《With My Profound Love, I Offer to the Years》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 I stand in the abyss, and no one can save me. ¡ªShen Nian At the hospital, the queues for registration stretched long across several lines. Although it was a weekday, the hospital was still filled with quite a number of patients who needed to register for a consultation. The environment was somewhat noisy. In a certain corner, a figure was hidden inconspicuously among the motley crowd. The professional OL suit she wore showed off her good figure andpetent and steady style. She sat on the long bench in the hospital hallway, slightly bending over with both hands casually resting on her knees, her fingers gently pinching the fabric of her skirt over her knees. Head lowered, silent. Her tranquility seemed out of ce in the noisy hospital. "Patient number 23, Shen Nian, please enter consultation room 5." Hearing the mechanized voice calling her number, Shen Nian finally raised her head. She picked up her bag that was next to her and headed into consultation room 5. She handed the medical reports to the doctor and sat down. The doctor looked through the results and said, "The fetus is 7 weeks now and developing well, congrattions." "...," Shen Nian did not speak. The doctor asked again, "Are you married? Have you had a miscarriage before? Do you have any gynecological diseases?" Having asked three questions without getting any response, the doctor looked up to nce at the young girl. Shen Nian looked very young. The doctor immediately checked the name and age on the report as well. Shen Nian, 22 years old. Already an adult. Judging from her attire, she should be apany white-cor worker and did not seem like an unlearned girl either. This was probably her first pregnancy and she was a little stunned. So the doctor patiently told her, "You need to inform me of your physical condition. Only then can I..." "No." The soft voice interrupted the doctor''s words. It was a very nice female voice. Shen Nian looked up, staring at the doctor as she slowly enunciated each word, "I don''t want this child." The nice voice contained a tremor, but the words spoken were decisive. The doctor was taken aback for a moment before regaining herposure. "Even if you don''t want the child, you still need to provide your medical history." The doctor asked the questions again. "Have you been pregnant before and had a miscarriage? Do you have any gynecological diseases? Why do you want an abortion? Are you married?" This time, the doctor asked about her marital statusst. After asking all the questions, she added, "You need to sign for the abortion. You can''t keep silent. Don''t dy the consultations of others queuing behind you..." "I''m not married and I don''t have any gynecological diseases." Shen Nian''s long eyshes quivered. Her memories were instantly pulled back several years and her lips seemed to be carrying a thousand pounds of iron that was difficult to move even an inch. "I was pregnant once before and miscarried..." The doctor understood and continued asking, "Is it convenient to share why you miscarried?" "It''s convenient," Shen Nian replied. The doctor asked her several more questions which Shen Nian answered. From beginning to end, her face did not show any extra expression. Having been a doctor for many years and seen countless pregnant women, the doctor had witnessed those who were overjoyed and weeping with happiness over their child, as well as those who were ruthless and decisive in their grief over not wanting the child. One so quiet like her... was a first. From the moment she entered, there was barely any change in her emotions. Other than answering questions, there was just endless silence. Even the air was permeated with an oppressive atmosphere. Although unaware of what she went through, the doctor still followed procedure and said, "Since you''re unmarried, you''ll need your guardian or boyfriend to sign. Should I call your parents or boyfriend?" "My parents passed away in a car ident when I was 17," Shen Nian tly interrupted. "I broke up with my boyfriend." Having said that, she finally raised her head to look at the doctor again. "Can I sign by myself?" The doctor was rendered speechless for a moment before answering, "You can." She opened the drawer next to her and took out a piece of paper, pushing it towards Shen Nian. "This is the waiver dering that you voluntarily give up custody of the fetus. I can only arrange surgery for you after you sign." Shen Nian picked up the pen without reading what was written. Her gaze fell directly on the signature line at the bottom. She had only managed three drops of ink when her hand started trembling uncontrobly. Shen Nian''s lips quivered slightly. She gripped the pen tightly and signed her whole name in one breath before pushing the waiver back to the doctor. "Thank you." Her tone remained light and indifferent throughout. The doctor nced at her again but did not say anything. She issued a surgery order for Shen Nian. Shen Nian had not eaten anything yesterday, so she could undergo a painless abortion. The surgery was scheduled for this afternoon,sting barely an hour. She was still dazed from the anesthesia when pushed out into the ward. The nurse helped move her into the hospital bed. Shen Nian did not know how long it was before she finally opened her eyes. She did not move but stared nkly at the ceiling. Having just undergone surgery, there was still a slight pain in her abdomen. Her phone in her bag vibrated. Shen Niannguidly regained her senses and pulled open her bag''s zipper to take out her phone. She nced at the contact and swiped the screen before putting it by her ear. "Ling Ling, what''s the matter?" An anxious voice came from the other end. "Sis Nian, where are you?" Shen Nian lowered her eyes. "I have something going on today. I''m not at thepany now." There was an ah from the other end. "But there''s a very important business dinner tonight. This investor is extremely important to ourpany. Boss Lu specifically asked for you to apany him..." "..." Shen Nian was silent for a few seconds. "I see." After hanging up the call, she put her phone back into her bag and got out of bed. There was a slight pain in her abdomen when she moved. She held her belly as she arduously left the ward. Lu Lingchuan was justing down from upstairs when Shen Nian arrived at thepany. He was exceptionally well-dressed today in a ck checked suit and matching designer tie. The diamond tie clip added a touch of charm. His leather shoes were polished to a shine. Tall and graceful, he had an elegant and noble air. His well-defined features were handsome, yet his expression was aloof with no smile. Hearing the sound of the door, Lu Lingchuan nced up. Shen Nian got out of the taxi and tidied her attire before walking towards Lu Lingchuan in high heels, stopping about a meter away. "Boss Lu." She bowed her head slightly, attitude deferential. Lu Lingchuan gave her an indifferent look before opening the car door and getting in without a word. Shen Nian shut the door then went around to the other side to get into the passenger seat. Today''s business discussion was arranged at a high-end 5-star hotel. Lu Lingchuan had been personally overseeing this project from the start, taking it very seriously. The other party seemed aware of their intentions and remained stubborn in holding out for maximum benefits. The two parties met in the designated private room. They shook hands on meeting. "Nice to meet you, Boss Lu. I''ve long heard of your youth and capability. And indeed you are just as so! Haha..." Unlike Lu Lingchuan and Shen Nian on this side who looked young and easy to bully, the other partyprised fully of mature men in their thirties and forties with shrewd, calcting looks. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 First shook hands with Lu Lingchuan, then cast his eyes on Shen Nian: "This is..." Shen Nian revealed a proper smile: "Mr. Li, Mr. Fang, it''s nice to meet you. My name is Shen Nian, I''m Mr. Lu''s assistant." The other party immediately revealed a knowing smile: "So you''re the legendary beautiful assistant who is loyal to Mr. Lu." It is known in the circle that Lu Lingchuan has a very capable female assistant. Although young, she is very capable and has helped Lu Lingchuan win many projects. It can be said that without Shen Nian, Lu Lingchuan''spany would not have developed so well. "You tter me, President Li." Shen Nian bowed her head modestly. But President Li was very interested in Shen Nian, and asked her, "Nian? Which Nian?" There are many homophones for "nian". "...Upon hearing this question, Shen Nian looked a little lost. She came to her senses and softly replied, "The ''nian'' from ''dian nian''." Lu Lingchuan nced at the calm Shen Nian, frowning. At the same time, a shy and gentle girl''s voice rang in his ears. [My name is Shen Nian, the ''nian'' that means to remember.] From remembering to mourning, Lu Lingchuan knew the reason. Thinking of something, pain shed through the man''s dark eyes, quickly turning to resentment. He immediately looked away and stopped looking at her. The two parties sat down. Lu Lingchuan got straight to the point to discuss the project. But the other party was an old fox. He waved his hand at Lu Lingchuan with righteousness and said solemnly. "Hey, no talk of work during break time. Let''s eat, let''s eat." This was entirely to fob off Lu Lingchuan. If they really didn''t want to discuss work today, they wouldn''t have brought assistants to the meeting either. Sitting next to Lu Lingchuan, Shen Nian looked at the cup of hot water she had just poured in front of her. The waiter had brought in a pot of hot water when he came in earlier. She had just had an abortion and her body was still very weak. She could not catch a cold or eat cold food. With one hand on her belly, Shen Nian stood up, a proper standard smile appearing on her face again: "I''m sure you already understand the capabilities of our Lingrui Group. Please trust us, we will definitely not disappoint you." On the men¡¯s dining table, it was better for a beautiful woman to give them some face when speaking. Sure enough, the two presidents no longer blocked their mouths on the pretext of ¡°no talk of work during dining time¡±, and the rotund President Fang ogled Shen Nian¡¯s slender figure,ughing heartily. "President Li and I naturally understand the capabilities of yourpany. We also heard that Miss Shen is famously good at drinking in the circle. President Li and I happen to have good alcohol tolerance, so why don''t we have a drinkingpetition?" Having just had an abortion surgery not long ago, there was still a dull ache in her lower abdomen. Shen Nian had one hand on her belly. The lipstick made her look like she was in good spirits, not too ghastly. President Fang did not give Shen Nian a chance to refuse, and asked the waiter to bring the alcohol. Soon the waiter brought an ice bucket with a few bottles of alcohol inside, mixed with ice cubes. "Drinking chilled alcohol is the most refreshing!" President Liughed as he took a bottle of chilled alcohol from the ice bucket, opened it, and poured Shen Nian a full ss first. The 720ml ss was filled to the brim. After filling up his and President Fang''s sses, he raised his wine ss. "Miss Shen, you¡¯ll have to give President Fang and I some face." "...Looking at the full ss of wine, Shen Nian''s fingertips lightly touched the rim of the ss, chilled so that her fingers trembled slightly. Lu Lingchuan''s face was cold and stern without saying a word. After three seconds of silence, just as President Li and President Fang were about to say something more, Shen Nian looked up with the same proper smile. She picked up the wine ss, raised it to both presidents: "Cheers." After speaking, she tilted her head back and downed the entire ss of wine in one gulp. Shen Nian was very slim, so her corbones were very prominent. After downing the full ss of chilled wine in one go, the icy drink slowly flowed down her throat without a drop left behind. After chugging it all in one go, Shen Nian turned the ss upside down. Only a few drops of wine remained in the tall stem ss, dripping onto the floor. It was said that Shen Nian had been with Lu Lingchuan since he founded Lingrui Group. In the early days when thepany had no investment, they had to solicit clients themselves. Shen Nian followed Lu Lingchuan to all kinds of business dinners,peting in drinking with the old foxes in the business circle, just for a chance to get noticed. Indeed, seeing is believing. This Shen Nian really was as fierce as the rumors said. She looked delicate and fragile outwardly but was actually a fierce woman. President Li and President Fang were stunned for