound outside?</i>

 Chapter 262 â€“ Mo Suqing Arrives in Emperor City

    <h4>Chapter 262 ¨C Mo Suqing Arrives in Emperor City</h4>

    Luo Qiqi shot up from her seat.

    ¡°Mrs Guan, your precious son is fine. It¡¯s my A¡¯zi who¡¯s hurt. Happy now? Are you satisfied? She won¡¯t be able to harass Guan Zixuan anymore like that!¡±

    Xia Xinsheng was surprised at how angry Luo Qiqi was. <i>So Xia Zi was the one who got injured. It¡¯s no wonder Guan Zixuan looked so down.?</i><i>But how could Luo Qiqi say such a thing? I was only worried for my son.</i>

    She turned and adjusted her expression. ¡°Miss Luo, please don¡¯t make assumptions. I¡¯m just worried about my son. I sympathize with what happened to Xia Zi!¡±

    At this, Luo Qiqi was enraged.

    She walked up to Xia Xinsheng. ¡°Sympathize? Why don¡¯t you ask that precious son of yours how A¡¯zi got hurt? If it weren¡¯t for your son, nothing would¡¯ve happened to her! Your son is the one who should be in there now!¡±

    Xia Xinsheng was incensed at Luo Qiqi¡¯s words and the tone she used.

    ¡°Audacious! Miss Luo, do you know who you¡¯re talking to? You have no right to talk to me like this. I¡¯m upset that Xia Zi is hurt because of Zixuan, and I¡¯m willing to pay for the treatment so that she can get the best doctors. Is that enough? Did I ask her to take that knife for my son? Why are you cursing Zixuan like this now? What are you trying to do!¡±

    Luo Qiqi was absolutely incensed.

    Xia Xinsheng never had someone talk to her like Luo Qiqi did, not even when Guan Zixuan refused to acknowledge her as a mother in the past. He never lost his temper in front of her like that.

    She was sorry for Xia Zi and she knew that it was because of Zixuan that she ended up getting hurt, but even so, she felt that Luo Qiqi had no right to say all that.

    Guan Zixuan wanted to ignore them at first, but the quarrel was getting too intense for him to turn a blind eye.

    He yelled at them, ¡°Enough! A¡¯zi is undergoing surgery now, stop it! Get out if the both of you want to fight!¡±

    When Guan Mingchang saw his son standing outside, he guessed that Xia Zi was very likely the one who got hurt.

    But he did not think that Luo Qiqi and Xia Xinsheng would get into a fight right there.

    Guan Mingchang walked over to Xia Xinsheng to calm her.

    ¡°Zixuan, make sure the doctors try their best. I can look for a specialist if need be. Your mum is emotional because she¡¯s just worried about you. I¡¯ll go out with Mum and buy some food back for the both of you.¡±

    Though she was still very angry, this served to calm Luo Qiqi slightly.

    The mobile phone she was holding rang just when she was about to retort.

    It was Mo Suqing calling.

    She walked out to answer the call.

    ¡°Hello, Sis-inw. This is Qiqi.¡±

    Mo Suqing paused. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Qiqi? Where¡¯s A¡¯zi?¡±

    Mo Suqing wouldn¡¯t have asked something like this usually since she knew that Xia Zi and Luo Qiqi were literally inseparable, but she just saw the news about the attempted murder at Fengteng Group¡¯s g dinner.

    For some reason, she felt uneasy the entire day and found it hard to rx.

    She just needed to know that Xia Zi was fine.

    Luo Qiqi wanted to keep it from her at first, but she felt that Mo Suqing would probably have already found something amiss.

    <i>It¡¯s probably best for them to know the truth ande over, just in case. I wouldn¡¯t know what to tell Mo Suqing if anything happens to A¡¯zi.</i>

    She then answered, ¡°Sis-inw, don¡¯t panic at the news. A¡¯zi¡­ A¡¯zi is hurt. She¡¯s in surgery right now.¡±

    Mo Suqing almost dropped her phone.

    She said, ¡°Take good care of A¡¯zi. Your brother and I wille to Emperor City as soon as we can!¡±

    Mo Suqing ended the call right after.

    She stared into the empty air for a while. Ye Zhongjue caught her staring at the air and walked over to her, concerned.

    ¡°Dear, what¡¯s wrong? Why are you staring into thin air?¡±

    Mo Suqing turned to him and said, ¡°I just saw a report on an attempted murder that happened during Fengteng¡¯s Group g dinner. That¡¯s Guan Zixuan¡¯spany. I¡¯ve been feeling uneasy the entire day and something like that actually happened. I called but it was Luo Qiqi who picked up the phone. She told me that A¡¯zi is hurt and she¡¯s in surgery now. Jue, let¡¯s make a trip to Emperor City right away, okay?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue patted her on the back tofort Mo Suqing.

    ¡°Okay. Don¡¯t panic. We can go over and find out what really happened. I believe A¡¯zi will pull through!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue then booked the tickets and began packing.

    At Emperor City¡¯s hospital.

    Luo Qiqi saw Guan Zixuan curl up into himself against the wall when she walked back into the building. Her anger had more or less dissipated by now and all that was left was worry and concern.

    She knew how Guan Zixuan felt, but no one would know how she felt.

    She felt that Guan Zixuan did not take care of A¡¯zi well, but she med herself at the same time. <i>How could I let her get hurt so badly when I was right there?</i>

    Having gone through so much with her, she hoped that A¡¯zi would be able to pull through this time too.

    The surgery finally ended after more than two hours.

    Before Luo Qiqi could walk over, Guan Zixuan shot up and almost pounced on the doctor.

    ¡°How is everything?¡±

    Seeing how worried he looked, Luo Qiqi thought that it might really have been her fault for not taking care of Xia Zi well.

    <i>Was I asking too much of him? I wanted Guan Zixuan to do a job that I can¡¯t even do well myself.</i>

    The doctor said, ¡°The surgery went well. But the patient has lost too much blood. We did a blood transfusion, but we¡¯re not sure when she¡¯d be able to wake up. Call for me if anything happens.¡± He then left.

    Luo Qiqi walked up and saw Xia Zi being wheeled out of the room. Xia Zi looked like she was in a peaceful sleep, except that her face was devoid of color.

    Guan Zixuan followed Xia Zi as she was wheeled into the ward.

    Guan Mingchang and Xia Xinsheng arrived shortly after.

    Xia Xinsheng nced at Luo Qiqi before saying, ¡°It¡¯s going to be midnight soon. Have something to eat.¡±

    She knew that she had been too emotional earlier, and she had also heard that Xia Zi and Luo Qiqi were as close as sisters. It was perfectly reasonable for Luo Qiqi to react like she did.

    Furthermore, Zixuan was safe. It had not been polite of her to get into a fight with Luo Qiqi earlier.

    Luo Qiqi was surprised at the sudden change in Xia Xinsheng¡¯s attitude. She turned away.

    ¡°Let Guan Zixuan have the food. I won¡¯t take any. I just want to stay by A¡¯zi¡¯s side!¡±

    There was a subtle change in Xia Xinsheng¡¯s expression, but she did not say anything in response. She simply ced the food at the side.

    Guan Mingchang said, ¡°Zixuan, it¡¯s only right that you take care of Xia Zi since she got hurt because of you. Miss Luo, we¡¯re very sorry about what happened to Miss Xia. You can discuss with Zixuan to decide on who apanies Xia Zi tonight. We¡¯lle back tomorrow to visit Miss Xia.¡±

    Guan Mingchang did not put on airs and what he said sounded very logical.

    Luo Qiqi nodded at this and murmured in acknowledgement.

    She looked at Guan Zixuan after his parents left.

    ¡°Go take a rest. I¡¯ll take care of A¡¯zi tonight. My brother and Sis-inw are arriving in Emperor City tomorrow. We don¡¯t have to trouble you after that!¡±

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s face darkened. He knew Luo Qiqi was upset over this, but he never thought that she would want him to leave.

    <i>How can I leave when A¡¯zi is hurt!</i>

    Getting into a fight with Luo Qiqi will not help matters, because he was the one who did not take care of Xia Zi well.

    He took a deep breath and said, ¡°Qiqi, it¡¯s my fault for not taking care of A¡¯zi well this time and letting her get hurt. It won¡¯t happen again. A¡¯zi is hurt. I have to be by her side.¡±

    Luo Qiqi did not want to make things difficult for Guan Zixuan, but she was unable to forgive him as yet. She watched Xia Zi crumple to the ground right in front of her. She was unable to forgive herself, much less Guan Zixuan.

    She tried to adjust her expression and said, ¡°Guan Zixuan, there¡¯s no need to do that. I¡¯d like to take care of A¡¯zi myself!¡±

    Guan Zixuan was at a loss for words. He stood in ce for a while before saying, ¡°I won¡¯t say anything if you insist on staying. But I won¡¯t leave either!¡±

    Guan Zixuan dragged a chair to the side of the bed and sat on it.

    Luo Qiqi then walked over to the sofa in the ward and sat on it. The both of them remained silent like this for quite a while.

    Luo Qiqi did not expect Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue to arrive that quickly. They arrived in Emperor City at about three in the morning and headed for the hospital right away.

    Mo Suqing saw Luo Qiqi lying on the sofa and Guan Zixuan leaning against the bed when she entered the ward. Being light sleepers, the both of them woke up at the sound.

    Guan Zixuan had a look of guilt when he saw Mo Suqing.

    Mo Suqing said to Ye Zhongjue, ¡°Stay with Qiqi in the ward for a while. I have something to say to Zixuan.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue squeezed her hand and gave her a look of reassurance before he entered the ward, as if he was telling her not to be too emotional.

    Guan Zixuan then followed Mo Suqing out of the ward.

 Chapter 263 â€“ Guan Zixuanâ€™s Situation

    <h4>Chapter 263 ¨C Guan Zixuan¡¯s Situation</h4>

    Mo Suqing stopped only when they reached the far end of the corridor. She turned and regarded Guan Zixuan sternly.

    ¡°Zixuan, I¡¯m wondering if I made a mistake by asking A¡¯zi toe to Emperor City to look for you. Should I not have done anything? A¡¯zi was initially...¡±

    Guan Zixuan was flustered at this.

    He cut her off and said, ¡°Suqing, hear me out. A¡¯zi is my life. I would go looking for her even if she doesn¡¯te over. I¡¯d rather be the one getting hurt. I wouldn¡¯t want anything to happen to her. This will never happen again!¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head as she listened to Guan Zixuan. ¡°Zixuan, how can I trust you on this? A¡¯zi is my sister, she¡¯s the only rtive I have left in this world. I won¡¯t bet her future on this! Let¡¯s say she¡¯s fine this time, then what about next time? How are you going to guarantee anything!¡±

    Guan Zixuan looked forlorn. ¡°Suqing...¡±

    Mo Suqing turned away from him. ¡°Zixuan, you don¡¯t have to say anything. I¡¯ll talk to A¡¯zi when she wakes up. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t care about your feelings, but please understand that we¡¯ve just found each other as sisters. I¡¯ve always felt sorry that I wasn¡¯t able to take care of her. No matter what, she¡¯s the priority this time. Don¡¯t think about it too much. I¡¯m going in to see her.¡±

    Guilt shed across Guan Zixuan¡¯s face once again as he watched Mo Suqing¡¯s departing figure.<i>?It¡¯s my fault for not taking care of A¡¯zi well. If I had taken good care of her, this wouldn¡¯t have happened at all.</i>

    Mo Suqing was at the bedside with Ye Zhongjue beside her when Guan Zixuan entered the ward again. Luo Qiqi was still on the sofa.

    Guan Zixuan looked at Xia Zi once more before leaving the room quietly.

    Mo Suqing sat at Xia Zi¡¯s bedside until daylight. Ye Zhongjue asked her to take a nap, but she simply refused to leave Xia Zi¡¯s side.

    Guan Zixuan spent the night on the benches along the corridor, his eyes never leaving the entrance to the ward.

    He stood up and entered the ward only when daylight came.

    Mo Suqing had fallen asleep at the bedside, and Ye Zhongjue was not in the ward when she woke up.

    Luo Qiqi saw Mo Suqing looking at her after she woke up.

    She rubbed her eyes and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Sis-inw?¡±

    Mo Suqing sounded sleepy as she answered. ¡°I don¡¯t know when I fell asleep, and he¡¯s gone when I woke up!¡±

    Luo Qiqi frowned at this. But the door to the ward opened before she could answer.

    She and Mo Suqing looked up to see Guan Zixuan walk in with breakfast. He looked tired as he spoke. ¡°I bought breakfast for you. Have something to eat. I¡¯ll take care of A¡¯zi!¡±

    He then ced the food on the desk in front of the sofa.

    Mo Suqing did not know what to say to him. A¡¯zi had yet to wake up, and she felt that Guan Zixuan seemed to be trying to atone for his mistakes by what he just did.

    Ye Zhongjue happened to also walk in with breakfast when Luo Qiqi stood up.

    At this, Mo Suqing and Luo Qiqi exchanged a nce and smiled at each other.

    After having breakfast, Mo Suqing spotted a man walking towards the ward when she took out the trash. It was obvious that this man was heading for Xia Zi¡¯s ward. But she did not recognize the man at all. Could he be a friend of Xia Zi¡¯s?

    Mo Suqing decided to stop him. ¡°May I know who you are?¡±

    Guan Zijue frowned slightly, but he realized that she was Xia Zi¡¯s sister upon seeing Mo Suqing.

    He then answered, ¡°I¡¯m Guan Zijue, Guan Zixuan¡¯s older brother.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue had told her a bit about the Guan family in the past, so Mo Suqing decided to let him in. ¡°Okay,e on in!¡±

    Guan Zixuan turned and saw his brother when they entered. He thus stood up to greet him immediately. ¡°Bro!¡±

    Guan Zijue nced at Xia Zi before turning to Guan Zixuan. ¡°Come with me. There¡¯s something I have to tell you!¡±

    Guan Zixuan was rather surprised at this, but he followed his brother out anyway.

    They exited the hospital building before Guan Zijue spoke.

    ¡°When can Xia Zi wake up?¡±

    Guan Zixuan shook his head at this. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The doctor said that her life isn¡¯t in danger, but she has lost too much blood, so we don¡¯t know when she can actually wake up!¡±

    ¡°That was Xia Zi¡¯s older sister?¡± Guan Zijue asked with a frown.

    ¡°Mm.¡±

    ¡°What did she say?¡± Guan Zijue asked.

    What Mo Suqing said to him reyed itself in Guan Zixuan¡¯s mind, but he shook his head.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t say much. Just that she¡¯s worried about A¡¯zi.¡±

    For some reason, Guan Zixuan decided not to share what Mo Suqing said to himst night.

    Guan Zijue then went straight to the point. ¡°I¡¯m here to check on Xia Zi¡¯s condition today. I¡¯ve handed Su Xiaoran over to the police with the evidence I¡¯ve collected. I¡¯m worried that Lu Ming might do something, so stay alert. Su Xiaoran seems off-kilter. The police have also found that she had been on stimnts recently, and those drugs would only make one hysterical!¡±

    Guan Zijue looked at his brother and asked, ¡°Do you know why I¡¯m telling you all this?¡±

    Guan Zixuan shook his head. ¡°No.¡±

    Guan Zijue turned serious. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate anyone around you. Don¡¯t think that someone isn¡¯t dangerous because she¡¯s a woman. Take Su Xiaoran for an example. If we had arrested her during that wedding, this wouldn¡¯t have happened! If you want to take care of Xia Zi, you can¡¯t put her in danger. You have to get rid of all the dangers that are around you. Or else, if I was Mo Suqing, I wouldn¡¯t agree to Xia Zi being together with you either!¡±

    Guan Zixuan nodded at this. ¡°It¡¯s my fault this time. Bro, it won¡¯t happen again. I was careless.¡±

    Guan Zijue patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Be careful next time. I have to go back to camp today. Inform me if anything happens with Su Xiaoran. She¡¯s bound to be sentenced to life this time!¡±

    Guan Zixuan looked at his brother. He knew how important that old man was to him. Guan Zijue treated a teammate¡¯s father like his own.

    ¡°Bro, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take care of things here. I¡¯ll gain Suqing¡¯s trust and A¡¯zi¡­ will wake up. I¡¯ll make sure everything is fine between her and our family, and I won¡¯t let her get hurt again...¡±

    Guan Zijue nodded and turned to leave.

    When Guan Zixuan returned, Mo Suqing and Luo Qiqi looked rather curious. Luo Qiqi wanted to know what he talked about with his brother, and she was dying to know what happened to that Su Xiaoran woman!

    Though Mo Suqing looked calm, there was a slight hint of suspicion in her eyes.

    Ye Zhongjue was the only one who had a cid expression.

    Guan Zixuan looked at Xia Zi and said, ¡°My brother told me that Su Xiaoran has been handed over to the police so there shouldn¡¯t be any problem, and¡­ he said that he¡¯ll be going back to camp.¡±

    Mo Suqing answered with an ¡®Oh¡¯ and nothing else.

    Guan Zixuan felt awkward after this. He knew that Mo Suqing wanted to know who hurt Xia Zi, but she wouldn¡¯t ask him directly.

    He wanted to say more, but didn¡¯t know what else to say.

    At this point, the doctor entered to check on Xia Zi. Seeing so many people in the ward, he frowned.

    He sounded very stern as he spoke. ¡°The patient needs space. Having too many people in the room affects the air cirction and it isn¡¯t beneficial to the patient. It¡¯s best to have just one person stay!¡±

    The doctor checked on Xia Zi and confirmed that she was recovering well.

    Of course, the doctor would never have imagined that Xia Zi had recovered from injuries much worse than this.

    Luo Qiqi knew that Xia Zi was strong and could recover well, but she still could not bear to watch her get hurt, especially when Xia Xinsheng refused to ept Xia Zi even when Xia Zi could give up her life for Guan Zixuan.

    Luo Qiqi was not going to take this lying down!

    The doctor looked at everyone in the room and said, ¡°It¡¯s great that the patient is recovering well, but it¡¯s not good if there are too many people in the room. It¡¯s best if only one person stays!¡±

    He then turned to leave.

    Mo Suqing said, ¡°Since the doctor has already said so, all of you can leave. I¡¯ll stay to take care of A¡¯zi!¡±

    Luo Qiqi answered quickly, ¡°Sis-inw, you and Brother rushed over and didn¡¯t get a wink of sleepst night. Go back and rest. I¡¯ll be here with A¡¯zi.¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head. ¡°I¡¯d like to take care of her personally. Qiqi, you should understand this. We just found each other...¡±

    Ye Zhongjue then said, ¡°Qiqi, listen to your Sis-inw. We¡¯ll book two rooms in the opposite hotel, and you cane over when your Sis-inw goes back to rest.¡±

    All eyesnded on Guan Zixuan after Ye Zhongjue spoke. He then said, ¡°No matter who¡¯s taking care of A¡¯zi, I¡¯ll just stay outside the ward!¡±

    This stunned all of them. No one expected Guan Zixuan to say something like this.

    All of them knew that Guan Zixuan had spent the night in the corridor, but Mo Suqing had her guard up against him because he let Xia Zi get hurt this time.

    At this moment, the door to the ward opened.

    Mo Suqing was shocked when she saw who walked in.

    ¡°Mum?!¡±

 Chapter 264 â€“ Xia Xinshengâ€™s Identity

    <h4>Chapter 264 ¨C Xia Xinsheng¡¯s Identity</h4>

    The shock on Mo Suqing¡¯s face was apparent.

    Xia Xinsheng was equally shocked. She looked at Mo Suqing before ncing at Xia Zi.

    Slowly, she walked up to Mo Suqing and asked, ¡°You are¡­ Suqing?¡±

    Tears escaped Mo Suqing instantly. She rushed up to Xia Xinsheng and hugged her tightly. ¡°Mum, I thought eight years ago...¡±

    A flurry of emotions overcame Xia Xinsheng.

    Everyone was stunned at this. Surprise was written on everyone¡¯s faces.

    If Mo Suqing was Xia Xinsheng¡¯s daughter, was Xia Zi her daughter too?

    Ye Zhongjue could not believe it. He thought that he was the one who caused Xia Yanran¡¯s death eight years ago, so he never expected her to be alive and well.

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s eyes widened at this. <i>If Xia Xinsheng was Mo Suqing¡¯s mother, then wouldn¡¯t she also be¡­ Xia Zi¡¯s mother?</i>

    Fate seemed to like toying with people like this. Xia Xinsheng had been trying so hard to get Xia Zi to leave Guan Zixuan, only to find out that Xia Zi was her daughter.

    Guan Zixuan was the one who was in the greatest disbelief. How could the person he addressed as ¡®Mum¡¯ all these years be Mo Suqing and Xia Zi¡¯s biological mother?

    He called out, ¡°Mum...¡±

    That word was loaded with surprise, shock, disbelief and suspicion.

    Xia Xinsheng flinched slightly at Guan Zixuan¡¯s voice, and it made Mo Suqing freeze.

    <i>Did Guan Zixuan just address my mother as ¡®Mum¡¯?</i>

    She turned to look at Guan Zixuan.

    ¡°Zixuan, what did you just say?¡±

    Guan Zixuan shut his eyes. <i>Why did fate have to y such a trick on me?</i>

    Mo Suqing¡¯s mother is alive, and she has been by my side all this time. He gave a bitter smile and said, ¡°Suqing, this is¡­ thedy you¡¯re hugging right now, she¡¯s my mother, Madam Xia Xinsheng.¡±

    Mo Suqing turned back to the olderdy. She felt as if she was in a movie, unable to believe that this was actually happening to her.

    She looked at her mother with questioning eyes. There were too many unanswered questions. <i>Why is she Guan Zixuan¡¯s mother now? Didn¡¯t she die eight years ago??</i><i>Why did she leave me all alone in the Mo family?</i>

    Mo Suqing experienced a momentary hatred for her mother, but it passed quickly. It turned into sorrow and joy that her mother was still alive.

    She asked, ¡°Mum, can you tell me what happened?¡±

    Xia Xinsheng looked at her and turned to look at Xia Zi, confirming that they had the same features. She shut her eyes in pain. <i>I¡¯ve found my younger daughter, but I actually treated her that way.</i>

    Guilt instantly assailed her. But she had to know one thing.

    ¡°Suqing¡­ Xia Zi is Ziqin, right?¡±

    She already knew the answer to this, and Mo Suqing¡¯s nod made her feel like her heart was being stabbed. <i>How could I have let this happen?</i>

    Mo Suqing continued pressing Xia Xinsheng for answers. ¡°Mum, could you tell me what happened? Why are you in Emperor City? Why didn¡¯t youe looking for me since you¡¯re alive? Don¡¯t you care about me at all!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue walked over tofort the emotional Mo Suqing, taking her in his arms.

    Luo Qiqi did not know what to make of this entire situation and she wondered how Xia Xinsheng felt about this. She remembered that she had found Ye Zhongjue rather familiar the first time she saw him.

    Though Guan Zixuan could already put the pieces together, he was still shocked. He walked to Xia Zi¡¯s bedside and took her hand in his.

    Xia Xinsheng shut her eyes and wiped her tears as they escaped.

    She spoke with a trembling voice. ¡°Nine years have passed! I don¡¯t want to talk about it again.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve known Zixuan¡¯s dad for a long time. We were students and we never got together even though we had feelings for each other. This was quitemon in those days. We then got married separately, and I married Mo Zhenfeng. That was my greatest regret in this life.¡±

    ¡°Suqing!¡± Xia Xinsheng continued, ¡°Mum loves you, but I was afraid to face you. Do you understand? Every time I see you, I get reminded of how Mo Zhenfeng betrayed me. We had been married for such a long time, and he betrayed my trust when I was heavily pregnant.¡±

    ¡°He even kept it from me for so long. If it weren¡¯t for Bai Lian who came knocking on our door, I would never have known that he was already having an affair. Emotions were running high and I didn¡¯t expect that I would get into an ident. Only when I arrived at the hospital did I realize that it was all Bai Lian¡¯s trap. Bai Lian wanted to kill me. It was fortunate that Zixuan¡¯s father, Guan Mingchang, witnessed the ident. He followed the ambnce to the hospital and found out that Bai Lian was in cahoots with the doctor and that they were trying to kill me. He wanted to take me away at first, but I refused to leave.¡±

    ¡°I told him that I wanted to leave everything, I begged him to take me away and fake my death. Of course, I didn¡¯t know that he loved me then. To help me, he used facial prosthetics so that others would think that the body was mine, and we sessfully left the hospital. Xia Yanran died then, and I changed my name to Xia Xinsheng. There was no way I could return to my past life.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to give up on my past and start anew...¡±

    Mo Suqing asked in tears, ¡°And you chose to give up on me too?¡±

    It hurt Xia Xinsheng to see Mo Suqing so upset. She shook her head and said, ¡°Suqing, it¡¯s not like that. I never thought of giving you up, but I didn¡¯t want to return to that pain. I changed my name to Xia Xinsheng? so that I can have a new life, to be reborn. Suqing...¡±

    Mo Suqing shut her eyes, but her tears would not stop.

    Feeling betrayed, she asked with a trembling voice, ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you change your surname too? Why didn¡¯t you just undergo cosmetic surgery and change how you looked forever? If you wanted to be reborn, you should have done it properly so that I would never have been able to recognize you, ever! Why did you have to do all that!¡±

    Xia Xinsheng was crying too.

    ¡°Suqing, I never expected to meet you in Emperor City...¡±

    This made Mo Suqing angry. Ye Zhongjue could feel the anger emanate from her as he held her in his arms.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that you didn¡¯t expect it. You didn¡¯t even think it possible that you¡¯d meet me again in this life, someone that reminded you of all the pain you went through. And you would definitely not have expected that Guan Zixuan would fall for your daughter, Mo Ziqin. You¡¯re not my mother, you¡¯re not...¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head as she cried. ¡°My mother would never do this to me, she would never...¡±

    The sudden rush of emotions was too much for her and she passed out.

    It was fortunate that Ye Zhongjue was holding her. He caught her as she fell. ¡°Suqing!¡±

    He red at Xia Xinsheng and scooped Mo Suqing up in his arms to look for a doctor.

    Luo Qiqi nced at Guan Zixuan who was now at Xia Zi¡¯s bedside before chasing after Ye Zhongjue.

    Xia Xinsheng followed behind them and cried out, ¡°Suqing...¡±

    Luo Qiqi could tell that Xia Xinsheng loved Mo Suqing, and she wondered how much suffering Xia Xinsheng had gone through for her to decide to cut off all ties with her children.

    It was obvious that she cared for Mo Suqing deeply, but why did she not contact her daughter in all these years? Judging from Guan Zixuan¡¯s reaction, it did not seem like Xia Xinsheng had attempted to contact Mo Suqing at all.

    Whatever it was, she did not do her duty well as a mother.

    It was thus well within reason for Mo Suqing to react like that.

    Mo Suqing was sent to emergency and Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression was cold as ice.

    Seeing Ye Zhongjue, Xia Xinsheng heaved an inward sigh of relief, happy that her daughter had found someone she could rely on. It was obvious that he was true to her, and that was really all a mother would ask for. Though she might not have done her duties well as a mother, she still hoped for the best for Mo Suqing.

    Anxious, Ye Zhongjue turned to Xia Xinsheng and said icily, ¡°You¡¯d better hope that she¡¯s fine, or else...¡±

    He then turned away from her. <i>No one is allowed to hurt Mo Suqing, not even her biological mother.</i>

    She had not fulfilled her duties as a mother, and he could not stand the fact that Mo Suqing had copsed because of her. He just wanted Mo Suqing to be safe right now.

    The door to the emergency room opened and Ye Zhongjue rushed forward. Thedy doctor sounded displeased as she asked, ¡°Are you the family of the patient?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nodded at this. ¡°Yes, I am!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s pregnant. Are you taking care of her well? She¡¯s extremely fatigued and the sudden rush of emotions had caused her to pass out. You call yourself a good husband like this?¡±

    The doctor¡¯s words were like a bolt from the blue for Ye Zhongjue.

    <sup>[1]</sup> The characters used for ¡®Xinsheng¡¯ literally trantes to ¡®new life¡¯.

 Chapter 265 â€“ Youâ€™re Unreliable

    <h4>Chapter 265 ¨C You¡¯re Unreliable</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue looked at the doctor in disbelief. ¡°What? She¡¯s pregnant?¡±

    The doctor rolled her eyes at him. ¡°It¡¯s almost two months now. How could you not know this!¡±

    She then looked at him in a way that seemed to say, <i>I bet you¡¯re one of those unreliable husbands</i>, before saying, ¡°She¡¯s been under a lot of stress and fatigue, and the sudden emotional outburst was an additional trigger for her. Take good care of her especially for the first three months, or else it¡¯s easy for a miscarriage to happen.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue was still surprised at the news. He did not think that just one night was enough for a tiny life to be formed.

    He then asked, ¡°Are the baby and my wife fine?¡±

    ¡°She needs proper rest and it¡¯s best that she doesn¡¯t move around too much. They¡¯re both fine but make sure to take good care of her. I¡¯ll prescribe something that can stabilize the pregnancy. Come with me.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nodded quickly and turned to Luo Qiqi. ¡°Qiqi, take care of your Sis-inw. I¡¯ll go get the medicine.¡±

    A bitter smile appeared on Xia Xinsheng as she watched Ye Zhongjue leave with the doctor. <i>Xinsheng, Xinsheng, but have I really been reborn?</i>

    She stopped herself from contacting Mo Suqing all these years, and all the pent-up emotions and guilt flooded her when she saw her daughter again today. <i>It¡¯s my fault. I should never have abandoned her.</i>

    Xia Xinsheng buried her face in her hands, unable toe to terms with reality. Luo Qiqi shook her head at this before going in to check on Mo Suqing.

    Mo Suqing just woke up and the corner of her eyes were still wet from her tears. She tried to get up when she saw Luo Qiqi appear.

    Luo Qiqi rushed forward to help raise the bed. ¡°Sis-inw, I¡¯ll help you get anything that you need. Just tell me what you need help with.¡±

    Mo Suqing shook her head in confusion. ¡°Qiqi, what happened? Why am I here?¡±

    Luo Qiqi then said, ¡°Sis-inw, do you know that you¡¯re pregnant for almost two months now? You passed out because you were too tired and that emotional outburst earlier was the trigger.¡±

    Mo Suqing held her stomach before staring at Luo Qiqi wide-eyed. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Luo Qiqi smiled at her as she nodded.

    Luo Qiqi suddenly felt a sense of loneliness and a slight envy. <i>If Su Jincheng was still around, would they have children of their own too??</i>Sadness overwhelmed her again as she thought of A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu.

    She liked children too, but she would probably not have any in this life.

    Mo Suqing was on a roller coaster ride of emotions. She looked towards the door and asked, ¡°Qiqi, where¡¯s my¡­ my mum?¡±

    After a moment of contemtion, Luo Qiqi decided to say, ¡°She¡¯s right outside!¡±

    She was reminded of what Ye Zhongjue said earlier, but she knew very well that her brother was just taking out his anger, and that proved that he cared deeply for Mo Suqing.

    No matter what, Mo Suqing was his top priority.

    Luo Qiqi then asked, ¡°Sis-inw, do you want me to get her?¡±

    Mo Suqing thought for a while before shaking her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine!¡±

    <i>Xia Xinsheng never came looking for me so it doesn¡¯t matter. She¡¯s just guilty for all those lost years. She¡¯s guilty that she didn¡¯t do her duties as a mother.?</i><i>So what if Luo Qiqi gets her? There¡¯s nothing I have to say to her! That won¡¯t bode well for either of us.</i>

    Mo Suqing did not want to go through the pain of losing a rtive again.

    Luo Qiqi sighed and stayed by her bedside.

    Ye Zhongjue saw Xia Xinsheng waiting at the door when he returned. He knew very well how much Mo Suqing cared for her mother, because she would not have had such an emotional outburst otherwise. <i>So what? Meeting Xia Xinsheng would only hurt her further.</i>

    Xia Xinsheng saw him walking over and tried her best to collect herself as she looked up at him. They remained silent for a while before Ye Zhongjue asked, ¡°Do you want to go in and take a look at Suqing?¡±

    Xia Xinsheng forced herself to smile and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. She¡¯s not in a good mood and she probably doesn¡¯t want to see me now. You go ahead. I¡¯ll be leaving!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue did not stop her as he entered the room alone.

    What happened today seemed to have shocked everyone greatly.

    Xia Xinsheng never thought that visiting A¡¯zi would allow her to meet her daughter, Mo Suqing, after nine years.

    She also knew that she had not been very nice to Xia Zi in the past, and that made her feel even more sorry. She did all that for Guan Zixuan, but the reality was that she had let her own daughter down.

    She felt extremely guilty for having left Mo Suqing nine years ago, and the fact that she had personally hurt her younger daughter made her even more upset!

    Xia Xinsheng walked out of the hospital in a daze.

    Guan Zixuan had been in Xia Zi¡¯s ward after Mo Suqing left, and he felt that the suffocating pressure seemed to have been lifted a little without the rest of them here.

    He just wanted to keep his A¡¯zipany and he wanted to be there when she woke up. He had so much to tell her.

    He looked at Xia Zi tenderly.

    Someone suddenly knocked on the door to the ward.

    Guan Zixuan frowned as he turned to the door. <i>Mo Suqing or Luo Qiqi wouldn¡¯t have knocked. Could it be Xia Xinsheng?</i>

    He could only shake his head at the thought of his stepmother.<i>?Could this turn of events be considered fortunate? How could Mo Suqing¡¯s biological mother be my stepmother??</i><i>This also meant that Xia Xinsheng is actually Xia Zi¡¯s mother.</i>

    <i>What¡¯s fortunate is that Xia Xinsheng was unlikely to create further trouble for A¡¯zi after this.</i>

    He then said, ¡°Come in!¡±

    It was Guan Mingchang standing at the door.

    Surprised to see his father, Guan Zixuan asked, ¡°Dad, why are you here?¡±

    Guan Mingchang walked in and said, ¡°I heard that your brother has already returned to the camp. Your mum said she wanted to visit Xia Zi in the morning to check on her, but she isn¡¯t back yet. I can¡¯t reach her on the phone either. I was worried so I thought I should juste over.¡±

    Guan Zixuan was shocked to hear this.<i>?Xia Xinsheng did not return home?</i>

    <i>Maybe she needs time to reconcile everything.</i>

    Guan Zixuan then said, ¡°You¡¯ll learn about this sooner orter, so let me tell you what happened earlier. Let¡¯s talk outside.¡±

    Guan Mingchang nced at Xia Zi before nodding and leaving the ward.

    They hung around near the ward and did not go far since there was no one else keeping Xia Zipany.

    ¡°Dad, Mum was from A City right?¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Guan Mingchang nodded at this.

    ¡°Do you know that she has a daughter called Mo Suqing?¡±

    Guan Mingchang was surprised to hear this, but he nodded and said, ¡°I know that but I didn¡¯t look into it because your mum wanted to break free from her past. I know that she wouldn¡¯t like it if I were to look into her past either. So, all I know is that she has a daughter. I never bring this up because I don¡¯t want to upset her, but I can tell that she still misses her daughter after all these years.¡±

    Guan Zixuan nodded and said, ¡°Dad, you¡¯re right. Mum could not let go of her daughter, and she feels extremely guilty towards her. The more guilt she felt, the less courage she had to go look for her child. What she never expected was that I would be friends with Mo Suqing when I was in A City.¡±

    This was news to Guan Mingchang. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Guan Zixuan continued, ¡°I mean, Mo Suqing is in Emperor City now, and Mum met her right in A¡¯zi¡¯s ward this morning.¡±

    ¡°What happened then!¡± This made Guan Mingchang anxious. <i>What were the odds of something like this happening!</i>

    Guan Zixuan shook his head. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t panic. I know you¡¯re worried about Mum but let me finish first. I¡¯m guessing Mum never told you that she has more than one daughter right? She actually had twin daughters, but one of the girls went missing when they were younger. This was probably why she never told you, but she would never have guessed that Mo Suqing had already found her sister, and that they¡¯ve already acknowledged each other as siblings!¡±

    A sense of foreboding crept up on Guan Mingchang. He frowned and asked, ¡°Do we know that other daughter?¡±

    Guan Zixuan nodded and said, ¡°Yes. Xia Zi is Mo Suqing¡¯s twin sister!¡±

    <i></i>This shook Guan Mingchang.<i>?If that¡¯s the case, Xia Xinsheng would probably be feeling extremely guilty at this point. The methods she used to protect Guan Zixuan had inadvertently hurt her own daughter.</i>

    <i>Now that Xia Zi was in the hospital, Xia Xinsheng was probably the one who felt the worst.</i>

 Chapter 266 â€“ A Hardy White Rose

    <h4>Chapter 266 ¨C A Hardy White Rose</h4>

    Guan Mingchang said, ¡°Take good care of Xia Zi. I¡¯ll go look for your mum!¡±

    Guan Zixuan nodded. ¡°I will!¡±

    Guan Zixuan watched his father leave hurriedly. He sighed inwardly, hoping that Xia Xinsheng would not hurt herself on impulse.<i>?Xia Zi is still unconscious and she doesn¡¯t know that Xia Xinsheng is her mother!</i>

    He returned to the ward and sat at Xia Zi¡¯s bedside looking sorry.

    He kept wondering to himself if this could have been prevented if he had reacted faster. He wondered if he could have actually protected her, and he wondered if he should have gotten rid of Su Xiaoran in the first ce.

    He reached for Xia Zi¡¯s hand and held it.

    He could feel that there were several tiny scars on her hand. <i>Shouldn¡¯t girls be pampered and well taken care of by their parents?</i>

    <i>Why did my A¡¯zi have to go through so much pain and suffering??</i>He could only imagine what she had actually been through, from her time in the orphanage up until bing the famous white rose in Interpol.

    Beautiful and strong-willed, she was able to rise up the ranks through sheer ability and determination.

    He loved and epted everything about her, her past and her present.

    Guan Zixuan held her hand tight and intertwined his fingers with hers.

    ¡°You know what, A¡¯zi? I never thought that I could fall in love so deeply. I can leave everything and even abandon myself for you.¡±

    Overwhelmed by his emotions, he did not notice Xia Zi¡¯s eyshes fluttering.

    Guan Zixuan continued, ¡°A¡¯zi, you¡¯re sleeping so peacefully now. When are you able to wake up? My mum wouldn¡¯t make things difficult for you anymore because she¡¯s your mum too. We¡¯ll be happy after this. Wake up soon, okay?¡±

    He reached out to stroke her cheek. ¡°A¡¯zi, before getting to know you, I thought that liking someone would mean heartbreak, but I never knew that really loving somebody meant that I¡¯d feel like dying without her. I had feelings for your sister, Mo Suqing, in the past, and it might be just fate ying with us, but without your sister, I don¡¯t think we¡¯d have ever met. I¡¯m so grateful to have met you and to have you by my side. Though it looked like I was the one taking care of you for the past five years, you were able to fill the emptiness in my heart. You made my heart feel so full...¡±

    Guan Zixuan was unaware of the movement in Xia Zi¡¯s other hand during his heartfelt confession.

    ¡°A¡¯zi, you might be thinking that I¡¯m treating you as a recement for Suqing.¡±

    He then gave a bitter smile. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought like that at all. Even though you had lost your memories, you¡¯re totally different from Suqing. You were the one I fell in love with! You left without turning back right before we were supposed to get married, and I know you¡¯re probably ming me for it. Yes, I didn¡¯t give you that sense of security, and I never told you that I went to A City just to look for you. I never had the courage to confess my feelings for you. Xia Zi, you¡¯re the only one in my heart. You¡¯re nobody else¡¯s recement, you are you, you¡¯re my A¡¯zi, and you¡¯re the only one that I want. It¡¯s my fault, it¡¯s all my fault. Could you just wake up please? A¡¯zi, wake up and look at me. I promise I¡¯ll answer any questions you have, okay?¡±

    Guan Zixuan suddenly stopped talking. He saw Xia Zi looking right at him.

    ¡°A¡¯zi, you...¡±

    Xia Zi asked, ¡°What? Didn¡¯t you ask me to wake up and look at you?¡±

    Guan Zixuan deadpanned.

    ¡°You heard everything?¡± He turned red from embarrassment.

    Xia Zi nodded. ¡°Mm, I heard it all.¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you call out to me?¡± Guan Zixuan asked her extremely gently, as if afraid that sounding a tiny bit harsher would break her into pieces.

    ¡°Why should I do that?¡± Xia Zi¡¯s expression was so calm it looked like she was talking about the weather.

    Guan Zixuan scratched his head. ¡°When did you wake up?¡±

    ¡°I woke up when you started talking.¡±

    Xia Zi answered honestly, causing Guan Zixuan to be even more embarrassed.<i>?So she really heard everything I said?</i>

    But he recovered quickly from the embarrassment since these were things he had always wanted to tell her.

    <i>Well, it¡¯s good I¡¯ve said all that. I might not have the courage to do that in any other situation!</i>

    Xia Zi looked at him and said, ¡°It¡¯s not that I listened in on purpose. I wanted to open my eyes when I heard you talking, but my eyelids were just too heavy.¡±

    Guan Zixuan ced a finger gently on her lips. ¡°A¡¯zi, it¡¯s okay. I understand. These are things that I¡¯ve wanted to tell you anyway. I¡¯m going to tell you this now. I like you. No! I love you. You¡¯re the one I love and have always been. You¡¯re my everything, you¡¯re my life. I won¡¯t let you leave me, I won¡¯t let you get hurt. I¡¯ll stay with you even if the entire world is against it!¡±

    There was a ripple of emotion on Xia Zi¡¯s face as she nodded. ¡°Zixuan, me too!¡±

    ¡°What did you just call me?¡±

    Xia Zi was slightly embarrassed at this. ¡°I¡¯ll call you Zixuan from now on!¡±

    Guan Zixuan nodded happily. ¡°Okay, okay!¡± He then helped raise the bed.

    With the bed raised, Xia Zi could talk to him muchfortably while she was sitting up.

    He then realized that he forgot to ask how she was feeling. He pped himself on the forehead and asked, ¡°A¡¯zi, do you feel okay? Are you hurting anywhere? I¡¯ll get the doctor to check on you again, okay?¡±

    Xia Zi shook her head at this. ¡°There¡¯s no need. Zixuan, I know myself. I recover faster than the usual person. I¡¯m fine so there¡¯s no need to get the doctor. I¡¯d know if anything was wrong.¡±

    This made Guan Zixuan think of the Chinese idiom ¡®prolonged illness makes one a doctor¡¯. <i>How many times had she been hurt and injured?</i>

    Guan Zixuan hugged her.

    ¡°A¡¯zi, I¡¯ll protect you in future. I won¡¯t let you get hurt anymore, I promise...¡±

    Xia Zi blinked at this. She understood how he felt and she knew that he would have med himself this time. It was usually the man protecting the woman, but she protected him this time.

    ¡°Okay! You have to protect me then!¡±

    Guan Zixuan continued hugging her and did not let go.

    Xia Zi then remembered what he said earlier. ¡°You mentioned something like your mum was my mum, and that there¡¯d be no one stopping us in future. Is that true?¡±

    ¡°Mm! It¡¯s true!¡± Guan Zixuan nodded quickly.

    Joy appeared on Xia Zi¡¯s face. ¡°Aunty is willing to ept me?¡±

    Guan Zixuan realized then that Xia Zi had misunderstood him. She thought that he meant Xia Xinsheng had epted her, but she still did not know that Xia Xinsheng was her biological mother.

    He then sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s not like that though. Do you know that your sister is in Emperor City now?¡±

    Xia Zi smiled. ¡°Sis is here? Where is she?¡±

    Guan Zixuan then began telling her what happened in the morning.

    ¡°Suqing arrived in the dead of night because she was super worried about you. My mum came to visit in the morning and she met Suqing.¡±

    Before Guan Zixuan could finish, Xia Zi asked, ¡°Did my sister get into a fight with Aunty?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°No, they didn¡¯t. But Suqing passed out.¡±

    Xia Zi sat up. ¡°Where¡¯s my sister? I want to see her!¡±

    Guan Zixuan stopped her. ¡°Don¡¯t panic. I¡¯ve seen her and she¡¯s fine. She¡¯s pregnant and she passed out because she had an emotional outburst.¡±

    Xia Zi frowned at this. ¡°Why did that happen? Didn¡¯t you say that they didn¡¯t get into a fight?¡±

    Guan Zixuan then said, ¡°They didn¡¯t, but Suqing called her ¡®Mum¡¯!¡±

    This confused Xia Zi. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Guan Zixuan continued, ¡°My mother, or to be more urate, my stepmother, is actually Xia Yanran. She¡¯s the biological mother of you and Suqing. Because of what happened nine years ago, she changed her name, got a new identity and moved to Emperor City to start a new life.¡±

 Chapter 267 â€“ I Love You More Than I Love Myself

    <h4>Chapter 267 ¨C I Love You More Than I Love Myself</h4>

    Xia Zi was stunned at the news. The elegant Xia Xinsheng was her biological mother.

    Images of Xia Xinsheng trying to get her to leave Guan Zixuan shed through her mind.

    Guan Zixuan held her and asked, ¡°A¡¯zi, are you okay?¡±

    Xia Zi nodded. ¡°She should be happy now that she has found our mother right? Why did my sister pass out?¡±

    Guan Zixuan sighed.

    ¡°Your mother never returned to A City to look for Suqing. She told Suqing that she wanted to break free from her past and she didn¡¯t want to continue living in that shadow. Suqing couldn¡¯t take it and had an emotional outburst, which caused her to pass out.¡±

    Xia Zi looked dreadful when she heard this. <i>Xia Xinsheng abandoned her daughter just to create a new life for herself?</i>

    Guan Zixuan took Xia Zi in an embrace.

    ¡°I¡¯ve spent all these years with Mum and I know she¡¯s not a bad person. She¡¯s kind at heart, and she would probably have had a pressing reason to do so. Try to put yourself in her shoes. She just found out that her husband had been cheating on her for the past ten years. His mistress came knocking on her door and even tried to kill her by setting up an ident. She had nothing else to live for. If it weren¡¯t for my father, you and Suqing might not have been able to meet her again. So I hope that you won¡¯t me her.¡±

    Xia Zi remained silent with her head lowered.

    Even so, Guan Zixuan could tell that her emotions were running wild. He stroked her hair gently.

    ¡°A¡¯zi, don¡¯t be too upset. You¡¯ll always have me around. I¡¯ll never abandon you in this life. I, Guan Zixuan, swear that I¡¯ll die a horrible death if I ever abandon you! In this life...¡±

    Xia Zi red at him. ¡°Are you looking for a beating, Guan Zixuan? Why are you cursing yourself like that!¡±

    Guan Zixuan gave a wry smile. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to show my loyalty to you. I love you more than anyone else, even more than I love myself.¡±

    Xia Zi rested her head on his chest for a while.

    ¡°When I regained my memories, I thought that you had mistaken me for my sister, which was why I decided to run away from our wedding. I had already gotten used to relying on you, or should I say that I¡¯ve already fallen for you then, but my pride prevented me from staying. I¡¯d never stay with somebody who didn¡¯t share those feelings of mine because I, Xia Zi, would never deign to be anybody¡¯s recement. I¡¯m unable to bow down even in front of love because I know that it wouldn¡¯t be love at all!¡±

    Guan Zixuan nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right, but...¡±

    He tapped her on the nose. ¡°Silly. You¡¯re right, but you were the one who spent the past five years with me. You¡¯re fundamentally different from Suqing, and I¡¯m not such an idiot to be unable to recognize who I¡¯ve really fallen for. You¡¯re the one I¡¯ve fallen for. Did you know how upset I was when you just left like that? I thought that I meant nothing to you, which was why you left me so cruelly!¡±

    Xia Zi looked at him. ¡°That was what you thought?¡±

    She had always thought that Guan Zixuan was full of pride, and having him share his feelings so honestly with her like that made her feel for him.

    She hugged him. ¡°Then why did you only look for my sister when you went to A City previously?¡±

    Guan Zixuan looked her in the eye and said, ¡°Silly. Jealous?¡±

    Xia Zi red at him. ¡°No, I¡¯m not!¡±

    Heughed and coaxed her gently like a child.

    ¡°Okay, okay. My A¡¯zi wouldn¡¯t be so petty!¡±

    He then said, ¡°I went looking for Suqing because she¡¯s your sister, so I thought she¡¯d be able to help me look for you.¡±

    Xia Zi looked at him wide-eyed. ¡°You approached my sister to get her help?¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Guan Zixuan looked at her tenderly. ¡°I care about you and I won¡¯t give up that easily. But I suddenly had to return to Emperor City and everything got dyed!¡±

    Xia Zi nodded at this. <i>So this was what happened. We¡¯re both too proud to admit our feelings for each other and no one wanted to be upfront. If I didn¡¯t get hurt, our feelings for each other might just have remained buried in our hearts.</i>

    ¡°Zixuan, let¡¯s not keep things from each other in future, okay?¡±

    Guan Zixuan nodded. ¡°Okay!¡±

    All that happened made him realize that it was best to let the other party know about how you felt. If nobody was willing to take the first step, it might just end up hurting everyone.

    He also realized that mutual trust was extremely important. He decided to trust the woman before him with his life from now on.

    While Guan Zixuan and Xia Zi confessed their feelings to each other, Guan Mingchang was still trying to locate Xia Xinsheng around the hospital.

    Guan Mingchang was worried about her. He cherished what they had especially after going through an unhappy marriage.

    He wondered where Xia Xinsheng would go, and after about forty minutes, he spotted a figure that resembled Xia Xinsheng from afar.

    The figure was standing on a bridge a distance away and though he could not make out any features, Guan Mingchang rushed towards the figure immediately.

    It was none other than Xia Xinsheng.

    Disappointment, guilt and regret were written clearly on her face, and it hurt Guan Mingchang to see her so upset.

    He knew that Xia Xinsheng had been hurt greatly in her past marriage, and he tried his very best to fill that empty space in her heart all these years. He never thought that she would have such a huge reaction after seeing Mo Suqing only once.

    <i>Just how deeply did she bury all those feelings of hers?</i>

    It pained Guan Mingchang to see Xia Xinsheng like this.

    He had wondered if they would have been able to get together earlier only if he had been a little more stubborn and chosen to refuse what his parents had nned for him.

    <i>She must feel so bad at how disappointed Mo Suqing was and it didn¡¯t help matters that Xia Zi was still unconscious.</i>

    Guan Mingchang approached and hugged her from the back.

    Xia Xinsheng panicked, but quickly realized it was Guan Mingchang.

    Guan Mingchang rested his chin on her head. ¡°Xinsheng, tell me if you¡¯re upset. I¡¯m your husband, so it¡¯s my duty to share your sorrows. Don¡¯t take it all upon yourself. It hurts me to see you like this!¡±

    The guilt and sorrow in Xia Xinsheng could no longer be suppressed and her tears were unstoppable after she heard what Guan Mingchang said.

    He was like an anchor she could hold onto as she got swept up by the fierce undercurrents of her roiling emotions.

    Xia Xinsheng turned and buried her face in Guan Mingchang¡¯s chest as she wept.

    Guan Mingchang soothed her and patted her gently on the back.

    ¡°Don¡¯t cry¡­ I¡¯m sure that the children will understand why you made those choices. Don¡¯t be too upset...¡±

    This made Xia Xinsheng cry harder, and Guan Mingchang¡¯s shirt was drenched in her tears.

    Guan Mingchang could only hold her.

    Xia Xinsheng looked up at him after a long while. ¡°Mingchang, I think I made a mistake. It¡¯s my fault¡­ I¡¯ve let my children down. I¡¯ve never thought of how Suqing would cope on her own after I left. I was too selfish. If it wasn¡¯t for me, my children wouldn¡¯t have had to go through all that pain. It¡¯s my fault, it¡¯s all my fault!¡±

    Xia Xinsheng started crying again.

    ¡°I had no idea that A¡¯zi was my daughter. I treated Zixuan as my own son, and if only I knew she was that poor daughter of mine, I would never have said all that to her. I regret it so, so much. I shouldn¡¯t have stopped her from getting together with Zixuan in the first ce. She¡¯s still unconscious. What am I to do if anything happens to her? Mingchang, I did this to my children. What should I do? I¡¯m so upset. I never thought that I would hurt my own child by protecting Zixuan. My poor daughter...¡±

 Chapter 268 â€“ Needless Compensation

    <h4>Chapter 268 ¨C Needless Compensation</h4>

    Guan Mingchang consoled Xia Xinsheng as she continued to cry. ¡°Xinsheng, don¡¯t overthink it. A¡¯zi has always been fortunate. She was abducted when she was only two, but she still managed to survive and grow up. I believe she¡¯ll be able to pull through this time. Let¡¯s not meddle in their marriage after this. The kids won¡¯t me you, and we can slowly work on fixing our rtionship with them. Don¡¯t do this to yourself, okay?¡±

    Xia Xinsheng sniffed and looked up at him. ¡°You really don¡¯t mind it if A¡¯zi gets married to Zixuan?¡±

    Guan Mingchang ?smiled. ¡°You¡¯re the most important. Nothing else matters to me. Anyway, there are already three votes for Xia Zi and Zixuan to get together now. There¡¯s no use even if I disagree!¡±

    This made Xia Xinshengugh, but her eyes were still red and swollen.

    ¡°I won¡¯t ever make things difficult for her again. A¡¯zi had gone through so much and I¡¯ve also tried so hard to look for her. Now that I¡¯ve found her, I¡¯ll ensure that she¡¯ll not suffer anymore!¡±

    Guan Mingchang then said, ¡°Somebody else would probably be doing that!¡±

    Surprised, Xia Xinsheng asked in confusion, ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Who else but that son of mine. A¡¯zi¡¯s life is more important to him than his own!¡±

    Xia Xinsheng smiled at this. ¡°A¡¯zi is lucky. They¡¯re fortunate to have met each other!¡±

    Guan Mingchang nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s not meddle in their affairs anymore!¡±

    Xia Xinsheng then said, ¡°Right, Suqing is still at the hospital. I want to see her! The doctor said she¡¯s pregnant. I want to take care of her and A¡¯zi even if she doesn¡¯t forgive me.¡±

    Guan Mingchang nodded again. ¡°That¡¯s right. Don¡¯t be too upset over things. It hurts me too!¡±

    Xia Xinshengughed and the both of them headed back to the hospital.

    At the hospital.

    Ye Zhongjue did not tell Mo Suqing that Xia Xinsheng had already left.

    He knew that Mo Suqing would feel worse if she found out Xia Xinsheng had left. Even though she put up a front and acted like she never wanted to see her mother, he knew very well that she still cared deeply for Xia Xinsheng.

    Ye Zhongjue helped Mo Suqing peel a banana but she froze when he passed it to her.

    He frowned before realizing that Mo Suqing was actually looking at Guan Mingchang and Xia Xinsheng, who were now standing at the door.

    <i>Why are they here?</i>

    It was the first time Ye Zhongjue saw Guan Mingchang in person. He did not want to be rude, especially when Mo Suqing¡¯s mother was there too.

    Guan Mingchang held a basket of fruits in one hand, and it was obvious they were here to visit Mo Suqing.

    Ye Zhongjue stole a quick nce at Mo Suqing before inviting them inside. ¡°Come on in!¡±

    Guan Mingchang ced the basket of fruits on the table while Ye Zhongjue moved two chairs over. Xia Xinsheng did not want to sit at first, but under Mo Suqing¡¯s watchful eyes and after some convincing from Guan Mingchang, she decided to take a seat eventually.

    She had been standing for most of the day, and Guan Mingchang did not want her to feel too fatigued.

    Xia Xinsheng¡¯s eyes never left Mo Suqing.

    Silence filled the air for a while before Mo Suqing spoke. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    At this, Xia Xinsheng¡¯s tears almost escaped her, but she forced herself to tamp down her emotions as she answered. ¡°I¡¯ve been at the door since morning, but I didn¡¯t daree in. I was afraid that you would hate me, and I also knew that you would hold a grudge against me. I really didn¡¯t have much of a choice back then. I couldn¡¯t even take care of myself. If I continued staying in the Mo family, your father would only dislike you more. I know that Bai Lian had a daughter too, and I thought that your father is unlikely to leave you in the lurch even if I left. This was why I never contacted you throughout the years. I really didn¡¯t know that you had to go through so much...¡±

    Mo Suqing gave a mockingugh as she looked at the guilt on Xia Xinsheng¡¯s face. ¡°Yes! He wouldn¡¯t have done anything to me, he didn¡¯t abuse me, and the most he did was just to make me feel like an outsider in my own home. Haven¡¯t you heard? He decided to transfer all his assets to me and A¡¯zi eventually. But we don¡¯t need all that...¡±

    She then paused before continuing, ¡°Familial love is the most important thing to me, but he had never given that to me. I felt like an object, just amodity that was of use to him. I had been upset over it and I¡¯ve struggled against it, but I still had to ept that it was the reality, that such a person was my father. To others, it may seem that he cares. He bought me a car, but I don¡¯t want that. He let me stay in the house, and if I wanted to move out, he¡¯d get a ce for me. But I didn¡¯t want to ept any of that. I felt that if I epted any of it, it meant that I''d have epted him as a father. I don¡¯t want such fatherly love that can only be measured in mary value!¡±

    Concerned that Mo Suqing would get too worked up, Ye Zhongjue got her a ss of water and patted her on the back to soothe her.

    Mo Suqing did not cry even though she was upset.

    She looked at Xia Xinsheng and said, ¡°I know you want to fix our rtionship, but I just want to be clear on this. Please don¡¯t use such methods, because it would only make me hate you more. You can go!¡±

    She then tucked herself under the nket right after.

    Ye Zhongjue shook his head at this. He had expected something like this to happen because he knew Mo Suqing would not be able to ept the truth in such a short time.

    Upset, Xia Xinsheng looked at Mo Suqing who was curled up under the nket. <i>I never wanted any of this to happen, but things just turned out this way.</i>

    <i>What do I do? What should I do? She refuses to ept me!</i>

    Guan Mingchang held her by the shoulder tofort her. He never expected Mo Suqing to be this harsh when she looked so frail on the outside.

    <i>She does take after Xia Xinsheng a little in this aspect.</i>

    When she was younger, Xia Xinsheng was the type of girl who looked frail on the outside but was actually extremely resilient on the inside. Now that she was older, she looked like a strong and hardy woman. Even so, his feelings for her would never change.

    The door opened just as the older couple were about to leave and Luo Qiqi walked in with lunch. She did not expect to see the two of them inside.

    By reading the air in the room, she could already guess what just happened.

    She smiled and nodded at them before entering the ward.

    The older couple acknowledged her and left shortly.

    Xia Xinsheng looked at Luo Qiqi with eyes full of warmth. She knew that Luo Qiqi and Xia Zi were as close as sisters, and they had always been with each other for all these years.

    She wondered how Xia Zi would turn out if it wasn¡¯t for a friend like her, so she was grateful to Luo Qiqi for being such a loyal friend.

    Xia Xinsheng could not understand why Luo Qiqi felt so indignant for Xia Zi earlier, but she understood it now. It was only when you really cared for someone would you feel so upset.

    Luo Qiqi shivered after the couple left.

    She spoke without realizing that Mo Suqing was trembling under her nket.

    ¡°That woman treated my A¡¯zi so horribly in the past. I confronted her previously, but her attitude changed so much now that she found out it¡¯s her daughter. I¡¯m just speechless at this!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue watched Mo Suqing¡¯s trembling figure and he knew right away that she was crying under the nket. All that harshness from earlier was just a front. She cared about everything that her mother said and did.

    If she did not care, why would she have shot him when she learnt that he was the one who hit Xia Yanran in that ident?

    Ye Zhongjue gave a bitter smile and spoke sternly, ¡°Qiqi, stop it!¡±

    He looked at Mo Suqing as a signal to Luo Qiqi, and it was only then did she realize Mo Suqing¡¯s trembling figure.

    Luo Qiqi stuck out her tongue and looked at Ye Zhongjue apologetically. ¡°Bro, sorry!¡±

    She spoke so softly that Ye Zhongjue couldn¡¯t hear her, but he knew what she was trying to say, so he simply waved to dismiss her. Luo Qiqi ced the food on the table before escaping the room quickly.

    Outside the ward, Luo Qiqi leaned against the wall of the corridor with a sorrowful expression.

    She envied her brother and sister-inw and the fact that they were still able to remain together after having gone through so much.

    She had always been a sucker for love stories like these, but she knew that she would never star in one of these stories.

    The scene of Su Jincheng jumping off that cliff reyed itself in her mind¡¯s eye.

    It was something that she would never be able to forget.

    Xia Xinsheng wiped her tears after she left Mo Suqing¡¯s ward and asked her husband, ¡°Let¡¯s go have a look?¡± Guan Mingchang nodded in agreement.

 Chapter 269 â€“ Having A Lot to Learn

    <h4>Chapter 269 ¨C Having A Lot to Learn</h4>

    Guan Mingchang and Xia Xinsheng heard voicesing from Xia Zi¡¯s ward when they approached the room.

    They knocked on the door and entered when a voice told them toe in.

    Xia Zi had already woken up by now and she seemed to gaze deeply at Xia Xinsheng. This made the older woman emotional. <i>Xia Zi knows the truth, or else, she wouldn¡¯t have reacted this way.</i>

    <i>She would definitely me me. It¡¯s my fault. I¡¯ve not done my duty as a mother and I¡¯ve put her through so much suffering. I couldn¡¯t even recognize her when we¡¯ve met so many times.</i>

    Silence filled the air as Xia Xinsheng trembled.

    She then spoke with a hint of guilt in her voice. ¡°A¡¯zi...¡±

    Fleeting emotion passed in Xia Zi¡¯s eyes, but she was able to put on a poker face almost immediately. She looked at the older woman and said, ¡°Hi, Auntie!¡±

    Her attitude and politeness made Xia Xinsheng¡¯s heart clench. <i>This is all my fault, and I¡¯m just reaping what I sowed.</i>

    Upset, she looked at her daughter. ¡°A¡¯zi, don¡¯t be like this. It¡¯s Mum¡¯s fault. I really didn¡¯t know. I wouldn¡¯t have treated you like that otherwise. Please forgive me, please? I won¡¯t meddle in your rtionship with Zixuan anymore!¡±

    Xia Zi remained cid and spoke with a hint of sarcasm. ¡°Oh¡­ Then I¡¯ll have to thank Auntie for this. It doesn¡¯t matter whether you meddle in it or not, and thanks foring over to visit. Goodbye!¡±

    Xia Zi had made it very clear that she wanted Xia Xinsheng to leave. This was a huge blow to the older woman. <i>None of my daughters are willing to forgive me. I brought this upon myself!</i>

    Guan Mingchang gave a heavy sigh. He knew that it would take some time for Xia Zi and Mo Suqing to ept this reality and it was not easy for them to forgive her so quickly either.

    He looked at Guan Zixuan and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take your mum back. Take care of Xia Zi. We¡¯lle again tomorrow.¡±

    Guan Zixuan nodded and remained silent.

    He knew that apart from Xia Zi, his stepmother was also hurting. But A¡¯zi was still his priority.

    Xia Xinsheng turned to take onest look at Xia Zi before leaving.

    Xia Zi fell silent after the couple left.

    Guan Zixuan understood that what she needed was some alone time.

    He stood up and said, ¡°A¡¯zi, I¡¯ll get some food for you. Don¡¯t move around and stay in bed, okay?¡±

    Xia Zi ignored him and Guan Zixuan could only sigh at this.

    When he left the hospital, he passed by Mo Suqing¡¯s ward on purpose and saw Ye Zhongjue saying something to his wife.

    Mo Suqing¡¯s frown turned into a smile immediately after listening to what Ye Zhongjue said.

    Guan Zixuan shook his head at this. <i>Seems like I have a lot to learn from Ye Zhongjue.</i>

    He then left quickly to get lunch.

    When Luo Qiqi entered Xia Zi¡¯s ward, she was nowhere to be found. But both she and Ye Zhongjue received a text message from Xia Zi saying that she wanted to go out for some fresh air.

    They knew that she was in a bad mood, so taking a walk outside may just help!

    Guan Zixuan saw Xia Zi standing in front of the window when he returned.

    ¡°A¡¯zi, didn¡¯t I tell you to stay in bed? Why are you moving around? What if your wound tears?¡±

    Xia Ziughed. ¡°I¡¯m not that weak. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve lost too much blood, which is why I slept for a day. I know my condition, and I just wanted to walk a bit!¡±

    As Guan Zixuan watched her, he was reminded of how Ye Zhongjue made Mo Suqingugh.

    He found a few jokes online and wanted to share them with Xia Zi.

    He walked her back to the bed and opened the lunchboxes as he said, ¡°Have some food while I tell you a few jokes, okay?¡±

    Xia Zi¡¯s silence was a bit disappointing, but he pressed on.

    ¡°Everyone in the ssroom celebrated when a ckout happened at night. Xiaoming took out a handheld torch and they saw someone standing at the door. He yelled,?Damn! Who¡¯s that idiot standing there??But the lights came back on at this moment, and everyone realized that it was the teacher standing there with a dreadful expression...¡±

    Guan Zixuan stole a nce at Xia Zi and realized that she had absolutely no reaction to what he just said.

    Disappointment shed across his face once again. He frowned as he watched Xia Zi, who was now eating her porridge. He then said, ¡°Not funny? I¡¯ll tell you another one!¡±

    Seeing how excited he looked, Xia Zi looked down and did not interrupt him.

    He then continued. ¡°A wife asked her husband, <i>Do you know why the male private part is called a pecker?</i> The husband shook his head and said he didn¡¯t know. His wife then looked upon him in disdain and said, <i>How can you not know this as a man!</i> He then asked her,<i>?Do you know?</i> The wife then said, <i>Males initially have three eggs, and only one of them would turn into a pecker!?</i>The husband was speechless at this...¡±

    Xia Zi turned to look at Guan Zixuan.

    Seeing Xia Zi¡¯s gaze on him, he asked, ¡°Not funny? How about I tell you one more?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°Zixuan, there¡¯s no need to do this to yourself. I¡¯m in a bad mood because everything happened too suddenly. I need time to ept things, to get used to them. There¡¯s really no need for you to do this. I¡­ I¡¯m really fine.¡±

    Guan Zixuan acted like a child who just made a mistake. ¡°Did I annoy you, A¡¯zi?¡±

    She shook her head again. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t. I won¡¯t find you annoying. I¡¯m really happy that you care about me. I just found out that your stepmother is my biological mother, and I want to forgive her too, but I can¡¯t get over everything so quickly.¡±

    Guan Zixuan took the bowl from her and hugged her.

    ¡°A¡¯zi, let¡¯s get married after you¡¯ve recovered. Okay?¡±

    Xia Zi looked up. ¡°Are you proposing to me now?¡±

    This stunned Guan Zixuan. <i>This was a proposal. Why did I propose in such a way? Am I dumb?</i>

    He held her hands tight and knelt down on one knee. ¡°A¡¯zi, I¡¯m really fortunate to have met you in this life. I¡¯m just grateful to the heavens for letting us meet five years ago. I¡¯ve fallen deeply for you. I love you more than I love myself. It hurt me so much to see you take that knife meant for me. I should be the one protecting you. It doesn¡¯t matter who you were in the past. To me, you¡¯re my princess. I love you. Will you marry me? A¡¯zi!¡±

    Xia Zi never thought that Guan Zixuan would propose to her in such a fashion. This reminded her of how Ye Zhongjue proposed. <i>He seemed to have proposed in a hospital as well.</i>

    She smiled at how things could be so simr.

    Guan Zixuan watched her in trepidation, waiting for her agreement.

    Xia Zi could not bear to reject him like this. Furthermore, she had already decided that he was the one she would be with.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll marry you!¡±

    Guan Zixuan shot up and hugged Xia Zi in his joy. He just wanted to snuggle her and keep her in his embrace forever.

    ¡°A¡¯zi, we¡¯ll get married after you¡¯re recovered, okay?¡±

    He could no longer wait. He wanted to tell the entire world that this woman belonged to him, and that she could only belong to him in this life.

    Xia Zi smiled at him. ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll get ready for our wedding after I get discharged.¡±

    Hearing this, Guan Zixuan heaved a sigh of relief. However, he was suddenly reminded of what Mo Suqing said to him previously.

    ¡°Would you still marry me if Suqing disagrees?¡±

    Xia Zi frowned at this and asked, ¡°She said something to you?¡±

    Guan Zixuan nodded. ¡°She med me for not protecting you well. She said she regretted sending you here...¡±

    ¡°I think my sister would respect my decision. She said all that because she¡¯s worried about me, and she doesn¡¯t want to see me get hurt. She¡¯s ming herself for not taking care of me. I understand that, so you don¡¯t have to feel guilty over it. I¡¯ll talk to her about it.¡±

    Guan Zixuan sighed in relief. The excitement of getting married then took over and he started talking about how they should n their wedding.

    Xia Zi¡¯s heart bloomed with happiness as she watched him all excited like a little child...

 Chapter 270 â€“ Xia Xinshengâ€™s Death

    <h4>Chapter 270 ¨C Xia Xinsheng¡¯s Death</h4>

    The next day.

    Guan Zixuan was about to go get lunch for Xia Zi and he saw Xia Xinsheng enter the hospital. Xia Xinsheng was holding a lunchbox and looked like she was heading towards Xia Zi¡¯s ward.

    Support us at Innread.

    Guan Zixuan wondered to himself, <i>Did she bring lunch?</i>

    Seeing Guan Zixuan, Xia Xinsheng stopped and asked, ¡°Are you about to go get lunch?¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Guan Zixuan nodded.

    Xia Xinsheng raised the lunchbox and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. I¡¯ll prepare it and send it over to you guys.¡±

    His brows furrowed.<i>?She¡¯ll prepare it?</i>

    Although Xia Xinsheng would cook from time to time, his father did not want her to tire herself out too much, so he rarely let her enter the kitchen. Guan Zixuan did not expect that Xia Xinsheng would actually bring lunch for them.

    Seeing the stunned Guan Zixuan, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Zixuan. A¡¯zi just woke up and soup will be nourishing for her. It¡¯s not good if her meals are too oily either. It¡¯s better if I prepare the food, I can make something that¡¯s lighter on the pte.¡±

    Guan Zixuan realized what she meant by lighter on the pte when Xia Xinsheng opened the lunchbox. There were two bowls of porridge, one with lean meat and century egg, the other with grains and nuts. Apart from these, there were a few side dishes as well. It seemed like Xia Xinsheng had woken up really early to prepare these.

    He said, ¡°Mum, A¡¯zi and I can¡¯t finish all of these. How about I bring some to Suqing? She needs to have nourishing meals too.¡±

    Xia Xinsheng smiled. ¡°There¡¯s no need to do that. I¡¯ve prepared a meal that¡¯s suitable for pregnant women and already sent that over to her.¡±

    Guan Zixuan was surprised to hear this. <i>This would mean that she had to have woken up extremely early today to prepare all the food for the three of us.</i>

    <i>She probably felt guilty towards Mo Suqing and Xia Zi.</i>

    Though she treated him well, they were not rted by blood. His biological mother only left thatpany to him, and she did not seem to care much about him over the years either.

    Guan Zixuan suddenly felt envious.

    But he shook his head to clear his mind of these thoughts. <i>Did I just feel envious of my stepmother and wife?</i>

    He wanted to wake Xia Zi up for lunch but Xia Xinsheng stopped him. ¡°Zixuan, wait!¡±

    He looked at her in confusion. She then exined, ¡°Zixuan, I think it¡¯s better that I leave. Wake her up after I¡¯m gone. A¡¯zi¡­ she¡­ probably doesn¡¯t want to see me.¡±

    Xia Xinsheng nced at Xia Zi one more time before turning to leave.

    As Guan Zixuan looked at her departing figure, he did not realize Xia Zi had moved.

    Xia Zi had always been a light sleeper and she would wake up at the slightest disturbance.

    But just as Xia Xinsheng said, Xia Zi did not want to see her, or rather, and Xia Zi did not know how to face her right now.

    <i>Maybe it¡¯s best like this.</i>

    Guan Zixuan woke Xia Zi up after his stepmother left, but he did not tell her that the food had actually been prepared by Xia Xinsheng.

    It was only when Mo Suqing visited Xia Zi in the afternoon did Xia Zi realize that Mo Suqing was unaware that Xia Xinsheng was the one who prepared lunch for her.

    This continued for an entire week.

    Xia Xinsheng would arrive early in the morning and leave after sending the food.

    Although both Xia Zi and Mo Suqing were already aware, they still felt rather awkward about the situation and did not know how to approach Xia Xinsheng about this.

    On the morning of the ninth day.

    Mo Suqing was discharged after one week of bedrest.

    Though her wound had scabbed over, Xia Zi was still warded as Guan Zixuan refused to let her move around too much.

    On this very day, Xia Xinsheng had yet to send lunch over. She would usually have already arrived two hours ago. Worried, Guan Zixuan called his father only for him to hear that Xia Xinsheng had already left the house early in the morning.

    Anxious, Guan Zixuan tried calling Xia Xinsheng, but no one answered.

    Xia Xinsheng had yet to arrive when Mo Suqing came to visit Xia Zi. At this point, Guan Zixuan decided that he could not keep this from the both of them any further and finally told them that Xia Xinsheng had yet to send lunch over.

    Xia Zi shot up and stared at him. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier!¡±

    She immediately went to change, nning to personally go look for Xia Xinsheng. Mo Suqing dashed out of the ward right after Guan Zixuan spoke, and Guan Zixuan could not stop either of them.

    He then realized that this pair of sisters simply refused to admit that they cared deeply about their mother.

    He made a few calls and sent his men to locate Xia Xinsheng as he followed Xia Zi, trying tofort her.

    Xia Zi thought that Xia Xinsheng simply stoppeding over because she was almost fully recovered.

    She suddenly hated herself for not forgiving her mother. If she could see her mother again, she would definitely share all her troubles with her.

    She never thought that she would actually be able to meet her biological mother after finding Mo Suqing, her twin sister.

    She could not bear to hold a grudge against her own mother forever, but at the same time, she was not yet ready to entirely forgive her.

    Xia Zi buried her face in her hands. Guan Zixuan took her in an embrace as he tried to console her.

    ¡°A¡¯zi, I¡¯m not trying to stop you from looking for Mum, but your injury has yet to heal fully. Please take care of yourself. Suqing is looking for her, and I¡¯ve also sent men to search for her. I believe that nothing will happen to Mum.¡±

    Xia Zi sniffed as shey her head against his chest.

    The mobile phone in the ward rang suddenly.

    Guan Zixuan saw that it was Xia Xinsheng calling and answered it right away.

    However, the voice on the other end was an unfamiliar one.

    ¡°Hello, this is the Second Hospital in Emperor City. May I ask if you¡¯re the family of the patient?¡±

    Guan Zixuan paled as he heard this. He nodded and said, ¡°Yes, yes I am. Where¡¯s the owner of the phone now?¡±

    ¡°Well, the owner of this phone has passed away from an ident. My condolences. Pleasee to the hospital to confirm the identity of the body.¡±

    This stunned Guan Zixuan. He stood rooted to the ground at the news. <i>Dead? She passed away? How is that possible? How could that happen?</i>

    He turned to Xia Zi, who was now staring at him. She looked even paler than when she had sustained that knife injury.