a moment before bursting into loudughter. "Good, we like talking to Miss Shen like this!" After speaking, they also downed their wine in one gulp. Shen Nian was very fair, the kind of fair that looked white even without foundation. After a ss of chilled wine, her face was even paler, and the faint haggardness between her brows and eyes could be seen. The lipstick had helped her look spirited earlier, but after drinking the wine, there was a clear lipstick mark on the rim of the ss. The lipstick on her mouth had faded a lot. Without thisyer of protection, her frailty was revealed. But Shen Nian rarely showed her vulnerable side to others. The smile on her face did not diminish as she picked up the bottle of wine next to her and poured more wine for the two presidents first, before filling up her own ss. "It is my honor to receive praise from President Fang and President Li. Let me make a toast to you two gentlemen. I will drink up, while you two can drink at your own pace." Tilting her head back, she downed the entire ss of wine again. After two sses of wine, they could get down to the business cooperation they were here for. Shen Nian put down the ss and got to the point: "Since President Fang and President Li have agreed to meet us, it shows you still recognize the capabilities of our Lingrui Group. And we cherish the opportunity to cooperate with your esteemedpanies as well. Since there is mutual goodwill, why hesitate? Wouldn''t it be better for both our sides to cooperate sooner?" Since Shen Nian was so direct, President Fang and President Li also stopped beating around the bush. "In fact, besides yourpany, we have also looked into anotherpany. The capabilities of bothpanies areparable, it''s just that... the other party promised a 10% higher profit margin than yourpany, so..." President Li''s face revealed embarrassment and hesitation. In the eyes of businessmen, every percentage point was a huge amount of wealth. No one was unwilling to get the maximum return for the minimum cost. "...Lu Lingchuan''s eyelids fluttered slightly. His face was always expressionless, cold as ice. His pitch-ck eyes seemed boundless like the night sky, with no visible specks of light. Shen Nian understood immediately. After knowing each other for many years, at some point they had developed a tacit understanding where just one look conveyed his meaning to her. The two sses of chilled wine were already taking effect, and stabbing pain shot through her abdomen as if pierced by hundreds of des. Shen Nian almost stumbled to the ground in embarrassment, but fortunately she had been tightly gripping the stool after sitting down earlier, avoiding making a fool of herself. After catching her breath, she stood up again. First picking up the wine bottle, she took Lu Lingchuan''s wine ss in front of him and poured it full, before handing it to Lu Lingchuan. Receiving the wine Shen Nian passed to him, Lu Lingchuan stood up. Raising his ss slightly, looking at the two presidents, his face still expressionless, his voice not loud but forceful and convincing. "The otherpany promised President Fang and President Li a 10% higher profit margin, then our Lingrui Group promises to double your profit." Chapter 3 Chapter 3 At this moment, Shen Nian also stood up: "Our President Lu has always not made promises lightly. Now that President Lu has promised to double the profits for yourpany, he will definitely fulfill what he said. I hope President Li and President Fang can consider this carefully." "... " Undeniably, Lu Lingchuan was very good at tempting people. On one side there was a 10% increase in benefits, on the other side there was a doubling of profits. Smart people would choose thetter. It''s just... investment is not absolutely profitable or absolutely loss-making. Making money depends on one''s ability and luck, not just shouting. Feeling their hesitation, Shen Nian only thought for a second before taking another bottle of wine from the ice bucket next to her and opened it in front of them. Shen Nian held the wine bottle directly, stared at the two presidents, and said solemnly: "Lingrui Group will definitely not disappoint yourpany. This is our sincerity." After she finished speaking, she directly put her lips to the bottle and the wine in the bottle was slowly decreasing. Shen Nian''s aggressiveness and desperation made the two old foxes of the business world feel inferior. They stared nkly for a few seconds before shouting loudly. "Good!" Shen Nian put down the bottle. More than half the wine in the bottle was gone. "Based on Assistant Shen''s sincerity, we believe yourpany will definitely not disappoint us!" The meaning behind their words was that the cooperation was settled. Shen Nian smiled slyly: "Thank you for President Fang and President Li''s trust." "Come on, let''s toast to our cooperation!" Shen Nian picked up the tall ss next to her again and clinked sses with them. One ss after another went down her throat. The spiciness was apanied by ice-coldness, and the ice-coldness stimted the pain in her abdomen. The three sensations cycled back and forth and Shen Nian gradually became numb. She couldn''t feel the spiciness of the wine, she couldn''t feel the ice-coldness, she couldn''t even feel the pain in her abdomen anymore. After three rounds of drinking, President Li and President Fang had already copsed drunk. They were supported by their assistants, full of tipsiness. "Assistant Shen, I''m so satisfied with you! Why don''t you considering to work at mypany tomorrow? I''ll give you a vice president position to try out!" With Shen Nian¡¯s capabilities and eloquence, she was indeed qualified to be a vice president. This was not the firstpany president who wanted to poach her. Shen Nian was very adept at handling them. Feeling the familiar and sharp gaze falling on her, Shen Nian was unmoved. She just smiled slightly: "Thank you for President Li''s appreciation. Being able to cooperate with President Li once is already my honor. How could I dare to expect to always be so honored?" Shen Nian¡¯s reply appeared very emotionally intelligent. Although she declined the other party''s invitation, she alsoplimented the other person so that they would not get angry. Sure enough, President Li was ttered intoughter. He patted his chest. "The cooperation is settled. If Assistant Shen is unsure, I''ll have someone prepare the contract right away!" After saying that, he ordered his assistant to immediately call thepany to have them work overtime to prepare the contract and send it to Lingrui Group. When the dinner ended, the assistants helped carry the two presidents who were dead drunk back to their cars. Seeing the cars leave, Shen Nian finally breathed a sigh of relief. Their car had also arrived. Lu Lingchuan was sitting in the back seat. Shen Nian staggered and opened the passenger door. She got in the car, pulled over the seatbelt and buckled up. The driver stepped on the gas and the car left the hotel. Her head rested on the car window ss. It was very quiet around her ears. Without the alcohol to numb her, the pain in her abdomen became prominent again. Shen Nian frowned with her eyes closed, breathing a little difficult, one hand pressing her lower abdomen. She clearly felt that warm flow bing more and more intense. After the surgery, she had put on thick sanitary pads, so there should not be any problems. As the pain in her abdomen intensified, Shen Nian did not even hum, silently enduring the pain. The man who was originally sitting with closed eyes in the back seat didn''t know when he had opened them. He stared expressionlessly at the rearview mirror. Shen Nian was leaning against the window, the rearview mirror did not capture her face, it could only see one of her shoulders. Although it was just one shoulder, Lu Lingchuan watched it all the way. The car stopped at the entrance of a high-endmunity. The driver carefully looked at the man with his eyes closed in the back through the rearview mirror, afraid to wake him up. So the driver said to Shen Nian in a very small voice, "Assistant Shen, we''ve arrived." Hearing the driver''s voice, Shen Nian slowly opened her eyes and looked outside. Only then did she realize it was a familiar building. She knitted her brows slightly. Her voice was very soft, "Thank you." After speaking, she grabbed her bag and got out of the car. "Bang." Hearing the sound of the door closing, the man who had his eyes closed opened them. Just as the driver was about to ask Lu Lingchuan which home to return to, there was another "bang" of the door closing. By the time the driver reacted, there was only him left in the car. The security guards at the entrance of the high-endmunity work 24 hours. Shen Nian and Lu Lingchuan entered the lobby one after the other. The security guard immediately recognized them as residents of themunity. Without needing to verify their information again, he quickly helped them swipe their ess cards to open the door. The two entered one after the other and walked along the pebble path inside themunity. Shen Nian walked in front covering her lower abdomen, Lu Lingchuan followed behind, with about 5 meters of distance between them. It was veryte now. Aside from them, there was no one downstairs in themunity building. It was so quiet that they could hear each other''s footsteps. Shen Nian entered one of the buildings with Lu Lingchuan following closely behind. While waiting for the elevator, it was still just the two of them. Shen Nian pressed the elevator button. The doors opened and she automatically stood on the right side after entering. Lu Lingchuan entered and stood on the left side. Still not a word was spoken. Shen Nian first pressed the button to close the elevator doors, then pressed a floor number, while Lu Lingchuan just stood there. The elevator rose slowly. From entering themunity until now, neither had said a word to each other, distant as strangers, the atmosphere was oppressively quiet. "Ding¨C" They arrived at the floor. The elevator doors opened, still Shen Nian exited first, Lu Lingchuan followed behind. They walked to a door. Shen Nian unlocked it with her fingerprint and entered the house. Lu Lingchuan who was behind her walked in as well and reached out to close the door. The sound of the door closing shattered the stiff and strange atmosphere between them. Before Shen Nian could turn on the lights, Lu Lingchuan suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled hard. By the time Shen Nian reacted, she was already pressed against the front door. Lu Lingchuan''s tall figure pressed towards her domineeringly. He firmly circled her waist with one hand, cradled the back of her head with the other, lowered his head and fiercely bit Shen Nian''s lips, carrying a vengeful and thick sense of hatred! The pain on her lips was exceptionally clear. Shen Nian came to her senses and bit back unrelentingly. Neither was willing to go soft on the other, both using their full strength. The repression and anger umted at the table were all vented out at this moment. Lu Lingchuan pinched her waist. Even in the darkness his eyes bursting with hatred could be seen. "I hate you!" He gritted out between clenched teeth, one word at a time. He lowered his head again to fiercely bite her lips, repeating: "Shen Nian, I hate you!" In the darkness, Shen Nian gave a desteugh, calmly meeting the man''s icy gaze: "What a coincidence." I hate you too. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Lu Lingchuan bit Shen Nian''s neck fiercely, and Shen Nian only frowned slightly without making a sound. Although it was dark, the two remembered clearly where everything was in the room, including the cup they drank from. Lu Lingchuan brought her back to the bedroom, kicking the door closed behind them. The bedroom was also pitch ck. Shen Nian was pushed onto the bed, and then the man''s warm breath fell on her cheeks again. The after effects of drinking ice wine came, and her abdomen felt like it was being drilled by an electric drill, with a stabbing pain. Her lower abdomen felt like it was sinking downward. At first Shen Nian still had the strength to struggle, but that little strength soon disappearedpletely. Shey numb and silent, not moving at all. Their rtionship was like the stars in the night sky outside, destined to never see the sun. There was suddenly the sound of something falling to the ground in the darkness, but neither of them noticed. It wasn''t until Lu Lingchuan felt the wetness on his fingertips that his tall figure stopped. Thinking it was an illusion at first, the feeling on his fingertips was extremely clear. He immediately reached for the light switch. "Click", and the whole room lit up. Shen Niany haggardly on the bed, her hair was messy, her face ghastly pale, no longer looking human. The man''s eyes immediately looked down, only to see blood staining the sheets... The re of the lights made it difficult for Shen Nian to open her eyes. Her eyes were just open to a slit. Without lipstick to maintain herplexion, she looked very unwell. Staring at the stunned man, Shen Nian pulled the corners of her lips, as frail as a dying person. Lu Lingchuan was about to open his mouth when his peripheral vision caught something. The sound from earlier was Shen Nian''s bag falling to the ground. The zipper was open, and everything inside had spilled out onto the floor. A paper with the name of a certain hospital caught Lu Lingchuan''s attention. He got up and bent over to pick up the paper, only to find there was another slip inside. It was an ultrasound report. Name: Shen Nian Age: 22 Today''s date was printed on it as the examination date. Lu Lingchuan froze as he stared at it, but before he could react emotionally, he realized the paper clipped to the outside was not white but a voluntary termination of pregnancy form. The signature at the bottom was very delicate, it was Shen Nian''s. There was also a receipt for an abortion procedure fee. "...!" Lu Lingchuan''s pupils suddenly contracted, his body frozen stiff. His grip on the papers tightened subconsciously. He whipped his head around to re at her, his words squeezed out through gritted teeth. "You got an abortion?!" His voice was not loud, but full of usation. "Yes." Shen Nian''s voice was light, but the determination in it could be heard. "Who allowed you to get the abortion?" His voice rose slightly. "......" Shen Nian did not speak. The man''s emotions suddenly erupted. He grabbed her cor tightly and easily lifted Shen Nian up. "Speak! Who allowed you to have the surgery?!" He was furious. Shen Nian was forced to look up. A smile squeezed across her pale face, "Don''t worry, I remember what you said, you don''t want any ties with me." Since he didn''t want it, she would listen to him. "......" As if doused with a bucket of cold water, Lu Lingchuan calmed downpletely. Shen Nian in his hand was like a sick cat, breathing weakly, as if she would die at any moment... His body jerked as if electric shocked. Lu Lingchuan immediately let her go, and Shen Nian tumbled messily back onto the bed. One hand on her abdomen, the blood on her skirt was increasing. Her breathing was slightlybored as she closed her eyes, "President Lu doesn''t need to say more, this is my own retribution." She slowly opened her eyes, her expression dazed as she stared at the ceiling, murmuring, "A person like me should stay in hell." Her words stung Lu Lingchuan''s heart. He stood over her, ring angrily at her and gnashing his teeth, "Yes, a cold-blooded creature like you only deserves to stay in hell!" Shen Nian smiled self-deprecatingly. The ultrasound report and termination form in his hand were already crumpled into a ball. Lu Lingchuan endured the raging desire to strangle her and leave this world together. He whipped around and strode angrily towards the door. "President Lu." Lu Lingchuan had just opened the bedroom door when the girl''s voice came from behind him. "......" His figure stopped. Shen Nian said weakly, "If President Lu does not intend to kill me today, then please help call an ambnce, thank you President Lu." "......" After another few seconds of silence, Lu Lingchuan left the bedroom. "Bang!" She heard the sound of the front door mming shut. Shen Niany on the bed, chuckling softly to herself. After drinking so much, her head hurt badly. She curled herself into a ball, one hand pressing on her lower abdomen as she groaned in pain. Only when she was alone would she dare to show this fragile side. Shen Nian couldn''t help thinking, if she died like this, it didn''t seem so bad. Fifteen minutester, the ambnce arrived at the entrance of the residentialpound. The security guard on duty had just seen Shen Nian enter not long ago, and now she was being carried out. The medics had entered using the password. They rushed into the bedroom and saw Shen Nian curled up in a ball on the bed, her skirt and sheets covered in blood. They quickly got her onto a stretcher. By now Shen Nian was barely breathing. She strained to pull up the corners of her lips in self-mockery. It looked like Lu Lingchuan was not going to let her die so easily. In the middle of the night Shen Nian was sent to the emergency room. She had just had an abortion procedure but went ahead to drink alcohol, causing massive bleeding. Fortunately she was saved in time and avoided serious issues. The doctor on night duty happened to be the one Shen Nian had seen earlier that day. Seeing her being pushed into the ward, the doctor was very surprised. After hearing what happened from others, the doctor walked into Shen Nian''s room. Shen Niany weakly on the hospital bed. Her hands were cold and she was in very poor condition, not looking at all like a 22-year old girl. After getting Shen Nian on IV fluids and adjusting the drip rate, the doctor hesitated but couldn''t help lecturing her. "It''s your own body. If you can''t even take care of yourself, who else can you expect to care for you? Even if your parents have passed, you still cannot harm yourself like this. How heartbroken would their souls be to see this?" The doctor really could not bear to watch on anymore. Even if the young are physically resilient, this was still too much self-destruction. Shen Nian listened quietly to everything before slowly raising her head to look at the doctor, "Thank you." Thank you for your concern. "......" The doctor was taken aback for a moment. Seeing her frail state, the doctor couldn''t bear to continue scolding either. She could only sigh, her voice much softer, "You rest first. You still need confinement care after the abortion. For the next month try not to consume anything cold, spicy, or alcohol. If you don''t nurse your health, all sorts of problems will gue you when you grow old, leaving you full of regrets." Having said that, the doctor left the ward. Shen Nian silently stared at the ceiling. Recalling something, she took her phone that was ced beside her. In her bloodied state, she had been carried onto the stretcher without taking anything. But she kept this phone on her like a talisman at all times. When the nurse changed her into a hospital gown earlier, the phone had been taken out. The phone looked rather old, about three to four years behind the current models. She pressed the side button and the screen lit up. After unlocking with her password, Shen Nian opened the photo gallery. There was only one picture inside. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 It was a blue ID photo of a girl. The girl in the photo looked very young and innocent. Her eyes seemed to contain stars, and her slightly curly bangs made her look a little mischievous. She had a melon seed face and big eyes, which, coupled with her very healing smile, made her look cute. Shen Nian stared nkly at her smiling face, lost in thought. She didn''t know how long she had been looking before she came back to her senses and exited the photo gallery. Her phone was very empty, with only the few undeletable default apps. She tapped on Messages again. It was just as clean inside, with only one text message from someone named [Lu Lingrui], sent four years ago. Looking at the message she had read countless times, so familiar that every word, every punctuation mark had been etched into her bones, Shen Nian was transported back to that day four years ago. It was Lu Lingrui''s birthday. She and Lu Lingrui had gone together to Lu Lingchuan''s university to get him toe out for a meal. Lu Lingchuan was Lu Lingrui''s older brother and also Shen Nian''s boyfriend at the time. Traffic around A University was always congested; traffic jams weremon. She and Lu Lingrui often went to A University, and they had discovered a small road by chance. Walking through a deserted alley could save quite a bit of time. That day, as usual, they took the alley, but they were blocked by two burly drunkards who had malicious intentions from drinking too much. Lu Lingrui stopped those drunkards to let her escape. Then, she ran away. When she came back with help, the two drunkards had already fled. Lu Lingruiy sloppily on the ground, her expression dazed, the light already gone from her eyes. After that day, Lu Lingrui changed into a different person. She no longer liked tough or talk, spending all day shut up in her room. One monthter, Lu Lingruimitted suicide by jumping off a building. Before jumping, she sent Shen Nian onest text message. [Nian Nian, I''ve been thinking a lot these past few days. I don''t regret letting you run away first. In that kind of situation, neither of us could have escaped if you didn''t go. But I also can''t ept myself now... I want liberation. You and my brother be happy together, you must be happy.] "... " Shen Nian''s eyshes trembled fiercely, her brows tightly knitted, unable to rx. Since Lu Lingrui''s passing, she didn''t know how many times she had dreams like this, rewinding to that day over and over like a movie. In the dream, Lu Lingrui would still stretch out her arms to block those drunkards, turning her head and shouting loudly at her. [Nian Nian, hurry and run!] "Little Rui..." Shen Nian murmured anxiously in her sleep: "I''m sorry, I''m sorry..." Feeling someone touching her hand, Shen Nian opened her eyes wide. "Little Rui!" The nurse who had been carefully tucking her hand back into the quilt was startled. Seeing Shen Nian staring at her, the nurse quickly exined, "The first IV bag is empty, so I came to change your IV. I saw your hand kept moving so I was afraid the needle would get dislodged...that''s why..." Awakened from her nightmare, Shen Nian''s breathing was a little rushed. Hearing the nurse''s words, she slowly came back from the dream to reality. Only then did Shen Nian react that she was in the hospital. Next to her was the IV stand, and the nurse was holding an empty bottle. "I''m sorry, I had a nightmare." Shen Nian calmed her breathing. "It''s okay, you rest first. I''lle back to change the bottle once this one is done." The nurse took the empty bottle and left the room after speaking. Shen Nian ced her other hand, the one without the IV, on her forehead, calming her emotions. She had drunk too much alcohol at a business dinner and fallen asleep in a daze. She picked up her phone and nced at the time after opening her eyes. She had only slept for twenty-some minutes. Unlocking the screen, it was still the text message page from before. Shen Nian read it over and over, then impulsively tapped the call button at the top corner. "The number you dialed is unavable." Shen Nian hung up and redialed. "The number you dialed is unavable." "I''m sorry..." Staring at the familiar number, Shen Nian''s eyes turned red. A scalding teardrop fell onto the screen. In a daze, she looked at that text message, dialing that number over and over, no longer feeling sleepy at all. After several IV bags had dripped through, the nurse who had removed her IV came in to help pull out the needle. "The doctor said for you to stay one night at the hospital. They''ve scheduled an examination for you tomorrow morning. It''s already past midnight, you should rest early." Looking at the nurse tidying up the IV equipment, Shen Nian spoke up, "Is the doctor from before still here? The one on duty?" "The doctor on duty? You mean Dr. Kong?" Shen Nian nodded, "Yes." "Dr. Kong is in his office right now. Are you not feeling well? I''ll go get Dr. Kong right-" "No," Shen Nian interrupted. "I just have something to discuss." Feeling the back of her hand had stopped bleeding, Shen Nian tore off the medical tape and threw it in the trash can nearby before getting up and leaving the room. Dr. Kong was busy when he heard a knock at the door. Looking up, he saw Shen Nian standing there in patient garb, herplexion still very pale. "Shen Nian? What''s the matter?" Shen Nian walked in, one hand on her own abdomen, her steps slightly unsteady. "Dr. Kong, can you prescribe some sleeping pills for me?" Hearing this request, Dr. Kong immediately looked at Shen Nian warily. Shen Nian''s brows furrowed. "It''s nothing suspicious. I haven''t been able to sleep for two days now. I just dozed off for twenty minutes earlier before being startled awake, and now I can''t fall back asleep." Ever since seeing the two lines on the pregnancy test, Shen Nian had been in shock. She sat in the bathroom all night, struggling with hesitation and indecision. Although she really didn''t want to admit it, the facts were the facts. This child would not be the fruit of love, but the evil result of an ill-fated rtionship. It was an existence that should not exist. After Lu Lingrui''s suicide, Lu Lingchuan hated her. Between them there was only unpayable debt and unavengeable hatred. Between themy Lu Lingrui, an uncrossable chasm. He could not cross over, nor could she. Seeing her face pale and dark circles under her eyes, clearly very haggard, Dr. Kong let out a reluctant sigh. "Alright, I understand. Go back first, I''ll have someone bring them to youter." Shen Nian nodded slightly. "Thank you." Not long after returning to the patient room, the nurse who had removed her IV came in with medication and water. "This is the medicine Dr. Kong brought for you¡ª" "Thank you." Shen Nian took it and swallowed the sleeping pills. Shey down calmly, then closed her eyes. Outside, the nurse went back to the nurses'' station and immediately started talking to her coworker. "I noticed something strange about the patient in bed 23." Smelling the scent of gossip, her coworker hurriedly asked, "You mean that young girl who was brought in?" "Yes!" "What happened, tell me quick!" The nurse whispered, "Just now when I went to change her IV bag, it seemed like she was having a nightmare. She kept saying ''I''m sorry,'' then suddenly woke up frightened, scaring me too. Afterward when I went back in, I saw her looking at her phone screen and crying, and she kept making phone calls." "Making calls?" "Right, I could even hear the other end saying the number was disconnected, but it was like she didn''t hear it and just kept dialing over and over..." It waste at night, and this was a hospital. Hearing the nurse''s ount, her coworker shivered and rubbed her shoulders. "What you''re saying sounds so creepy..." "Just now I even heard her ask Dr. Kong for sleeping pills. She looks quite pretty, but in that condition..." The nurse pointed at her own head and whispered, "She doesn''t have mental issues, right?" Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Shen Nian''s colleague listened with a thumping heart: ¡°I feel it¡¯s very likely. Who would keep calling an empty number?¡± While they were still discussing whether Shen Nian really had a mental problem, a young nurse rushed over, anxiety written all over her face, speaking in a panicked tone: ¡°There¡¯s an ident with the patient in Bed 23!¡± The two nurses who were chatting leisurely instantly changed expressions. ................................. After taking the sleeping pills, Shen Nian slept very soundly. It had been a long time since she had such a sweet sleep, without any dreams to disturb her, and she slept until she woke up naturally. As she opened her eyes, the first thing that entered her sight was the ceiling of the hospital room. Shen Nian stared at the white surface for quite a while. No wonder everyone advises having adequate sleep. The feeling of sleeping full is reallyfortable. There was still some pain in her abdomen, but she could ignore it. Wanting to stretch, she then realized someone was holding her hand. Shen Nian turned her head. A man was grasping her hand, sleeping very soundly with his head on her hospital bed. She recognized who it was just by the hair. She was surprised to see him appear here, eyes shing a hint of astonishment. Before Shen Nian could retrieve her hand or speak, her slight movement had already woken up the man. Xiao Mubai, who stayed by her side the whole night, only managed to doze off for the second half. Although he was resting, he remained alert, so he immediately woke up when Shen Nian stirred slightly. As he opened his eyes, he saw Shen Nian looking at him. Seeing it was indeed Xiao Mubai, Shen Nian was surprised: ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°You woke up!¡± Xiao Mubai instantly became alert, anxiously asking: ¡°Do you feel ufortable anywhere? I¡¯ll call the doctor right now!¡± Saying so, not giving Shen Nian a chance to speak, he immediately pressed the call bell beside them. The doctor who had been waiting outside hurried in as soon as he heard the call bell, first giving Shen Nian an examination. Following the doctor, two other people also came in. One was Dr. Kong whom Shen Nian had met before, the other a man in his forties. The two stood at the side, one lowering his head silently while the other had an anxious look. Shen Nian was somewhat puzzled. Seeing the doctor put away the examination equipment, the middle-aged man beside Dr. Kong hurriedly asked nervously: ¡°How is it? No issues right!¡± The doctor told the middle-aged man: ¡°Dean, she¡¯s fine. She only just had an abortion, so her body is rtively weak.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good.¡± Only then did the man addressed as ¡°Dean¡± heave a sigh of relief. After helping with Shen Nian¡¯s checkup, the doctor left the ward, but the middle-aged man and Dr. Kong did not leave. The middle-aged man bowed deeply towards Shen Nian. ¡°Miss Shen, I¡¯m Li, the dean of Hospital No.1. I¡¯m truly sorry. It was negligence on our hospital¡¯s doctors that led to this incident.¡± Shen Nian was somewhat lost. She turned her head to look at Xiao Mubai beside her. Xiao Mubai exined to her: ¡°You were on the verge of death yesterday.¡± ¡°?¡± Shen Nian knew she was sent to the hospital yesterday due to massive bleeding, but it wasn¡¯t that serious right? Also...what did it have to do with the hospital? Seeing her still unaware of how grave the situation was, Xiao Mubai, who was always gentle, lost his temper for the first time: ¡°After drinking so much and taking sleeping pills, were you that determined to die?!¡± Hearing Xiao Mubai speak like that, Shen Nian understood what had happened. No wonder Dr. Kong had such a guilty look. After all, the sleeping pills she took were prescribed by Dr. Kong. Li Dean bowed again to apologize: ¡°This incident was due to our negligence. We will fire the doctors involved and all of Miss Shen¡¯s medical fees during hospitalization will be waived. Furthermore, we will cover all of Miss Shen¡¯s nutrition expenses. As long as Miss Shen is willing to settle this privately, any requests orpensation, just state them and our hospital will do our best to meet them.¡± What happened yesterday was severe negligence by their hospital¡¯s doctors who prescribed sleeping pills to a patient who had just drunk alcohol, leading to the incident. If this matter was made known, it would greatly impact their hospital¡¯s reputation. Luckily it didn¡¯t happen during the daytime. There weren¡¯t many people in the hospital at night. The inpatients were also resting at that time, so apart from the emergency doctors and some nurses, those who knew about this incident had been personally instructed by Li Dean to keep quiet. Now they were apologizing to Shen Nian and willing to bear the treatment costs, hoping that she would not pursue liability. Upon hearing this, Shen Nian was stunned for a moment. After taking the pills yesterday, she had lost all memory about subsequent happenings. She had no impressions whatsoever of what happenedter. Seeing Shen Nian remain silent, Li Dean thought she wanted to blow up the matter and became anxious. He turned his head to re fiercely at Dr. Kong, scolding: ¡°What are you standing there for?! Hurry and apologize! Do you know you almost caused someone¡¯s death?!¡± Dr. Kong stepped forward two steps, head lowered guiltily as she kept apologizing: ¡°Miss Shen, I¡¯m sorry. It was me who prescribed medication without ascertaining the situation properly. It¡¯s all my fault, please don¡¯t blow this matter up...¡± Li Dean hurriedly echoed beside her: ¡°Yes, yes. As long as Miss Shen is willing to settle this privately, any requests will do.¡± Li Dean was already prepared to be ughtered. But he then heard Shen Nian say: ¡°It¡¯s alright, I won¡¯t pursue this.¡± Li Dean was stunned upon hearing that. This was his first time encountering a patient who didn¡¯t pursue the hospital¡¯s liability after an incident. ¡°Miss Shen?¡± Shen Nian wanted to sit up. Xiao Mubai immediately understood her intention and raised the hospital bed. Leaning against it was much morefortable than lying down. Xiao Mubai also ced a pillow at her waist for extra cushioning to make her morefortable sitting. Compared to her frighteningly paleplexion when she was sent in yesterday, after sleeping for one night, herplexion had improved by a lot, though she still looked very haggard. Looking at Li Dean and Dr. Kong, Shen Nian said: ¡°It was me who didn¡¯t state my condition clearly when asking Dr. Kong for sleeping pills.¡± Dr. Kong wasn¡¯t yesterday¡¯s emergency doctor, so she only knew that Shen Nian was sent to the ER for massive bleeding after an abortion. She didn¡¯t know Shen Nian had drank alcohol. After the emergency treatment, she had changed into patient robes, so the smell of alcohol on her was much fainter. ¡°It was my own problem. I won¡¯t pursue the hospital¡¯s liability. Please don¡¯t fire Dr. Kong too, Dean Li.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Afraid that she would change her mind, upon hearing Shen Nian speak so amiably, Li Dean hurriedly agreed. ¡°Then...I won¡¯t disturb Miss Shen¡¯s rest. If anything, press the call bell. Our doctors and nurses are on standby at all times.¡± ¡°Alright, thanks.¡± Li Dean heaved a huge sigh of relief and was about to leave. Dr Kong also had an expression of surviving a catastrophe. Watching Dr. Kong¡¯s departing back, Shen Nian contemted for two seconds before calling out to stop her. ¡°Dr. Kong.¡± Dr. Kong halted her steps and turned back to look at Shen Nian. ¡°Miss Shen?¡± Shen Nian gave her a faint smile. ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡± Dr. Kong was stunned for a moment, subconsciously replying: ¡°You¡¯re wee...¡± Watching Dr. Kong leave, Xiao Mubai beside them knitted his brows, somewhat puzzled. ¡°She almost caused your death yet you¡¯re thanking her?¡± Shen Nian withdrew her gaze. ¡°It was my problem.¡± Xiao Mubai still wore a very solemn expression. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 "Don''t worry, aren''t I fine?" Shen Nian couldn''t help but chuckle. Seeing her nonchnt appearance, Xiao Mubai was resentfully frustrated by her stubbornness. "Drinking and contacting coldness on the day of your miscarriage, hemorrhaging severely and being sent to the hospital where you even took sleeping pills, are you not afraid of dying quickly enough?" Shen Nian smiled at him, "Seeing that I''m still alive, don''t be so harsh with me." Herplexion was rather haggard, and Xiao Mubai could not say any more harsh words. To take care of Shen Nian, Xiao Mubai could not leave and could only ask the nurse to help buy some food. Li Dean felt apologetic towards Shen Nian and specifically instructed the nurses to take extra care of her when he left. The nurse quickly bought food and came back. Shen Nian had just miscarried and her body was very weak, so she couldn''t eat greasy food which would be bad for her stomach and intestines. Therefore, the nurse bought her pork and century egg congee. cing the lid of the takeout box on the table beside them, Xiao Mubai took out some napkins to pad under the takeout box to inste the heat. Then, using the disposable spoon provided, he scooped a spoonful of congee, blew on it lightly to make sure it wouldn''t burn her mouth before feeding Shen Nian. Shen Nian opened her mouth and ate it. Thinking of the question he hadn''t answered yet, Shen Nian asked again, "How did you get here?" Xiao Mubai scooped another spoonful of congee to feed her and replied, "Yesterday, after you took the sleeping pills and lost consciousness, thankfully the nurse noticed something was wrong and immediately called for you to be sent to emergency care. Fortunately, you didn''t vomit after drinking, otherwise you could have suffocated." Although he didn''t witness the situation himself, just listening he could guess how dangerous it was. "Among the people who took the ambnce to pick you up yesterday, there was a nurse who saw your phone had fallen to the ground. Since there was only you at the time, the nurse was worried your phone would be needed, so she brought it over." The old model phone Shen Nian carried with her had a SIM card, but because the phone model was so old it only supported password unlocking, so the doctors and nurses didn''t know the password. Fortunately, the thoughtful nurse brought the phone over. "The hospital called back the number that had called 120 yesterday, but no one picked up. The nurse used your fingerprint to unlock your contacts on your phone and found my number, so she called me." After listening, Shen Nian nodded her head. So that was what happened. Xiao Mubai looked at her with concern filling his gentle eyes, "Nian Nian, knowing that it''s impossible with him, why do you still hurt yourself like this?" Shen Nian was stunned