    Guan Zixuan found it hard to speak. ¡°A¡¯zi...¡±

    Xia Zi reached out a hand. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡±

    She turned away as her tears started falling.

    Her listening skills were impable and she had a feeling of foreboding when Guan Zixuan answered the call, and the phone call just confirmed her greatest fear. Her tears were unstoppable.

    Guan Zixuan hugged her tight. ¡°A¡¯zi, don¡¯t cry. Let¡¯s go over and take a look. They might have made a mistake!¡±

    He was trying to console Xia Zi, but at the same time, his words served to console himself as well.

    Guan Zixuan was unable to reach Guan Mingchang since he was in a meeting, so he and Xia Zi rushed over to the Second Hospital.

    When they were on the way, Mo Suqing called him to ask if he had any news about Xia Xinsheng.

    After a moment of contemtion, Guan Zixuan decided to keep it from Mo Suqing. ¡°Mum is in the Second Hospital now. Xia Zi and I are heading over. Suqing, you cane over with Ye Zhongjue a littleter. You¡¯re pregnant now so take care of yourself, okay?¡±

    Mo Suqing tensed. ¡°Hospital? Why would my mother be in the hospital? What happened? Zixuan, can you exin?¡±

    He then heard Mo Suqing tell Ye Zhongjue to head for the Second Hospital on the other end of the phone.

    ¡°Suqing, don¡¯t be overly anxious. You have a baby to take care of. Come over and we¡¯ll talkter, okay?¡±

    Nothing could be heard but the dial tone after he spoke.

    He put down the phone and drove to the Second Hospital.

    Before he could even park his car properly, Xia Zi dashed out and rushed into the hospital building.

    He followed closely after her.

    Xia Zi headed straight for the morgue to ask about the ident victims who had been sent here.

    The nurse gave her Xia Xinsheng¡¯s phone and said, ¡°The patient was already very weak when she arrived, and the doctors were unable to save her. I heard that she was carrying a lunchbox at the time. She was probably sending food over to somebody else.¡±

    The nurse then shook her head. ¡°Miss, my condolences.¡±

    Xia Zi felt all the strength draining from her at that very moment.

    Xia Xinsheng left nine years ago because of an ident, and although she did not go through the pain at the time, she could fully understand how Mo Suqing felt.

    After spending most of her life with Qiqi, she was finally able to meet her mother and her sister. <i>Why did the heavens have to y such a cruel joke on me? Why did they have to take my mother away just when I found her?!</i>

    When Guan Zixuan rushed over, he saw Xia Zi with a sorrowful expression, looking into the empty air as she stood right outside the morgue.

 Chapter 271 â€“ The Joy of Revival

    <h4>Chapter 271 ¨C The Joy of Revival</h4>

    As Guan Zixuan approached Xia Zi, she suddenly stood up and started hitting herself.

    <i>It¡¯s my fault, all my fault! If I wasn¡¯t so adamant, Xia Xinsheng would not have had to make those daily trips just to send food over.?</i><i>She was only trying to make up for what she did in the past, but I pretended not to see anything. It¡¯s all my fault!</i>

    Xia Zi could kill herself over this.

    Guan Zixuan¡¯s eyes reddened as he watched Xia Zi hit herself. He hugged her tight.

    ¡°A¡¯zi, don¡¯t do that. It¡¯s not your fault, it¡¯s not your fault!¡±

    Xia Zi looked towards the morgue as she cried out, ¡°Mum! I should¡¯ve forgiven you. This wouldn¡¯t have happened if I forgave you earlier...¡±

    Her tears were unstoppable.

    When Mo Suqing heard about what happened to Xia Xinsheng at the hospital, she almost passed out again.

    Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue saw Xia Zi and Guan Zixuan on the ground just as they arrived at the morgue.

    Mo Suqing cried out, ¡°Mum...¡±

    She then passed out in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s arms. She was already pretty frail to begin with, and the emotional blows that rained down upon her in these few days only served to frazzle her further.

    Xia Zi and Guan Zixuan turned when they heard Mo Suqing, but all they saw was Ye Zhongjue leaving as he carried her in his arms.

    Guan Zixuan was still holding Xia Zi, but she shot up from the ground suddenly.

    She looked at one of the hospital staff somewhere in the distance and said, ¡°I¡¯d like to see the victim!¡±

    There was a tiny glimmer of hope in her heart that the victim might not be Xia Xinsheng!

    <i>Why were the heavens so cruel? I just found my mum, and we haven¡¯t even had the chance to really spend any time together.</i>

    <i>How could she leave me like this??</i><i>What should I do without her?</i>

    Xia Zi followed the staff into the morgue. A body covered in white cloth was presented in front of her shortly.

    <i>I want to see her body even if she¡¯s really dead. I can¡¯t ept this reality just like that.</i>

    Guan Zixuan stood close to her, afraid that she might pass out.

    He knew Xia Zi well. Although she looked cold and aloof on the outside, she was like an innocent child on the inside. The walls she built around her were simply very thick.

    Xia Zi reached out to look at the body, but what she saw stunned her and Guan Zixuan.

    It wasn¡¯t Xia Xinsheng!

    A sliver of hope shed past both their faces as they exchanged looks.

    Xia Zi grabbed the staff near her and said, ¡°This isn¡¯t my mum, you guys have got the wrong person. Where¡¯s my mum? Is there only one fatality today?¡±

    The staff was shocked by this, but she was able to react quickly to calm Xia Zi down.

    ¡°Please let go of me. If this isn¡¯t her, then she should be fine. There was only one victim sent to hospital today.¡±

    Xia Zi started weeping tears of joy.

    She hugged Guan Zixuan. ¡°Zixuan, did you hear that? Mum is fine, she¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s go look for her!¡±

    After they left the morgue, what they saw stopped them in their tracks.

    Xia Xinsheng was sitting on the ground covered with blood, the lunchbox still in her hand. She was staring at the empty air near the entrance of an operation room.

    Xia Zi rushed to her and hugged Xia Xinsheng. ¡°Mum!¡±

    When she realized that Xia Xinsheng did not react after she called out to her twice, she started checking if Xia Xinsheng was injured. ¡°Mum, are you hurt? Are you injured? Tell me. I¡¯ll take you to the doctor now!¡±

    Xia Zi tugged at Xia Xinsheng as she tried to get her to emergency, but thetter simply stayed seated on the ground.

    This was the first time Guan Zixuan saw Xia Zi this flustered. He pulled on her. ¡°A¡¯zi, let¡¯s ask Mum what happened first?¡±

    Still in tears, Xia Zi collected herself and asked in concern, ¡°Mum, don¡¯t scare me like that. What happened to you? I just found you, so please don¡¯t abandon me like this!¡±

    She then hugged Xia Xinsheng again. All Guan Zixuan could do was to pat her on the back in an attempt tofort her.

    ¡°Mum, what happened? Do you know that we¡¯ve been searching for you all day? Suqing passed out because she thought something had happened to you.¡±

    Xia Xinsheng started toe out of her reverie. She looked up at Guan Zixuan and then at Xia Zi before she started exining what happened.

    ¡°A¡¯zi¡­ Zixuan...¡±

    She turned away in pain. ¡°The victim earlier, it was because of me that she died! She died!¡±

    Xia Xinsheng then hugged A¡¯zi as she started weeping.

    Guan Zixuan and Xia Zi were surprised by this.<i>?That person got into an ident because of Mum?</i>

    They looked at each other in confusion as they waited for Xia Xinsheng to continue her exnation.

    What happened was that Xia Xinsheng was very distracted in the morning when she went out as all she could think about was getting Mo Suqing¡¯s and Xia Zi¡¯s forgiveness.

    She did not check if it was alright for pedestrians to cross the road and she simply continued on her journey.

    A car wasing right at her, and ording to Xia Xinsheng, ady tried to save her and she got hit instead.

    If it wasn¡¯t for thatdy, the one lying in the morgue now would be Xia Xinsheng.

    She kept mumbling to herself that she was the one who caused thedy¡¯s death.

    Though Xia Zi was relieved that Xia Xinsheng was fine, she felt bad for thatdy, especially when all she did was try to save her mother.

    Guan Zixuan went to check on the victim¡¯s identity and found out that thedy was in a simr situation to Xia Xinsheng in that she was also bringing food for someone in the hospital. What was different was that thedy was about to visit her daughter-inw who was about to give birth.

    ording to what Guan Zixuan had found out, thatdy had been living a rather difficult life in the vige she was from. Her son and daughter-inw bought a house here in Emperor City and since her grandchild was about to be born, she moved over so that she could take care of the baby.

    A woman like that could actually give up her life for someone else when she had so many things to live for.

    Xia Zi fell silent when she heard this from Guan Zixuan, and it made Xia Xinsheng feel even worse.

    Theypensated the woman¡¯s son with a huge sum of money, but they knew very well that no amount of money would be able to absolve them of their guilt. A life had been lost!

    Mo Suqing grabbed Ye Zhongjue when she woke up. ¡°Where¡¯s Mum! Where¡¯s she! Jue, tell me it¡¯s not true. It¡¯s just a nightmare!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue hugged her gently. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, dear. Mum is fine. She and Xia Zi are right outside!¡±

    This stunned Mo Suqing. She looked at Ye Zhongjue with suspicion. ¡°Jue, you¡¯re not lying, are you? Before I passed out, I remember...¡±

    Ye Zhongjue shook his head. ¡°It wasn¡¯t her. Mum was saved by someone else, and the victim was someone else. Mum dropped her phone at the time, so the staff thought that it belonged to the victim, which led to all this confusion.¡±

    Mo Suqing did not know what to say.

    She frowned and looked at him. ¡°Jue, you¡¯re not making this up just to console me, are you!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue continued holding her. ¡°Silly dear, why would I? These things can¡¯t be kept a secret forever. I¡¯m not lying, but Mum isn¡¯t in a good mood now since she mes herself for causing the victim¡¯s death. Xia Zi is with her and they¡¯re outside. Guan Mingchang would probably be arriving soon. The doctor said you have to take good care of yourself. Try not to be too overwhelmed with your emotions, okay?¡±

    Mo Suqing nodded, but she was still uneasy. ¡°Jue, I want to see Mum. I¡¯m very uneasy!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue then picked her up to carry her out of the room.

    She spotted Xia Xinsheng a short distance away once she opened the door.

    Usually elegant and poised, she was now curled up in Xia Zi¡¯s arms like a little child.

    Mo Suqing never thought that she would see this side of her mother. It felt as if her mother needed someone there to protect her.

    Mo Suqing closed the door. She suddenly felt pained, as if someone had just sliced off a chunk of her flesh.

    She knew for a fact that there was no way she could hate her mother forever. Her mother would always have a special ce in her heart.

    She did hate her mother when she found out that Xia Xinsheng left because she couldn¡¯t take the pressure, but now, all she wanted was to spend time with Xia Xinsheng.

 Chapter 272 â€“ Being a Monk

    <h4>Chapter 272 ¨C Being a Monk</h4>

    Guan Mingchang arrived when Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue retreated back into the ward.

    Guan Mingchang looked dreadful. Ye Zhongjue told Mo Suqing that he would go out to have a look after cing her back onto the bed.

    Ye Zhongjue could tell from the older man¡¯s thunderous expression that a storm was brewing. What Guan Mingchang said next stunned all of them.

    Ye Zhongjue did not know how to exin to Mo Suqing what he just heard after returning to the ward.

    <i>Xia Xinsheng did not abandon Mo Suqing. She had her reasons for doing so, and if Suqing learns that she had misunderstood her mother, she would probably be even more upset.</i>

    Ye Zhongjue was in a dilemma. He didn¡¯t know if he should tell Mo Suqing the truth.

    Mo Suqing frowned at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? You¡¯ve been acting strange since you returned.¡±

    He contemted for a while longer before eventually deciding to tell Mo Suqing the truth.

    ¡°Suqing, there¡¯s something I have to tell you. Please stay calm when you hear it. I¡¯m telling you this because I believe that you can ept it, and that you would want to know the truth as well. It¡¯s also something that you will learn about sooner orter.¡±

    Mo Suqing was puzzled. ¡°Jue, what happened? What are you talking about? I don¡¯t get it!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her.

    ¡°It¡¯s about your mother and the ident that happened nine years ago. It was Bai Lian who pulled the strings but have you thought about why your mother left you after that? Do you think that she chose to leave because seeing you reminded her of the past? Do you think that was really why she chose to leave?¡±

    What he said served to prepare Mo Suqing for what she was about to hear. She knew him well and he was never the kind to say more than what was needed.

    She frowned and asked, ¡°Jue, tell me what happened.¡±

    ¡°What happened nine years ago left a huge mental scar on your mother and she found it extremely hard to be able to ept anything that was rted to the Mo family, even you. She had been to multiple psychiatrists to get treated because of that, and the doctors told her that her condition would improve gradually as long as she put her past behind her by cutting off all contact so that she wouldn¡¯t be reminded of the past.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue paused for a while before he continued. ¡°Of course, her condition did see improvement after that. In the past, it was the doctor who rmended that she forget her past, and thenter, it was Guan Mingchang who helped her with it. He was afraid that Xia Xinsheng would have a rpse, which was also why she did not go looking for you in all these years.¡±

    ¡°But this ident caused her to recall all the memories from the past!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue sighed as Mo Suqing looked at him in confusion. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    He then said, ¡°I mean, she¡¯s having a rpse.¡±

    Mo Suqing turned pale at this.

    ¡°Where is she now?¡± Mo Suqing asked with worry.

    ¡°Guan Mingchang took her back home.¡±

    Mo Suqing lowered her head in silence.

    Mo Suqing and Xia Zi had forgiven Xia Xinsheng, but the older woman¡¯s psychological condition had be very unstable. She seemed to always be stuck in those nightmarish events, unable to extract herself from them.

    Though Xia Zi and Guan Zixuan had nned to get married, they decided to postpone it due to Xia Xinsheng¡¯s condition. They wanted to get married only when Xia Xinsheng recovered fully.

    Xia Xinsheng¡¯s condition only saw improvement after about a yearter.

    Guan Zixuan was busy with the Fengteng Group and when he had the time, he would apany Xia Xinsheng to go for her treatment, together with Xia Zi. Xia Zi stayed by Xia Xinsheng¡¯s side on her road to recovery.

    Mo Suqing had already returned to A City, but she woulde over to visit Xia Xinsheng from time to time. She gave birth to a baby boy and named him Ye Yn. He was now about a month old.

    Mo Suqing nned to go to Emperor City to visit Xia Xinsheng and Xia Zi after her confinement. Ye Zhongjue wanted to go with her initially but he called when Mo Suqing was packing her bags for the trip.

    ¡°Hello!¡± Mo Suqing answered.

    Ye Zhongjue spoke quickly. ¡°Dear, we were nning to go to Emperor City tomorrow right? Let¡¯s go over tonight. I¡¯ll head backter and we¡¯ll leave together. Help me pack two sets of clothing.¡±

    Mo Suqing frowned at this. ¡°Didn¡¯t we book the flight for tomorrow?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue said, ¡°Mm! I¡¯ve returned them and gotten my secretary to book the flight at eight in the evening. I¡¯ve left Xiaoyi with my mum and we can go pick him up after wee back. We¡¯ll bring A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu with us so they can meet their grandmother.¡±

    Mo Suqing smiled and nodded at this. ¡°Okay!¡±

    She then continued with the packing.

    Ye Zhongjue changed after getting married. He had always been cold and aloof, making others feel like he was unapproachable. But after marriage, he became much gentler.

    Even A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu said that their Daddy had changed.

    Mo Suqing helped the children pack their clothes and waited for Ye Zhongjue to return.

    A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu were doing their homework when he returned. They were both very obedient after finding out they were going to Emperor City for a trip.

    Warmth filled Ye Zhongjue as he watched Mo Suqing.

    He walked up to her and hugged her gently from behind.

    Mo Suqing was surprised at this, but smiled to herself.

    ¡°What are you doing! The kids are at home!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue acted like a spoiled child as he said, ¡°I don¡¯t care. Can¡¯t I hug you when they¡¯re at home?¡±

    Mo Suqing turned to look at him. <i>This man is so childish. Can¡¯t he be serious with the kids around?</i>

    She pried him away and said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. We have to go to the airport soon. Don¡¯t mess around!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not messing around!¡±

    <i>All I want is to be lovey dovey with my wife. I haven¡¯t touched her since we had Ye Yn. It¡¯s so hard being a monk!</i>

    He looked at his watch and realized that Mo Suqing was right. They were running a littlete.

    Mo Suqing did ast check on things as Ye Zhongjue rounded up the kids.

    The children were extremely excited about meeting their grandmother in Emperor City as they left the house.

    On the ne, Mo Suqing asked, ¡°Jue, why did you bring the trip forward?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue contemted for a moment before he answered. ¡°Yi¡¯an called me in the afternoon saying that he will be holding an art exhibition tomorrow. He asked me to go over if I have the time since he knew I¡¯d be in the area.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ I see.¡± Mo Suqing nodded.

    Gu Yi¡¯an left the hospital a few years ago, and even though he continued helping to diagnose and treat those who were close to him, he decided to leave for London to give Ceng Hanyu a helping hand.

    The Dark Night had been weakened greatly after they were left without a leader since Su Jincheng¡¯s death. Gu Yi¡¯an and Ceng Hanyu then helped to bring Sin Eliminators to the forefront of the criminal world. Their organization was now at the top of the criminal food chain and no other organization could hold a candle to them.

    Now that Sin Eliminators was in a stable position, Ceng Hanyu stayed in London to oversee everything while Gu Yi¡¯an pursued his hobby as an artist.

    Mo Suqing realized that Gu Yi¡¯an was a man of many talents. He seemed like an ordinary person on the surface, but such talent could never be seen from just the surface alone.

    It was not only his position in Sin Eliminators that impressed Mo Suqing, she was surprised at how talented he was at being an artist.

    Mo Suqing thought Gu Yi¡¯an was only joking when he said he wanted to pursue art, and she never expected him to take it seriously and actually be sessful as an artist. All his works were personally painted by him.

    Ye Zhongjue exined that Gu Yi¡¯an had always liked to draw, and he had been drawing even when he was in med school. He would use his free time to sketch as well.

    His ce was full of his artworks which would rarely be seen by anyone else. By touring the world through this art exhibition of his, it was a way for him to record his artwork and to show his art pieces to the rest of the world.

    ording to Ye Zhongjue, there was another reason that Gu Yi¡¯an wanted to hold such a high-profile exhibition. He wanted to look for someone, someone who was extremely important to him.

    Mo Suqing did not know much about that individual, but judging from the scale of Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s exhibition, he or she was definitely no ordinary person.

    <sup>[1]</sup> ¡®Xiaoyi¡¯ literally trantes to ¡®little Yi¡¯, used here as a term of endearment for the baby boy.

 Chapter 273 â€“ Call me Brother-in-law

    <h4>Chapter 273 ¨C Call me Brother-inw</h4>

    Mo Suqing spotted Xia Zi and Guan Zixuan as soon as she arrived.

    Xia Zi rushed up to her happily.

    Mo Suqing smiled and patted her on the head. ¡°Silly girl. Look how excited you are!¡±

    Xia Zi had changed over time. The previously cold and aloof Xia Zi was now a lot livelier.

    Guan Zixuan walked up to them and smiled as he said, ¡°Hey Suqing. The car¡¯s over there!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s brows raised as he heard how Guan Zixuan addressed Mo Suqing. He then said, ¡°Guan Zixuan, aren¡¯t you supposed to address me as Brother-inw now?¡±

    This surprised Guan Zixuan, but he understood what Ye Zhongjue was getting at immediately after a quick nce at Xia Zi.

    Mo Suqing looked up at her husband, marveling at his childishness. <i>He was probably annoyed at the fact that Guan Zixuan called me by my name.</i>

    She shook her head at the two men.

    A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu were hiding behind Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue, and they only poked their heads out when their father spoke.

    Guan Zixuan found it awkward initially and did not know how to answer Ye Zhongjue, since he was already used to calling Mo Suqing by her given name.

    But now that he had already decided to marry Xia Zi, it meant that he should be addressing Mo Suqing as ¡®Older Sister¡¯ and Ye Zhongjue as ¡®Brother-inw¡¯.

    However, he found it rather awkward to do so right now. The kids poking their heads out saved him in the nick of time.

    Surprised, he bent down and carried Xiaoliu. ¡°Xiaoliu, call me uncle! Do you still remember me?¡±

    Xiaoliu called out sweetly, ¡°Hi Uncle Guan!¡±

    ¡°Good girl!¡± Guan Zixuan acknowledged.

    He met the kids when he went to A City previously since they were staying with Xia Zi and Luo Qiqi at the time. He found them extremely adorable even though all they did was try to prank him back then.

    They were Mo Suqing¡¯s children, and he knew that children were naturally yful like that.

    Xia Zi bloomed with joy as she saw the children. She took A¡¯jiu¡¯s hand and said, ¡°A¡¯jiu, call me Auntie!¡±

    A¡¯jiu answered, ¡°Hi Auntie!¡±

    The boy acted like a tiny little knight, but everyone who knew him well would know that he was actually a devil on the inside.

    There would be never-ending antics as long as he was with Xiaoliu.

    Xia Zi smiled as she held onto A¡¯jiu¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Sis, you actually brought the kids with you? I haven¡¯t seen them in a year!¡±

    Mo Suqing said, ¡°I want them to meet Mum. Also, if Mum¡¯s condition is improving, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s about time to get married to Zixuan too? I¡¯m not going to let you drag any further now that I¡¯m in Emperor City.¡±

    Xia Zi yfully stuck her tongue out at her sister and nodded.

    Mo Suqing sighed inwardly. In this period of time, Xia Zi and Luo Qiqi seemed to have exchanged personalities.

    After what happened to Su Jincheng, Luo Qiqi had turned into someone who seemed cold and unapproachable, just like the Xia Zi of the past. Xia Zi, on the other hand, acted just like how Luo Qiqi was in the past.

    Mo Suqing felt that everything seemed to have been decided by fate.

    She walked to the car, hand in hand with Xia Zi.

    Mo Suqing would be staying at Guan Zixuan¡¯s ce for this trip.

    The two couples set off to visit Xia Xinsheng at the Guan family home the next morning.

    ording to Xia Zi, Xia Xinsheng was able to recognize individuals now, and she no longer fell into daydreams as often.

    Mo Suqing felt a little uneasy when they were right outside the house, but Xia Xinsheng called out to her the moment she saw Mo Suqing.

    ¡°Suqing...¡±

    Hearing this made Mo Suqing fill with joy. <i>Mum has really gotten much better. She can recognize her daughters now!</i>

    Mo Suqing was about to cry as she led her children into the house and had Xia Xinsheng hold their hands.

    ¡°Mum, look. These are my children, they¡¯re twins. The boy is Ye Yancheng, A¡¯jiu, and the girl is Mo Yanxi, Xiaoliu. Mum, I¡¯ve brought them with me so they can meet you.¡±

    She looked at her children and said, ¡°A¡¯jiu, Xiaoliu, call Grandma!¡±

    The kids were very obedient today and called out loudly, ¡°Hi Grandma!¡±

    Xia Xinsheng happily pulled them into a hug. Guan Zixuan had been sitting in a corner when he suddenly got reminded of something else. ¡°Mum, didn¡¯t Brother return homest night? Where did he go?¡±

    Xia Xinsheng frowned when Guan Zijue was mentioned. She told him that Guan Zijue went out earlier in the day to run some errands.

    Guan Zixuan nodded and did not pursue further.

    Ye Zhongjue watched as thedies chatted with one another. The kids were also very obedient today.

    Guan Zixuan couldn¡¯t understand why his brother had left so early in the morning when he just returnedst night, and he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if his brother was facing any issues.

    What Guan Zixuan did not know was that his suspicion was spot on.

    What happened was that Guan Zijue saw a painting in a newspaper article, which then seemed to have affected him greatly.

    He found out that the painting would be presented at an art exhibition held in Beijing today, which was why he rushed back home and headed out early in the morning.

    Guan Zijue headed for Emperor¡¯s City¡¯s Art Hall, where the exhibition was being held today.

    He arrived and made his way up to the second floor unhurriedly.

    There was nobody in the hall at such an early time.

    He scanned through the pieces of art as he continued walking through the exhibition, finally stopping right in front of the painting that had caught his attention in the newspaper.

    The name of the piece was ¡®Bloody¡¯. There was only the side profile of a man in the painting, and the entire piece seemed to have been dipped in a blood red. A dark red was used as the background and one could see something that looked like a lightning bolt in the sky which seemed to have been imbued with a menacing aura.

    This painting looked extremely familiar to Guan Zijue and it reminded him of a little boy he met when he was younger.

    Guan Zijue was only seventeen at the time and he was still a cadet at the West Point Military Academy in the United States.

    Nobody knew of his past at the academy, and no one knew what happened to the seventeen-year-old Guan Zijue who left the academy. He only returned to Emperor City when he turned eighteen.

    Guan Zijue never talked about what happened during his time at the academy, but this particr painting reminded him of what happened when he was eighteen.

    After leaving the military academy, he stumbled into underground fighting rings in the United States, where everyone seemed to bet their life on every fight.

    At that time, Guan Zijue met a twelve-year-old boy called Pingan.

    The boy told him that his name was ¡®Pingan¡¯ and it might have been because they were both Chinese that Guan Zijue wanted to protect this frail-looking little boy he just met. He would take Pingan¡¯s ce every time it was the boy¡¯s turn to fight.

    Over time, others started realizing that he was actually protecting Pingan by doing that. Even so, no one confronted him on it.

    Pingan disappeared one day and Guan Zijue could not find the boy no matter how far he looked.

    There were some who told him that Pingan had been taken away by others, but no one knew who they were.

    Guan Zijue wanted to wait for Pingan to reappear, but he realized that it was pointless for him to continue waiting any longer after three months.

    He thus returned to Emperor City and epted whatever his father had arranged for him. His aim was to get stronger and find Pingan one day.

    As time passed, finding Pingan had be something of an obsession of his.

    It was brotherly love between him and Guan Zixuan, but his rtionship with Pingan was somewhat different.

    The painting, ¡®Bloody¡¯, brought him back to that very year where it seemed as if the entire sky was painted red, suffocating everyone beneath it.

    Guan Zijue wondered if it was guilt that made him so obsessed with finding Pingan over the years.

    He simply stood there unmoving as he ruminated in silence.

 Chapter 274 â€“ Aâ€™ziâ€™s Accessory

    <h4>Chapter 274 ¨C A¡¯zi¡¯s essory</h4>

    When Gu Yi¡¯an walked out of the staff area, he did not pay much heed to the visitor at first, but he froze upon realizing that the visitor was looking at a certain painting.

    That painting meant a lot to him.

    It served as a memory and sort of leash to his past. He wanted to use that very painting to locate someone from his past.

    Both of them had changed, and he wondered if he would sessfully locate that individual.

    He had refused a few visitors who had wanted to purchase this piece of art, and he was now observing the new visitor who seemed to be scrutinizing the art piece very closely.

    Guan Zijue felt mncholic as he looked at the red sky in the painting.

    He reached out and wanted to touch the art piece, but Gu Yi¡¯an rushed up and stopped him before he could do so.

    This annoyed Guan Zijue and he easily broke free of Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s grasp.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was surprised at the visitor¡¯s strength as it was stronger than what he had expected.

    Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s strength was usually greater than the average male since he had gone through training in the past, and he was taken aback by how easily this visitor broke free of his grasp.

    Gu Yi¡¯an asked, ¡°Are you here for the art exhibition, sir?¡±

    Guan Zijue raised a brow and nodded in response.

    ¡°Mm!¡± He then looked back at the painting and asked, ¡°You painted this?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded. ¡°Yes, I did!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to purchase it. How much?¡± Guan Zijue¡¯s tone irked Gu Yi¡¯an as he felt that the former sounded like a spoiled brat.

    Gu Yi¡¯an frowned and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, this painting isn¡¯t for sale at the moment.¡±

    Guan Zijue shot a look at Gu Yi¡¯an and asked, ¡°Why did you ce it here then? As mere decoration?¡±

    Having put up so many exhibitions, this was the first time Gu Yi¡¯an met such an unreasonable customer.

    ¡°I¡¯m not selling it. It¡¯s my choice whether to put it on disy or not!¡±

    This was also the first time someone talked back to Guan Zijue in a very long time since none of his subordinates in the military would do so.

    ¡°What if I insist on buying it?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an did not back down. ¡°Not selling it!¡±

    He narrowed his eyes at Guan Zijue.

    Guan Zijue thenughed. ¡°There¡¯s nothing in Emperor City that I can¡¯t buy.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an smirked. ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are. I¡¯m not selling it and that¡¯s final!¡±

    ¡°What if I just take it then!¡± Guan Zijue scoffed.

    ¡°Try it then!¡±

    ¡°Fine! Remember what you said!¡± Guan Zijue then turned to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an watched as Guan Zijue left.

    He tried to calm himself down as more visitors streamed in.

    He spotted Luo Qiqi walking in after a while. Luo Qiqi had decided to travel the world and eventually, she decided to travel to wherever Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s art exhibition was.

    She might have felt too lonely as time passed, and it just so happened that Gu Yi¡¯an had nomitments. They spent a lot of time together in the past year.

    Ye Zhongjue had no idea that Luo Qiqi would be at Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s art exhibition.

    There were two main reasons Gu Yi¡¯an asked Ye Zhongjue toe for his exhibition. The first was that Emperor City would be his only exhibition location in the country, and he didn¡¯t want them to miss it.

    The second was that he wanted to let the Ye siblings, Ye Zhongjue and Luo Qiqi, meet.

    If Su Jincheng was still alive, the Ye Family would probably be in a very blissful state right now. But Luo Qiqi had been unable to ept that fact, and this caused her to leave the family once again.

    Gu Yi¡¯an hoped that Ye Zhongjue would be able to convince Luo Qiqi to stay this time.

    Ye Zhongjue, Guan Zixuan, Mo Suqing and Xia Zi arrived about an hour after Guan Zijue left.

    Luo Qiqi spotted Xia Zi from a distance away and knew instantly that it was Gu Yi¡¯an who informed them.

    <i>I knew it. That guy looks proper on the outside but he¡¯s actually full of schemes! I already told him not to tell anyone where I was!</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked at her innocently. Even though having them meet was actually his real intention, he did not say a single word about Luo Qiqi being here. He simply invited Ye Zhongjue to his exhibition.

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s expression did in fact scare him a little!

    Luo Qiqi walked over to the group and greeted them with a smile.

    ¡°Older Brother, Sis-inw, A¡¯zi, you guys are here!¡±

    Guan Zixuan looked at her incredulously. ¡°Am I invisible?¡±

    Luo Qiqi nced at him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you A¡¯zi¡¯s essory?¡±

    Guan Zixuan was speechless. <i>Fine, you win this time. I¡¯m not going to argue with you on this.</i>

    Ye Zhongjue asked Gu Yi¡¯an, ¡°Yi¡¯an, how long are you nning to stay in Emperor City?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an was suddenly reminded of that unreasonable visitor he had in the morning. Gu Yi¡¯an wasn¡¯t one to be afraid of people like that, but he didn¡¯t want to create a huge mess either.

    He said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Maybe just today, maybe three days.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue nced at Luo Qiqi before saying, ¡°Either way, both you and Luo Qiqi should stay a while longer here. Xia Zi will be getting married in a week.¡±

    ¡°Getting married!¡± Luo Qiqi cried out in surprise. ¡°That¡¯s fast!¡±

    Xia Zi smiled at her. ¡°Is it that fast?¡±

    Their marriage had in fact already been postponed for a year since Xia Xinsheng was unwell. It was high time they got married now that Xia Xinsheng was much better and Guan Zixuan¡¯s career was going well.

    Luo Qiqi turned to Gu Yi¡¯an and asked, ¡°I¡¯ll definitely stay for Xia Zi¡¯s wedding. How about you?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an shivered involuntarily at Luo Qiqi¡¯s seemingly threatening gaze, reminded of the old Chinese adage that women and viins are the worst to deal with.

    <i>I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s not at all grateful to me for all this time I¡¯ve kept her secret.</i>

    Luo Qiqi pulled Xia Zi to the side while Mo Suqing looked at Guan Zixuan meaningfully, as if telling him that she would be keeping an eye on him and making sure that he treated Xia Zi well.

    Gu Yi¡¯an then pulled Ye Zhongjue to him.

    ¡°I probably can¡¯t continue with this exhibition tomorrow!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue asked in confusion, ¡°Why?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an said, ¡°There was an unreasonable visitor who left before you guys arrived, and he wanted to purchase a piece called ¡®Bloody¡¯. Though I rejected him, he told me that there was nothing in Emperor City he couldn''t buy. I¡¯m guessing he''s probably going to get someone to thrash the ce in the afternoon. I don¡¯t want to create a mess here, so I¡¯m nning to close the exhibition after the lunch break.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue contemted for a moment. <i>Xia Zi¡¯s wedding is nearing, so it¡¯s best to stay out of trouble these next few days.</i>

    He then nodded. ¡°Got it. Call me if you need anything, I¡¯ll be in Emperor City anyway. But it¡¯s best that we stay out of trouble for the next few days, since the Guan family is no ordinary family either. I¡¯m just worried that someone might take advantage of this.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded. ¡°I understand!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an then continued to wee the visitors who streamed in after Ye Zhongjue left.

    Someone who was in charge of the exhibition event space approached Gu Yi¡¯an and wanted to speak to him in private.

    After they retreated to a quiet corner, Gu Yi¡¯an asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Although the staff member did not want to upset Gu Yi¡¯an, he was in no position to go against his superior¡¯s orders either.

    He then said, ¡°You might not know this but you¡¯re in huge trouble!¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ is that so?¡±

    The staff member was anxious on Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s behalf even though thetter was extremely calm.

    ¡°Did you know that visitor is one of the prominent figures in Emperor City?!¡±

 Chapter 275 â€“ What a Small World

    <h4>Chapter 275 ¨C What a Small World</h4>

    Gu Yi¡¯an frowned. <i>A prominent figure in Emperor City?</i>

    There were two individuals who came to mind, and one of them was Guan Zixuan, but he had no idea who that visitor could be.

    ¡°What if I refuse to sell it?¡±

    The staff member looked at him incredulously. ¡°It¡¯s just a painting, there¡¯s no need to piss him off like that. You probably won¡¯t be able to continue with the exhibition if you refuse to sell it anyway!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an had already expected such an answer. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll end it then!¡±

    ¡°Not afraid he¡¯lle looking for you?¡± The staff member asked in surprise.

    Gu Yi¡¯an remained insistent and said, ¡°Tell that guy I¡¯m not selling it. He can look for me if he wants to, and you don¡¯t have toe over with him because I won¡¯t give in!¡±

    The staff member was at a loss for words. <i>Why is he so stubborn!</i>

    ¡°You settle it on your own then. I¡¯m off. My job is done here!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded and acted as if he was scared of what was toe. ¡°I know!¡±

    The staff member stared at him, speechless.<i>?I thought I could be the peacemaker, but it seems like I¡¯ve failed!</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an asked Luo Qiqi to help him pack up immediately after the staff member left.

    A ck Jeep drove out just as Guan Zijue returned to the exhibition hall.

    Gu Yi¡¯an smirked when he saw Guan Zijue. <i>That was fast. Seems like he¡¯s not giving up any time soon!</i>

    The Jeep left quickly as Guan Zijue walked up to the second floor. Nothing but empty space greeted him. <i>That artist had never intended to have a discussion. He left just like that.</i>

    Guan Zijue wanted to track where the artist went initially, but he decided against it eventually.

    <i>I must have gone mad.</i>

    <i>It¡¯s just a painting, it¡¯s not Pingan. Why am I even doing this? It¡¯s just a painting that looks familiar. Why did I use my authority like that?</i>

    He had never acted in such a manner before.

    Guan Zijue suddenly felt lost. He felt as if he had been possessed by some sort of devil.

    Guan Zijue nned to return to his military camp in the afternoon, but postponed his return after learning that Guan Zixuan¡¯s wedding will be taking ce next week. He had to attend the wedding as the older brother.

    He applied for a longer leave to help Guan Zixuan prepare for his wedding.

    Though there was actually no need for him to help out, he wanted to take his mind off things by focusing on something else.

    After what happened at the exhibition, that painting reappeared in his dreams. He felt that the man in the painting looked extremely familiar.

    <i>What¡¯s happening to me?!</i> Guan Zijue felt like he was going insane.

    He wanted to suppress his thoughts about the painting, but the more he tried to do so, the more it backfired.

    Guan Zijue kept telling himself that he had to go right back to camp after Guan Zixuan¡¯s wedding to prevent himself from thinking about that painting.

    It was finally Guan Zixuan¡¯s wedding day.

    Many members of the public wondered if he could really get married this time since this was already his third attempt at getting married. They felt that a rich kid like him probably treated marriage like a game, and most of the guests who attended were expecting to see some sort of hup at this wedding.

    It was the Guan family after all, and there were tons of individuals who wanted to get into their good books.

    After some discussion, the traditional aspects of fetching the bride from her family home? was done away with and they decided to simply hold a banquet in a hotel with a simple ceremony.

    Xia Zi agreed to it as she wanted to have a simple ceremony. She did not need avish one as she simply wanted to be with Guan Zixuan.

    In the past year, she was able to take care of Xia Xinsheng and spend quality time with Guan Zixuan almost everyday. This was the life she yearned for.

    Though she knew that her sister, Mo Suqing, would definitely have wanted her to get marriedvishly, the wedding ceremony was just a formality to Xia Zi.

    Xia Zi and Guan Zixuan weed their guests at the door while the rest of the family entertained the guests in the hall.

    Luo Qiqi and Gu Yi¡¯an arrived together and greeted the newlyweds before they entered.

    Guan Zijue was in the hall, and he was swarmed wherever he went as many individuals tried to ingratiate themselves with him.

    Annoyed at those trying to curry favor with him, he decided to retreat to a quiet corner by himself.

    His imposing aura created a natural barrier and prevented many others from approaching him.

    The ss of red wine in Guan Zijue¡¯s hands was simply an essory as he barely took a single sip.

    Wanting to move to another corner, he put the ss down and stood up, but a figure caught his attention.

    Seeing that the figure was about to depart, he rushed up.

    Gu Yi¡¯an wasn¡¯t the type who enjoyed crowded and lively gatherings like these.

    He told Luo Qiqi that he wanted to visit the restroom and excused himself, heading to the field behind the hotel instead.

    Luo Qiqi stared at him. <i>What a lousy excuse. The restroom isn¡¯t in that direction at all.</i>

    She couldn¡¯t be bothered with him since it was A¡¯zi¡¯s wedding day, and she wanted to witness everything.

    Guan Zijue followed Gu Yi¡¯an as he walked out.

    <i>Seems like I was too impulsive. This man seems so calm, as if he doesn¡¯t have a care in the world.</i>

    <i>From his behavior, it looks like he had already forgotten what happened a few days ago at the exhibition hall.</i>

    Guan Zijue thought that the artist would sell the painting upon finding out that he was someone powerful, but he realized now that he was just being foolish for thinking like that.

    Shutting his eyes, Gu Yi¡¯an enjoyed the warm sunlight that shone upon him. Upon hearing footsteps, he turned and saw Guan Zijue a distance away from him.

    <i>Are you kidding? Him again? Does he want the painting so much that he followed me all the way here?</i>

    Guan Zijue smiled as he saw Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s expression of surprise. ¡°Hi, we meet again.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an forced himself to smile as he answered, ¡°Yes, what a small world. Some people just refuse to give up...¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an surprised himself with what he just said.

    He was never one to show any emotion and he rarely talked back to anyone else.

    But all that self-control seemed to go out the window with Guan Zijue right before him.

    Gu Yi¡¯an tried to suppress those negative emotions in him as he did not want to create a scene at Xia Zi¡¯s wedding. Ye Zhongjue and Mo Suqing would have his head if he caused a mess here.

    <i>I¡¯m just a guest at a wedding, why does this have to happen to me!</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked down with a frown, and he saw Guan Zijue¡¯s face when he looked up again.

    This shocked Gu Yi¡¯an. <i>He walked up to me and I didn¡¯t even realize it!</i>

    <sup>[1]</sup> Fetching the bride is a traditional Chinese wedding custom. Learn more here:

 Chapter 276 â€“ You Canâ€™t Beat Me

    <h4>Chapter 276 ¨C You Can¡¯t Beat Me</h4>

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked at Guan Zijue cautiously.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you! Stay away!¡±

    Before he could leave, Guan Zijue grabbed him.

    ¡°Scared?¡± Guan Zijue asked.

    Gu Yi¡¯an turned and grabbed Guan Zijue¡¯s arm.

    ¡°I¡¯m not scared of you.¡±

    Guan Zijue was surprised that Gu Yi¡¯an was able to break free that easily. ¡°You¡¯re very suspicious.¡±

    ¡°Suspicious?¡± Gu Yi¡¯an then said, ¡°I think you¡¯re the suspicious one here.¡±

    ¡°Enough talk. Are you going to give me that painting or not!¡±

    This annoyed Gu Yi¡¯an. ¡°No. Are you going to steal it?¡±

    Guan Zijue was bent on getting that painting.

    ¡°I thought you had forgotten about it since it¡¯s been a week. How about this. I¡¯ll give the painting to you if you win me in a fight!¡±

    Guan Zijue nodded in agreement at this. ¡°Fine!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an unbuttoned his white jacket and threw it on the ground while Guan Zijue did the same with his ck jacket.

    The tension in the air was palpable as they stared at each other.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was the first to strike, but Guan Zijue reacted quickly and aimed a kick at Gu Yi¡¯an.

    Gu Yi¡¯an dodged nimbly and escaped that powerful kick.

    Guan Zijue rushed at him as he stood up, and they were embroiled in a close fight.

    Luo Qiqi was about to look for Gu Yi¡¯an when she spotted the two of them. She initially wanted to go up to assist Gu Yi¡¯an, but decided against it since she did not want to create any trouble at Xia Zi¡¯s wedding.

    Luo Qiqi shook her head, trying to think of another solution.

    If it¡¯s Guan Zixuan¡¯s wedding, he must know who the other person is! I should look for him first so he can stop the fight.

    Luo Qiqi did not realize that it was Guan Zijue, or else she would have gone up to stop the fight immediately.

    She spent quite a while locating Guan Zixuan.

    Seeing how anxious she looked, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°No time to exin. Come with me!¡±

    Xia Zi was touching up her makeup at the moment, so Guan Zixuan followed Luo Qiqi alone.

    ¡°I saw Gu Yi¡¯an fighting with somebody else outside earlier. I¡¯m guessing that you¡¯d know who the other person is, so could you stop the fight?¡±

    Guan Zixuan frowned at this. <i>Who could it be?</i>

    No ordinary individual would dare challenge the Guan family like that.

    He was stunned when he saw who it was.

    <i>Older Brother!</i>

    He should¡¯ve expected that it would be none other than his own brother who would act in such an absurd manner at his wedding.

    Guan Zixuan was rather confused. <i>Why would they get into a fight when they don¡¯t even know each other?</i>

    Before he rushed up, he turned to Luo Qiqi and said, ¡°Can¡¯t you recognize my brother!¡±

    Luo Qiqi took a closer look and realized that it was indeed Guan Zijue.

    She smacked her forehead. <i>What¡¯s wrong with the two of them!</i>

    Guan Zixuan and Luo Qiqi approached the two of them. ¡°Bro, Yi¡¯an, what are you guys doing!¡±

    The two of them turned to him incredulously.

    Guan Zijue asked, ¡°You know this guy, Zixuan?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an raised a brow at Guan Zixuan in pleasant surprise. It was never his intention to create such a mess at the wedding.

    Guan Zixuan nodded. ¡°Bro, why did you get into a fight? He¡¯s a guest.¡±

    Guan Zijue turned back to Gu Yi¡¯an and asked, ¡°Guest? Isn¡¯t he just an artist?¡±

    Guan Zixuan was speechless as he looked at the two of them.

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked so calm as if nothing had happened.

    Luo Qiqi walked up and tugged at Gu Yi¡¯an. ¡°Zixuan, we¡¯re leaving. You exin things to your brother!¡±

    She then said, ¡°Yi¡¯an, I thought you were a gentle soul. I can¡¯t believe you actually got into a fight with someone! And it had to be Guan Zixuan¡¯s older brother? What were you even thinking!¡±

    Though he remained cid, a glint appeared in Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Qiqi, it wasn¡¯t me who started the fight. Do you know who he is?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s Guan Zixuan¡¯s older brother!¡± Luo Qiqi was losing her patience.

    Gu Yi¡¯anughed. ¡°He¡¯s also an exhibition visitor who insists on purchasing one of my paintings even when I¡¯ve refused him. He even asked the exhibition staff toe and convince me about it. I cancelled the exhibition because of that. But who knew that I would meet him here. He¡¯s adamant on getting his hands on that painting, so I challenged him to a fight. I told him that I¡¯ll give it to him if he wins. I didn¡¯t expect that he would actually have some tricks up his sleeve!¡±

    Luo Qiqi stared at him. ¡°Gu Yi¡¯an, at such a young age, it takes real skills for Guan Zijue to be in his current position. These aren¡¯t just some tricks. Even Xia Zi and I might not be able to beat him!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you guys aren¡¯t good enough!¡± Gu Yi¡¯an answered calmly.

    Luo Qiqi was annoyed at this. ¡°Yes, we aren¡¯t good enough, but you are! Why didn¡¯t you win then?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an raised a brow. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell that it was a draw?¡±

    ¡°So it was just a draw?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an then said, ¡°It also means that you and Xia Zi wouldn¡¯t be able to beat me.¡±

    ¡°I...¡± Luo Qiqi had no idea Gu Yi¡¯an could be so frustrating.

    Gu Yi¡¯an turned to Guan Zijue and Guan Zixuan. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to be Guan Zixuan¡¯s older brother. I found him familiar for some reason, and that sense of familiarity got stronger after we fought.¡±

    Luo Qiqi answered with annoyance, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you guys knew each other in your past lives!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked at her and said, ¡°Maybe!¡±

    He then walked away, leaving Luo Qiqi fuming.

    It seemed like Gu Yi¡¯an was the only one who could rile Luo Qiqi up after what happened to Su Jincheng. She was livelier with him around, and it was also for this reason that she stayed close to Gu Yi¡¯an.

    Luo Qiqi shook her head and headed back into the banquet hall.

    Guan Zixuan looked at his brother in puzzlement.

    He¡¯s usually very calm and collected, so what made him so impulsive today?

    ¡°Bro, why did you guys get into a fight? Did you guys already know each other from before?¡±

    Guan Zijue shook his head. ¡°No. I want to purchase a painting from him, but he refuses to sell it to me!¡±

    Guan Zixuan deadpanned. ¡°You guys got into a fight over something like that?¡±

 Chapter 277 â€“ The Underground Wrestling Rings in America

    <h4>Chapter 277 ¨C The Underground Wrestling Rings in America</h4>

    ¡°Mm!¡± Guan Zijue nodded and said, ¡°He said he¡¯ll let me have the painting if I win.¡±

    ¡°So you fought him?¡± Guan Zixuan looked at him incredulously.

    ¡°Mm!¡± Guan Zijue answered.

    Guan Zixuan sighed. ¡°Bro, do you know who he is? He¡¯s a good friend of Ye Zhongjue¡¯s, and I¡¯ve told you about Ye Zhongjue¡¯s background. Gu Yi¡¯an¡­ he has connections with Sin Eliminators, so you should stop trying to contact him. Also, how could you treat a guest like that!¡±

    Guan Zijue frowned. ¡°What aplicated background.¡±

    Guan Zixuan nodded. ¡°Yes. I couldn¡¯t tell at first. He looks like someone who wouldn¡¯t be bothered by anything in the world. I didn¡¯t think that he would be in Sin Eliminators.¡±

    Guan Zijue looked down and said, ¡°Got it. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t pick a fight with him.¡±

    The ceremony was about to start when they returned to the banquet hall.

    The emcee and Guan Zixuan went on stage.

    Guan Zixuan was dazzled as Xia Zi walked in dressed in a pale lc gown, an air of mystery and elegance surrounding her.

    <i>That¡¯s my wife, my darling, the most important person in my life.</i>

    They exchanged rings and kissed on stage.

    Gu Yi¡¯an happened to turn to Luo Qiqi, whose thoughts seemed to be a thousand miles away. He knew immediately that she must have been reminded of Su Jincheng.

    No one would be able to fully understand what somebody else was going through.

    Though he wanted to go over to console Luo Qiqi, he decided against it in the end and chose to go out for some fresh air instead.

    A waiter knocked into him the moment he turned to leave, spilling red wine all over him.

    The waiter was scared speechless since he knew that offending anyone here would mean trouble. He apologized profusely, the fear apparent in his eyes.

    Gu Yi¡¯an backed away a little and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll go get changed so you just go ahead with your duties!¡± He then turned to leave.

    The waiter stood rooted to the spot for a while. He didn¡¯t expect any of the guests to be that nice.

    <i>Phew. Lucky me. What a nice guy.</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an obtained a new shirt from the hotel manager and headed for the restroom.

    At the restroom.

    He tried his best to rinse the wine out of his jacket and used the hand dryer to dry it, hanging it on a corner so he could change out of his shirt.

    A figure appeared behind him as he was changing.

    Guan Zijue was rather surprised to see Gu Yi¡¯an as he walked out of the stall.

    Before he turned to leave, he saw a scar on Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s upper back.

    Though the scar was an old one, one could tell that it was from a very bad burn.

    Guan Zijue was reminded of a simr scar on Pingan¡¯s back which he saw when he was younger. It looked almost exactly the same as Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s.

    This brought Guan Zijue back to his time in the underground wrestling rings in America.

    He met the young Pingan after the boy won a boxing match.

    Pingan¡¯s life was hanging by a thread after the match, but the person-in-charge beat him with a burning hot iron rod, leaving a huge scar on his back.

    He started protecting the boy from then onwards.

    So he grabbed Gu Yi¡¯an from behind before he could change into the other shirt.

    He turned to see Guan Zijue right before him. <i>You again!</i>

    Guan Zijue asked in a serious tone, ¡°Gu Yi¡¯an, have you ever been to the underground wrestling rings in America?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked at him. <i>How did he know?</i>

    It was something Gu Yi¡¯an would rather not recall, and his memories had already gotten fuzzy with time.

    What he remembered was that there was someone who was like a warm beacon of light when he was there.

    He gave Guan Zijue the side-eye and said, ¡°Let go!¡±

    Guan Zijue let go of his arm.

    Gu Yi¡¯an put on the shirt quickly as thoughts raced through his mind. <i>Judging from his behavior so far, is Guan Zijue really the one I¡¯m looking for?</i>

    <i>I can¡¯t be too impulsive about this. It¡¯s better for me to be careful first.</i>

    He then asked, ¡°Why would Mr. Guan be interested in that?¡±

    Guan Zijue thought to himself, <i>What¡¯s wrong with this guy? Is he pretending or is that a no?</i>

    He remembered that Pingan¡¯s face was never clean as it was always full of dirt and grime when they were in the underground rings, but he couldn¡¯t tell if Gu Yi¡¯an was actually the boy.

    One thing he remembered was that Pingan never liked getting his face cleaned.

    Guan Zijue stared at Gu Yi¡¯an. ¡°Just answer my question!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an asked, ¡°What if I refuse?¡±

    Guan Zijue¡¯s expression darkened.

    The door to the restroom opened at this moment.

    Ye Zhongjue walked in and felt the palpable tension in the air right away.

    ¡°What are you guys doing? The banquet has already started. Guan Zixuan is looking everywhere for you!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue directed this at Guan Zijue.

    Guan Zijue had wanted to have a proper chat with Gu Yi¡¯an, but he knew that this wasn¡¯t the time nor ce for it. Since he already knew who Gu Yi¡¯an was, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to locate him in future either.

    Guan Zijue thus left.

    Ye Zhongjue turned back to Gu Yi¡¯an after watching Guan Zijue leave.

    ¡°Yi¡¯an, what¡¯s going on with you and Guan Zijue?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an then told Ye Zhongjue about everything that happened from the day he met Guan Zijue at the exhibition.

    He couldn¡¯t understand why Guan Zijue would know about his time in the underground wrestling rings when he didn¡¯t even share much about it with Ye Zhongjue and Ceng Hanyu.

    He then asked, ¡°Jue, has Guan Zijue ever been to America?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue frowned at this. ¡°Why? From what I know, Guan Zijue has always been in the country. He attended the top military school here and he slowly rose up the ranks after that. You should know that military officers can¡¯t go overseas, so¡­ that¡¯s probably just a rumor.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s eyes narrowed. <i>He attended military school in the country? If Ye Zhongjue is correct, then it¡¯s impossible for Guan Zijue to have ever stayed in America. Why did he ask me that question then?</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an was extremely confused.

    Ye Zhongjue tugged at him. ¡°Yi¡¯an, why are you curious about that?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an said, ¡°He¡¯s acting very weirdly. If he had never been to America, he wouldn''t be so interested in that painting of mine. Did you know what he asked me earlier?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°He asked if I had ever been to the underground wrestling rings in America. You know it¡¯s something I don¡¯t like to bring up, and I seldom talk about it even with you or Ceng Hanyu. I¡¯m wondering how he knew about it.¡±

 Chapter 278 â€“ Time to Change the Form of Address

    <h4>Chapter 278 ¨C Time to Change the Form of Address</h4>

    Gu Yi¡¯an then said, ¡°There are only two possibilities to this. The first is that he might have seen me back in America, and the other is that he has connections with The Dark Night. The Dark Night has had their eyes on Sin Eliminators after Su Jincheng disappeared. They might be trying to make use of that information in some way to take down Sin Eliminators.¡±

    Hearing this, Ye Zhongjue turned serious.

    The banquet had just begun when they returned to the dining hall.

    Xia Zi and Guan Zixuan were going from table to table as they presented toasts to the guests, and they arrived at Mo Suqing¡¯s table shortly.

    Mo Suqing felt happy that Xia Zi could finally be with someone she loved, but she also felt mncholic.

    She said, ¡°Zixuan, you¡¯d better treat A¡¯zi well, or else!¡±

    Guan Zixuan nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Suqing. I¡¯ll take good care of A¡¯zi!¡±

    Mo Suqing raised a brow at this. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you should be changing the form of address?¡±

    Guan Zixuan was slightly taken aback at her question. <i>Form of address?</i>

    <i>She¡¯s right. Mo Suqing is Xia Zi¡¯s sister, so it would be rather disrespectful if I address her by name like that.</i>

    He looked at Mo Suqing awkwardly as Xia Zi nced at him.

    Knowing that he was caught in a rather awkward situation, she had initially wanted to help him out, but Guan Zixuan spoke before she could say anything.

    ¡°Sis...¡±

    This stunned both Xia Zi and Mo Suqing.

    A smile slowly appeared on Mo Suqing. ¡°A¡¯zi, I wish you a blissful journey ahead!¡±

    Xia Zi nodded. ¡°Mm! Thank you, Sis!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an noticed Luo Qiqi¡¯s expression as the newlyweds went about toasting the guests.

    It was obvious that she was thinking about Su Jincheng. She was still unable to get over the fact that Su Jincheng was no longer around.

    Gu Yi¡¯an also felt Guan Zijue¡¯s eyes on him throughout the entire banquet, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel suspicious of thetter.

    Gu Yi¡¯an got a call from Ceng Hanyu before the banquet ended. He showed the caller identification to Ye Zhongjue before standing up to leave.

    Guan Zijue wanted to follow, but Ye Zhongjue stopped him in his tracks.

    Guan Zijue asked, ¡°Ye Zhongjue, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±

    Ye Zhongjueughed. ¡°I don¡¯t mean anything else, but I¡¯m just wondering why you seem to be so curious about Yi¡¯an?¡±

    This stupefied Guan Zijue.

    <i>Was it too obvious? Ye Zhongjue¡¯s right. I have been extremely curious about Gu Yi¡¯an ever since that day when I met him at the gallery.</i>

    It might have been because of that art piece and the possibility of finding Pingan that he¡¯s acting this way, but even Guan Zijue was unable to convince himself that this was the real reason.

    He looked down and turned to return to his seat.

    Seeing him back down, Ye Zhongjue decided not to pursue the matter further.

    <i>Did Guan Zijue just silently admit that he was paying attention to Yi¡¯an??</i>No matter what it was, this made Ye Zhongjue feel uneasy.

    Gu Yi¡¯an answered the call when he found an open area outside the hotel with nobody around.

    ¡°Hey, Hanyu. What¡¯s up?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu sounded anxious over the phone. ¡°Something went wrong with the weapon shipment in C City and the police were alerted. After some discussion, we¡¯ve decided to ship the weapons from Emperor City instead. Since these two cities are right beside each other, the authorities probably would never expect us to ship from there. What do you think about that?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s brows creased. ¡°Jue and I are both in Emperor City now so it¡¯s possible. But you should know how serious the offence is if we get caught. The regtions are way stricter herepared to when we¡¯re overseas!¡±

    ¡°I know that!¡± Ceng Hanyu answered seriously. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be calling you otherwise. It¡¯s an important shipment and nothing can go wrong this time, which is why I¡¯m getting you and Jue to oversee it. We can¡¯t do much in C City now and I¡¯m not about to let our men die there!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded. ¡°Hold on for a while. I¡¯ll discuss this with Jue. I don¡¯t rmend shipping it from Emperor City and it should only be ourst resort. It¡¯s too dangerous!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu sighed but he nodded to himself and said, ¡°Okay. Discuss it with Jue and let me know within an hour so we can n our new route.¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡± Gu Yi¡¯an then ended the call.

    Gu Yi¡¯an and Ye Zhongjue left before the banquet coulde to a close.

    Guan Zijue had wanted to stop Gu Yi¡¯an to have a chat with him, but decided against it as he was reminded of what Ye Zhongjue said earlier.

    Gu Yi¡¯an informed Ye Zhongjue about the situation once they were out of the hotel.

    After some consideration, Ye Zhongjue said, ¡°The regtions in Emperor City are very strict. How about this, one of us goes to C City to collect the shipment first. When we travel from C City to Emperor City, there¡¯s a huge forest which extends all the way to the sea. If we¡¯re able to travel through that forest, we can arrange for a vessel at sea and the shipment can then leave safely. What do you think?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an contemted for a moment. Ye Zhongjue¡¯s idea was not a bad one.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go to C City then. You arrange the vessel.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue frowned at this. He was more familiar with C City than Gu Yi¡¯an was, and it was easy to lose one¡¯s way in that forest.

    ¡°It¡¯s better if I go since you¡¯re not as familiar with the area. You stay in Emperor City. I¡¯ll arrange for the vessel right away. Tell Ceng Hanyu about the n.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an raised his eyebrows. ¡°This is the logical choice, but what about Sis-inw and the kids? They''re all in Emperor City. It¡¯s probably easier for you to arrange a vessel here too. I don¡¯t have connections here at all!¡±

    There was a subtle change in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s expression when Gu Yi¡¯an mentioned Mo Suqing and the kids.

    After a while, he said, ¡°Fine then. You go to C City. Be careful. I¡¯ll arrange the vessel.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded and left for C City immediately.

    Ye Zhongjue called Ceng Hanyu as he watched Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s car leave.

    Xia Zi and Guan Zixuan were flying to Bali on the very same night for their honeymoon.

    Guan Zijue had nned to return to his camp on the next day when he received a call.

    ¡°Hello!¡±

    It was his supervisor on the phone. ¡°Guan Zijue, we¡¯ve received news that there will be a weapon shipment leaving C City. We aren¡¯t sure what weapons these are and who they belong to, but weaponry regtions have to be strictly enforced. Dispatch a team of elites to assist the SWAT team in C City and confiscate those weapons. There¡¯s no room for failure!¡±

    ¡°I understand!¡± Guan Zijue answered with confidence. He thus left for C City after informing his men to meet him there.

    It was already two o¡¯clock in the morning when his team was gathered. All of them were on location awaiting the nextmand.

    C City¡¯s SWAT team had informed Guan Zijue that some civilians witnessed a bunch of people driving into the mountainste at night, and it was highly likely that this very group was their target.

 Chapter 279 â€“ Guan Zijue and Gu Yiâ€™an at Odds With Each Other

    <h4>Chapter 279 ¨C Guan Zijue and Gu Yi¡¯an at Odds With Each Other</h4>

    Guan Zijue instructed his men to head to the forest to capture those smugglers immediately.

    For some reason, he had been feeling uneasy throughout his entire journey. He had been on several missions before but it was the first time he felt this way.

    He calmed himself down and as he led his team of elites into the forest.

    From above, the forested area looked like a triangle. Knowing this, Guan Zijue instructed his team to break into three separate groups so that they would be able to stop the smugglers in their tracks no matter which direction they went.

    Gu Yi¡¯an had arrived in C City much earlier in the afternoon.

    Due to the sheer volume of weapons, he had instructed his men to move the weapons in batches. They had sessfully moved thest batch into the forest when night fell, but they never expected for the forested area to be so difficult to traverse.

    There was a vehicr path that led into the forest, but it disappeared as they went deeper and deeper into the greenery, leaving them with no other choice but to move the weapons manually.

    They were left with onest batch when Gu Yi¡¯an heard a disturbance nearby. Someone else was closing in on them.

    He instructed his men to leave while he stayed behind to take care of any possible situation that might arise.

    His men were unwilling to do so at first, since Gu Yi¡¯an was their boss, and it was unimaginable to leave him there alone. Furthermore, Ye Zhongjue and Ceng Hanyu would never forgive them if anything were to happen to Gu Yi¡¯an.

    Seeing the men hesitate, Gu Yi¡¯an took a tougher stance and said, ¡°Defying your orders? Sin Eliminators will have nothing against The Dark Night if this shipment doesn¡¯t go through. I¡¯ll be careful, so leave. Remember to board the vessel immediately. No need to wait for me.¡±

    The men were still hesitating. Gu Yi¡¯an then continued, ¡°You guys don¡¯t trust in my abilities? No one can escape if we¡¯re all captured! I don¡¯t have anything illegal with me right now, so there¡¯s nothing they can do even if I get caught!¡±

    This helped to convince the men a little.

    <i>Why are they acting like that? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m about to die here!</i>

    It¡¯s rtively easier for him to evade capture as long as he doesn¡¯t have any weapons on him.

    Gu Yi¡¯an heard the footsteps getting closer, and judging from the sound of it, he could tell that these men had undergone rigorous training and were likely to be from the SWAT team.

    Gu Yi¡¯an then stood in front of his truck and put on his curious face.

    Guan Zijue instructed his men to stop moving when he spotted a figure near the truck.

    Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s smirked to himself. <i>They might just have been able to capture us if they had arrived a few minutes earlier.</i>

    The team of elite soldiers surrounded Gu Yi¡¯an, raising their weapons as they closed in on him after receiving Guan Zijue¡¯s signal to go forward.

    Gu Yi¡¯an simply stood there pretending that he was unaware of everything that was happening around him.

    Guan Zijue yelled at him when he was about a hundred meters away. ¡°Who¡¯s there! This vehicle is suspected to have been used for smuggling firearms! Walk out with your hands raised!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an was in disbelief when he heard Guan Zijue¡¯s voice. <i>No way. He¡¯s in Emperor City now, so how could it be him?</i>

    However, it was none other than Guan Zijue standing right before him when he turned.

    Gu Yi¡¯an approached him with steady steps, refusing to raise his hands as instructed.

    Hisposure shocked Guan Zijue.

    But what shocked him more was when he realized it was actually Gu Yi¡¯an. <i>I just saw him in the morning, so why is he here now?</i>

    Guan Zijue¡¯s eyes narrowed in suspicion.

    He kept his eyes on Gu Yi¡¯an as he walked up to him, his gun trained on Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s forehead. ¡°Search!¡±

    His men searched all the trucks thoroughly but found nothing.

    ¡°Boss, there¡¯s nothing here!¡±

    ¡°Nothing here!¡±

    ¡°Nothing here!¡±

    ¡­¡­

    Guan Zijue¡¯s expression darkened at this. <i>Nothing? Did we fail?</i>

    With his gun still trained on Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s forehead, he asked, ¡°What are you doing here? Why are these trucks here?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an pretended to be confused and slowly shifted the gun away from him. ¡°Take this away. I¡¯m rather afraid of it!¡±

    Guan Zijue stared at him. Reminded of Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s skills when they fought earlier, he thought, <i>This guy has something up his sleeve.</i>

    ¡°Answer me, or else I¡¯ll arrest you as a smuggler!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an wondered why Guan Zijue would ask him such a question.

    <i>He should have already known about my identity through Guan Zixuan, so he should be able to deduce which group these weapons belonged to. Why did he still ask me that?</i>

    Guan Zijue frowned at Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s silence and instructed his men to head in the direction of the sea, hoping that they¡¯ll be able to stop the shipment.

    Gu Yi¡¯an smirked at this. <i>These soldiers won¡¯t be able to catch up even if they ran with all their might.</i>

    The soldiers returned after about an hour only to report that they were unable to capture any suspects.

    ¡°Boss, there were signs of a vessel being moored near the beach, so they¡¯ve probably boarded a ship. There¡¯s no way to determine the direction in which they went in!¡±

    Guan Zijue red at Gu Yi¡¯an. ¡°Contact the coast guard and have them search the area!¡±

    His man obeyed and left immediately.

    Guan Zijue then said to Gu Yi¡¯an, ¡°Are you going to tell me the truth now or do I have to send you into the interrogation room?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s up to you!¡±

    Anger rose in Guan Zijue. ¡°What are you doing here in the dead of night?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked at him. ¡°You¡¯re here too, so why can¡¯t I be here? This ce is not a prohibited area, is it?¡±

    Guan Zijue stared at him. ¡°Don¡¯t try to be funny. You won¡¯t be able to escape. The coast guard will capture the others.¡±

    ¡°Oh...¡± Gu Yi¡¯an then said, ¡°Is that so? Then I¡¯ll wait for the charges.¡±

    This was the first time a suspect spoke to Guan Zijue like this. His subordinates were all thinking to themselves, <i>What a daring man!</i>

    Guan Zijue spoke coldly, ¡°Are you going to tell me why you¡¯re here? You were in Emperor City in the morning, but you¡¯re here now. That doesn¡¯t make any sense at all!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an raised a brow. <i>There¡¯s no way he can locate the shipment. He won¡¯t be able to charge me without any evidence.</i>

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll tell you since you¡¯re asking. I¡¯m here for a tour. Why can¡¯t I be in Emperor City in the morning ande here at night for a tour? C City isn¡¯t far from there at all. You can¡¯t charge me for that. Do you think you¡¯re above thew, Guan Zijue!¡±

    Guan Zijue was frustrated at this. ¡°Gu Yi¡¯an, you¡¯re absurd! No one is above thew!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯anughed. ¡°I¡¯m relieved then. Ask me whatever you want, and I¡¯ll tell you everything I know!¡±

    Guan Zijue was at a loss for words. He could not seem tomunicate with Gu Yi¡¯an.

    <i>But I¡¯m not backing down that easily!</i>

    ¡°Gu Yi¡¯an, you¡¯d bettere clean. Why are you here and what¡¯s up with these trucks? I just might be able to spare your life if you tell the truth!¡±

 Chapter 280 â€“ What Confidence

    <h4>Chapter 280 ¨C What Confidence</h4>

    Gu Yi¡¯an smirked. ¡°I guess I have no choice but to tell you the truth then!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m actually here for leisure and I just happened to lose my way in the forest. It was already dark when I arrived, and I saw this tiny little rabbit. It looked so cute I started chasing after it. It ran into the forest and I lost it. I couldn¡¯t find my way out after that. As for these trucks...¡±

    Guan Zijue stared at him, wondering what he¡¯ll cook up next.

    ¡°Before you guys arrived, I thought of spending the night in one of these trucks. But you guys arrived shortly after!¡±

    What Gu Yi¡¯an said seemed usible, but Guan Zijue did not believe a single word he said.

    He scoffed. ¡°Impossible. I don¡¯t believe in that nonsense. Who¡¯d actuallye here for leisure in the dead of night!¡±

    ¡°Me! I¡¯m here for leisure!¡± Gu Yi¡¯an continued, ¡°Guan Zijue, you can¡¯t use me of a crime just because I refused to sell the painting to you. I didn¡¯t break thew. I¡¯m here in C City for a vacation!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an then said, ¡°My white Maserati should still be parked along the road. You can go check it if you don¡¯t believe me. I was really chasing after a rabbit. I¡¯m telling the truth!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an spoke so confidently that Guan Zijue almost believed him. But suspicion continued to nag at him because it was too much of a coincidence for Gu Yi¡¯an to appear here at this hour.

    He turned to his men and instructed, ¡°Go check if he¡¯s telling the truth!¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡± His men answered and left quickly.

    Both Guan Zijue and Gu Yi¡¯an remained silent as they waited for the men to return.

    ¡°Boss, there really is a white Maserati on the road. We¡¯ve also looked at the security footage, and it shows that he really followed a rabbit into the forest!¡±

    Guan Zijue was stunned at this.<i>?How could that be true? It sounded like a tant lie.</i>

    He looked back at Gu Yi¡¯an. ¡°Even so, you¡¯re still a suspect. We¡¯ll have to detain you. We¡¯ll decide if you¡¯ll be charged after we find out where the vessel went.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an shrugged. ¡°Fine by me. I¡¯m innocent anyway!¡±

    He never stoppedining when they were on their way back to the city. ¡°How unlucky. Why did this have to happen to me when I¡¯m on vacation. I can¡¯t believe that I¡¯m a suspect now. Guess I¡¯ll really have to be careful next time...¡±

    Guan Zijue heard everything but did not react.

    It was already six in the morning when they returned to C City.

    Gu Yi¡¯an watched the sun rise from the vehicle he was in.

    Guan Zijue happened to turn and saw Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s profile as he watched the sunrise.

    At that very moment, he felt as if Pingan was right in front of him.

    <i>Why would I think that he¡¯s Pingan when they are both so different?</i> He shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind of these thoughts.

    Gu Yi¡¯an turned to Guan Zijue suddenly. ¡°Guan Zijue, are you so mesmerized by my beauty that you have to shake your head to clear your mind?¡±

    Guan Zijue¡¯s expression darkened immediately.

    Gu Yi¡¯an did look good, but he¡¯s way too narcissistic!

    He said, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it! I¡¯m not interested in how you look!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an smiled mischievously. ¡°Really? Then why did I feel you staring at me earlier!¡±

    ¡°Something¡¯s wrong with you. I didn¡¯t!¡± Guan Zijue lied through his teeth.

    Gu Yi¡¯anughed. He never thought Guan Zijue would react like that.

    He decided to rile Guan Zijue up further and closed in on him.

    ¡°Know what I like best about you?¡±

    This made Guan Zijue¡¯s heart skip a beat. He pushed Gu Yi¡¯an away instantly. ¡°Get away from me!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯anughed harder. ¡°I love how serious you are. Why don¡¯t you tell the truth! That¡¯s not what you¡¯re thinking at all!¡±

    The frustrated Guan Zijue tried to ignore Gu Yi¡¯an.

    <i>I thought he was supposed to be a gentle soul, but why is he acting like that!</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an continuedughing. ¡°Don¡¯t get angry so quickly!¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me if I had ever been to the underground wrestling rings in America yesterday? Do you want to know the answer?¡±

    This sessfully caught Guan Zijue¡¯s attention.

    Gu Yi¡¯an saw a shimmer in Guan Zijue¡¯s eyes, as if he was hoping for something.

    He had wanted to trick Guan Zijue initially, but that look made him decide otherwise.

    Guan Zijue asked, ¡°Are you going to tell me or not!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an lost his smile and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re asking this, but all I can say is that I have indeed hung around in the underground wrestling circle in the past.¡±

    This surprised Guan Zijue and he contemted if he should get the vehicle to turn back, but he saw Gu Yi¡¯an shut his eyes to take a rest, not saying another word.

    <i>He doesn¡¯t look the least bit afraid. I guess I really have nothing on him.</i>

    Guan Zijue¡¯s thoughts were in a mess. <i>What if Gu Yi¡¯an was really Pingan? What should I do then?</i>

    He remembered Zixuan telling him that Gu Yi¡¯an had connections with Sin Eliminators, which meant they were on opposing sides of thew. <i>How can I be in contact with criminals!</i>

    <i>But what if he was Pingan?</i>

    They arrived at the police station shortly after, and Guan Zijue stayed to await news from the coast guard as he wanted to know if Gu Yi¡¯an was really involved in the case.

    He couldn¡¯t confirm Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s identity at this point, and he would have nobody to me but himself if Gu Yi¡¯an was caught and really turned out to be Pingan.

    In Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s statement, he said that he was an artist who got caught simply because he was chasing after a rabbit in the forest.

    After checking on his background, the police found nothing suspicious about him.

    This made the local police wonder about Guan Zijue¡¯s motives. <i>Did he just want to make this artist the scapegoat?</i>

    One of them nced at Guan Zijue, thinking to himself, <i>This man is unfathomable.</i>

    All of them were now waiting for news from the coast guard. If there were leads, they would be able to continue their investigation, otherwise, they would have to release the suspect.

    Time seemed to pass extremely slowly while they waited.

    After some time, one of them finally received a call. The coast guard had searched the area for almost five hours but found nothing.

    This stunned Guan Zijue. <i>How could an entire shipment of weapons disappear just like that?</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an smirked. <i>The police will never be able to find it since it¡¯s Ye Zhongjue.</i>

    The police now had to decide if they wanted to continue investigating Gu Yi¡¯an or if they should release him.

    Before Guan Zijue could make his decision, someone else arrived at the police station.

 Chapter 281 â€“ The Unrivalled Poisonous Prince

    <h4>Chapter 281 ¨C The Unrivalled Poisonous Prince</h4>

    It was none other than Ye Zhongjue.

    Guan Zijue stood up immediately.

    Ye Zhongjue walked up to the police and asked, ¡°Why are you guys arresting people without proper evidence? You¡¯d better give me a proper exnation on this!¡±

    The police chief looked at Guan Zijue and Ye Zhongjue. He was caught in the middle.

    Ye Zhongjue continued, ¡°I won¡¯t stop you from arresting him if you have evidence, but you don¡¯t have the right to do so without it!¡±

    The police chief paled at this.

    Guan Zijue turned to Ye Zhongjue. ¡°I¡¯m the one who arrested him. To be urate, Gu Yi¡¯an is here to assist with the investigations. He came with us voluntarily. You can ask him about that!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue then walked towards the interrogation room.

    He walked in to see Gu Yi¡¯an having his legs crossed, as if he was enjoying tea in the room.

    Ye Zhongjue suddenly felt that all his worries were for naught. Gu Yi¡¯an looked like he was enjoying his time there.

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked up when Ye Zhongjue coughed to signal his presence. <i>If Jue is here, it means that the shipment has left.</i>

    <i>I knew it. Jue would seed for sure.</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an smiled as he stood up. ¡°Jue, you¡¯re here!¡±

    He sounded like he was weing a guest into his home. Ye Zhongjue wondered, <i>How can this guy be so calm! Nothing seemed to be able to shake him at all.</i>

    He coughed twice and said, ¡°Yi¡¯an, let¡¯s go if the investigation is over. I¡¯ll get awyer to speak to them.¡±

    ¡°Oh...¡± Gu Yi¡¯an nodded at this. ¡°So you¡¯re here to bail me out!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue wanted to punch the ungrateful Gu Yi¡¯an.