for a moment. "It''s what I owe him..." "You don''t owe him Lu Lingchuan anything." Xiao Mubai corrected her. "Even if you did, you''ve already repaid it over these years. It''s been four years since Lu Lingrui passed away. Do you n to be like this for the rest of your life?" Xiao Mubai looked at her, "Nian Nian, you should learn to let go." "How could I let it go..." Shen Nian lowered her eyes, staring at her own hands. A sh of anguish passed over her face, and her lips trembled slightly. "She should have had a wonderful life ahead of her. It''s all because of me... Her life ended at eighteen. It''s all because of me..." "Nian Nian..." "I''m standing at the bottom of an abyss. No one can save me..." No one... Thinking of something, Shen Nian asked Xiao Mubai, "What do you think, if I had died yesterday, could I have gone to heaven?" Not waiting for an answer, Shen Nian shook her head and answered herself, "Probably not. A terribly wicked person like me would probably go to hell." Thinking of something, her expression became somewhat distracted as she murmured, "If I went to hell, then I wouldn''t be able to see her again." Lifting her head, Shen Nian forced a smile and looked at Xiao Mubai, saying, "Good people die young, while evildoers live for a thousand years. Don''t worry, someone like me won''t die easily." If Lu Lingchuan hated her, fine, she would let him get revenge. If Lu Lingchuan said he didn''t want to have any rtionship with her anymore, fine, she would resolve something that shouldn''t exist. This was what she owed Lu Lingrui, what she owed Lu Lingchuan, what she owed the Lu family. Now repaying a bit more could erase more of her sins. Perhaps in the future she might even have the good fortune to ascend to heaven and see Lingrui again. Then, she could personally say sorry to her. .......................................... The hospital arrangedprehensive examination procedures for Shen Nian and even specially gave her VIP ess. The entire examination waspleted in less than an hour. In the end, the results showed no major issues. It was just that she had just miscarried and her body was extremely weak. Miscarriage caused great harm to the body, so she would need to recuperate like after giving birth. During this time, she absolutely could note into contact with anything cold, nor eat spicy or pungent foods, and she couldn''t drink any alcohol. She had to pay extra attention to getting rest, and should also avoid strenuous exercise. If she didn''t properly recuperate after the miscarriage, all kinds of problems could arise in the future, even lifelong infertility. But Shen Nian didn''t worry at all about whether problems would arise in the future. To her, living or dying were the same. Xiao Mubai was worried about Shen Nian and wanted her to stay in the hospital for observation for two more days, but Shen Nian insisted on going back. When it came to Shen Nian, Xiao Mubai would never go against her wishes. The only thing he insisted on was having the doctor prescribe medicine to regte her body. At this time, the ice was melting and spring was arriving. The weather had already started warming up, but it wasn''t hot yet. There was still a hint of coolness in the blowing wind. Xiao Mubai personally ran up and down to help Shen Nian get her medication, then handled the discharge procedures. When the two of them came out of the hospital, a gust of cool wind blew towards them. Shen Nian couldn''t help but shiver. Yesterday when she was sent to the hospital for heavy bleeding, her clothes were stained with blood. The clothes she was wearing now were bought by the nurse. But the nurse had only bought her one set of clothes, and no outerwear. Xiao Mubai also felt the chill. Without a second thought, he took off his windbreaker to put on Shen Nian. She had just miscarried two days ago and was supposed to avoid wind. Seeing the clothes Xiao Mubai held out to her, Shen Nian was about to refuse, "No need..." "Put it on." His attitude was unusually firm when he was usually so easygoing. "Or do I need to help you put it on myself?" Shen Nian''s words were caught in her throat by his sentence. After a few seconds of silence, she silently reached out to take his windbreaker and put it on. Warmth enveloped her entire body, and a faint scent belonging to Xiao Mubai lingered around her nose. Shen Nian gathered the windbreaker around herself and softly said, "Thank you." Seeing that she had listened, Xiao Mubai''s expression finally rxed. He led her to the hospital parking lot and drove her home. The two were silent the whole way back. The atmosphere in the car was somewhat heavy until the car stopped at the entrance to the high-end small district where Shen Nian lived. Shen Nian nced at the entrance to the small district, then looked back at Xiao Mubai in the driver''s seat. Seeing him about to unfasten his seatbelt, she spoke up. "Dropping me off at the entrance is fine. I''ll go in myself." But Xiao Mubai said, "I''m taking you inside." Shen Nian knitted her brows, not wanting to trouble him too much, and casually made up an excuse, "They don''t allow long-term parking at the entrance to the district. And we''re already at the entrance, I can go back myself." Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Generally, the entrances to high-end residentialpounds are guarded by security guards who do not allow cars to park for too long. Xiao Mubai''s car had only been parked for less than a minute before the guard keeping watch at the entrance came over, ready to have him move his car since no one had gotten out. ncing around, Xiao Mubai reversed his car. Not far away was a ce where he could park. He parked the car steadily, undid his seatbelt, and picked up the medicine for Shen Nian that was next to him. "Let''s go." Then he opened the car door. Xiao Mubai had already gotten out of the car, and Shen Nian could not find any other reason to refuse either, so she silently undid her seatbelt and got out of the car as well. The one responsible for opening the door was still the security guard who was on dutyst night. The two of them entered the residentialpound lobby one after the other. When the security guard saw Shen Nian, he immediately asked with concern, "Miss Shen, are you alright?" Shen Nian still looked very weak, butpared to yesterday, she was much better. She hooked her lips into a smile, her voice very pleasant, "It''s nothing, just feeling a little ufortable physically, no big deal." The security guard was a middle-aged man who looked quite honest and kind. Hearing Shen Nian''s reply, he finally felt relieved. Seeing that herplexion was still pale, he said with concern, "Youngdy, you have to take good care of yourself when you''re outside." "Mm," Shen Nian responded with a sound. "Thank you." Shen Nian was a resident of thepound, having lived here for several years already, so the security guard recognized her. However, the guard did not recognize Xiao Mubai. Seeing the guard''s gaze shift to him, Xiao Mubai smiled and took the initiative to exin, "I''m her brother. I just picked her up from the hospital and have to send her to her door, otherwise I''d feel too uneasy." The guard nodded, showing that he understood, and went to get his ess card to help them enter. Xiao Mubai expressed his thanks, "Thank you, sir." After entering the residentialpound, they had to walk a short distance before arriving at the building where Shen Nian lived. Shen Nian did not go in. Instead, she stopped and took off the coat she was wearing to return it to him. Xiao Mubai did not say anything. He epted the coat, then handed her the bag he was holding. "I''ve already had the doctor write instructions on the medication boxes about how many times a day and how many pills to take each time. It''s all written very clearly, so don''t forget to take them." "Please take a few days off to rest at home for the next couple of days. If there''s anything you need my help with, give me a call. You know my phone is on 24/7 for you." "Alright, don''t keep standing downstairs, it''s a bit cold. Hurry on up." Shen Nian epted the bag and looked down at it. Seeing that she just kept standing there without going in, Xiao Mubai was about to ask what was wrong when Shen Nian looked up at him with a serious expression and said, "Xiao Mubai, from now on let''s not contact each other anymore." She spoke very solemnly. "..." Xiao Mubai was stunned. "Why?" he asked. "Did I do something wrong?" Shen Nian shook her head. "You''ve been great. And I''m really grateful for all the help you''ve given me over the years. But we''re not from the same world." She looked at him, every word filled with sincerity. "You''re a good person who deserves a gentle and kind girl, not someone unworthy like me." Xiao Mubai was a good person, so he should find happiness. "..." Xiao Mubai came to his senses and retorted, "How do you know the gentle and kind girl in my heart isn''t you?" "..." Shen Nian parted her lips slightly. He looked at her and said, "All these years, you''ve stubbornly believed that Lu Lingrui died because of you, and that you''re with Lu Lingchuan to atone for the sin from back then. And for me, I''m just as stubborn in believing that you''re a good girl, and protecting you is something I''m willing to do wholeheartedly." Shen Nian spaced out, her eyes turning slightly red. She quickly lowered her eyes to hide her emotions. Xiao Mubai wanted to reach out and wipe away her tears, but ultimately still respected her wishes and kept his distance. He only ced his hand on her shoulder as he solemnly said, "What happened that year wasn''t your fault. You were also a victim. Both you and Lu Lingrui were victims. The ones at fault were those two drunks. So stop hurting yourself anymore. You''ve never been able to forgive yourself all this time, but if Lu Lingrui knew, she''d be so heartbroken, wouldn''t she?" Shen Nian''s shoulders trembled slightly as she choked back sobs, crying uncontrobly. Xiao Mubai took her into his embrace. "Shen Nian, don''t see me as a burden. I''m happy to treat you well. I just want to tell you that I''ll always be by your side." Not far away, Lu Lingchuan stood on the pebbled path with an expressionless face as he stared ahead. He was still wearing the same suit from yesterday. Having gone through a night, his clothes were quite disheveled. His tie was slightly askew and upon closer look, one could see the wrinkles and stain-like marks on his suit. The man''s eyes were cold and profound. His dark pupils were bottomless, like a ck hole that could swallow everything. After some unknown amount of time, he moved and instead of walking over, he turned and strode away withrge steps. ... After parting from Xiao Mubai, Shen Nian went upstairs and used her fingerprint to open the door before closing it behind her. The house was a bit messy yesterday due to the doctor rushing in for emergency treatment. Shen Nian did not linger in the living room and went straight to the bedroom instead. The bedroom was still the same as when she had left it yesterday. Her bag that had fallen on the carpet was still on the floor, and the dried blood was still on the bedsheet. It would appear Lu Lingchuan had not returned at all yesterday. Shen Nian took a deep breath to steady her emotions. She first bent down to pick up her bag from the floor and gather the lipstick and small mirror that had fallen, putting them back in her bag before cing the bag on the table nearby. Then she stripped the bedding. She had bled heavily yesterday, soaking through the bedsheet and staining the mattress pad underneath as well. She first threw the bedsheets into the washing machine to wash, then rolled up the bloodstained mattress pad and left it by the front door. Entering the utility room, she climbed up thedder and opened the cab, taking out a new mattress pad from the top shelf to put on the bed. Lu Lingchuan never slept on beds that weren''t disinfected and mite-proofed. Shen Nian was used to disinfecting and mite-proofing first before putting on the bedsheets. After finishing all this, Shen Nian finally took a change of clothes with her into the bathroom. Half an hourter, Shen Nian emerged from the bathroom. She first used a hairdryer to dry her hair, then changed into a set of clothes and put on a jacket from the closet. After getting dressed up, she did not put on makeup, only applying on some lipstick to improve herplexion a bit. Then she left home. She first disposed of the trash at the recycling area, then walked out of the residentialpound. The security guard in thepound lobby saw Shen Nian leaving and was surprised. "Why aren''t you home resting?" Shen Nian turned to look at him. The guard smiled awkwardly in apology and exined, "When your brother left, he went to the nearby supermarket to buy cigarettes and gave them to us. He said you weren''t feeling well and needed to rest at home, and asked us to help keep an eye on you and not let you run around recklessly." "We didn''t want to take them, but he insisted on stuffing them to us." Shen Nian had not expected that Xiao Mubai would have the security team at thepound entrance keep watch over her. "I have a few things to take care of. I''ll be back soon," Shen Nian said. The guard nodded to show he understood. Young people surely had their own matters to deal with. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 "Come back early, don''t let your brother worry," said the security guard. "Okay," Shen Nian replied as she walked out of the lobby and called a car from her phone. After going to the hospital for a checkup today, she had tidied up her room and taken a shower before arriving at thepany after 1pm. "Sister Nian!" A young girl at a nearby workstation stood up when she saw Shen Nian arrive. "Sister Nian, why did you only just get here now? Don''t tell me you were outtest night and only just woke up!" "Mm," Shen Nian just went along with what she said. Looking at the intern tag around the girl''s neck, she asked, "Lingling, did you get the contract?" As soon as she said this, the other female employees around couldn''t help but tease her. "It''s true what they say about Nian Nian being the most hardworking spinster in ourpany!" "That''s right, she was out with President Lust night discussing business and now that she''s sobered up from the drinking she rushed right over." "Miss Shen, you''re only 22 but you work harder than us 25 and 26 year olds. We''re embarrassed!" "No matter how big the project, as long as Miss Shen takes charge of it, it''s guaranteed sess." Shen Nian''s lips curved up slightly. Just then a female employee walked over. Seeing that Shen Nian had arrived, her eyes lit up. "Miss Shen, the other party has sent over a contract temte for us to review. I printed out a copy, could you take a look and see if there are any issues?" "Mm," Shen Nian took the contract from the employee and read through it carefully from start to finish. After confirming there were no problems, she looked up at the woman, "It''s fine. Print two copies after getting final confirmation from President Lu, then arrange the signing ceremony once President Lu has also confirmed there are no issues." The woman took back the contract with a dazed expression, blinking her eyes in confusion. "But President Lu hasn''te in today." "He hasn''te in?" Shen Nian''s eyebrows furrowed slightly. "That''s right," the woman nodded and said, "President Lu said he had something to deal with today and wouldn''t being to work. He said we should resolve any work issues ourselves if we can, and refer the important matters to Manager Lu." "Shen Nian." The woman had just finished speaking when a male voice called out Shen Nian''s name from behind. Shen Nian turned around to see a young man, or more precisely, a boy. He looked to be around 20 years old, still quite green and boyish. He was very tall with some simr features to Lu Lingchuan, the main difference probably being the eyes. After many years moving in cutthroat business circles, Lu Lingchuan''s gaze was piercing and profound. The boy''s eyes contained more innocence. Shen Nian told the female employees to get back to work first before walking over to the boy. "Did you need me to confirm something?" "No," the boy looked at her. "I wanted to talk to you." Shen Nian was startled for a moment, then realized who he must be. "Then let''s go to the break room." "Okay." The Lingrui Group had set up a special break room for employees to rest in when tired from work. Next to the tables was a coffee machine, mineral water, various fruit juices, some snacks on the tables, and a fridge. Thepany pastry chef would put desserts inside every day for the employees. Shen Nian sat on a stool looking at the boy in front of her. "What did you want to talk about?" Lu Lingchen looked at her. "Why did youe into work today?" "Why wouldn''t I be able toe into work?" Shen Nian smiled. "...," Lu Lingchen didn''t reply, only watching her silently. The smile on Shen Nian''s face stiffened slightly before slowly disappearing altogether. Lu Lingchen stood up. Next to each break table was a thermos sk in case female employees needed hot water for when it was "that time of the month". Lu Lingchen came back with a cup of hot water and ced it in front of her. "Thanks." Shen Nian hugged the cup and took a small sip. "Sister Nian," Lu Lingchen looked at her seriously. "Quit your job. Leave thepany and leave the capital." Hearing this, Shen Nian raised her head to look at him. "Reason?" "To start over," Lu Lingchen said. "......" Shen Nian stared at him without speaking. The atmosphere became heavy. After some unknown period of time, Shen Nian couldn''t help butugh softly. "Start over..." She shook her head with augh. "There''s no such thing as starting over. You only live once, there''s no rebirth." "And...," she looked at Lu Lingchen seriously. "Those words shouldn''te from you. Your sister died because of me, you should hate me." At the mention of his sister, Lu Lingchen''s breathing became a little rushed. He stared at Shen Nian, "So you also think my sistermitted suicide because of you?" Shen Nian had a dazed expression. "It was my fault." Lu Lingchen said, "Sometimes there is no right answer. However it''s viewed, it''s right and it''s also wrong." Was Shen Nian in the wrong back then? To say she did no wrong would be a lie in the eyes of his family. She abandoned Ling Rui and fled by herself leading to Ling Rui''s incident and subsequent suicide. In their eyes, she was selfish. Yet to say she was wrong would also be incorrect. Given the circumstances at that time, even if she had stayed it would only have meant one more victim. She couldn''t have saved Ling Rui, and likewise wouldn¡¯t have been able to protect herself either. Hearing Lu Lingchen''s words, Shen Nian couldn''t help but snort out augh. She took a sip of water. "I didn''t expect a 20 year old kid like you to be able to say something like that." But Lu Lingchen replied seriously, "I used to hate you a lot too, butter I understood this reasoning, so I don''t hate you anymore." He continued, "My parents and brother all hate you because you abandoned Ling Rui back then leading to what happened to her. In their eyes you already have an extremely bad impression, so you may as well be more selfish. Don''t dwell on the past. Move to another city and restart your life." "......" Shen Nian didn''t refute him. She just had a somewhat dazed expression and was silent for a good while before responding. "Memory is punishment, punishing those who dwell in the past." She met his gaze seriously. "I won''t leave. Like I said, I will ept any revenge from your family." Hearing this, Lu Lingchen looked at her incredulously. "You''re insane." After a long pause, those were the words that came out. Shen Nianughed. "Perhaps." "Anything else? If not I''ll get going first," she said as she stood up. "My brother approved one month of leave for you," Lu Lingchen said. "Use this month to properly rest. Because it might cause issues, I put the nutrients in my car. Come with me to the parking lotter and hand over your work before going on leave." Shen Nian frowned. "I don''t need it." "It''s not up to you." Lu Lingchen also stood up. "My brother won''t being to work much this next month, so he doesn''t need you either. Go rest, ande back to work next month." Without waiting for Shen Nian''s willingness to listen, Lu Lingchen also informed her, "My brother is already 25. My mom is very concerned about his marriage prospects, so she asked a matchmaker to help select potential partners. He''ll be busy with that for the time being." Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Shen Nian''s expression was rather calm, she gave a light "hmm" and then left. ... In the past period thepany had been busy with investment matters, now the contract was signed so thepany didn''t have any other major work. Shen Nian handed over the few minor projects she still had to intern employees of thepany, preparing to exercise them a bit. For the next month, Shen Nian stayed at home to nurture herself, eating, sleeping, spacing out every day, passing the time quite leisurely. Lu Lingchuan hadn''t returned since leaving that day. Although Shen Nian was staying at home, she kept in contact with Jiang Lingling. Jiang Lingling was the intern girl, in her fourth year at B University, now 22 years old, just a few months younger than Shen Nian. But because Shen Nian was a veteran employee of the Lu Lingrui Group, and she had brought in so many projects for thepany with proven capabilities, those younger would call her "Sister Nian," while those older were also very respectful towards her. "I''ve marked the ces that need correcting, revise them before making copies. Also, for the white folders, you must repeatedly check the contents inside to ensure there are no mistakes, then give them to Manager Lu Lingchen to go over one more time. Afterwards he will pass them to President Lu." Jiang Lingling''s sunny voice came from the other end: "Thanks Sister Nian, it''s good to have you helping me, otherwise I wouldn''t know how many mistakes I''d make." "Sister Nian, teach me some of your work experience quickly, I can''t always trouble you!" Shen Nian sat on the sofa with a thin nket over her legs. Hearing this, she smiled, "There''s nothing much I can teach you, just learn and do more. You''re smarter than me, I couldn''t even understand project documents back then." At thepany, Shen Nian was constantly diligently working. Other employees would take breaks and rx when no one was looking, but Shen Nian was an exception. So privately, the employees said that although Shen Nian was only in her twenties, she had the heart of a forty year old. Herposure and calmness were certainly not what a twenty-two year old should have. At thepany Shen Nian never talked about herself. Indeed she seldom spoke, only saying a few more sentences when discussing work, otherwise she was mostly quiet. Hearing her say more, Jiang Lingling immediately asked, "Sister Nian, I heard from Sister Ying and Sister Nan that your time at thepany is even longer than theirs, but aren''t you only twenty-two? Logically at this age you should be interning like me." Shen Nian patiently exined, "I went to A University. A University''s graduation requirements are different from yours at B University. At A University you just need toplete the credits to qualify for early graduation." "Oh, so that''s why!" Jiang Lingling suddenly understood, then asked again, "But Sister Nian, you''re so beautiful and excellent, graduating early from university, those boys who admired you were probably heartbroken!" Shen Nian just smiled. "Alright, go do your work, be careful or they''ll dock your pay for cking." "Hehe." Jiang Lingling cheekily stuck out her tongue, "Actually Sister Nian isn''t like what they said..." "What?" Shen Nian asked. "Oh...some say you''re a very serious person, hard to get along with. But I don''t feel that way at all. Since I started at thepany, you''ve taken good care of me." Jiang Lingling leaned on the table in the break room, holding her phone in one hand, a bit puzzled, "Sister Nian, why are you so nice to me?" The otherpany employees all bullied the interns. She had already mentally prepared herself to be bullied when she first started interning. "...Because you remind me a lot of my best friend," Shen Nian murmured distantly, her expression absent, as if her soul had been drained away, leaving her dispirited. "Huh? Best friend?" Jiang Lingling immediately sat up and asked more, "How, in looks, age, or what?" Shen Nian chuckled, "You don''t resemble each other in looks. As for age...she''s several years younger than you. But your smile is beautiful. Whenever I see your smile, it''s like seeing hers." "Several years younger than me? Then isn''t she just bing an adult?" Jiang Lingling had thought Sister Nian''s best friend would be the same age. "Sister Nian, I didn''t expect you to have such a young best friend." Back then the Lu family had concealed Lu Lingrui''s matters very strictly. Especially after Lu Lingrui''s suicide jumping off a building, her name became even more taboo. Lu Lingchuan never talked about Lu Lingrui''s matters to outsiders, so thepany employees only knew Lu Lingchuan had a younger brother called Lu Lingchen, and didn''t know she also had a younger sister. Jiang Lingling didn''t know the truth, so she casually asked without thinking. "Sister Nian, is your health better? If you''re better let''s go