    ¡°What do you think I¡¯m here for!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked around the room. ¡°Actually, this ce isn¡¯t all that bad!¡±

    ¡°You...¡± Ye Zhongjue was speechless.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Stop wasting time. Suqing and the kids are still in Emperor City. We¡¯ll head back right after this!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded at this.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go then!¡±

    On their way out of the station, Guan Zijue grabbed Gu Yi¡¯an and asked, ¡°Gu Yi¡¯an, you didn¡¯t lie earlier, did you?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked at him in a daze. ¡°What are you referring to? I¡¯ve said so many things.¡±

    ¡°About your time in America. I just want to know if it¡¯s the truth.¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Gu Yi¡¯an nodded and answered casually.

    Satisfied, Guan Zijue then let go of him and watched them leave.

    Once they were in the car, Gu Yi¡¯an asked Ye Zhongjue, ¡°How did you manage to move the goods? Guan Zijue arrived just seconds after the men left!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue then told him how he actually hid the weapons.

    After hearing what he did, Gu Yi¡¯an couldn¡¯t help but marvel. <i>He¡¯s really the unrivalled Poisonous Prince. No one can hold a candle to this guy.</i>

    What happened was that the goods were already loaded onto the vessel when Guan Zijue¡¯s men arrived at the coast. Guan Zijue then asked the coast guard for assistance only after his men returned to report that they did not find anything onnd. Ye Zhongjue made use of this time to quickly unload the goods, and had an empty vessel set sail instead.

    Even if the coast guards found the vessel, it would not contain any incriminating evidence. After the coast guards were done with their search, Ye Zhongjue then arranged for another vessel and loaded the goods onto it, greatly lowering the risk of being caught.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was impressed with how Ye Zhongjue handled the situation. No one would have expected them to unload the goods when everything had already been loaded.

    He looked at Ye Zhongjue, smiling as he said, ¡°Jue, how did you even think of that!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue answered nonchntly, ¡°All I wanted was to keep the shipment safe. There was no other way!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an shrugged. ¡°You say it like it¡¯s nothing. Anyway, I think Guan Zijue suspects us!¡±

    ¡°Of what?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an frowned at this. ¡°He probably suspects that we¡¯re involved with this shipment in some way!¡±

    ¡°But he doesn¡¯t have evidence, right?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded. <i>That¡¯s true too!</i>

    Seeing Gu Yi¡¯an lower his head in silence, Ye Zhongjue asked, ¡°What did Guan Zijue mean earlier? You told him about your time in America? Didn¡¯t you say that he might be plotting something against you? Why are you telling him that when you didn¡¯t even tell me or Hanyu about it? Do you trust him that much?¡±

    ¡°Jue, I didn¡¯t say much. I just told him that I¡¯ve been there. I didn¡¯t give him any details. You might not understand this, but I have a feeling that he wouldn¡¯t hurt me on purpose. Just like how I know that you and Hanyu wouldn¡¯t stab me in the back. Jue, don¡¯t mull over this. Trust my judgement!¡±

    ¡°Fine!¡±

    Luo Qiqi looked at Gu Yi¡¯an suspiciously when they arrived back in Emperor City. She grabbed his cor and asked, ¡°Where did you go? Are you avoiding me? Trying to hide yourself in some obscure corner of the world?¡±

    Exasperated, Gu Yi¡¯an looked at her as he asked, ¡°Do I even need to do that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, because I think I¡¯m quite overbearing!¡± Luo Qiqi answered guiltily.

    Gu Yi¡¯anughed. ¡°So you know that too? Can you be less overbearing then?¡±

    Luo Qiqi watched him, speechless. ¡°Are you going to tell me where you went? Huh? Huh?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an shivered as he saw a vicious smile appear on Luo Qiqi¡¯s face. ¡°My gosh, I¡¯m not some little girl, and it¡¯s not like I¡¯ve done anything horrible. I just wanted to drive around and I ended up in C City, that¡¯s all. What else do you want to know?¡±

    Luo Qiqi let go of his cor and smiled. ¡°Seeing how sincere you are in answering my question, I won¡¯t pursue this anymore. I¡¯m going to take a nap!¡±

    She then turned to leave.

    Gu Yi¡¯an shook his head in resignation. <i>Her mood is as unpredictable as the weather!</i>

    He returned to his room, nning to rest after spending the entire night out.

    It was already four in the afternoon when he woke up.

    Though he heard some disturbance on the ground floor, he ignored it and went to wash up instead.

    After freshening up, the noise got louder and louder. He went downstairs only to see an angered Luo Qiqi.

    Guan Zijue was right in front of her.

    Gu Yi¡¯an felt a headacheing on just by looking at the situation. <i>Why did Guan Zijue have to appear everywhere? How do I get him to leave me alone?</i>

    He walked up and pulled Luo Qiqi away as she naturally leaned closer to him.

 Chapter 282 â€“ Kissed by a Man

    <h4>Chapter 282 ¨C Kissed by a Man</h4>

    Seeing Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s hand on Luo Qiqi¡¯s shoulder made Guan Zijue feel rather ufortable. He kept staring at it, as if he wanted to pry that hand away from her.

    Gu Yi¡¯an could feel the anger emanating from Guan Zijue, but he didn¡¯t understand what caused it. <i>Did I do anything to annoy him again?</i>

    He looked at Luo Qiqi and asked, ¡°Qiqi, this is?¡±

    Luo Qiqi red at him. ¡°Have you forgotten where we are? This isn¡¯t a hotel!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an then recalled that they were actually staying at Guan Zixuan¡¯s ce, so the visitor must be looking for Guan Zixuan!

    Gu Yi¡¯an calmed down at this.

    ¡°Guan Zijue, you¡¯re here to look for Guan Zixuan, right? He went on a honeymoon with Xia Zi. Have you forgotten?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here to look for you!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an wondered if he had heard wrong. <i>Why would Guan Zijue be looking for me?</i>

    He scratched the back of his ear and asked Luo Qiqi, ¡°Qiqi, were my ears fooling me? Did he just say that he¡¯s here to look for me?¡±

    Luo Qiqi rolled her eyes at him. ¡°You heard right. He¡¯s here to look for you and I¡¯ve been trying to stop him at the door! I almost got into a fight with him while you were taking your time to stroll down the stairs!¡±

    <i>What? He¡¯s really here to look for me?</i>

    <i>Is he here to arrest me?</i>

    ¡°Qiqi, go upstairs. I¡¯ll get you when it¡¯s time for dinner, okay?¡±

    Luo Qiqi looked at him before ncing at Guan Zijue. ¡°Be quick!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded.

    Guan Zijue¡¯s hands curled up into fists as he watched them interact, but he had no idea why he was annoyed either.

    Gu Yi¡¯an watched Luo Qiqi disappear upstairs before he turned back to Guan Zijue. ¡°You followed me all the way here from C City? Do you even have any evidence to arrest me?¡±

    ¡°I know you must be involved in some way or another when I saw you with those trucks. It doesn¡¯t matter whether you admit it or not, since I¡¯m not here for that anyway!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an raised a brow. He knew immediately why Guan Zijue was here. He looked upstairs and said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk outside!¡±

    Guan Zijue followed him out quietly.

    When they were in the garden, Gu Yi¡¯an said, ¡°I¡¯ve already told you everything that I can tell you. You won¡¯t be able to get any other information out of me. Why must you be so insistent? I¡¯m getting dinner!¡±

    Guan Zijue grabbed Gu Yi¡¯an when he turned to leave, but this made Gu Yi¡¯an lose his bnce and he fell towards Guan Zijue.

    Guan Zijue naturally held onto Gu Yi¡¯an as he fell, and as the two of them were of simr height, their lips crashed.

    Both of them were stunned at the sudden turn of events.

    Guan Zijue stepped back in shock, and the first thing Gu Yi¡¯an saw was Guan Zijue¡¯s handsome features. He couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how long and luscious those eyshes were.

    When Gu Yi¡¯an realized what actually transpired, he cursed inwardly to himself.<i>?I kissed a man?! Why did I even enjoy it?!</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an pushed Guan Zijue away hastily and turned back to the vi.

    Guan Zijue never expected that his quest to look for answers would end in such a manner. He stayed in the same spot as he contemted the next steps.

    Considering how they were both being so cautious right now, there was no way he was able to get anything out of Gu Yi¡¯an.

    He couldn¡¯t let anyone else know about the fact that he had once enrolled in an American military school either. No one else knew about this apart from Guan Mingchang and himself.

    But if he wasn¡¯t frank with Gu Yi¡¯an, there was no way Gu Yi¡¯an would tell him the truth either. He would never know what Gu Yi¡¯an did when he was in America and he would never find out if Gu Yi¡¯an was really Pingan.

    The greatest obstacle here was theirck of trust in each other.

    Guan Zijue sighed and left.

    Luo Qiqi came downstairs just as Gu Yi¡¯an entered the vi. She asked, ¡°What did that guy want with you?¡±

    Recalling that idental kiss, Gu Yi¡¯an answered in a rather awkward manner, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. He¡¯s here to look for Guan Zixuan, but he isn¡¯t around. So he pretended that he meant to look for me, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an did not realize that Luo Qiqi was eyeing him suspiciously.

    Luo Qiqi asked, ¡°Why are you so nervous? I know he wants that painting of yours, and I¡¯ve also seen you guys fight at the hotel. Why are you lying to me!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an then realized his mistake.

    <i>Why did I have to lie? Luo Qiqi knows everything, so why am I nervous?</i>

    He suddenly felt frustrated.

    He waved a hand at Luo Qiqi. ¡°I¡¯m just saying that he¡¯s not here about the painting. We didn¡¯t talk much anyway. Let¡¯s go get dinner, I¡¯m famished!¡±

    Luo Qiqi continued eyeing him. ¡°Gu Yi¡¯an, have you been influenced by me? Where¡¯s that quiet and gentle Gu Yi¡¯an from the past? Return him to me!¡±

    This made Gu Yi¡¯an wonder to himself, <i>Have I really changed?</i>

    He looked at Luo Qiqi coldly. ¡°Are we getting dinner?¡±

    She ran up to him quickly and smiled. ¡°Yes!¡±

    Guan Zijue spotted Guan Mingchang sitting in a corner when he returned home.

    He already knew what his father wanted to say to him. Guan Mingchang probably wanted to lecture him about his mission yesterday, and he¡¯d probably tell him that he failed due to poor nning.

    His father looked up at him when he heard footsteps. ¡°Zijue, do you know why I¡¯m waiting for you here?¡±

    ¡°Because of what happened yesterday!¡±

    Instead of broaching the topic directly, Guan Mingchang asked, ¡°Zijue, do you know why I sent you to the military instead of Guan Zixuan? Others might think that I¡¯m biased, but what do you think?¡±

    ¡°Father, you would have your considerations. It¡¯s also my choice to go to the military!¡±

    Guan Mingchang nodded. ¡°It¡¯s good that you think that way, but that¡¯s not the main reason. You might not be able to make your own choices in a family like ours. You¡¯ve always been reliable since young, and I don¡¯t have to worry about you as much. I know what¡¯s best for you, and this is the route which suits you the most. Zijue, you won¡¯t me your dad for this, right!¡±

    Guan Zijue shook his head. ¡°Father, it¡¯s my choice too. Why would I me you for it!¡±

    Guan Mingchang nodded again. ¡°That¡¯s good. It¡¯s true that I¡¯m here to talk about what happened yesterday. I know that the responsibility doesn¡¯t fall on you entirely, but you know, someone has to take the me for something like that...¡±

    Guan Zijue spoke before his father could finish. ¡°Father, I didn¡¯t think things through and it led to the criminals escaping. I¡¯m willing to ept the punishment alone!¡±

    ¡°I appreciate this, but you can¡¯t cover for every mistake!¡±

    Guan Zijue was insistent. ¡°Father, I failed my dutyst night. I should be the one to take full responsibility!¡±

 Chapter 283 â€“ The Devilâ€™s Incarnate

    <h4>Chapter 283 ¨C The Devil¡¯s Incarnate</h4>

    Guan Mingchang shook his head at how stubborn his son was. <i>I won¡¯t have to worry so much if only Guan Zixuan and Guan Zijue could learn a little from each other.</i>

    <i>I¡¯ll let it be since he has already decided.</i>

    It was difficult to point the me at any single individual for the failure of the mission, but somebody had to take responsibility for it.

    He waved a hand at Guan Zijue. ¡°Go ahead then. I¡¯ll look into the punishment for this. Yours would probably be the heaviest. You don¡¯t have to go back to camp for the moment. Stay here in Emperor City and reflect on your actions for the next month!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father!¡±

    Instead of returning to his room, Guan Zijue turned and left the house.

    Gu Yi¡¯an and Luo Qiqi were having dinner when Luo Qiqi suggested, ¡°Yi¡¯an, want to go to a barter?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m going back to work on my art. You can go on your own!¡±

    Luo Qiqi seemed a little disappointed at this. ¡°Why do you always refuse to go for a drink when I ask? Is it so beneath you to do so...¡±

    She then started nagging him. Gu Yi¡¯an knew what he was in for, so he stopped Luo Qiqi as quickly as he could.

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    This made Luo Qiqi stare at him in surprise.

    He said, ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll go for a drink after dinner. But let me make this clear. I¡¯m only doing this once!¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay!¡± Luo Qiqi ran up and pretended to be extremely courteous to him.

    <i>Luo Qiqi is supposed to be Ye Zhongjue¡¯s younger sister, but why did it feel like she¡¯s my younger sister instead! I can¡¯t shake her off no matter what.</i>

    Ye Zhongjue and Mo Suqing left the city in the morning, and Ye Zhongjue had actually asked Luo Qiqi if she wanted to go back with them. Luo Qiqi refused, and no one could convince her otherwise.

    Gu Yi¡¯an understood that going back to A City would only remind her of what happened in the past, which was why she preferred to stay here instead of returning to A City.

    They left for a nearby bar after dinner, and Luo Qiqi ordered tons of drinks.

    Opening a bottle of beer, she turned to Gu Yi¡¯an and said, ¡°Let¡¯s get wasted tonight!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an did not n on drinking initially, but seeing Luo Qiqi so excited, he picked up a bottle and knocked it against Luo Qiqi¡¯s bottle.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get wasted!¡±

    The both of them then started chugging their drinks.

    After a while, Gu Yi¡¯an got so drunk that Luo Qiqi decided they should leave.

    Before she could leave however, her attention was caught by somebody who just passed outside the bar.

    <i>That looked like Su Jincheng!</i>

    Luo Qiqi rubbed her eyes to take a closer look, but the figure was already gone.

    She rushed out without a second thought.

    Being drunk, Gu Yi¡¯an did not notice Luo Qiqi acting strangely at all. He reached out a hand only to cause a few bottles to topple over.

    It was so noisy that no one else realized what had happened at their table but a figure sitting in a quiet corner who was observing him silently. Holding a ss of red wine, the figure watched everything unfold.

    The shing lights in the bar shone across the figure, and it was none other than Guan Zijue.

    He spotted Gu Yi¡¯an but did not approach him.

    In his daze, Gu Yi¡¯an was able to finally grab a bottle to continue chugging his beer.

    He then looked up in the air and said, ¡°Qiqi, you go ahead. I need the restroom!¡±

    After which, he stood up and staggered away.

    Guan Zijue witnessed everything and he spotted a few suspicious men following Gu Yi¡¯an as he left the table.

    Worried, Guan Zijue decided to follow the group. He told himself to ignore everything at first, and though it was highly possible that Gu Yi¡¯an would be able to beat those guys up, he still felt anxious.

    He heard the men talking among themselves when he was about to reach the restroom.

    ¡°Did you see that guy? We¡¯ll send him to a gay bar after we¡¯re done with him. He¡¯s bound to fetch a high price!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. He looks so pretty even as a man, I¡¯m already hard!¡±

    ¡°Look at you guys. We can do all that after we¡¯re done!¡±

    ¡­¡­

    Though the men had yet to do anything to Gu Yi¡¯an, what they said made Guan Zijue extremely ufortable. He stared at those men cautiously.

    When the restroom door opened, the men lunged forward instantly.

    Guan Zijue heard Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯sughter before he could even react to the situation.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was able to dodge, causing the men to topple over themselves.

    Heughed in a drunken manner.

    The stunned Guan Zijue watched everything unfold.

    The men picked themselves up and yelled at Gu Yi¡¯an angrily, ¡°Damn you. How dare you trick us! We from the Money Gang are no easy targets! Kill him!¡±

    They then lunged at Gu Yi¡¯an again.

    This time, Guan Zijue rushed out and blocked their attack swiftly. Pushing two of the men to the ground, he growled, ¡°Get out!¡±

    The men looked at him, dazed.

    One of them then asked, ¡°Who the hell are you? Do you even know who we are? How dare you foil our ns. I¡¯ll make you...¡±

    Guan Zijue sent him flying with a kick before he could finish. The man crashed against the opposite wall and crumbled to the ground.

    Scared stiff, the rest of them made a hasty escape, thinking to themselves, <i>He must be the devil¡¯s incarnate! We should go!</i>

    Guan Zijue turned to Gu Yi¡¯an after the group of men were gone.

    The drunk Gu Yi¡¯an mumbled to himself, ¡°Are my eyes fooling me... Why does this person look so much like Guan Zijue? But¡­ he shouldn¡¯t be here!¡±

    He then lowered his head as he tried to make sense of the situation.

    This made Guan Zijue wonder to himself, <i>He can recognize me and he¡¯s speaking so clearly. I wonder if he¡¯s really drunk?</i>

    He walked up to support the staggering Gu Yi¡¯an, but Gu Yi¡¯an dodged him nimbly.

    He looked at Guan Zijue cautiously. ¡°Who are you? What are you trying to do? Let me tell you something. I¡¯ve got skills!¡±

    Guan Zijue was speechless at this.

    ¡°Fine! You¡¯re the best! No one can beat you!¡±

    With that, Gu Yi¡¯an allowed him to support him as they returned to his table.

    Gu Yi¡¯an reached out and touched Guan Zijue¡¯s face suddenly. ¡°Why do you look like Guan Zijue? Why won¡¯t he let me off the hook? Why does he have to follow me to the bar? Isn¡¯t he tired of tailing me?¡±

    Though Gu Yi¡¯an had spoken unintentionally, Guan Zijue¡¯s expression darkened. However, he told himself, <i>He¡¯s so drunk I shouldn¡¯t be taking him seriously! He probably doesn¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on.</i>

    Guan Zijue dragged Gu Yi¡¯an out of the bar and looked around, hoping to spot Luo Qiqi nearby, but she was nowhere to be found.

    After a moment of contemtion, he pulled Gu Yi¡¯an to his car.

    <i>He¡¯s so drunk. And where is Luo Qiqi? She just left and abandoned him. What is wrong with these two!</i>

 Chapter 284 â€“ Iâ€™m Not That Thirsty

    <h4>Chapter 284 ¨C I¡¯m Not That Thirsty</h4>

    Guan Zijue drove towards his own apartment in Emperor City.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was as quiet as a sleeping child throughout the ride.

    He looked almost exactly like Pingan when Guan Zijue happened to nce at him.

    Guan Zijue shook his head at the thought. <i>Why do I keep mistaking him for Pingan?</i>

    <i>Having been in those underground wrestling rings doesn¡¯t prove that he¡¯s Pingan.</i>

    But then again, the painting he saw felt so familiar that it brought him back to when he was eighteen.

    As Guan Zijue looked at Gu Yi¡¯an, thetter creased his brows suddenly.

    Gu Yi¡¯an mumbled, ¡°Jue¡­ Qiqi¡­ Hanyu...¡±

    He didn¡¯t say anything else, but he looked like he was in a lot of pain.

    An idea struck Guan Zijue. <i>Alcohol lowers one¡¯s inhibitions and can make them tell the truth. Can I try to get the truth out of Gu Yi¡¯an?</i>

    He quickly asked, ¡°Gu Yi¡¯an, were you in the underground wrestling rings in America when you were younger?¡±

    The drunk Gu Yi¡¯an mumbled, ¡°Mm.¡±

    Guan Zijue continued, ¡°What was your name then? Where were you and did you have any good friends there?¡±

    He looked at Gu Yi¡¯an expectantly.

    Gu Yi¡¯an opened his mouth to speak, and said, ¡°I¡¯m Xiao¡­ ughh...¡±

    He started vomiting before he could finish.

    Guan Zijue could only watch in annoyance as Gu Yi¡¯an vomited in his car.

    Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s head was much clearer after vomiting, and he opened the door to get out of the car.

    Guan Zijue¡¯s expression was dreadful. He called a tow truck to tow his car away and stared at Gu Yi¡¯an who was now by the roadside.

    Though drunk, Gu Yi¡¯an had been aware of what Guan Zijue tried to ask him earlier. He also knew that if he did not happen to vomit, he would probably have told Guan Zijue the truth.

    <i>It¡¯s fortunate that I vomited.</i>

    <i>I just vomited in his car, so Guan Zijue will probably skin me alive if I tell him that I¡¯m aware of everything.</i>

    <i>It¡¯s better to pretend to be drunk.</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an then continued pretending to vomit by the roadside.

    After a while, a bottle of water appeared near him and he looked up to see Guan Zijue¡¯s stormy expression.

    Gu Yi¡¯an gave him a wide grin. Anyone who saw that grin would definitely think he was drunk.

    He reached for the bottle of water and used it to rinse his mouth.

    Guan Zijue watched and wondered to himself, <i>I wonder how drunk he is. Looking at him now, I probably won¡¯t be able to get much information out of him.</i>

    After Gu Yi¡¯an was done, he returned the bottle to Guan Zijue with a wide grin.

    Guan Zijue threw it into the trash bin nearby and pulled Gu Yi¡¯an up. He hailed a cab and headed back to his own apartment with Gu Yi¡¯an in tow.

    Gu Yi¡¯an did not do anything else during the ride. He simply shut his eyes as if he was asleep.

    Guan Zijue was about to drag Gu Yi¡¯an out of the cab when he saw Gu Yi¡¯an frown. He then decided to be a little more gentle.

    Back in his apartment, Guan Zijue decided to take a quick shower.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was sleeping on the sofa when he was done.

    Guan Zijue frowned and chastised himself. <i>I can¡¯t me a drunkard can I? I¡¯m the one who brought him back here anyway.</i>

    He looked at Gu Yi¡¯an again and decided to wake him up, dragging him to the bathroom.

    He took off Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s jacket and was about to undo his trousers when Gu Yi¡¯an stopped him suddenly.

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked at Guan Zijue in rm, as if he was about to be taken advantage of.

    Guan Zijue was speechless at this. <i>Why would I take advantage of a man? I¡¯m not that thirsty.</i>

    He pulled Gu Yi¡¯an towards him and took off his trousers before pushing him into the shower.

    Gu Yi¡¯an stood there as he got drenched, staring at Guan Zijue like amb waiting to be ughtered.

    Those innocent and naive eyes made Guan Zijue¡¯s heart skip a beat. He looked at Gu Yi¡¯an fair skin, realizing that he was much fairer than the average male.

    After a while, he realized that he was having a reaction as he watched Gu Yi¡¯an.

    He turned away immediately in embarrassment.

    Guan Zijue never thought that he would physically react to a male, ever.

    He exited the bathroom and took some time to calm himself down.

    He then reentered the bathroom after some time and wrapped Gu Yi¡¯an in a towel as quickly as he could before dragging him out.

    When they reached the living room, Gu Yi¡¯an fell forwards as soon as he spotted the sofa.

    Guan Zijue grabbed him with a frown as he looked at Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s wet hair.

    He then took a hairdryer to blow dry Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s hair.

    When he was done, Gu Yi¡¯an was already sound asleep in hisp.

    Guan Zijue was flustered.

    He had never been thispassionate to anyone else apart from Pingan, but for some reason, he wanted to treat Gu Yi¡¯an kindly.

    He ced the hairdryer aside and wondered if he should let Gu Yi¡¯an sleep in his room.

    It¡¯s not an issue if they share the same bed, but it would be an issue if he had a reaction again.

    Guan Zijue wasn¡¯t gay, so he couldn¡¯t understand why he had reacted to Gu Yi¡¯an in such a manner.

    Gu Yi¡¯an had already curled up into himself on the sofa as Guan Zijue was considering his options.

    <i>It wouldn¡¯t befortable for him if I left him here like this. He might fall ill if he sleeps here.</i>

    Guan Zijue suddenly regretted his decision of not having a guest room in his apartment. He then dragged Gu Yi¡¯an towards his own room.

    The rooms in Guan Zijue¡¯s apartment were ratherrge, but it did not have a guest room. He seldom had friends over, and he never expected for this to happen.

    On the bed, Gu Yi¡¯an turned and made himselffortable. Guan Zijue frowned at this. <i>Comfy now, are you? Where do I sleep though?</i>

    He didn¡¯t want to sleep outside, but he couldn¡¯t help but recall that he had had a reaction when Gu Yi¡¯an was in the bathroom earlier.

    After a while, he decided to sleep on the bed. He told himself, <i>My bed is sorge, so it should be fine if he doesn¡¯t touch me.</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s breath was a distraction for Guan Zijue, and he buried his own head under the nket to try to sleep. Not used to having another individual beside him, Guan Zijue took a long time to finally fall asleep.

    Gu Yi¡¯an opened his eyes the next morning to see a handsome face right in front of him. Shocked, he pushed Guan Zijue away, causing thetter to roll out of bed.

    This woke Guan Zijue immediately.

    He stood up and looked at Gu Yi¡¯an, ¡°Gu Yi¡¯an, what are you doing?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked at him in confusion. He remembered that they were in a vehiclest night, but he couldn¡¯t remember anything else afterward.

    He frowned and asked, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±

 Chapter 285 â€“ Picking up a Drunkard

    <h4>Chapter 285 ¨C Picking up a Drunkard</h4>

    This annoyed Guan Zijue. He stared at Gu Yi¡¯an.<i>?Gosh, this guy is so...</i>

    Anger suddenly rose in him.<i>?I shouldn¡¯t be ming a drunkard for this, but I¡¯m very unhappy about being pushed out of bed in the morning!</i>

    Guan Zijue spoke through gritted teeth, ¡°I picked up a drunkardst night, and you puked in my car and made a mess in my house. You just pushed me out of bed earlier. What do you think I¡¯m trying to do! ¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an then realized that he was the drunkard.

    He scratched his head apologetically and smiled. ¡°I see. I misunderstood you. But, why are we on the same bed?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked so innocent that Guan Zijue wasn¡¯t able to get angry at him. ¡°Why can¡¯t I sleep in my own bed?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an asked naively, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go to the guest room?¡±

    This frustrated Guan Zijue. ¡°It¡¯s my house so why should I go to the guest room? I don¡¯t have a guest room anyway!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an was taken aback by Guan Zijue¡¯s anger. <i>Fine, I get it, there isn¡¯t a guest room. No need to be that riled up.?</i><i>I¡¯m just shocked that I shared a bed with a man!</i>

    He then sat up and said, ¡°Regardingst night, thanks. I¡¯ll be going then!¡±

    His sleeping robe fell open when he stood up and Guan Zijue saw him in all his glory again.

    Guan Zijue turned away in embarrassment. ¡°Get going then!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an shrugged and turned back to ask, ¡°Oh, where are my clothes?¡±

    Guan Zijue¡¯s back was towards him as he answered, ¡°In the bathroom. Look for them yourself!¡±

    He heaved a sigh of relief as he heard the door close. Seeing Gu Yi¡¯an again elicited a reaction.

    He took a deep breath as he looked at the obvious bulge under his pyjamas.

    Gu Yi¡¯an found his clothes in the bathroom, but they reeked badly of alcohol.

    He put them down and headed for the bedroom again.

    Guan Zijue tensed as he heard footsteps approaching.

    Seeing Guan Zijue¡¯s back towards him, Gu Yi¡¯an asked, ¡°Do you hate me that much? I know I troubled youst night. How about I hire a cleaner to help you clean up?¡±

    ¡°No need!¡± Guan Zijue answered stiffly.

    Gu Yi¡¯an continued, ¡°My clothes reek of alcohol. Could you lend me an outfit for the time being?¡±

    Guan Zijue took a deep breath as he tried to calm himself.

    ¡°Find one in the closet against the wall. You¡¯re free to take whatever you like!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an thought that Guan Zijue would refuse his request, but the positive response was a pleasant surprise.

    ¡°Thank you very much!¡±

    He started looking through the closet for an outfit.

    Both of them were of simr build, but Guan Zijue was a little more muscr than Gu Yi¡¯an since he was in the military.

    Gu Yi¡¯an realized that almost all of the clothes in the closet were ck. Though he preferred white, he had no choice but to select a ck tracksuit.

    Guan Zijue thought he would leave after getting the outfit, but to his horror, Gu Yi¡¯an started changing right there.

    <i>It¡¯s fine. He¡¯s going to leave soon.</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an was not used to seeing himself in an all-ck outfit, but it was still better than wearing clothes that reeked of alcohol.

    He admonished Luo Qiqi silently.?The only reason he decided to drink so much was because he knew Luo Qiqi had a high alcohol tolerance, but he never expected for her to abandon him in the bar like that.

    He looked at Guan Zijue and said, ¡°You haven¡¯t had any food right? Let¡¯s go get some food. My treat, okay?¡±

    ¡°No need!¡± Guan Zijue answered.

    However, Gu Yi¡¯an was insistent. <i>Wouldn¡¯t it be too ungrateful if I just left like this?</i>

    ¡°I can make something if you don¡¯t like to eat out. I¡¯m a good cook!¡±

    Guan Zijue just wanted him to leave.

    ¡°I said there was no need. Don¡¯t you understand?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an was stunned. He couldn¡¯t understand why Guan Zijue was acting that way.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go. Thanks forst night. I¡¯ll send your clothes back after I get home!¡±

    ¡°No need for that. I won¡¯t wear it again since someone else has already worn it!¡±

    This hurt Gu Yi¡¯an a little.

    <i>Did he have to say that? Even though we didn¡¯t start on good terms because of that painting, I just wanted to thank him.</i>

    <i>It¡¯s just an outfit anyway. I shouldn¡¯t think too much about it.?</i>Gu Yi¡¯an then left silently.

    Guan Zijue suddenly regretted everything he just said and did when he saw Gu Yi¡¯an leave.

    <i>What¡¯s done is done. I should avoid Gu Yi¡¯an in future. I can¡¯t seem to control my emotions when he¡¯s around.</i>

    He hoped that he would never see Gu Yi¡¯an ever again.

    Guan Zijue stayed home for the next few days, afraid that he would happen to meet Gu Yi¡¯an on the road.

    When Gu Yi¡¯an arrived back at Guan Zixuan¡¯s vi, he saw Luo Qiqi on the sofa, looking downtrodden. It was obvious that she did not get a wink of sleep.

    Gu Yi¡¯an thought that she had spent the entire night looking for him and went up tofort her, but Luo Qiqi looked up at him suddenly, her voice hoarse as she spoke. ¡°Yi¡¯an, I saw Su Jincheng yesterday!¡±

    This stopped Gu Yi¡¯an in his tracks. <i>She must have been looking for Su Jincheng then, and she did not find him.</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an asked, ¡°Qiqi, let¡¯s put that on the back burner. I think you should get some sleep first.¡±

    Luo Qiqi stared at him. ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject, Yi¡¯an. I think it¡¯s really Su Jincheng. Tell me I¡¯m right. He isn¡¯t dead. He¡¯s still alive!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s heart went out to her. He knew Luo Qiqi was being irrational, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for all that she¡¯s been through.

    He hugged her and said gently, ¡°We haven¡¯t found Su Jincheng¡¯s body, so we don¡¯t know if he¡¯s alive or dead. It¡¯s possible that he¡¯s alive, and you may be able to find him if you continue searching for him. Let¡¯s not think about this for now. Take a nap and we¡¯ll go get some foodter. We¡¯ll have the energy to look for him after we¡¯ve eaten...¡±

    His soothing voice was able to calm Luo Qiqi down as she rested her head against his chest.

    Gu Yi¡¯an then knocked her out.

 Chapter 286 â€“ Is This a Dream or Is This Reality

    <h4>Chapter 286 ¨C Is This a Dream or Is This Reality</h4>

    Gu Yi¡¯an carried her to the bedroom and tucked her gently into bed.

    He couldn¡¯t bear to see her torture herself like that. <i>I hope she¡¯ll feel better after getting some sleep.</i>

    Having spent the entire night awake, Luo Qiqi slept throughout the day and only woke up at seven in the evening.

    The smell of good food wafted into her nose when she opened the bedroom door.

    Gu Yi¡¯an walked out with one of his dishes and saw Luo Qiqi standing on the stairs. ¡°You¡¯re up? Go wash up. Let¡¯s have dinner!¡±

    Luo Qiqi was in a daze. Everything that happenedst night seemed to be a dream.

    She felt as if she woke up from one dream only to step into another. She knew that Su Jincheng was dead, and that everything was simply her imagination.

    She told herself, <i>That wasn¡¯t real after all.</i>

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go wash up.¡±

    Seeing her answer, Gu Yi¡¯an heaved a sigh of relief.

    He knew that she was still in pain, and rather than holding on to that glimmer of hope that Su Jincheng was still alive, it would be better for her to live in the present.

    Luo Qiqi and Gu Yi¡¯an did not leave Guan Zixuan¡¯s vi for the next few days, treating it like their own home.

    On the eighth day however, Luo Qiqi left early in the morning and returnedte at night.

    This was her routine for the entire week. Seeing her act like that, Gu Yi¡¯an wondered if she was still wallowing in her sorrow.

    He tried ways and means to break her out of her reverie but to no avail.

    After two weeks, Gu Yi¡¯an finally decided to stop her before she could leave in the morning.

    ¡°Qiqi, where are you going? Wait for me. I want to take a look around too. I¡¯m leaving tomorrow!¡±

    Stunned, Luo Qiqi mumbled, ¡°You¡¯re leaving so soon?¡±

    ¡°Yup!¡± Gu Yi¡¯an answered. ¡°It¡¯s already been half a month, and this is the longest I¡¯ve ever been in any city ever since starting on those art exhibitions. Are you going to leave with me, or are you going to stay here?¡±

    Luo Qiqi looked slightly crestfallen at this.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave too.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Gu Yi¡¯an then said, ¡°Let¡¯s explore the city today since we¡¯re going to leave tomorrow!¡±

    Luo Qiqi nodded, her expression cid as she waited for Gu Yi¡¯an to grab his jacket.

    Gu Yi¡¯an walked up to her and patted her on the shoulder before they left. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Qiqi!¡±

    Coming out of her daze, Luo Qiqi nodded at him.

    Gu Yi¡¯an had no idea where Luo Qiqi would have preferred to hang out at. He knew Luo Qiqi had a fiery temper, and she was able to liven up the atmosphere wherever she went. However, she seemed to have changed totally after Su Jincheng¡¯s death.

    After much consideration, he decided to take her to the theme park.

    To his surprise, Luo Qiqi seemed to enjoy it a lot even when theme parks were usually catered towards children.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was unaware that Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng had yed their game of cat and mouse in theme parks for a period of time back when Luo Qiqi was following Su Jincheng all around the world.

    Theme parks were to Luo Qiqi a reminder of that time, and also a ce where she could reminisce about the past.

    Luo Qiqi took every single ride with Gu Yi¡¯an in tow, and they only left in the afternoon.

    After lunch, Gu Yi¡¯an asked, ¡°What do you want to doter?¡±

    Luo Qiqi contemted for a moment before saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the casino!¡±

    Though surprised at her suggestion, Gu Yi¡¯an agreed immediately. ¡°Sure!¡±

    <i>It doesn¡¯t matter where we go as long as she¡¯s happy.?</i>She is Ye Zhongjue¡¯s only sister, and he had told Gu Yi¡¯an to take good care of her.

    He heaved an inward sigh of relief that he seemed to have been able to pull Luo Qiqi out of that despondency after that night in the bar.

    With how much time they had spent together on those exhibitions of his, he had already looked at Luo Qiqi like his own sister, and he wanted nothing but the best for her.

    They headed for the biggest casino in Emperor City only to be stopped at the door. The guard who stopped them said Luo Qiqi looked like she was underage.

    <i>Underage?! I¡¯m already in myte twenties and I¡¯m about to hit thirty soon!</i>

    The guard refused to believe her and insisted on Luo Qiqi showing her identification before he could allow them in. Luo Qiqi was frustrated at this. <i>Why is it so difficult to enter a casino! This is so annoying!</i>

    Upon opening her purse, she realized she did not bring her identification card with her.

    <i>Rotten luck!</i>

    Before Luo Qiqi could stomp off, Gu Yi¡¯an took out a golden card and passed it to the guard, saying, ¡°Take a look at this. We¡¯re here to have fun, no need to make a fuss!¡±

    The guard became respectful suddenly after seeing the gold card. This gold card was a rarity in Emperor City and there were probably less than ten individuals who held it.

    The guard then opened the door and weed them in. ¡°Sir, Miss, this way please!¡±

    Still annoyed, Luo Qiqi said, ¡°You¡¯re the miss. Out of my way!¡±

    She then stomped into the casino.

    Gu Yi¡¯an shook his head as he watched her act like a spoiled brat.

    He followed her closely, afraid that he¡¯d lose her in the crowd.

    Once in the casino, Luo Qiqi looked like she had gotten a new lease of life.

    She tried her hand at many games armed with a million dors worth of chips that Gu Yi¡¯an had exchanged for her. He simply watched and followed as she enjoyed the games.

    After a while, Luo Qiqi had turned her million dors into five million dors.

    <i>She¡¯s pretty good at this. She didn¡¯t cheat at all either,?</i>Gu Yi¡¯an marveled.

    Someone finally approached when they racked up ten million dors in chips.

    A middle-aged man who looked like the casino¡¯s manager smiled as he approached them. ¡°We have a private room for guests who have ten million dors or more in chips. Would the both of you be interested?¡±

    Luo Qiqi turned and raised a brow at Gu Yi¡¯an.

    Both of them knew that this was a tacticmonly used by casinos to cut their losses and try to get back some winnings from the high rollers.

    They did not want to refuse the invitation either since that would not be very polite.

    Gu Yi¡¯an thus nodded at Luo Qiqi and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look then. It¡¯d be a waste if we don¡¯t go.¡±

    Luo Qiqi smiled at this. ¡°That¡¯s true! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    The manager led the way through a luxurious hallway, leading them into a huge room where two muscr males were seated.

    The room was huge and looked like it had all the facilities one could ask for.

    The door closed behind them as Luo Qiqi and Gu Yi¡¯an entered.

    The both of them exchanged a look. They knew very well how casinos worked, and they knew that they might not be able to take their winnings home even if they won here. However, they weren¡¯t about to admit defeat at this point.

    The two men in the room stood up to introduce themselves.

    The one with the blond hair said, ¡°Nice to meet you, I¡¯m Jin Laixi, you can call me Xiaojin!¡±

    The one with ck hair then said, ¡°Hi guys, I¡¯m Qian Yousheng, you can call me President Qian!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an and Luo Qiqi then introduced themselves.

    Luo Qiqi said, ¡°I¡¯m Xiaoqi, and you can just call me Xiaoqi!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an contemted for a moment before saying, ¡°I¡¯m Xiao Pingan, just call me Pingan!¡±

    Luo Qiqi wanted tough at Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s introduction. <i>Xiao Pingan, hahaha¡­ What a tender name.</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an shook his head as he saw her reaction. <i>I am Pingan, that tiny and frail teenager. It¡¯s just that no one else can bully me now.</i>

    He then turned to Luo Qiqi and asked, ¡°Xiaoqi, do you want to go first?¡±

    Luo Qiqi answered without hesitation, ¡°I alone am enough for these two!¡±

    Xiaojin and President Qian¡¯s expressions changed as a slight hint of anger and a cautious glint shed across their faces.

    They knew that they shouldn¡¯t be underestimating anyone who was able to enter, but this was the first time someone was being so rude to them.

    <sup>[1]</sup> ¡®Miss¡¯ can also be taken to refer to prostitutes.

    <sup>[2]</sup> ¡®Xiao Pingan¡¯ literally trantes to ¡®Little Pingan¡¯.

 Chapter 287 â€“ An Embarrassment to All Males

    <h4>Chapter 287 ¨C An Embarrassment to All Males</h4>

    Xiaojin¡¯s face flushed red with anger. He stared at Luo Qiqi as he said, ¡°You talk big. Be careful!¡±

    Luo Qiqi looked at him with disdain. ¡°We¡¯ll know very soon who¡¯s talking big.¡±

    President Qian patted him on the shoulder to calm him down before Xiaojin could get any angrier.

    Gu Yi¡¯an settled himself into a nearby sofa to view the game.

    President Qian said, ¡°I¡¯ll sit back just like Mr. Pingan here, so this can be a fair match!¡±

    He then moved over to the sofa.

    Luo Qiqi wanted tough when she heard ¡®Mr. Pingan¡¯.

    <i>Am I the only one who thinks that the name doesn¡¯t suit him at all?</i>

    The game was about to begin as Xiaojin walked up to the table.

    ¡°Choose any one you like and bet big money on it!¡±

    <i>Letting me have the freedom of choice? Isn¡¯t she afraid of losing at all??</i><i>There¡¯s no point in being nice then.</i>

    He chose something he was good at, ckjack.

    Gu Yi¡¯an watched the game silently, as if he knew that Luo Qiqi would not lose.

    In fact, he was confident that they¡¯d still be able to get out of this ce even if she lost.

    After the first round, Luo Qiqi¡¯s chips doubled while Xiaojin suffered heavy losses.

    He watched Luo Qiqi cautiously.<i>?It¡¯s no surprise she¡¯s that arrogant. She does have some skills.</i>

    President Qian was up next. Having observed the game earlier, he could tell that Luo Qiqi was ying a psychological game. Xiaojin was not adept at that, and it was no surprise that he lost.

    From how Gu Yi¡¯an and Luo Qiqi behaved after arriving, he already knew that they were not ordinary individuals, but he definitely did not expect them to be this good.

    Luo Qiqi smirked at President Qian. ¡°What would you like to y next, President Qian?¡±

    ¡°ckjack!¡± He answered calmly.

    Luo Qiqi gave a bright smile. ¡°Not afraid of losing like Xiaojin? I¡¯ll ce arge bet this time!¡±

    President Qian ignored her and the match began shortly.

    After one game, Luo Qiqi had fifty million dors worth of chips on her hand. President Qian¡¯s expression was dreadful.

    All of a sudden, he asked, ¡°How about we try the slot machines?¡±

    Luo Qiqi nced at Gu Yi¡¯an. Though winning at slot machines was more dependent on luck, the overall odds were still in favor of the casino.

    Gu Yi¡¯an stood up and said, ¡°Tired, Xiaoqi? How about you take a rest? I¡¯ll try my hand at the slot machines with President Qian. We¡¯ll bet all fifty million dors of our chips on this match. Whether we win or lose, it¡¯ll be thest game.¡±

    Before they started, Gu Yi¡¯an hit the slot machine lightly under the watchful eyes of President Qian. President Qian did notment on this even though he had seen it.

    After cing their bets, they watched the slot machine run, only to see Gu Yi¡¯an raking in the winnings.

    President Qian was surprised to see this. <i>What¡¯s up with the casino? Why are they letting others win?</i>

    In fact, the slot machine was indeed rigged, but it malfunctioned for some reason.

    Gu Yi¡¯an now had a hundred million dors worth of chips on hand.

    Luo Qiqi grinned like a Cheshire cat.<i>?What amazing earnings!</i>

    She looked at her watch and realized it was already seven thirty in the evening.

    She thus collected all their chips into a bag and smiled at Gu Yi¡¯an. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Yi¡¯an!¡±

    Before they could leave, President Qian scoffed at them. ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll let you go that easily?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an turned back to look at him. ¡°Why not?¡±

    He knew very well that no one would dare open fire in Emperor City, especially if they were running a business. They could not take such a risk.

    President Qian balled his fists.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see if you can escape!¡±

    Luo Qiqi smiled broadly. ¡°Itching for a fight?¡±

    President Qian and Xiaojin were surprised at how smug Luo Qiqi was. <i>Isn¡¯t she scared?</i>

    Before they could react, Luo Qiqi threw the bag of chips into Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s arms. ¡°Hold this, Yi¡¯an. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve exercised. I should make use of this opportunity today.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an turned away as he heard the men get beaten up by Luo Qiqi. <i>What an embarrassment to all males, he thought to himself.</i>

    After the fight was over, Luo Qiqi dusted off her hands and walked away with poise, leaving the two men groaning in pain.

    The room was monitored by security cameras, but seeing how Luo Qiqi defeated two men single-handedly, none of the staff dared get involved.

    It was obvious that Gu Yi¡¯an and Luo Qiqi were not people they should trifle with.

    The staff were also very respectful when they exchanged their chips.

    Luo Qiqi instructed them to credit the winnings directly into her bank ount after passing them her bank card, smacking her lips in satisfaction as she received the notification on her mobile phone.

    She then turned to leave the casino with Gu Yi¡¯an, happy with her earnings.

    Gu Yi¡¯an felt something amiss immediately after they exited the casino. He pulled Luo Qiqi closer and said, ¡°Qiqi, careful. There¡¯s a bunch of people following us!¡±

    Luo Qiqi was aware of this, but she wondered why anyone would follow them out of the casino. <i>Were they upset that we won this much?</i>

    <i>That didn¡¯t make sense. Those from the casino wouldn¡¯t have followed us so openly like that anyway.</i>

    Instead of getting into the car, they headed towards a tiny alley nearby.

    The footsteps behind them quickened.

    When they were in the alley, Luo Qiqi and Gu Yi¡¯an turned around to see a bunch of men holding weapons.

    Luo Qiqi smirked at them.<i>?Trying to surround us?</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an scratched his nose. ¡°Are you taking the left or right?¡±

    Luo Qiqiughed. ¡°I prefer to go left!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded.

    The men were annoyed that they were being underestimated like that.

    Gu Yi¡¯an did not realize that the men were the very same group of people who had targeted him that night at the bar.

    Someone had actually hired them to give Gu Yi¡¯an a scare.

    It was the perfect opportunity for them to take revenge for what happened that night!

    They lunged at Gu Yi¡¯an and Luo Qiqi.

    Gu Yi¡¯an reminded Luo Qiqi, ¡°Careful of the knives!¡±

    He then sent one of the men flying with a powerful kick.

    Luo Qiqi dodged nimbly and disarmed the man who was right in front of her. She grabbed his knife and stabbed it into his thigh, causing him to howl in pain.

    Seeing how Luo Qiqi overpowered one of them so easily, the men started bing frightful.

    Luo Qiqi happened to be itching for a fight right at this moment.

    She rushed up to start beating them up when they hesitated in their attack. She ran up against a wall and sent a few of them flying with her kicks.

    <i>Is this really a woman? Why is she so powerful?</i>

    Though Gu Yi¡¯an did not rush at the men like Luo Qiqi did, no one was able to beat him either.

    With one of them pinned under his left foot and another firmly immobilized, he asked in a gentle voice, ¡°Who are you guys and why are you here? I¡¯m giving you three seconds to answer me. I¡¯ll spare whoever answers first.¡±

    Though his voice was gentle, it carried a nightmarish undertone.

    None of the men answered him.

    Gu Yi¡¯anughed. ¡°No answer? I¡¯ll send the both of you to hell then!¡±

    He then snapped one of their necks instantly.

 Chapter 288 â€“ My Pingan

    <h4>Chapter 288 ¨C My Pingan</h4>

    The other man froze in fear.

    He felt as if Gu Yi¡¯an would be able to crush his skull in the next second.

    <i>This man is a demon!</i>

    ¡°Wait! I¡¯ll tell you everything! We were hired by someone else. It just so happened that you had a scuffle with our boss about two weeks ago in the bar and he wants revenge too, which is why he told us to ept the job!¡±

    He spoke quickly, hoping that Gu Yi¡¯an would let him go after he came clean.

    The man¡¯s aplice crumpled to the ground instantly as Gu Yi¡¯an released his hold. He looked around at the others. <i>Trying to kill me?</i>

    He then smirked and turned to Luo Qiqi after hearing what the man said. <i>It¡¯s all because she abandoned me that night!</i>

    Luo Qiqi shrugged and had an expression which seemed to say, <i>I didn¡¯t do that on purpose!</i>

    The man on the ground hastily ran back to his aplices after Gu Yi¡¯an stepped away from him.

    This made Gu Yi¡¯an wonder, <i>Am I that terrifying? These thugs are so easily scared.</i>

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you guys go this time. Go back and tell your boss toe to me directly if he wants a challenge. None of you guys would be able to seed in killing me like that.¡±

    Luo Qiqiughed as the group of thugs beat a hasty retreat. ¡°I thought it was somebody from the casino, and I thought I¡¯d be able to get some proper practice this time. Who knew they were all as timid as mice!¡±

    Annoyed, Gu Yi¡¯an said, ¡°You should go bullfighting in Rome then!¡±

    Luo Qiqi rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Whatever. Let¡¯s go before anyone from the casino catches up to us!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. We should leave. They should already have realized what we did by now.¡±

    No one seemed to have been able to tell when he had cheated at the slot machine earlier.

    He used something that functioned simrly to a ma while at the slot machine to rig it so that he would win.

    Although no one would be able to tell he had rigged it when ying the game, it would still be very obvious that he had cheated after a while.

    Gu Yi¡¯an and Luo Qiqi spotted a man a short distance away as they walked out the alley.

    <i>Who else could that be but Guan Zijue? Why is it always him?</i>

    Guan Zijue seemed to spot something nearby and rushed towards him suddenly, paying no attention to the oing car on the road.

    This stunned Gu Yi¡¯an momentarily, but all he heard was Guan Zijue¡¯s cry before he could react.

    ¡°Pingan, careful!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an heard the bullet swoosh pass as Guan Zijue yelled at him, and all he saw was Guan Zijue being hit by the oing vehicle.

    Luo Qiqi pushed Gu Yi¡¯an to the ground at the same time and they were able to dodge the bullet, although it scraped Luo Qiqi¡¯s arm a little.

    Gu Yi¡¯an stared at the man who was lying in a pool of blood a short distance away as tears stung his eyes. ¡°Big Brother...¡±

    A second bullet swooshed past, and Luo Qiqi dragged Gu Yi¡¯an to hide behind another nearby car.

    Luo Qiqi knew that whoever it was would have left after failing at the second attempt. They were in the city, and any sniper would not dare to pull the trigger for a third time.

    She looked at Gu Yi¡¯an. ¡°Yi¡¯an, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    This snapped Gu Yi¡¯an out of his daze. He rushed towards Guan Zijue and held him.

    Luo Qiqi was surprised to see Gu Yi¡¯an like this. <i>Did he forget all about first-aid?</i>

    She calmed herself down and said, ¡°Gu Yi¡¯an, stay calm. You¡¯re a doctor. Aren¡¯t you supposed to staunch the bleeding first? Are you forgetting all about first-aid?¡±

    What she said seemed to be effective in reminding Gu Yi¡¯an what he should be doing.

    He took a deep breath and tore off a part of his shirt to help staunch Guan Zijue¡¯s bleeding as best as he could.

    Both of them hopped onto the ambnce when it arrived and followed as Guan Zijue was sent to hospital.

    When Gu Yi¡¯an requested to operate on Guan Zijue, Luo Qiqi stared at him incredulously. ¡°Yi¡¯an, are you an idiot? Are you sure you¡¯re able to remain calm throughout the operation? You won¡¯t be able to save him with how flustered you are!¡±

    <i>I¡¯m unable to save him?</i>

    <i>I seem to be endangering Guan Zijue every time I see him. He failed in that mission because of me, and he wouldn¡¯t have had to take care of me throughout the night if I didn¡¯t get so drunk at the bar.</i>

    <i>He seems nasty on the outside, but he had never really done anything horrible to me either.</i>

    <i>He probably already found out that I was Pingan, or else he wouldn¡¯t have done that earlier.</i>

    <i>He asked to buy that painting and about my scar, and he kept asking me if I had been in the underground wrestling rings in the past. These were all tell-tale signs.</i>

    <i>I get it now.</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an never really told anyone about his past, and he believed that Guan Zijue would not have revealed it to anyone else either.

    He realized that Guan Zijue was the man he had been searching for all this while, the teenager who had protected him when he was younger.

    Gu Yi¡¯an left without bidding goodbye because he did not want Guan Zijue to worry too much, but he didn¡¯t think that they would be separated for such a long time.

    Every second felt like a minute to Gu Yi¡¯an as he waited outside the operating room.

    Guan Mingchang arrived after a while and spotted Luo Qiqi before seeing Gu Yi¡¯an crouched in the corner. The older man walked over to him and said, ¡°Come with me, I need to tell you something!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an followed without a second thought.

    Guan Mingchang looked very stern.

    He had looked into Guan Zijue¡¯s earlier mission and he knew that the suspect had been released on bail by Ye Zhongjue before his name was cleared.

    He also found out that the suspect was Gu Yi¡¯an.

    He learnt that before Gu Yi¡¯an became an artist, he was a surgeon with an extremely high sess rate, but he did not know why Gu Yi¡¯an decided to switch career tracks all of a sudden.

    He could also tell that Guan Zijue seemed out of sorts every time it came to Gu Yi¡¯an.

    Instead of staying home to reflect on his actions, Guan Mingchang realized that Guan Zijue had actually been using his time to investigate a man named Gu Yi¡¯an.

    He stared at Gu Yi¡¯an as he wondered what could make his son act that way.

    Guan Mingchang thought Guan Zijue refused to get married because he wanted to focus on his career first, but now, he wondered if it could have been because of this other man in front of him.

    Guan Mingchang looked like he was about to kill Gu Yi¡¯an at any moment.

    ¡°Uncle, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Guan Mingchang asked, ¡°Are you Gu Yi¡¯an?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Gu Yi¡¯an answered steadily.

    ¡°Do you know that Zijue was punished because he failed in an earlier mission, all because of you!¡±

    This surprised Gu Yi¡¯an. <i>Punished?</i>

    <i>It¡¯s no wonder Guan Zijue seemed to have so much time on his hands recently.</i>

    Guan Mingchang then said, ¡°It¡¯s obvious you¡¯re not aware. I¡¯m not one to interfere in whatever he does, but let me give you a warning. I won''t let anyone who hurts my son get away!¡±

 Chapter 289 â€“ A Dangerous Accident

    <h4>Chapter 289 ¨C A Dangerous ident</h4>

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded in response.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re worried, Uncle. Can I ask you something as well?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about Guan Zijue¡¯s time in America.¡±

    Guan Mingchang¡¯s hackles rose. ¡°That¡¯s nonsense! I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about!¡±

    ¡°Nonsense? I spent a year with Guan Zijue there when he was eighteen. I know very well where he was during that time.¡±

    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯anughed. ¡°Guan Zijue is the one I¡¯ve been looking for all these years. I¡¯m not trying to do anything. He protected me in the past, so I just want to find him and protect him now. Any issues with that?¡±

    Guan Mingchang adjusted his expression quickly and put on his poker face.

    ¡°Whatever you¡¯re nning, just know that I won¡¯t allow anyone to harm Zijue.¡± He then walked away.

    Gu Yi¡¯an pursed his lips. He did want to protect Guan Zijue, but the truth was that he seemed to still be the one who needed protecting even after so many years.

    He was overwhelmed with emotion when he heard Guan Zijue call out ¡®Pingan¡¯, and it felt like his heart was about to burst when he saw Guan Zijue fall.

    He didn¡¯t even know he could be this emotional.

    Gu Yi¡¯an did a quick check on his injuries before Guan Zijue was sent into the operating room.

    There was a fracture in his right leg and although one of his major arteries was damaged, Gu Yi¡¯an had done the best first aid he could so it was likely that Guan Zijue would be able to survive. The rest of his injuries were minor.

    Gu Yi¡¯an heaved a sigh of relief when he reminded himself of this.

    He then called Ye Zhongjue.

    Ye Zhongjue was surprised to see it was Gu Yi¡¯an calling, but he answered it even though he was at work. However, what Gu Yi¡¯an said stunned him.

    ¡°What did you just say?¡±

    ¡°I was almost shot right in the streets of Emperor City and I¡¯m very sure that I was their target. I¡¯m at the hospital now, could you look into who¡¯s behind it?¡±

    Ye Zhongjue frowned at this. ¡°Are you hurt?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an shook his head. ¡°No. It¡¯s Guan Zijue. He got hit by a car. I¡¯ll send you the location where it happened after this. Thanks.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll look into it.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an sent him the location immediately after they ended the call.

    He saw Guan Zijue¡¯s mother, Xia Xinsheng, when he walked back to the waiting area.

    Gu Yi¡¯an greeted her politely, ¡°Hi, Auntie.¡±

    Xia Xinsheng simply nodded, while Guan Mingchang¡¯s expression was as dreadful as before.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was the first one to rush up to the doctor when the operation finally ended. ¡°How¡¯s the patient?¡±

    The middle-aged doctor looked at him and asked, ¡°Were you the one who did the first aid?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded. ¡°Yes. How is he now?¡±

    The doctor said, ¡°He¡¯s in a better condition than most patients would be after such an ident. You know some things about first aid, don¡¯t you? It was very well done. The operation was very sessful.¡±

    This made Gu Yi¡¯an feel rather relieved, and Guan Mingchang¡¯s expression lightened a little when he heard it.

    They followed Guan Zijue as he was wheeled into a ward.

    Guan Mingchang looked at Gu Yi¡¯an and Luo Qiqi as he said, ¡°Thanks for taking care of Zijue. You guys can leave now that the operation is over!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an and Luo Qiqi exchanged a look before exiting the ward.

    Luo Qiqi was already making her way out of the hospital when she realized that Gu Yi¡¯an was still standing outside the ward.

    She turned back and looked at him in confusion. In fact, Gu Yi¡¯an did not n to go back tonight.

    He followed her out of the hospital to tell her, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to leave the city for now. You go ahead, Qiqi. I¡¯d like to stay in the hospital to keep himpany.¡±

    Luo Qiqi nodded. ¡°Yi¡¯an, did you know Guan Zijue from before?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked at her for a while before he asked, ¡°Qiqi, do you know I¡¯ve been looking for someone all this while?¡±

    ¡°I know!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the one I¡¯m looking for!¡±

    Luo Qiqi was surprised to hear this. She knew that he had been searching for someone and that someone was a very important person to Gu Yi¡¯an, but she never expected it to actually be Guan Zijue.

    She nodded at this. ¡°I understand, Yi¡¯an. I¡¯ll go first.¡±

    She then hailed a cab to leave.

    Gu Yi¡¯an returned to the corridor outside Guan Zijue¡¯s ward looking rather grim.

    Guan Mingchang saw him sitting on the bench when he walked out, but decided to ignore him anyway.

    With Guan Zijue¡¯s condition stabilized, Guan Mingchang decided to head home first since he was scheduled to go to the mountainous districts for an early morning visit tomorrow.

    Ye Zhongjue called Gu Yi¡¯an shortly after the older man left.

    Gu Yi¡¯an picked up the phone quickly.

    ¡°Hey Jue. Anything new?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the Dark Night. To be more urate, you were the target since that time in C City when you were handling the weapon shipment. They were looking into who you were since then. They don¡¯t know your identity yet, but they know for sure that you¡¯re from Sin Eliminators. The Dark Night has been on our tails for the past couple of years since they think that we caused Su Jincheng¡¯s death. You¡¯d better be extra careful. I¡¯ll take care of everything else.¡±

    <i>I see. It¡¯s weird that someone would actually dare to fire so openly on the streets like that.?</i><i></i><i>With the enmity building up between Sin Eliminators and The Dark Night these past few years, it would actually be great if Su Jincheng coulde back to life like how Luo Qiqi hoped.</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an rubbed his temples. ¡°Thanks, Jue. The Dark Night wouldn¡¯t give up after failing just once. I¡¯ll keep a low profile for now, so contact Qiqi if you need to reach me.¡±

    Ye Zhongjue said, ¡°We¡¯re like family. There¡¯s no need to thank me for this. Hanyu even said he wanted toe over after learning about all this!¡±

    ¡°Jue, tell him not toe over. It¡¯s way too troublesome. I can take care of myself. Also, one more thing, I¡¯ve found who I was looking for.¡±

    ¡°Is it Guan Zijue?¡±

    ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so unaware. Guan Zijue treats you so differently. I¡¯ve seen him a few times and I¡¯ve almost never seen him with any sort of emotion. But he¡¯s different when he¡¯s with you. Congrattions on finding him! But remember, be very, very careful. You never know if there¡¯s a trap somewhere!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded at this. ¡°Got it. Thanks, Bro!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue smiled as he ended the call.

    After hearing the doctor say that Guan Zijue might wake up anytime from now, Xia Xinsheng nned to go get some food for him.

    She saw Gu Yi¡¯an outside when she exited the ward.

    She walked up to him and said, ¡°Yi¡¯an, could you help look after Zijue for a while? I want to go get some food first, in case he wakes up in the middle of the night and he¡¯s hungry.¡±

    ¡°Auntie, it¡¯s better if you stay here. You¡¯ll be able to take care of him when he wakes up. I¡¯ll go get the food. I¡¯m a doctor too so I know what to get!¡±

 Chapter 290 â€“ No Idea What Youâ€™re Saying

    <h4>Chapter 290 ¨C No Idea What You¡¯re Saying</h4>

    What Gu Yi¡¯an said made a lot of sense to Xia Xinsheng.

    ¡°Sorry for the trouble then, Yi¡¯an!¡±

    He shook his head and smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Auntie. Zijue helped me out in the past, so this is no trouble at all!¡±

    Xia Xinsheng looked at Gu Yi¡¯an as he walked out. <i>These children are so sensible.</i>

    Guan Zijue woke up in the morning of the very next day. Xia Xinsheng pressed the bell to call for the doctor right away.

    The doctor, however, was taking a long time to appear.

    When Xia Xinsheng walked out of the ward and saw Yi¡¯an there, she said, ¡°Yi¡¯an, Zijue¡¯s awake. I¡¯m getting the doctor. You go in and look after him first!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded and entered the ward.

    Guan Zijue looked away when they made eye contact, turning his gaze to the window.

    Gu Yi¡¯an felt a little awkward at this. He then asked, ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t tell?¡±

    This effectively silenced Gu Yi¡¯an.

    Guan Zijue then asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to wait until you woke up!¡±

    This annoyed Guan Zijue.<i>?He stayed here just to wait for me to wake up?</i>

    ¡°Okay. You can leave now that I¡¯m awake!¡±

    <i>Is he chasing me away?</i>

    He looked slightly despondent at this. Both of them were suddenly quiet, as if they were two kids who were annoyed with each other.

    Xia Xinsheng arrived with the doctor in tow shortly after.

    The doctor smiled after he finished checking on Guan Zijue. ¡°Congrattions, the patient is doing very well. The rest of his injuries are minor and we¡¯ll just need to rece the cast!¡±

    Before Xia Xinsheng could answer, Guan Zijue asked, ¡°When can I be discharged?¡±

    The doctor smiled at him as he said, ¡°You can be discharged anytime with how well you¡¯re recovering, but I¡¯d suggest for you to stay a couple of days since we¡¯ve just set the cast. You can be discharged after your other injuries are healed well enough!¡±

    Xia Xinsheng spoke as she walked the doctor out, ¡°We¡¯ll let him stay for a couple of days then!¡±

    Guan Zijue frowned when he heard this. He did not like staying in the hospital as the smell of disinfectant reminded him of several unpleasant things, like his teammates who were no longer around.

    There were several times when he was the one waiting outside the operating room, and he hated that feeling of having to send someone away.

    Gu Yi¡¯an could already guess what he was thinking, and he suggested, ¡°You can still get yourself discharged!¡±

    Guan Zijue looked up at him. ¡°What?¡±

    Having always been at loggerheads, he was suspicious of the change in Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s attitude.

    He was suddenly reminded of how the ident happened, and he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Gu Yi¡¯an was feeling guilty about what happened.

    Noticing Guan Zijue¡¯s expression, Gu Yi¡¯anughed and said, ¡°What are you thinking about? I¡¯m a doctor and I just so happen to be free. I can take care of you if you want to be discharged. You can always look into my background if you¡¯re unconvinced. I¡¯ve never failed in any of my operations. So I¡¯m confident that I can take good care of you!¡±

    This irritated Guan Zijue again. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to take care of me. I¡¯d like to stay here!¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ I see!¡± Gu Yi¡¯an nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get going then, since you like it here!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡±

    ¡°I have legs. I can go wherever I want to!¡±

    Guan Zijue had no idea why he asked that. It just came out of him naturally.

    After a while, he asked, ¡°Are you for real?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an pretended not to understand. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about!¡±

    ¡°You...¡± Guan Zijue wanted to punch him, but he was immobilized right now.

    ¡°Leave then!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an finally decided that he had teased him enough and said, ¡°Just teasing you. I¡¯m serious though. You can get yourself discharged if you want to. I¡¯m sure your Mum would be relieved to hear that I can take care of you.¡±

    Guan Zijue simply nodded at this.

    Gu Yi¡¯an retired to a corner and waited for Xia Xinsheng to return.

    Seconds after she entered, Guan Zijue asked, ¡°Mum, I''d like to discuss something with you.¡±

    ¡°What is it? You should be focusing on recovering!¡±

    Guan Zijue frowned. ¡°Mum, the smell of disinfectant is horrible. I want to go home!¡±

    Xia Xinsheng then said, ¡°Just stay for one more day then. I¡¯ll take you home after that!¡±

    It was obvious she was referring to the Guan family home. ¡°Mum, I don¡¯t want to go back there. I want to go back to my own apartment in the city.¡±

    Xia Xinsheng did not like what she heard. ¡°No. We have a helper back at home and I can take care of you. How are you going to take care of yourself back at your apartment?¡±

    Guan Zijue shook his head. ¡°Mum, listen. Great doctor Gu over there says he¡¯s avable to take care of me during this time. You should have heard about this from Mo Suqing too. Gu Yi¡¯an was the one who saved her twins at the time. He¡¯s more than qualified to take care of me!¡±

    He emphasized the words ¡®more than qualified¡¯ in an attempt to convince his mother.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was trying to suppress hisughter at this. <i>I didn¡¯t know Guan Zijue was this adorable! He¡¯s like a little kid!</i>

    Xia Xinsheng looked at Gu Yi¡¯an. ¡°Yi¡¯an, can Zijue really be discharged?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded. ¡°Yes. I wouldn¡¯t lie about his condition, Auntie. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll recover faster under my care. You can trust in my skills, Auntie!¡±

    Xia Xinsheng¡¯s brows creased. ¡°That¡¯s fine and all, but...¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be too troublesome for you?¡±

    Guan Zijue spoke before Gu Yi¡¯an could answer. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about him, Mum. He¡¯s got a lot of time on his hands!¡±

    <i>What! I¡¯m an artist, a doctor, and also one of the leaders of Sin Eliminators, but it¡¯s not convenient for me to reveal that at the moment.</i>

    <i>I won¡¯t pursue this since you¡¯re injured.</i>

    Finally, Xia Xinsheng agreed for Guan Zijue to get discharged, but her condition was for Gu Yi¡¯an to be with him if Guan Zijue wanted to return to his apartment in the city.

    Gu Yi¡¯an sent Guan Zijue back to his apartment before sending Xia Xinsheng back home. To Guan Zijue¡¯s horror, the first thing Gu Yi¡¯an did in his apartment was to remodel his bedroom.

    Guan Zijue¡¯s huge bedroom had turned into two smaller rooms in the blink of an eye.

    Gu Yi¡¯an said this was to create a more conducive sleeping environment for the both of them, since getting a good night¡¯s rest was essential for recovery.

    This infuriated Guan Zijue. <i>This guy destroyed my room!</i>

    However, there was nothing much Guan Zijue could do about it since Gu Yi¡¯an was staying over.

    Guan Zijue did not get quality rest on the first day after he returned home since Gu Yi¡¯an was remodeling the room.

    ording to Gu Yi¡¯an however, having some background noise was better for recovery. He said it was better than the silence in the hospital since blood cirction improves when a person is ced in a chaotic environment, and that will help the injuries heal faster.

    It sounded like a load of nonsense to Guan Zijue, but he did not get angry at this. Instead, he actually found Gu Yi¡¯an rather lovable.

    <i>I must be mad. What am I even thinking!</i>

    It was absolute chaos because of the remodeling works on the first day he returned to his apartment, and it was alreadyte at night when the workers left.

    Guan Zijue¡¯s huge bed seemed to take up all the space in his new bedroom, while the new bed Gu Yi¡¯an purchased seemed to fit perfectly into his room, with just the right amount of extra space.

    Guan Zijue looked at his new bedroom with slight disdain, causing Gu Yi¡¯an to say, ¡°What¡¯s with that look on your face, Guan Zijue? You¡¯re supposed to sleep in your bedroom, and you¡¯re supposed to sleep on a bed. The main point of any bedroom is the bed!¡±

 Chapter 291 â€“ You Donâ€™t Have to Carry Me

    <h4>Chapter 291 ¨C You Don¡¯t Have to Carry Me</h4>

    Guan Zijue was speechless. Gu Yi¡¯an made it sound like he was the one on the moral high ground when he was the one who literally tore the bedroom apart.

    <i>Whatever. I¡¯ll just leave him be since he¡¯s staying here anyway.</i>

    ¡°I¡¯d like to take a nap. May I trouble Great Doctor Gu to help me out here?¡±

    Guan Zijue felt something amiss when Gu Yi¡¯an nced at him, and in the very next second, Guan Zijue was being lifted into Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s arms.

    Guan Zijue wanted to murder him. <i>I know I¡¯m injured but you don¡¯t have to carry me like that!</i>, he thought.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was delighted when he saw the horrified expression on Guan Zijue.

    He carried Guan Zijue to the bed and said, ¡°Be good and focus on your recovery! I¡¯ll take good care of you!¡±

    <i>I¡¯d be too annoyed to recover well if he carries me around like that all the time.</i>

    As if he could hear Guan Zijue¡¯s thoughts, Gu Yi¡¯an smiled and said, ¡°You just have to get used to this!¡±

    Guan Zijue grabbed the pillow beside him and threw it at Gu Yi¡¯an.

    Gu Yi¡¯anughed and continued teasing him, ¡°Don¡¯t get angry, it¡¯s not good for you!¡±

    He threw the pillow back at Guan Zijue, who had no idea what to do with this man in front of him.

    Gu Yi¡¯an seemed to be in a great mood after teasing Guan Zijue.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to prepare dinner now. I guarantee it¡¯ll be healthy and yummy!¡±

    Guan Zijue shut his eyes as he thought about everything that happened. None of them had spoken about the time in America, as if they had already agreed not to discuss it.

    ording to his investigations, Gu Yi¡¯an was Pingan, and from how Gu Yi¡¯an reacted, it seemed to only confirm this.

    After about an hour or so, he heard Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s footsteps near the door.

    He quickly sat up and got out of bed. <i>I won¡¯t let him carry me like that again. He¡¯s only making fun of me anyway.</i>

    When Gu Yi¡¯an saw Guan Zijue climbing out of bed as he entered, he rushed forward to pick Guan Zijue up again.

    <i>My gosh, there¡¯s no way to escape from this guy.?</i>Instead of murdering Gu Yi¡¯an, Guan Zijue now wanted to kill himself.

    Gu Yi¡¯an carried him all the way to the dining table and looked at him sternly.

    ¡°Guan Zijue, stop being so stubborn. What if your leg doesn¡¯t heal well? You might not be able to take part in those high intensity trainings in future. What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±

    Is it that serious?, wondered Guan Zijue as he eyed Gu Yi¡¯an with suspicion.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. You¡¯re not a woman so why would I be taking advantage of you? Stop overthinking it. All I want is for you to heal well. Don¡¯t me me if there are long-term side effects because you¡¯re the one being stubborn!¡±

    Annoyed, he then sat down and started eating.

    What Gu Yi¡¯an said reminded Guan Zijue of what happened the other night in his apartment. Feeling slightly awkward at this, he began eating silently.

    Gu Yi¡¯an had actually prepared a wheelchair for Guan Zijue as well. After dinner, Gu Yi¡¯an helped Guan Zijue onto the wheelchair and thetter pushed himself back into his room.

    Gu Yi¡¯an wondered if he had been too harsh with his words earlier. However, he couldn¡¯t help but get angry when he saw how bad Guan Zijue was at taking care of himself.

    After cleaning up the dining table in frustration, he saw Guan Zijue still sitting on the wheelchair when he returned to his room.

    He went up to Guan Zijue as he thought it was because Guan Zijue was unable to climb into bed. But when he approached, Guan Zijue said, ¡°Help me get a caregiver!¡±

    ¡°What do you need a caregiver for when I¡¯m here? Think your room is still too big and want to restructure it again?¡±

    ¡°A caregiver can help me with all the daily chores so you can focus on helping me recover!¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± Gu Yi¡¯an retorted instantly.

    After a moment, he asked, ¡°Just tell me what you need help with. I might be able to help!¡±

    ¡°I want to take a shower. Can you help me with that?¡±

    ¡°Of course. We¡¯re both men, so I won¡¯t be taken advantage of by you. You might be the one taken advantage of if we get a woman to help with this!¡±

    Guan Zijue creased his brows at this.<i>?What do you mean I¡¯ll be the one who¡¯s going to be taken advantage of?</i>

    ¡°Whatever. Are you going to help me with it or not!¡±

    He felt extremely grubby after having gone without a shower for two days now.

    <i>He should be thinking about recovery instead of taking a shower now!</i>, thought Gu Yi¡¯an.

    He then said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll push you in and help you clean up!¡±

    Being deep in thought, Guan Zijue was silent. He had initially nned to return to his camp after a month or so, but with the ident, he would probably have had to take a leave of about two to three months instead. Just like what Gu Yi¡¯an said earlier, he was also worried that there might be lingering side effects if his injuries do not heal well.

    Gu Yi¡¯an sighed.<i>?I¡¯m talking to the air. What is he thinking about now?</i>

    He coughed to remind Guan Zijue of his presence. Guan Zijue looked up and asked, ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I said I¡¯ll push you in for your shower. Didn¡¯t you hear that?¡±

    ¡°I heard it now!¡±

    Slightly annoyed at this, a mischievous glint appeared in Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s eyes.

    He turned to look for something in the nearby toolbox and walked towards Guan Zijue with the pair of scissors he found.

    Guan Zijue frowned in confusion. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an smirked. ¡°Take a guess?¡±

    <i>Why does he look so creepy when holding that pair of scissors?</i>

    <i>What is he nning? He won¡¯t kill me, would he?</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an reached for his trousers with that pair of scissors.

    Guan Zijue¡¯s expression darkened as he threw a punch at Gu Yi¡¯an.

    Gu Yi¡¯an reacted quickly and stopped the punch in midair. ¡°Rx! I haven¡¯t even started!¡±

    Guan Zijue could only watch as Gu Yi¡¯an cut his trouser legs and turned it into a pair of shorts.