shopping this weekend, us three! I discovered a hidden gem DIY shop where you can paint pictures yourself and make things yourself. Handcrafted DIY is very meaningful. I happened to be worried about having no one to go with me, so how about us three go?" Jiang Lingling chatted excitedly, already nning what to do over the weekend. Hearing Jiang Lingling''s words, Shen Nian was stunned for a moment. "She can''t go." "Huh? Why not, is she very busy?" "She''s gone," Shen Nian said. The confused Jiang Lingling hadn''t thought in that direction yet, only felt she couldn''t quite grasp the implication behind Shen Nian''s words. Knowing Jiang Lingling didn''t understand, Shen Nian straightforwardly said, "She passed away when she was eighteen." Her voice was light, without any rise or fall. "..." Jiang Lingling went nk. Oh... She hadn''t expected this. Returning to her senses, Jiang Lingling hurriedly apologized, "I''m sorry Sister Nian, I didn''t know it would be like this. I didn''t mean to make you sad." "It''s fine." Shen Nian lowered her head to look at the photo resting on her knees, her expression absent, seeming mechanical and sluggish, as if her soul had been drained away leaving her dispirited. "You focus on your work, I''ll return to thepany in a few days." "Oh...alright." Knowing she had touched a sore spot for Shen Nian, Jiang Lingling felt guilty and didn''t dare say anything else. She obediently hung up to return to work. Shen Nian ced her phone to the side and stared at the graduation photo in her hand. It was a high school graduation photo, taken before the college entrance exam. The graduating students were arranged by front row female back row male. She and Lu Lingrui were both 168cm tall, considered quite tall among the girls, so they stood in the second row. In the photo, she and Lu Lingrui stood shoulder to shoulder in the middle. The corners of Shen Nian''s lips curved up in a faint smile, while Lu Lingrui beside her smiled radiantly. Indeed when Jiang Lingling smiled she resembled her a lot. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Shen Nian couldn''t help but look lost in thought. After an unknown amount of time, she finally slowly retracted her gaze, gently wiping away the non-existent dust on the photo, taking the self-sealing bag ced on the tea table to put the graduation photo inside. Getting up, she lifted the cushion of the sofa a little, cing the graduation photo underneath before pressing the cushion down over it. Back when she was in a rtionship with Lu Lingchuan, the two of them along with Lu Lingrui had taken many photos together. Lu Lingrui had even specially spent money to print the photos out and make them into an album. After Lu Lingrui passed away, Lu Lingchuan had burned all the photos in a fit of madness. This graduation photo was the only remaining photo she had left together with Lu Lingrui. Usually, she didn''t dare take it out for Lu Lingchuan to see. She could only secretly look at it herself. To think that of all the photos with Lu Lingrui, only this one could be preserved. But with Lu Lingchuan... Thinking of something, Shen Nian couldn''t help but bitterlyugh. They were clearly once so in love, yet didn''t even have a single photo together. .............................. A few dayster, Shen Nian''s month-long vacation came to an end. Before it ended, she went to the hospital for a check-up. Her miscarriage recovery wasn''t great. Drinking alcohol, drinking cold beverages, and taking sleeping pills had ultimately still negatively impacted her. Although she had rested at home, with the emotional pressure she was under, she couldn''t maintain a cheerful mood. From now on, she would need to nurture her body even more attentively. Upon receiving this result, Shen Nian''s heart was utterly calm without any ripples. To her, any oue was the same. Originally, she hadn''t even wanted toe. It was Xiao Mubai who had constantly urged her to get checked up, saying that if she didn''t go, he would personally drive over to pick her up and take her there himself. Left with no choice, Shen Nian had reluctantly gone for this check-up. On the first day back at work after her vacation ended, Shen Nian got up as usual to wash up, put on makeup, then opened the wardrobe to select clothes. In the past, Lu Lingchuan would often spend the night here, leaving many of his clothes in the wardrobe. His white shirts hung next to her white dresses, the scene so harmonious. Shen Nian nked out for a moment before quickly regaining her senses, hastily retracting her gaze and shaking her head to banish all those fantasies that shouldn''t exist. She changed into the white cor outfit at top speed, tidied up, then headed out the door. When she arrived at thepany, it wasn''t yet time to start work. There were only a handful of employees who had arrived. Seeing Shen Nian, they greeted her. "Assistant Shen." "Good morning, Assistant Shen." "Mm." Shen Nian responded with a sound, first putting down her bag at her seat. She then walked over to one of the employees and picked up the documents in front of him, "Brief me on the work over the past couple of days." She first got an understanding of the progress from the employees. There was an important meeting today that was estimated to take two hours. Materials would be required for this meeting. After checking that the materials to be used were free of issues, Shen Nian had someone go photocopy them. With time still before the official start of work, the employees also had time to chat and joke around. "Assistant Shen, you really are the most hardworking workaholic in ourpany." "It''s not even time to start work yet Assistant Shen is already busy." Shen Nian faintly curled her lips in a smile, responding: "You guys should also go prepare. There are two more minutes until work starts. Be careful or Boss Lu will catch you chatting and dock your pay." The two employees looked at each other, then said: "Boss Lu has already arrived long ago though." Shen Nian was slightly startled. "You''re sure?" "Yeah." One of the employees nodded: "The project yesterday wasn''t finished yet, so I came an hour early today to rush the project. I happened to arrive together with Boss Lu. Boss Lu is in his office right now." Shen Nian retracted her gaze, calmly replying: "I see, continue with what you were doing." After speaking, she took the materials in hand back to her own office desk. Putting the documents on the table, Shen Nian thought for two seconds before turning to head towards Lu Lingchuan''s office. "Knock knock knock." Three knocks, neither too soft nor too hard. The man''s indifferent voice sounded from within. "Come in." Shen Nian pushed open the door and entered. The man was lowering his head to write something. He was wearing only a shirt, without even a tied tie. Perhaps it was Shen Nian''s imagination, but she somehow felt that after not seeing him for a month, he had be much thinner. "What are you looking at?" The man''s questioning devoid of emotion sounded by her ear. Shen Nian btedly came back to her senses, directly meeting his cold gaze. Only now did Shen Nian realize that she had spaced out earlier. She didn''t even know when Lu Lingchuan had raised his head. She immediately lowered her eyes to avoid the man''s gaze, speaking softly: "Boss Lu." The man''s eyes grew even colder in the instant she lowered her head. Shen Nian lowered her head, as respectfully as always, and replied: "Boss Lu, I''vee to report back for duty." Lu Lingchuan looked at her coldly, not speaking. The silence in the office was broken by a phone ringtone. Lu Lingchuan''s eyes were still fixed on her as he casually grabbed the phone ced beside him and pressed to answer before raising it to his ear. "Hello?" His words had always been sparse. Ever since Lu Lingrui''s passing, he had be even more taciturn, an air of coldness surrounding him. "I''m at thepany." "Have seen her already." "I know, I''ll handle it." Just four short sentences and Lu Lingchuan had already hung up. Putting the phone back on the desk, the man only deigned to give an "Mm" in response. Shen Nian knew that this "Mm" from the man was a reply to her. She spoke: "Boss Lu, if there''s nothing else, I''ll take my leave first." After speaking, she turned to leave. "Wait." The man stopped her. Shen Nian''s footsteps halted as she turned back around to listen to his orders. Lu Lingchuan stared at her. "After work, go buy a pair of earrings. Thepany will reimburse however much they cost." "Yes." The work for the rest of the day was extremely monotonous, organizing documents and contracts as usual and reporting to Lu Lingchuan on work matters, just like normal. In fact, this was how the two of them usually interacted during the day. They were boss and assistant. There was only the endless work between them, without any extra unnecessary chitchat. Only at night would Lu Lingchuan unleash the endless resentment in his heart, mutually tormenting Shen Nian. Their rtionship, after all, couldn''t stand the light of day. After work, Shen Nian didn''t immediately return home. Instead, she hailed a taxi to head somewhere. This area was a more bustling district of the capital, with the offline stores of various luxury brands located around it. Shen Nian rode the elevator up alone, watching the couple in front sharing an ice cream cone, then the besties walking hand-in-hand drinking fruit tea together ahead. It was only at times like this that Shen Nian realized just how lonely she was. Arriving at the floor selling luxury goods, Shen Nian first looked around before entering one of the stores. As soon as she stepped in, a salesperson came up to receive her. "Hello, what can I help you with today? We have some new bags in stock, quite nice." "No need." Shen Nian didn''t like wasting time. "Do you have earrings?" "Of course, pleasee this way." Shen Nian was led to the jewelry section nearby. The salesperson quickly brought over a few boxes. "These several models are our store''s bestselling earrings, very suitable for a beautiful and elegantdy like yourself. Please take a look." Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Shen Nian did not know much about jewelry, so everything looked fine to her. She randomly picked one: "This one is okay." Upon hearing her words, the salesperson immediately smiled and said, "Yes, this style of ours has been selling very well. Many brides-to-be would choose this to go with their wedding dress. It''s not too ornate for daily wear either." Brides-to-be. Shen Nian suddenly recalled what Lu Lingchuan had said earlier, that Lu Lingchuan was going on a blind date. These earrings must be a gift for his blind date partner. "I''ll take this one then." She came back to her senses and spoke lightly. "Of course, miss. Let me wrap it up for you." The salesperson immediately went to pack up the item. While waiting for the item to be packaged, Shen Nian stared nkly at the disy case without any particr purpose in mind. Her gazended upon a sunflower ne. Seeing that little sunflower, Shen Nian suddenly recalled a conversation she¡¯d had with Lu Lingrui. ¡¾Lingrui, what''s your favorite flower? Let your brother get it for you!¡¿ ¡¾I don''t have a particr favorite or least favorite flower. ¡¿ She felt indifferent towards flowers, neither disliking nor craving any particr type. ¡¾Nian, you¡¯re no fun... But I really like one kind of flower!¡¿ ¡¾What is it?¡¿ ¡¾Sunflowers!¡¿ ¡¾...Sunflowers count as flowers too?¡¿ ¡¾To me they do! My mom really likes sunflowers. Every year on their anniversary my dad gives my mom a bouquet of sunflowers. Mom says sunflowers represent the sun, emanating sunshine all day long! They may not be the most beautiful flowers, but I just really like them!