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked at his creation proudly after he was done.

    ¡°OK! Done! I¡¯ll avoid the injuryter, but you¡¯ll be able to clean up better like that!¡±

    Guan Zijue could feel his temples pulsating as he watched Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s expression of satisfaction. <i>I really want to wipe that smile off his face!</i>

    As Gu Yi¡¯an pushed Guan Zijue into the bathroom, he said, ¡°You¡¯ll have to sit in the wheelchair since you refuse to let me carry you. Don¡¯t be too stubborn though. I still have tons of tricks up my sleeve!¡±

    Guan Zijue stared at him as Gu Yi¡¯anughed.

    Gu Yi¡¯an turned on the tap in the bathtub and turned around to get a clean towel, but he realized that Guan Zijue was frozen in ce when he turned back.

    ¡°Bro, how am I going to wipe your body with your top still on!¡±

    <i>What! He wants to wipe my body?</i>

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you want to go under the shower, right?¡± He then walked to the bathtub so that he could switch the water flow to the shower head.

    Guan Zijue shot a cold nce at him and removed his top quickly, revealing a perfectly sculpted chest.

    Gu Yi¡¯an paused to look at Guan Zijue¡¯s figure, finding himself getting a little warmer.

    He swallowed his saliva and turned to wet the towel.

 Chapter 292 â€“ Like an Alien

    <h4>Chapter 292 ¨C Like an Alien</h4>

    Guan Zijue did not look like he was in a good mood, but upon closer observation, one would actually realize that he was trying his very best to put on a poker face.

    Gu Yi¡¯an went up to him and started wiping his back, seeing several of his older scars.

    Although he was from the military, Gu Yi¡¯an never knew that he had been through so much.

    This reminded him of the time they spent in America, where Guan Zijue would always protect him when he was being whipped.

    Guan Zijue tried to hide the anxiety in him as Gu Yi¡¯an continued wiping his back with the wet towel. He did not want to show this emotional side of him, much less let Gu Yi¡¯an find out what he secretly thought.

    Guan Zijue started perspiring under all that mental pressure and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. When Gu Yi¡¯an was done, he spotted Guan Zijue¡¯s expression and asked, ¡°Is it too warm?¡±

    Guan Zijue was taken aback by the question.<i>?Did he notice anything amiss?</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an, however, did not notice Guan Zijue¡¯s tense expression. He simply wiped the sweat on Guan Zijue¡¯s forehead. ¡°Look at you perspiring!¡±

    Guan Zijue heaved a sigh of relief at this. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just too stuffy in here!¡±

    ¡°Oh...¡± Gu Yi¡¯an nodded and wanted to start wiping his legs after giving the towel a quick rinse, but Guan Zijue stopped him from doing so.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an realized that he would look exactly like a dog if he were to squat in front of Guan Zijue right now. Feeling a little awkward, he handed the towel over to Guan Zijue and said, ¡°Then you take your time with it. I¡¯ll go¡­ take a shower!¡± before escaping the scene as quickly as he could.

    Guan Zijue smirked at this. Before long, he could hear the sound of the shower being turned on.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was very quick with his shower since he did not want to leave Guan Zijue waiting for too long. He finished his shower and put on a bathrobe just as Guan Zijue was done.

    ¡°I¡¯ll push you back to your room. I¡¯ll get up earlier tomorrow to bring my stuff over, otherwise...¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an gave a slight cough before continuing, ¡°It¡¯s not very convenient!¡±

    Guan Zijue agreed to this. He knew that all of Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s belongings were now at Guan Zixuan¡¯s vi, and he was probably not used to wearing Guan Zijue¡¯s clothes all the time.

    <i>Well, that works too, since he¡¯d be staying over for more than just a day or two.</i>

    Hearing Guan Zijue agree, Gu Yi¡¯an quickly picked up a clean bathrobe and draped it over him.

    No matter how strong he was, Guan Zijue was the patient now and he should be taken care of.

    Gu Yi¡¯an then pushed Guan Zijue out of the bathroom quickly.

    Instead of carrying Guan Zijue onto the bed again, he decided to help him up onto it by supporting him on the elbow since he was reminded of how much Guan Zijue disliked it earlier.

    He only left after Guan Zijue tucked himself into bed.

    For some reason, there was a feeling of satisfaction that bloomed in Guan Zijue when he heard Gu Yi¡¯an in the other room. It was a feeling unknown to him when he was in the military, not even when he hadpleted or aplished something.

    He drifted into sleep shortly after.

    Gu Yi¡¯an checked in on him in the middle of the night, smiling as he realized that Guan Zijue had not moved an inch.

    Moving too much in one¡¯s sleep was not beneficial to recovery as the movements might aggravate the injury.

    Gu Yi¡¯an got up early the next morning to go to Guan Zixuan¡¯s vi.

    Luo Qiqi was still asleep when he arrived, and he left a note for her after packing his things, telling her that he would be at Guan Zijue¡¯s ce in the meantime, together with his address.

    He was suddenly reminded of something when he stood in the living room with his packed suitcase.

    He went upstairs and took out the painting ¡®Bloody¡¯, nning to give it to Guan Zijue as a present since he liked it that much. Gu Yi¡¯an had painted this for him anyway.

    He then left right after, stopping along the way to get some groceries. He was back in Guan Zijue¡¯s apartment within an hour.

    While putting the groceries in the kitchen, he heard a loud thud from the bedroom.

    Guan Zijue was grimacing on the floor when he entered, probably because he fell on his injured leg.

    Gu Yi¡¯an rushed up to carry Guan Zijue up and put him in the wheelchair.

    Gu Yi¡¯an had already tried his best to be as quick as possible, afraid that Guan Zijue might need his help when he woke up. Unfortunately, he was still a little toote.

    He frowned to look at Guan Zijue. ¡°Is it painful?¡±

    Without looking up, Guan Zijue said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing!¡±

    This frustrated Gu Yi¡¯an. <i>Nothing? You wouldn¡¯t still be on the floor if you could have gotten up on your own!</i>

    Though annoyed at Guan Zijue¡¯s stubbornness, he knew it wasn¡¯t right to get angry at someone who was injured.

    <i>But I hate it when he does this to himself! Why can¡¯t he take care of himself?</i>

    ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you something, Guan Zijue. Do you still want me to take care of you?¡±

    Seeing Guan Zijue silent, Gu Yi¡¯an turned away in annoyance.

    Guan Zijue then spoke suddenly. ¡°Yes!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an froze upon hearing his response.

    He turned back in disbelief, a slight hint of a smile hanging on his lips. ¡°Really?¡±

    Guan Zijue was blushing slightly as he nodded. ¡°Mm!¡±

    With this, Gu Yi¡¯an became extremely gentle. He walked over to look at Guan Zijue¡¯s injury and said, ¡°It isn¡¯t that bad. Be more careful and tell me if you need anything next time. I¡¯m supposed to be taking care of you, so I¡¯ll feel really bad if I do a bad job, okay?¡±

    After Guan Zijue expressed his acknowledgement, Gu Yi¡¯an went about making his bed for him, obviously in a much better mood.

    All of a sudden, he smacked his own forehead. ¡°What were you trying to do earlier? I forgot to ask how you fell.¡±

    Guan Zijue was already up when Gu Yi¡¯an left, and he had initially wanted to wait for Gu Yi¡¯an to return so he could help push him to the washroom. However, he decided against it since he thought it might be too awkward. Thus, he tried to move to the washroom on his own.

    Unfortunately, he had overestimated his abilities and he slipped when he tried to get into the wheelchair on his own.

    Guan Zijue had never felt so sorry for himself, and he did not like it when he failed at such a simple daily task.

    Gu Yi¡¯an watched as Guan Zijue seemed to sink into deep thought. <i>Was it such a difficult question? I¡¯m a doctor so I¡¯ve witnessed several simr situations. It¡¯s totally fine to tell me about it!</i>

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Answer me, Guan Zijue! I¡¯ll leave if you continue ignoring me!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an sounded like a kid.

    Guan Zijue shook his head in resignation. ¡°I wanted to go to the washroom but I slipped and fell. Push me to the washroom then!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked at him incredulously, as if he was looking at an alien.

    ¡°Is it that difficult to ask when I¡¯ve already helped wipe you clean yesterday?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an shook his head at this and supported Guan Zijue to the washroom.

    He then helped Guan Zijue to his desk before he started going about preparing breakfast.

    Shortly after, a hot, steaming breakfast of scallion pancakes, eggs and milk were ready.

    Gu Yi¡¯an remembered that Guan Zijue did not like bread, and he left it out of their breakfast.

    A tiny smile appeared on Guan Zijue as he watched Gu Yi¡¯an make breakfast.?<i>It¡¯s pretty nice having someone take care of you like that, thought Guan Zijue.</i>

 Chapter 293 â€“ Coming Clean About the Past

    <h4>Chapter 293 ¨C Coming Clean About the Past</h4>

    Guan Zijue acted a lot more naturally this time when Gu Yi¡¯an went to his room.

    Gu Yi¡¯an secretly smiled to himself as he pushed Guan Zijue to the dining table before serving breakfast.

    He sat opposite Guan Zijue and stared as he waited for Guan Zijue to try the food.

    The aroma of freshly made breakfast was tantalizing, and it was obvious from Guan Zijue¡¯s reaction that the food was indeed delicious.

    Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s lips turned up in a smile as he continued watching Guan Zijue.

    <i>I did all of this myself!</i>

    Guan Zijue could sense that Gu Yi¡¯an was in a pretty good mood and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to have some? The food¡¯s getting cold.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded and started eating as well.<i>?Wait, didn¡¯t I prepare all of these? Why did it feel like he was the one who made it now?</i>

    After breakfast, Gu Yi¡¯an pushed Guan Zijue back into his bedroom.

    Guan Zijue wanted to read a book initially, but Gu Yi¡¯an refused, insisting that he should be resting instead.

    Seeing Gu Yi¡¯an being so insistent, Guan Zijue wanted to give a retort by using Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s previous excuse when he was remodeling the room. <i>Wasn¡¯t he the one who said thatpared to being in a quiet environment, having some background noise was beneficial to recovery?</i>

    However, he decided against it eventually, since Gu Yi¡¯an would probably think up another excuse and there was probably no way he could win the ensuing argument.

    Guan Zijue was thus sent back to his bedroom.

    After Gu Yi¡¯an washed the dishes, he took out that painting and nned to give it to Guan Zijue.

    Guan Zijue raised his brows as he saw Gu Yi¡¯an.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with that expression?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯anughed. ¡°This is my joyful expression. I can¡¯t help butugh since I¡¯m so happy.¡±

    Guan Zijue looked at him. ¡°Okay, you can continueughing then. I¡¯m going to sleep!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an added hastily, ¡°Ohe on. Don¡¯t do that. You¡¯re no fun at all. I have something to tell you!¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Guan Zijue asked without looking at him.

    Gu Yi¡¯an then revealed the painting he had been holding behind him. ¡°Look at this.¡±

    Guan Zijue was stunned when he saw the painting. He knew that Gu Yi¡¯an treated this painting like a treasure since he didn¡¯t allow anyone to touch it and even refused to sell it at the high price offered to him previously.

    Guan Zijue asked, ¡°Why are you showing me the painting?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you surprised that it would appear here?¡±

    ¡°Why should I be surprised? You can be here, so why can¡¯t the painting be here? Unless it doesn¡¯t belong to you!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an was rendered speechless at this.

    <i>This belongs to me, but I want to give it to you since you wanted it so badly before!</i>

    ¡°I brought it here because I know you wanted it. I¡¯ll destroy it if you don¡¯t want it!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an then pretended to start tearing the painting apart.

    Guan Zijue simply stared at his hands in silence.

    ¡°What are you staring at?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see how you destroy it. Tear it apart while I¡¯m looking!¡±

    <i>What? Instead of stopping me from destroying it, you¡¯re encouraging me to tear it apart?</i>

    Guan Zijue sighed. ¡°Forget it. Put it there if you don¡¯t want to destroy it anymore. I can¡¯t do anything to you right now anyway!¡±

    Slightly annoyed, Gu Yi¡¯an sat in the wheelchair and threw the painting on Guan Zijue¡¯s bed.

    ¡°Fine. I was actually nning to give the painting to you!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need it!¡± Guan Zijue rejected his gift instantly.

    <i>He doesn¡¯t want it anymore?</i>

    ¡°Then why did you offer to buy the painting previously?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want it anymore!¡±

    ¡°You¡­ you...¡± Gu Yi¡¯an was at a loss for words.

    Guan Zijue shook his head at this. ¡°I wanted the painting previously because I was searching for a kid named Pingan, and this painting reminded me of the time we spent together...¡±

    <i>So he wanted the painting because he was searching for me!</i>

    <i>I¡¯ve really wronged him then. I thought he was a huge bully at the time!</i>

    <i>The possibility didn¡¯t even cross my mind even though I¡¯ve kept this painting with me for the same reason...</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked at Guan Zijue earnestly. ¡°You wanted the painting because you were searching for a kid named Pingan. What a coincidence. Because the reason I kept this painting was also to look for the person who protected me while I was younger. I was too young at the time to remember what he looked like, so all I could do was paint his side profile. I thought that he would be able to recognize me upon seeing this painting!¡±

    They watched each other in silence for a while.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was the first to speak.

    ¡°I¡¯ve finally found you, Big Brother!¡±

    Guan Zijue sighed. ¡°Pingan...¡±

    ¡°Big Brother, you might not know this but I didn¡¯t leave willingly at the time. Some of them told me that my dad was an English mafia boss, and that I simply look Chinese, while some of them said there was a man who wanted me as his godson. Whatever it was, they took me away and adopted me. I wasn¡¯t happy about it at all. It felt like I escaped from one hell only to enter another.¡±

    ¡°There was no one who protected me there, and everybody wanted me dead. It was you who kept me going. When I thought about you, I could motivate myself to keep on fighting and living. It was Jue who saved me in the end. We killed the mastermind and took over the organization, which is now known as Sin Eliminators.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an smiled. ¡°You might not believe that someone like me would actually have the heart to save others. I studied medicine so I could help the weak, and I also tried going back to America to look for you. I didn¡¯t even know your name, and the underground wrestling rings were already dissolved. I thought I¡¯d never be able to find you, but who knew that fate would let us meet again? All the pieces suddenly fell together when I heard you call me <i>Pingan</i>.¡±

    Guan Zijue never knew how much Gu Yi¡¯an had been through.

    <i>He should be someone who lives in a peaceful world of his own, away from all that cruelty and violence.</i>

    Guilt filled Guan Zijue as he looked at Gu Yi¡¯an.?<i>He shouldn¡¯t have had to go through all of that. I was unable to protect him in the end.</i>

    Guan Zijue¡¯s silence made Gu Yi¡¯an a little anxious. He knew about Guan Zijue¡¯s background, but he wondered if Guan Zijue would look upon him with disdain now that he knew what had really happened.

    <i>I¡¯m someone with a lot of blood on my hands.</i>

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m very cruel? That I could be so bloodthirsty all because I wanted to live? Am I different from how you imagined me to be? Say something! Why were you even there at that time! Hey, I feel like I¡¯m talking to myself here!¡±

 Chapter 294 â€“ Do You Have a Conscience

    <h4>Chapter 294 ¨C Do You Have a Conscience</h4>

    Seeing Gu Yi¡¯an get so emotional, Guan Zijue spoke in that deep and mellow voice of his, ¡°Calm down, Pingan. No matter what happens, I¡¯ll always be an older brother to you. This is something which will never change. I don¡¯t care about your past, I just want you to stay alive. I just want you to be safe. Do you understand that?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked surprised to hear this.

    Guan Zijue sighed. ¡°It was a coincidence that I found my way to the wrestling rings, but I was in America at the time because I was enrolled in the West Point Military Academy. However, my father and I decided to bury that fact because I was nning to return to the country. I was able to rise up the ranks very quickly in the military because they all know that I graduated from one of the top universities here. But none of them know the truth about what I¡¯ve been through.¡±

    He continued after a short pause. ¡°I was supposed to return when I was seventeen, but for some reason, I entered the underground wrestling rings. I¡¯ve never regretted that since I met you there, and I¡¯ve never wanted to protect someone so badly. I spent about half a year searching for you after you left, but I had to return to the country before I could locate you. I¡¯ve never stopped searching. Do you think I would really ask for leave just because of a mere painting?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an wondered if Guan Zijue still cared about him like he did in the past. <i>Did he really not care about what I¡¯ve done? Would he still protect me just like he did when I was younger?</i>

    Now that he had located the very man he had been searching for all these years, he was afraid of how Guan Zijue would actually look at him. <i>What if I¡¯m not the person he imagined me to be?</i>

    ¡°Will you still treat me as Pingan?¡±

    This frustrated Guan Zijue a little. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll let you stay if I didn¡¯t treat you as Pingan? Would I have warned you about that bullet? Gu Yi¡¯an, do you even have a conscience?!¡±

    An innocent smile appeared on Gu Yi¡¯an. ¡°Yes, but it was eaten by a dog!¡±

    ¡°Not funny, Gu Yi¡¯an. Why else do you think you¡¯re still allowed to be here?¡±

    Guan Zijue had already epted the fact that Gu Yi¡¯an was Pingan.

    He had, in fact, let Gu Yi¡¯an and his aplices go that night when they were ambushed in the forest.

    With Guan Zijue¡¯s abilities and experience, he would definitely have been able to capture Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s aplices and confiscate those illegal weapons if he had given the order to his men immediately. However, he clearly knew that Gu Yi¡¯an could not escape if he did so. He also knew very well that there was nothing they could do to Gu Yi¡¯an without the evidence.

    Gu Yi¡¯an, on the other hand, did not seem to have noticed what Guan Zijue had done.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been searching for each other for so long and I¡¯ve finally found you, Big Brother! But we¡¯re now on opposite sides of thew. I¡¯ll leave after you¡¯ve recovered. I don¡¯t want to be a burden to you!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked away after he spoke.

    Annoyed, Guan Zijue turned away from him and retorted, ¡°You can leave now if you want to. I can take care of myself!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an was at a loss for what to do, standing rooted to the spot for a while.

    Guan Zijue¡¯s protective figure was emzoned in Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s mind. It was impossible for him to even count how many punches and strokes of the whip Guan Zijue had taken in his stead. <i>I¡¯d really have no conscience if I leave now!</i>

    Realizing that Gu Yi¡¯an was still there, Guan Zijue asked, ¡°Why are you still here? Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an eventually relented and said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave after you¡¯ve recovered!¡±

    <i>So he¡¯ll still leave eventually? Can¡¯t we turn back time and go back to the past?</i>

    Like what Gu Yi¡¯an said, they were on opposite sides of thew now.

    Guan Zijue ignored Gu Yi¡¯an when he walked over to pick up the painting, thinking that he was simply putting it away. However, Gu Yi¡¯an ced it on the sofa nearby and started looking for something in the toolbox outside.

    Guan Zijue then heard Gu Yi¡¯an walking back into the room shortly after, but he could not tell what thetter was doing since his back was towards Gu Yi¡¯an.

    He was greeted with a surprise when he turned to look. Gu Yi¡¯an was nning to frame the painting and hang it on the wall.

    The corner of Guan Zijue¡¯s lips turned up in a tiny smile.

    After Gu Yi¡¯an framed the painting, he casually told Guan Zijue that he was going to hang it in the room.

    When the painting was finally hung on the wall, Gu Yi¡¯an looked at it with satisfaction, obviously happy with his handiwork.

    Gu Yi¡¯an happened to catch Guan Zijue looking at him when he stole a nce at Guan Zijue while packing up the tools.

    Finding the sudden eye contact awkward, Gu Yi¡¯an turned away and pretended that nothing had happened.

    <i>He¡¯s acting like a child</i>, Guan Zijue thought.

    After putting the tools away, Gu Yi¡¯an was suddenly at a loss for what to do. <i>Why did I have to volunteer to be the caregiver? Nobody forced me into this. But it would be really irresponsible of me if I leave now.</i>

    Guan Zijue called out when Gu Yi¡¯an was deeply absorbed in his thoughts. ¡°Not leaving?¡±

    <i>Is he chasing me out?</i>

    Guan Zijue could tell that Gu Yi¡¯an felt really awkward right now.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you recover!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an then continued after a short pause, ¡°You should rest. I¡¯ll be working on some matters in the study. Call out to me if you need anything!¡±

    ¡°Bring your stuff here and work here. Bring myptop too!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a patient. It¡¯s best if you don¡¯t work!¡±

    Guan Zijue raised a brow. ¡°What should I do then?¡±

    Guan Zijue spoke in that naturally imposing tone of his, which may have caused Gu Yi¡¯an to think that he was annoyed. Gu Yi¡¯an thus decided to relent and bring hisptop to him.

    After which, they both began working on theirptops with Gu Yi¡¯an stealing nces at Guan Zijue from time to time.

    Half a month then passed uneventfully.

    Guan Zijue had taken two more months off because of his injuries, and this made Gu Yi¡¯an feel as if he had not done a good job in taking care of Guan Zijue.

    He brewed nourishing soups for Guan Zijue daily, and one would be able to see Guan Zijue gaining a bit of weight.

    There wasn¡¯t much news from Luo Qiqi until recently, when she texted Gu Yi¡¯an to let him know that Xia Zi and Guan Zixuan were back from their honeymoon.

    Luo Qiqi said that she would join the couple when they found the time to visit Guan Zijue.

    Her texts reminded Gu Yi¡¯an about what happened that night at the bar, when Luo Qiqi said she saw Su Jincheng. He knew Luo Qiqi was never one to lie. Because of that, he had actually gotten his men to look into the security footage that night, but the footage had been destroyed and nothing could be gleaned.

    Gu Yi¡¯an had a nagging feeling that there was somebody else behind everything, and that it was definitely no coincidence that Luo Qiqi saw a ¡®Su Jincheng¡¯. He told Luo Qiqi about his suspicions and did his best to remind her to be extra careful.

    Earlier in the day, he went out to get some groceries since Guan Zijue told him that Xia Zi and Guan Zixuan wereing over in the afternoon.

    Carrying the groceries, Gu Yi¡¯an heard voices as he approached the apartment. He opened the door to see Luo Qiqi, Xia Zi and Guan Zixuan chatting on the sofa, with Guan Zijue sitting in his wheelchair.

    Gu Yi¡¯an could only shake his head when he saw Luo Qiqiughing uncontrobly with no regard whatsoever for how she looked.

 Chapter 295 â€“ Turning into a Housewife

    <h4>Chapter 295 ¨C Turning into a Housewife</h4>

    All of them looked up when the door opened to see Gu Yi¡¯an with a handful of groceries, but Luo Qiqi was the only one who seemed surprised when she saw him.

    ¡°Yi¡¯an, when did you be a housewife?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s expression darkened immediately. <i>She¡¯s so annoying.</i>

    He rolled his eyes at her and walked towards the kitchen.

    Luo Qiqi tried her best to suppress herughter.

    Shortly after, Gu Yi¡¯an started preparing lunch with Xia Zi¡¯s help. Luo Qiqi suddenly rushed over to offer her help as well.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help wash the vegetables. I¡¯m very skilled at washing vegetables!¡±

    Xia Zi looked at her, d that Luo Qiqi seemed to have gone back to her cheerful self.

    Xia Zi was d that Luo Qiqi was smiling now, even if it might just be a facade. She hoped that smiling often would help Luo Qiqi forget all of her sorrows.

    Luo Qiqi started singing as she worked, and she asked Gu Yi¡¯an, ¡°Don¡¯t you think my singing has improved recently!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an answered without even looking at her. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t deafen yourself with that demonic voice!¡±

    <i>What? Deafen myself? Demonic voice?</i>

    She turned to Xia Zi and asked, ¡°A¡¯zi, is my voice getting better?¡±

    Xia Zi nodded absent-mindedly as she answered, ¡°Mm¡­ You have the best voice in the world!¡±

    Luo Qiqi frowned at this. ¡°The both of you are so annoying! I¡¯m not talking to you guys anymore. I¡¯m going to the washroom!¡±

    This reminded Gu Yi¡¯an that he had washed Guan Zijue¡¯s underwear earlier in the morning and left it in the washroom. He wanted to stop Luo Qiqi but it was already toote.

    Upon entering the washroom, Luo Qiqi was greeted with the sight of underwear being hung to dry. She burst intoughter and ran out instantly.

    Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s expression darkened. <i>Her mind is probably in the gutter again.</i>

    <i>It¡¯s impossible that all of those would belong to one person alone, and since Guan Zijue can¡¯t do theundry, I¡¯m the only one who can wash our clothes.</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an shook his head. <i>What¡¯s wrong with Luo Qiqi!</i>

    Guan Zixuan looked at Luo Qiqi who could not stopughing, then he turned to Gu Yi¡¯an and Xia Zi before turning back to look at Luo Qiqi again.

    ¡°Luo Qiqi, what are youughing at? What¡¯s so funny?¡±

    Luo Qiqi blinked at him. ¡°I¡¯ll tell youter at lunch!¡±

    ¡°Fine!¡± Guan Zixuan shook his head at this and continued chatting with Guan Zijue.

    ¡°Bro, did the doctor tell you when you¡¯ll be able to fully recover?¡±

    Guan Zijue stole a nce at Gu Yi¡¯an before saying, ¡°The Great Doctor Gu here says that I¡¯ll need a couple more months, so I applied for two more months of leave.¡±

    Guan Zixuan took a few seconds to process this, and he realized that ¡®Great Doctor Gu¡¯ actually referred to Gu Yi¡¯an.

    <i>Gu Yi¡¯an is skilled, so he¡¯d definitely be able to take care of a patient with a fracture. But why is he taking care of my brother personally?</i>

    He heard Xia Zi say that Gu Yi¡¯an had already bid goodbye to his past as a doctor.

    <i>Big Brother has always been cautious, so why would he let a stranger stay in his apartment? I trust Gu Yi¡¯an and Luo Qiqi because they are Xia Zi¡¯s friends, and I don¡¯t have any secrets on me either.?</i><i>But it¡¯s different for Big Brother. He¡¯s in a position where he should be careful.</i>

    ¡°Bro, Gu Yi¡¯an...¡±

    Guan Zijue cut him off. ¡°Push me to the study!¡±

    Guan Zixuan nodded and understood immediately that Guan Zijue wanted to talk in private. They then left Luo Qiqi alone in the living room.

    When they were in the study, Guan Zixuan asked immediately, ¡°Bro, don¡¯t you know that Gu Yi¡¯an is rted to Sin Eliminators? What if your identity is exposed!¡±

    Guan Zijue nodded and said, ¡°I get what you mean!¡±

    He knew that Guan Zixuan was worried about him, but Gu Yi¡¯an was someone special to him, and he would choose to protect Gu Yi¡¯an no matter what happened.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s a part of Sin Eliminators or not. Nobody has evidence of that anyway. He¡¯s just someone I want to protect no matter what!¡±

    Guan Zixuan shook his head at this. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Why are you doing this? You were always climbing up the ranks and working on your career. Your goal is to be the youngest general. I¡¯ve always thought that you¡¯d be able to seed in achieving that dream, but now, I really don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll be able to do that!¡±

    ¡°Zixuan, think about how important Xia Zi is to you. This is how important he is to me. Do you get it now?¡±

    Guan Zixuan frowned. ¡°But, that¡¯s different. I love Xia Zi and she¡¯s my wife. How could youpare Gu Yi¡¯an to A¡¯zi like that? Moreover, Gu Yi¡¯an is a man...¡±

    Guan Zixuan stopped immediately and looked at Guan Zijue in shock.

    ¡°Bro, you mean, you like men?¡±

    Guan Zijue shook his head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t like men. I just want to take care of him and protect him. He¡¯s everything to me. It¡¯s not because I like men. I like him for who he is. My feelings wouldn¡¯t change for anyone else, whether they were male or female. Do you understand?¡±

    Guan Zixuan was still rather confused.

    Support us at Innread.

    ¡°I think I get it. But have you thought about the future? The both of you would have no future together. Let¡¯s not talk about his identity first. Do you even know what he thinks? Are these feelings mutual? What if your feelings are not reciprocated!¡±

    ¡°He¡­ I don¡¯t know. Maybe he¡¯s treating me like a sibling. I protected him in the past so he might see me as a protective figure. I don¡¯t want to think about whether he has feelings for me at this point. I¡¯ll think about thatter. I¡¯m happy with the current situation!¡±

    Guan Zixuan looked at his brother in disbelief. He couldn¡¯t believe that his brother, who was ever so rational, would actually pursue something like that.

    However, he knew that his brother was someone who would persevere through everything once he had made a decision. Since he couldn¡¯t change Guan Zijue¡¯s mind, the only thing he could do was to wish him well.

    After taking a couple of seconds to calm himself, he said, ¡°Bro, I hope you can take some time to really think about it. I hope nothing but the best for you!¡±

    Guan Zijue nodded at him.

    They heard Gu Yi¡¯an call out to them shortly after, and he entered the study as Guan Zixuan opened the door.

    Gu Yi¡¯an walked over to Guan Zijue very naturally and pushed him out of the room.

    Everything looked so natural, as if Gu Yi¡¯an had done this for the millionth time.

    <i>Well, this might be for the best</i>, Guan Zixuan thought.

    A feeling of foreboding crept up on Gu Yi¡¯an when Luo Qiqi raised her chopsticks in the air shortly after they started eating.

    What Luo Qiqi said next made everyone pause.

    ¡°Yi¡¯an, you seem to be turning into a housewife now. You¡¯re even helping Big Brother wash his underwear!¡±

    <i>I knew it. Luo Qiqi was only looking for the right opportunity to say this!</i>

    Xia Zi coughed as she tried to suppress herughter while surprise appeared on Guan Zixuan¡¯s face. He didn¡¯t think that they were already this close.

    Guan Zijue was the only one who remained as cool as a cucumber as he said, ¡°Time to eat!¡±

 Chapter 296 â€“ Finding the Right Words to Say

    <h4>Chapter 296 ¨C Finding the Right Words to Say</h4>

    Everyone else still looked awkward.

    Gu Yi¡¯an just wanted to gag Luo Qiqi so she could not say anything else, while Luo Qiqi was eating ever so heartily after making everyone feel awkward.

    Gu Yi¡¯an seemed to be able to feel everyone¡¯s gazes on him as he ate, and he had never felt so ufortable while having a meal.

    He heaved a sigh of relief only when all of them left after lunch, and he also decided not to allow Luo Qiqi toe over during this time.

    He had already felt rather awkward everytime he faced Guan Zijue. He felt as if something had changed between them, and that awkwardness seemed to only get worse after Luo Qiqi made thatment at lunch.

    He suddenly felt like running away from all of this. He wished that Guan Zijue could recover as soon as possible so that he could leave and escape from this awkward situation.

    Two months then passed in the blink of an eye.

    Guan Zijue¡¯s leg had healed very well and his cast had already been removed, but Gu Yi¡¯an refused to let him walk as he was afraid that putting too much pressure on it might cause some lingering side-effects.

    Guan Zijue, however, had already started walking on his own.

    There was a voice in Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s head that told him, <i>He¡¯s recovered now. It¡¯s time for you to leave.</i>

    Though Gu Yi¡¯an was unwilling, he knew that he couldn¡¯t stay here forever either.

    <i>I¡¯ve already found him anyway. I can always drop by next time. Something seems to be different between us now, and I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s for the best. I guess it¡¯s better if I leave.</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an thus became extremely focused on helping Guan Zijue recover well and monitored his condition very closely.

    Guan Zijue could also tell that Gu Yi¡¯an was nning to leave soon, and he was too proud to ask Gu Yi¡¯an not to leave even if he hoped that Gu Yi¡¯an could stay.

    He knew that Gu Yi¡¯an would have to leave someday.

    The day came when Guan Zijue¡¯s injury was fully healed.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was thinking about what to say before he left, but nothing seemed to sound good.

    There was no reason for him to stay either.

    Ceng Hanyu¡¯s call came in a timely manner, just as Gu Yi¡¯an was looking for an excuse to leave but couldn¡¯t find any.

    It was alreadyte at night when Ceng Hanyu called. Gu Yi¡¯an walked out of the room to answer so as not to disturb Guan Zijue in his sleep.

    Guan Zijue¡¯s eyes opened right after Gu Yi¡¯an walked out.

    He knew Gu Yi¡¯an well enough to know that thetter was nning to leave and that he was looking for the right words to say before he did so.

    He shut his eyes again, thinking to himself, <i>He has to leave sooner orter anyway.</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an walked to the balcony to answer the call.

    ¡°Hey, Hanyu. What¡¯s up?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu sounded anxious over the phone. ¡°Yi¡¯an, are you okay?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an shook his head as he answered, ¡°I¡¯m fine. What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°One of my men was tasked to oversee the shipping of a batch of antiques from a private collection. It¡¯s supposed to be sent to America, but there was an information leak. These antiques originally belonged to China, and the authorities are probably tracking it right now. I¡¯d like for you to take over and oversee the shipment, otherwise the items might probably get stuck in China forever.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an frowned slightly. ¡°You said these antiques originally belonged to China?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Ceng Hanyu continued, ¡°They belonged to China, and I¡¯m not sure how they became a part of a private collection either. Our job is toplete the task, not to look into the background of these items. Try your best to finish the job, or else we would probably have to be liable and pay our employer a certain amount of money.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded. ¡°Got it. Send me the address and tell the guy that I¡¯m only responsible for getting it out of the country. I¡¯m not going to help with anything else. He has to get someone else for the job once the goods are out of the country, so calcte the costs ordingly.¡±

    ¡°Sure! I¡¯ll tell him. I¡¯ll send you the address now.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Gu Yi¡¯an then ended the call.

    He suddenly felt empty as he saw the bright city lights from the balcony.

    He grew up in an orphanage before being sent to the underground wrestling rings in America. After which, he was adopted by an English mafia boss. He had never felt the warmth of a home while growing up, and Guan Zijue was someone who was able to give him that warmth he yearned for.

    It was too easy to get addicted to this warmth, and he didn¡¯t dare to hanker after it.

    Since Ceng Hanyu needed his help, it was the perfect excuse for him to leave.

    Gu Yi¡¯an returned to the bedroom after a while, and he did not notice Guan Zijue letting out a sigh after he fell asleep.

    Though Guan Zijue¡¯s injury was fully healed, he was being extra careful only because he wanted Gu Yi¡¯an to stay for a while longer. However, he knew that Gu Yi¡¯an could not stay forever.

    Gu Yi¡¯an got up at five in the morning the very next day.

    Guan Zijue called out to him when he exited the bedroom. ¡°Yi¡¯an!¡±

    <i>He¡¯s up so early?</i>

    In fact, Guan Zijue did not get a wink of sleepst night.

    ¡°Why are you up so early?¡±

    Guan Zijue sat up. ¡°I¡¯m used to it. We wake up early in the military. Why are you up so early today?¡±

    He knew very well that Gu Yi¡¯an was leaving, but he still had to ask.

    <i>Why did I get up so early? That¡¯s because I¡¯m leaving today.</i>

    In the past, he would always keep in contact with Ye Zhongjue and Ceng Hanyu from time to time no matter how far apart they were.

    Right now, however, he felt as if he was never going to see Guan Zijue ever again.

    ¡°There¡¯s something I have to take care of.¡±

    ¡°Will you being back?¡±

    After some contemtion, Gu Yi¡¯an said, ¡°Maybe!¡±

    Guan Zijue fell silent at this.

    <i>Maybe. So it¡¯s possible. Since we¡¯re able to meet, we should also be able to keep in contact with each other.</i>

    ¡°Okay! Go pack up then. Drop by if you have the time. I¡¯m not allowed to leave the country now.¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Gu Yi¡¯an nodded. ¡°I will!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an stood rooted to the spot, unsure what to do.

    ¡°Erm¡­ I¡¯ll go make breakfast. I¡¯ll be leaving soon after. Also¡­ even though you¡¯ve recovered, you should still be careful...¡± He then turned to leave.

    <i>Why do I feel so bad? We¡¯re two grown men and it¡¯s not like we¡¯re never going to see each other again!</i>

    It was only six thirty after he made breakfast and was done with the packing.

    Both of them had breakfast in silence.

    When Gu Yi¡¯an pulled his suitcase out, Guan Zijue said, ¡°Remember to always be careful!¡±

    This reminded Gu Yi¡¯an of when Guan Zijue got hit by the car when trying to warn him about the bullet.

    It was fortunate that Guan Zijue was well-trained in the military, and he reacted fast enough to protect himself. If it was someone else who got hit, they might not have been able to survive the blow.

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded, suppressing his emotions. <i>I should leave. Staying any longer would just make this more difficult for the both of us.</i>

    Guan Zijue gave a sigh as he watched the door close behind Gu Yi¡¯an.

    He returned to camp on the very afternoon Gu Yi¡¯an left.

    Having spent almost three months with Gu Yi¡¯an, he was not used to the sudden empty space in his apartment. He thus chose to leave instead of facing that loneliness.

    The routine in the military might just help him get over Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s departure!

 Chapter 297 â€“ Kneel and Call Me Grandfather

    <h4>Chapter 297 ¨C Kneel and Call Me Grandfather</h4>

    Guan Zijue had a new assignment the very day he returned to camp.

    Though his superior was hesitant to send him on a mission so quickly, he insisted that he was up for it.

    This was Guan Zijue¡¯s first mission after taking a three-month break.

    His job was to capture smugglers who were trying to ship a batch of antiques out of the country, and to retrieve those antiques. He left the military camp with his team immediately after being briefed about the job.

    Gu Yi¡¯an had left for Xishuangbanna to oversee the shipment since they were nning to move the items out of the country from the Xishuangbanna Prefecture.

    Their men were unable to exit the prefecture because the customs were extraordinarily strict, but their employer had been rushing them toplete the job.

    When Gu Yi¡¯an arrived, he realized that there were a few items which were sorge that it was impossible to bring them across the border so openly.

    He told the men that he woulde up with a n tonight so that they will be able to bring the items across the border safely tomorrow.

    However, Gu Yi¡¯an was unable toe up with any effective n even after racking his brains for arge part of the day. Feeling frustrated, he decided to go for a walk and take a breather.

    As he walked along the streets, he saw a shop that sold y figurines. Gu Yi¡¯an approached to watch the artist mould the figurines and paint them.

    An idea struck his mind as he watched the artist work. <i>I know what we can do!</i>

    When he arrived back at the hotel, one of his men ran up to him, looking extremely anxious.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Boss, something¡¯s up!¡±

    ncing at the passers-by, Gu Yi¡¯an said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside!¡±

    He then led the way with the other man following closely behind.

    Once they were in his room, Gu Yi¡¯an asked sternly, ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve received news that an elite team has just arrived here. Their mission is to retrieve these antiques and capture the main culprit.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve also heard that this team is one of the very best!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an then asked, ¡°Do you know who it is exactly?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we¡¯ll have to leave tonight if we don¡¯t want to engage them!¡±

    <i>Leave tonight? No, we shall not. Let¡¯s see if they can spot us.</i>

    The first thing that went through Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s mind was whether it was Guan Zijue on this mission, since his name was the only one that could cause others to quake in their boots.

    <i>But that¡¯s impossible. He was still at home this morning. His family probably wouldn¡¯t allow him to return to camp so quickly either. So it can¡¯t be him.</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an thus decided to stay for one more day.

    He had no reservations about shing with that team as long as it wasn¡¯t Guan Zijue.

    ¡°Go purchase a lot of dye. If I remember right, most of the items are porcin vases and jades. Dye all of it, and for the rest of the paintings, mix them with mine. If the customs officers check them, I¡¯ll just say that I painted replicas. They probably can¡¯t tell the difference unless they get an expert to look at it. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll do that since I have my reputation as an artist as well, so that should be enough. We¡¯ll separate the items like that to make it less suspicious.¡±

    The other man looked at Gu Yi¡¯an in awe. He was still a rookie, and what Gu Yi¡¯an just said had amazed him.

    ¡°Boss, you¡¯re really smart! Separating the items is a great idea too!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an shook his head at this. ¡°I was just inspired by the artist I saw on the streets who was moulding y figurines and painting them. Also, tell the others to put on prosthetics so that they won¡¯t be recognized!¡±

    His subordinate nodded and left quickly.

    Gu Yi¡¯an then took out his facial prosthetics to put it on. Though he had turned into a totally different person, that extraordinary aura of his was still apparent.

    He then left the hotel with his paintings in tow.

    When he arrived at the warehouse where the goods were temporarily stored, his men had already prepared the dye and all of them had facial prosthetics on.

    He spoke to one of them, ¡°Mix those paintings with mine in here. Bring me the brushes, I¡¯ll paint the rest.¡±

    ¡°Boss, you¡¯re going to work on that alone?¡±

    ¡°Are you going to do it then?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to...¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an then started painting on one of the porcin vases. With what looked like a few strokes of the brush, the vase had been transformed into something totally different.

    The other men could only marvel as they watched Gu Yi¡¯an work.

    With a tiny smirk, Gu Yi¡¯an continued painting the vases as quickly as he could.

    They were left with two more items unpainted after four hours of work. Sighing inwardly to himself, Gu Yi¡¯an thought, <i>I really shouldn¡¯t be doing this to these beautiful jade artefacts. Fortunately, the paint can be washed offter.</i>

    He finished painting all of the items in the afternoon.

    There was only one subordinate who watched Gu Yi¡¯an in awe from beginning to end as he worked on painting everything.

    <i>That elite team wouldn¡¯t be able to recognize these items even if they were toe in here now. They probably wouldn¡¯t expect that we¡¯d separate the paintings either.</i>

    He had already instructed his men to bring those paintings back to the hotel, together with his own work.

    Gu Yi¡¯an heard voices as he approached the adjacent room to the warehouse that was usually used by the subordinates when they took a break.

    Instead of opening the door, he paused to listen.

    ¡°Did you see how he painted those items? He¡¯s so effeminate, how can he be the boss like that? Where did the Poisonous Prince find this guy? It¡¯s so unfair!¡±

    Another voice then said, ¡°You¡¯re right! He looks so weak and frail, I wonder if he can even take a single punch from me. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s taking care of the shipment. I hope he doesn¡¯t cause any trouble!¡±

    Yet another voice chimed in. ¡°Look at how fair he is. He looks like a woman. He probably doesn¡¯t even know how to use a gun, and he wants to lead all of us?!¡±

    The first voice suddenly said, ¡°Don¡¯t talk so loudly! What if he hears us!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of him. So what if he hears us? Can he beat us? I¡¯ll send him flying with a kick!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that. He might look like a woman, but it¡¯s best we don¡¯t underestimate him at this point. Who knows, he might be more skillful than Luo Qiqi and Xia Zi!¡±

    ¡°Hahahaha¡­ I¡¯ll call him <i>Grandfather?</i>if he¡¯s even half as skilled as them! He¡¯s nothing but a weak and frail schrly type!¡±

    ¡°Hahaha...¡± Everyoneughed at this.

    <i>I see, they¡¯re dissatisfied with me and unconvinced that I can lead. That¡¯s to be expected since I¡¯ve been keeping a very low profile in the organization for the past couple of years.</i>

    <i>But these men have no regard for authority. Have they forgotten the rules in Sin Eliminators?</i>

    <i>I guess I¡¯ll have to convince them!</i>

    A glint appeared in Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s eyes but before he could do anything, that subordinate who had been in awe of Gu Yi¡¯an walked over, wanting to push open the door in his anger since he had also heard everything.

 Chapter 298 â€“ A Familiar Figure

    <h4>Chapter 298 ¨C A Familiar Figure</h4>

    Gu Yi¡¯an stopped him quickly, mouthing the words, ¡°Don¡¯t!¡±

    That rookie subordinate could not understand why Gu Yi¡¯an could take this lying down when all he wanted was to beat up the other men.

    They then heard a sound at the warehouse door as Gu Yi¡¯an pulled him to the side.

    Whoever was knocking on the door sounded like they were being pretty rough.

    The rookie walked to the door to open it after a frowning Gu Yi¡¯an signalled for him to do so.

    He did not understand the dissatisfaction the rest of the men had towards Gu Yi¡¯an. In his eyes, Gu Yi¡¯an was peerless. He could feel the hidden aura in Gu Yi¡¯an and he was confident that Gu Yi¡¯an was simply keeping his real skills under wraps for now.

    A group of men dressed in military attire entered.

    One of them, who looked like the group leader, walked up to Gu Yi¡¯an and asked, ¡°Are these yours?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded slowly. Judging by the manner in which they entered the warehouse, he could tell immediately that these men were mercenaries and not part of the elite team that was sent here.

    ¡°We¡¯re checking through every single warehouse in Xishuangbanna Prefecture tonight. I hope you can cooperate with us.¡±

    ¡°Of course. We¡¯ll definitely cooperate!¡±

    The mercenary leader smiled at this, thinking to himself, <i>Very adaptable, unlike some others who refused to work with us. It¡¯s not like their items are even valuable in the first ce.</i>

    The rookie was sweating profusely by now. Even though all the items had been painted over, he was still anxious at being captured.

    Gu Yi¡¯an nced at him and shook his head. <i>Well, that¡¯s to be expected if this is his first time on a job.</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an waited for the mercenaries to finish checking the goods, relieved that the men were careful not to damage any of the items as they went about their duties.

    One of the mercenaries reported something to his leader after they were done.

    After which, the leader said with a smile, ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with these goods. Thank you for your cooperation. But we¡¯d like you to assist with our investigation. You¡¯ll be free after we¡¯re done with that.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded at this. ¡°Sure. Just me alone, or do you want me to get all my men as well?¡±

    The mercenary leader answered after a moment of contemtion, ¡°Just you alone!¡±

    In fact, he was simply thinking of doing less work since they had to check through every single warehouse in Xishuangbanna Prefecture tonight. Having less people to question would mean having an easier job.

    Gu Yi¡¯an agreed quickly. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go!¡±

    He then left with the mercenary team.

    Gu Yi¡¯an spotted a familiar figure as they passed by other warehouses when they went on their way.

    His heart leapt into his throat when he spotted the figure.

    It was Guan Zijue!

    <i>Isn¡¯t he in Emperor City? Why is he here?</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an could not process this. <i>Why is he here instead of taking proper care of himself? Was the mission so critical?</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an could even give him all the items if Guan Zijue wanted them. They simply had to pay liabilities to the employer on the other end.

    What frustrated Gu Yi¡¯an was the fact that Guan Zijue was in the field when he should be resting and focusing on recovery.

    <i>He¡¯s right there but there¡¯s nothing I can do!</i>

    Guan Zijue turned around when he felt a pair of eyes on him, and the mercenary beside Gu Yi¡¯an stepped up to give his report.

    ¡°Major, it¡¯s nothing but a batch of ceramics in the other warehouse. I¡¯ve also searched the entire ce but there isn¡¯t a single painting to be found. I¡¯ve asked one of them toe with us, so you can ask him directly.¡±

    Guan Zijue nodded and signalled for him to continue with his duties.

    Guan Zijue nced at Gu Yi¡¯an, and even though thetter had facial prosthetics on, the figure reminded him very vividly of Gu Yi¡¯an for some reason.

    <i>They looked entirely different. This man had such amon face that I wouldn¡¯t be able to recognize him if he was in a sea of strangers. Gu Yi¡¯an had an aura about him that others could never replicate, not to mention the fact that he was also extremely good-looking.</i>

    Guan Zijue had never seen Gu Yi¡¯an put on facial prosthetics, so he treated the man before him as he would a stranger.

    He never would have expected Gu Yi¡¯an to have facial prosthetics on, nor would he have expected that such an ordinary man would, in fact, be Gu Yi¡¯an.

    He asked, ¡°Those goods are yours?¡±

    ¡°Yup!¡± Gu Yi¡¯an answered.

    ¡°You¡¯re nning to sell them in the country, or?¡±

    ¡°My family deals in ceramics, and our products are rather popr in Myanmar. I¡¯m nning to ship the items to Myanmar for sale.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what we¡¯re searching for?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an shook his head at this, pretending to be confused.

    However, Guan Zijue felt that something was not quite right.

    <i>This man was way too calm.</i>

    Everyone else seemed to be quaking in their boots when they saw Guan Zijue, but the man before him was able to remain calm when the others seemed to be crushed under Guan Zijue¡¯s imposing aura.

    <i>Is he simply unique, or is he the person we¡¯re looking for? Could he be that smuggler?</i>

    After a moment of contemtion, Guan Zijue said, ¡°Let me see those ceramics!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an answered calmly, ¡°Sure!¡±

    He then turned to lead the way. ¡°Come with me!¡±

    Guan Zjiue found his figure to be extremely familiar. It was almost as if he was looking at Gu Yi¡¯an in the flesh.

    <i>But this man isn¡¯t Pingan.?</i>Guan Zijue frowned at the thought. <i>I must be mad. Why would I mistake anyone else for Pingan!</i>

    They arrived at Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s warehouse within a couple of minutes.

    Voices could be heard as they approached.

    ¡°What are you afraid of? I¡¯m not scared of him. We Sin...¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an opened the door with a loud creak before the man could finish.

    He red at the man icily as he led Guan Zijue into the warehouse. <i>A bunch of idiots. Talking so loudly right after those mercenaries left. Did he want to tell the whole world who they are?</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an adjusted his expression as he turned back to Guan Zijue.

    ¡°Those are our ceramics, and those rooms are for our men.¡±

    Guan Zijue looked around the warehouse and walked to the rooms to take a look inside them.

    There was nothing in it except for beds, and those beds did not even have any sort of bedding or mattresses on them. It was impossible for any paintings to be hidden in these rooms. Furthermore, those paintings were too valuable to risk smuggling them in such a way since it might damage the work.

    Guan Zijue then walked over to take a closer look at the ceramics before he nodded at Gu Yi¡¯an to signal that everything was in order.

    Everyone else heaved a sigh of relief after Guan Zijue left.

    Gu Yi¡¯an instructed that rookie subordinate to close the door and asked in a chilling voice, ¡°Who was it who spoke earlier?¡±

    Some of the men were taken aback by that cial tone of his, and some of them looked down, pretending that they were unaware of everything that had happened.

    No one would have said anything if it weren¡¯t for their dissatisfaction with Gu Yi¡¯an. They were usually very careful on jobs like these, and what happened earlier could have been a costly mistake if it wasn¡¯t for the sound of the door opening.

    The door opened so timely that it might even have been Gu Yi¡¯an who timed the creak perfectly in order to conceal their voices.

    Some of the men looked at Gu Yi¡¯an stubbornly, as if they did not do anything wrong.

    Seeing no one answer, Gu Yi¡¯an scoffed.

    ¡°Not answering? Think I won¡¯t be able to find the culprit just because everyone is silent?¡±

    Someone was sent flying before he even finished his sentence. The man who spoke earlier was knocked against the wall.

    Everyone else stared in shock. <i>How did he do that?</i>

    They were shocked at how powerful Gu Yi¡¯an was, and no one knew if he had even used his full strength.

    <i>We wouldn¡¯t be able to beat him for sure!</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an then said, ¡°I heard that I¡¯m too effeminate to be your boss...¡±

    All the men trembled upon hearing this.

    Gu Yi¡¯an continued. ¡°I also heard that someone would kneel in front of me and call me?<i>Grandfather </i>if I was even half as skilled as Xia Zi and Luo Qiqi...¡±

    He spoke calmly, but there was a bloodthirsty aura that seemed to pervade every word.

    No one dared to say a single word.

 Chapter 299 â€“ An Opportunity

    <h4>Chapter 299 ¨C An Opportunity</h4>

    The men hardly dared breathe when Gu Yi¡¯an said, ¡°I know I¡¯m younger but I¡¯m totally fine with you calling me <i>Grandfather</i>...¡±

    The man who made that particrment was scared stiff. He never thought that Gu Yi¡¯an would be this strong and that he could send someone flying across the room!

    Gu Yi¡¯an smirked. ¡°I heard that you guys are pretty dissatisfied with me...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give all of you a chance to challenge me now. Come at me altogether. I¡¯ll have nothing else to say if the bunch of you can beat me, but you¡¯d better keep your mouths shut otherwise. Or else I¡¯ll show you what hell is!¡±

    He watched the men, waiting for someone toe up for a challenge.

    ¡°Have all of you be retarded? You guys were talking big earlier. Afraid to take up my challenge now?¡±

    The men started bing restless at Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s provocation.

    <i>We can just take up his challenge! We¡¯ll just have to listen to him if we lose. It¡¯s an opportunity for us to test his abilities now!</i>

    Most of them had simr thoughts, and the entire group of them swarmed towards Gu Yi¡¯an after seeing the first man go up to him.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was as quick as lightning.

    Before they knew it, all of the men were already groaning in pain on the ground. With respect and fear apparent in their eyes, no one else dared challenge Gu Yi¡¯an again.

    Brute strength was what determined hierarchy in the criminal world.

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked like a giant as he stood against the bright ceiling lights, and this made the rookie subordinate stare at him in awe yet again.

    ¡°Get up!¡±

    All the men seemed to jump to their feet immediately at Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s suddenmand.

    ¡°All our effort to hide the items has gone down the drain. That guy already sensed something amiss. Are you guys waiting to be captured? Let¡¯s move!¡±

    The men went about moving the items right away while the rookie walked up to him and asked in genuine confusion, ¡°Boss, did that guy really find us fishy?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an exined, ¡°He isn¡¯t an idiot. He¡¯s among their best. We might have been able to fool others, but it¡¯s almost impossible to fool that guy. We can¡¯t tarry any longer. It¡¯s best if we leave as soon as possible. We¡¯re very close to the border anyway and I¡¯m very sure he¡¯ll notice something soon!¡±

    This shocked the rookie yet again. <i>Boss never fails to amaze me!</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an instructed the men to leave right after they were done packing, then he returned to the hotel on his own.

    Compared to those artefacts, it was a lot easier for him to leave the country with only those paintings in hand.

    The n was to meet at Old Street at noon the next day after sessfully crossing the border.

    Gu Yi¡¯an stayed in his hotel, patiently waiting for the news of their sess.

    The rookie texted him in about half an hour to report that they had finally cleared customs.

    From the balcony, Gu Yi¡¯an observed the warehouse they used earlier with a pair of binocrs, seeing Guan Zijue¡¯s team kick the door open.

    Gu Yi¡¯an quickly texted the rookie and instructed the group to move as quickly as they could since the officers had already broken into the warehouse, and the group might be caught if they lingered too close to the border.

    Gu Yi¡¯an could see Guan Zijue¡¯s expression very clearly through his binocrs, and thetter looked terrifying.

    He heaved a sigh of relief at the fact that the artefacts were already sent out, because he did not want to face Guan Zijue like that.

    At this point, Guan Zijue took out his phone, as if he was about to make a call.

    <i>He should be contacting the border police now.</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an then speed dialled Guan Zijue.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was one step ahead of Guan Zijue, and his phone started ringing right before he could make the call to the border police.

    Seeing that it was Gu Yi¡¯an calling, Guan Zijue picked up the phone after a moment of contemtion.

    ¡°Hello!¡±

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I was downstairs. I¡¯m about to go to sleep now.¡±

    <i>What a tant lie! How could anyone be out and about at this hour!</i>

    ¡°Is that so? Chat with me then, since you¡¯re not yet asleep!¡±

    ¡°Sure. Go ahead!¡± Guan Zijue sounded different on the phone. His voice had lost the edge it had when he spoke in the warehouse earlier.

    Gu Yi¡¯an did not expect him to sound so different.

    ¡°I¡¯m bored. It¡¯s daytime in Ennd now and I¡¯ve got nothing to do. Can Ie back and meet you?¡±, asked Gu Yi¡¯an as he continued watching the figure through his binocrs.

    Surprise was apparent on Guan Zijue¡¯s face when he heard this.

    ¡°You want to return?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Gu Yi¡¯an answered right away.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just leave?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m worried about you. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re taking care of yourself without me around. You have to be extra careful especially when you¡¯re in the military. How would you achieve your dreams if you don¡¯t recover well! I should supervise you strictly!¡± Gu Yi¡¯an kept his eyes on Guan Zijue as he spoke, taking note of all the minute changes in his expression.

    As he expected, Guan Zijue seemed taken aback by what he just said.

    ¡°Let me know before youe back.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an decided to tease him. ¡°Let you know? Are you nning toe pick me up or is this so that you can send whatever woman away before I arrive at your ce!¡±

    ¡°You¡­ Gu Yi¡¯an...¡± Guan Zijue stuttered. ¡°What are you talking about? I just want to know when you¡¯re returning. Remember to notify me. I¡¯m nning to return to camp soon. What if I¡¯m not there when you arrive!¡±

    <i>Lies. Why doesn¡¯t he take good care of himself!</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an sighed. ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll let you know. But as a doctor, I¡¯d like to remind you that you should be taking good care of yourself, or else there might be lingering side effects which would affect your health! I don¡¯t think you¡¯d want that since it might affect your career in the military, so...¡±

    ¡°Take care of yourself, for me!¡±

    This caused a huge ripple in Guan Zijue¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Fine! I promise that I¡¯ll take good care of myself. You too, take care of yourself!¡±

    ¡°Got it! It¡¯ste now. Go rest.¡±

    ¡°Mm...¡± Guan Zijue then heard the call being ended.

    He was surprised at the fact that Gu Yi¡¯an had just called him. <i>Did he miss me that much?</i>

    The corner of his lips turned up slightly at the thought.

    Gu Yi¡¯an continued watching him through the binocrs, wondering to himself, <i>Would I still have made the call if it wasn¡¯t to stall for time?</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an left on the very next day. He did not use facial prosthetics since he was quite a well-known artist, and he was able to pass through customs without any trouble.

    Smiling, he thought, <i>I guess it¡¯s the celebrity effect.</i>

    When he left, he could make out the voices of some of the customs officers discussing his art pieces and how much his work could sell for.

    Guan Zijue arrived at the customs checkpoint shortly after Gu Yi¡¯an cleared it.

    He heard one of the officers say, ¡°That artist looks very young, but he has the skills. One of his paintings is named <i>Bloody?</i>and I¡¯ve seen it on the papers more than once!¡±

    This stopped Guan Zijue in his tracks.

    He walked up to the officer who spoke.

    ¡°Who were you referring to earlier?¡±

    The officer was taken aback at Guan Zijue¡¯s imposing aura and nced at his shoulder mark.

    <i>What, a Major! He¡¯s so young!</i>

 Chapter 300 â€“ Get My Morals Back

    <h4>Chapter 300 ¨C Get My Morals Back</h4>

    Seeing the officer keep quiet, Guan Zijue said sternly, ¡°Answer my question.¡±

    Stuttering, the officer said, ¡°It¡¯s that artist who shot to fame in the past couple of years, I think he¡¯s called Gu Yi¡¯an, or something that sounds like that. His work is worth quite a bit of money, and he was just here earlier!¡±

    The information was like a bolt from the blue for Guan Zijue.

    He suddenly realized where those paintings went, and he also realized why he found those ceramics familiar. It was because Gu Yi¡¯an painted them.

    <i>This meant that he was in Xishuangbanna Prefecture too, and he must have been nearby when he calledst night.</i>

    <i>If I¡¯m right, that ordinary-looking man I sawst night would have been Gu Yi¡¯an. It¡¯s no wonder he felt so familiar to me.</i>

    <i>Pretty smart of him to take the paintings with him since no one would suspect an artist like him.</i>

    <i>Why did it have to be Gu Yi¡¯an?</i>

    <i>But I can¡¯t give up on those artefacts either!</i>

    Guan Zijue wondered if Gu Yi¡¯an would still have called if it weren¡¯t to stall for timest night, and it hurt to think that he might have been simply made use of.

    Feeling bitter, Guan Zijue decided to give an update to his superior in order to obtain approval to retrieve those artefacts that were now in Myanmar. It was highly likely that the items were not yet shipped out of Myanmar at this point, and he was confident that his team would be able to retrieve the goods as long as timely approval was given.

    Guan Zijue then called border defence to notify them of the possibility of an operation.

    At this point, Gu Yi¡¯an was already on his way to the meeting point.

    He was able to spot his men rather quickly upon arriving at Old Street, and it was obvious that everyone had much more respect for him now because of what happenedst night.

    ¡°Where are the goods?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve been loaded onto a truck nearby, and it¡¯s parked right outside a hotel,¡± answered one of the men.

    ¡°Mm.¡± Gu Yi¡¯an then headed towards said hotel.

    <i>I can¡¯t believe they stored the goods so openly like this. But then again, no one would expect for valuable items to be stored in such a manner.</i>

    He signalled to the men that it was time to leave after doing a quick, cursory check on the goods and instructed them to get two Jeeps to follow.

    The rookie subordinate went up to him and asked, ¡°Boss, aren¡¯t we going to take a break? Aren¡¯t these items going to be shipped to Africa?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nced at him and said, ¡°No, there¡¯s a change of ns. We¡¯ll hand the items over to the client. He¡¯s nning to get another group to take over after this. All we have to do is to collect our payment and we¡¯re done!¡±

    ¡°Oh...¡± The rookie nodded. Before long, their entire group had boarded the truck.

    With Gu Yi¡¯an there, nobody dared speak throughout the bumpy journey.

    The location agreed upon with their client was a tiny forest clearing near a mountainous region.

    Gu Yi¡¯an alighted and looked around, frowning at the seemingly empty space.

    Ceng Hanyu had informed him that their client had hired The Dark Night to take over after the goods were out of the country, and this made him wonder if the client did it on purpose.

    It was impossible for their clients to be unaware of the current enmity between Sin Eliminators and The Dark Night.

    <i>What does this particr client have up his sleeve?</i>

    After a moment of contemtion, Gu Yi¡¯an called Ceng Hanyu.

    ¡°Hey, Hanyu, have you informed the client?¡±

    Ceng Hanyu sounded sleepy over the phone as he answered.

    ¡°Yes. Why? He¡¯s not there yet? Let me call him. Hold on!¡±

    At the same time, Gu Yi¡¯an spotted a group of individuals nearby.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Hanyu. They¡¯re here!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an watched cautiously as the group of men approached.

    A middle-aged man walked up to him and said, ¡°Hi, I¡¯ll be taking over the goods from here!¡±

    <i>Getting a middleman to do the job instead of meeting us himself?</i>, Gu Yi¡¯an chided their client inwardly.

    ¡°You can take a look at the goods. There¡¯s also something else I''d like to know!¡±

    The middle-aged man smiled at this.

    ¡°Anything can be discussed as long as the goods are fine!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded and waited as the man checked the goods on the truck.

    Gu Yi¡¯an could tell that the man knew his stuff. Though he was surprised at seeing what looked like colorful ceramics at first, expressions of revtion and admiration quickly followed.

    ¡°As expected of the Third Young Master in Sin Eliminators. Remarkable intelligence surpassing that of any ordinary individual. I¡¯ll update my superior now and you¡¯ll get the payment right away.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded at this.

    He received Ceng Hanyu¡¯s text almost immediately after the man ended his call, saying that they had gotten the payment and that the job was done.

    He smiled at the middle-aged man and turned to leave. Their group boarded the two Jeeps and retraced their route back to Old Street because he knew that Guan Zijue would definitely pass the street if he were toe over.

    Through the rear view mirror, he saw the other group board the truck and drive towards the closest vige.

    Gu Yi¡¯an knew that if anyone were to strike, the best time would be when the group was taking a break at the vige.

    He addressed all of his men when their group arrived back at Old Street and after returning the rental Jeeps. ¡°Our job here is done. Go back to Ennd and await your orders. I¡¯d also like to remind everyone that it¡¯s best to keep your mouths shut. You never know when a slip of the tongue might kill you!¡±

    The men nodded at this. ¡°Got it, Boss. We¡¯ll take note of this!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an then turned to leave, checking into a nearby hotel.

    After entering his room, the first thing he did was to call Guan Zijue.

    ¡°Hello...¡±

    Guan Zijue did not sound happy.

    Gu Yi¡¯an wondered, <i>Is he already aware?</i>

    ¡°You sound upset. Who upset you?¡±

    Guan Zijue scoffed. ¡°No one. How¡¯s the scenery in Myanmar?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an gave a wryugh. <i>So he already knows.</i>

    Trying his best to appease Guan Zijue, he spoke in a polite tone, ¡°The scenery in Myanmar is pretty good...¡±

    ¡°Enough talk!¡±

    ¡°I know what you¡¯re nning. Do you really think those artefacts can be shipped out sessfully?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an shook his head at this. ¡°I guess you already know my identity then.¡±

    ¡°You already knew I was here! You even called on purpose. Gu Yi¡¯an, you don¡¯t have a conscience!¡±

    <i>I actually thought he was being sincere. Who knew that he was lying to me all this time? I¡¯ve been yed for a fool.</i>

    ¡°Don¡¯t get mad! It¡¯s my fault. I¡¯ll go get my morals back!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an had no idea that he had hurt Guan Zijue deeply this time.

    ¡°Pingan, how much do you need? I can get the money for you. Can you send the items back? I don¡¯t want to have to fight you!¡±

    Guan Zijue had racked his brains for a win-win oue, and this was already the best he coulde up with.

    ¡°Big Brother, the goods are already with our client!¡±

 Chapter 301 â€“ I Hope You Can Understand

    <h4>Chapter 301 ¨C I Hope You Can Understand</h4>

    ¡°You...¡± Guan Zijue was obviously annoyed. ¡°Why did you do that!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an smiled. ¡°To get those goods off my hands!¡±

    In fact, he had no other option but to do so.

    The reputation of Sin Eliminators was on the line, and they were an organization known toplete their jobs well. They were obliged to see it through since they had already taken up the job.

    Now that the goods were transferred and his men had left, he would not have to be involved in anything that happens after.

    Gu Yi¡¯an smiled mischievously.

    ¡°Though the goods have been transferred, I know there¡¯s a ce you have to pass through if you¡¯re nning toe over!¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I mean that I can lead you to the smugglers and help you retrieve the artefacts. How about that?¡±

    The corner of Guan Zijue¡¯s lips turned up. ¡°Okay. Where are you now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m near Old Street. Tell me when you¡¯re here. I¡¯ll wait!¡±

    ¡°Sure!¡±

    The call ended there with no one mentioning the events of the night before.

    Gu Yi¡¯an thought he would have to wait until nightfall for Guan Zijue to arrive, since there were processes to be followed in the military, and he did not expect for Guan Zijue to arrive so quickly.

    He saw Guan Zijue standing outside the hotel when he received the call.

    ¡°I¡¯ming down now. Wait for me!¡±

    Grabbing his jacket, he rushed downstairs.

    Guan Zijue¡¯s heart skipped a beat as Gu Yi¡¯an approached.

    He was very aware of how he felt towards Gu Yi¡¯an, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel that way even though he knew they were on opposing sides of thew.

    Warmth immediately filled Guan Zijue¡¯s heart when he saw Gu Yi¡¯an.

    Gu Yi¡¯an smiled as he walked up to him, asking, ¡°Shall we go upstairs first?¡±

    ¡°No mask today?¡±

    <i>Is he still annoyed over what happened?</i>

    ¡°Nope. I¡¯m supposed to meet you, aren¡¯t I!¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t meet mest night?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an raised both his hands. ¡°I swear I didn¡¯t know it would be you. You were still at home when I left in the morning. You would be thest person I expected to see therest night!¡±

    Guan Zijue raised a brow, egging Gu Yi¡¯an on.

    ¡°Also, I was so frustrated to see you there. What are you even doing out in the field when you¡¯re supposed to be resting! You even lied to me and said you went downstairs for a walk...¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an made it sound as if Guan Zijue was the one at fault.

    Guan Zijue shook his head at this. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to worry! Didn¡¯t you lie to me too? We¡¯re even!¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Gu Yi¡¯an responded happily, as if this was exactly the answer he was waiting for.

    <i>Fine. I really can¡¯t get angry at this guy</i>, thought Guan Zijue.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. My men are waiting in that forest!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nced at his watch. ¡°No need to rush. Let me go upstairs and get a change of clothes before we leave!¡±

    With how fragile the artefacts were, it was unlikely for the group to arrive at the vige before nightfall. They had plenty of time on their hands.

    Guan Zijue found that Gu Yi¡¯an had not changed at all. He was just as yful when he was younger, but underneath that innocent facade was someone who knew very well what he was doing.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was always able to stay out of trouble and keep himself safe. Even as a child, he knew how to protect himself very well.

    No one would expect for Gu Yi¡¯an, the doctor and the artist, to actually be such a dangerous man!

    Gu Yi¡¯an tugged Guan Zijue upstairs and changed right in front of him.

    This made Guan Zijue blush.

    ¡°It¡¯s a little stuffy here. I¡¯ll go open the windows!¡±

    Guan Zijue had already opened the window before Gu Yi¡¯an could stop him, and a bullet came flying through the air.

    Guan Zijue dodged it easily, but it grazed Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s arm and left a streak of blood where it passed.

    Guan Zijue then shut the window immediately, walking over to Gu Yi¡¯an in concern.

    ¡°Is your arm okay?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an pulled some tissues from the tissue box nearby and dabbed at his injury. ¡°It¡¯s nothing!¡±

    He knew that there were people from The Dark Night stationed opposite, which was why he did not open the windows.

    One would be able to see what was happening outside but others were unable to see what was going on in the room.

    Gu Yi¡¯an decided to y it safe by not opening any windows, and who knew that a bullet would reallye flying in!

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. This is just a minor injury. I¡¯ll just be more careful in the next couple of days!¡±

    Seeing Guan Zijue unconvinced, Gu Yi¡¯an decided to change the subject. ¡°Big Brother, you look good in civilian clothes!¡±

    The suddenpliment made Guan Zijue feel awkward, but Gu Yi¡¯an was sessful at changing the topic.

    Gu Yi¡¯an quickly put on his jacket and said, ¡°Okay, we should go now.¡±

    When they arrived at the forested area, Gu Yi¡¯an noticed that everyone on Guan Zijue¡¯s team was in civilian clothes.

    An image of Guan Zijue in military uniform suddenly appeared in his mind. <i>He would be so good-looking in that uniform!</i>, thought Gu Yi¡¯an.

    Guan Zijue tugged at him. ¡°Go on. What are you waiting for!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an blushed slightly as he nced at Guan Zijue, stuttering as he answered, ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s nothing!¡±

    He then boarded the vehicle as quickly as he could.

    <i>Why is he acting like that all of a sudden?</i>, wondered Guan Zijue.

    They then headed towards the vige.

    Guan Zijue¡¯s team had no idea about Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s background, and they saw him simply as a guide, someone who was able to point them in the right direction.

    To prevent any further awkwardness, Gu Yi¡¯an decided to put on his earpiece and listen to music throughout the entire journey, while Guan Zijue remained silent throughout the trip.

    The vige came into sight after a while.

    Guan Zijue¡¯s eyes lit up as he spotted the truck.<i>?This won¡¯t be a wasted trip.</i>

    He could understand Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s intentions.

    He knew that Gu Yi¡¯an did not want to end up having to fight him, but at the same time, he had to ensure that the reputation of Sin Eliminators was not sullied by a botched job.

    When they arrived, Gu Yi¡¯an spotted Guan Zijue staring at him.

    He gave a deliberate cough and asked, ¡°What? Why are you staring at me?¡±

    Guan Zijue turned away and ignored him.

    <i></i><i>What¡¯s wrong with him today? He¡¯s acting like a totally different person.</i>

    What Gu Yi¡¯an did not know was that Guan Zijue was entirely different when he was on a mission. During missions, Guan Zijue was more like a machine instead of a human.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to disturb the vigers. I n to ensnare the group when they¡¯re on the move tomorrow. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, but there¡¯s a risk to it. The goods are very fragile, and it¡¯s very likely that they¡¯d be damaged in the process!¡±

    Guan Zijue frowned. ¡°What do you suggest then? This is the best idea I have. I¡¯m in the military, but we can¡¯t endanger innocent people just because they aren¡¯t our countrymen! Yi¡¯an, I thought you¡¯d be able to understand!¡±

 Chapter 302 â€“ In The Flesh

    <h4>Chapter 302 ¨C In The Flesh</h4>

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded. ¡°I get it, but what I¡¯m going to suggest would be the safer option. It¡¯s up to you to decide!¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Guan Zijue asked.

    He knew that Gu Yi¡¯an would definitely be able toe up with a good idea, but there were still rules they had to abide by, especially in the military.

    Gu Yi¡¯an took out facial prosthetics from his jacket.

    ¡°Did you forget that I¡¯ve seen them earlier? I know exactly what they look like. Your team can enter the vige with these and capture the criminals. I have enough of these, so whether we can capture them dependsrgely on your team.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an then continued with a smile, ¡°Everything will depend on how sessful we are tonight!¡±

    Guan Zijue stopped him before he could alight from the vehicle.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to be a part of this too?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded. ¡°Of course. It can¡¯t be you since you¡¯re supposed to give themands. I might be able to help your team out and capture more of them!¡±

    Guan Zijue disagreed.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re not part of the team. You can¡¯t go!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an was slightly taken aback. ¡°You don¡¯t trust me?¡±

    <i>It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you, but...</i>

    Guan Zijue looked at Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s arm and said, ¡°You¡¯re hurt. It¡¯s too dangerous!¡±

    Guan Zijue was insistent on this.

    Gu Yi¡¯an suddenly realized that Guan Zijue was simply concerned about his safety.

    <i>Oh. I thought it was because he didn¡¯t trust me.</i>

    He smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry about it. A minor injury like that wouldn¡¯t affect me!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an alighted before Guan Zijue could say anything else.

    Guan Zijue shook his head in resignation and quickly instructed his men, ¡°Be careful and look out for one another. Make sure you¡¯re not exposed!¡±

    His team of men then nodded and headed towards the vige.

    Guan Zijue instructed one of his men to park the vehicle on the nearby road opposite, since the smugglers would have to take that road when leaving.

    Guan Zijue felt uneasy throughout the night, and nothing but anxiety filled him when he thought about Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s injury.

    After daylight came, Guan Zijue waited for a couple more hours before he spotted a trucking towards them.

    He heaved a sigh of relief at this.

    The truck did not slow down as it approached since Guan Zijue¡¯s men were driving it, and it stopped only when it was right in front of Guan Zijue¡¯s parked vehicle.

    ¡°Why did you stop!¡± A voice from the truck asked.

    A group of men then alighted from the truck. Though eighty percent of them were Guan Zijue¡¯s men, most of them were unrecognizable due to the facial prosthetics. Even so, Guan Zijue could identify Gu Yi¡¯an in a matter of seconds.

    Guan Zijue smirked in satisfaction.<i>?I¡¯m still able to find you.</i>

    He could tell that the leader of the team was the middle-aged man who was currently standing beside Gu Yi¡¯an.

    Suspicion flickered through the man¡¯s eyes when he saw Guan Zijue¡¯s military vehicle, but he adjusted his expression within a second.

    Staring at Guan Zijue, he asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Guan Zijue scoffed. ¡°Nothing! I¡¯d just like to invite you to return to our homnd! And also to bring these artefacts with you too!¡±

    The man¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Do you think you can capture us? We have so many men here.¡±

    Guan Zijue pretended to think for a second before he answered, ¡°You¡¯re right. I might not be able to capture you since you¡¯re as slippery as an eel! Am I right, Ye Daren?¡±

    The middle-aged man was shocked that Guan Zijue knew who he was.

    ¡°No one has seen me. How did you identify me?¡±

    This was news to Gu Yi¡¯an.

    <i>So this is our client, Ye Daren, in the flesh. I actually believed him when he said he was just the middle-man.</i>

    ¡°It¡¯s not difficult. You¡¯re the type to keep your treasures close to you. You wouldn¡¯t let anyone else touch them!¡±

    Guan Zijue had, in fact, made an educated guess on the man¡¯s real identity. He felt that it was highly unlikely that the client would allow a middle-man to oversee the transport of such valuable artefacts.

    It was a lucky guess on his part.

    Ye Daren ordered his men, ¡°Kill them! I¡¯ll reward anyone who kills that guy one million in US dors!¡±

    His men were stunned at the sudden turn of events and stood rooted to the ground.

    Annoyed, Ye Daren yelled at them, ¡°What are you looking at me for? Go on! I don¡¯t believe that we can¡¯t kill him with how many men we have!¡±

    What happened next rendered Ye Daren speechless.

    Guan Zijue¡¯s men pointed their guns at the smugglers.

    <i>What¡¯s going on here?</i>, wondered Ye Daren.

    It was only when he felt the cold, metal tip of Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s pistol against his temple that he realized they were tricked. He had no idea when Guan Zijue¡¯s men had infiltrated them at all.

    <i>This means that they were his men from the beginning.</i>

    Fear crept up on Ye Daren at the thought. He looked at the forested area some distance away and decided to take a gamble.

    <i>I hope these men won''t shoot at me.</i>

    Ignoring Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s pistol, he ran as quickly as he could towards the forested area in sight.

    This surprised Gu Yi¡¯an, however, he didn¡¯t dare pull the trigger without Guan Zijue¡¯s instructions either.

    He nced at Guan Zijue.

    Guan Zijue reacted very quickly and went after Ye Daren immediately. He never expected for the man to be this courageous and attempt an escape in such a precarious situation.

    Seeing Guan Zijue run after the man, Gu Yi¡¯an followed behind them.

    Though Ye Daren was a middle-aged man, he ran like the wind.

    Gu Yi¡¯an couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it was because he was too used to running away. <i>Practice makes perfect.</i>

    They were about to enter a heavily forested area when Guan Zijue suddenly tripped and almost fell into a hunter¡¯s trap. Fortunately, he was able to hold onto a tree and prevent himself from falling into the trap.

    The fall reminded Gu Yi¡¯an of Guan Zijue¡¯s injured leg and he rushed up to Guan Zijue in concern.

    Guan Zijue held onto his leg in pain, looking up at Ye Daren who was just getting further and further away.

    In his anger, Gu Yi¡¯an aimed his pistol at Ye Daren and shot at him twice before Guan Zijue could stop him.

    Gu Yi¡¯an frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he won¡¯t die from that. He¡¯d just be immobilized.¡±

    Two of Guan Zijue¡¯s men reported on Ye Daren¡¯s condition quickly after going up to check on him.

    ¡°Boss, he got shot in both legs!¡±

    Guan Zijue heaved a sigh of relief. <i>Great. He¡¯s not dead!</i>

    ¡°Round them all up in the truck. We¡¯re going back!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an cut off a piece of his jacket with the knife he had and bandaged Guan Zijue¡¯s leg quickly before carrying him on his back.

    He knew Guan Zijue did not like to be carried, especially when he was in front of his subordinates, which was why he chose to carry Guan Zijue on his back instead.

    Even so, Guan Zijue felt rather awkward at this.

    Attempting a hasty exnation as he looked at the surprised faces of his men, he said, ¡°He¡¯s my younger brother!¡±

    He had no idea why he felt the need to exin, but he felt that his subordinates no longer looked so shocked after hearing the exnation!

    Everything went smoothly after this, with Ye Daren being sent to border control and the artefacts returned. Guan Zijue and Gu Yi¡¯an thus headed back to Emperor City.

    Guan Zijue would never have thought that he would injure himself again so quickly.

    Seeing Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s expression, Guan Zijue knew immediately that he was annoyed.

    ¡°Yi¡¯an, how long does it take for my leg to heal this time?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an red at him. ¡°And then? You¡¯re going to get yourself hurt again, right?¡±

    Guan Zijue did not know what to say to that.

 Chapter 303 â€“ Growing Affection

    <h4>Chapter 303 ¨C Growing Affection</h4>

    As if realizing that he sounded rather harsh, Gu Yi¡¯an caught himself and spoke in a gentler tone.

    ¡°You¡¯ll need at least one to two weeks, maybe one month if recovery is slow. If you don¡¯t take good care of it, not even the best doctors can help!¡±

    Guan Zijue smiled at this. He knew Gu Yi¡¯an was angry, but he had no idea he would be this angry.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll make sure to take good care of it. Don¡¯t be angry!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded and fell silent.

    This time, Guan Zijue was a lot more careful with his injury, and Gu Yi¡¯an continued taking care of him in his apartment.

    The two of them fell into a routine where they spent most of the day together in the study.

    Gu Yi¡¯an teased Guan Zijue upon hearing the news that he might be promoted soon because of his contribution to Ye Daren¡¯s capture and the sessful return of the artefacts.

    ¡°Lieutenant colonel at thirty, how young.¡±

    Guan Zijue simply smiled at this.

    However, he had to wait for his injury to heal fully before he could return to the military and take on the role officially.

    A week passed and Guan Zijue could finally walk on his own.

    Even so, Gu Yi¡¯an refused to let him return to the military. ording to Gu Yi¡¯an, he might end up a cripple if he returned to work in his current condition.

    As if afraid that Guan Zijue was not going to heed his advice, Gu Yi¡¯an continued staying in Guan Zijue¡¯s apartment to keep an eye on him.

    When they were out for a walk after dinner, Gu Yi¡¯an suddenly asked Guan Zijue, ¡°There¡¯s a few movies released recently. I heard they¡¯re all pretty good. Shall we go catch one?¡±

    Seeing how excited Gu Yi¡¯an was, Guan Zijue agreed to his suggestion.

    They went upstairs to get a change of clothes and headed for the cinema shortly after.

    The car windows were left open throughout the journey, and the wind tousled Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s hair, causing Guan Zijue to steal a few nces at him along the way.

    <i>This is how I¡¯d like to spend my days, but how long would thisst?</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an went to buy the tickets and returned to see a frowning Guan Zijue being surrounded by a bunch of youngdies.

    They swarmed around him, asking to take a photo with him.

    Though Guan Zijue was a good-looking man, Gu Yi¡¯an found the behavior of thosedies to be excessive. He felt rather ufortable at the sight.

    Seeing the obvious frustration on Guan Zijue, Gu Yi¡¯an walked up to him quickly and pulled him aside, staring at the bunch ofdies as he did so.

    Thosedies switched their target immediately upon seeing Gu Yi¡¯an.

    Both Gu Yi¡¯an and Guan Zijue thus ended up being swarmed by the group.

    Guan Zijue¡¯s expression was thunderous.

    A fewdies were visibly afraid as he stared at them with that stormy expression.

    Guan Zijue then pulled Gu Yi¡¯an with him and headed towards the cinema hall as thosedies naturally made way for them.

    Voices saying, ¡°So handsome! Perfect specimen!¡± could be heard behind them as they left.

    Gu Yi¡¯an stole a nce at Guan Zijue and smiled to himself.<i>?I like him like that!</i>

    The movie began shortly after they settled into their seats.

    The movie was titled ¡®xXx¡¯ and it was a science fiction thriller with exceptionalputer graphics.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was enthralled as he watched, and a particr scene in the movie reminded him of the time he spent with Guan Zijue in America.

    Something seemed to bloom in his heart as he watched the scene unfold.

    He peeked at Guan Zijue, who seemed to be concentrating on the movie and nothing else.

    Gu Yi¡¯an couldn¡¯t help but marvel at his good looks. <i>It¡¯s no surprise that thosedies went crazy over him earlier.</i>

    <i>Big Brother looks really good. His beauty is hidden behind that cold and hard exterior.?</i>Gu Yi¡¯an felt a sudden sense of satisfaction.

    Though Guan Zijue concentrated on the movie mostly, he would steal asional nces at Gu Yi¡¯an.

    Just as Guan Zijue¡¯s attention was on the events happening on screen, he felt someone grabbing his hand tightly.

    Guan Zijue looked down to see that it was Gu Yi¡¯an doing it while pretending that nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

    This made Guan Zijue¡¯s heart race and his ears flush red.

    He looked up at Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s profile before trying to turn his attention back to the big screen, but it was almost impossible for him to continue concentrating on the movie.

    Gu Yi¡¯an did not let go of Guan Zijue even after the movie ended, causing Guan Zijue to be a bundle of nerves. He had never felt this nervous in his life and tried his best to calm his racing heart.

    They were the only ones left in the hall after everyone else had gone.

    Guan Zijue did not really know what to do at this point. He didn¡¯t know what Gu Yi¡¯an was thinking, and he didn¡¯t really dare do anything else.

    With the two of them left alone, Gu Yi¡¯an closed in on Guan Zijue.

    His lips almost brushing against Guan Zijue¡¯s ear, he asked, ¡°Why are you so nervous, Big Brother? Is it too hot in here?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ No!¡± Guan Zijue stuttered.

    Gu Yi¡¯anughed. ¡°Really? Why do I think that you look nervous?¡±

    Guan Zijue felt extremely ufortable in such a situation and tried to break free of Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s grasp. However, Gu Yi¡¯an tightened his grip.

    Guan Zijue thus decided to stay still.

    What Gu Yi¡¯an did next almost made Guan Zijue¡¯s heart leap out of his chest.

    Gu Yi¡¯an suddenly pressed his lips against Guan Zijue¡¯s face, his warm breath making Guan Zijue anxious.

    Guan Zijue did not dare move a muscle, wondering if he should stop Gu Yi¡¯an or allow him to continue.

    Subconsciously, he wanted Gu Yi¡¯an to get closer without regard for any consequence.

    Gu Yi¡¯an spoke when his lips were against Guan Zijue¡¯s face.

    ¡°Big Brother, you look mesmerizing. Why are you so good-looking? Thosedies were going crazy because of you. I¡¯m not happy with that. Why is that? I don¡¯t really know why myself. What should I do?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an spoke in a teasing voice.

    Guan Zijue sighed at this, and the lights in the hall lit up right at this moment.

    The cleaningdy spotted them and stared in surprise.

    She then said, ¡°Continue outside!¡±

    Feeling awkward, the both of them dashed out at the speed of light.

    Guan Zijue had never felt so embarrassed, but he wasn¡¯t upset at what happened at all.

    They rushed back to their vehicle and shut the door quickly.

    Gu Yi¡¯an thenughed.

    ¡°Big Brother, why did you have to run so fast? Are you scared? What are you afraid of?¡±

    He pinned Guan Zijue below him as he spoke.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be afraid, Big Brother. I¡¯ll be sad if you are...¡±

    He stared at Guan Zijue¡¯s lips like a ravenous animal, and Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s lips crashed against Guan Zijue¡¯s before he even knew it.

    He could feel Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s warm breath and his steady heartbeat against his own pounding chest.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was a little rough with him, and before long, Guan Zijue tasted blood at the corner of his lips.

    However, Guan Zijue continued to allow Gu Yi¡¯an to ravage his lips because he knew that this was exactly what he wanted.

 Chapter 304 â€“ Letting Emotions Get the Best of You

    <h4>Chapter 304 ¨C Letting Emotions Get the Best of You</h4>

    Gu Yi¡¯an was enjoying every moment of the kiss, smiling like a kid who got exactly what he wanted.

    His sudden actions seemed to have triggered a deep-seated desire in Guan Zijue as he turned the tables and pinned Gu Yi¡¯an underneath him instead.

    The kiss was yet to be broken.

    Guan Zijue returned his kiss with fiery passion, and the temperature seemed to rise in the car.

    Both of them sat up and stared at each other after they were done with the kiss, their eyes shining as they tried to catch their breaths.

    Gu Yi¡¯an seemed to want to say something, but a knock on the window interrupted him.

    Guan Zijue rolled down the window to answer the knock, his face still slightly flushed from what happened earlier.

    Gu Yi¡¯an felt a little unhappy that a stranger was able to witness how Guan Zijue looked at that moment.

    ¡°What?¡±

    The stranger outside was genuinely surprised at the blunt tone.

    He said, ¡°You¡¯re blocking my vehicle...¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nced at the rear view mirror and realized they were in fact in the way.

    ¡°Fine!¡±

    He quickly started the engine and sped off right away, leaving the stranger shocked at the apparent rudeness.

    <i>Did he need to get so angry? I was just about to ask him to move his car a little!</i>

    Recalling how the other man in the car looked, the stranger then realized they might have been in the middle of something and he just might have interrupted them.

    He shook his head at the thought before returning to his own car.

    Gu Yi¡¯an floored the elerator on the way back, feeling rather frustrated that he was interrupted twice in a row.

    Seeing him annoyed, Guan Zijue¡¯s lips turned up at the corners.

    <i>He¡¯s acting like a child.</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an was upset that his ns for the night had been foiled. He initially wanted to take Guan Zijue to the movies and tease him before suggesting that they go for supper.

    The scenario in his mind was that they would go for a walk after a romantic supper, and because Guan Zijue¡¯s injury had not yet fully healed, he would suggest for him to go rest in the car.

    At this point, he would pounce on Guan Zijue and assault him with a french kiss. That would have been the perfect night for Gu Yi¡¯an, but who knew that his n would fail so spectacrly?

    He was so upset that he was no longer in the mood for supper.

    Gu Yi¡¯an alighted quickly when they arrived back at the apartment and walked to the elevator without much ado.

    Guan Zijue shook his head at this and followed behind him. <i>He¡¯s throwing such a tantrum.</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an seemed to be waiting for Guan Zijue to question him about his actions earlier, but to his surprise, Guan Zijue did not say a word.

    <i>Why isn¡¯t he talking about it at all!</i>

    When they were back at home, he red at Guan Zijue before venting his anger on a sofa cushion and going back to his room.

    Guan Zijue scratched his head. <i>Did I do anything wrong again?</i>

    <i>It seems like he¡¯s the only one who¡¯s angry.</i>

    <i>He¡¯s just an overgrown child.</i>

    <i>But it seems like I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s able to see this side of him.</i> Guan Zijue smiled at the thought.

    Night fell, but no one had spoken.

    Guan Zijue was simply lying in bed with his eyes open while Gu Yi¡¯an stared at the night sky.

    Gu Yi¡¯an realized that neither of them had gotten a good restst night when he saw those dark circles under Guan Zijue¡¯s eyes the next morning.

    This made Gu Yi¡¯an feel instantly sorry about everything that happened. <i>Was I too impulsive?</i>

    ¡°Um¡­ I didn¡¯t do that on purposest night. Don¡¯t mind it!¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t do it on purpose? Gu Yi¡¯an¡­ tell me then, what were you thinking?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an did not know how to answer the question. He was afraid that Guan Zijue couldn¡¯t understand how he actually felt, especially when it seemed he had indeed been too impulsive the night before.

    He looked Guan Zijue in the eye.

    ¡°I mean exactly that. I was too impulsivest night. You can hit me to vent your anger if you feel ufortable about it!¡±

    He stared at Guan Zijue as if he was waiting to be hit, but this instantly frustrated Guan Zijue.

    <i>What? He¡¯s just going to cover it up and say that he didn¡¯t do it on purpose? He¡¯s even asking me to vent my anger on him?</i>

    <i>This guy is immoral. I can¡¯t believe I wasted all that time searching for him in the past.</i>

    Guan Zijue red at Gu Yi¡¯an in his anger.

    Gu Yi¡¯an retreated as Guan Zijue walked up to him, thinking that Guan Zijue was really about to hit him.

    He hit the edge of the dining table and couldn¡¯t retreat any further.

    <i>What¡¯s with that face? Is he really going to hit me? I was just kidding!</i>

    <i>Big Brother has never hit me. He has always been protecting me. No one else protects me like he does.</i>

    <i>Is he really going to hit me now?</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked up, nning to argue his way out of this, but Guan Zijue shocked him by kissing him on the lips.

    He stared at Guan Zijue in genuine surprise as Guan Zijue continued the assault on his lips.

    In the next moment, Gu Yi¡¯an smiled and shut his eyes, epting the kiss.

    Guan Zijue then pushed Gu Yi¡¯an onto the dining table...

    They were engaged in a passionate kiss and got more and more intimate.

    ¡°Big Brother, shall we go to the room...¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    <i>Gosh, it¡¯s the dining table!</i>

    ¡°Big Brother, we¡¯re supposed to eat here!¡±

    ¡°Eating you is more fun!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t! Big Brother, I¡¯ll get reminded of this every time I eat here!¡±

    ¡°If we go to the room, you¡¯ll think about this every time you go to sleep. It¡¯s fine here. Or, how about the countertop!¡±

    What followed was nothing but the sound of heavy breaths and the asional grunt as they engaged in passionate love.

    ¡­¡­

    They went everywhere together for the next few days.

    They held hands when they took walks and were literally inseparable.

    As the days passed, every corner in Guan Zijue¡¯s apartment seemed to remind Gu Yi¡¯an of their intense desire for each other.

    Gu Yi¡¯an knew that Guan Zijue had to return to work soon, but he could not bear to let him go.

    Guan Zijue felt the same. To him, Gu Yi¡¯an was a precious treasure. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder how often they would be able to meet after he returned to the military.

    The doorbell rang when they were messing about on the sofa one day.

    It was still day time but the yful Gu Yi¡¯an decided to mess around with Guan Zijue and tease him all of a sudden.

    After quickly adjusting their outfits, Gu Yi¡¯an got up to answer the door.

    It was Guan Zijue¡¯s parents at the door, Guan Mingchang and Xia Xinsheng.

    They seemed to have noticed something amiss the moment they stepped into the house, as if there was something different in the air.

    However, none of themmented on it out of respect for their son¡¯s space.

    Guan Zijue was holding a book on the sofa when he saw his parents walk in.

    Standing up right away, he asked, ¡°Dad, Mum, why are you here?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an went to get two sses of water for Guan Mingchang and Xia Xinsheng as they sat on the sofa.

    Guan Mingchang said, ¡°How¡¯s your injury? You¡¯re returning to work soon so I thought I¡¯de over and check up on you. I hope it doesn¡¯t leave any lingering side effects. You know I have high hopes for you!¡±

    Guan Zijue nodded and said, ¡°I know, Dad. I won¡¯t disappoint you!¡±

    ¡°Good. Since you¡¯re perfectly fine, I¡¯ll be leaving now!¡±

    ¡°Dad, stay for dinner with Mum since you¡¯re already here!¡±

    Guan Mingchang shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to disturb you. My secretary is waiting for me downstairs and I have a meeting to attend anyway. Take good care of yourself!¡±

    Guan Zijue nodded and got up, nning to walk his parents out.

    However, Guan Mingchang gave him a disapproving look. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You¡¯re not fully recovered yet.¡±

 Chapter 305 â€“ With Photographic Evidence

    <h4>Chapter 305 ¨C With Photographic Evidence</h4>

    Guan Zijue nodded and said, ¡°Okay. Be careful on the way back.¡±

    Guan Mingchang and Xia Xinsheng left before Gu Yi¡¯an returned with their sses of water.

    ¡°Where did they go?¡±

    ¡°They already left. They were just checking up on my injury.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an decided to tease him and said, ¡°They¡¯ve timed their visit very well.¡±

    Guan Zijue raised his brows.

    <i>You¡¯re the one who seduced me in the first ce. But I really didn¡¯t expect for my parents toe knocking on the door.</i>

    A shocking piece of news appeared in the newspaper the very next day.

    Someone who was suspected to be a military officer was alleged to be having a sordid affair with an unknown male lover of his.

    Though the photo that apanied the report was not a high quality one, it was clear that the person in the image was Guan Zijue.

    Gu Yi¡¯an never expected things to take such a turn.

    Deciding to hide the report from Guan Zijue, Gu Yi¡¯an stuffed the newspaper under his pillow.

    When Guan Zijue asked him for the newspaper, Gu Yi¡¯an said, ¡°It wasn¡¯t delivered today somehow. How about you read a book instead!¡±

    Guan Zijue simply nodded at this, not suspecting anything.

    Gu Yi¡¯an heaved an inward sigh of relief. <i>But it¡¯s impossible to hide this forever. What do I do when he finds out?</i>

    At this moment, Guan Zijue¡¯s mobile phone started ringing.

    Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s heart almost leapt out of his chest. <i>Who¡¯s calling at this hour?</i>

    He failed to stop Guan Zijue from answering the call.

    Almost immediately after picking up the phone, Guan Zijue looked up at Gu Yi¡¯an with wide eyes that were filled with dismay.

    Gu Yi¡¯an did not know what to say to him.

    Though Guan Zijue looked calm on the outside, Gu Yi¡¯an could feel the undercurrent of roiling emotions in him.

    cing the phone aside, Guan Zijue asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the newspaper?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an went to his room to get the newspaper right away.

    ¡°Give it to me!¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s best if you don¡¯t read it!¡±

    ¡°I said, give it to me!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an then passed the newspaper to him unwillingly.

    He regretted everything that happened after seeing the report.

    <i>I was too careless. How could I have let this happen?</i>

    He wanted to destroy whoever it was who wrote that report.

    Things might get sticky if they were aware of Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s identity.

    Though the photo quality was bad, anyone familiar with Guan Zijue would be able to tell it was him at a nce. There was no way he could get out of this, and the promotion he was promised would probably be taken away now.

    It was Guan Zixuan who called earlier. From the photo, he could tell it was Guan Zijue and Gu Yi¡¯an since he was very familiar with the both of them. He called to ask how Guan Zijue was nning to settle this.

    Though being gay was eptable in modern society, it was different in Guan Zijue¡¯s case since this would affect his career prospects in the military to arge extent.

    Guan Zixuan was also worried about their father finding out.

    As expected, Guan Mingchang called right after Guan Zijue finished reading the damning report.

    He sounded calm over the phone as he asked, ¡°Zijue, can you give me an exnation?¡±

    He refused to believe that it was his son!

    ¡°Dad, there¡¯s nothing I have to say about it!¡± Guan Zijue answered after a while.

    Guan Mingchang was instantly enraged. ¡°Guan Zijue, what do you mean? Is this all you have to say?¡±

    Guan Zijue decided to remain silent. He knew that whatever he said at this point would only serve to make his father angrier and that it was best to let Guan Mingchang vent his anger first.

    <i>This wouldn¡¯t have happened if I didn¡¯t agree on letting Gu Yi¡¯an take care of Zijue!</i>, thought Guan Mingchang.

    ¡°Guan Zijue, pack your things and return to camp immediately if you want my forgiveness. I¡¯ll take care of whatever happens next. I don¡¯t even know if I can protect you this time. You¡¯d better reflect on your actions!¡±

    ¡°I understand, Father. I¡¯ll go back to camp right away!¡±

    After a short pause, Guan Zijue said, ¡°Dad, I hope you won¡¯t take it out on Gu Yi¡¯an. This has nothing to do with him!¡±

    Though he knew saying this would make Guan Mingchang livid, he hoped that his father would spare Gu Yi¡¯an and not make things too difficult for him.

    ¡°Idiot!¡±

    ¡°Is he that important to you? Is he so important that you choose to go against me for him? Nothing to do with him? Why did he appear on the papers then? Are you still not satisfied after embarrassing me like that? I¡¯m already trying my best to help you out here, and I really don¡¯t know what will happen next. You actually have the gall to talk to me like that?¡±

    ¡°Dad, it has nothing to do with him!¡±

    ¡°Trying to drive me mad, are you? Go back to camp now!¡±

    Guan Mingchang hung up immediately after.

    Guan Zijue looked back at Gu Yi¡¯an and said, ¡°Yi¡¯an, I¡¯d like to have some time alone.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be in my room. I won¡¯t disturb you!¡±

    Guan Zijue shook his head. ¡°Yi¡¯an, don¡¯t you understand? Someone must be behind this. There¡¯s no way they would let us go that easily. I¡¯m returning to camp now. Please listen to me and go back to Ennd for now, okay?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an refused.

    ¡°No! I know this affects you a lot, but I won¡¯t leave until I know that you¡¯ll be fine!¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Guan Zijue desperately wanted Gu Yi¡¯an to return to Ennd because he knew that Sin Eliminators was based there. If his father tried anything, Gu Yi¡¯an would be protected well if he was there.

    However, he did not expect Gu Yi¡¯an to be this stubborn.

    ¡°Are you going to insist on staying here?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded.

    ¡°Fine. You can stay, but not in my apartment. I¡¯m returning to camp now!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an stared at him, not moving an inch.

    ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to do that! You¡¯d be ced under investigation if you go back now. You¡¯d be in a much more precarious situation if someone reveals my identity!¡±

    Guan Zijue stood up.

    ¡°Yi¡¯an, I¡¯m in the military. I¡¯m not scared of being put under investigation. What I¡¯m afraid of is that they no longer trust me. I like you, but I¡¯d never betray my team. I¡¯m not going to act like a coward. Also, my father has his ways. Yi¡¯an, I¡¯d suggest for you to leave as soon as possible!¡±

    The fact that they were unable to be together openly only made Gu Yi¡¯an feel worse.

    <i>Right, he¡¯s in the military and I¡¯m a fugitive. But why doesn¡¯t he understand?</i>

    <i>I know he wants to protect me, but I¡¯m not a woman. I don''t need to be protected like this!</i>

 Chapter 306 â€“ Youâ€™re Into Men

    <h4>Chapter 306 ¨C You¡¯re Into Men</h4>

    They stared at each other for about five minutes as neither of them wanted to give in.

    The silence was broken by Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s phone which rang suddenly.

    It was Guan Mingchang. ¡°I¡¯d like to meet you. It¡¯s about what happened with Guan Zijue.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nced at Guan Zijue as he answered, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll call youter!¡±

    Guan Zijue asked, ¡°Who was it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Jue. I guess I¡¯ll have to go back to Ennd for the time being. Be careful when you¡¯re on your own. Get Guan Zixuan to contact me if need be. I¡¯ll rush back here immediately.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Go on then.¡±

    Silence once again ensued.

    Guan Zijue knew that Gu Yi¡¯an would not leave if he was still in the apartment.

    He thus said, ¡°I¡¯m going to pack my things now. You should pack up too!¡±

    They were packed and ready to leave in about ten minutes.

    As they stood outside the door, Guan Zijue said, ¡°Take care!¡±

    ¡°You too!¡±

    They then left with their suitcases in tow.

    It felt as if they were never going to meet each other again after this.

    After walking for quite a distance, Gu Yi¡¯an dragged his suitcase with him into a tiny alley and made a phone call.

    A female voice answered. Assuming that it was Guan Mingchang¡¯s secretary, Gu Yi¡¯an said, ¡°I¡¯d like to speak to Mr. Guan!¡±

    ¡°Please hold on.¡±

    He heard Guan Mingchang¡¯s voice shortly after. ¡°I¡¯m waiting at Yongfu Teahouse.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be there in ten minutes.¡±

    He then dragged his suitcase with him as he made his way to Yongfu Teahouse.

    Guan Mingchang was visibly surprised to see Gu Yi¡¯an arrive so quickly.

    ¡°Take a seat!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an sat and greeted Guan Mingchang politely. ¡°Hi Uncle!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so polite. I think you should already know why I want to meet you.¡±

    ¡°I know!¡±

    ¡°Since that¡¯s out of the way, I don¡¯t want to waste anymore of your time. I¡¯m going to be very direct and ask you to leave Guan Zijue.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an rejected the request without a moment of hesitation.

    ¡°Impossible. I¡¯ll never leave him!¡±

    Guan Mingchang was displeased.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know the severity of this? Do you know you could ruin him? Is that what you want to see?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t let him get hurt!¡±

    Guan Mingchang scoffed at this.

    ¡°Who do you think you are? You might have some skills, and you may have your connections in Ennd or in America, but it¡¯s a different world here.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an remained silent.

    ¡°You have absolutely no power here in Emperor City, so it¡¯s impossible for you to help Guan Zijue. It¡¯s nothing but a pipe dream. The only way forward is for you to leave him. I may be able to help him out if you do that, but that promotion is probably no longer happening. Please spare a thought for him. You¡¯ve already done enough damage!¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t leave him no matter what!¡±

    Guan Mingchang did not expect Gu Yi¡¯an to be this stubborn.

    ¡°Gu Yi¡¯an, you have no idea what I would have done to you if it wasn¡¯t for Zijue who asked me to spare you. I¡¯m only giving you a chance now because I don¡¯t want to upset my son. You¡¯d better know what¡¯s best for you!¡±

    <i>We got caught because we weren¡¯t being careful enough. The nature of our rtionship is not one that would be traditionally epted either, not to mention we were even on opposing sides of thew. I was too naive to think that we could actually be together.</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an then smiled.

    ¡°Fine. I can leave him. But not before I know that he is safe and well. I¡¯ll leave Emperor City only after I¡¯m sure of that. I hope you can understand!¡±

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll let you know. I hope you will keep your promise and leave Zijue and Emperor City after that!¡±

    A bitter feeling crept up on Gu Yi¡¯an as he watched Guan Mingchang and his secretary leave in silence.

    He walked out of the teahouse dragging his suitcase with him. The sun in Emperor City seemed to be scorching hot today and he felt as if he was being baked underneath it.

    He called Luo Qiqi after a while.

    He had no idea what Luo Qiqi had been up to recently, but she was still in Emperor City.

    Judging from her voice over the phone, it was obvious that she was out of touch with recent events.

    ¡°Qiqi, where are you now? Are you still with Xia Zi?¡±

    ¡°How can I disturb A¡¯zi and Guan Zixuan? Haven¡¯t you already left? What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Where are you now? Let¡¯s meet!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still in Emperor City?¡± Luo Qiqi sounded genuinely surprised at this.

    ¡°Mm! Where are you? I¡¯ll go over right now!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an headed for the hotel right away after Luo Qiqi gave him the address.

    When he arrived, Luo Qiqi answered the door with a head of tousled hair.

    Gu Yi¡¯an gave her a look of disdain before entering the room.

    ¡°What¡¯s with that look on your face? I¡¯m not the one asking for help now.¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an frowned at this. ¡°You passed your days like this?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Putting his suitcase aside, he quickly cleaned up the room before looking at Luo Qiqi again.

    ¡°Qiqi, I might need your help on something!¡±

    Luo Qiqi hopped onto the bed and asked, ¡°What is it? I¡¯ll try my best if it¡¯s within my means!¡±

    Using his phone, Gu Yi¡¯an showed her the piece of news from this morning.

    Her head snapped up almost immediately.

    ¡°What? So you¡¯re actually into guys? It¡¯s no wonder you didn¡¯t seem the least bit interested in rtionships. Look at that. Oh, my heart can¡¯t take it!¡±

    Before he could respond, Luo Qiqi continued.

    ¡°You¡¯re such a beast, Gu Yi¡¯an. You made a man like Guan Zijue gay? My gosh!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an already felt drained at this point. <i>Why can¡¯t I have a proper conversation with this girl.</i>

    As if suddenly reminded of Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s earlier request, Luo Qiqi asked, ¡°So what did you need my help with?¡±

    ¡°Guan Zijue was supposed to be up for a promotion, but that probably won¡¯t happen because of this scandal. You¡¯ve been in the system before, so do you know what we have to do to remedy such a situation?¡±

    Luo Qiqi frowned at this. ¡°So you¡¯re asking for my help on this? You¡¯ve found the right person! The easiest way is for you to leave Guan Zijue. His career would definitely be affected if the both of you remain together!¡±

    She instantly realized that she spoke too fast.

    Trying to salvage the situation, she then said, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean that. I mean, if you¡¯re together¡­ Well, I don¡¯t know how to lie, so let me just be frank with you. Let¡¯s not talk about how you guys are on opposing sides of thew. Guan Zijue is in a position where this would affect him greatly. Also, how long can you keep your identity under wraps? Guan Zijue would be finished once you¡¯re exposed. It¡¯s like a ticking time bomb!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Luo Qiqi nodded. ¡°Definitely, and that¡¯s not even the worst that could happen. If you leave Guan Zijue though, there would be nothing for anyone to talk about since they wouldn¡¯t be able to obtain any sort of evidence, and with how powerful the Guan family is, they¡¯d be able to cover this up in a matter of minutes!¡±

 Chapter 307 â€“ One After Another

    <h4>Chapter 307 ¨C One After Another</h4>

    Gu Yi¡¯an then said, ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Yup!¡± Luo Qiqi nodded profusely.

    Gu Yi¡¯an continued, ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll check into a room nearby and keep an eye on the situation for now. Let¡¯s see how everything goes!¡±

    Luo Qiqi nodded and said, ¡°Okay, that works!¡±

    The truth might have sounded grating to Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s ears, but Luo Qiqi could fully understand him. She knew that it was almost impossible to turn your back on someone you loved.

    Before meeting Su Jincheng, she had never imagined that she would ever leave Interpol.

    Now that Su Jincheng has disappeared, she refused to believe that he was dead.

    Even someone like her could let her emotions get the better of her. Even though she had no ties to The Dark Night, she felt that she no longer wanted to return to Interpol after Su Jincheng was gone.

    There were just some things which couldn¡¯t be fixed.

    All she could do was to console herself and try not to be too upset over it. She didn¡¯t know how best to help Gu Yi¡¯an in his current situation either, but she gave her honest opinions and suggestions.

    Gu Yi¡¯an checked into the room directly opposite Luo Qiqi¡¯s and stayed inside for the entire day.

    He thought that the Guan family had the news covered up quickly, but a second report surfaced the very next morning.

    There were four photos that appeared together with the report, and every single image was a high-quality one of Guan Zijue and Gu Yi¡¯an looking extremely intimate with each other.

    What¡¯s worse was that Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s identity was exposed in the report.

    Sin Eliminators finally made its public appearance in the newspaper.

    Though ¡®Third Young Master of Sin Eliminators¡¯ might sound unfamiliar to many, the name was not unknown to those who worked in counter-terrorism.

    The public were, of course, outraged at the news. They were appalled at the fact that someone from the respectable Guan family had ties with such a criminal!

    Third Young Master, Poisonous Prince and Young Master Yu were the top three figures in Sin Eliminators, and the ¡®Third Young Master¡¯ had only be more noticeable in recent years.

    An air of mystery and danger surrounded them, making others curious about them but at the same time feeling afraid of the consequences if they were to really meet these individuals.

    Through the reports, Gu Yi¡¯an felt that someone seemed to be specifically targeting him.

    He had really dragged the Guan family through the mud this time.

    When Gu Yi¡¯an tried calling Guan Mingchang, his secretary said that the older man was already undergoing investigations because of the news.

    Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s heart sank.

    The entire Guan family might fall from grace!

    In the meantime, Ye Zhongjue was racking his brains thinking of how to salvage the situation since his wife¡¯s sister and his mother-inw were directly implicated in this.

    It was easy to resolve the matter if Gu Yi¡¯an had absolutely no ties with the Guan family, but this was obviously not the case judging from those photos printed on the newspaper.

    Ensuring that nothing could be traced to Guan Mingchang was the best Ye Zhongjue could do at this point, but Guan Zijue¡¯s career was likely to be negatively affected by the saga.

    All Gu Yi¡¯an wanted to do now was to give Guan Zijue a helping hand, but he didn¡¯t know what to do, and he was in a precarious situation himself.

    Organizations like Interpol and The Dark Night seemed to have Gu Yi¡¯an as their target as they began sending their people to Emperor City.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was still trying to think of a solution when Ye Zhongjue called.

    He answered wearily, evidently in a bad mood.

    Ye Zhongjue cut to the chase and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about the Guan family for now. They have very deep roots so it¡¯s not that easy to remove them from power. I¡¯ll try my best on my side, but remember to be careful. Many people are eyeing you in Emperor City. I know you can hold your own in a fight, but you can¡¯t win against that many people alone. I¡¯ve already thought of something, so all you¡¯ll need to do is to work with me on it. It will help us sever all ties with the Guan family and allow Guan Zijue to get that promotion of his. You¡¯ll just have to agree to it.¡±

    ¡°What is it? I¡¯m willing to do anything as long as it can get the Guan family out of trouble!¡±

    ¡°What if I need you dead?¡± Ye Zhongjue asked.

    ¡°Sure!¡± Gu Yi¡¯an answered without hesitation.

    ¡°Good.¡± Ye Zhongjue then ended the call.

    Though Gu Yi¡¯an didn¡¯t know what Ye Zhongjue was nning, he was confident that Ye Zhongjue would be able toe up with a solution that would work.

    Gu Yi¡¯an wanted to leave the hotel to take a look at what was happening outside, but Luo Qiqi seemed to have gotten instructions from Ye Zhongjue not to let him out of the hotel.

    Luo Qiqi said, ¡°You¡¯d be walking into their trap if you go out! You¡¯ll have to kill me if you insist!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an thus had no choice but to stay in the hotel.

    Ye Zhongjue finally called with an update on the next day.

    As Gu Yi¡¯an had expected, it was The Dark Night behind everything. They wanted to make use of the situation in Emperor City to push Gu Yi¡¯an into a corner after his identity was exposed during their previous job in C City.

    They wanted to make use of the counter-terrorism organizations and Interpol to trap Gu Yi¡¯an so ?that they would be able to capture him easily.

    It was none other than The Dark Night who shared all the incriminating photos with the newspaper.

    Ye Zhongjue was almost buckling under the stress. It was no easy task trying to save both Gu Yi¡¯an and the Guan family at the same time.

    ¡°Jue, what¡¯s your n? Things seem to be getting worse. Can you share anything with me?¡±

    ¡°Have you heard of anesthesia bullets?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded quickly. ¡°Of course! I¡¯m a doctor!¡±

    ¡°Good. My n is to let Guan Zijue shoot and kill you. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let you die for real. It¡¯s just for everyone else to witness the fact that Guan Zijue shot and killed you. This not only benefits Guan Zijue, but it would also make those organizations remove you from their killing list. I¡¯ll get you out safely, so you just have to work with me on this. Both you and the Guan family will emerge unscathed!¡±

    ¡°Okay. But I¡¯m worried that Guan Zijue would refuse to shoot me!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I have my ways!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an had no idea why Ye Zhongjue sounded so confident about the n, but he was willing to work with him as long as it ensured Guan Zijue¡¯s safety. He didn¡¯t even mind it if he really died in the process.

    ¡­¡­

    Guan Zijue had been under investigation since the day he returned to camp, but the officers were unable to get any useful information out of him.

    He refuted all allegations of having ties with Sin Eliminators and of betraying his organization and country.

    He didn¡¯t know what happened outside of camp at all until the day he was released.

    He was rather puzzled when his supervisor told him to go back home to have a look, only to be greeted with a home decked in white cloth used for mourning.

    Guan Mingchang had passed away. His portrait was the first thing Guan Zijue saw when he walked in.

    He copsed to his knees with a loud thud.

    <i>Why did this happen? It was just a few days. How did it happen!</i>

    He looked up at Guan Zixuan with tearful eyes. ¡°How did Dad die?¡±

    It was obvious that Guan Zijue could not ept the fact. He sounded furious. Guan Zixuan said, ¡°Bro, it¡¯s best if you don¡¯t know. I¡¯m afraid that you won¡¯t be able to take the news!¡±

    ¡°Tell me!¡± Guan Zijue yelled at him.

    ¡°Bro, Gu Yi¡¯an isn¡¯t who you thought him to be. Ye Zhongjue told me that Gu Yi¡¯an had never been to the underground wrestling rings in America, and whatever he did was simply to bait you into believing his story. He was nning to destroy the Guan family!¡±

    Guan Zijue stared at his brother, wide-eyed. ¡°What are you talking about, Zixuan?¡±

    ¡°Bro, I don¡¯t want to lie to you! Gu Yi¡¯an is actually Gu Yixiong¡¯s only son. Dad killed Gu Yixiong in the past, so Gu Yi¡¯an swore to take revenge for his father. He had been collecting information about our family for the past few years, and he happened to find out about your time in America. This was an opportunity he couldn¡¯t pass up...¡±

 Chapter 308 â€“ Everything was an Act

    <h4>Chapter 308 ¨C Everything was an Act</h4>

    Guan Zixuan continued, ¡°Bro, wake up. He was lying to you. He doesn¡¯t have feelings for you at all. He was just trying to get your trust so that he could approach Dad. He shot Dad right in the heart. It was instant death. He was so cruel.¡±

    ¡°How do you know all this?¡±

    ¡°It was Ye Zhongjue who told me. He said Gu Yi¡¯an was faking his identity all this while, and that everything he did was to exact revenge on the Guan family!¡±

    Guan Zijue was utterly shocked.

    This was something he would never have expected to happen.

    ¡°Where is Gu Yi¡¯an now? I¡¯m going to ask him in person!¡±

    Guan Zixuan shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I know that he¡¯s been in the Hilton Hotel for the past few days, so he might just be there now!¡±

    Guan Zijue turned to leave immediately.

    Guan Zixuan watched his departing figure in concern.

    <i>We have no other choice if this is the only way to put things back on track!</i>

    Xia Xinsheng spoke after Guan Zijue left. ¡°Come on out. Zijue has left!¡±

    Pain was apparent in Guan Mingchang¡¯s eyes. He didn¡¯t want to lie to Guan Zijue, but he had to if he wanted to save his son.

    Just as Guan Zijue arrived at the hotel, he spotted Gu Yi¡¯an and Luo Qiqi walking out, holding each other as if they were a couple.

    Though Guan Zijue felt bitter, he was still unable to take in the fact that Gu Yi¡¯an had lied and made use of him.

    His heart hurt at this. It felt as if an invisible hand was wrenching at his heart.

    His eyes turned red with anger and jealousy as he stared at Gu Yi¡¯an and Luo Qiqi¡¯s intertwined hands.

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked shocked when he spotted Guan Zijue, as if he did not expect to see thetter there.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be in camp?¡±

    ¡°What? So you can continue lying to me? Have you yed me for a fool all this time?¡±

    Guan Zijue was trying his very best to suppress his emotions as he pointed at the two of them.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been lying to me, aren¡¯t you? You lied and even said you were into men, you even...¡±

    <i>How could you have yed the role so well?</i>

    Taking a breath, Guan Zijue continued, ¡°You¡¯re into women, right? You approached me with a motive. You lied to me, right?¡±

    Compared to Guan Zijue, Gu Yi¡¯an looked extremely calm.

    ¡°Yup. I¡¯m into women. I¡¯ll tell you the truth since you already know. I approached you because I wanted revenge. Your father killed my dad, and I swore to take revenge. You¡¯re not even going to allow me to take my revenge?¡±

    Guan Zijue could only stare at him in disbelief.

    At this point, Gu Yi¡¯an pulled Luo Qiqi into his arms. ¡°Did you really think that I had feelings for you? I was just making use of you to get my revenge. There¡¯s no way I would fall in love with the enemy¡¯s son. Luo Qiqi is the only one I love. Did you really think I would fall for you? What a joke!¡±

    ¡°So you killed my dad?¡±

    Noticing that Guan Zijue¡¯s emotions were very unstable, Gu Yi¡¯an pushed Luo Qiqi behind him.

    ¡°Yes, I killed him. It felt great to see that bullet pierce his chest! The taste of revenge is so sweet! You probably don¡¯t know this yet, but your dad actually asked to meet me and requested for me to leave you. I refused, because destroying you would hurt him more! He even knelt to beg me! I still killed him in the end. I can¡¯t spare the enemy! He killed my father! It¡¯s great that he¡¯s dead now, because I no longer have to continue the act with you. You should¡¯ve seen his face when he died. Those eyes were so full of anger and hatred. But he still died! Hahaha...¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an started cackling.

    Guan Zijue could almost visualize the scene with Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s description. <i>Dad begged him but he still shot him!</i>

    <i>No, this isn¡¯t Gu Yi¡¯an. No, it¡¯s true. This is what he¡¯s really like. He was lying to me.</i>

    With a smirk, Gu Yi¡¯an asked, ¡°Are you very angry? What can you do about it? Your dad even knelt in front of me. Can you imagine that? He even did that for you...¡±

    The words ¡®for you¡¯ seemed to echo in Guan Zijue¡¯s brain...

    Guan Zijue¡¯s blood boiled as he looked at Gu Yi¡¯an.

    <i>If he lied and he killed father, then he should die too!</i>

    Blinded with anger, he whipped out the gun at his side and shot Gu Yi¡¯an in the chest.

    Gu Yi¡¯an went down with a smile. <i>It¡¯s fine as long as you¡¯re safe.</i>

    Guan Zijue seemed to get out of his reverie as he saw Gu Yi¡¯an copse. He rushed to catch Gu Yi¡¯an as he fell.

    Gu Yi¡¯an foundfort in this. <i>It¡¯s so worth it. He¡¯s true to me even after all I¡¯ve done to him.</i>

    Luo Qiqi stole an anxious nce at the nearby security camera and tried to pry Guan Zijue away from Gu Yi¡¯an.

    However, Guan Zijue was as steady as a rock. He couldn¡¯t be moved at all. He simply sat there in a daze as he held Gu Yi¡¯an in his arms.

    Fortunately, Ye Zhongjue appeared in the nick of time, just before Luo Qiqi went nuts.

    Ye Zhongjue walked up to Guan Zijue and knocked him out with a swift blow to the neck, causing him to pass out immediately.

    Ye Zhongjue then carried Gu Yi¡¯an away to safety.

    Guan Zixuan then appeared at the elevator and took Guan Zijue away.

    Luo Qiqi heaved a sigh of relief, hoping that Gu Yi¡¯an would recover well from his injury.

    ¡­¡­

    Guan Zijue woke up with a start, calling out for Gu Yi¡¯an as he did so.

    He was confused upon seeing both Guan Zixuan and his father in the room.

    <i></i><i>Didn¡¯t Gu Yi¡¯an kill dad? Was it all a dream?</i>

    Guan Zijue tried to wrap his head around the situation.

    He then stared at Guan Mingchang. ¡°Father, was this all an act?¡±

    Guan Mingchang nodded.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t anyone tell me!¡±

    ¡°Would you have been able to do it if we told you? We did it so you¡¯d be able to pull the trigger! This is a win-win. Gu Yi¡¯an isn¡¯t dead. You don¡¯t have to be that dramatic!¡±

    ¡°But I shot him!¡± <i>I shot him!</i>

    ¡°Gu Yi¡¯an would have wanted you to do that too. Why did you think he tried to rile you up? Right now, you¡¯ll be seen as the victim, and your career won¡¯t go down the drain either. Gu Yi¡¯an simply has to get a new identity. I¡¯ll have to remind you though, you should stop seeing him after this. I¡¯m sure you know that the entire Guan family could be negatively affected if you continue to do so!¡±

    Guan Mingchang left right after.

    Anger and sorrow filled Guan Zijue.?<i>Was I not strong enough? Is this why I can¡¯t be with Pingan?</i>

    <i>Dad¡¯s death was a sham, Guan Zixuan lied, even Gu Yi¡¯an lied. All of them put on a show for me.</i>

    ¡°Zixuan, whatever you said...¡±

    ¡°It was Ye Zhongjue¡¯s n. Bro, don¡¯t mull over this. Go on ahead and pursue your dreams. This is what all of us would want to see...¡±

 Chapter 309 â€“ Gu Yiâ€™anâ€™s Death

    <h4>Chapter 309 ¨C Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s Death</h4>

    Guan Zijue gave a mockingugh. ¡°What you want to see¡­ What? You guys lied to me for this? Fine, I¡¯ll do what you guys want. I¡¯ll show you what you want to see!¡±

    Guan Zixuan could only shake his head in resignation.

    He wished nothing but the best for his brother, and they did this only because it was the best way forward.

    He knew that it upset his brother, but what other choice did they have?

    Being born in a family like theirs, there were bound to be certain things they could never run away from, just like how he was supposed to take over the family¡¯s business.

    He felt a lot luckier than Guan Zijue when it came to love. It was fortunate that Xia Xinsheng is Xia Zi¡¯s mother, or else their family might never have epted Xia Zi as his partner.

    ¡°Bro, rest well. I¡¯m leaving. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll let you know if I have any news on Gu Yi¡¯an!¡±

    Guan Zijue simply sat there in a daze.

    <i>Everyone lied to me.</i>

    <i>He really meant it when he said he lied to me.</i>

    ¡­¡­

    The best doctors in Sin Eliminators were gathered in a private hospital in C City.

    Though the bullet was already taken out of Gu Yi¡¯an, his condition had been very unstable. Ye Zhongjue and Ceng Hanyu were both extremely worried.

    Seeing Gu Yi¡¯an being in critical condition for the fifth time in two days, Ye Zhongjue couldn¡¯t help but me himself for carrying out that n.

    He regretted taking a gamble on Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s life like this. Though the bullet had been manipted, Guan Zijue was a very good shot.

    Furthermore, he had been so blinded with anger that the only thing on his mind was probably to see Gu Yi¡¯an dead.

    There was nothing Ye Zhongjue wanted more than for Gu Yi¡¯an to wake up at this point.

    Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s death had already been announced publicly.

    He had had someone send a fake Gu Yi¡¯an to hospital in an ambnce after Ye Zhongjue carried him out of the hotel that day.

    The fake body had facial prosthetics to make it look like he was Gu Yi¡¯an, and it was actually the family of a dead subordinate who offered their help to Ye Zhongjue.

    Everyone in that particr family was a part of Sin Eliminators, and their loyalty could never be shaken.

    Ye Zhongjue had nted his men everywhere and from the coroner to police, everyone was in on the n.

    The body was then sessfully buried.

    Afraid that counter-terrorism organizations and The Dark Night might continue looking for Gu Yi¡¯an, Ye Zhongjue decided to move him to C City for safety.

    The hospital they were in was owned by Sin Eliminators, and apart from providing medical treatment to those in Sin Eliminators, the public could also visit the hospital, but they could only get ess to the first four levels.

    It was one of the safest options for Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s recovery.

    A dayter, Gu Yi¡¯an finally woke up.

    Ye Zhongjue almost cried tears of joy. He would hate himself for life if anything really happened to Gu Yi¡¯an.

    Though Gu Yi¡¯an was willing, Ye Zhongjue hated the fact that he had actually helped put such a dangerous n in motion.

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked extremely weak when Ye Zhongjue and Ceng Hanyu entered the ward.

    He spoke weakly, ¡°Jue,e over¡­ I have something to tell you!¡±

    ¡°Yi¡¯an, what is it? Say it slowly. We¡¯re listening.¡±

    Every word seemed to take a toll on Gu Yi¡¯an.

    ¡°Tell everyone¡­ including¡­ including¡­ Guan family, that I¡¯m dead!¡±

    Ceng Hanyu and Ye Zhongjue understood Gu Yi¡¯an immediately.

    Everything started from Gu Yi¡¯an and Guan Zijue¡¯s rtionship, and things were made worse because they were on opposing sides of thew.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was painfully aware that they were living in a different world from Guan Zijue, and since it was impossible for them to be together, he would rather not give Guan Zijue any hope.

    Gu Yi¡¯an shut his eyes after he spoke, as if he did not wish to say any more.

    Ye Zhongjue said, ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll do as you say. Focus on getting better. We¡¯ll have you return to Ennd after you¡¯re recovered!¡±

    He then pulled Ceng Hanyu out with him.

    Gu Yi¡¯an opened his eyes when he heard the door being shut.

    He would give anything to see Guan Zijue live well, and he hoped that Guan Zijue would be able to pick himself up after hearing the news and focus on pursuing his dreams instead.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was resigned to his own fate. <i>I¡¯m destined to walk in darkness forever. I shouldn¡¯t drag Guan Zijue into this.</i>

    ¡­¡­

    Guan Zijue had heard the news of Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s death back at Emperor City, but he knew that it was a fake Gu Yi¡¯an and that it was just a rumor Sin Eliminators propagated.

    He waited patiently for Guan Zixuan¡¯s update since that would be the truth.

    Being the one who pulled the trigger, he knew that it was almost impossible for anyone to save Gu Yi¡¯an from that shot.

    What he didn¡¯t know was that someone had already manipted the ammunition.

    Even so, Guan Zijue was pretty serious when he shot him, so it was very likely that Gu Yi¡¯an was in grave danger!

    Not knowing the full story caused anxiety and unease to fill Guan Zijue. He was worried that the worst would happen.

    He kept praying that Gu Yi¡¯an would be safe.

    Guan Zijue was thunderstruck when he heard the news from Guan Zixuan.

    The thought of ending his own life there and then shed past his mind.

    Guan Zixuan said that on his deathbed, Gu Yi¡¯an asked Ye Zhongjue to tell Guan Zijue to continue living his life to the fullest.

    Guan Zijue then locked himself in his room for the entire day, crying his eyes out.

    He wanted to join Gu Yi¡¯an in the afterlife, but he found the courage to live on because of thosest words.

    It was unlikely that he could ever fall in love again.

    His heart only had enough space for that one person.

    And he had to be the one who killed him.

    Everyone could sense the change in him when Guan Zijue reappeared in public. He became much more cruel and a much colder person than before. It was as if he was an emotionless statue.

    Guan Zijue¡¯s heart had also died with Gu Yi¡¯an dead.

    ¡­¡­

    Luo Qiqi had chosen to remain in Emperor City when Ye Zhongjue took Gu Yi¡¯an away.

    She remained hopeful that it was Su Jincheng she spotted that night at the bar and refused to believe that it was because she might have had too much to drink that night.

    Everyone thought Su Jincheng was dead except her!

    Luo Qiqi continued staying at the Hilton Hotel and visiting nightclubs and bars in the hopes of spotting Su Jincheng again.

    It was a little after eight in the evening when Luo Qiqi walked into that same bar.

    She took her usual seat in a dark corner and started sipping on the drink she always asked for as she stared at the bar counter.

    She did everything with practiced ease as if she had already done it a million times.

    No one bothered her as she sipped on her drink alone.

    Though it was noisy in the bar, she seemed to be living in a parallel, peaceful world of her own.

    She kept drinking, but she never got drunk. Her alcohol tolerance seemed to only have gotten better after Su Jincheng disappeared.

    The bar felt a lot livelier tonight.

    Some of the visitors at the bar approached Luo Qiqi with creepy smiles as she continued sipping on her drink.

    Holding a bottle in her hand, she suddenly felt a little upset.

    <i>I haven¡¯t been able to find him after so long. Was Su Jincheng really dead like they said?</i>

    <i>Something like that had already happened to Gu Yi¡¯an.</i>

    <i>Was love really worth it?</i>

    She then startedughing out of nowhere.

    The creepy-looking visitors nearby were closing in and Luo Qiqi gave a smirk as they surrounded her.

    One of them smiled and said, ¡°Little girl, drink with your big brothers!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, drink!¡± Another one chimed in as he reached out for Luo Qiqi.

    <i></i><i>Trying to touch me? They must be tired of living.</i>

    She twisted the man¡¯s wrist in the blink of an eye, fracturing it in the process.

    This frightened the men immediately. <i>This tiny woman did this!</i>

    They then backed away and tried to get away from Luo Qiqi as quickly as possible.

    Luo Qiqiughed. ¡°Where are you going, Big Brothers? Didn¡¯t you want to drink?¡±

 Chapter 310 â€“ In Between Dreams and Reality

    <h4>Chapter 310 ¨C In Between Dreams and Reality</h4>

    Luo Qiqi watched as the men left, thinking to herself, <i>I thought I could have some fun. They¡¯re nothing but a bunch of cowards!</i>

    She started guzzling beer from the bottle she was holding.

    She then staggered out of the bar after a while, finding it hard to focus on where she was going since she felt very tipsy and was rather unsteady on her feet.

    She got herself drunk tonight partly because she witnessed what happened to Gu Yi¡¯an. That made her lose a bit of hope in the possibility that she would ever see Su Jincheng again.

    Unbeknownst to her, a man dressed in ck followed her out of the bar as she left.

    He had a ck cap on him which covered most of his face.

    He spotted Luo Qiqi sitting on the nearby curb with the beer bottle still in her hand, mumbling something to herself.

    For about half an hour, he stood watching her from a distance.

    After Luo Qiqi finished the entire bottle, she suddenly started drawing circles in the air, looking like an innocent and naive little girl.

    The man simply continued watching her from under a tree.

    As Luo Qiqi was enjoying herself, the few men who approached her in the bar earlier went up to her.

    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t this the woman who hit us in the bar? Why is she sitting here all alone?¡±

    Somebody else said, ¡°Seems like she¡¯s had too much to drink!¡±

    The rest of the group started chuckling at this.

    However, no one dared go close to her because they already knew how terrifying she could be.

    They thus stood observing Luo Qiqi for a while, but she already looked as if she was too drunk to attack anyone at this point.

    One of the men then said, ¡°Hey, how about we take her back and do whatever we want with her? We¡¯ll just have to tie her up securely!¡±

    The one who first spotted Luo Qiqi then said, ¡°That works too. But, who¡¯d like to go first?¡±

    The rest of the men avoided eye contact as he looked around.

    No one dared to volunteer to be first, fearing that they would have the same fate as the man who got his wrist broken earlier.

    ¡°Damn it! It¡¯s just a woman! Bunch of cowards! See how I handle this!¡±

    He then walked up to Luo Qiqi confidently.

    Luo Qiqi looked up right at this moment, smiling as she said, ¡°Am I drunk? I think we¡¯ve met somewhere earlier...¡±

    The man staggered backwards in fear. <i>She isn¡¯t drunk at all! She¡¯s just faking it!</i>

    Luo Qiqi then fell face down onto the ground.

    <i>What¡¯s going on here?</i>

    The man approached her carefully and kicked her lightly. To his relief, there was no reaction from Luo Qiqi after she got kicked.

    <i>Easy peasy!</i>, he thought.

    He then turned to the men behind him and said, ¡°Look how easy it is? You guys are nothing but cowards!¡±

    It was obvious that Luo Qiqi was the one who fell on her own, but the rest of the men did not call him out on it.

    ¡°You¡¯re the best! All thedies would fall head over heels for you!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯ll be a reward for youter. Tie her up and take her away!¡±

    He looked around and spotted a dark, secluded alley nearby.

    Looking at Luo Qiqi¡¯s skin with a brazen smile, he instructed, ¡°Take her to that alley. We¡¯ll have fun tonight!¡±

    Before the men could carry Luo Qiqi away, a figure came swooping in and sent all of the men flying.

    Theynded on the ground painfully.

    The leader of the pack stared at the stranger who was dressed in ck.

    He stuttered as he asked, ¡°You¡­ who are you? What are you doing? I¡­ I¡­ Let me tell you, I¡¯m not scared of you!¡±

    No one could make out his appearance as the stranger was wearing a low ck cap.

    ¡°Scram!¡±

    With one single word, the men scrambled to get away. They knew it was unlikely for them to be able to win against this stranger in a fight.

    The stranger then looked down at Luo Qiqi. Her forehead was swollen from the ground¡¯s impact.

    He seemed to sigh before picking her up gently, shaking his head at the scent of alcohol on her.

    Luo Qiqi frowned and whined before opening her eyes to look at the stranger.

    A look of terror shed across his face at that very moment.

    Luo Qiqi stared at him as she said, ¡°Big Brother...¡±

    The stranger trembled as he supported her.

    Luo Qiqi shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind.

    She thenughed to herself and mumbled, ¡°I guess I¡¯m really drunk. Why would I see Su Jincheng? Haha¡­ He hasn¡¯t appeared after so long, so why would he appear now? I must be drunk, I¡¯m definitely drunk...¡±

    She then continued shaking her head, copsing in the stranger¡¯s arms in the very next moment, causing him to freeze in surprise.

    After a while, he lifted Luo Qiqi¡¯s chin and saw a tear streak at the corner of her eyes.

    He then picked her up and sent her back to the Hilton Hotel.

    Finding the room key on her, he unlocked the door and carried her in.

    Luo Qiqi squirmed a little, feeling ufortable, and bumping her forehead against his chest made her frown in pain.

    The stranger ced her on the bed and helped take off her shoes, heaving a sigh of relief when he saw her brows no longer creased.

    He watched her quietly at the side before getting a towel from the bathroom.

    Using the towel, he wiped the tears on Luo Qiqi¡¯s face gently, seeing her bare face up close.

    He then ced the towel back in the bathroom before sitting down beside Luo Qiqi on the bed.

    He watched her, hypnotized by how peacefully she slept.

    He reached out a hand as if he wanted to caress Luo Qiqi¡¯s pretty face, but he stopped right before touching her.

    Sorrow seemed to fill him in that very moment.

    After observing Luo Qiqi like this for a while, the sound of his wrist watch ticking reminded him that it was time to go.

    Before he could retract his hand, Luo Qiqi reached out and grabbed it. ¡°Big Brother¡­ Don¡¯t go!¡±

    Her grip was rather strong.

    Luo Qiqi then pulled on his arm and hugged it close to her chest as she slept.

    He then climbed onto the bed gently andy down beside Luo Qiqi, staying with her until she fell into a peaceful slumber.

 Chapter 311 â€“ Su Jincheng, The Stranger

    <h4>Chapter 311 ¨C Su Jincheng, The Stranger</h4>

    He removed his hand gently after Luo Qiqi fell into a deeper sleep.

    Standing at the side of the bed, he looked at her for a while longer before turning away and leaving the room.

    A woman appeared right in front of him just as he stepped out of the room.

    They stared at each other for an entire minute before he asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°What am I doing here? I¡¯m here to look for my bodyguard. When did my bodyguard turn into a sneaky thief?¡±

    The stranger removed his cap to reveal a chilly but good-looking face.

    It was none other than Su Jincheng!

    Everyone thought he was dead!

    The woman standing before him was Yue Wuxin, the one who fell off the cliff with him two years ago at Xingping Mountain!

    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. I won¡¯t be in your way!¡±

    Yue Wuxinughed. ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired of keeping that cap on all day? Are you afraid that Luo Qiqi would recognize you? You have to keep this from her before you take back control of The Dark Night. Luo Qiqi will be in danger if she knows the truth now. She¡¯s the perfect bait for them to lure you into their clutches...¡±

    ¡°That has nothing to do with you either. My job is to protect you, it¡¯s not to allow you to meddle in my affairs!¡±

    ¡°Jincheng, you know I care about you!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need that!¡±

    He then turned to leave.

    Yue Wuxin chased after him. ¡°Su Jincheng, you¡¯re supposed to be my bodyguard now! That¡¯s the only reason you¡¯re alive now! Why are you leaving!¡±

    He stopped and turned back to look at Yue Wuxin.

    ¡°Could you please be quick? I¡¯d like to go back and have a good night¡¯s sleep!¡±

    Yue Wuxin sped up and the both of them headed towards an apartment a short distance away from the Hilton Hotel.

    Su Jincheng went straight to his room after returning to the apartment,ying on the bed without even changing his outfit.

    The scent of alcohol and Luo Qiqi¡¯s fragrance lingered on him.

    The events of two years ago reyed themselves in his mind.

    All he could think about was keeping both Luo Qiqi and Ye Zhongjue safe at Xingping Mountain at the time.

    He felt like he had owed Luo Qiqi too much by mistaking Ming Ruoyuan for her and even taking a kidney away from her.

    Like Luo Qiqi said, she was the farmer who saved an ungrateful snake, and all he did was hurt her.

    He thought that death would be their only fate when he fell off that cliff with Yue Wuxin and the doctor, but Yue Wuxin had something else up her sleeve.

    Yue Wuxin had a grappling hook which stopped her fall, and she actually saved Su Jincheng from plummeting directly to his death.

    Yue Wuxin used the hook to reduce the speed of their fall as she tried to secure it against the rocky cliff face multiple times, but even so, it wasn¡¯t able to take theirbined weight and the both of them ended up falling all the way down.

    They were eventually saved by Yue Wuxin¡¯s subordinates at the foot of the cliff.

    Su Jincheng regained consciousness three monthster only to find out that The Dark Night had undergone a major overhaul. Everyone thought he was dead, even his subordinates.

    Someone else had taken over The Dark Night in the time Su Jincheng was missing, and Yue Wuxin, someone whom he wanted to kill, had actually saved his life.

    Heter found out that Yue Wuxin came from a powerful family in Russia, and that her father was actually the prime minister.

    This exined why Yue Wuxin seemed to be surrounded by countless bodyguards even though her ranking as a special agent was not that high.

    When he woke up, Yue Wuxin asked how he would like to repay her for saving his life.

    Since Su Jincheng was not an ungrateful person, he asked her toe up with some suggestions on her own.

    Yue Wuxin gave him two options, the first was to marry her, and the second was to be her secret bodyguard for three years.

    She told him that if he were to marry her, she would leverage her father¡¯s power to help Su Jincheng take back control of The Dark Night.

    However, if he chose the option to be her bodyguard, the catch was that he would not be allowed to contact Luo Qiqi in those three years.

    Su Jincheng went with the option to be her bodyguard in the blink of an eye as that would mean severing his ties with Yue Wuxin after the three years were up.

    Luo Qiqi had never left Su Jincheng¡¯s mind in the past two years, but he didn¡¯t dare look for her. The new leader of The Dark Night suspected that Su Jincheng might still be alive, and he had passed an order to kill him on sight if anyone found him!

    Su Jincheng knew that Luo Qiqi would be safe as long as he didn¡¯t show himself.

    He spent the past two years walking on thin ice, carefully nting his own men in The Dark Night.

    He was nning to take back control of the organization after repaying his debt to Yue Wuxin.

    The Dark Night had been at loggerheads with Sin Eliminators after he went missing, and he knew that it would be pointless to continue the fight, especially when Sin Eliminators was already the most powerful criminal organization.

    He wanted to give The Dark Night an overhaul, and such a process would probably take a good four years or so.

    His n was to look for Luo Qiqi after that, and only if she was still single.

    However, seeing Luo Qiqi again after two years made it difficult for him to stick to his original n. He never realized that he had fallen so hard for her, and he felt terribly sorry she had to go through all that pain.

    He wondered how he could have spent thest two years without her as all Su Jincheng wanted to do now was to hold her in his arms.

    He didn¡¯t want to leave her again when he saw her in Emperor City, but he reassured Yue Wuxin that he did not reveal himself to Luo Qiqi.

    He never appeared openly in front of Luo Qiqi unless she was drunk or asleep, being satisfied with simply looking at her face.

    ¡­¡­

    Yue Wuxin tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep.

    She felt thating to Emperor City might have been the biggest mistake she made this year.

    She thought that Luo Qiqi would be in A City, anding to Emperor City had inadvertently allowed Su Jincheng to meet Luo Qiqi.

    It was actually Su Jincheng that Luo Qiqi spotted at the bar previously.

    Su Jincheng avoided Luo Qiqi as best as he could to keep his promise to Yue Wuxin, but Yue Wuxin was painfully aware that Luo Qiqi was the only one on Su Jincheng¡¯s mind.

    Yue Wuxin thought that she could make Su Jincheng fall for her within three years, but she had underestimated his feelings for Luo Qiqi. Su Jincheng showed no signs of giving up on Luo Qiqi even after such a long time.

    Yue Wuxin was someone who always got what she wanted, but this time, she was unable to obtain Su Jincheng.

    Su Jincheng was probably unaware that he had actually saved Yue Wuxin¡¯s life once in the Soviet Union.

    Because of that, Yue Wuxin had been searching for him all these years. It was coincidence which led to her meeting Ming Ruoyuan, and who knew that fate would actually have them look for the exact same person.

    Yue Wuxin had her own ns to get Su Jincheng, but she never expected Ming Ruoyuan to act so quickly.

    With how scheming Ming Ruoyuan was, she would probably never have expected to fail!

    What surprised Yue Wuxin was that Su Jincheng was not the least bit interested in her after all this time.

    She finally realized that it was impossible to force someone else to ept her feelings.

    Even though she knew this, she resented it.

    It was out of gratitude that she helped Su Jincheng in the past, but after spending two years with him, she had already fallen deeply for Su Jincheng.

    <i>Why couldn¡¯t Su Jincheng look at me for once? Luo Qiqi loves him, but I love him too! I can do so much for him!</i>

    Yue Wuxin¡¯s eyes were filled with tears as she cried herself to sleep.

    <sup>[1]</sup> Reference to a fable:

 Chapter 312 â€“ Acting Drunk

    <h4>Chapter 312 ¨C Acting Drunk</h4>

    Luo Qiqi woke up at noon the next day gued with a horrible hangover.

    She rubbed her temples to ease the headache and suddenly realized that she seemed to have gotten drunkst night.

    <i>Who sent me back?</i>

    <i>Why do I have a feeling that I saw Su Jinchengst night?</i>

    She shook her head at the thought. <i>I must be retarded. I can¡¯t even tell dreams from reality.</i>

    After sitting in a daze for a while longer, she finally came to the conclusion that she had indeed gotten drunkst night. But everything that happened felt so real to her!

    She walked to the bathroom in her confused state.

    <i>If it wasn¡¯t real, then who sent me backst night?</i>

    <i>If it really happened, then why did Su Jincheng avoid me like that? Doesn''t he know that I¡¯m looking for him?</i>

    <i>Was everything only my imagination?</i>

    Still in a daze, she went downstairs for lunch.

    When night fell, she returned to her room, still feeling confused about all that happened.

    After some contemtion, she grabbed her jacket and headed for the bar again.

    She sat in the exact same spot, and when that same group of men saw her at the bar, they avoided her entirely as if they saw a ghost.

    Luo Qiqi was surprised at their reaction. <i>Was I so terrifying?</i>

    <i>I just taught them a tiny lessonst night!</i>

    She then started drinking. There was a tiny glimmer of hope in her heart that the man she sawst night was Su Jincheng, and she refused to give up on that possibility.

    She looked around the bar as she drank but nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and there was nobody who looked the least bit like Su Jincheng.

    She then ordered several bottles of beer and tried to drown herself in drinks. However, she couldn¡¯t get drunk no matter how much she drank, because she was still painfully aware that she felt very upset.

    An idea suddenly struck her while she was chugging her beer. <i>Would that man appear only if I got drunk?</i>

    She then sat up straight and chugged the rest of the bottle, causing her to choke on the beer.

    Taking the bottle with her, she staggered outside. Luo Qiqi definitely looked very drunk at this point.

    Once out of the bar, she found a trash bin and started vomiting into it.

    Feeling a little better, she rinsed her mouth with the leftover beer in the bottle and threw it on the ground.

    She walked to a nearby tree and hugged it, looking as if she was hugging a bolster to sleep.

    The passersby who spotted her treated her like an alcoholic, and nobody bothered her.

    Luo Qiqi waited for a long while for the man to appear, but he didn¡¯t. This made her think that everything that happenedst night was just a dream, but another idea then struck her.

    She fell to the ground.

    Fragments of what happenedst night seemed toe back to her as shey upon the cold ground.

    Someone seemed to approach her after a while.

    This made Luo Qiqi anxious, but disappointment filled her when she heard an unfamiliar voice.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this woman?¡±

    ¡°Who knows. She might be faking it. Let¡¯s just leave her alone!¡±

    Luo Qiqi sighed inwardly. <i>These were just strangers.</i>

    She continued with her act, believing that the man would appear again if it wasn¡¯t just a dream she had.

    Luo Qiqiy there peacefully with her eyes shut, patiently waiting.

    However, no one else appeared even after about half an hour.

    When Luo Qiqi was almost about to give up, she heard a set of gentle but steady footsteps closing in.

    This reignited that glimmer of hope she had.

    She heard the man sigh to himself before carrying her in his arms.

    The familiar scent filled her with joy instantly.

    This time, she did not dare open her eyes for fear of being disappointed again.

    It pained Su Jincheng to see her like this.

    <i>She isn¡¯t that weak against alcohol to begin with, but she¡¯s been drinking so much these two days, it¡¯s as if she wants to drown herself in alcohol.</i>

    He swept her hair out of her face and looked at her gently.

    No matter how much he wanted to be with her, he couldn¡¯t do so, not at this time.

    He didn¡¯t want to put her in danger.

    Everyone knew that Luo Qiqi was his only weakness, and he was very afraid that she would be used against him.

    He then carried Luo Qiqi back to the hotel.

    After entering the room, he went to the bathroom to get a towel, nning to help Luo Qiqi wipe her face just as he didst night.

    At this point, Luo Qiqi had already opened her eyes and she was eyeing his every move!

    Su Jincheng walked out of the bathroom to see a wide-eyed Luo Qiqi staring at him. She was afraid to blink, as if fearing that he would disappear at any moment.

    This stunned Su Jincheng. He never thought that Luo Qiqi would pretend to be drunk.

    They stared at each other for quite a while.

    She then pulled on his sleeve suddenly.

    ¡°Why did you do that?¡±

    Su Jincheng fell forwards onto the bed with the force, looking at Luo Qiqi as he wondered what to say.

    He knew her all too well. She didn¡¯t care that it would be dangerous. All she wanted was to be together with the one she loved.

    But from Su Jincheng¡¯s point of view, he wasn¡¯t able to protect her at this point, and he didn¡¯t want her to be in any sort of danger.

    ¡°Talk to me! Have you gone mute!¡± Luo Qiqi¡¯s emotions were running high.

    Luo Qiqi was trying to make sense of everything that had happened.

    <i>So he knew that I¡¯ve been searching for him, and he has always been nearby, it¡¯s just that he refused to show himself. Why did he approach me then? Why even send me back here?</i>

    Su Jincheng tried to exin. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Yaya. I didn¡¯t do this on purpose...¡±

    Luo Qiqi cut him off. ¡°Don¡¯t call me Yaya!¡±

    Su Jincheng was stunned into silence.

    Luo Qiqi red at him angrily.

    ¡°Were you fine after falling off that cliff?¡±

    ¡°I was unconscious for three months.¡±

    ¡°Then did you forget everything after that?¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you look for me? Don¡¯t you know that I¡¯ve been searching high and low for you? Why didn¡¯t you return to The Dark Night? Don¡¯t you know that The Dark Night and Sin Eliminators are already at loggerheads now?¡±

    ¡°Qiqi, you don¡¯t understand...¡±

    ¡°Yes! I don¡¯t understand! I¡¯ve been looking for you like a crazy fool for the past two years when everyone else believed you to be dead! I was the only one who insisted that you were still alive. What have you been doing all this time!¡±

    Su Jincheng reached out to hug her. ¡°Qiqi, listen to me!¡±

    This calmed Luo Qiqi down a little.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯ve forgotten, and it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t love you. I thought I would die at the time, and I never expected to be saved by Yue Wuxin. She asked me to be her bodyguard for three years in order to repay the debt, but the catch was that I¡¯m not supposed to reveal myself to you before these three years are up. We happened toe to Emperor City and it was pure coincidence that I saw you at the bar previously. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m avoiding you, it¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t want to go back on my promise.¡±

    Luo Qiqi understood where he wasing from, but it didn¡¯t stop her from feeling upset.

    She spent thest two years wondering if he was alive, and wondering if she was too naive for even considering such a possibility...

    <i>He did it to keep a promise, but how can thatpare to what I¡¯ve been through for the past two years!</i>

    Sheughed suddenly. ¡°You said you¡¯re not supposed to reveal yourself to me, but what about now? Are you going to kill me to keep that promise of yours now that I¡¯ve seen you?¡±

    Su Jincheng frowned at this. ¡°Qiqi, don¡¯t say that! You know I¡¯d never do that!¡±

    This infuriated Luo Qiqi. ¡°What? Am I wrong? What do I know? I, Luo Qiqi, seemed to have never understood you, Su Jincheng!¡±

 Chapter 313 â€“ On Standby

    <h4>Chapter 313 ¨C On Standby</h4>

    Su Jincheng stood up and backed away.

    ¡°Qiqi...¡±

    Luo Qiqi turned away from him and said, ¡°Go away. I don¡¯t want to see you again!¡±

    ¡°You really don¡¯t want to see me again?¡± Su Jincheng asked in disbelief.

    Luo Qiqiughed in self-mockery. ¡°Yes. Well, at least I know that you¡¯re still alive. Leave. I won¡¯t see you again so that you can keep your promise!¡±

    Su Jincheng hugged her from behind, surprising Luo Qiqi as he did so.

    ¡°I won¡¯t give up on you. I¡¯lle back for you a yearter, after I¡¯ve finished repaying that debt to Yue Wuxin.¡±

    ¡°Do as you please!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not entirely because of Yue Wuxin that I¡¯m doing this. When I woke up two years ago, The Dark Night had already been overtaken by somebody else. I couldn¡¯t return even if I wanted to at that point. They have instructions to kill me on sight if I¡¯m found!¡±

    He paused before continuing, ¡°I¡¯m not avoiding you. You¡¯ll be in danger with me around, and I don¡¯t ever want to put you in such a situation. Believe me when I say you¡¯re the only one in my heart. I¡¯ll make sure to keep my promise to you ande back to you a yearter. We¡¯ll be together after that, okay?¡±

    He waited expectantly for Luo Qiqi¡¯s answer.

    Luo Qiqi seemed rather disoriented, but she eventually answered, ¡°Fine, I can wait a year. Su Jincheng, I¡¯ll really leave you this time if you disappoint me!¡±

    Su Jincheng nodded. ¡°Okay. You¡¯ll leave me if I disappoint you!¡±

    Luo Qiqi then fell silent.

    Su Jincheng hugged her tight, but before he could say anything more, his mobile phone started ringing.

    Luo Qiqi turned to look at him.

    It was Yue Wuxin calling. Su Jincheng nced at Luo Qiqi involuntarily.

    Having already spotted the caller identification, Luo Qiqi said, ¡°Answer it. Why are you looking at me?¡±

    He then answered the call only to hear Yue Wuxin sounding extremely annoyed.

    ¡°Jincheng, did you go to that bar to look for that woman again? Didn¡¯t you promise that you wouldn¡¯t show yourself to her? You¡¯re taking the opportunity to meet her whenever she¡¯s drunk. I¡¯m going to go back on my word now. You can¡¯t reveal yourself to her and you can¡¯t meet her either. I¡¯m right outside her room now. Come out. We¡¯ll go back together.¡±

    Yue Wuxin¡¯s voice was so loud that Luo Qiqi had heard everything.

    Su Jincheng¡¯s expression darkened.

    ¡°Yue Wuxin, I agreed to be your bodyguard for three years, not to sell my freedom to you. Don¡¯t go too far!¡±

    Hearing his tone of voice, Yue Wuxin retorted immediately.

    ¡°Jincheng, I know there¡¯s not many things you care about. You know what? I¡¯ll tell The Dark Night that you¡¯re alive if you don¡¯t go back with me now. I¡¯ll tell them that you¡¯re alive and you¡¯re with Luo Qiqi. Isn¡¯t she from Interpol? Isn¡¯t she the princess in Sin Eliminators? No matter who she is now, she¡¯d be the perfect target for The Dark Night! I¡¯ll see what you do next! I¡¯m going to wait for a maximum of two minutes. You know the consequences if you refuse toe out!¡±

    Yue Wuxin spoke in a lower tone this time, and Luo Qiqi couldn¡¯t really hear everything, but she knew that it couldn¡¯t be good judging from Su Jincheng¡¯s stormy expression.

    ¡°Wait there, I¡¯ming out!¡±

    After ending the call, Su Jincheng grabbed Luo Qiqi¡¯s phone and input his number in it.

    ¡°Qiqi, this is my number now. You can call me anytime. I need to go back to Russia with Yue Wuxin for now, but no matter what, don¡¯t forget our promise. One year.¡±

    He then turned to leave.

    Luo Qiqi watched him with sorrow in her eyes.

    Instead of feeling happy that Su Jincheng was alive, she felt dazed and confused instead.

    <i>Fine, isn¡¯t it just one year? I¡¯ll just take that time to travel and take a look at the world.</i>

    Su Jincheng saw Yue Wuxin leaning against the wall once he exited the room.

    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±

    ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to see her, that¡¯s all. I can¡¯t stand it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business!¡±

    ¡°Then why did youe out?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have if you didn¡¯t threaten me!¡±

    Su Jincheng frowned at Yue Wuxin as he spoke, but he just made her angrier.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been together these past two years. Is our rtionship worth nothingpared to that woman!¡±

    ¡°How can you evenpare yourself to her? I¡¯m fulfilling a promise to you. Yue Wuxin, please get this clear, or else don¡¯t me me for being impolite!¡±

    Incensed, Yue Wuxin turned away.

    ¡°Fine. As a bodyguard, aren¡¯t you supposed to follow me wherever I go? Su Jincheng, know your ce!¡±

    She then made her way out of the hotel.

    Su Jincheng suddenly regretted the choices he made in the past. Yue Wuxin had other ideas about him, and because of that, their rtionship was only made moreplicated.

    He followed Yue Wuxin out of the hotel.

    They returned to Russia that very night.

    The first thing Yue Wuxin did upon arrival was to go visit her mother.

    Her mother told her that there were two ways to a man¡¯s heart. The first was to travel with him and let him be attracted to you, while the other was to have good cooking skills.

    As they all say, the key to a man¡¯s heart was through his stomach.

    Yue Wuxin, however, had never stepped into a kitchen.

    She thus decided to go with the option of travel. She thought that everything would be fine as long as they avoided A City, and she even thought that Su Jincheng might be happier if they visited Emperor City since it was the capital of his homnd.

    Never would she have expected for them to meet Luo Qiqi there.

    What frustrated her even more was that Su Jincheng acted like an emotionless statue throughout their trip, refusing to say a single word. It was as if protecting Yue Wuxin was the only reason he was there with her.

    Yue Wuxin hated it.

    She dived into her mother¡¯s arms when she arrived back home. ¡°Mum, he¡¯s totally ignoring me. Your suggestions didn¡¯t work at all!¡±

    Her mother, Song Xiaoxiao, gave her another suggestion right away.

    ¡°Seduce him then. There¡¯s no man who can resist seduction. He¡¯ll have to marry you if he touches you!¡±

    Song Xiaoxiao gave that suggestion because she knew that people in Russia were more open-minded to begin with, and it wasn¡¯t something she found taboo either.

    Yue Wuxin was rather surprised at this.

    ¡°Mum, what if he still rejects me after that?¡±

    Song Xiaoxiao said, ¡°Drug him. It doesn¡¯t matter since you guys will be together eventually anyway!¡±

    Song Xiaoxiao smirked as she watched Yue Wuxin skip her way out with a smile.

    <i>It¡¯s just too bad that Yue Wuxin isn¡¯t my real daughter!</i>

    Six months ago, Song Xiaoxiao found out that her husband, Pedrov, had exchanged her baby daughter with the daughter he had with his mistress.

    She learnt that Yue Wuxin was not her biological daughter only after two decades!

    Hatred shed in her eyes. <i>Pedrov, I¡¯ll make you pay for this!</i>

    <i></i><i>You can be sure that your daughter will go through so much pain!</i>

 Chapter 314 â€“ Giving Up Oneâ€™s Body

    <h4>Chapter 314 ¨C Giving Up One¡¯s Body</h4>

    Yue Wuxin left Song Xiaoxiao¡¯s room happily, oblivious to whatever the older woman was nning.

    She got her hands on some aphrodisiacs and found Su Jincheng in his room when she returned at night.

    She heard the shower as she walked in. An image of a pretty boy who just stepped out of the shower instantly appeared in her mind¡¯s eye.

    She blushed at the thought. <i>I feel so shy right now. I don¡¯t even have experience with this.</i>

    Spotting a ss of water on the desk, she poured the drug into it right away.

    She smiled as she watched the white powder dissolve. <i>This man belongs to me!</i>

    She then sat down at the edge of bed and waited for Su Jincheng toe out of the shower.

    Yue Wuxin¡¯s heart thumped wildly when she heard the shower stop. <i>Is it really a good idea for me to be this forward?</i>

    She stared anxiously at the bathroom door, nervous about what might happen next.

    The door finally opened and out walked Su Jincheng with nothing but a towel around his waist.

    He was surprised to see Yue Wuxin on his bed, and it was highly unusual for her toe looking for him at this hour.

    Yue Wuxin looked bashful when she saw him walk out, causing Su Jincheng to frown immediately.

    He turned back and dressed himself in a bathrobe, securing it tightly around him before he walked out for a second time.

    <i>What¡¯s up with him? Did he dislike me so much that I can¡¯t even take a look at him?</i>

    <i>If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯ll just have to force it upon you! I¡¯m going to take photos and send it to Luo Qiqi after that!</i>

    <i>Luo Qiqi would probably never forgive him!</i>

    The n satisfied Yue Wuxin.

    She stood up elegantly and walked up to Su Jincheng.

    However, Su Jincheng acted like she was invisible. Instead, he walked over to the desk, picked up the ss of water and immediately chugged the entire ss.

    The initial irritation Yue Wuxin felt after being ignored was gone after seeing him drink the entire ss of water.

    She turned to look at him, excited as she watched the water drip down his throat.

    Sounding annoyed, Su Jincheng said, ¡°It¡¯ste. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re nning to go out at such an hour?¡±

    Yue Wuxin smiled. ¡°Nope. It¡¯s just that my bathroom is spoiled, so I wanted to borrow yours!¡±

    ¡°Why do you have to use mine? There are so many other rooms in this house!¡±

    ¡°I just want to take a shower in your room!¡± Yue Wuxin pouted as she spoke, sounding like a whiny little girl.

    ¡°Stop that. Are you leaving? I¡¯ll go if you want to stay!¡±

    <i>What? I can¡¯t let him leave now!</i>

    She grabbed his arm and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay! I¡¯ll use another room. You go ahead and rest!¡±

    She then left unwillingly.

    Su Jincheng locked the door before calling Luo Qiqi.

    ¡°Hello!¡±

    A smile crept up on him as he heard Luo Qiqi¡¯s cheerful voice.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m suntanning at the beach. Wannae?¡±

    Su Jinchengughed. ¡°I¡¯ll travel the world with you when I have time in future, okay?¡±

    Luo Qiqi scoffed at him. ¡°Fulfill that noble promise of yours first!¡±

    He knew Luo Qiqi was teasing him on purpose, since she was someone who kept her promises as well.

    But at the same time, he knew that it still upset her.

    He really regretted his decision at the moment.

    ¡°Qiqi, I miss you...¡±

    Luo Qiqi was caught unawares by that sudden affection of his.

    ¡°Go on with whatever you¡¯re supposed to do. I¡¯m going to stay for a while longer at the beach!¡±

    She then ended the call before Su Jincheng could say anything.

    Luo Qiqi was happy but angry at the same time. <i>Just what are they? Why did he have to say something like that?</i>

    She kicked at the sand at her feet in annoyance.

    Su Jincheng felt unwell immediately after ending the call. He felt his temperature suddenly rising and the blood flowing to hisher regions. He suddenly understood what happened.

    He looked around the room, trying to spot anything which might be out of ce. His gaze thennded on the ss he drank from earlier.

    <i>It¡¯s no wonder Yue Wuxin acted so unusually tonight. It was her.</i>

    In his anger, he swept the ss to the floor.

    Someone knocked on the door right at this moment.

    He would be an idiot if he still didn¡¯t know what Yue Wuxin was nning!

    He walked towards the door and asked in barely suppressed rage, ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Yue Wuxin spoke in a gentle voice, ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to discuss with you. Could you open the door?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk tomorrow. I¡¯m going to sleep now!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to get someone to open the door if you don¡¯t. I have to see you tonight!¡±

    <i>Lies!</i>

    <i>She¡¯s doing this even when she already knows that I only have eyes for Luo Qiqi! Fine, I¡¯ll show her my determination!</i>

    He then opened the door.

    Yue Wuxin was leaning against the door and she didn¡¯t expect Su Jincheng to suddenly open it.

    She fell right into his chest as the door opened.

    <i>I nned everything but this wasn¡¯t a part of my n!</i>

    <i>It works anyhow!</i>

    She held onto his waist and said, ¡°Jincheng, I want to talk to you tonight!¡±

    Su Jincheng was unable to dodge in time and he could feel Yue Wuxin¡¯s soft curves as she fell upon him, causing his body to react immediately!

    He pushed her away and red at her.

    ¡°What are you trying to do? Are you trying to make me despise you by doing this? Why are you doing this to yourself?¡±

    This stunned Yue Wuxin.

    <i>I wouldn¡¯t be doing this if it weren¡¯t for you!</i>

    She was in a slip that ended just below her buttocks, revealing a pair of beautiful legs beneath, and her perky breasts peeked out at the chest.

    Su Jincheng turned away. ¡°Yue Wuxin, our agreement will end here if you don¡¯t leave. We¡¯ll sever all ties!¡±

    Yue Wuxin looked devastated.

    ¡°Jincheng, don¡¯t do that. I didn¡¯t do this on purpose. I just, I just like you so much and you don¡¯t even know...¡±

    Su Jincheng cut her off unceremoniously, ¡°Get out!¡±

    He knew that he would be unable to control himself for much longer. He resolved to stay loyal to Luo Qiqi no matter what, and he was genuinely afraid of what might happen if Yue Wuxin stayed any longer!

    Though Su Jincheng¡¯s tone was extremely harsh, Yue Wuxin refused to budge.

    ¡°Jincheng, don¡¯t reject me like that! I met you before Luo Qiqi did. You saved me and I have fallen in love with you since then. Why won¡¯t you give me a chance? Do you hate me so much?¡±

    This shocked Su Jincheng.?<i>Yue Wuxin was that little girl!</i>

    <i>Right! She¡¯s the right age.</i>

    <i>But she can¡¯t do this simply because of what happened years ago!</i>

    After a moment of contemtion, Su Jincheng walked over to the bedside drawer.

    Yue Wuxin watched him in puzzlement, wondering what he was doing. <i>I¡¯ve already told him the truth. He can¡¯t possibly remain indifferent!</i>

 Chapter 315 â€“ Bravery

    <h4>Chapter 315 ¨C Bravery</h4>

    Yue Wuxin watched in stunned silence as Su Jincheng picked up a fruit knife from the bedside table, causing her to back away a little.

    What Su Jincheng did next shocked Yue Wuxin. He shed at his own shoulder with the knife and blood began pouring from the cut.

    She never expected him to hurt himself with the knife.

    Before she could say anything else, Su Jincheng shed at his arm again. His robe was already dyed red.

    Yue Wuxin could only watch in utter shock.

    Su Jincheng felt a lot more alert now.

    Staring at Yue Wuxin, he said, ¡°This isn¡¯t how you should express your gratitude to me. Put on your clothes and get out!¡±

    Su Jincheng¡¯s tone left no room for discussion.

    <i>What! He¡¯d rather reject me like this?</i>

    Yue Wuxin felt shaken. Her tears were already falling.

    ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll leave! But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m giving up on you, Su Jincheng!¡±

    As she turned to leave, Su Jincheng said, ¡°I don¡¯t have feelings for you!¡±

    Hearing this made Yue Wuxin bury her face in her hands as she ran away.

    Though he was now more alert, those shes did not counter the effects of the drug as he started feeling its effects again.

    Frowning, he quickly locked the door, took out the first aid kit and cleaned up his injuries.

    The injuries were not severe and could be quickly treated.

    He then switched on the tap in the bathtub and filled it up with cold water before stepping in.

    The icy water helped to counter the effects of the drug as he submerged himself in it.

    He finally felt the drug wear off after five whole hours, when every inch of his skin was already wrinkled.

    Su Jincheng walked out and cleaned himself up with a clean towel before crashing onto the bed and falling asleep.

    Instead of achieving what she set out to do, Yue Wuxin simply pushed Su Jincheng further away from her with what happened the night before.

    Yue Wuxin rushed up to Song Xiaoxiao after breakfast the next day.

    Song Xiaoxiao frowned at her. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Upset, Yue Wuxin said, ¡°He¡¯d rather hurt himself than ept me. Mum, your method didn¡¯t work on him at all!¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t work?¡±

    <i>Someone like that actually existed?</i>

    She then asked, ¡°Does he already have feelings for someone else? Do you know who it is?¡±

    <i>Someone he likes? There is someone like that. He loves her so much that he wouldn¡¯t even look at me when I¡¯m right in front of him.</i>

    It was obvious that Yue Wuxin was unwilling to share more, and Song Xiaoxiao smirked at this.

    ¡°Wuxin, you¡¯ll have to tell me the truth if you want my help.¡±

    Yue Wuxin relented eventually.

    ¡°He likes this girl called Luo Qiqi. She was from Interpol. She¡¯s the only one on his mind, and he doesn¡¯t care about anyone else. He might already have gone to her if I didn¡¯t get him to be my bodyguard three years ago.¡±

    Song Xiaoxiao patted her on the shoulder.

    ¡°Silly child. You¡¯ll have to go after him if you love him. Telling him not to see that woman again will only make him think of her more.¡±

    After a short pause, she continued, ¡°Don¡¯t give way to her. Compete with her.¡±

    ¡°Go look for Luo Qiqi, if you know what I mean. Show Su Jincheng how genuine you are. Also, you should know when to show your fragile side as a woman. It¡¯s human nature to take pity on weaker individuals. It would be more difficult for you to capture Su Jincheng¡¯s heart if you don¡¯t show any signs of weakness.¡±

    Yue Wuxin looked confused.

    Song Xiaoxiao shook her head at this. ¡°My dear child, you look so lost. You¡¯re just not crafty enough, or else why would Su Jincheng not be tempted after spending two years with you!¡±

    She took Yue Wuxin¡¯s hand in hers and said, ¡°I¡¯ll teach you a few other methods. You can try them to see if they work, and try to think about other methods on your own.¡±

    After pondering for a moment, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s say you¡¯re arguing with that woman in the living room when Su Jincheng happened to walk in. At this point, all you have to do is act like an innocent girl and pretend you didn¡¯t see him there. You can tell Luo Qiqi that she has already given her blessings to the both of you, and ask her why she¡¯s treating you like that. You can even try hurting yourself if need be, to mislead Su Jincheng into thinking that Luo Qiqi had hurt you. If you do that, you won¡¯t be in such a passive position anymore. Get it?¡±

    Yue Wuxin looked a little unsure after hearing the suggestion, but she said, ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll do anything to make Su Jincheng fall for me, and I¡¯ll make that woman pay!¡±

    Song Xiaoxiao then said, ¡°Wuxin, just know that Mum has your best interests at heart!¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Yue Wuxin nodded. ¡°I should leave Su Jincheng as soon as I can and look for Luo Qiqi instead. Su Jincheng will see my generosity and he¡¯ll feel grateful to me while I can challenge Luo Qiqi at the same time. She won¡¯t be able to shake me off even if she obtained Su Jincheng in the end. I hope she backs out of this soon!¡±

    Yue Wuxin grinned to herself as she spoke.

    Song Xiaoxiao said, ¡°That¡¯s great. You should pursue him since you¡¯ve fallen for him.¡±

    Though Yue Wuxin did not fully agree with Song Xiaoxiao¡¯s viewpoint, she knew that her own mother would not put her in harm¡¯s way.

    She nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll work hard on this, but...¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t be able to meet Dad again since I¡¯m leaving so soon!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You¡¯ll be able to meet him next time. You can spend as much time as you want with your Dad at home after you get married to Su Jincheng!¡±

    ¡°Mm, got it. I¡¯ll go pack up now. Love you, Mum!¡±

    Yue Wuxin skipped away happily.

    Song Xiaoxiao¡¯s expression darkened immediately after Yue Wuxin left.

    <i>I wouldn¡¯t be doing this if Pedrov didn¡¯t switch my baby!</i>

    She felt bad when she saw how much Yue Wuxin trusted her. <i>But I¡¯ve already spent more than twenty years taking care of you, and you¡¯re not even my daughter!</i>

    <i>It¡¯s not my fault, Pedrov. You¡¯re the one to me. You simply pretended not to know anything. You should be ming yourself if your daughter doesn¡¯t return after this trip!</i>

    Yue Wuxin headed straight to Su Jincheng¡¯s room after that.

    Su Jincheng answered in a hoarse voice when she knocked on the door.

    ¡°Jincheng, are you okay? What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your voice? Are you sick? Open the door!¡±

    Feeling annoyed, Su Jincheng walked over to open the door but he stood in the doorway to prevent Yue Wuxin from entering.

    <i>He must still be wary of me after what happenedst night.</i>

    <i>That was really a bad move on my part.</i>

    She looked up to see a pallid face.

    ¡°Jincheng, are you sick? I¡¯ll get you a doctor!¡±

    Su Jincheng reached out to stop her from leaving but sucked in a breath when the movement ended up reopening the cuts on his arm.

    Yue Wuxin turned back in concern. ¡°Jincheng, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    She saw Su Jincheng holding onto his arm in pain.

 Chapter 316 â€“ Seeing the Fake Sanya

    <h4>Chapter 316 ¨C Seeing the Fake Sanya</h4>

    Yue Wuxin asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Su Jincheng shook his head, wishing to himself that she could leave soon.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just a headache! I probably got a cold!¡±

    He then stood there in silence.

    <i>A cold? How did that happen?</i>

    She had no idea that he stayed in a tub of icy water for five hoursst night.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get some medicine for you then. Take some first, okay?¡±

    Su Jincheng stared at her. <i>Does she think I¡¯ll dare ingest whatever she gives me now?</i>

    ¡°I don¡¯t need that. Please leave. I¡¯ll be closing the door!¡±

    Yue Wuxin quickly stopped him.

    ¡°Wait, Jincheng. I thought about what happened yesterday. Go ahead to look for Luo Qiqi. I¡¯d also like to take some time to travel and since you¡¯re my bodyguard, how about we travel together? I won¡¯t do anything else to Luo Qiqi. Trust me on this, okay?¡±

    Su Jincheng was surprised to hear this.

    He watched her with suspicion. ¡°You¡¯re allowing me to meet Luo Qiqi? Weren¡¯t you the one who said that I¡¯m not allowed to meet her as long as I¡¯m your bodyguard?¡±

    Yue Wuxin shook her head. ¡°That was in the past. Since you don¡¯t have feelings for me and you also saved my life once, you don¡¯t have to keep that promise anymore. Everything seems to be clear now that I¡¯ve really thought about it. I¡¯d like to go travelling for a bit. Let¡¯s go look for Luo Qiqi, and you can have a proper conversation with her then. Let¡¯s go together, okay?¡±

    Su Jincheng contemted this. <i>It was unlikely that Yue Wuxin would be able to do anything with him around.</i>

    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s leave after I recover from my cold! I¡¯ve already taken some medicine so you don¡¯t have to bring me any more!¡±

    Yue Wuxin nodded and returned to her room.

    Being healthy, Su Jincheng was able to recover extremely quickly and he was already as good as new by lunchtime.

    They then left in the afternoon.

    Su Jincheng was aware of Luo Qiqi¡¯s location since he always asked her where she was when they spoke on the phone.

    However, he didn¡¯t tell Luo Qiqi that he was visiting because he wanted to give her a surprise.

    Luo Qiqi was taking a vacation in Sanya, and Su Jincheng had already checked on which hotel and room she was staying in!

    Su Jincheng and Yue Wuxin headed straight for the hotel upon arrival.

    Yue Wuxin¡¯s room was directly opposite Luo Qiqi¡¯s, while Su Jincheng¡¯s room was the one beside Luo Qiqi.

    While Yue Wuxin was still thinking about whether she should knock on Luo Qiqi¡¯s door to create some sort of misunderstanding, Su Jincheng had already made his move.

    He called Luo Qiqi when he was still in his room.

    Luo Qiqi just came out of the shower before she answered the phone.

    Since they had just spoken not long ago, she said, ¡°What? Why aren¡¯t you protecting your boss in Russia? Why do you keep calling me!¡±

    Su Jincheng smiled. ¡°Who made you so upset? Let me teach him a lesson!¡±

    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t dare trouble you on that. You¡¯re supposed to belong to somebody else now!¡±

    ¡°I smell jealousy in the air!¡±

    ¡°You just have a bad sense of smell!¡±

    ¡°Is that so!¡± Su Jincheng¡¯s grin grew wider.

    ¡°Is this why you called? You called and asked me a thousand and one questions earlier, and now you¡¯re just spouting nonsense. Don¡¯t you have a job to do?¡±

    Su Jincheng then coughed to clear his throat.

    ¡°I¡¯m just bored. My dear Miss Luo Qiqi, can you tell me what you¡¯re up to right now?¡±

    Luo Qiqi took a sip of water before answering. ¡°I just took a shower and I¡¯m nning to go to the balcony to bask in the sun!¡±

    Su Jincheng walked towards the balcony in his room as he said, ¡°The sun in Sanya isn¡¯t too bad!¡±

    Luo Qiqiy on the lounge chair in the balcony and said, ¡°You¡¯re not even in Sanya. How would you know? It¡¯s raining here now, but the weather is still pretty hot!¡±

    Su Jincheng looked up at the cloudless, blue sky. There was not even a drizzle.

    ¡°Is that so? Why do I see that it¡¯s sunny in Sanya! Is it a fake Sanya I¡¯m seeing?¡±

    That surprised tone of his tickled Luo Qiqi.

    ¡°Told you you¡¯re not in Sanya. Of course it¡¯s a fake one!¡±

    ¡°How about you look up to your left!¡±

    Luo Qiqi turned to her left, wondering why he would tell her that.

    ¡°Even if I turn to my left, there would be nothing...¡±

    She stopped when she saw Su Jincheng standing at the balcony right beside hers.

    <i>What¡¯s going on? Isn¡¯t he supposed to be in Russia with Yue Wuxin? Why is he here?</i>

    Su Jincheng watched her with joy. ¡°What? Is it raining very heavily in Sanya? Why is the weather so different when we¡¯re only a wall apart?¡±

    <i>So he knew I was lying all this while.</i>

    Annoyed, she said, ¡°Who knows if you¡¯re really in Sanya. The weather there is different from what I see here!¡±

    Su Jincheng found her adorable.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m in a totally different Sanya. May I invite Miss Luo to my room for a visit!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going! Why are you here? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be with your owner? Did she allow you to go out on your own?¡±

    ¡°Qiqi, stop saying that she¡¯s my owner. You¡¯ll be my only owner. I¡¯m just repaying a debt to Yue Wuxin, which is why I agreed to be her bodyguard for three years. I¡¯m true to you!¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine, fine! Stop there!¡±

    ¡°So why are you here? Are you going to tell me that you¡¯ve sent me a present and that you are the present itself?¡±

    Su Jincheng smacked his own forehead at this. ¡°What a good idea. Why didn¡¯t I think of that? I should have stood at your door when I called and asked you to pick up a parcel!¡±

    Luo Qiqiughed.

    ¡°Come over then. I¡¯ll sign off on the delivery!¡±

    Su Jincheng looked at her. ¡°Really?¡±

    Luo Qiqi nodded. ¡°Really. I don¡¯t lie!¡±

    She raised a brow at him. <i>I¡¯ll see how you enter if I don¡¯t open the doorter!</i>

    Luo Qiqi was extremely satisfied with her n.

    In fact, Luo Qiqi was overjoyed that Su Jincheng was here.

    However, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to show him how happy she was because she was still annoyed at him for not telling her the truth for two whole years!

    Judging from that mischievous look on her face, Su Jincheng could already guess that Luo Qiqi must have wanted to y a trick on him.

    Instead of knocking on her door, he decided to jump over the balcony railing into her balcony directly.

    Luo Qiqi was rather surprised at this. She knew that he could have easily hopped over, but she didn¡¯t expect him to really do that.

    Su Jincheng then swept her up in an embrace.

    <i>Gosh, what¡¯s up with this guy!</i>

    Back in the room, they caught up with each other and the conversation turned to The Dark Night.

    The rivalry between The Dark Night and Sin Eliminators was already giving Luo Qiqi a major headache. She didn¡¯t want Su Jincheng to return to The Dark Night if possible.

    However, Su Jincheng told her that The Dark Night was something he would never give up on, and he refused to see the two organizations continue being at loggerheads with each other either.

    He wanted to put The Dark Night back on the right track before leaving the organization.

    He felt that it was because of him that The Dark Night turned into what it is today. Things might not have taken such a turn only if he had been more careful in the past.

    Luo Qiqi understood his point of view and expressed her support. ¡°I¡¯ll help you take back The Dark Night and put it in the hands of those who are capable. We won¡¯t let it be a tool for violence and we won¡¯t let it be used as a weapon against Sin Eliminators either!¡±

    Su Jincheng looked at Luo Qiqi with loving eyes as she continued, ¡°Believe me, I¡¯m no weakling. I¡¯ll be with you for the entire journey!¡±

 Chapter 317 â€“ Yue Wuxinâ€™s Self-injury Ruse

    <h4>Chapter 317 ¨C Yue Wuxin¡¯s Self-injury Ruse</h4>

    Su Jincheng grabbed her hand tightly in his, unwilling to let go.

    It was at this very moment that he realized his woman was never a fragile flower but a capable and formidable woman.

    He trusted her fully. He wanted to spend every moment with her and go through everything with her. He believed that he had the ability to protect her and give her a future.

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s stomach grumbled suddenly.

    She stuck out her tongue at this. Su Jincheng frowned at her. ¡°Didn¡¯t eat breakfast?¡±

    Luo Qiqi nodded. ¡°My body clock¡¯s been stuck after staying in Emperor City. I wake up at about eleven or twelve and it¡¯s already the afternoon by the time I finish taking a shower.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯ll just head to lunch usually?¡±

    Luo Qiqi smiled and pulled on his arm. ¡°Let¡¯s go get food. I¡¯ll haunt you if I starve to death!¡±

    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s get some food. Because somebody didn¡¯t eat breakfast!¡±

    Luo Qiqi kicked him yfully. ¡°Food!¡±

    Su Jinchengughed as the both of them headed out.

    The door opposite them opened just as they walked out of the room.

    Yue Wuxin had no idea that she would meet Luo Qiqi like that. She thought that Su Jincheng was not aware of Luo Qiqi¡¯s current location and that he was still looking for her. Who knew she would actually meet the both of them just as she stepped out of her room.

    Yue Wuxin was surprised to see Su Jincheng. He looked at Luo Qiqi so gently and he looked so happy beside her. She had never seen such an expression on him before.

    The Su Jincheng she knew was cold and emotionless. <i>Is that really him?</i>

    It was Su Jincheng for sure, but it wasn¡¯t the Su Jincheng she knew.

    He didn¡¯t love her. He loved the woman who was standing beside him right now, and he would only show that side of him to that woman alone.

    <i>I was too naive thinking that they weren¡¯t in contact with each other. Su Jincheng probably already knew where Luo Qiqi was all along.</i>

    <i>It was no wonder he requested for a specific room when we were checking in earlier.</i>

    Luo Qiqi was stunned when she saw Yue Wuxin.

    She knew that Yue Wuxin was the one who disappeared with Su Jincheng years ago. Though Luo Qiqi tried her very best to investigate Yue Wuxin, she couldn¡¯t find any useful information at all.

    Pedrov was the one backing Yue Wuxin. He protected his own daughter very well and kept her real identity hidden. Others would think that she was just another normal agent.

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s expression darkened immediately.

    <i>Su Jincheng didn¡¯te here for me. He¡¯s here because Yue Wuxin is here too, and he¡¯s just dropping by since it¡¯s convenient.</i>

    <i>It looks like they travelled here together. But didn¡¯t he say that Yue Wuxin didn¡¯t allow us to be together? Isn¡¯t he scared that Yue Wuxin would say that he¡¯s the one going back on his word now?</i>

    Su Jincheng knew what was going on in Luo Qiqi¡¯s mind when he saw her facial expression. He didn¡¯t exin things to Luo Qiqi earlier either.

    He squeezed Luo Qiqi¡¯s hand and looked at Yue Wuxin. ¡°Are you going out too?¡±

    Yue Wuxin adjusted herself very quickly and tried to suppress her emotions. She hated seeing Su Jincheng hold hands with Luo Qiqi, but she swallowed her bubbling anger.

    <i>I won¡¯t forget my goal!</i>

    She answered gently, ¡°Yup, I was about to go out for lunch. How about you guys? Shall we go have lunch together?¡±

    Luo Qiqi reacted immediately to Yue Wuxin¡¯s invitation. Before Su Jincheng could reject it, Luo Qiqi answered, ¡°Sure! Let¡¯s go together! The more the merrier!¡±

    Yue Wuxin stiffened a little. She didn¡¯t expect Luo Qiqi to ept her invitation so readily.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go then! Does Miss Luo have anywhere to rmend?¡±

    Luo Qiqi smiled. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve already been here for a few days now!¡±

    Luo Qiqi led them to a seafood restaurant which served their dishes in a variety of styles. Their barbecued seafood was also scrumptious.

    Luo Qiqi ordered a few of her favorite dishes and helped Su Jincheng order his too.

    Yue Wuxin ordered a few more dishes for Su Jincheng, saying, ¡°I think Jincheng¡¯s taste had changed a little in the past two years, so I helped him order a few more dishes. I hope Miss Luo doesn¡¯t mind it!¡±

    Though unhappy about it, Luo Qiqi said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. There¡¯s no reason for me to get angry at you when you¡¯re being thoughtful. Do I look like someone petty to you?¡±

    She then gave Yue Wuxin a winning smile. <i>ying mind games? Fine. I¡¯ll y with you. We¡¯ll see who emerges the winner!</i>

    Yue Wuxin didn¡¯t expect Luo Qiqi to be able to control her anger that well. <i>She didn¡¯t take the bait? I should be more careful then.</i>

    Su Jincheng excused himself to go to the washroom after they were done ordering.

    They went a little too heavy with the seasoning on their seafood here, so Luo Qiqi usually drank in water. After which, she would get a bottle of beer and go for a stroll along the beach.

    She thus got up and filled up two sses of water for herself and Su Jincheng.

    She then asked Yue Wuxin, ¡°Would you like some water? Or would you like a drink instead?¡±

    Yue Wuxin smiled at her. ¡°I¡¯d have to trouble Miss Luo to help me get a ss of water then!¡±

    Luo Qiqi returned the smile and said, ¡°Sure!¡±

    She then ced a ss of hot water in front of Yue Wuxin.

    Yue Wuxin reached out to grab her when she turned, causing the ss to fall and the boiling hot water to ssh onto Yue Wuxin¡¯s leg.

    Yue Wuxin frowned in pain.

    Su Jincheng happened to be walking over and from where he was, what he witnessed was that it was Luo Qiqi who caused the ss to topple and the water to ssh onto Yue Wuxin.

    He knew that Luo Qiqi was not the kind to y such tricks, but he still couldn¡¯t help but frown as he approached thedies.

    Still in pain, Yue Wuxin said, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I was careless!¡±

    Luo Qiqi stood there in shock. <i>I just meant to get her a ss of water. How did this happen?</i>

    <i>She was the one who reached out, but why does it look like I¡¯m the one who sshed the water on her now?</i>

    <i>I, Luo Qiqi, would never do something like that.</i>

    Before Luo Qiqi could ask Yue Wuxin why she reached out, Su Jincheng already walked over and checked Luo Qiqi¡¯s arm for injuries before turning to Yue Wuxin.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    With a pained expression, Yue Wuxin shook her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine! Miss Luo didn¡¯t do it on purpose. Don¡¯t me her!¡±

    Su Jincheng said, ¡°I won¡¯t me her for this. But don¡¯t you know how to avoid it when the ss fell? It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know how to protect yourself!¡±

    Yue Wuxin felt wronged. <i>I was the one who got hurt. Why is he ming me instead?</i>

    ¡°I was too careless...¡±

    Su Jincheng stopped chiding her and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get some ice for you. Put ice on it back at the hotel. Don¡¯t let blisters form!¡±

    He then walked towards the kitchen, appearing again shortly after with a bag of ice.

    He passed it to Yue Wuxin and said, ¡°Apply the ice on your own!¡±

    Yue Wuxin looked at him with adoring eyes. <i>I knew that he still cared for me even though he refused to say it.</i>

    She took the pack of ice and ced it on her leg.

    As the waiter swept up the broken pieces of ss, Luo Qiqi stood motionless at the side and watched everything unfold.

    This looked all too familiar. The exact same thing happened two years ago when she was having dinner with Ming Ruoyuan, Feng Liluo and Su Jincheng.

    She felt bitter all of a sudden. <i>How could Su Jincheng not realize anything wrong?</i>

    <i></i><i>Is he too dumb or am I the idiot? Could he be doing this on purpose?</i>

    This frustrated Luo Qiqi and she looked out of the restaurant as her thoughts floated further and further away from reality.

    She suddenly felt arge, warm hand over hers.

    Su Jincheng looked warmly at her. ¡°You were almost scalded earlier. Be careful. Stay away from these things next time. I don¡¯t want to see you hurt, not even a little bit!¡±

    Luo Qiqi felt a little better after hearing this.

    Yue Wuxin gripped the ice angrily as she heard every word.

    <i>Can¡¯t he look at me for once? He should have seen that it was Luo Qiqi who sshed it on me. Why didn¡¯t he have any reaction to that!</i>

    Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng then took their seats opposite Yue Wuxin.

 Chapter 318 â€“ Walking in Darkness

    <h4>Chapter 318 ¨C Walking in Darkness</h4>

    Yue Wuxin suddenly smiled and said, ¡°Thanks so much, Miss Luo. Both my legs would¡¯ve been scalded if it wasn¡¯t for you!¡±

    This took Luo Qiqi by surprise, but she reacted very quickly.

    ¡°You¡¯re wee. Both your legs might probably be gone if I didn¡¯t show mercy earlier!¡±

    She scoffed, thinking, <i>Fine, I¡¯ll give you the chance to y the victim! So what if I did it? I¡¯ll y this game with you!</i>

    Yue Wuxin was rendered speechless since she didn¡¯t expect Luo Qiqi to answer in such a way.

    Su Jincheng was at a loss for what to do. He witnessed it himself that it seemed to be Luo Qiqi who toppled the ss, so he didn¡¯t want to broach the topic, but who knew that Luo Qiqi would admit it so openly like that.

    Heughed and looked at Yue Wuxin. ¡°You probably did something to annoy Qiqi. Qiqi is the type who wears her heart on her sleeve. I¡¯d be in trouble too if I annoyed her. You must have done something earlier!¡±

    He then turned to Luo Qiqi and asked, ¡°Qiqi, anything wrong? You can just tell me about it!¡±

    A tiny smile appeared on Luo Qiqi.

    <i>Does Yue Wuxin really think that Su Jincheng would be on her side? Does she really think that he¡¯d pity her?</i>

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s mood improved greatly, and seeing Yue Wuxin forcing herself to stay in spite of that painful injury made her even happier.

    Yue Wuxin¡¯s grimaces only served to enhance Luo Qiqi¡¯s appetite. As he watched her eat, Su Jincheng thought it was because of his presence that made Luo Qiqi so happy.

    Seeing the couple enjoying their meal piqued Yue Wuxin. She thought they would return to the hotel after eating, but Luo Qiqi suggested something else instead.

    Luo Qiqi looked at Yue Wuxin like she was gloating over thetter¡¯s misfortune.

    ¡°We¡¯re going for a walk on the beach. Are youing with us? Let¡¯s go together!¡±

    She knew Yue Wuxin joined them on purpose to prevent them from spending quality time together, but it was just too bad that she injured herself.

    A scowl instantly appeared on Yue Wuxin.

    ¡°But my leg...¡±

    Luo Qiqi pretended to be surprised as she pped her forehead. ¡°I forgot! Miss Yue¡¯s leg is injured. Instead of limping back on your own, how about youe with us to the beach instead? The more the merrier!¡±

    Yue Wuxin was not about to take the bait.

    ¡°I¡¯d love to but I can¡¯t because of my leg. Jincheng, how about you send me back to the hotel first and meet Miss Luo after that!¡±

    Su Jincheng frowned at this.

    ¡°I think Qiqi is right. You can go back on your own since the hotel isn¡¯t that far away. You¡¯ll probably have to limp for quite some time, and I can¡¯t be with you all the time either.¡±

    He then took Luo Qiqi¡¯s hand and turned to leave without a second look at Yue Wuxin.

    He was no fool. He could tell what Yue Wuxin was trying to do, but there was no way he¡¯d do anything to let Luo Qiqi down again.

    Yue Wuxin stood in the same spot as she watched them leave, a hateful glint in her eye.

    <i>Why did this happen?</i>

    Song Xiaoxiao told her that showing her weak side would make others pity her, but she didn¡¯t know that putting on such a show would only make others feel disgusted!

    Feeling rather morose, Yue Wuxin made her way back to the hotel alone.

    While they were strolling along the beach, Luo Qiqi suddenly asked, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you came here with Yue Wuxin. I thought you were alone. I was happy for nothing!¡±

    Afraid to cause any further misunderstanding, Su Jincheng exined himself hastily.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Qiqi. I¡¯m here with Yue Wuxin because she said I don¡¯t have to keep that promise anymore. I can meet you whenever I want to, and she won''t interfere!¡±

    He conveniently skipped the part about what happened that night when Yue Wuxin drugged him.

    Luo Qiqi frowned at him. ¡°When did Yue Wuxin be so nice? I don¡¯t believe that she¡¯ll allow you to do that!¡±

    Su Jincheng shook his head at this. <i>Guess there¡¯s nothing that can escape Luo Qiqi¡¯s eyes.</i>

    ¡°Actually, I just found out that Yue Wuxin was that little girl I saved in the past. It was because of what happened then that you and I were able to meet in Russia previously. Yue Wuxin also told me that she has been looking for me throughout the years...¡±

    Luo Qiqi interrupted him before he could finish.

    ¡°Su Jincheng, are you an idiot or am I the idiot here? You said she¡¯s looking for you because you saved her life in the past, but why is she the one making you repay a debt of gratitude? She¡¯s even asking you to stay by her side for three years and restricting your freedom. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a little too much? I would have just left!¡±

    Su Jincheng watched her, finding her straightforward personality adorable.

    ¡°She has selfish reasons for sure. She said she has feelings for me, but she has already given up after these two years. I wouldn¡¯t fall for her anyway. She said I¡¯ll just have to make good on my promise for one more year, and I agreed to that as well. After that, we arrived here in Sanya.¡±

    Luo Qiqi grabbed his cor and pulled Su Jincheng closer to her, giving him a smirk.

    ¡°Did you say she has given up? But why does it look like she¡¯s trying topete with me!¡±

    Su Jincheng tried to coax her.

    ¡°You¡¯re the only one I see. It doesn¡¯t matter what¡¯s on her mind. Maybe she¡¯s just not used to it!¡±

    Luo Qiqi gave him the side-eye. ¡°Is that so? Su Jincheng, why does it feel like you¡¯re on her side? Let me guess where the both of you are at. If she knows your eating habits, then you guys should already be¡­ cohabiting!¡±

    She then turned to run away as quickly as she could.

    ¡°Qiqi, wait, let me exin, okay?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not okay at all!¡±

    Su Jincheng smiled and ran up to her suddenly, scooping her up in his arms and hugging her tight. Luo Qiqi¡¯s giggling was music to his ears.

    Resting his chin on her forehead, Su Jincheng said, ¡°Qiqi, this feels so unreal, as if I¡¯m dreaming. It¡¯s such a beautiful dream. I¡¯ve been thinking about you every night for the past two years or so, and I¡¯m finally able to hug you like this!¡±

    This moved Luo Qiqi a little.

    Luo Qiqi answered softly, ¡°I thought I was dead inside after having been through so much. I didn¡¯t think that we¡¯d be together again...¡±

    Both of them fell silent for a while.

    Luo Qiqi then changed the subject all of a sudden.

    ¡°Right, there¡¯s something I have to tell you. You might not believe it but it¡¯s true!¡±

    ¡°Go on!¡± Both of them were still locked in an embrace.

    Luo Qiqi looked up at him. ¡°I¡¯ll say it then. Anyone can tell your so-called benefactor has feelings for you. It¡¯s fine if she likes you, but there¡¯s no need to act like that in front of me. Don¡¯t me me if I were to do anything to her in future!¡±

    Su Jinchengughed. ¡°I won¡¯t!¡±

    Seeing him react like it was nothing but a joke irritated Luo Qiqi a little.

    ¡°I¡¯m being serious. What happened earlier was that she asked me to help her get a ss of water, so I thought nothing of it. But who knew that she would reach out to grab my arm suddenly. It made the ss topple and you happened to see just that. Didn¡¯t it look like I did it on purpose from your point of view?¡±

    Finding her adorable, Su Jincheng said, ¡°Yep, that was what I thought at first!¡±

    Luo Qiqi grabbed his shirt again.

    ¡°Su Jincheng! How can you think that of me! It won¡¯t be just a ss of water if she had really annoyed me!¡±

 Chapter 319 â€“ Are You Calling a Dog Over

    <h4>Chapter 319 ¨C Are You Calling a Dog Over</h4>

    ¡°Oh...¡± Su Jincheng looked at Luo Qiqi as he asked, ¡°What would you do then?¡±

    ¡°Hmm...¡± Luo Qiqi gave an evil smirk. ¡°I¡¯d ssh the water onto her face so she won¡¯t be able to continue her lies!¡±

    Su Jincheng stroked her hair and said, ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll support you in whatever you wish to do.¡±

    ¡°Really? We¡¯ll see about that. I¡¯m no naive teenager who would believe everything I hear!¡±

    Su Jincheng pulled her closer and whispered in her ear, ¡°Is that so? You¡¯re no naive teenager¡­ let me see!¡±

    His warm breath on her neck made Luo Qiqi shiver.

    ¡°What are you doing! There are others on this beach!¡±

    ¡°What! How about we go back to the hotel room, since there are so many others here?¡±

    To others, Su Jincheng was cold as ice, his chilly aura permeating everyone who approached him. It was only to Luo Qiqi that he showed this side of himself.

    Blushing, the gears quickly turned in Luo Qiqi¡¯s mind as she thought of how to prank him back.

    She then escaped quickly after elbowing him gently in the stomach. Su Jincheng pretended like he was in pain, but Luo Qiqi simplyughed at him from afar.

    He then waved a hand at her and called out, ¡°Come here, Qiqi!¡±

    Luo Qiqi rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Su Jincheng, I¡¯m not a dog!¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you just a little puppy?¡±

    Luo Qiqi stopped herself from running up to tackle him and said through gritted teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t go too far, Su Jincheng!¡±

    Laughing, Su Jincheng answered, ¡°So I¡¯m really calling for a puppy!¡±

    Su Jincheng opened his arms wide to receive her as Luo Qiqi ran into him at full speed.

    After crashing into him, Luo Qiqi suddenly had no idea what she could do. She ended up hitting his shoulder with her fists.

    ¡°How dare you prank me! Tell me how you should be punished!¡±

    Su Jincheng¡¯s reaction was rather strange as it looked like he was in pain.

    Instantly sensing something amiss, Luo Qiqi tugged on his shirt to look at his shoulder only to see a bloody gauze.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just a minor injury. It¡¯ll be fine in a couple of days!¡±

    ¡°A minor injury on your shoulder? Su Jincheng, tell the truth! This is such an obvious lie!¡±

    Nodding, he said, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll make sure to make it more believable next time!¡±

    <i>I can¡¯t believe this guy!</i>

    They continued their stroll for a while more before Luo Qiqi said, ¡°I¡¯d like to go back now!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you upset?¡±

    ¡°How could I be happy when you¡¯re hurt?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, please don¡¯t be angry. I won¡¯t get hurt next time. I¡¯ll make sure to be able to back you up!¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s better if you¡¯re on the frontlines, since you seem to be extremely interested in dangerous affairs. I shouldn¡¯t be stopping you from pursuing your interests!¡±

    It was an argument Su Jincheng could not win.

    Seeing him silent, Luo Qiqi turned away and headed for the hotel.

    She closed the door on Su Jincheng when they returned. <i>How could he lie to me! He¡¯s always lying to me! I¡¯ll make him stand outside!</i>

    Su Jincheng called out to her but to no avail. Frowning, he retreated back to his own room.

    Yue Wuxin was putting an icepress on her leg, annoyed at everything that happened earlier in the day.

    <i>It¡¯s so frustrating having to pretend to be fragile!</i>

    She smiled to herself as she heard the voices of Su Jincheng and Luo Qiqi outside.

    <i>Back so quickly after having an argument?</i>

    The thought made Yue Wuxin feel much better.

    Annoyed, Luo Qiqi leaned with her back against the door as Su Jincheng called out to her. She was doing it on purpose, and she didn¡¯t expect Su Jincheng to give up at the door so quickly.

    <i>What? Giving up so quickly? I think I really need to reexamine our rtionship.</i>

    Luo Qiqi pressed her ear against the door, trying to figure out if Su Jincheng was still there.

    However, a voice asked from within the room, ¡°What are you listening for, Qiqi?¡±

    Su Jincheng climbed into her room through the balcony again. <i>How could I forget that he could do that!</i>

    Luo Qiqi was rather embarrassed at being caught listening at the door, so she pretended to be angry as she walked to the sofa.

    ¡°None of your business!¡±

    ¡°Were you waiting for me, Qiqi?¡±

    ¡°Nope! You¡¯re thinking too highly of yourself!¡±

    ¡°Oh, you weren¡¯t? I¡¯ll be leaving then!¡±

    He then acted as if he was going to leave through the balcony.

    ¡°Su Jincheng! Leave if you dare! If I ever let you in again, I¡¯ll change myst name to yours!¡±

    At this, Su Jincheng decided to stay.

    ¡°How about you change it to Ye? Luo isn¡¯t your realst name anyway. Su and Ye, sounds pretty good. What do you think, Qiqi? Su-Luo or Su-Ye? Which sounds better?¡±

    ¡°Go away!¡± Luo Qiqi grabbed the teapot and threw it at Su Jincheng.

    Su Jincheng was able to react quickly enough to catch the teapot in his hands, and fortunately, there was nothing in it, or else he would have been drenched.

    He ced it on the desk and walked over to Luo Qiqi, sitting beside her gently.

    ¡°Go ahead and ask your questions. But don¡¯t get angry, okay? I¡¯ll tell you everything!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Really. Go ahead!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll start with a simple one. How did you hurt your shoulder?¡±

    Before Su Jincheng could answer, Luo Qiqi added, ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject, tell me the truth, or else you¡¯ll be wasting this chance and I¡¯d chase you out immediately. Trust me, I can definitely do that.¡±

    ¡°Fine. It happened two nights ago. Yue Wuxin drugged me and went to my room to confess her feelings for me. I injured myself in order to maintain rity of mind...¡±

    After speaking, he was a little afraid of making eye contact with Luo Qiqi.

    He looked up to steal a sideways nce at her before saying, ¡°Qiqi, I¡¯m true to you, which is why I did that. You have to believe me!¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you kill her then? Or kill yourself instead? Wouldn¡¯t that make things so much easier? You wouldn¡¯t have to go through the trouble of self-mutting!¡±

    <i>What is she even talking about?</i>, thought Su Jincheng.

    ¡°What? Don¡¯t want to kill yourself? Then answer my next question!¡±

    Su Jincheng had a bad feeling about this.

    ¡°Go on...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead then. What¡¯s the probability of Yue Wuxin hurting herself on purpose?¡±

 Chapter 320 â€“ An Innocent Invitation

    <h4>Chapter 320 ¨C An Innocent Invitation</h4>

    Su Jincheng answered without hesitation, ¡°A hundred percent! I trust your judgement.¡±

    Luo Qiqi smiled brightly at him. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m speaking nothing but the truth!¡±

    ¡°Good!¡±

    Luo Qiqi pulled Su Jincheng closer to her as an idea struck her.

    ¡°I have a great idea.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Su Jincheng looked at her, confused.

    ¡°There¡¯s an area of shallow water nearby which is great for swimming. Shall we go there tomorrow and invite Yue Wuxin along? She should be able to walk fine tomorrow and it¡¯s probably also okay for her to go into the water!¡±

    Su Jincheng agreed without knowing what Luo Qiqi had up her sleeve.

    He knocked on Yue Wuxin¡¯s door the next morning.

    Seeing him made Yue Wuxin delighted.

    ¡°What¡¯s up, Jincheng?¡±

    Su Jincheng felt rather awkward. Such situations were familiar to him, except that it was usually Yue Wuxin who went knocking on his door.

    ¡°Jincheng, Jincheng...¡±

    Support us at Innread.

    Yue Wuxin had to call him twice before he got out of his daze.

    ¡°Oh. Qiqi said there¡¯s an area of shallow water nearby that¡¯s pretty nice. It¡¯s safe and the water is clear too. We¡¯re going thereter and she wanted me to ask if you wanted toe with us.¡±

    Yue Wuxin epted his invitation immediately.

    ¡°Sure!¡±

    This made Su Jincheng feel even more awkward. Yue Wuxin was being way too enthusiastic.

    She collected herself quickly and smiled. ¡°Let me know when you guys are leavingter!¡±

    Su Jincheng grunted in acknowledgement and left.

    Yue Wuxin watched mesmerized as he walked away.

    She was so happy about the fact that Su Jincheng invited her that she forgot he had actually said it was Luo Qiqi who asked him to do so.

    Yue Wuxin only closed the door after seeing Su Jincheng return to his room.

    <i>He just can¡¯t bear to leave me all alone here in the hotel, right?</i>

    <i>I knew that he cares about me. We¡¯ve already spent two years together.</i>

    <i>And he¡¯s actually asking me out for a swim!</i>

    Yue Wuxin blushed at the thought.<i>?I thought Su Jincheng was not this type, but I guess I was wrong?</i>

    <i>He actually invited me for a swim.</i>

    In her head, Yue Wuxin was already imagining herself as the female lead in a romanticedy.

    Luo Qiqi would roll her eyes if she knew what was going on in Yue Wuxin¡¯s head right now.

    Yue Wuxin started looking through her swimwear, finally picking out a bright red piece.

    She admired herself in the mirror, satisfied with how she looked.

    She closed her eyes to imagine the surprised look on Su Jincheng¡¯s face when he sees her in her swimsuitter.

    <i>He probably hasn¡¯t seen me like this, ever. I¡¯ll do all I can today to get his attention.</i>

    When Su Jincheng and Luo Qiqi knocked on her door, they were both shocked by her bright red outfit which showcased all her curves.

    This was in stark contrast to Su Jincheng¡¯s singlet, bermudas and flip-flops as well as Luo Qiqi¡¯s white spaghetti top and shorts.

    Yue Wuxin was surprised by how unprepared for swimming they looked.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we going swimming?¡±

    She thought Luo Qiqi must have ticked her again, but Luo Qiqi said, ¡°Yes, we are!¡±

    Luo Qiqi was having so much fun at this, but she didn¡¯t expect Yue Wuxin to be so open-minded and dress so liberally.

    ¡°Why are you guys dressed like that?¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t we dress like that?¡± Luo Qiqi asked.

    ¡°How do you even swim like that?¡± Yue Wuxin sounded a little frustrated.

    <i>Everyone has the right to wear whatever they want!</i>, thought Luo Qiqi.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t we swim like that? Is there something wrong with your head? Don¡¯t embarrass other females with how bimbotic you¡¯re being!¡±

    <i>How dare she call me a bimbo! No, I can¡¯t get angry with Su Jincheng right there. I have to show him the best version of myself today.</i>

    ¡°You really think your outfits are suitable?¡±

    Luo Qiqi rolled her eyes. ¡°Do we have to dress skimpily while swimming?¡±

    ¡°Luo Qiqi, what are you trying to say?¡±

    ¡°Did I say I was referring to you? You¡¯re admitting it on your own!¡±

    ¡°You...¡±

    Yue Wuxin was infuriated.

    The joy emanating from Luo Qiqi was almost palpable to Su Jincheng.

    He then said, ¡°It¡¯s up to the individual to decide how they want to dress. Let¡¯s go downstairs for some food instead of arguing over this here, alright?¡±

    Yue Wuxin turned to him with a face of gratitude.

    She then closed the door behind her and walked up to Su Jincheng, trying to press her voluptuous figure against his arm, making him retract his arm immediately.

    <i>What is this woman trying to do?</i>

    Luo Qiqi watched everything with a superficial smile, observing Su Jincheng¡¯s reaction.

    He quickly ced himself on Luo Qiqi¡¯s other side, causing Yue Wuxin to whine.

    ¡°Jincheng, I¡¯m hungry. I want food!¡±

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s hair stood on end as she heard this. <i>What a whiny woman!</i>

    Su Jincheng shivered in slight fear.

    Yue Wuxin was rather annoyed at this. ¡°Jincheng, say something!¡±

    He gave a wry smile and said, ¡°There¡¯s breakfast downstairs. Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Luo Qiqi entered the elevator andmented, ¡°Jincheng. How intimate!¡±

    Herment struck Su Jincheng like a bolt of lightning.

    <i>She¡¯s the official girlfriend but others seem to be addressing me more intimately. It¡¯s no wonder she¡¯s upset!</i>

    He pulled Luo Qiqi towards him and said, ¡°Dear, the reviews on the food are pretty bad anyway. Let¡¯s just leave without eating!¡±

    Yue Wuxin refused to back down. ¡°But I¡¯m hungry! Jincheng!¡±

    Su Jincheng was at a loss for what to do. <i>What can I do to stop Yue Wuxin!</i>

    Yue Wuxin got the breakfast she wanted eventually as she sat opposite the couple and ate heartily.

    With Yue Wuxin sitting right in front of her, Luo Qiqi had no more appetite.

    Su Jincheng simply stared at the food, afraid to do anything else.

    Passers-by couldn¡¯t help but take second nces at the three of them, especially with how Yue Wuxin was dressed.

    Luo Qiqi couldn¡¯t wait to leave after Yue Wuxin was done with her food. She hated the feeling of being watched like she was an animal at the zoo.<i>?Yue Wuxin is the animal here. I¡¯m just an essory!</i>

    The three of them hailed a cab and headed to the beach after that.

    Yue Wuxin ran towards the water enthusiastically when they arrived.

    Luo Qiqi frowned at this. <i>Did she forget that she had a leg injury or does she want to put on a show that badly!</i>

    Though this was an area of shallow water, Luo Qiqi did not mention the fact that those who came here loved to y tricks on others, and there would be people who tugged on your clothes in the water.

    Most of the visitors to this area were usually male, and if they were females, they would be very liberal ones.

    Luo Qiqi had only ever dipped her toes in the water. She had never gone for a swim herself.

    She decided to invite Yue Wuxin since thetter wanted to y games with her.

    Luo Qiqi watched Yue Wuxin as she swam in the water, looking like she was enjoying every moment.

    Yue Wuxin seemed to be genuinely enjoying herself, even giving them an asional wave from time to time.

    Luo Qiqi knew that she was actually waving to Su Jincheng, since Yue Wuxin had never once made eye contact with her.

    Yue Wuxin invited Su Jincheng to join her in the water but he refused. He didn¡¯t want to go in if Luo Qiqi didn¡¯t.

 Chapter 321 â€“ A Weird Style

    <h4>Chapter 321 ¨C A Weird Style</h4>

    Luo Qiqi marvelled at how lucky Yue Wuxin was. Nothing had happened to her in the water even after such a long time.

    Su Jincheng shook his head every time she called for him to join her.

    Curious, Luo Qiqi asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go for a quick swim?¡±

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you swimming then?¡±

    <i>Why? I can¡¯t tell him now. But he¡¯ll probably find out soon.?</i>Luo Qiqi scratched her nose as she tried to think of an excuse.

    ¡°Me? Like what Yue Wuxin said, I¡¯m not dressed for it!¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you wear something suitable?¡±

    Luo Qiqi raised a brow. ¡°You¡¯ll let me wear something like that?¡±

    ¡°Nope!¡± Su Jincheng answered firmly.

    ¡°See!¡±

    The conversation ended and they went back to people-watching.

    Su Jincheng then asked, ¡°Qiqi, how about we go for a walk on the beach?¡±

    Luo Qiqi had already given up on seeing Yue Wuxin embarrass herself, and she agreed.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go!¡±

    Yue Wuxin spotted them leaving while she was still in the water.

    Worried that she was being abandoned, she stood up and yelled, ¡°Jincheng, wait for me! Where are you going!¡±

    Everyone near her, including Su Jincheng and Luo Qiqi, turned to look at her, only to be shocked by what they saw.

    Yue Wuxin was topless. Her swimsuit was gone.

    Su Jincheng turned away quickly while Luo Qiqi secretly jumped for joy.

    Yue Wuxin didn¡¯t even realize anything at first, and it was only until she felt the cold breeze on her skin did she find out she was topless. She quickly went back into the water to hide herself.

    The people around her startedughing, satisfied at their prank.

    Yue Wuxin searched for her bikini top frantically in the water and finally spotted a red piece of cloth nearby.

    She swam over quickly as countless pairs of eyes watched her.

    Yue Wuxin wanted to murder every single one of them.

    <i>It must have been Luo Qiqi who nned this. I want to rip her to shreds!</i>

    <i>I¡¯ll make Su Jincheng fall for me one day. When that dayes, I¡¯ll make sure to pay Luo Qiqi back with interest!</i>

    Su Jincheng saw that Luo Qiqi wasughing her head off.

    ¡°You¡¯re so silly. With how hard you¡¯reughing, I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re the one who nned this?¡±

    Trying to suppress herughter, Luo Qiqi looked up at him, rolling her eyes as she asked, ¡°What? You can¡¯t bear it?¡±

    ¡°I just think that this is the kind of idea you¡¯de up with...¡±

    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk¡­ look at you. You¡¯re trying to say that I pranked her right? I don¡¯t like her, yes, but I didn¡¯te up with that idea. Didn¡¯t she want to tag along? I¡¯m giving her a chance toe with us. You can¡¯t me me that she¡¯s the dumb one. People here are very liberal, and she¡¯s dressed so skimpily as well. Who asked her to be so curvy? You¡¯re going to me that on me too?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not ming you. Don¡¯t get angry. I¡¯m just asking, not finding fault with you. Let¡¯s go. We¡¯lle back and look for Yue Wuxinter.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it!¡±

    Yue Wuxin grabbed the piece of red cloth that she spotted only to find out that it was a piece of red underwear.

    <i>This isn¡¯t mine!</i>

    Frustrated, she continued searching for her outfit but to no avail. Finally, she spotted a ck bra somewhere and decided to just make do with it.

    Afraid that history would repeat itself, she made sure that no one could touch her when she got out of the water.

    She realized that what happened earlier was nothing out of the ordinary when she got a good look at the visitors in the area.

    Even so, she couldn¡¯t help but be mad at Luo Qiqi. <i>Luo Qiqi must have done this on purpose. It¡¯s no wonder she dressed so conservatively.</i>

    <i>Inviting me for a swim but not going into the water herself. It was so obvious that she had something up her sleeve.</i>

    Yue Wuxin sat on the beach, staring into thin air.

    She didn¡¯t have cash with her so she couldn¡¯t even buy a new outfit for herself.

    The more she thought about what happened, the angrier she got. <i>This wouldn¡¯t have happened if it wasn¡¯t for Luo Qiqi!</i>

    Most of those who passed her gave her a second nce. It was obvious that she was not wearing a matching swimsuit, not to mention the top did not fit her at all.

    WIth nothing else on her, Yue Wuxin had no choice but to wait for Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng toe back. <i>Why does Luo Qiqi have everything I want!</i>

    She thought that Su Jincheng would go into the water with her since Luo Qiqi was dressed like that. She thought that she would be able to leave Luo Qiqi alone on the beach and have fun with Su Jincheng.

    Who knew that Su Jincheng refused to go into the water at all.

    Yue Wuxin sat there, feeling frustrated and embarrassed.

    Su Jincheng and Luo Qiqi only returned after almost half a day.

    She wanted to berate them, but thought better of it when her mother¡¯s words rang in her mind. <i>I have to y the victim!</i>

    ¡°What took you guys so long! I¡¯ve been waiting forever!¡±

    Instead of answering her question, Luo Qiqimented on her outfit. ¡°What kind of style are you going for? Is this trendy here?¡±

    This irritated Yue Wuxin, but she swallowed her anger since Su Jincheng was right there.

    ¡°I lost my top so I picked this up in the water.¡±

    ¡°Oh! I thought you liked such a style!¡±

    Seeing Yue Wuxin about to blow her top, Su Jincheng coughed and said, ¡°You¡¯d better get changed!¡±

    Yue Wuxin looked at Su Jincheng like she was wronged and stared at Luo Qiqi as she asked, ¡°Where¡¯s my purse? I¡¯m going to get some clothes!¡±

    Luo Qiqi smiled as she handed Yue Wuxin her purse. ¡°Here you go. We were exploring the area earlier. I thought you were having a lot of fun here!¡±

    <i>It¡¯s so obvious you did that on purpose and you¡¯re pretending to be innocent</i>, thought Su Jincheng.

    Even so, he didn¡¯t feel upset at Luo Qiqi. Instead, he found her even more adorable!

    Yue Wuxin wanted to murder Luo Qiqi when she saw how Su Jincheng looked at thetter.

    She snatched her purse from Luo Qiqi and headed for some shops nearby to get herself a new outfit.

    After Yue Wuxin left, Su Jincheng asked, ¡°Qiqi, do you hate her that much?¡±

    Luo Qiqi shook her head. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I hate her as a person, but I hate the way she behaves. Why is she pretending to be all weak and fragile when she¡¯s an agent? She¡¯s pretending to be all naive and innocent. Can¡¯t she tell that I¡¯ve already seen through her? I don¡¯t see the point at all! She can just say it openly if she has feelings for you, and we canpete fairly. Why is she doing all this, ying the victim, dressing skimpily...¡±

    Su Jincheng interrupted her. ¡°Qiqi, do you really see me as an object you canpete for? You¡¯re not even going to ask me where my heart belongs?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t mean that. I¡¯m just saying that I don¡¯t like it that she¡¯s trying to y tricks. It¡¯s not that I hate her, it just seems like she¡¯s following somebody else¡¯s advice. I can tell that she really likes you, but her methods are so wrong!¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell that you had such luck with thedies in the past!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve wronged me, Qiqi. I don¡¯t have luck with thedies, even though I¡¯m pretty good-looking. But I know my ce and I¡¯ll be good!¡±

    Luo Qiqiughed. ¡°Su Jincheng, how can anyone be this much of a narcissist?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a great example!¡±

 Chapter 322 â€“ Romance of Three Individuals

    <h4>Chapter 322 ¨C Romance of Three Individuals</h4>

    Yue Wuxin bought a maxi dress and rushed back to look for Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng, afraid that she would be abandoned for the second time.

    Yue Wuxin¡¯s expression darkened when she saw that the couple was enjoying their time together without her around.

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s smile faded a little when she spotted Yue Wuxin running up to them.

    The three of them then went for lunch together.

    Luo Qiqi wanted to have some street food, but Yue Wuxin insisted that street food was not hygienic, and tried to steer them away from the idea.

    Luo Qiqi relented eventually, annoyed at Yue Wuxin¡¯s persistence.

    ¡°Fine. You choose. I¡¯m fine with anything, as long as you stop talking!¡±

    Delighted at her apparent victory, Yue Wuxin said, ¡°Let¡¯s have steak then!¡±

    She had always wanted to have western food with Su Jincheng since she felt that the atmosphere at western restaurants was rather romantic.

    Sadly, Su Jincheng seemed to be treating Yue Wuxin like she was invisible.

    Yue Wuxin thus had no choice but to convince Luo Qiqi to go if she wanted him to go.

    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go!¡±

    After they entered a ssy restaurant, Yue Wuxin started talking about how the environment there was so much better than the street food stalls and about how the ambience was on another level.

    This obviously irritated Luo Qiqi.

    ¡°Miss Yue, how did your red swimsuit turn into a ck and red set? But even so, it still looked pretty good!¡±

    Yue Wuxin¡¯s expression turned dreadful.

    ¡°Luo Qiqi, you did it on purpose!¡±

    Luo Qiqi pretended to be surprised. ¡°How did you know? You¡¯re so smart!¡±

    ¡°Luo Qiqi, you¡¯re shameless. You knew that it was...¡±

    Luo Qiqi cut her off unceremoniously. ¡°Stay calm. Be elegant. Weren¡¯t you the one who said that this ce is super ssy? Don¡¯t act like a hooligan here, okay?¡±

    <i>I can¡¯t believe this woman!</i>

    ¡°Luo Qiqi, you wanna fight?¡±

    Luo Qiqi brightened at this. <i>This should be how a female agent acts! They aren¡¯t supposed to be weak and fragile! That made me so ufortable!</i>

    ¡°Sure. Now orter?¡±

    ¡°Right now! I¡¯m going to challenge you, Luo Qiqi. One of us will go down today!¡±

    ¡°Young people nowadays are so full of energy. Do you need me to show you some moves?¡±

    ¡°Luo Qiqi, don¡¯t think that you can beat me. Let¡¯s fight right now!¡±

    Luo Qiqi stood up. ¡°Sure. Bring it on!¡±

    Yue Wuxin stood up and red at Luo Qiqi angrily.

    Both of them looked like they were about to leave the restaurant to spar with each other before Su Jincheng said, ¡°Sit!¡±

    Luo Qiqi stuck her tongue out and sat back down like a meek kitten, smiling as she leaned in closer to Su Jincheng.

    Though maddened, Yue Wuxin sat back down as well.

    ¡°Am I invisible to the both of you?¡±

    ¡°I think the both of you have too much time on your hands! Let¡¯s leave if we aren¡¯t eating!¡±

    Yue Wuxin was not about to let him step out of the restaurant. ¡°I was wrong, Jincheng!¡±

    Luo Qiqi decided to imitate Yue Wuxin¡¯s tone and said, ¡°Jincheng, don¡¯t leave. I¡¯m hungry!¡±

    Exasperated, Su Jincheng could only shake his head. Luo Qiqi was having so much fun while Yue Wuxin¡¯s expression looked stormy.

    After their meal, Luo Qiqi suggested that they go back for a nap since she was rather drained of energy from how much walking she did earlier.

    Yue Wuxin, however, wanted to go shopping since she didn¡¯t shop at all in the morning.

    Luo Qiqi didn¡¯t want to agree at first, but seeing theck of reaction from Su Jincheng, she decided to agree eventually.

    She wanted to see how Su Jincheng handled going shopping with twodies.

    They thus headed for a shopping street.

    Su Jincheng was the one tasked to carry all the shopping bags, and he remained expressionless most of the time while thedies seemed to have gone mad shopping.

    No one could tell who was the couple and it looked more like a polygamous rtionship.

    Su Jincheng had no choice but to tag along as the two of them shopped for the entire day.

    Luo Qiqi thought it was about time for Yue Wuxin to give up when they returned to the hotel, but she didn¡¯t.

    For some reason, Su Jincheng insisted on taking a shower in Luo Qiqi¡¯s room, and he entered her room through the balcony again.

    Someone knocked on the door after Luo Qiqi finished showering, and she answered the door dressed in a bathrobe with her hair still dripping wet.

    It was Yue Wuxin dressed in sexy loungewear.

    Both of them were shocked to see each other.

    Luo Qiqiposed herself after a while and said, ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, you¡¯re really sexy, Miss Yue!¡±

    Yue Wuxin puffed up her chest at this. ¡°Of course. Who do you think I am!¡±

    Luo Qiqi looked her up and down. ¡°Oh. Who are you?¡±

    She then pretended to look extremely confused.

    ¡°Luo Qiqi, what¡¯s wrong with you? I¡¯m Yue Wuxin!¡±

    She then entered the room quickly when Luo Qiqi was momentarily distracted.

    ¡°There wouldn¡¯t be any handsome man walking out of the shower!¡± This made Yue Wuxin blush.

    ¡°What are you talking about, Luo Qiqi!¡±

    Luo Qiqi looked at her innocently. ¡°Aren¡¯t you here to look at Su Jincheng? Or, are you not?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I...¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re here to see him, I¡¯ll get him for you. If you¡¯re not, please leave. I¡¯d like to sleep now! Okay?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that you¡¯re the only one he answers to.¡± Yue Wuxin called out to Su Jincheng, but he never replied.

    She then walked over to Luo Qiqi angrily.

    Luo Qiqi raised a brow at her and walked towards the balcony.

    ¡°Su Jincheng!¡±

    At this, Su Jincheng answered almost instantly.

    ¡°How about that, little girl? Believe me now?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the little girl!¡± Upset, Yue Wuxin continued, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re an old woman! Old woman! I¡¯ll make him acknowledge my presence one day!¡±

    ¡°With those lousy tricks of yours? ying the victim and acting weak? Do you think that would work?¡±

    ¡°I...¡± Yue Wuxin was at a loss for words. She could tell how Su Jincheng felt towards Luo Qiqi, but she just couldn¡¯t seem to take this lying down.

    ¡°What? Wanna fight?¡±

    <i>Yes, I really want to punch you in the face right now</i>, thought Yue Wuxin.

    She then attacked Luo Qiqi with no preamble.

    Though Yue Wuxin seemed to gain the upper hand in their fight, Luo Qiqi was able to climb back up quickly after every blow she took.

    They were both exhausted after a while andy panting on the floor.

    ¡°Hey Luo Qiqi, why are you not giving it your all?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I was an old woman? You¡¯re a little girl so I have to go easy on you a bit. Or else I¡¯d be a bully!¡±

    ¡°Why do I feel that you¡¯re being sarcastic?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re stupid!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the stupid one!¡±

    ¡°Luo Qiqi, aren¡¯t you afraid that I might take Su Jincheng away from you? Why are you letting me hang out with you guys?¡±

    Luo Qiqiughed. ¡°I didn¡¯t like it yesterday, but I don¡¯t mind it anymore today!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Yue Wuxin couldn¡¯t understand Luo Qiqi at all.

    Luo Qiqi turned to look at her. ¡°What¡¯s yours will be yours at the end of the day. You¡¯ll never be able to take what doesn¡¯t belong to you!¡±

 Chapter 323 â€“ Ambushed at Night

    <h4>Chapter 323 ¨C Ambushed at Night</h4>

    Stunned, Yue Wuxin took a while toe back to her senses.

    ¡°Luo Qiqi, are you referring to me?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. I might be referring to you, or I might be referring to myself!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you, Yue Wuxin. I didn¡¯t like it when I found out that the both of you came here together. But after thinking about it yesterday, I realized that we should just let things take its natural course. Feelings can¡¯t be forced upon anyone. The other person would naturally care for you if they like you, and if they don¡¯t, there¡¯s nothing much you can do about it either.¡±

    ¡°Luo Qiqi, are you saying that I¡¯ve made a mistake? That the both of you were already a couple to begin with?¡±

    Luo Qiqi shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no right and wrong in this. It depends on how you look at it. If you think that liking someone means having to possess them, then all you would do is to try and obtain them and keep them for yourself. But if you are of the view that liking someone means giving them the best of everything, then all you would wish for is for them to be happy and well¡­ Do you get what I¡¯m saying?¡±

    Though still confused, Yue Wuxin nodded at this.

    ¡°I think I got it. But can I really give up on this so easily? I find it so difficult to give up!¡±

    Luo Qiqiughed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to give up. You just have to look at it differently and pursue it in the right way.¡±

    The both of themy on the bed and talked for a long time before falling asleep.

    Su Jincheng visited in the middle of the night and saw the two of them sleeping soundly. He thus tucked them under the nket and left.

    Yue Wuxin and Luo Qiqi seemed to be much closer the next day.

    They acted so close that Su Jincheng felt like the third wheel.

    Even so, he was rather relieved that the two of them could be on good terms.

    One could say that Yue Wuxin was totally different when he met her initially, and she had changed a lot within the past two years.

    The three of them went out to sight-see for the entire day before returning to the hotel at about nine in the evening.

    They were walking on an empty street towards their hotel when a group of unknown individuals closed in on them.

    The men were armed with machetes.

    Luo Qiqi thought that the men would give up as long as they were able to run away and take cover in the hotel, but she didn¡¯t expect for those men to chase after them like rabid dogs.

    This surprised her, but Su Jincheng reacted quickly and grabbed her in an attempt to escape the attack. Yue Wuxin was following closely behind them.

    With how unhinged the men looked, they didn¡¯t want to risk endangering those in the hotel. The three of them thus decided to run towards an open area near the beach.

    They decided to face the men head-on.

    Seeing that there were fifteen of them in total, Su Jincheng yelled, ¡°I¡¯ll take seven of them and leave the rest to you guys!¡±

    Luo Qiqi nodded and quickly sent one of the men flying after skilfully dodging his attack.

    All of the men were defeated in the span of fifteen minutes.

    Instead of killing the attackers, they immobilized them.

    Yue Wuxin walked over to one of the men and gave him a kick.

    ¡°Have we met?¡±

    The man shook his head, looking frightened.

    Suddenly, another man got up and ran towards Yue Wuxin, wielding his knife.

    Without thinking, Luo Qiqi dashed forward and sent him flying with another kick. Her arm got nicked by the knife in the process.

    Yue Wuxin turned to her in concern.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Go ahead with your questions!¡±

    She felt that what just happened was too much of a coincidence. They didn¡¯t have enemies here, and only a select few knew their exact location.

    Yue Wuxin picked up the knife on the ground and used it to threaten the man.

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you if you don¡¯t tell the truth!¡±

    Fearing for his life, the man answered immediately. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll talk! It¡¯s Madam who sent us here!¡±

    Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng were both confused at his answer. Seeing Luo Qiqi¡¯s bleeding arm, Su Jincheng hastily bandaged it for her.

    Yue Wuxin backed away, shocked at what she just heard.

    She then pounced on the man and started hitting him.

    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit! Why would my own mother want to kill me! Lies!¡±

    While Yue Wuxin continued raining punches on the poor man, Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng realized that ¡®Madam¡¯ actually referred to Yue Wuxin¡¯s mother.

    <i>It¡¯s no wonder I found him so familiar. I remember this guy now. He¡¯s one of Mum¡¯s subordinates. They swore loyalty to her, so it¡¯s almost impossible for any of them to lie about this.</i>

    Through Yue Wuxin¡¯s punches, the man said, ¡°I¡¯m not lying. It¡¯s your mother who asked us to kill you!¡±

    Hearing this stunned Yue Wuxin. She stopped hitting the man and went into a daze, staring into thin air.

    Finally, Yue Wuxin, Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng went back to the hotel.

    Seeing how upset Yue Wuxin looked, Luo Qiqi said, ¡°Yue Wuxin, stop acting like that. We don¡¯t exactly know what is going on yet. We can go back and ask your mother about it!¡±

    Su Jincheng then said, ¡°Qiqi is right. I¡¯m not familiar with your mother, and I think it¡¯s best if you go back and talk to her about it. It¡¯s best not to jump to conclusions so quickly.¡±

    Yue Wuxin brightened up slightly upon hearing their suggestions.

    She then suddenly remembered that Luo Qiqi had gotten hurt because of her.

    ¡°Are you okay? Your arm...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just a minor injury!¡±

    This made Yue Wuxin feel worse. She felt that Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng wouldn¡¯t have been dragged into this if they weren¡¯t with her.

    She looked down and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go back to Russia tomorrow on my own!¡±

    Su Jincheng disagreed instantly.

    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be your bodyguard for three years, so I won¡¯t let you go back alone!¡±

    ¡°I...¡± Yue Wuxin looked at him, evidently upset. ¡°What if it¡¯s really her? Would I still be able to survive then? I just want an answer. So there¡¯s really no need for you to do this!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Yue Wuxin. Have you forgotten about your father? Contact him first when you get back. How long has it been since youst met him?¡±

    This seemed to remind Yue Wuxin of something.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I haven¡¯t seen him in ages. It was Mum who kept saying that I¡¯ll have plenty of time in the future...¡±

    ¡°It seems like she¡¯s trying to keep me out of Russia. Why is that? Why is my own mother doing something like that?¡±

    Luo Qiqi frowned at this. ¡°Yue Wuxin, when did your mother¡¯s attitude towards you change?¡±

    Yue Wuxin thought about this for quite a while before answering. ¡°That should be about a year ago, or maybe earlier. I might not have realized it then.¡±

    ¡°What would she say or do when she¡¯s with you?¡±

    Yue Wuxin was hesitant to answer Luo Qiqi, but she relented eventually.

    ¡°I was trying all ways and means to make Jincheng fall for me in the past and keep him by my side. My mother knows how I feel, so in the beginning, she taught me how to cook. She said knowing how to whip up delicious meals is the key to a man¡¯s heart.¡±

    ¡°But after realizing that I have absolutely no talent in the kitchen, she suggested that I go travel instead. So I¡¯ve actually been traveling the world for the past two years or so, and thest time I returned¡­ I...¡±

    ¡°I drugged Jincheng. This was also her rmendation. She said that with how powerful my father was, Jincheng would have no choice but to marry me if anything really happened!¡±

    Su Jincheng and Luo Qiqi were both shocked to hear this. <i>Why would anyone do this to their own daughter?</i>

    Luo Qiqi then asked in disbelief, ¡°And you actually listened to all her lousy suggestions?¡±

    Yue Wuxin answered with slight remorse, ¡°I probably wasn¡¯t thinking straight at the time. It sounded like she was giving me genuine suggestions, and I wouldn¡¯t think that my own mother would harm me either! But I don¡¯t get it. Why? Why would she do this to me? My mother used to be so warm and gentle. Where did that side of her go? Why does she want to kill me now?¡±

 Chapter 324 â€“ Not a Sin to Like Someone

    <h4>Chapter 324 ¨C Not a Sin to Like Someone</h4>

    Luo Qiqi patted Yue Wuxin on her back, trying her best to console her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too upset. Let¡¯s just see how it goes tomorrow!¡±

    Yue Wuxin nodded, tears glinting in her eyes.

    The three of them took a morning flight to Russia on the very next day.

    Upon arrival, Yue Wuxin checked into a hotel with Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng. She heeded their advice and was nning to get in touch with her father first, but before that, she wanted to be sure what she was up against.

    Yue Wuxin spent the next couple of days surveying the area around the Presidential Estate and looked into what was happening in the country to try and find out if there was any major political change underway.

    Though she still had no idea why her own mother would want to kill her, she found out that her father, Pedrov, would be returning home within the next two days.

    If it weren¡¯t for Su Jincheng and Luo Qiqi¡¯s suggestion, she might not have made this trip back.

    <i>Why did my mother want to kill me? Why did she give me suggestions like that? Did she really treat me as her daughter? Was all her love and kindness over the years faked??</i>These questions circled Yue Wuxin¡¯s mind.

    On the very same day they arrived in Russia, Song Xiaoxiao berated her subordinates in the Presidential Estate. ¡°How could you fail at this? I already said to attack her only when she¡¯s alone. You guys just made them more alert now! Idiots!¡±

    Kneeling on the floor, the men trembled in fear.

    Song Xiaoxiao¡¯s specific instructions to them were to attack Yue Wuxin only when Su Jincheng was not around.

    However, these men had never seen Su Jincheng in the flesh and all they had was a photo for reference. Moreover, since it was dark at night, they thought that Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng were random passers-by who happened to be going in the same direction as Yue Wuxin.

    None of them expected that they would be defeated so badly by Su Jincheng and Luo Qiqi.

    ¡°Where are they now?¡±

    The leader answered, ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but they would¡¯ve probably left Sanya by now.¡±

    ¡°Get out! Don¡¯t let her return to Russia. Kill her on sight if you see her. Keep your eyes peeled for the next two days. The President is returning soon. I won¡¯t let her spoil my ns!¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡± Her subordinates answered.

    None of them dared reveal that Yue Wuxin was already aware it was Song Xiaoxiao behind everything.

    Though these men were loyal to Song Xiaoxiao, they knew how cruel she could be and no one dared say anything as they feared for their lives.

    Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

    Pedrov was returning on this very day.

    Yue Wuxin wanted to confront her mother alone at first, but Luo Qiqi didn¡¯t agree to it.

    After spending the past few days with Yue Wuxin, Luo Qiqi felt that Yue Wuxin was not that malicious, and that it was actually Song Xiaoxiao who was the one leading her onto the wrong path.

    Yue Wuxin liked Su Jincheng, but she didn¡¯t do anything to harm anyone else. It was not a sin to have feelings for someone either.

    Yue Wuxin knew that Luo Qiqi was worried about her safety, so she suggested for Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng to wait for her outside the Presidential Estate. They were supposed to think of a back-up n in case she didn¡¯t emerge after half an hour.

    Though unwilling, Luo Qiqi finally relented at Yue Wuxin¡¯s insistence.

    Pedrov arrived at the Presidential Estate in the morning.

    Some time earlier, he had heard that his daughter was also back in Russia and he wanted to see her badly, but official matters had held him back from doing so.

    He wanted to spend some time with his daughter now that he had some free time.

    Song Xiaoxiao embraced him as he entered, leading him to a sumptuous-looking breakfast.

    ¡°Xiaoxiao, where¡¯s Xin¡¯er? I haven¡¯t seen her in so long. Isn¡¯t she back home?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. She left a while ago saying that she was in a bad mood and that she wanted to travel. I tried to make her stay but she refused. So I had no choice but to let her go instead.¡±

    Pedrov nodded, obviously disappointed at what he heard.

    ¡°That girl. We¡¯ll just have to wait then!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like she¡¯s nevering back anyway. You¡¯ll have tons of opportunities to meet Wuxin in future. Have your breakfast before it gets cold!¡±

    Song Xiaoxiao watched him eat and drink with a tiny smirk, enjoying her own breakfast as she did so.

    After finishing his meal, Pedrov said, ¡°I¡¯m going to the study.¡±

    Song Xiaoxiao nodded, looking at him sweetly.

    However, her expression changed instantly when Pedrov turned away.

    <i>I¡¯ll show you the price of betrayal. I won¡¯t let you spend your daysfortably!</i>

    Though she knew that Pedrov had a mistress in the past, she decided to swallow her pride because of Yue Wuxin. But after finding out that Yue Wuxin was actually the daughter of his mistress, there was no way she could put up with his betrayal anymore.

    A hateful glint shed in her eye at the thought of revenge.

    Fearing that someone would interfere with her ns, Song Xiaoxiao had sent all of her subordinates away.

    She made her way to the study and saw that Pedrov had already copsed on the desk, looking like he was in a deep sleep.

    <i>You would never have guessed that I drugged you, right?</i>

    She smiled to herself as she approached him.

    When Pedrov woke up, he felt drained of energy and realized that his hands were tied up.

    Though shocked, he was able to calm himself down very quickly.

    He looked around him to see nothing but four walls and a door some distance away.

    <i>Where am I? Wasn¡¯t I already back at home?</i>

    <i>I had breakfast with my wife before going to work on some official matters. What happened after that?</i>

    He couldn¡¯t remember a thing.

    It was very dark in the room, and it felt like he was in a basement of sorts.

    Even so, he had no idea where he was.

    He adjusted his breathing to calm himself, thinking, <i>Whoever captured me would have some sort of aim. I¡¯ll just wait for them to show themselves.</i>

    There was a disturbance at the door after about half an hour.

    Bright light flooded the room when the door opened, and he couldn¡¯t make out who it was.

    The individual closed the door and stared at Pedrov, not saying a single word.

    ¡°Who are you? Why did you capture me?¡±

    Theughter that followed made it obvious that it was a woman who entered.

    He found the voice rather familiar, and before long, the lights in the room were switched on.

    The sudden brightness caused Pedrov to squint, and he was taken aback when he opened them to take a better look at the woman.

    ¡°Xiaoxiao, what are you doing? Let me go!¡±

    ¡°What am I doing? Take a guess?¡±

    Song Xiaoxiao walked up to him with a smileced with malice and hatred.

    Looking around the room, he realized that it was actually a torture chamber.

    Pedrov frowned. <i>I should still be in the Presidential Estate. But I didn¡¯t know such a ce existed here. When did Song Xiaoxiao be like this? How could I have not realized it at all?</i>

    ¡°Xiaoxiao, when did you be like this! Have you gone mad?!¡±

    ¡°Hahaha...¡± Song Xiaoxiao started cackling. ¡°I am mad. Pedrov, how could you do that to me? I moved here from so far away, turning my back on my home. You¡¯re the one who forced me into this!¡±

    Song Xiaoxiao¡¯s hysterical behavior gave Pedrov the chills.

    ¡°Xiaoxiao, why?¡±

    <i>It¡¯s true that I didn¡¯t spend enough time with her after getting married because of how busy I am with work, but I haven¡¯t let her down in any other way.</i>

 Chapter 325 â€“ Because Iâ€™m Kind

    <h4>Chapter 325 ¨C Because I¡¯m Kind</h4>

    Pedrov was already in that basement for about an hour when Yue Wuxin, Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng arrived near the Presidential Estate.

    Yue Wuxin looked at Luo Qiqi seriously. ¡°It was nice knowing you. If I cane out of this safely...¡±

    Luo Qiqi hit her gently on the head. ¡°What are you talking about, silly!¡±

    Yue Wuxin stuck her tongue out yfully. ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t be such a downer. Come look for me if I¡¯m still in there after half an hour!¡±

    Luo Qiqi nodded and said, ¡°Be careful!¡±

    Yue Wuxin smiled and waved to her before leaving.

    Luo Qiqi watched as Yue Wuxin walked in, worry written all over her face.

    She looked at Su Jincheng and asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you even the least bit concerned? Didn¡¯t Yue Wuxin save your life once!¡±

    ¡°I saved hers too!¡±

    ¡°Then why aren''t your debts to each other cancelled out?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m a very kind soul!¡±

    This made Luo Qiqiugh immediately.

    Su Jincheng was relieved to see Luo Qiqi smile.

    He could tell that Luo Qiqi was concerned about Yue Wuxin, and all he wanted to do was to direct her attention somewhere else to lighten the pressure she felt. He would be the first to rush in if anything really happened.

    Luo Qiqi stood up after having her fill ofughter.

    ¡°Hey, Su Jincheng, I¡¯m being serious. Aren¡¯t you worried? I have a feeling that she¡¯s not Yue Wuxin¡¯s biological mother, what with those ideas that she¡¯s putting in Yue Wuxin¡¯s head!¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Remember that her biological father is the President! Mr Pedrov is no ordinary individual. I¡¯m sure Yue Wuxin will be fine with him around. We¡¯re here too so let¡¯s just go in and take a lookter!¡±

    Luo Qiqi nodded at this.

    Yue Wuxin found the entire Presidential Estate to be empty after she entered thepound.

    Frowning, she wondered, <i>Where did everyone go?</i>

    <i>Isn¡¯t Fathering back today? What¡¯s going on here?</i>

    She made her way in carefully, checking the study and the bedroom first. However, there was not a single soul to be found anywhere. Her father was nowhere to be seen, and Song Xiaoxiao seemed to have disappeared as well.

    <i>Where is everyone?</i>

    She then made her way to Song Xiaoxiao¡¯s room.

    The door was ajar and she walked in to find no one inside.

    <i>What? What¡¯s going on here? Where is everybody!</i>

    She heard a familiar voice right when she decided to leave.

    It was Song Xiaoxiao!

    She followed the voice to an area previously unknown to her in the estate.

    She then listened carefully to Song Xiaoxiao, who sounded like she was extremely furious.

    ¡°Why? Why?! You¡¯re the one who forced me into this! It¡¯s your fault, Pedrov!¡±

    Yue Wuxin was surprised to hear this. <i>She¡¯s talking to Father?</i>

    <i>This means that he¡¯s inside too.</i>

    She pressed her ears harder against the wall.

    ¡°What are you talking about, Xiaoxiao?¡±

    ¡°Hah¡­ What am I talking about? Shouldn¡¯t you be very clear on this, Pedrov?¡±

    ¡°I moved here because of you. I thought you¡¯d treat me well forever, and I believed that until half a year ago. You didn¡¯t treat me with contempt even though I bore a daughter, but I finally found out that you were only putting on an act!¡±

    ¡°It was such a great show! You, Pedrov, you¡¯re no longer true to me. Even so, I don¡¯t care about that since I have my daughter with me. But I can¡¯t believe that you could be so cruel to take my baby away from me! How could you make me bring up the daughter of your mistress! Why did you treat me like that, Pedrov!¡±

    Song Xiaoxiao then started crying.

    ¡°Xiaoxiao, it¡¯s not like that. I love you. I¡¯ve never been unfaithful to you!¡±

    ¡°You still took my daughter away from me!¡±

    ¡°Listen to me, Xiaoxiao! You¡¯re also aware of the fact that I had been drugged once after we got married. The woman who helped me neutralize the effects of the drug got pregnant with my child, and it was way toote to abort the baby when I found out. It¡¯s still a precious life, and I couldn¡¯t bear to kill my own flesh and blood either!¡±

    He continued after a short pause. ¡°Apart from the pregnancy, I¡¯ve alreadye clean about everything else. What happened was that you gave birth to a stillborn, and because of that, you could no longer get pregnant. Did you know how devastated I was? I was just afraid that you couldn¡¯t take the news!¡±

    ¡°It was because of this that I decided to take the other baby home and tell you that she was yours. I didn¡¯t want you to lose hope even though you could no longer get pregnant. It¡¯s great that we have such an adorable child, and you¡¯ve been on great terms with Xin¡¯er over the years, which is also why I¡¯ve decided to keep everything a secret. I didn¡¯t lie to you on purpose. Do you know how much it hurts me to see you like this?¡±

    Song Xiaoxiao staggered backwards, shocked at the news.

    ¡°Are you telling the truth?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I don¡¯t have to lie to you. I asked those who are aware to keep it from you because I was afraid that you would get overly emotional after hearing about it. I didn¡¯t expect this to happen after two decades. I even thought it was fortunate that you were still unaware, or that you were still taking care of the child even though you might have been aware. I didn¡¯t expect for you to be so extreme. Xin¡¯er is innocent¡­ How did you find out? Do you know how much of a blow this would be to her? She sees you as her own mother!¡±

    Song Xiaoxiao stood there in a daze, mumbling to herself, ¡°My baby is dead. She¡¯s dead. Why didn¡¯t that cross my mind!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to treat Wuxin like that, but when I found out, I just directed all my hatred towards you onto her! I hated you for being so cruel. I actually wanted to threaten you to tell me where my biological daughter was, so why did you have to tell me all that!¡±

    Song Xiaoxiao found out that Yue Wuxin was not her biological daughter when the both of them went for a health check-up about half a year ago. The nurse told Song Xiaoxiao that their blood types didn¡¯t match!

    This was a huge blow to Song Xiaoxiao, and she felt as if her entire world was crumbling around her.

    She then did a test using a strand of hair each from Pedrov and Yue Wuxin, and found that they were biological father and child. She then jumped to the conclusion that Pedrov had a mistress and that Yue Wuxin was his illegitimate child.

    Yue Wuxin was already in tears. <i>So this was why my mother wanted to kill me?</i>

    <i></i><i>I¡¯m an illegitimate child, so what right do I have to receive any love from the official wife!</i>

    Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng stood as they watched the tear-stricken Yue Wuxin, unsure of what they should do.

    The both of them actually entered thepound shortly after Yue Wuxin entered, but no one expected to hear such a shocking piece of news.

    Luo Qiqi wanted to console Yue Wuxin, but before she could do so, Yue Wuxin had already opened the door and entered the room.

    Su Jincheng and Luo Qiqi thus stayed outside and observed the situation.

    Song Xiaoxiao flinched when she heard the door open, and both she and Pedrov were surprised to see Yue Wuxin walk in.

    From Yue Wuxin¡¯s expression, it was obvious that she had heard their entire conversation.

    Song Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t know if she should feel remorse or regret as she watched Yue Wuxin approach them.

    <i>How could I have ordered anyone to kill this adorable girl who actually filled my life with so much joy? She filled up that empty void in my heart after I lost my child.</i>

    <i>I¡¯m so inhumane. I¡¯ve let Yue Wuxin down.</i>

    ¡°Wuxin...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me!!!¡±

    She stared at Pedrov and asked, ¡°Dad, am I really an illegitimate child?¡±

 Chapter 326 â€“ Things Will Get Better

    <h4>Chapter 326 ¨C Things Will Get Better</h4>

    To Yue Wuxin¡¯s dismay, Pedrov nodded.

    Yue Wuxin turned to Song Xiaoxiao and asked, ¡°You¡¯re doing all this just because you found out I wasn¡¯t your biological daughter? Did all these years mean nothing? Was all your love and kindness fake?¡±

    Song Xiaoxiao was at a loss for words. ¡°Wuxin...¡±

    ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t call me that. You¡¯re not fit to call my name!¡±

    Song Xiaoxiao then sat on the floor, disappointed with herself.

    Su Jincheng walked up to Pedrov to release him from the shackles.

    Standing up, Pedrov said, ¡°Wuxin, you¡¯ll always be my daughter. Don¡¯t me your mother for this. All of it is my fault. I¡¯ve just been too busy over the years, and I didn¡¯t spend enough time with the both of you. This is why something like that happened...¡±

    Yue Wuxin couldn¡¯t stop her tears from flowing. She took onest look at Song Xiaoxiao before turning to leave.

    Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng followed closely behind her in concern.

    None of them had expected this.

    The three of them walked aimlessly on the streets for the entire day.

    When night fell, Yue Wuxin sat on a stone bench and stared into space. She had no idea what she could do and acted like a lifeless puppet.

    Luo Qiqi tried to cheer her up as she suggested, ¡°Wuxin, let¡¯s go back to the hotel!¡±

    Yue Wuxin looked up at her but shook her head. ¡°Qiqi, you can go back with Jincheng first. I¡¯d like to spend some time alone.¡±

    Luo Qiqi was too worried about Yue Wuxin to leave her alone in her current mental state.

    ¡°Wuxin, how about we go back to the hotel first? You can spend time alone back at the hotel too!¡±

    ¡°The enclosed space will remind me of what happened. It¡¯s nice here. I¡¯ll just sit for a while.¡±

    Luo Qiqi took a seat beside Yue Wuxin.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you, Wuxin. I know you¡¯re upset, and my ears are open if you¡¯d like to rant. I might be able to share the burden with you a little. Don¡¯t bottle everything up like this!¡±

    Yue Wuxin suddenly turned and hugged Luo Qiqi, crying as she did so.

    ¡°Why did this happen, Qiqi? It¡¯s such a cruel joke. My mother wants to kill me, and I¡¯m not her biological daughter. She¡¯s changed so much. How could she do that to Father...¡±

    Yue Wuxin cried even harder.

    Luo Qiqi patted her on the back, trying to console her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too upset, Wuxin. It¡¯s part and parcel of life to go through some trials and tribtions. Think about how your parents were able to provide for you and give you shelter when you were younger. That¡¯s a fact that cannot be changed.¡±

    ¡°Take me for example. I was born into a good family, but I got abducted when I was two. I only found my family after more than two decades.¡±

    ¡°Wuxin, I know you¡¯re envious of how Su Jincheng treats me. But you have no idea how much I¡¯ve been through!¡±

    ¡°I approached him because I wanted to look for Xia Zi at first, and I only realized that I¡¯ve developed feelings for him after A¡¯zi was found. You should know very well that it isn¡¯t that easy to give up on this. We were in a rather ambiguous rtionship for a while, and he even mistook Ming Ruoyuan for me and forced me to donate a kidney to her.¡±

    ¡°I hated him to the core at the time. But he jumped off that cliff just to protect me, and he didn¡¯t even mind giving up his life. My world crumbled at that moment, and I thought my heart would be dead forever.¡±

    ¡°Not many would have experienced such despair. It felt as if the entire world was gray, as if there was no longer any hope in living. My police training taught me to cherish every single life and not give up that easily, which is why I did not take my own life. I¡¯ve spent thest two years in a daze, praying that Su Jincheng was still alive somewhere.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s now right in front of me, alive and well. I see this as a gift from heaven, and I realized that there¡¯s a price to everything in this world. Look at what you have instead of focusing on the negative aspects. I¡¯ll always be with you as a friend!¡±

    Yue Wuxin was taken by surprise at Luo Qiqi¡¯s words.

    Though she was aware of some things that Luo Qiqi had been through, she didn¡¯t expect that Luo Qiqi would really treat her as a friend, especially when she helped Ming Ruoyuan previously.

    ¡°You really see me as a friend? To Su Jincheng, I...¡±

    Luo Qiqi cut her off before she could finish. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Have you forgotten what I said to you previously? It¡¯s not a sin to fall for someone. Just don¡¯t use underhanded methods. You were definitely instigated by Song Xiaoxiao to some extent, and not everything you did was right. But there¡¯s no need to continue feeling upset over that. I believe that everything will be okay...¡±

    Yue Wuxin was amazed. <i>What a kind heart.</i>

    Like a quiet sentinel, Su Jincheng stood nearby as thedies spoke.

    The three of them returned to the hotel after a while.

    They were about to return to their rooms when Yue Wuxin suddenly stopped.

    ¡°Jincheng...¡±

    Su Jincheng turned and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I have something to say. Come into my room. Qiqi, youe in too.¡±

    Luo Qiqi answered, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I won¡¯t be going in!¡±

    Yue Wuxin smiled. ¡°Come on in, Qiqi! I¡¯m serious.¡±

    When everyone was settled down, Yue Wuxin said, ¡°Jincheng, I know we have an agreement between us where you¡¯re supposed to be my bodyguard for three years. You know, if I really wanted someone to protect me, it wouldn¡¯t be you. I do have some skills of my own anyway. All I could think about was keeping you by my side even though I knew very clearly how you felt for Qiqi. After recent events, I think I¡¯m finally able to give up on this. You won¡¯t need to be my bodyguard from now on. You¡¯re free to do whatever you wish to do. You¡¯ve already made good on your promise to me, and I¡¯m very grateful to you for that. Thank you for being with me for the past two years.¡±

    Everyone fell silent after this.

    After a while, Su Jincheng finally answered.?¡°Yue Wuxin, I¡¯m the type who would fulfill any promises I make. Since you say it¡¯s fine, then our agreement shall end here. But you can alwayse to me if you need any help in future!¡±

    Yue Wuxin smiled and nodded.?¡°I know. Thank you!¡±

    ¡°Qiqi, thank you too. You¡¯ve taught me so much. I think I¡¯m really lucky to have met the both of you.¡±

    Shaking her head, Luo Qiqi said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I can tell you aren¡¯t malicious at heart. It¡¯s great that you¡¯re able to think about things clearly.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s also something else I wanted to tell you guys. I know that Jincheng has been drawing up a n to take back The Dark Night after our three-year agreement ends. I¡¯ve also been collecting information on The Dark Night for the past two years. I hope the information is of use to you.¡±

    She then took out her phone to send them the information.

    Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng were both surprised at this. Luo Qiqi thought,?<i>She¡¯s such a nice girl. It¡¯s too bad that she fell for the wrong person.</i>

    <i>I wouldn¡¯t even mind helping Yue Wuxin out, but it¡¯s just too bad that Su Jincheng is my man!</i>

    Yue Wuxin looked up at Su Jincheng after a while. ¡°Done. I¡¯ve sent the information to your mailbox. I hope it¡¯s useful!¡±

    ¡°Thanks!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me. I¡¯m doing this because I want to. I should be thanking you and Qiqi for today. It¡¯ste. Go rest.¡±

    Luo Qiqi said, ¡°You have a good rest too. Things will get better tomorrow!¡±

    Yue Wuxin smiled and nodded.

 Chapter 327 â€“ Reclaiming Power in The Dark Night

    <h4>Chapter 327 ¨C Reiming Power in The Dark Night</h4>

    Yue Wuxin happened toe out of her room when Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng wanted to go over to bid goodbye to her the next morning.

    ¡°You guys are leaving?¡±

    Luo Qiqi nodded. ¡°Yup. We¡¯re nning to go to America and find out more about the situation in The Dark Night before we take any further action!¡±

    After a moment of contemtion, Yue Wuxin asked, ¡°Can Ie with you? I don¡¯t really want to stay in Russia anymore. There doesn¡¯t seem to be anywhere else I can go either!¡±

    Luo Qiqi frowned at this. ¡°It¡¯s quite dangerous...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid!¡± Yue Wuxin answered without hesitation.

    ¡°You want to leave with us right now?¡±

    Yue Wuxin nodded seriously. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll go with you guys if you¡¯re leaving now. I can leave anytime!¡±

    Luo Qiqi turned to Su Jincheng and asked for his opinion. ¡°What do you think, Su Jincheng?¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s okay. The both of us will be with her, so it should be fine. I won¡¯t allow her to do anything dangerous anyway. She can go there to enjoy the sights. But I think she should let Mr Pedrov know that she¡¯s leaving. He still loves Yue Wuxin.¡±

    An awkward expression appeared on Yue Wuxin¡¯s face.

    She wanted to bid goodbye to her father too, but the very thought of having to see a particr woman again made her reject the idea. She hated what Song Xiaoxiao did to her.

    As if reading her mind, Su Jincheng said, ¡°Yue Wuxin, she might have gone overboard this time. But it¡¯s a fact that she brought you up and provided for you over the years. That¡¯s something you can never deny. Go back and bid goodbye to them. We¡¯ll leave right after that!¡±

    Though unwilling at first, Yue Wuxin agreed eventually.

    All the staff were already back at work at the Presidential Estate.

    Yue Wuxin saw Song Xiaoxiao and Pedrov in the living room.

    Standing where she was, she called out, ¡°Dad!¡±

    Song Xiaoxiao looked at Yue Wuxin with remorse written all over her face.

    The atmosphere felt a little awkward suddenly. Pedrov then stood up and said, ¡°Wuxin,e over and take a seat with your friends!¡±

    Yue Wuxin looked at Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng. ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll do the talking.¡±

    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m leaving for a short trip. I also bought a house in the city, so I¡¯ll be staying there after I return. I¡¯m here to let you know that I¡¯m going on a trip with these friends of mine.¡±

    Pedrov knew that this trip was just Yue Wuxin¡¯s way of getting away from this ce.

    <i>That may be good for her too. Things might not have taken such a turn if only I had realized Song Xiaoxiao¡¯s ns earlier. Since it¡¯s alreadye to this, I¡¯ll just let her go on this trip then!</i>

    Pedrov nodded at her.

    ¡°Be careful, Xin¡¯er. Safety first.¡±

    Yue Wuxin felt tears well up in her eyes.

    She stood up quickly and said, ¡°I¡¯m leaving then! Qiqi, let¡¯s go!¡±

    She then left without a second backward nce.

    Throughout the whole time she was there, she had never once looked at Song Xiaoxiao.

    Luo Qiqi then said, ¡°We¡¯re leaving then, Uncle!¡±

    Pedrov nodded.

    When the three of them walked out, they heard Pedrov trying tofort Song Xiaoxiao in a soft voice.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too upset. She might forgive you in future...¡±

    They headed for the airport immediately.

    After arriving in New York, Su Jincheng felt slightly out of ce since it had already been two years since he wasst in the area. Though New York did not change very much, he felt like a stranger in a strangend.

    The Dark Night had been looking all over for Su Jincheng for the past two years, and to prevent any of them from being recognized, all three of them had put on facial prosthetics.

    With the additional information from Yue Wuxin, Su Jincheng was able to put together a more or lessplete picture of the current situation in The Dark Night.

    Right now, the organization worked in a way that was reminiscent of ancient times where the one at the top makes all the decisions. Su Jincheng had a bunch of loyal subordinates when he was the leader in the past since he was able to get their genuine support. The current leader, however, was known to be a cruel and vicious individual, and he acted like that even towards his own men.

    After usurping the top position, he sent agents on extremely dangerous missions with absolutely no regard for their safety. This resulted in unhappiness among those in the organization, but because of how the group was structured and the top-down chain ofmand, no one really dared speak up.

    Su Jincheng already had some sort of n at the back of his mind. The annual meeting of elders would be happening shortly. It was a meeting where the organization would decide on the major ns for theing year and review all that happened in the past year. The new leader would definitely be at this meeting.

    The elders who attended the meeting had quite a lot of power, so Su Jincheng wanted to get them on his side first. He nned to appear unannounced at the annual meeting to dethrone the new leader.

    He knew that the new leader had spent a lot of money to bribe the current elders. Thus, for Su Jincheng¡¯s n to seed, he had to get rid of those who had epted bribes and rece them with those he could trust.

    ording to Yue Wuxin¡¯s information, the new leader was a man called Yuwen Feng and he is the son of one of the most powerful elders in the organization.

    Su Jincheng wanted to first visit his trusted subordinates in order to let them know about his n before proceeding to remove the elders.

    Su Jincheng, Luo Qiqi and Yue Wuxin snuck into the home of one of the elders that very night.

    It took merely three days for Su Jincheng to visit all of his trusted subordinates. Apart from one turncoat whom he killed on the spot, the others swore to stand by Su Jincheng to help him achieve his goal.

    Su Jincheng, Luo Qiqi and Yue Wuxin worked together and killed seven elders quickly, recing all of them with people whom they trusted and whom Su Jincheng had been keeping in contact with for the past two years.

    The annual meeting of elders was to take ce five dayster.

    Su Jincheng, Luo Qiqi and Yue Wuxin had already sessfully snuck into Yuwen Feng¡¯s home before the meeting.

    Though Yuwen Feng was an extremely cruel man, he was also very much of a coward. He took his bodyguards with him wherever he went.

    He brought four bodyguards with him for the meeting this year, afraid that someone would make an attempt on his life.

    Su Jincheng and the twodies were among the four bodyguards.

    Luo Qiqi felt uneasy for some reason, as if something bad was about to happen. She kept reminding Yue Wuxin and Su Jincheng to be extra careful.

    The meeting was supposed to begin at nine in the evening at The Dark Night¡¯s headquarters.

    Yuwen Feng arrived with his bodyguards just one minute before the scheduled time, arousing unhappiness among the rest of the elders who were already present.

    With an arrogant attitude, he sat in the main seat and dered the start of the meeting.

    The elders began to give their reports about what happened in the past year and their suggestions and ns on what the group should focus on for the next year.

    Before everyone could finish, Yuwen Feng suddenly stood up and kicked the chair beside him. ¡°What¡¯s all this? What have you guys been doing for the past year? These are shitty results!¡±

    With how Yuwen Feng had ced all his energy on the rivalry with Sin Eliminators for the past two years, everyone who was present felt that he had no right to admonish them.

    One of the elders spoke up in anger.

    ¡°Yuwen Feng, you would be nothing now if the original Dark Night didn¡¯t go missing. How dare you talk to us like this? All you can think about is going against Sin Eliminators just because they killed your father. It¡¯s because of your father¡¯sck of skills that he got killed. You¡¯re free to take your revenge, but you shouldn¡¯t be dragging the entire organization into it!¡±

    At this, Yuwen Feng¡¯s expression darkened.

    ¡°What did you say? I dare you to say it again!¡±

    His father was killed by Sin Eliminators shortly after Yuwen Feng obtained his current position in The Dark Night. He thus swore to take revenge for his father, and he couldn¡¯t believe that anyone dared insult his father so openly like that!

    That particr elder did not seem the least bit afraid of Yuwen Feng. ¡°I¡¯ll say it again. me it on your own father for hisck of ability. You can take your revenge, but don¡¯t drag the entire organization down with you!¡±

    Su Jincheng could already sense everything going downhill from here.

    Before he could do anything, Yuwen Feng whipped out a gun.

 Chapter 328 â€“ A Leaderâ€™s Aura

    <h4>Chapter 328 ¨C A Leader¡¯s Aura</h4>

    The elder copsed on the desk with a loud bang.

    Everyone looked at Yuwen Feng in shock and disbelief.

    Someone yelled, ¡°How dare you, Yuwen Feng!¡±

    Immediately, Yuwen Feng pointed his gun at the one who spoke. ¡°Say that again if you dare!¡±

    Everyone fell silent instantly.

    Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng took this opportunity to make their move.

    Luo Qiqi swiftly kicked Yuwen Feng¡¯s gun out of his hand and caught it in hers.

    Almost at the same time, Su Jincheng aimed a kick at Yuwen Feng, who knelt onto the floor in pain. Su Jincheng was thus able to immobilize him in a second.

    Yue Wuxin quickly knocked the fourth bodyguard unconscious.

    Su Jincheng began to peel off his facial prosthetics slowly...

    The elders were shocked to see Su Jincheng there. Though they were aware that he nned to attend the meeting, they did not expect for him to appear in such a manner. Confidence and the aura of a natural leader emanated from Su Jincheng.

    Su Jincheng handed Yuwen Feng to Luo Qiqi, who fractured his bones immediately.

    Yuwen Feng stared at Su Jincheng in anger. ¡°Dark Night, you¡¯ll die a horrible death!¡±

    Su Jincheng gave a devilishugh.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, but I can tell that you¡¯ll be dead very soon!¡±

    ¡°Kill me right now if you dare, Dark Night. Or else I¡¯de back for you one day!¡±

    Su Jinchengughed. ¡°You! Forget it! You weren¡¯t even able to locate me for the past two years. Do you really think you can kill me?¡±

    Yuwen Feng tried to escape from Luo Qiqi¡¯s grasp but to no avail.

    Turning towards the elders, Su Jincheng said, ¡°Everyone, I¡¯m back!¡±

    Everyone greeted him loudly, ¡°Dark Night!¡±

    Su Jincheng addressed all of them as he said, ¡°You¡¯ve done well in the past two years!¡±

    One of the elders said, ¡°None of that matters now that you¡¯re back!¡±

    Su Jincheng smiled and said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case...¡±

    He was cut off by Yue Wuxin¡¯s sudden yelp.

    The sound of a gunshot followed before he realized what was happening.

    Yue Wuxin held onto him, trembling as she did so.

    Su Jincheng¡¯s eyes welled up with tears instantly.

    He then turned around to kill the man who shot Yue Wuxin.

    The fourth bodyguard had only pretended to be knocked out by Yue Wuxin. Biding his time, he pretended to be unconscious and waited for an opportune moment to kill Su Jincheng.

    Yue Wuxin was standing right behind Su Jincheng, and she took the bullet for him without a second thought.

    Though she said she had already given up on her feelings, it was obvious that she still felt deeply for him. She was just clear on the fact that Su Jincheng would never fall for her.

    Su Jincheng supported Yue Wuxin as she slid to the floor, anger and confusion apparent in his eyes.

    <i>She didn¡¯t have to do this at all. Why is she so silly!</i>

    Spotting Yuwen Feng and his disgusting smile, Su Jincheng aimed the gun at him and pulled the trigger without hesitation. The bullet pierced Yuwen Feng right in his heart!

    Yuwen Feng went down with his eyes wide open, as if he couldn¡¯t believe Su Jincheng would kill him so quickly in front of everyone else like he was nothing but a tiny ant.

    Seeing that Yuwen Feng was dead, he looked at Yue Wuxin. ¡°Why did you do that!¡±

    Yue Wuxin answered weakly, ¡°Because I wanted to. Anyway¡­ No one cares for me and no one loves me anyway. My parents don¡¯t feel like my parents anymore¡­ Actually¡­ It¡¯s pretty good like this...¡±

    ¡°Yue Wuxin, don¡¯t talk. I¡¯ll get you a doctor!¡±

    ¡°Jincheng¡­ Don¡¯t¡­ It¡¯s toote¡­ I¡­ I know!¡±

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s eyes were brimming with tears. <i>Why did our n go wrong? Su Jincheng and I are right here. How could we have let anything happen to Yue Wuxin!</i>

    <i>Why did this have to happen!</i>

    Su Jincheng yelled at the bunch of elders, ¡°Get a doctor quickly!¡±

    ¡°Dark Night, he¡¯s on the way!¡±

    Yue Wuxin shook her head. ¡°Jincheng, there¡¯s no need to¡­ I¡­ I won¡¯t make it!¡±

    Su Jincheng scooped her up in his arms and headed for the operating room downstairs. It was a room built specially for agents in the organization.

    Yue Wuxin grabbed Su Jincheng¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Jincheng, it¡¯s nice to be carried by you at least once before I die. Could you get me a voice recorder?¡±

    Luo Qiqi, who was following closely behind, took out her phone immediately and ced it near Yue Wuxin after putting it in voice recorder mode.

    Yue Wuxin took the phone in her hands.

    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m sorry. I couldn¡¯t take it. I understand why Mum did that, since I¡¯m not her biological daughter. But I¡¯m still really upset about it. Someone I¡¯ve loved for the past twenty years or so actually wants to kill me¡­ Dad, I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯m really an unfilial daughter. I¡¯ll be leaving first¡­ Don¡¯t be sad.¡±

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s tears fell as she heard Yue Wuxin¡¯s words.

    ¡°Dad, tell Mum that I don¡¯t have anything to say to her. I¡¯m grateful to her for taking care of me all these years. Tell her that I don¡¯t hate her. I¡¯m just a little upset and confused¡­ I have to go now...¡±

    Seeing Yue Wuxin grow weaker by the second, Su Jincheng sped up. Right before they reached the operating room, Yue Wuxin¡¯s arm fell limp and the phone she was holding fell to the floor.

    Though Yue Wuxin had feelings for Su Jincheng, Luo Qiqi never hated her. After spending so much time with her, Luo Qiqi realized that she was just a young girl at heart.

    <i>She really likes Su Jincheng, to the point that she¡¯s willing to give up her life for him like this.</i>

    Su Jincheng stopped right outside the operating room, stupefied.

    He would never be able to return her feelings for him because he saw her as nothing more than a younger sister.

    No matter how upset or guilty they felt, it was a fact that Yue Wuxin was now dead. She no longer had any will to continue living either.

    An air of sorrow surrounded Su Jincheng as he stood there carrying Yue Wuxin¡¯s body for the entire night, while Luo Qiqi stayed with him for as long as he stood.

    ¡­¡­

    By the next day, Luo Qiqi could no longer stand it.

    ¡°Su Jincheng, Wuxin wouldn¡¯t want to see you like this!¡±

    Su Jincheng turned to her slowly.

    ¡°Qiqi¡­ I sent her to her death. It was me! This wouldn¡¯t have happened if it wasn¡¯t for me! If only I didn¡¯t allow her to tag along, if only I didn¡¯t let here with us to The Dark Night. This wouldn¡¯t have happened!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no use saying all this now! Yue Wuxin is already dead, she¡¯s dead! Take a good look at reality!¡±

    Disbelief shed in Su Jincheng¡¯s eyes.

    What he said next shocked Luo Qiqi.

    ¡°Qiqi, are you jealous of Yue Wuxin? Do you think it¡¯s great that she¡¯s dead...¡±

    Luo Qiqi stared at him incredulously.

    She then yelled at him angrily, ¡°Su Jincheng, are you retarded? Am I that vicious to you! All I want is for you to take a good look at reality! I survived even after I received news that you were dead! Su Jincheng, I can¡¯t believe you!¡±

    In tears, she turned to leave.

    However, Luo Qiqi copsed to the floor after taking just a couple of steps.

    Su Jincheng turned around when he heard a thud only to see Luo Qiqi lying on the floor.

    Frantic, he ced Yue Wuxin¡¯s body on a nearby bench and rushed towards Luo Qiqi.

    ¡°Qiqi, Qiqi! What¡¯s wrong! I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have said that. I was too emotional and too upset. Don¡¯t scare me like that. Wake up, Qiqi!¡±

    After realizing that Luo Qiqi had absolutely no reaction to his yells, he picked her up quickly and called for the doctor.

 Chapter 329 â€“ A Kidney-related Illness

    <h4>Chapter 329 ¨C A Kidney-rted Illness</h4>

    Su Jincheng moved Yue Wuxin¡¯s body to the morgue in the organization¡¯s headquarters while Luo Qiqi was being checked on.

    Su Jincheng was in a panic-stricken state as he waited for the doctor.

    <i>One of them is dead and the other is hurt. How can I forgive myself for this!</i>

    When the doctor walked out, he said, ¡°Dark Night, you have to be prepared for what I¡¯m about to tell you. She¡¯s four weeks pregnant!¡±

    A look of surprise appeared on Su Jincheng¡¯s face, but it was quickly reced by disbelief after hearing what the doctor said next.

    ¡°But you can¡¯t keep the baby!¡±

    Su Jincheng grabbed the doctor¡¯s cor in anger. ¡°Why not? It¡¯s mine!¡±

    He didn¡¯t understand why the doctor would say something like that at all.

    The doctor then exined patiently, ¡°She might die if you keep the baby because she might not be strong enough to make it through the entire pregnancy safely. Knowing that, would you still want to keep the baby?¡±

    Su Jincheng stared at the doctor. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Dark Night, she¡¯s an agent right?¡±

    Luo Qiqi was from Interpol, but her job was rather simr to what their agents did. He thus nodded.

    The doctor said, ¡°She had sustained many injuries in the past, probably because of her job.¡±

    ¡°But of course, those injuries are not enough to affect her health in any big way. She probably had one kidney taken away in the past couple of years or so, so her immunity is a lot weaker than what it was in the past. Also, she¡¯s basically been an alcoholic for the past two years, and that has taken a huge toll on her body. She hasn¡¯t copsed because she works out diligently and she was very fit and healthy before this. My rmendation is to abort the baby, or else she might not be able to survive!¡±

    Su Jincheng paled at this. <i>Abort the baby? I was the one who took her kidney away. It¡¯s all my fault!</i>

    He shut his eyes in pain. ¡°Let me think about this!¡±

    The doctor shook his head before walking away.

    Su Jincheng would choose Luo Qiqi over an unborn baby in the blink of an eye. But if he decided to abort the baby without telling her about it, Luo Qiqi would definitely find out. She was no fool.

    Su Jincheng did not know how he should break the news to her.

    <i>What should I do?</i>

    He squatted right where he was, taking some time to ponder over this.

    Luo Qiqi was already awake when he entered the ward.

    She turned away upon seeing him. ¡°What are you doing here!¡±

    ¡°To see you, Qiqi. I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my fault!¡±

    Luo Qiqi smirked.

    ¡°Why would the leader of The Dark Night visit a nobody like me? Are you here to see if I¡¯m dead?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Qiqi. You know that I didn¡¯t mean it!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on in your head anymore!¡±

    ¡°Qiqi, I¡¯m sorry for what happened earlier. I shouldn¡¯t have said that. I was just too upset. You know that Yue Wuxin isn¡¯t malicious, and she chose to do that for me! I¡¯m just upset that she¡¯s gone now!¡±

    Luo Qiqi turned to him in anger. ¡°Su Jincheng, do you think that I can¡¯t tell Yue Wuxin is a kind person at heart? You¡¯re not the only one upset over her death! But there¡¯s nothing we can do about it! Our only choice is to move on. We have to continue with our lives even if it¡¯s a horrible life spent drowning ourselves in alcohol!¡±

    This hurt Su Jincheng. He knew that she used alcohol as an escape in the past two years because she thought he was dead.

    <i>I¡¯m really the one to me for everything!</i>

    ¡°Qiqi, I understand. I¡¯ve asked someone to contact Yue Wuxin¡¯s parents and they¡¯re already on the way here. They¡¯ll be bringing Yue Wuxin back...¡±

    Hearing Yue Wuxin¡¯s name made Luo Qiqi feel like crying. <i>Poor girl.</i>

    She then asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me anyway? What did the doctor say? Why did I pass out so suddenly?¡±

    <i>Should I tell her the truth?</i>, wondered Su Jincheng.

    <i>She¡¯d be so upset over the news. But she¡¯d probably hate me for it if I don¡¯t tell her either!</i>

    Luo Qiqi felt frustrated at Su Jincheng¡¯s silence.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on! Say something, Su Jincheng! I¡¯m going to ask the doctor myself!¡±

    She made to get up from the bed, and that made Su Jincheng give her an answer immediately.

    ¡°The doctor said that your kidney is weak and it affects your immunity, which is why you fainted...¡±

    This seemed to appease Luo Qiqi as she pulled the nket over herself and settled back into bed.

    ¡°Is that it? So it¡¯s just my kidney.¡±

    She then turned away from Su Jincheng.

    <i>I¡¯m such a coward for not telling her the truth!</i>

    ¡­¡­

    Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng picked up Pedrov and Song Xiaoxiao when they arrived.

    Song Xiaoxiao started bawling upon seeing Yue Wuxin¡¯s body.

    She regretted everything. <i>Why did I have to do that to her? I shouldn¡¯t have done all that.</i>

    Having transferred Yue Wuxin¡¯s voice clip into another recorder, Luo Qiqi passed it to Pedrov.

    He listened to the recording alone in a room, and his eyes were brimming with tears when Luo Qiqi saw him again.

    It was heartbreaking to have to see a parent send their own child away like this.

    Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng seemed to be engaged in a cold war after Yue Wuxin¡¯s body was sent back.

    Luo Qiqi ignored everything that Su Jincheng said or did.

    A couple of days turned into a couple of weeks before it was an entire month where Luo Qiqi ignored Su Jincheng.

    Su Jincheng was at a loss of what to do. Luo Qiqi was probably still unaware that she was pregnant at this point.

    <i>We have to abort it as soon as possible, or else her body wouldn¡¯t be able to take it. We can always look for a kidney and focus on her recovery after that.</i>

    Su Jincheng thus went to the doctor to schedule the abortion without Luo Qiqi¡¯s knowledge.

    He nned to discuss this with the doctor before telling Luo Qiqi about everything. He refused to endanger her life in any way, even if she might end up hating him for it.

    Luo Qiqi had been staying in their hospital all this time, and she found it strange after a while. She felt that there was no need for her to be stuck in there even if she had a weak constitution.

    Bored out of her wits, Luo Qiqi decided to go to the doctor to get a clearer picture of what was really going on.

    She heard Su Jincheng¡¯s voice when she arrived outside the doctor¡¯s office.

    ¡°Tomorrow. We¡¯ll do it tomorrow. How should I convince her if she¡¯s unwilling?¡±

    ¡°Dark Night, I¡¯ve already asked you to tell her the truth and get her agreement on this. You can¡¯t keep the baby. Her body wouldn¡¯t be able to take it. Why haven¡¯t you told her yet! I rmend for the abortion to be done as soon as possible so that it wouldn¡¯t take too much of a toll on her body!¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll tell herter. Let¡¯s schedule the operation for tomorrow!¡±

    He turned to leave only to see Luo Qiqi at the door.

    Luo Qiqi stared at him in disbelief. <i>I¡¯m pregnant?!</i>

    <i>He made me stay here and refused to tell me I was pregnant! He wants to get rid of my baby? How could he be so cruel!</i>

    Panic shed in Su Jincheng¡¯s eyes. ¡°Qiqi, listen to me!¡±

    Luo Qiqi cut him off instantly. ¡°What? Listen to how you nned to get my baby killed?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Qiqi. You¡¯re too weak now, you can¡¯t keep the baby. Let¡¯s try again after you¡¯re stronger, okay?¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    She then turned, determined to leave this ce as quickly as she could.

    <i>I have to leave right now.</i>

    Su Jincheng followed behind her closely and watched as she started packing up right after returning to her ward.

    ¡°Qiqi, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Getting discharged!¡±

    ¡°Stop it, Qiqi. Why are you being so stubborn!¡±

 Chapter 330 â€“ Luo Qiqi Leaves

    <h4>Chapter 330 ¨C Luo Qiqi Leaves</h4>

    Luo Qiqi continued packing and ignored him. ¡°Why are some people so domineering? They think they can make a unteral decision on everything!¡±

    Su Jincheng walked up to her, but he didn¡¯t know how to exin himself.

    ¡°Qiqi, stop messing around!¡±

    Luo Qiqi stared at him. ¡°Su Jincheng, you know very well I¡¯m not messing around!¡±

    Su Jincheng then knocked her out with a swift blow to the neck.

    A look of disbelief appeared on Luo Qiqi¡¯s face right before she copsed.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Qiqi. I don¡¯t want to lose you. It¡¯s okay if we can¡¯t have children!¡±

    He then carried Luo Qiqi and ced her gently on the bed before getting the doctor to confirm the operation.

    Luo Qiqi woke up after nightfall to see a figure beside her, realizing that it was Su Jincheng only upon closer look.

    Luo Qiqi shut her eyes again. <i>Did he n to send me onto the operating table without my consent again?</i>

    She finally called out, ¡°Su Jincheng...¡±

    Su Jincheng walked over to switch on the lights quickly.

    ¡°Qiqi, how are you feeling? Are you ufortable?¡±

    Luo Qiqi frowned and said, ¡°I¡¯m hungry...¡±

    <i>Right, she hasn''t eaten anything since afternoon.</i>

    He poured a ss of water for her and helped her sit up. ¡°Have some water first. I¡¯ll go get food for you!¡±

    Luo Qiqi nodded and took a few huge gulps of water.

    Su Jincheng helped her lie down again before turning to leave.

    <i>I¡¯ll be quick. Nothing will happen.</i>

    However, he had underestimated Luo Qiqi¡¯s determination to keep the baby.

    Su Jincheng tried to be as fast as he could, but Luo Qiqi was already gone when he returned to her ward!

    Though frantic, he felt anger bubbling inside him. <i>Why did she do that!</i>

    He ordered for a lockdown in The Dark Night¡¯s headquarters and for everyone to search for Luo Qiqi.

    He felt that it would be impossible for her to leave since the entire ce was sealed, but he spent three whole days searching for her to no avail.

    What happened was that Luo Qiqi put on facial prosthetics and left right after he went out to get food. She had already left thepound before he returned.

    Since her fingerprints were already registered in the system, she was able to exit thepound without a hitch.

    He had underestimated her and forgotten that she was no fragile little girl. She was the fiery red rose who had the ability to terrify even the mafia.

    Su Jincheng searched high and low for her for an entire month after Luo Qiqi left, and he even attempted to visit the Ye family home to see if she was there. However, the Ye family refused to let him in, and he wasn¡¯t able to locate Luo Qiqi anywhere.

    He visited every single ce which Luo Qiqi was a frequent customer at, but it seemed impossible to find her!

    After a year, he decided to give up. He knew very well that he wouldn¡¯t be able to find her if she was hiding from him on purpose.

    He knew that there was no way he could forcefully keep Luo Qiqi by his side if she was unwilling.

    Su Jincheng seemed to be a much colder individual after that, and the frigid aura surrounding him previously only got more intense.

    ¡­¡­

    Five yearster.

    Su Jincheng stood in The Dark Night¡¯s headquarters that overlooked the entire city.

    <i>It¡¯s been five years!</i>

    Luo Qiqi had left him for five years, and he was still unable to locate her.

    He knew that she was avoiding him on purpose, but he had never given up on his search.

    On the surface, it looked as if he had already epted that Luo Qiqi had left, but in fact, he had secretly sent his subordinates to search for her.

    <i>We¡¯ve been apart for five whole years!</i>

    He wondered if he should return to A City to have a look, since it was her home. Furthermore, he hasn¡¯t been back for the past five years either.

    He thus decided to book an air ticket to A City.

    He walked out of the airport and stepped onto the familiar-looking piece ofnd as he arrived.

    He didn¡¯t realize that there was a beautiful woman and an adorable little boy who were a short distance away from him.

    The boy passed something to the woman beside him and said, ¡°Mummy, I have a tummy ache. Hold this for me for a while. I¡¯ll be quick!¡±

    Luo Qiqi smiled as she watched him rush into the washroom.

    That beautiful woman was none other than Luo Qiqi.

    She looked out at the city, thinking, <i>It¡¯s been five years!</i>

    She contacted Ye Zhongjue five years ago for help and located Gu Yi¡¯an.

    She was able to deliver her baby safely with Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s help, and she has been recovering well after that. She was in a much better condition now.

    Even so, she refused to look for Su Jincheng. She found it hard to forgive him for wanting to abort the baby, even if he wanted to do it for her health.

    <i>How could he be so cruel to our baby!</i>

    Luo Qiqi got upset everytime she thought about this.

    Furthermore, she felt unsure of how Su Jincheng really felt about her after Yue Wuxin¡¯s death. She knew that there was no way she couldpete with Yue Wuxin now, and she didn¡¯t want to do so either.

    All she wanted to do now was to take care of her son.

    The boy¡¯s name was Su Jinyu, and Lele was his pet name. She almost wanted to use Ye as hisst name, since she was so angry with Su Jincheng at the time.

    While Luo Qiqi was reminiscing about the past...

    Su Jinyu knocked into someone in his rush to get to the washroom as he didn¡¯t want to keep his mum waiting for too long.

    He looked up to see Su Jincheng¡¯s handsome face.

    <i>What a good-looking uncle, he marvelled. I want to look like him when I grow up too.</i>

    Su Jincheng looked down at the little boy in front of him.

    ¡°You okay there?¡±

    For some reason, he felt a sense of familiarity with the boy, as if they had met somewhere previously.

    <i>He¡¯s so nice. He didn¡¯t scold me for knocking into him, and even asked if I¡¯m okay.</i>

    <i>Uncle Gu said that men like that are bound to seed in future. This uncle in front of me must be an amazing person. He¡¯s dressed well too.</i>

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Uncle. I was in a rush. Sorry for knocking into you. I apologize!¡±

    Su Jincheng was impressed by how well-mannered the boy was. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Be careful next time. Go on!¡±

    Su Jinyu nodded and apologized once more before running into the washroom.

    Su Jincheng stood staring after the boy entered, as if he was in a daze.

    He then gave a bitter smile before turning to leave.

    Though Luo Qiqi was looking in the direction of the washroom, she didn¡¯t recognize Su Jincheng when he walked out.

    It was only after Su Jincheng was about to exit the airport did she realize that the man looked a lot like him. She tried to take a second look but the man was already nowhere to be found.

    <i>It must be ack of sleep. I¡¯m thinking too much.</i>

    Su Jinyu walked out of the washroom shortly after and said, ¡°Mummy, I met a super handsome and polite uncle earlier. Like what you and Uncle Gu say, he¡¯s a gentleman!¡±

    Luo Qiqiughed at this.

    After exiting the airport, they spotted a white Ferrari a short distance away.

    They walked over to see Gu Yi¡¯an roll down the windows in greeting.

    ¡°Wee, wee, the beautifuldy and the little handsome guy!¡±

    Luo Qiqi asked, ¡°Is thedy more beautiful or the boy more handsome?¡±

 Chapter 331 â€“ Meeting Five Years Later

    <h4>Chapter 331 ¨C Meeting Five Years Later</h4>

    ¡°That depends on whose presents are better!¡± Gu Yi¡¯an teased.

    Luo Qiqi replied withughter, ¡°Gu Yi¡¯an, you¡¯re a kid just like Lele!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an then said, ¡°Well, that¡¯s because I spend so much time with him!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an had been traveling all over the world on his own after faking his own death, and when he found out what happened to Luo Qiqi, he decided to stay and help take care of her.

    When Luo Qiqi asked him if he would ever be able to ept anyone else into his heart, Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s answer surprised her.

    He said that although he was able to ept such a possibility in his head, his heart wouldn¡¯t be able to do so.

    How honest!

    This made Luo Qiqi wonder if Gu Yi¡¯an would ever meet Guan Zijue ever again. She heard from Xia Zi that Guan Zijue had never once thought about getting married in the past few years.

    He didn¡¯t seem to care about what others said about him either.

    Guan Zijue was now a general in the military, and he had been cing all his focus on his career for the past few years, with no regard for anything else.

    To the rest of the world, his life was nothing but morous, but nobody knew how much he had suffered before he got to where he was today.

    Luo Qiqi, Gu Yi¡¯an and Su Jinyu arrived back at the Ye family home shortly after.

    Mo Suqing and Ye Zhongjue were also there for a visit with their three children.

    Xiaoliu and A¡¯jiu were tweens now, and their youngest child was only a year older than Su Jinyu. The youngest boys were on very good terms since they were so simr in age.

    Everyone had a good time catching up over a meal.

    Luo Qiqi and Gu Yi¡¯an stayed in the same apartment in A City, where everyone had their own individual rooms.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was the only one awake while the other two fell asleep due to jetg. He stayed in the study for the entire day.

    It was already past seven in the evening when Luo Qiqi woke up.

    Gu Yi¡¯an walked out of the study at this point and asked, ¡°I¡¯m going to the supermarket. Wannae with Lele too?¡±

    Excited, Luo Qiqi said, ¡°Let¡¯s go! I have to make sure you get the right ingredients!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡±

    Luo Qiqi woke Su Jinyu and the three of them left for the supermarket.

    Su Jinyu was so excited to be there that he went around picking up almost everything he saw while Luo Qiqi put back several of the items he took.

    This annoyed Su Jinyu and he ran off to another aisle to pick out other items.

    To his surprise, he saw Su Jincheng there.

    He called out, ¡°Uncle!¡±

    Su Jincheng turned to see the little boy and smiled.

    ¡°Hey little guy, you¡¯re shopping here too!¡±

    Su Jinyu nodded excitedly before shaking his head.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just looking at things!¡±

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you buying anything?¡±

    ¡°Mummy says that these aren¡¯t nutritious, so she doesn¡¯t let me have them!¡±

    Su Jinyu pouted as he spoke.

    ¡°I¡¯ll buy them for you then!¡±

    Su Jinyu nodded happily, as if he was hoping for Su Jincheng to say this.

    Su Jinyu ced everything that Luo Qiqi put back into Su Jincheng¡¯s shopping basket and headed for the cashier.

    However, they heard an announcement before they could pay.

    ¡°If anyone has seen a young boy in a blue checkered shirt and ck jeans, please take him to the front desk. His mother is looking for him. Thank you very much!¡±

    Su Jincheng looked down at Su Jinyu and realized that the boy fit the description perfectly!

    <i>His parents must be worried sick by now!</i>

    ¡°Hey little guy, let¡¯s go look for your parents first. They must be very worried about you. Uncle will buy these after that and give them to you, okay?¡±

    Su Jinyu nodded, aware that he had been gone for quite a while.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was looking for the boy in the supermarket while Luo Qiqi waited at the front desk, hoping for someone to take the boy there.

    Just as she wanted to go searching for him on her own, she spotted a tiny figure running towards her.

    She hugged Su Jinyu with tears in her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re so naughty, Lele! Why did you run off on your own! Mummy was so worried!¡±

    ¡°Mummy, I was with that Uncle I met in the airport. He¡¯s the one who brought me here!¡±

    He then pointed at Su Jincheng.

    Luo Qiqi looked up, shocked to see that it was Su Jincheng!

    Su Jincheng was already rooted to the spot the very moment he spotted her.

    He never expected to meet her right here in A City like this after searching for her for five whole years.

    The two of them stared at each other, unmoving.

    Su Jinyu felt something amiss and asked, ¡°Mummy, what are the both of you doing? Why isn¡¯t anyone talking?¡±

    She realized that Su Jincheng was that good-looking stranger her son talked about, and the man she saw at the airport earlier today was him as well.

    Luo Qiqi suddenly felt guilty for avoiding him for the past few years.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Mummy¡¯s thinking about something!¡±

    Su Jincheng took steady steps towards Luo Qiqi.

    He said, ¡°Is that so! When have you be someone who likes to think about things so much!¡±

    Luo Qiqi stuttered, ¡°What does it matter¡­ You¡­ I¡­ Who are you!¡±

    Annoyed, Su Jincheng wanted to grab her and take her back home right this moment, but he turned gentle when he saw Su Jinyu in her arms.

    He was no fool. He knew the boy was the baby they had together, and that Luo Qiqi had safely given birth to him!

    Seeing how Su Jincheng looked at Su Jinyu, Luo Qiqi hugged her son tight. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡±

    Su Jincheng smiled, but he heard another voice behind him before he could say anything else.

    ¡°Qiqi, Lele is back!¡±

    Su Jincheng turned to see Gu Yi¡¯an approach.

    Both of them spoke at the same time.

    ¡°Gu Yi¡¯an!¡±

    ¡°Su Jincheng!¡±

    In the end, the four of them sat around a table staring at one another.

    Without any conversation, the atmosphere turned slightly awkward.

    Luo Qiqi said, ¡°Um¡­ Say something! Let¡¯s not just stare at one another like this!¡±

    Su Jincheng watched Gu Yi¡¯an like he was his archenemy. He was not happy about the fact that another man was staying with Luo Qiqi and her son.

    He had no idea that Gu Yi¡¯an only had feelings for Guan Zijue.

    Su Jincheng had the impression that Gu Yi¡¯an was a single, straight man who was now living under the same roof as his wife and his son, so it was perfectly natural for him to feel enmity towards Gu Yi¡¯an.

    No one seemed to react to what Luo Qiqi just said, so she coughed awkwardly and pretended to look away.

    It was Su Jinyu who suddenly spoke. ¡°Uncle, why are you looking at my Mummy like that? Have you fallen in love with her at first sight!¡±

    Kids say nothing but the truth, and this made Luo Qiqi blush so badly that she wanted to hide herself.

    Gu Yi¡¯an then teased her on purpose, ¡°Qiqi, there¡¯s quite a bit of space under the table...¡±

    <i>I could kill you right now, Gu Yi¡¯an!</i>

    <i>Wait. Why am I acting like this? He¡¯s the biological father! What¡¯s wrong with that? Nothing¡¯s wrong!</i>

    <i>I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, so I shouldn¡¯t be avoiding Su Jincheng now! What am I thinking!</i>

    Luo Qiqi finally looked up, smiling at everyone present.

 Chapter 332 â€“ Iâ€™m Still A Child

    <h4>Chapter 332 ¨C I¡¯m Still A Child</h4>

    Su Jincheng kept staring at Su Jinyu after he asked the question, and his gaze shocked the boy.

    There was a mix of guilt, regret, and a trace of affection...

    Su Jinyu suddenly wondered if it was him that the older man fell in love with!

    <i>I¡¯m still a child!</i>

    Su Jinyu looked at his mother awkwardly.

    Luo Qiqi frowned. ¡°What are you doing, Su Jincheng!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking about what the little guy said earlier. Didn¡¯t he ask if I fell in love with you at first sight?¡±

    Luo Qiqi rolled her eyes at him.

    ¡°Handsome Uncle, is that true?¡±

    Su Jincheng smiled as he said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve fallen in love with your Mummy at first sight!¡±

    He nced at Gu Yi¡¯an when he spoke, trying to see if the other man would react.

    However, Gu Yi¡¯an did not say or do anything. He was like a lifeless puppet.

    This surprised Su Jincheng, and he wondered if he had actually misunderstood anything.

    Su Jincheng¡¯s words made Luo Qiqi blush again as she looked down at the table.

    Su Jincheng moved closer to the boy, but when Luo Qiqi realized it, she quickly pulled her son away from him, staring at Su Jincheng cautiously.

    Everyone was shocked at how Luo Qiqi reacted.

    Embarrassed, Luo Qiqi cleared her throat again and hugged her son tight.

    Su Jinyu looked up at her and asked, ¡°Mummy, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Su Jincheng looked at Luo Qiqi, wondering how she would answer.

    Luo Qiqi said, ¡°Don¡¯t get too close to him. He doesn¡¯t like you!¡±

    What she wanted to say was that this man would hurt you, but she didn¡¯t want to traumatize Su Jinyu so badly, so she chose to say that Su Jincheng didn¡¯t like him instead.

    Su Jincheng¡¯s gaze darkened at this. <i>Why does she think that I don¡¯t like the boy?</i>

    Su Jinyu was confused. ¡°Mummy, Handsome Uncle likes me. He¡¯s been very nice to Lele!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m your mother. You¡¯re not going to listen to me?¡±

    Sensing that Luo Qiqi was about to blow her top, Su Jinyu looked down with a slight frown.

    Luo Qiqi patted her son on his head, feeling bad about everything.

    Su Jincheng looked at her incredulously. ¡°Luo Qiqi, what are you getting at? What do you mean?¡±

    <i>Why is she being so cautious?</i>

    Luo Qiqi put Su Jinyu in Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s arms and said, ¡°Yi¡¯an, take Lele back first. I have something to discuss with him!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an carried Su Jinyu and left without another word.

    After seeing the two of them leave, Luo Qiqi turned back to Su Jincheng. ¡°It¡¯s very clear what I¡¯m getting at. I would have been even more direct if it wasn¡¯t to save you from further embarrassment!¡±

    A trace of anger appeared in Su Jincheng¡¯s eyes. ¡°Luo Qiqi, what are you talking about? I don¡¯t get you at all!¡±

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll exin then. I, Luo Qiqi, am not one to hide anyway. You must already know that Lele is my child!¡±

    She then continued, ¡°You made me stay in that hospital for an entire month and you lied to me in the hopes of getting rid of my baby. Now that I¡¯ve given birth, I¡¯m going to keep my distance from you. You didn¡¯t even want to wee Lele into this world when he was still in my tummy, you wanted to kill him. There¡¯s no way I would let you go close to him now!¡±

    ¡°Luo Qiqi, do you even have a heart!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°Luo Qiqi, take a good look at reality. I did that because the doctor said your body was too weak. You might lose your life if you had a baby. He¡¯s my child too, you¡¯re not the only one who¡¯s upset over that! Luo Qiqi, could you be more reasonable?¡±

    ¡°That doctor is a quack. Haven¡¯t I given birth to Lele safely? I¡¯m fine, aren¡¯t I? Also, what do you mean by being reasonable? Didn¡¯t you know that there¡¯s no such thing as logic when ites to emotions?!¡±

    ¡°Qiqi, does this mean that you still feel for me?¡±

    <i>What did I just say!</i>

    Luo Qiqi decided to ignore Su Jincheng¡¯s question.

    Su Jincheng got up suddenly and walked towards her. She stood up and backed away naturally, but Su Jincheng continued closing in on her.

    ¡°Qiqi, why are you not talking? Don¡¯t pretend to be deaf and dumb.¡±

    Luo Qiqi backed away with every step Su Jincheng took until she hit a wall behind her.

    Raising his arms, Su Jincheng trapped her against the wall. ¡°Qiqi, why aren¡¯t you talking? Am I being too nice?¡±

    She felt a dangerous aura emanate from Su Jincheng.

    ¡°Qiqi, what¡¯s your rtionship with Gu Yi¡¯an?¡±

    His question took her by surprise.

    Seeing her in a daze annoyed Su Jincheng.

    ¡°I¡¯m talking to you, Luo Qiqi. Did you hear my question? Tell me what¡¯s going on with Gu Yi¡¯an!¡±

    <i>Who is he to talk to me like that!</i>

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to care about my rtionship with Gu Yi¡¯an. Who are you anyway? May I remind you that we aren¡¯t rted?!¡±

    Su Jincheng kissed Luo Qiqi on the lips right after she spoke, trapping her against the wall as he did so, preventing her from escaping.

    Luo Qiqi was so embarrassed that she could murder him.

    Gu Yi¡¯an thought that her discussion with Su Jincheng would probably be over by now, but he opened the door to the room only to witness them kissing!

    They might have gone even further if he didn¡¯t open the door.

    Gu Yi¡¯an cleared his throat before remembering to cover Su Jinyu¡¯s eyes.

    Luo Qiqi heard him cough and pushed Su Jincheng away. She stared daggers at Gu Yi¡¯an and Su Jinyu.

    Gu Yi¡¯an said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Continue¡­ continue...¡±

    ¡°Su Jincheng, do you have a death wish!¡±

    ¡°I just wanted to find out if your lips were soft or hard! I can die happy if I get killed now!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that I¡¯m a rose with thorns!¡±

    ¡°Uncle Gu, what is Mummy and Handsome Uncle doing? Are they ying kissy?¡±

    Luo Qiqi deadpanned. <i>My dear son, why did you have to say that?</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯anughed. ¡°Well¡­ Kids don¡¯t have to understand. You¡¯ll get it when you grow older!¡±

    Su Jinyu pouted. ¡°I¡¯m no longer a kid!¡±

    <i>This boy is adorable! You¡¯re only four! You¡¯re no adult!</i>

    Luo Qiqi rubbed at her lips, igniting that fiery gaze in Su Jincheng yet again.

    ¡­¡­

 Chapter 333 â€“ Coming Back to Life

    <h4>Chapter 333 ¨C Coming Back to Life</h4>

    A waiter walked into the room in the nick of time, causing Gu Yi¡¯an to heave a sigh of relief.

    <i>This waiter was a god-send!</i>

    Though no one said anything out of the ordinary during their meal, the atmosphere was still rather awkward, and Gu Yi¡¯an felt quite ufortable during the entire meal.

    Su Jincheng insisted on following Luo Qiqi back after that, and Luo Qiqi was rendered speechless at how thick-skinned he was.

    Su Jincheng was thus able to enter Luo Qiqi¡¯s home on the very first day he arrived back in the country.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was nothing but impressed with Su Jincheng¡¯s persistence. <i>It¡¯s no wonder he was able to steal Luo Qiqi¡¯s heart.</i>

    Su Jincheng and Su Jinyu slept in the same room that night. Su Jincheng had initially wanted to be with Luo Qiqi, but she refused to open the door for him.

    Su Jincheng had no choice but to return to the boy¡¯s room to think of a strategy.

    He finally came up with an idea which he felt would definitely work. All he had to do was to ensure that the little boy stayed with him. Seeing how Luo Qiqi loved her son, he would definitely be able to get her back like that!

    He silently thanked Gu Yi¡¯an after arriving in their apartment and looking at their living arrangement.

    Gu Yi¡¯an must have been the one who took care of Luo Qiqi during and after her pregnancy.

    Su Jincheng was determined to get her back.

    Luo Qiqi would never have expected Su Jinyu to start calling Su Jincheng ¡®Daddy¡¯ after just one night together.

    <i>What did Su Jincheng do for her son to like him so much!</i>

    Su Jincheng had actually shown the boy his childhood photos and told him that he was his biological father before asking for the boy¡¯s help to get Luo Qiqi back so that they could be reunited as one happy family.

    The little boy believed every word Su Jincheng said and decided to help his dad get his mum back.

    Apart from Luo Qiqi, Gu Yi¡¯an was also surprised to hear Su Jinyu call Su Jincheng ¡®Daddy¡¯ the next morning.

    ¡°Lele, who are you calling ¡®Daddy¡¯!¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he Daddy? I look exactly like Daddy when he was younger!¡±

    <i>I¡¯ve been defeated in the very first round!</i>, thought Luo Qiqi.

    Of course, Su Jinyu didn¡¯t tell her that this was what Su Jincheng had instructed him to say.

    After finding out from the boy that Gu Yi¡¯an and Luo Qiqi were nothing but friends, Su Jincheng treated Gu Yi¡¯an totally differently from before.

    Luo Qiqi tried her best to ignore him for the few days Su Jincheng stayed with them, but Su Jincheng simply refused to leave.

    Xia Zi called one day to invite Luo Qiqi and Su Jinyu to hang out, saying that she and Guan Zixuan were visiting A City for a while.

    Luo Qiqi had yet to tell Xia Zi that Su Jincheng was back. Both of them were busy with their children and there were many things which they just did not have the time to share in detail.

    Xia Zi knew that Luo Qiqi had given birth, and the two of them usually chatted through WeChat. However, she didn¡¯t even know that Luo Qiqi was living with Gu Yi¡¯an now and that Luo Qiqi¡¯s health was not great.

    Luo Qiqi didn¡¯t want to share these details with Xia Zi initially because she didn¡¯t want her to worry, but who knew that fate would have everything made known.

    Gu Yi¡¯an decided to join them since Guan Zixuan was going to be there, and he wanted to ask about Guan Zijue.

    Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s feelings for Guan Zijue had never faded in the past few years.

    Luo Qiqi, Su Jinyu, Su Jincheng and Gu Yi¡¯an headed for the restaurant to meet Xia Zi at about seven in the evening.

    The sight surprised Luo Qiqi as she opened the door to their private room.

    Guan Zijue was shocked to see Gu Yi¡¯an standing right beside her as he looked up.

    Imagine seeing someone you loved appear in front of you again when you thought he was dead.

    Surprise, joy, and anger seemed to fill Guan Zijue at the same time.

    Guan Zijue had to use all his mental strength to stop himself from getting up and asking Gu Yi¡¯an why he lied to him.

    Guan Zijue had not nned on visiting A City, but Guan Zixuan convinced him toe along since he just so happened to be on leave. Guan Zixuan thought traveling would probably do him some good since Guan Zijue was rather down in the dumps for the past few years.

    Guan Zijue thought that it would be nice to visit A City since it was where Gu Yi¡¯an used to stay, but he did not expect to see Gu Yi¡¯an alive and well.

    Gu Yi¡¯an knew that his cover was blown the moment he spotted Guan Zijue.

    Luo Qiqi looked at Guan Zijue and Gu Yi¡¯an before turning to Xia Zi and her daughter, Guan Run. She then walked into the room silently.

    The eight of them were finally seated at the table, but no one spoke.

    Guan Zixuan was the first to break the silence. ¡°Lele, you¡¯re getting more and more handsome! You¡¯re just like a tiny gentleman!¡±

    ¡°What do you think about having your Run marry my son?¡± asked Luo Qiqi.

    Guan Zixuan stiffened at this, while Xia Ziughed. Guan Run was Guan Zixuan¡¯s precious baby. He wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to take her away from him.

    He would have rebuked anyone else, but he didn¡¯t say anything only because it was Luo Qiqi who spoke.

    On the other hand, Guan Zijue had been staring at Gu Yi¡¯an the entire time.

    Guan Zijue asked as he pointed at Su Jinyu, ¡°Who¡¯s child is he?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an was the first to answer. ¡°He¡¯s my son, with Qiqi!¡±

    Su Jincheng¡¯s expression turned stormy.

    Luo Qiqi then said, ¡°That¡¯s right. Our son is already four!¡±

    She quickly pinched Su Jincheng, signalling for him not to say anything else.

    Though unhappy, Su Jincheng could tell from the atmosphere that something was wrong, especially when someone as calm as Gu Yi¡¯an acted so out of sorts.

    Guan Zijue then said, ¡°I don¡¯t know you. I only know Luo Qiqi. I haven¡¯t seen you before!¡±

    This surprised everyone present.

    No one would have expected for the two of them to meet like this!

    Gu Yi¡¯an said, ¡°Well, I guess I should introduce myself then! My name is Gu Yi¡¯an, and I¡¯m a frencer!¡±

    Though Guan Zijue looked calm on the outside, he was already ovee with emotions. The man he loved wasn¡¯t dead, and he appeared with a child!

    Luo Qiqi felt rather ufortable throughout the entire meal. It felt as if everything they did was for naught and that everything returned to where it was initially.

    The two young children were the only ones who seemed to enjoy the meal.

    Xia Zi suggested karaoke after that, but Guan Zijue refused and said he had somewhere else to be.

    There was a palpable sense of relief after he left.

    Unable to suppress her curiosity, Luo Qiqi asked, ¡°A¡¯zi, what¡¯s going on? Why is he here in A City?¡±

    ¡°We thought some traveling would be good for him, but who wouldn¡¯t be shocked if you saw someone you thought was dead appear right in front of you? I was definitely shocked. It took a while for me to realize that Gu Yi¡¯an had actually faked his death...¡±

    She then nced at Gu Yi¡¯an.

    Luo Qiqi shook her head. ¡°I thought I wanted to give you guys a surprise by taking Gu Yi¡¯an with me. But it backfired.¡±

    Instead of going to the karaoke, they decided to go to a teahouse before going their separate ways.

    Once back home, Gu Yi¡¯an locked himself in his room while Su Jincheng pulled Luo Qiqi into her room.

    Su Jinyu watched them in confusion.<i> Am I being ignored?</i>

 Chapter 334 â€“ Itâ€™s All Because of Love

    <h4>Chapter 334 ¨C It¡¯s All Because of Love</h4>

    Su Jincheng red at Luo Qiqi when they were in her room. ¡°What¡¯s going on? When did my son be Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s?!¡±

    Annoyed, Luo Qiqi kicked him. ¡°Su Jincheng, what¡¯s wrong with you! Gu Yi¡¯an and Guan Zijue used to be a couple!¡±

    This instantly stunned Su Jincheng. <i>What, they were a couple? I see...</i>

    Everything seemed to fall into ce now. It¡¯s no wonder Luo Qiqi felt safe staying here with Gu Yi¡¯an, and he finally understood why Gu Yi¡¯an acted so out of sorts earlier...

    Su Jincheng then asked, ¡°But if they were a couple, why did Gu Yi¡¯an say that Lele was his?¡±

    ¡°You know that Gu Yi¡¯an is a part of Sin Eliminators, right? At the time, Guan Zijue was only a major in the military. Do you think it¡¯s possible for them to stay together when they are on opposite sides of thew? Furthermore, both of them are men, and that¡¯s not allowed in the military. It would also affect the Guan family¡¯s honor and reputation!¡±

    Luo Qiqi stared at Su Jincheng and said, ¡°Well, it¡¯s all because of The Dark Night that everything happened!¡±

    Su Jincheng looked at her, confused. <i>What has that got to do with The Dark Night?</i>

    ¡°It happened while you weren¡¯t around. In the past two years, The Dark Night had been eyeing Sin Eliminators and Gu Yi¡¯an, and they were the ones who leaked the news about him and Guan Zijue being together. My brother came up with a n for Gu Yi¡¯an to fake his death, and that helped the Guan family to tide over the crisis at the time. Gu Yi¡¯an decided to keep this from Guan Zijue, so he lied and said that he liked me instead! Which led to what happened earlier!¡±

    ¡°I see. I never would have expected for someone as chill as Gu Yi¡¯an to actually have such zing emotions!¡±

    ¡°Yeah. He almost died after getting shot right in the chest. He hasn¡¯t been welltely, and he has frequent chest pains.¡±

    Su Jincheng turned mncholic. ¡°It¡¯s love that hurts the most.¡±

    Luo Qiqi¡¯s expression darkened at this. ¡°Are you thinking of Wuxin again!¡±

    ¡°Why are you bringing her up all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°I like Wuxin, but I don¡¯t really like the fact that she¡¯s still in your heart!¡±

    ¡°Qiqi, what do you mean?¡±

    ¡°What do I mean? Su Jincheng, stop pretending, would you? What did you say to me the morning after Wuxin passed away? You said I wished for her death because she liked you! Su Jincheng, I have no idea what¡¯s going on in your head. I think it¡¯s good that we keep our distance from each other!¡±

    Su Jincheng embraced Luo Qiqi.

    ¡°Qiqi, don¡¯t misunderstand. I was just too upset at the time, and I felt like I owed Wuxin too much. She saved me countless times, and she¡¯s not the cruel and vicious type either. She had never hurt others. I couldn¡¯t take the fact that she died because of me, do you understand that, Qiqi?¡±

    Luo Qiqi then asked, ¡°What if I was the one who died?¡±

    Su Jincheng hugged her tight before answering. ¡°I¡¯d follow you into the afterlife. I wouldn¡¯t be able to continue living without you!¡±

    Luo Qiqi allowed Su Jincheng to continue holding her in his arms for a while. <i>I can¡¯t me him for that. But I still feel upset.</i>

    Their embrace was broken by Su Jinyu¡¯s sudden yelp from outside.

    The two of them and Gu Yi¡¯an rushed out to see a broken fish tank on the floor.

    Gu Yi¡¯an dashed to the kitchen and filled up arge basin with water before going to pick up the fish on the floor.

    Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng helped out while Su Jinyu stood there, finally realizing that he seemed to have done something wrong.

    Pursing his lips, he started picking up the fish as well.

    Gu Yi¡¯an started cleaning up the area only after all the fish were safely in the basin.

    Luo Qiqi pulled her son to the side and asked, ¡°Lele, why did you break the fish tank?¡±

    ¡°Mummy, everyone went into their rooms and no one cared about me. I wanted to y with the fish but they can¡¯t swim out of the tank. They would only hit the sides of the tank. I was afraid that they would hurt themselves because they kept hitting the sides of the tank, so I took a piece of rock and broke it to save them, then¡­ then it became like that!¡±

    Su Jincheng marveled at how much love his son had for something like a tiny fish.

    Luo Qiqi then asked, ¡°Did you think about what would happen if the fish didn¡¯t have enough water to swim around in?¡±

    Su Jinyu shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t think about that. I only wanted to get them out!¡±

    ¡°My dear, think about things before you act, because what you do might just backfire if you rush into things without thinking about the consequences.¡±

    Su Jinyu nodded. ¡°Mummy, I made a mistake!¡±

    Luo Qiqi patted him on the head.

    Su Jincheng walked over to Luo Qiqi and said softly, ¡°Qiqi, you¡¯ve taught him well!¡±

    Luo Qiqi simply rolled her eyes at him and ignored him.

    Everyone then retired to their own rooms for the night.

    Guan Zijue appeared the very next morning in the apartment.

    He sat silently on the sofa while Gu Yi¡¯an stood a short distance away from him, not saying a single word.

    Sensing Guan Zijue¡¯s imposing aura, Su Jincheng asked yfully, ¡°What¡¯s Guan Zijue¡¯s rank in the military now? That aura of his is extraordinary!¡±

    Luo Qiqi nodded. ¡°But of course, he¡¯s a general now. He¡¯s probably the youngest one in the country.¡±

    ¡°I see. He¡¯s risen up the ranks pretty quickly in just five years!¡±

    Luo Qiqi rolled her eyes. ¡°Do you think that came easy? You have no idea how much he has been through in the past few years!¡±

    Su Jincheng then teased, ¡°It¡¯s all because of love!¡±

    Luo Qiqi rolled her eyes again. ¡°You may leave now!¡±

    Su Jinchengughed at this.

    The two of them were observing everything in the living room as they stood in the corridor.

    Guan Zijue was expressionless, while Gu Yi¡¯an seemed to be losing his patience.

    ¡°What are you doing? We¡¯re going out today!¡±

    Guan Zijue ignored him.

    Su Jincheng looked at Luo Qiqi in confusion. ¡°We¡¯re going out?¡±

    Luo Qiqi shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know! Maybe...¡±

    She looked at the fish tank and said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s to buy a new fish tank. Yi¡¯an probably wants to rece the old one.¡±

    Su Jincheng then continued watching the scene in the living room.

    After some contemtion, Guan Zijue stood up and walked towards Gu Yi¡¯an, stopping right in front of him.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to speak with you!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an looked out through the windows, unwilling to make eye contact with him. ¡°I have nothing to say to you!¡±

    Guan Zijue¡¯s expression darkened as he took one step closer to Gu Yi¡¯an.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    There was a trace of nervousness in Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s voice as he said, ¡°Mr Guan, please leave. You¡¯re not wee here!¡±

    Guan Zijue chose to ignore what he just said and asked, ¡°What do you think your so-called wife would do if I force you into anything?¡±

    Luo Qiqi deadpanned while Su Jincheng nced at her, amused.

    Gu Yi¡¯an tried to push Guan Zijue away as he ced a hand on his chest.

    ¡°Guan Zijue, don¡¯t mess around!¡±

    Guan Zijue scoffed at this. ¡°What? Don¡¯t you like addressing me as Mr Guan?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an frowned at him. ¡°Guan Zijue, what do you want?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything. But I have a question. If that¡¯s your son, why does he look so much like Su Jincheng!¡±

    This rendered Gu Yi¡¯an speechless. He never thought about that at all.

    It was at this moment that Luo Qiqi realized they had failed to keep the truth from Guan Zijue. He had already seen through themst night.

    Su Jincheng was secretly amused as he watched everything unfold.

 Chapter 335 â€“ Parting Amicably

    <h4>Chapter 335 ¨C Parting Amicably</h4>

    Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s expression soured and he turned to see Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng watching them.

    He pushed at Guan Zijue and said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk outside!¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you had something on today?¡±

    This annoyed Gu Yi¡¯an a little.

    ¡°Yes. Can¡¯t you see that my fish tank is broken? I would already be on my way to get a new one if you weren¡¯t here!¡±

    ¡°Is that so!¡± Guan Zijue raised a brow at him.

    ¡°Why did you change your mind then? Didn¡¯t you say you had nothing to say to me?¡±

    This infuriated Gu Yi¡¯an.

    ¡°Guan Zijue, are you going or not?!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going. I¡¯d love to have a nice chat with you since you¡¯re up for it!¡±

    Guan Zijue emphasized the words ¡®nice chat¡¯ as he spoke.

    Gu Yi¡¯an frowned at this.<i>?What luck!</i>

    <i>Why did I have to meet Guan Zijue? He would definitely be angry if he found out what really happened five years ago. But how do I get him to give up!</i>

    The two of them then went to a nearby bar where Guan Zijue insisted on getting a private room.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was slightly unwilling since he felt that it would be dangerous if he was alone with Guan Zijue in an enclosed space. He felt that Guan Zijue was like a hungry wolf who would devour him at any moment.

    Even so, Gu Yi¡¯an still followed him into the private room eventually.

    Guan Zijue sat in the room quietly as he shut his eyes and leaned against the sofa seat, as if he was thinking about something.

    Gu Yi¡¯an wanted to speak, but thought better of it when he saw how Guan Zijue was acting.

    Silence filled the air for thirty whole minutes before Guan Zijue opened his eyes suddenly and red at Gu Yi¡¯an.

    Though Gu Yi¡¯an could feel his fiery gaze bore right through him, he refused to react.

    Guan Zijue finally asked, ¡°What¡¯s up with Luo Qiqi¡¯s son?¡±

    When he saw Gu Yi¡¯anst night, he felt joy, shock, and anger all at the same time.

    Rage then filled him when he heard Gu Yi¡¯an say Luo Qiqi¡¯s son was his.

    That was why he chose to leave earlyst night. However, the more he thought about it, the more fishy it felt. Guan Zijue thus did some investigation on what really happened.

    He found out that Luo Qiqi had a son with Su Jincheng, and he also found out about Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s n to fake his own death.

    For the past few years, he had thought Gu Yi¡¯an approached him only because he wanted to take revenge for his father and that Gu Yi¡¯an was actually in love with Luo Qiqi.

    He never expected for everything to be a lie.

    Gu Yi¡¯an had no idea who his real father was since he was an orphan, and he had absolutely no feelings for Luo Qiqi. Everything was a lie in order to get Guan Zijue to give up on him.

    Guan Zijue could only scoff at this.

    After a while, Gu Yi¡¯an simply said, ¡°Why are you asking when you already know the truth?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I want to hear it from you!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an knew it was pointless to lie to Guan Zijue any longer.

    ¡°It¡¯s true that the boy is Luo Qiqi and Su Jincheng¡¯s son. She has been living with me all this time so that I can help take care of her. She only has one kidney, so her health isn¡¯t great. Anything else you¡¯d like to know?¡±

    Guan Zijue gripped the beer bottle on the table so hard that it looked like he could crush it at any moment.

    ¡°What about that act five years ago? Didn¡¯t you announce your death publicly? Why are you sitting here now!¡±

    ¡°You already said that it¡¯s an act. It¡¯s just a means to an end. There¡¯s no need for me to exin everything to you, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Right, you don¡¯t have to. Just like how everyone forced me to pull the trigger at you five years ago!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an smirked at this.

    ¡°Yes, you were forced to. But you still did it! No one held your hand and pulled the trigger for you. Guan Zijue, everything between us is over now. We don¡¯t have anything to do with each other at this point. Could we pretend to be strangers if and when we meet again?¡±

    <i>How could he be so cruel?</i>

    <i>But there¡¯s no way I can forget about him!</i>

    ¡°Gu Yi¡¯an, how can you be this cruel?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an knew that the Guan family would be dragged into this mess if he insisted on being together with Guan Zijue, and history would repeat itself if anyone were to find out. He didn¡¯t want that to happen again, which was why he decided to end this once and for all!

    ¡°I¡¯m not being cruel. I¡¯m just telling you the truth. Older Brother¡­ This will be thest time I¡¯m addressing you in this way. You¡¯re a beacon of light in this world. There¡¯s no need for you to live in darkness like me. Things are great the way they are now. Let¡¯s part ways amicably, okay?¡±

    Every word seemed to stab Guan Zijue right in his heart.

    <i>Why were the heavens so cruel? Why am I not allowed to love him!</i>

    ¡°Older Brother, there are tons of men in this world. With your looks and abilities, you¡¯d definitely be able to find someone else. You don¡¯t have to be with me. We¡¯re on different paths anyway. What if we are pitted against each other when I¡¯m in Emperor City again? Are we going to talk about feelings then? Let¡¯s forget about everything. I¡¯ll take my leave!¡±

    Guan Zijue spoke with a dangerous undertone, ¡°I don¡¯t like men...¡±

    He wanted to say that the only one he loved in this world was none other than Gu Yi¡¯an, and there was no one else who would be able to make him feel like Gu Yi¡¯an did.

    Gu Yi¡¯an paused for a while before standing up to leave, but before he could even reach the door, Guan Zijue pounced on him.

    Guan Zijue ravaged Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s lips like a hungry wolf, and Gu Yi¡¯an could taste the blood in his mouth instantly.

    He wanted to push Guan Zijue away, but Guan Zijue was too strong for him.

    Gu Yi¡¯an decided not to fight back eventually.

    <i>This will be thest time before we bid farewell to each other!</i>

    After they were done, Gu Yi¡¯an stood up calmly and headed for the door.

    Guan Zijue watched Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s departing figure, upset as he went further and further away...

    Guan Zijue hit the wall with his fist as anger and sorrow permeated him.

    He stayed in the room for a long time after Gu Yi¡¯an left.

    When Gu Yi¡¯an arrived back home, Luo Qiqi could tell that something was wrong immediately.

    She then spotted the numerous hickeys along Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s corbone. <i>What the heck!</i>, she thought, instantly outraged.

    ¡°What did Guan Zijue do to you! Let me go look for him!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an stopped her and said, ¡°What are you doing, Qiqi! I was willing. I¡¯m no fragiledy. He wouldn¡¯t have been able to do anything to me if I wasn¡¯t willing, okay?¡±

    Luo Qiqi felt that what Gu Yi¡¯an said made a lot of sense, but she was still worried seeing how Gu Yi¡¯an looked.

    ¡°Well, go get some rest then. I¡¯ll go get a new fish tank!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s do that on another day, Qiqi. I¡¯d like to leave and travel on my own. I¡¯ll leave the apartment to you. Don¡¯t tell anyone else I¡¯ve gone!¡±

    This surprised Luo Qiqi. ¡°Why are you leaving so suddenly? You didn¡¯t mention it before!¡±

    ¡°I just decided. Don¡¯t think too much about it. Just do what I tell you to. I¡¯m going to pack up now!¡±

 Chapter 336 â€“ Hormonal Imbalance

    <h4>Chapter 336 ¨C Hormonal Imbnce</h4>

    Luo Qiqi did not know what else to say to Gu Yi¡¯an.

    <i>Why did that have to happen!</i>

    She spotted Su Jincheng watching her from the door as she scratched her head in frustration.

    ¡°What are you looking at!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m looking at a beauty! I haven¡¯t seen someone as beautiful as you!¡±

    <i>Gosh, please stop it with your nonsense.</i>

    Luo Qiqi rolled her eyes and mmed the door behind her after returning to her room.

    Su Jinyu poked his head out and looked up at Su Jincheng. ¡°Daddy, what¡¯s wrong with Mummy? Is she in a bad mood?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make wild guesses!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not! I care about Mummy!¡±

    ¡°Okay! I think she has a hormonal imbnce. Can you tell me how to help her out? If you don¡¯t have any ideas, then go somewhere else and y!¡±

    Su Jinyu frowned as he walked back to his own room.

    Su Jincheng was still standing in the same ce when Gu Yi¡¯an walked out with his suitcase.

    Seeing Gu Yi¡¯an, he said, ¡°Sometimes, we can¡¯t see it when we are the ones pushing ourselves into a corner. Just like how I was hesitant toe to terms with my own feelings when I knew that Qiqi had been in Interpol. I picked Ming Ruoyuan even though she was the one I loved. I wish I didn¡¯t do that, but because of everything that happened after, I know what¡¯s really important now!¡±

    He then turned back and returned to his room.

    Gu Yi¡¯an stared into space for a while before choosing to leave eventually.

    Su Jincheng and Luo Qiqi packed up and moved into an apartment in the Shallow Sea Area after Gu Yi¡¯an left.

    Gu Yi¡¯an had arranged for the current apartment they were in for Luo Qiqi to recover in afortable ce, but now that she was much better, they decided to move out.

    Luo Qiqi reced the broken fish tank with a new one before they left.

    When Guan Zijue came knocking, he realized that nobody was in the apartment.

    He frowned and asked Guan Zixuan for help in locating Luo Qiqi and the rest.

    Guan Zixuan knew that it was Gu Yi¡¯an his brother wanted to see, and he knew that Guan Zijue was still reeling from learning that Gu Yi¡¯an was still alive. However, Guan Zixuan did not expect for his older brother to take the news so badly.

    Luo Qiqi was still in the midst of unpacking when Guan Zixuan called, so she put the phone on speaker as she answered.

    ¡°What¡¯s up? Did you upset Xia Zi again?¡±

    Guan Zixuanughed. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t! I¡¯ve been very obedient!¡±

    ¡°Then what? Are you going to invite us for another gathering tonight? Last night was a disaster. Let¡¯s not do that again. I¡¯ll meet up with Xia Zi separately!¡±

    ¡°Where are you now?¡±

    ¡°At the Shallow Sea Area, I...¡±

    Smacking her forehead, she said, ¡°I forgot that you and A¡¯zi are here too! That¡¯s great. It¡¯s convenient when visiting. I¡¯m in Su Jincheng¡¯s vi, don¡¯t go knocking on the wrong door!¡±

    After hesitating for a while, Guan Zixuan finally asked, ¡°How about Gu Yi¡¯an? He didn¡¯t move in with you guys?¡±

    ¡°Why would he do that!¡±

    ¡°Oh, because there¡¯s no one else at his ce, so I thought all of you moved!¡±

    ¡°Guan Zixuan, get to the point please. You¡¯re not interested in our location, you just want to know where Gu Yi¡¯an went! It was Guan Zijue, right? Give him the phone, I¡¯ve got something to say to him!¡±

    Guan Zixuan gave an awkwardugh and ended the call quickly.

    Knowing Luo Qiqi¡¯s temper, there was no way he would pass the phone to Guan Zijue. He didn¡¯t want to be caught in the middle if they got into an argument!

    Luo Qiqi smirked. <i>Hah, trying to find out where Gu Yi¡¯an went? Dream on!</i>

    Guan Zixuan looked at Guan Zijue who was standing beside him. He was no help at all!

    He failed at getting any information, and Guan Zijue was staring daggers at him right now.

    Guan Zijue red at him as he asked, ¡°Anything?¡±

    Shaking his head, Guan Zixuan said, ¡°Nope!¡±

    Guan Zijue¡¯s gaze turned cold.

    Guan Zixuan then suggested, ¡°Bro, how about you go to the airport or the interchange? Gu Yi¡¯an might be there somewhere!¡±

    This seemed to remind Guan Zijue of something and he turned to leave immediately.

    He left A City on the same day Gu Yi¡¯an left.

    Gu Yi¡¯an did not travel under an assumed identity this time, probably because he did not expect Guan Zijue to actuallye looking for him.

    Su Jincheng told Luo Qiqi about Guan Zijue leaving A City after he got the news. ¡°What I told him must have worked. Or else why would someone as intelligent as Gu Yi¡¯an leave such a clear trace for Guan Zijue!¡±

    Luo Qiqi rolled her eyes at him. ¡°How can you be so sure that Guan Zijue went chasing after Gu Yi¡¯an then?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a man¡¯s intuition. If Guan Zijue doesn¡¯t know where Gu Yi¡¯an went, I guarantee you he wouldn¡¯t have left A City!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so sure about that?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    ¡­¡­

    <strong>At an obscure vige in the country.</strong>

    Gu Yi¡¯an was now a teacher in a vige.

    He had initially wanted to travel leisurely and go wherever the wind took him, but a storm caused him to get stuck on the road while he was in the mountains. Residents of a nearby vige helped him out during that storm, and he thus decided to stay in that vige for a while.

    The scenery was amazing in the vige, and the atmosphere was extremely rxing!

    After spending a couple of days in the vige, Gu Yi¡¯an realized that both education and healthcare werecking there. The children were eager to learn, but they were not able to get ess to proper education, and the vigers did not have the money to see a doctor when they fell ill.

    He thus decided to open up a free clinic in the vige and even took in a disciple. He trained this disciple in medical knowledge and taught him how to get the necessary medicine, hoping that the disciple would be able to take over his role as doctor after he leaves.

    After setting up the clinic, he decided to sign up to be a volunteer teacher. Though there was a school in the vige, the standard of education was too low, and the teachers were less than qualified.

    Gu Yi¡¯an thus bought textbooks, desks and chairs for the students, being a volunteer teacher and doctor at the same time.

    Out of gratitude, the vigers addressed him as ¡®Merciful An¡¯.

    Most of his time was spent either in school or in his clinic.

    There was a resort nearby, but it was privately-owned and the owners did not allow the vigers to do any sort of business there, or else it would definitely have helped with the economic development in the vige.

    To reach the resort, one would have to pass by the vige and the mountainous road was extremely dangerous during storms. There were already a few idents which happened in the past.

    Because of that, the vigers formed a volunteer group and they would always go take a look at the area after storms passed to see if there was anyone who was stuck and who needed help on the road.

    It was raining cats and dogs today, and Gu Yi¡¯an frowned at this. It was already the fifth time he had witnessed such stormy weather since his arrival, and this seemed to be the worst storm he had seen here so far.

    His eyelid kept twitching, as if it was an omen of foreboding.

    After the storm ended, he decided to follow the vigers who were on their way to the area.

    The vige chief saw him and smiled. ¡°You¡¯reing too, Mr. Gu?¡±

 Chapter 337 â€“ Guan Zijueâ€™s Accident

    <h4>Chapter 337 ¨C Guan Zijue¡¯s ident</h4>

    Gu Yi¡¯an said, ¡°Yup, I¡¯m going over to take a look. The weather¡¯s pretty good now!¡±

    The vige chief nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right, the air is great here! It¡¯s our standard of living that needs some improvement!¡±

    He then scratched his head awkwardly.

    Gu Yi¡¯an smiled. ¡°It¡¯s fine! It¡¯s pretty nice here. You guys are going to check the road right? I¡¯ll follow too. I can help out if there¡¯s anyone hurt!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so kind, Mr. Gu!¡±

    To Gu Yi¡¯an, these vigers were one of the most innocent and kind souls he knew. He wondered how they would react if they found out about his real identity and background.

    Gu Yi¡¯an followed the vige chief as the entire team broke into two. Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s group made their way to the area where Gu Yi¡¯an had been stuck previously. For some reason, Gu Yi¡¯an felt uneasy.

    The vige chief said, ¡°Mr. Gu, I remember meeting you somewhere here!¡±

    Distracted by his own thoughts, Gu Yi¡¯an grunted in acknowledgement before asking, ¡°Chief, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t hear you clearly earlier. What did you say?¡±

    Sensing that Gu Yi¡¯an seemed distracted, the vige chief then said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It seems like everything will be fine today!¡±

    ¡°Chief, there¡¯s a car stuck in front!¡±

    The car was trapped under mud and tree branches, but Gu Yi¡¯an could tell that the car was made of a very sturdy material since it did not get bent out of shape.

    However, it looked like someone was trapped in the vehicle.

    After the vigers cleared the mud and tree branches, they were still unable to ascertain the condition inside of the vehicle.

    Everyone seemed to be at a loss for what to do at this point.

    Gu Yi¡¯an then took a shovel from a viger and said, ¡°Let me take a look!¡±

    The rest of them backed away as Gu Yi¡¯an went up to the car.

    He used a tissue to wipe the car¡¯s window and looked into it. It looked like there was someone who was unconscious inside.

    <i>That person must have passed out due to a temporaryck of air in the enclosed space.</i>

    He thus broke the window on the other side of the car so that he could enter, but he was shocked at what he saw.

    It was Guan Zijue in the driver¡¯s seat.

    Though he was prepared for the possibility of Guan Zijue locating him, he did not expect for Guan Zijue to do so this quickly, not when he was in such an obscure and inessible vige.

    Gu Yi¡¯an worked quickly as he entered and checked on Guan Zijue.

    He checked Guan Zijue¡¯s pupils and found that his breathing was rather shallow. He opened the door and pulled Guan Zijue out of the car.

    Gu Yi¡¯an yelled at Guan Zijue loudly, but thetter did not respond.

    Frantic, Gu Yi¡¯an started to give Guan Zijue rescue breaths.

    The vigers watched in terror and confusion as their lips touched. They were rather conservative and most of them could notprehend what was actually happening.

    Several of the vigers looked at the vige chief, as if saying, <i>Look at what Mr. Gu is doing. Is that okay?!</i>

    The vige chief simply shook his head and signalled for the others to remain silent.

    Seeing no response from Guan Zijue, Gu Yi¡¯an was about to start chestpressions when a hand stopped him from doing so.

    Gu Yi¡¯an stared at Guan Zijue, shocked. <i>I thought he was unconscious? Why did he...</i>

    In an instant, he realized that Guan Zijue did everything on purpose.

    This infuriated Gu Yi¡¯an.<i>?I can¡¯t believe he did this.</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an thus let go of Guan Zijue and turned to leave.

    Guan Zijue stood up and called out in a hoarse voice, ¡°Yi¡¯an!¡±

    Guan Zijue had spent the past few days searching for Gu Yi¡¯an, and all he could think about while he was trapped was Gu Yi¡¯an.

    He wondered if Gu Yi¡¯an would mock him for being crushed to death in a vehicle like that. He never would have thought that it would be Gu Yi¡¯an saving him.

    He was in a state of bliss when Gu Yi¡¯an held him earlier, and he had actually reacted a little when he felt Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s lips against his. However, Gu Yi¡¯an was too frantic to notice the tiny movement from Guan Zijue, which was why Guan Zijue decided to pretend that he was still unconscious.

    He wanted to enjoy every moment with Gu Yi¡¯an.

    Gu Yi¡¯an turned and asked coldly, ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You were so rough earlier!¡±

    ¡°You deserve it!¡±

    Guan Zijue then said, ¡°You might have crushed my organs if I didn¡¯t stop you earlier!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. I thought you were dead, so I just wanted to revive you. Don¡¯t mind me!¡±

    Guan Zijue smiled. ¡°Ping¡¯an, you can¡¯t bear to leave me, right? You still care about me, right?¡±

    Noticing how the vigers were observing the situation, Gu Yi¡¯an answered in annoyance, ¡°I¡¯m Gu Yi¡¯an. Please address me by my name. Also, I¡¯m doing what a doctor should do. Don¡¯t read too much into it!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an then turned to the vige chief and said, ¡°He should be fine now. Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an then made his way back to the vige with the rest following him after casting a second nce at Guan Zijue.

    A trace of disappointment shed in Guan Zijue¡¯s eyes.

    After a moment of contemtion, he decided to follow the group in his car.

    This annoyed Gu Yi¡¯an yet again. <i>Whatever. I¡¯m not going to care about him. He can do whatever he wants.</i>

    When they returned to the vige, Guan Zijue parked his range rover right in front of Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s clinic, where he started to clean up the broken ss and washed the vehicle with rainwater.

    Gu Yi¡¯an walked up to him and said, ¡°Could you please move your vehicle? You¡¯re a nuisance here!¡±

    Guan Zijue looked at his car before turning to look at the entrance of his clinic, noting that there was quite a distance between the two. He then asked, ¡°Really? Am I a nuisance?¡±

    Guan Zijue decided to move his car to somewhere opposite the clinic instead.

    <i>Why is he doing this!</i>

    <i>I like how peaceful my life is right now, and I don¡¯t want that to change. Doesn¡¯t he get it?</i>

    Guan Zijue knew what was on Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s mind, but he refused to leave. He felt that he might not get to meet Gu Yi¡¯an ever again if he left this time.

    Seeing how stubborn Guan Zijue was, Gu Yi¡¯an decided to ignore him. <i>Whatever. I¡¯ll just let him be!</i>

    He then turned back into his clinic, but Guan Zijue walked in just momentster.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°To get treated!¡±

    ¡°You...¡±

    ¡°What? Isn¡¯t this a clinic?¡±

    Tamping down his anger, Gu Yi¡¯an said, ¡°Take a seat. Are you unwell?¡±

    ¡°Do doctors just ask patients if they¡¯re unwell without even looking at them or taking their pulse?¡±

    ¡°Give me your arm!¡±

    Guan Zijue stretched out an arm obediently.

    After a while, Gu Yi¡¯an could tell that Guan Zijue was perfectly healthy.

    ¡°I think there''s something wrong with your brain!¡±

 Chapter 338 â€“ A Deeper Love

    <h4>Chapter 338 ¨C A Deeper Love</h4>

    Guan Zijue smirked. ¡°How about you help me take a look then? I heard the vigers call you a miracle doctor!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an said, ¡°I can¡¯t cure your mental illness!¡±

    Guan Zijue then took a seat on the sofa nearby, falling silent.

    After a while of silence, Gu Yi¡¯an packed up and made to leave.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for you. I have lessons now!¡±

    Guan Zijue stood up and asked in confusion, ¡°Lessons?¡±

    He thought that Gu Yi¡¯an meant he was taking lessons from someone else.

    Knowing that he had misunderstood, Gu Yi¡¯an exined, ¡°I¡¯m the teacher. You can stay here if you like!¡±

    He then left without a second word with Guan Zijue following closely behind.

    Gu Yi¡¯an turned back, annoyed.

    ¡°What are you doing, Guan Zijue?¡±

    ¡°Following you to ss!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an was speechless, but he eventually allowed Guan Zijue to follow him to ss.

    One would see a charming, refined man making his way to the school while another handsome, well-built man followed a short distance behind him. It was as if the man behind was afraid of losing sight of the person in front.

    Guan Zijue took in the state of the dpidated-looking school building when they arrived.

    He had no idea that there were actually children who did not have ess to proper facilities, and he couldn¡¯t believe that it was a criminal boss like Gu Yi¡¯an who was actually kind enough to provide resources for these children.

    <i>Why did such a kind soul have to receive so much criticism from society!</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an frowned and turned to see Guan Zijue standing right there.

    ¡°Guan Zijue, could you stop following me?!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just touring the school. How does that bother you? Or are you too distracted by my presence?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡±

    ¡°Is that so!¡±

    Guan Zijue thus followed Gu Yi¡¯an to ss and sat at the back while he taught the eager students.

    Guan Zijue acted like he was a student as he watched Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s every move.

    <i>Who can make him leave!</i>

    Though annoyed, Gu Yi¡¯an was able to push through the entire ss as he watched the innocent faces on the children.

    He then returned to his clinic to pack up after ss. It was evening by now and the weather was much cooler.

    He usually slept in the clinic in the small room attached to the back. However, there was only one bed and the space was barely enough for two grown men. Being in a small, enclosed space with Guan Zijue was thest thing he wanted right now.

    He was reminded of what happened with Guan Zijue thest time they met.

    He had never seen Guan Zijue act like that, and it shocked him.

    While Gu Yi¡¯an was making the bed, Guan Zijue stood at the door looking like a hurt animal.

    Gu Yi¡¯an wanted to ignore him, but he couldn¡¯t bear seeing Guan Zijue like that.

    He finally asked, ¡°Why are you watching me?¡±

    ¡°Where do I sleep tonight?¡±

    <i>Right, where is he supposed to sleep tonight?</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an answered in frustration, ¡°What has that got to do with me? You settle it on your own!¡±

    He then shut the door, trying to ignore everything that was happening outside.

    However, Gu Yi¡¯an couldn¡¯t sleep. He saw a dark figure standing outside from his room, and he started to feel bad.

    After some time, Gu Yi¡¯an decided to go out and take a look.

    However, there was not a soul to be found.

    He switched on the lights and looked around the clinic. Guan Zijue seemed to have disappeared into thin air.

    Gu Yi¡¯an took out a torchlight and walked out of the clinic.

    He walked to Guan Zijue¡¯s vehicle but did not find him inside it. He then continued on his search. He spotted a figure standing under the huge tree near the entrance of the vige. He realized it was Guan Zijue upon closer look.

    He walked up and asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Guan Zijue turned around and said, ¡°Thinking about things!¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you think inside? Why do you have toe out here? Don¡¯t you know that there may be wolves prowling at night? Also, it¡¯s so cold out! What are you even thinking! Guan Zijue, are you trying to make me worry about you!¡±

    In response to Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s questions, Guan Zijue asked, ¡°Do you even care?¡±

    ¡°Huh!¡± Gu Yi¡¯an was stunned. <i>What is he even saying?</i>

    ¡°Do you care whether I¡¯m in danger or if I¡¯m unwell?¡±

    ¡°I...¡± Gu Yi¡¯an was rendered speechless.

    <i>Do I care? Of course. Why else would Ie out here in the middle of the night! But how do I tell him that?</i>

    ¡°You don¡¯t even know the answer! Ping¡¯an, is it really me, or are you the one trying to ignore me? I think you know the answer to that!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an scratched his head and decided to return to his clinic.

    Disappointment shed across Guan Zijue¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°I was wrong!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an froze.

    ¡°Yes! I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have forced you into things that day when we met. But, Gu Yi¡¯an, you know how much I love you. And I hate it that you faked your death. Do you know how much pain I had to go through in these few years! Gu Yi¡¯an, do you even have a heart?¡±

    <i>Am I really a cruel person? No. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have faked my death and risked my life to that extent. I wouldn¡¯t have done that if it were simply for the honor of the Guan family.</i>

    <i>It was for Guan Zijue that I did all that. I wouldn¡¯t choose to live in obscurity otherwise.</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an thus decided to talk to Guan Zijue about this since he had already brought it up.

    ¡°You say that I¡¯m cruel, but do you really think that I faked my death just to avoid you? No! I don¡¯t have to do that if that was my aim! I wouldn¡¯t have done that for anyone else but you! My identity would have affected your career, and I wouldn¡¯t have disappeared into obscurity if it wasn¡¯t for you! I¡¯ve never said that I don¡¯t love you! I said all that to make you give up on me at the time. You¡¯re the only one I¡¯ve ever loved!¡±

    Guan Zijue had no idea that Gu Yi¡¯an felt so deeply for him.

    He looked at Gu Yi¡¯an and asked, ¡°So it¡¯s not that you don¡¯t love me, but you¡¯re afraid that your identity might affect me? I can protect you now! I worked towards being a general because I wanted to be stronger, so that I can protect those I love. You¡¯re the one I care about the most. Did you ask for my opinion when you decided on things? You said you did all that to protect me. I would do everything I can to protect you too! I¡¯m a man, and I want to protect my lover.¡±

 Chapter 339 â€“ Guan Zijueâ€™s Death

    <h4>Chapter 339 ¨C Guan Zijue¡¯s Death</h4>

    ¡°Don¡¯t be selfish, Gu Yi¡¯an. You¡¯re just using love as an excuse. A life without you is an even worse punishment for me! I love you more than you know!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an had no idea that Guan Zijue saw it this way.

    He knew Guan Zijue wouldn¡¯t leave him voluntarily, and he didn¡¯t want to part ways with Guan Zijue either. But he felt that faking his death had been the only viable option at the time!

    No one could understand how he was feeling!

    The tree branches rustled in the wind as they stood staring silently at each other.

    Suddenly, Guan Zijue said, ¡°Gu Yi¡¯an, I understand now. Let¡¯s go back!¡±

    Guan Zijue then made his way back to the clinic.

    He sat on the sofa upon entering while Gu Yi¡¯an brought him a mattress.

    ¡°Make do with this! You can¡¯t sit here all night!¡±

    He then brought Guan Zijue an electric nket and ced it on the mattress.

    ¡°Guan Zijue, I might have been too selfish. I didn¡¯t think about your feelings at all! I won¡¯t do that again in future. I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    ¡°Gu Yi¡¯an, I have a question for you. Is it because we¡¯re on opposite sides of thew that you refuse to be with me?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. Your dad talked to me in the past and he asked me to leave you if I want the best for you! I understand that, but it¡¯s only now that I realize I was being too naive! There¡¯s a price for everything in this world! I love you, and I wouldn¡¯t want you to get hurt because of me!¡±

    ¡°Okay! Well, if it¡¯s just because of that, then okay! Let¡¯s sleep!¡±

    <i>Huh? That¡¯s it?</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an was rather confused at Guan Zijue¡¯s reaction.

    <i>If he doesn¡¯t want to say anything else, then fine.</i>

    Guan Zijue was gone when Gu Yi¡¯an woke up the next morning.

    Gu Yi¡¯an searched the entire vige but Guan Zijue was nowhere to be found. His vehicle was gone as well!

    <i>Why did hee here only to disappear so suddenly?</i>

    He spotted the note that Guan Zijue left him only when he returned to his clinic.

    It said: Wait for me!

    <i>What? Where am I supposed to wait? And how long am I supposed to wait?</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an was nothing but confused.

    Calming himself down, he decided to open his clinic for the day.

    He then spent the next month or so teaching and being the vige doctor.

    Ye Zhongjue called one day telling him that something happened to Guan Zijue.

    Before Gu Yi¡¯an could ask further, the call was cut due to the poor signal in the mountains!

    He couldn¡¯t get through when he tried calling back either.

    He thus packed up and left as quickly as he could.

    Upon arrival at Emperor City, he called Ye Zhongjue toe pick him up at the station.

    Gu Yi¡¯an asked, ¡°Jue, what¡¯s going on? Where is Guan Zijue? Didn¡¯t you say something happened to him? What happened? Can you exin?¡±

    ¡°Yi¡¯an, stay calm. Guan Zijue is currently missing in action after going on a mission. It was a hostage situation in the mountains. The hostage was saved, but Guan Zijue is now missing! None of his men knows where he is! He seemed to have disappeared into thin air! The Guan family has also been searching for him all this time, but there¡¯s still no news. I thought that I should tell you about it! You decide if you want to go look for him!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an frowned. ¡°How did he go missing? How is it even possible for a living person to just disappear like that? Also, what kind of mission was that? Why did he have to personally participate in the operation?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have any clues. Right now, no one knows how he disappeared. It¡¯s dangerous in the snowy mountains and avnches are verymon. The team might have gotten separated during their mission. Yi¡¯an, I wanted to let you know, but I don¡¯t want you to risk anything. It¡¯s extremely difficult to locate anyone in those mountains!¡±

    ¡°No! He¡¯d be fine! He told me to wait for him! He¡¯ll be back. I trust him!¡±

    Even though he said this, Gu Yi¡¯an decided to make a trip into the mountains to search for Guan Zijue on his own.

    He found nothing on the first day. On the second day, he spent the night in a cave he found before continuing on his journey.

    He spent the next half a month in the mountains but there was still no trace of Guan Zijue anywhere.

    He even encountered a wolf pack in the mountains!

    Gu Yi¡¯an spent two whole hours fighting the pack before sessfully killing all of them, and the snow was dyed red with blood after their intense fight.

    He trudged wearily in the snow and found a ce to rest. It was at this point that he realized he had been walking aimlessly in the mountains.

    There was something he couldn¡¯t understand. If Guan Zijue told him to wait, why did he have to do something so dangerous?

    Gu Yi¡¯an skinned one of the dead wolves and ate it for sustenance the next day.

    He was afraid that he might end up dying here before he could find Guan Zijue.

    <i>If Guan Zijue told me to wait, he¡¯ll definitely be back!</i>

    As Gu Yi¡¯an ate, he heard several howls behind him.

    He froze before turning to see another pack of wolves. These wolves looked like they were enraged.

    <i>They must have seen the bodies of the other wolves. They look like they hate me and they probably want to take their revenge!</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an clenched his fists to prepare for a fight, but he wasn¡¯t sure if he would be able to survive it.

    He waited for an opportune moment to attack.

    <i>I can¡¯t die here. I have to look for Guan Zijue. I can¡¯t die before I find him.</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an rushed at the wolf in front with determination!

    The wolf pounced at him, and he slid under its belly and shed it with his knife.

    The wolf then howled in pain, surprising Gu Yi¡¯an.

    <i>I don¡¯t have a lot of strength left. Why is it crying out so painfully?</i>

    He then realized that the wolf was pregnant!

    He was caught in a dilemma. <i>Should I attack or should I retreat?</i>

    That particr wolf retreated into the pack and itspanions surrounded it as they looked at Gu Yi¡¯an with slight fear in their eyes.

    <i>I can¡¯t stay in a stalemate like this for too long. I¡¯d freeze to death before I know it.</i>

    A minute turned into two, and five minutes turned into half an hour...

    After an hour, Gu Yi¡¯an felt like he waspletely frozen.

    The wolves seemed to view him as a terrifying opponent, or else they wouldn¡¯t have stayed in their ces for this long.

    <i>I have to think of something quickly.</i>

    There was a sudden sound from above while Gu Yi¡¯an racked his brains for an idea.

    He looked up to see a helicopter in the sky.

    Ye Zhongjue had actually ced a tracker on him before he left for the mountains.

 Chapter 340 â€“ I Wouldnâ€™t Want to Live Without You

    <h4>Chapter 340 ¨C I Wouldn¡¯t Want to Live Without You</h4>

    Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s eyes shed when he realized that the helicopter did not belong to Sin Eliminators, and the wolves seemed to be on higher alert now.

    A ropedder dropped from the helicopter as Ye Zhongjue stuck his head out and yelled, ¡°Yi¡¯an,e up! Let¡¯s get out of here first!¡±

    Just as Gu Yi¡¯an grabbed thedder and climbed up, the wolves pounced.

    Luckily, the pilot was able to get everyone out of the precarious situation.

    Ye Zhongjue frowned when he saw the bloodied Gu Yi¡¯an.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an answered with silence.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you! You were lucky five years ago, but what about next time?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to live if he¡¯s dead anyway!¡±

    This rendered Ye Zhongjue speechless.

    He understood why Gu Yi¡¯an felt that way, but he couldn¡¯t bear seeing his close friend like this.

    <i>Why did love have to hurt so much!</i>

    Ye Zhongjue could only shake his head.

    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s get your injuries treated first!¡±

    No one realized the silent, mysterious man sitting in the corner of the helicopter.

    A mix of sorrow and joy shed across the man¡¯s eyes when he heard Gu Yi¡¯an say that he didn¡¯t want to live without Guan Zijue.

    Gu Yi¡¯an would find out that the Guan family had given up on their search when they returned to Emperor City. Two months had already passed, and they felt that it was highly unlikely that Guan Zijue could ever be found.

    Gu Yi¡¯an was the only one who still firmly believed that Guan Zijue was alive somewhere.

    Ye Zhongjue had to literally force Gu Yi¡¯an to get his injuries treated at the hospital and to take a rest.

    After a nap, Gu Yi¡¯an spotted a figure near the window when he wanted to get down from the bed.

    <i>It doesn¡¯t look like Ye Zhongjue. He actually looks a little like Guan Zijue.</i>

    However, he felt that it was quite impossible for Guan Zijue to appear there at this point.

    Sensing that the figure did not seem hostile, Gu Yi¡¯an asked, ¡°You are?¡±

    There was a tiny glimmer of hope in Gu Yi¡¯an that he may be Guan Zijue, but he was met with disappointment when the figure turned around.

    The man walked up to Gu Yi¡¯an and said, ¡°Someone asked me to pass this to you!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an took the note and the man was gone before he knew it.

    Gu Yi¡¯an then looked down to read the note.

    ¡®Don¡¯t tell anyone. I¡¯m waiting at the vige!¡¯

    Gu Yi¡¯an¡¯s heart leapt into his mouth.

    <i>This is his handwriting! He¡¯s fine! That¡¯s great!</i>

    Joy emanated from Gu Yi¡¯an.

    He then burnt the note quickly.

    <i>I¡¯ll have to be extra careful since he doesn¡¯t want anyone else to find out. There would definitely be people tracking my every move right now!</i>

    Gu Yi¡¯an was in deep thought when Ye Zhongjue entered a whileter.

    ¡°What are your ns? Are you going into the mountains again?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯d like to travel. The heavens probably don¡¯t want to give us a second chance even though I¡¯ve tried so hard. I¡¯ve decided on this. I''ll travel to take my mind off things. Jue, don¡¯te looking for me!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue frowned. ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve decided!¡±

    ¡°Okay. I won¡¯t stop you if that¡¯s the case! Don¡¯t think too much about things. It¡¯s nice to take some time off!¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡±

    That very night, Gu Yi¡¯an purchased an air ticket to America. As he expected, he could sense that he was being followed when he went to the airport the next morning.

    He did not shake them off and allowed them to board the ne with him.

    Gu Yi¡¯an then spent his time touring America and making a trip to France, trying to convince whoever was tailing him that he was indeed traveling. His n was sessful and they stopped tailing him after half a month or so.

    Gu Yi¡¯an then bought another ticket under an assumed identity and returned to the country with facial prosthetics on. He headed directly to that very vige upon arrival.

    He saw that the clinic door was open when he arrived, and tears filled his eyes when he saw the figure inside.

    It felt like a century ago when theyst met.

    Gu Yi¡¯an rushed up and hugged him. ¡°Big Brother...¡±

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    ¡°Yi¡¯an, you¡¯re back!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an was shocked when Guan Zijue turned to face him. The voice belonged to Guan Zijue, but that wasn¡¯t his face!

    Gu Yi¡¯an frowned at this.

    Guan Zijueughed and said, ¡°Facial prosthetics!¡±

    Sudden realization hit Gu Yi¡¯an.

    ¡°So it was you that day!¡±

    Guan Zijue nodded. ¡°Yup!¡±

    ¡°Why did you do that?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have to care about being on opposite sides of thew now. I¡¯d rather live in seclusion with you like this!¡±

    ¡°What about your dreams then?¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t I already achieved them? I¡¯m already a general, and I was in a position thousands could only dream of being in. I¡¯m content with that! All I want now is to be with you!¡±

    ¡°Big Brother, let¡¯s get married!¡±

    Guan Zijue was visibly surprised by the sudden suggestion.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so shocked. I¡¯ve thought about this. Let¡¯s go overseas, France or maybe America, and register our marriage there. We can adopt children when we¡¯re ready. But let¡¯s do thatter. All I want now is to spend time with you! What do you say? Big Brother!¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    When they left the vige, Gu Yi¡¯an found out that Guan Zijue had donated all the assets in his name to the vige. He did it even before he left for that mission in the mountains.

    Gu Yi¡¯an held Guan Zijue¡¯s hands tightly when they were on the ne.

    ¡°Big Brother, it¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t have money. I can take care of you! I have enough money for the rest of our lives!¡±

    Guan Zijue smiled. ¡°Okay!¡±

    Gu Yi¡¯an took Guan Zijue to a modest vi in France. There was a tiny garden in the front, and it looked like a very cosy home. Gu Yi¡¯an had nned and arranged for this ce thest time he visited.

    They registered their marriage in France on the third day they were there, and exchanged rings with a pastor as their witness.

    ¡°Big Brother, I¡¯ll love you forever. This is just proof on paper, but I promise to hold your hand and be with you forever and ever!¡±

    ¡°Do you want to go on a honeymoon?¡± Guan Zijue asked gently.

    Gu Yi¡¯an beamed at this.

    ¡°Big Brother, is there anywhere you¡¯d like to go?¡±

    After a moment of contemtion, Guan Zijue said, ¡°I want to see the aurora in d! I didn¡¯t have the chance to travel in the past few years, so now that I can...¡±

    ¡°Big Brother, I heard that couples would enjoy blissful lives if they are able to watch the aurora together!¡±

    ¡­¡­

    They thus left for d three dayster.

    It was so cold in d that Gu Yi¡¯an seemed to be shivering all the time, but he insisted that it was because of the time he spent in the snowy mountains that caused it.

    They were fortunate enough to see the aurora on the second night they were there.

    Gu Yi¡¯an nted a deep kiss on Guan Zijue under the pr lights as they held each other tightly...

 Chapter 341 â€“ Having Two Little Ones At Home

    <h4>Chapter 341 ¨C Having Two Little Ones At Home</h4>

    Ye Zhongjue called earlier to tell Mo Suqing that he would be picking the kids up, so she went ahead and prepared dinner first.

    However, Mo Suqing waited for quite a long time and they weren¡¯t back yet.

    Worried about them, she decided to go out and look for them.

    Mo Yanxi came running into the house the moment she opened the door and dashed up the stairs crying.

    Ye Zhongjue and Ye Yanchen entered right after.

    Wondering why her daughter was crying so badly, Mo Suqing asked with a frown, ¡°Jue, what¡¯s wrong with Xiaoliu?¡±

    ¡°Ask A¡¯jiu about it. I have no idea either. She actually stopped crying on the way back, but she burst into tears again earlier!¡±

    Mo Suqing could sense the indignation in Ye Zhongjue¡¯s voice.

    Ye Zhongjue loved his daughter, but the girl seemed to prefer hanging out with her mother, Mo Suqing, ever since they got back together.

    Ye Zhongjue felt jealous over this, and he felt as if he became a stepdad all of a sudden.

    He felt upset that his little princess seemed to be on somebody else¡¯s side now.

    There is a Chinese saying that daughters were the lovers of their fathers in their past lives, but judging from her behavior, he felt that Mo Suqing was his daughter¡¯s past lover instead!

    Mo Suqing looked at Ye Zhongjue, speechless. <i>I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s jealous of his own children.</i>

    Naturally, the kids would want to spend time with their mother considering they spent the first few years of their lives without her.

    Ye Zhongjue suddenly realized that his position in the family seemed to be the lowest even when he¡¯s the breadwinner.

    <i>How do I change that?</i>, he wondered.

    Mo Suqing asked, ¡°A¡¯jiu, do you know what¡¯s wrong with your little sister?¡±

    Ye Yanchen shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±

    ¡°I thought twins had telepathy? You really have no idea?¡±

    ¡°Mummy, she¡¯s a girl, I¡¯m a boy. I don¡¯t have telepathy with her!¡±

    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s wait till Xiaoliu stops crying before we have dinner!¡±

    Mo Suqing then sat in a corner acting like she was not going to have dinner anytime soon.

    Ye Yanchen frowned at this. <i>What? It¡¯s Xiaoliu who refuses to eat. Why isn¡¯t Mummy allowing me to eat? I¡¯m still growing!</i>

    He then walked over to Mo Suqing and said, ¡°Mummy, I suddenly recall what upset Xiaoliu.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ Really? What is it?¡±

    She already knew that her son was hiding something from her.

    ¡°Xiaoliu came looking for me during break time in school and she asked why boys and girls had to use different restrooms! So I just told her that boys and girls are different! But she kept asking me about the difference...¡±

    Ye Yanchen stole a nce at Mo Suqing before he continued.

    ¡°I was doing my work at the time so I told her to go take a look on her own!¡±

    ¡°And then?¡±

    ¡°Then¡­ Xiaoliu went to peek in the boy¡¯s room. She came back to me and asked why she didn¡¯t have that¡­ thing!¡±

    Mo Suqing was suppressing herughter by now. ¡°How did you answer her then?¡±

    ¡°I was busy so I told her that hers dropped off when she was younger!¡±

    ¡°Pft!¡± Mo Suqingughed at this.

    ¡°Then she went crying in the girl¡¯s room. I couldn''t enter so I asked another female ssmate to get her, but she ignored everyone. In the end, Daddy had to ask a teacher to get her out!¡±

    <i>So she was crying over this! But how do I console her?</i>, Mo Suqing wondered.

    <i>Well, it¡¯s A¡¯jiu who made her cry, so I¡¯ll get him to console her.</i>

    ¡°A¡¯jiu, is Xiaoliu our princess?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Ye Yanchen answered instantly.

    ¡°Good! We¡¯ll just have to wait until she stops crying to have dinner then!¡±

    Mo Suqing stood up, smiling.

    She then turned to Ye Yanchen and said, ¡°Oh I forgot to tell you that I made your favorite braised ribs today!¡±

    <i>Why do I feel as if Mummy seems to be trying to bait me to do something!</i>

    <i>But I¡¯ll do it for my braised ribs!</i>

    He stood up quickly and said, ¡°Mummy, I¡¯ll go console Xiaoliu!¡±

    He then ran upstairs.

    <i>I¡¯m so smart!</i>, Mo Suqing marveled at herself.

    Ye Zhongjue pulled her into his arms right after.

    ¡°Dear, why do I feel that you¡¯re getting more and more evil?¡±

    ¡°Am I?¡±

    ¡°Are you not?¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re mistaken!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue¡¯s lips then crashed into hers.

    ¡°What are you doing! The kids mighte down anytime!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue looked at her yfully. ¡°It¡¯s your punishment for lying!¡±

    <strong>In Mo Yanxi¡¯s room upstairs.</strong>

    Ye Yanchen opened the door to see his sister crying on her bed.

    <i>I brought this upon myself!</i>

    He cleared his throat and said, ¡°Stop crying, Xiaoliu. Listen to what I have to say, okay?¡±

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t listen!¡±

    ¡°You might regret it in future if you don¡¯t!¡±

    This sessfully piqued Mo Yanxi¡¯s curiosity. She looked up at her brother and asked, ¡°Why would I regret it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that yours dropped, it¡¯s just that boys have something extra there. Don¡¯t tell Daddy and Mummy I told you this, okay?¡±

    Mo Yanxi smiled immediately. ¡°So there¡¯s nothing wrong with me! I¡¯m hungry! Big Brother, let¡¯s have dinner!¡±

    She then dashed downstairs.

    <i>Xiaoliu, you haven¡¯t agreed about not telling Daddy and Mummy about it!</i>

    <i>Her mood changes like the weather!</i>

    Mo Suqing smiled as she watched her kids eat dinner happily.

    ¡°Xiaoliu, what did your brother tell you to make youe downstairs?¡± Mo Suqing asked.

    ¡°He said it¡¯s him who has something extra!¡±

    Everyone was stunned. Mo Suqing almost spat out her food. Fortunately, she reacted fast enough and avoided eye contact with others to calm herself down.

    Ye Zhongjue appeared really stiff. He gazed at his son. <i>Wow, son. In order to eat, you¡¯d say anything!</i>

    Ye Yanchen stared at Mo Yanxi, annoyed. <i>I should have known I can¡¯t rely on her for anything!</i>

    Ye Yanchen just wanted to facepalm.

    Ye Zhongjue helped with the dishes after dinner as the kids went to do their homework.

    Ye Yanchen red at Mo Yanxi again after finishing dinner, and Mo Yanxi stuck her tongue out at him before running upstairs.

    Mo Suqing smiled and shook her head.

    After a while, Ye Yanchen shouted from upstairs, ¡°Mummy, I want to take a shower!¡±

    ¡°Okay! Be right there!¡±

    However, Ye Zhongjue stopped her.

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t let you help him with his showers anymore. I won¡¯t let you look at any other male bodies except for mine!¡±

    <i>What¡¯s wrong with you, Ye Zhongjue! Your son is only five. He¡¯s five! Why are you even this jealous?!</i>

 Chapter 342 â€“ Iâ€™ll Marry You When We Grow Up

    <h4>Chapter 342 ¨C I¡¯ll Marry You When We Grow Up</h4>

    They arrived at apromise where Ye Zhongjue would be the one to help their son take showers and Mo Suqing would help their daughter do so.

    Mo Suqing could only marvel at how quickly her children were growing up, and she couldn¡¯t believe Ye Zhongjue could actually be jealous of his own kids!

    Mo Suqing tucked her daughter into bed after her shower before returning to her own room.

    When Ye Zhongjue saw her, he asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t take a shower when you were helping Xiaoliu with hers?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not you!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not me, but you¡¯re mine!¡±

    Ye Zhongjue then scooped Mo Suqing up in his arms and whispered in her ear, ¡°Let¡¯s take a shower together!¡±

    ¡°Put me down. Didn¡¯t you already take a shower?¡±

    ¡°I want to take another shower!¡±

    He then gave her a tiny peck on the lips.

    They ended up spending the entire night in the shower together!

    While having breakfast the next morning, Mo Yanxi asked Ye Zhongjue, ¡°Daddy, why isn¡¯t Mummy up yet?¡±

    ¡°Mummy wants to rest. She¡¯s too tired after exercising yesterday night!¡±

    ¡°Exercise?¡±

    ¡°Yup! Mummy probably wants to lose some weight so she did a lot of exercisest night. She¡¯s probably too tired!¡±

    Mo Suqing would have rolled her eyes at him if she heard this exnation.

    Though slightly confused, Mo Yanxi nodded and continued with her breakfast.

    After breakfast, Ye Yanchen asked, ¡°Daddy, I¡¯ll go wake Mummy up. She said she¡¯ll take me and Xiaoliu out today!¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t do. Mummy is too tired. You guys can go out in the afternoon!¡±

    It was a Saturday and Mo Suqing had originally nned to bring the kids to visit Leng Xiyao.

    Mo Suqing had already called to tell her that they would be there in the afternoon instead.

    The kids seemed to enjoy the lunch that Ye Zhongjue prepared and they even praised his cooking!

    They then made their way to Leng Xiyao¡¯s ce after lunch.

    After arriving, Ye Zhongjue pulled Mo Suqing close and gave her a kiss.

    ¡°What are you doing! The kids are watching!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll miss you! Call me when you¡¯re ready and I¡¯lle pick you up!¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Mo Suqing smiled and nodded.

    An Yichen ran up to them when he spotted Mo Yanxi walk in.

    Being alert, Ye Yanchen moved to ce himself in front of his sister protectively.

    Leng Xiyao smiled when she saw them. ¡°You¡¯re finally here, Suqing! I miss you so much!¡±

    To her kids, Mo Suqing said, ¡°Go y outside. I¡¯ll be chatting with Godmum Yao!¡±

    Ye Yanchen nodded at this.

    After Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao disappeared into the house, he looked at An Yichen. ¡°An Yichen, stay away from Xiaoliu!¡±

    ¡°Ye Yanchen, Xiaoliu wants to be my friend too. Who are you to make decisions for her!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m her older brother so I¡¯m filtering her friends for her. I¡¯ll have to check through everyone, especially boyfriends. I can¡¯t let her be duped by others!¡±

    Annoyed, An Yichen turned to Mo Yanxi and said, ¡°Xiaoliu! Wee to our house. I know we saw each other at school yesterday, but I miss you already!¡±

    This made Ye Yanchen fly into a rage.

    ¡°An Yichen, stop it! I¡¯ve already told you that my sister wouldn¡¯t marry someone like you. Look, you can¡¯t even convince her brother!¡±

    ¡°Xiaoliu is the one I¡¯m marrying, not you, so I don¡¯t have to get your approval. Go away, Ye Yanchen. I¡¯m talking to Xiaoliu!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s my younger sister, so I make the decisions for her! You...¡±

    Mo Yanxi tugged at his clothes before he could finish.

    Ye Yanchen turned to her and said, ¡°Why did you do that!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t hit him, Big Brother. An Baobei is a nice person!¡±

    <i>What! I¡¯m your brother! Why are you helping someone else?!</i>

    Mo Yanxi then said, ¡°Baobei, let¡¯s y house. I¡¯ll be your wife!¡±

    An Baobei answered right away, ¡°Okay!¡±

    <i>They¡¯re so childish. I¡¯m not going to y with them!</i>, thought Ye Yanchen.

    However, he changed his mind upon seeing the other two about to have fun without him.

    An Yichen was to be the groom, Mo Yanxi the bride, while Ye Yanchen took the role of the viin.

    ¡°Why am I the viin?¡± Ye Yanchen asked.

    ¡°You guys can¡¯t get married because you¡¯re her brother!¡± An Yichen answered with confidence.

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao walked out right at this moment and happened to hear their exchange.

    <i>What¡¯s up with these kids?</i>, the both of them wondered.

    They lounged near the pool as they watched the kids.

    The story was that the bride was kidnapped by a viin on the day she was supposed to get married, and the bride ended up getting beaten badly by the viin everyday.

    The groom was then able to save the girl and marry her while the viin was punished eventually.

    Mo Suqingughed when she overheard the kids talking about the story. She looked at Leng Xiyao and said, ¡°That¡¯s the kindest viin in the world. How is it possible he did nothing else to her after kidnapping her? Even if he doesn¡¯t like her, he can sell the pretty girl and earn some cash for himself!¡±

    Leng Xiyaoughed. ¡°I think you¡¯ve been badly influenced by Ye Zhongjue!¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Come on, give me a kiss then!¡±

    Leng Xiyao closed in on Mo Suqing and said, ¡°You kiss me!¡±

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Then give me a nice smile!¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t smile!¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll smile!¡±

    While they were having their own fun, the kids were busy acting out their roles. The viin Ye Yanchen had sessfully grabbed Mo Yanxi¡¯s arm and ran away!

    An Baobei chased after them, but he could not catch up. After a while, he realized he had lost them.

    <i>Wait, this isn¡¯t supposed to happen!</i>

    He then looked around the entire garden before Mo Suqing finally told him, ¡°They¡¯re in the living room watching TV!¡±

    <i>Ye Yanchen! How dare you!</i>

    An Yichen stormed into the living room only to see Ye Yanchen and Mo Yanxiughing away.

    He was annoyed at the fact that Ye Yanchen seemed to be bent on making things difficult for him.

    They were supposed to wait in the garden, not the living room.

    <i>It must be Ye Yanchen¡¯s idea. Mo Yanxi wouldn¡¯t have done something like that!</i>

    ¡°Ye Yanchen, challenge me if you want! How dare you take my wife away! I won¡¯t let you off today!¡±

    Mo Yanxi and Ye Yanchen looked at each other, confused.

    Mo Yanxi wanted to say something, but An Yichen stopped her.

    ¡°I know how you feel, Xiaoliu. I know that you¡¯re here against your wishes. It must be Ye Yanchen¡¯s idea. I¡¯ll save you now! I¡¯ll marry you when we grow up!¡±

 Chapter 343 â€“ A Tragedy Caused by An Accidental Kiss (Finale)

    <h4>Chapter 343 ¨C A Tragedy Caused by An idental Kiss (Finale)</h4>

    Mo Yanxi looked at her brother and asked, ¡°Big Brother, is An Baobei still in character? I¡¯m confused!¡±

    Ye Yanchen sounded annoyed as he answered, ¡°I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s abnormal anyway. He¡¯s not a good guy!¡±

    An Yichen got angry at this. ¡°Ye Yanchen, you¡¯re the bad guy! Weren¡¯t you the one who took Xiaoliu inside with you? You guys are here watching television while I was left all alone outside. I don¡¯t believe Xiaoliu would do something like that!¡±

    Mo Yanxi then said, ¡°Baobei, I was the one who dragged Big Brother inside! He even said I was childish!¡±

    Though surprised that it was Mo Yanxi¡¯s idea, An Yichen insisted, ¡°Well, I want to challenge Ye Yanchen!¡±

    ¡°Come on then! I¡¯m not afraid of you!¡±

    An Yichen stared at Ye Yanchen angrily, ¡°Ye Yanchen, I won¡¯t go easy on you!¡±

    He then ran and pounced on Ye Yanchen!

    However, he tripped and fell onto Ye Yanchen instead.

    The both of them fell onto the sofa and kissed each other on the lips by ident.

    This stunned Mo Yanxi!

    Ye Yanchen froze while An Yichen tried to get up.

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao happened to walk in at this moment and they witnessed An Yichen sitting on Ye Yanchen.

    Mo Suqing was rather confused at the sight, while Leng Xiyao asked, ¡°What are you guys doing?¡±

    This shocked An Yichen and he slipped and fell onto Ye Yanchen again, causing their lips to hit a second time.

    <i>Why did this have to happen twice?!</i> Ye Yanchen couldn¡¯t believe his luck.

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao rushed up to pull them apart.

    Mo Suqing then said, ¡°Er¡­ I¡¯m feeling a little unwell today. I¡¯ll bring the kids back. We¡¯ll visit again next time!¡±

    Leng Xiyaoughed. ¡°Sure! Go back then! I won¡¯t walk you out!¡±

    She then led An Yichen upstairs while Mo Suqing led the other two kids out.

    After this, there seemed to be an air of awkwardness whenever Ye Yanchen and An Yichen met.

    Both Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao had probably wanted to keep this matter a secret, but Mo Suqing did not expect for Mo Yanxi to spill the beans when they got home.

    When Mo Suqing saw Ye Zhongjue sitting in the living room, she realized she had forgotten that he was supposed to pick them up.

    Ye Zhongjue was surprised to see her back so soon. ¡°You¡¯re back so early! Why didn¡¯t you call me?¡±

    Mo Suqing wanted to tell him only after the kids went upstairs, but Mo Yanxi answered immediately.

    ¡°Big Brother and An Baobei kissed. Mummy got a shock and brought us back!¡±

    Mo Suqing facepalmed. <i>My dear daughter, what¡¯s going on with you today!</i>

    Instantly embarrassed, Ye Yanchen dashed upstairs!

    On the other hand, Mo Yanxi looked extremely happy about what happened.

    Ye Zhongjue then asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea. Yao and I saw them kissing when we walked in, so we pulled them apart and I brought A¡¯jiu and Xiaoliu back immediately. I was so preupied with getting out that I forgot to give you a call!¡±

    Ye Zhongjueughed. ¡°How could it be that serious?¡±

    ¡°It is!¡± Mo Suqing then walked over and took a seat beside him.

    ¡­¡­

    Ming Jinhua took care of Mo Suqing¡¯s youngest son after she gave birth, and the couple was able to go on holiday in Europe with their twins.

    They travelled to a ce called Fantasy Ind. It was a ce where one could witness beautiful scenery.

    The ind was actually owned by Ye Zhongjue, and Mo Suqing fell in love with it the very first time she visited, which was also why they wanted to take their kids there.

    Ye Yanchen and Mo Yanxi were both seven by now, and they were in Grade 2.

    Ye Yanchen was a fast learner and he was already at the level of a middle schooler. He had almost learnt everything that was required in the high school curriculum as well.

    However, Mo Suqing was of the opinion that it was better for him not to skip any grades because she wanted him to enjoy his childhood. To this, Ye Zhongjue had agreed.

    Leng Xiyao happened to call Mo Suqing when they arrived on the ind.

    ¡°Suqing, where are you now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m on Fantasy Ind. I promised to take the twins here!¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you invite me! I want to visit the ind too!¡±

    ¡°Sure!¡±

    Actually, she hadn¡¯t forgotten about the time that the two boys kissed identally. Two years had already passed, but ording to Mo Yanxi, Ye Yanchen and An Yichen hadn¡¯t spoken much since then.

    Mo Suqing couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she had overreacted at the time.

    ¡°Yao, how about you take Baobei along? The scenery on Fantasy Ind is great!¡±

    ¡°Okay, wait for me. I¡¯ll be there soon!¡±

    Leng Xiyao arrived the very next day.

    The twins were ying in the sand when they heard an airne fly overhead. Looking up, they saw a private jet with the Leng family¡¯s insignia.

    Ye Yanchen stiffened upon seeing the ne.

    Mo Yanxi found it weird that Mo Suqing would actually invite Leng Xiyao on the trip when she seemed totally fine with Ye Yanchen avoiding An Yichen for the past two years.

    An Yichen was the first to alight from the ne, with Leng Xiyao and Leng Haoyun following closely behind him.

    An Yichen had grown a lot in the past two years, and he looked more and more dashing.

    Ye Yanchen had also grown into a charming young man.

    Though two years had already passed, there was still a slight hint of enmity between the two.

    Ye Yanchen was the top of his ss, while An Yichen was brilliant in mathematics and music.

    Ye Yanchen had also clinched first ce in sports. The two of them seemed to have never stoppedpeting with each other.

    Mo Suqing greeted them enthusiastically when she saw the Leng family.

    ¡°Baobei looks more and more like a little prince!¡±

    Leng Xiyao said, ¡°Stop singing praises of him. He¡¯s going to get too conceited. Look at A¡¯jiu and how mature he is. I very much prefer kids like him!¡±

    An Yichen looked at Leng Xiyao and said, ¡°You can always give birth to another one, I won¡¯t mind it!¡±

    Everyoneughed at this.

    An Yichen then went over to y in the sand, but he and Ye Yanchen continued ignoring each other.

    Ye Yanchen asked Mo Yanxi to join him as he walked on the beach barefoot, but Mo Yanxi rejected his invitation and said, ¡°Big Brother, you y on your own first. I¡¯m building a castle with Baobei!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s for little kids!¡±

    An Yichen retorted, ¡°Aren¡¯t you a kid too? You¡¯re only seven. Others might call you a genius because you¡¯re smart, but you¡¯re no adult!¡±

    Ye Yanchen was at a loss for words.

    He looked at the two of them and decided to go back to their vi instead.

    He felt upset, but he didn¡¯t know why he felt that way.

    He then decided to take a nap. It was already evening by the time Mo Suqing woke him up.

    The others were having a seaside barbecue right now, and it seemed as if An Yichen and Mo Yanxi were enjoying their dinner.

    For some reason, Ye Yanchen was annoyed every time he heard An Yichen¡¯s name.

    But he was starving, and there was no way he would let himself go without dinner.

    He went out to see everyone outside enjoying themselves.

    Mo Yanxi and An Yichen seemed to be having the time of their lives as they ate.

    Ye Yanchen still couldn¡¯t understand why he felt upset when he heard theirughter. <i>I wonder what¡¯s wrong with me.</i>

    Mo Yanxi passed some food to him when he arrived and said, ¡°Daddy made this. It¡¯s very good!¡±

    <i>Wow, it¡¯s yummy! </i>Ye Yanchen marvelled to himself.

    He wanted to ignore An Yichen at first, but when he saw An Yichen, warmth seemed to bloom in his heart. For some reason, An Yichen¡¯s smile seemed to bring him satisfaction.

    Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao started singing a whileter, and the kids joined them in their revelry.

    Though they were no choir, the joy in their voices were apparent...

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