¡¿ "Miss, your earrings are all packaged." The salesperson''s voice interrupted the reminiscing Shen Nian. She retracted her gaze and took the bag from the salesperson, saying "Thank you." Then she pointed at the sunflower ne in the disy case, "Can you package this for me too?" "Sure." ... After finishing her shopping, Shen Nian randomly found a restaurant to have dinner before returning home. Back home, she first ced her purchases on the sofa, then went into the bathroom. Half an hourter when she came out of the bathroom after her shower, she heard the electronic lock turning as the front door opened. Wrapped in a towel, Shen Nian stood frozen as she watched Lu Lingchuan walk in. The man nced at her and said nothing. He opened the nearby shoe cab, changed into his own slippers, and then headed into the bathroom. Not expecting Lu Lingchuan''s visit today, Shen Nian was momentarily at a loss. Coming back to her senses, she promptly dried her hair and changed into her pajamas. Soon, Lu Lingchuan also emerged from the bathroom wearing a bathrobe. His hair was still wet with droplets of water trickling down his neck. Shen Nian went out to the drying rack and grabbed a towel. Coming back in, she saw Lu Lingchuan sitting at the edge of the bed, head lowered as he checked his emails on his phone. Shen Nian climbed onto the bed first before kneeling at the edge and carefully drying his hair for him. The typing on the man''s phone paused briefly, but soon resumed its steady rhythm. This kind of wordless tranquility had be habitual between them. After drying his hair, Shen Nian walked over to the living room to retrieve the earrings she''d purchased today. "Here are the earrings you asked me to buy." "Mm." As usual, Lu Lingchuan was terse with his words, "Put them on the table." "Okay." And then, silence again between them. After a while longer, Shen Nian started to develop a headache. Perhaps having be unustomed to being busy again after a period of rest, she now felt rather ufortable. Massaging her brows, her face showed hints of fatigue. She first went to the living room to thoroughly blow dry her hair. Returning to the bedroom, she climbed into bed and quickly fell asleep lying on her side. Hearing her go quiet behind him, Lu Lingchuan''s typing fingers paused. ncing sideways, he stared deeply andplexly at her now slumbering visage - one that had been etched into his very bones, impossible to forget even if he tried. Yet ultimately, he said nothing at all. Ever since Lu Lingrui had passed, Shen Nian''s sleep had be increasingly restless, the slightest sounds now enough to stir her awake. So when Lu Lingchuan climbed into bed, she immediately woke up. Next came the faint clicking sound of the light switch turning off. At this point, Shen Nian''s head was awake and alert, yet she kept her eyes closed, maintaining her position. She sensed his eyes on her, watching her. Lu Lingchuan nted both his hands on either side of Shen Nian''s form as he hovered over her. Amidst the darkness he could only discern her blurry outline. Yet her face was clearly imprinted in his mind - impossible to wipe from his memory even if he wanted to. He suddenly lowered his head to fiercely capture her lips, venting out all the pent-up resentment in his heart. To him, Shen Nian was an addictive kind of poison, one he would be unable to shake off for the rest of his life. His feelings towards herprised both love and hate. Every time he saw Shen Nian''s face, he couldn''t help but think of Lingrui, and the cold lifelessness of her remains in the morgue. "... " Shen Nian did not respond or struggle. Like a soulless puppet she mutely allowed him to vent all his emotions. Only after some unknown amount of time had passed did Lu Lingchuan finally show her some mercy. "Shen Nian." He called her name. "... " She did not respond. "Do you know how much I hate you?" "Why didn''t you take her along with you when you escaped that time?" Having said what he needed to, Lu Lingchuan released his restraint on her andy down beside her with his back facing her. Amidst the darkness, Shen Nian slowly opened her eyes. An expanse of ck greeted her vision, a reflection of her own pitch dark existence. Hershes fluttered. Shen Nianposed herself and evened out her breathing. The dawn of yet another new day, unexpectedly gifted with the continuation of her own worthless life for one more day. When brushing her teeth she noticed a slight pain in her lower lip. Peering into the mirror, she finally spotted the tiny lesion left behind from Lu Lingchuan''s bite. Thankfully it wasn''t obvious unless scrutinized closely. After rinsing once more with water, she set her toothbrush and cup down on the nearby counter. Having tidied up, she headed out. After a busy morning, Shen Nian finally finished organizing her documents around noon. She then went downstairs to thepany cafeteria for lunch. Carrying her tray of rice, dishes and soup, she found an empty corner to sit at the edge of the hall by herself. She was used to always sitting alone in the corners. Just as she was about to start eating, someone set their tray down on the table across from her. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Shen Nian looked up. It was Jiang Lingling. "Sister Nian, can I eat with you?" Seeing the smile on her face, Shen Nian also hooked the corners of her lips: "Sure." "Hee hee, thank you Sister Nian." Jiang Lingling happily shook her head. Shen Nian lowered her head to eat, identally touching the wound on her lips. She sucked in a breath at the pain. She covered her lips. The injury on them would probably take two or three days to heal. "Pff¡ª" Hearingughter, Shen Nian looked up to see Jiang Lingling giggling to herself. "...What''s so funny?" Jiang Lingling looked at her, eyes curving: "Sister Nian, you have a boyfriend now." Shen Nian was startled, denying it a secondter: "I don''t." "Sister Nian, you''re lying. I''ve been staring all morning. Your lips must have been bitten by your boyfriend." Having said that, Jiang Lingling pointed at her mouth. "..." Biting her lip, Shen Nian didn''t know how to respond for a moment. Just as she was about to exin that she had identally bitten herself, Jiang Lingling waved her hand indifferently across from her. "But it doesn''t matter. Today is Singles'' Day anyway, so all the couples are out there torturing us singles. I''m already numb to it." "Singles'' Day?" "Yeah." Jiang Lingling blinked. "Sister Nian, you don''t know? Today is May 20th, 520. When I got up this morning and checked Moments, I saw so many people showing off gifts, red packets, and their lovey-dovey rtionships." Is that so? If not for Jiang Lingling''s reminder, she wouldn''t have noticed it was almost June. "I didn''t notice." Shen Nian took back the fleeting strangeness in her eyes and exined. Jiang Lingling took a bite of her food. "Sister Nian, what will your boyfriend give you? Flowers or a ring? Sister Nian, you''re so outstanding and hardworking that your boyfriend must want to hurry up and marry you back home, right?" "Stop talking nonsense." Shen Nian whispered. She lowered her head to look at the chopsticks in her hand. A ring...she would never wear one in her life again. Realizing Shen Nian had be unhappy, Jiang Lingling quietly closed her mouth. [...] At 6 o''clock sharp when she got off work, Shen Nian bid farewell to her colleagues and stood by the roadside, taking out her phone to call a taxi home. Just as she was about to open her ride-hailing app, a message popped up. [Come to the street corner.] It was a text from Xiao Mubai. The street corner... Shen Nian looked in a certain direction, considered it, and then walked over. After walking for about three minutes she arrived at the street corner Xiao Mubai mentioned. A familiar car was parked at the roadside. Shen Nian was surprised and quickened her pace, pulling open the passenger door to get in. "What are you doing here?" Shen Nian asked. Xiao Mubai had one hand restingzily on the steering wheel, tapping it absently. Seeing Shen Nian arrive, he smiled slightly, then turned to grab the flowers on the back seat and handed them to her. "Happy birthday." Seeing the sunflower bouquet in front of her, Shen Nian''s eyes shed with pleasant surprise. "I didn''t expect you to remember." "Of course." Xiao Mubaiughed. "How could I forget your birthday?" He nodded at the flowers. "I remember you''ve always really liked sunflowers. I didn''t buy the wrong ones, did I?" "No." Shen Nian took the flowers, a rare smile appearing on her face as she stroked the sunflowers. She asked him, "It''s impossible to have sunflowers at this time of year. Where did you manage to buy them?" "You''re right. To get this bouquet of sunflowers, I almost went around every flower shop big and small in the capital. One shop owner asked why I was so insistent on buying sunflowers. When I said they were for a girl, he looked at me like I was crazy." It was probably the first time the owner had heard of someone giving sunflowers to a girl. Why give sunflowers? To snack on the seeds? "But as long as you like them, that''s all that matters." No matter how many flower shops he had to scour, it was worth it to see her happy. Shen Nian looked at the sunflowers in her arms, smiling brightly. "Thank you, I really like them." Seeing that she genuinely liked them, Xiao Mubai finally breathed a sigh of relief. Remembering something, he reached behind the seat again for a paper bag. "Here, this is your birthday present." "A present?" "Mm. See if you like it?" With one arm holding the sunflowers, Shen Nian freed her other hand to take out the box from the paper bag and open it. Inside was a white dress, simple yet clean. She turned to look at Xiao Mubai. "I remember when I first met you, you were wearing a white dress. I thought the color really suited you." Xiao Mubai exined, then indicated her business attire. "It''s your birthday today so dress prettier." Her favorite sunflowers, her favorite white dress. It was obvious he had put thought into this. "Thank you, I really like them." Hearing Shen Nian say this, Xiao Mubai finally rxedpletely. "It''s your birthday today. Can I take you out for a meal?" Shen Nian burst outughing. "Sure, since someone''s treating I''ll be happy to bleed them dry." After fastening her seatbelt, Xiao Mubai started the car and drove away. He first took her to a clothing store so she could change, then brought her to a certain ce for dinner. Knowing Shen Nian didn''t like noisy environments, Xiao Mubai had booked a private room. Since it was just the two of them, he didn''t order many dishes¡ªfour simple ones along with soup, and a six-inch pink cake in the middle. Although simple, it had a homely feel. "This restaurant''s home cooking is pretty good. Want to try it?" Shen Nian picked up her chopsticks and took a bite. "How is it?" Xiao Mubai watched her. She paused, then chewed and swallowed the food in her mouth. "Not bad," she murmured. Hearing Shen Nian''s reply, Xiao Mubai revealed a smile. Her nose felt a little sour. She tilted her head slightly, closing her eyes topose herself before looking back at Xiao Mubai with a smile. "Thank you for the flowers, the dress, the birthday cake and the dishes you made." Caught out, Xiao Mubai''s expression grew awkward as he continued bluffing, "What dishes I made? You''ve got it wrong." Shen Nian held backughter. "Mr. Xiao, your acting skills are decent, but your cooking has given you away." She lightly tapped the edge of that previously mentioned dish with one end of her chopsticks. "A restaurant this big would probably have gone out of business long ago if they hired a chef who doesn''t even know how much salt to put in." Hearing this, Xiao Mubai immediately picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of the dish. It was a little salty... He frowned slightly. He had prepared so meticulously for so long, yet oversights still urred. "But I really like it. Truly." Shen Nian looked at him earnestly. "Thank you for the thought you put into this." Thank you for cherishing me like this. "Cough..." Caught out, Xiao Mubai grew somewhat embarrassed. His gazended on the cake as he hastily changed the subject, "It''s my first time cooking so my skills are limited, but I bought the cake myself and guarantee it tastes fine! Shall we make a wish first?" "Sure." Xiao Mubai pulled the cake over, stuck a candle in it and lit it. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 "Quick, close your eyes and make a wish, I''ll sing you a birthday song," Xiao Mubai said. Shen Nian forced a smile: "Let''s not." She hadn''t celebrated her birthday like this in years, feeling it was a bit cheesy. "That won''t do." Xiao Mubai looked at her, speaking earnestly: "There''s only one chance a year to make a birthday wish, and wishes made today are the most likely toe true." Shen Nian thought for a moment, then shook her head: "I don''t have any wishes, why don''t you make one for me." "Alright." Xiao Mubai didn''t refuse. Staring at the burning candle, he solemnly began: "Today is little Shen Nian''s 23rd birthday. I hope the 23-year-old Shen Nian can let go of everything, think more for herself, embark on a new life, and live each day happily." "...," Shen Nian stared at him in a daze. Having made the wish, Xiao Mubai turned to meet her eyes: "What are you staring nkly for? Blow out the candles." Following Xiao Mubai''s lead, she blew out the candles. He then picked up the cake knife: "Here, the birthday girl gets the first cut." Shen Nian cut a slice and was about to give it to him, but Xiao Mubai declined: "That won''t do. This is the first piece, cut by the birthday girl herself. It''s a lucky piece of cake, you should keep it for yourself." He took the knife from her hand and cut himself a small piece. "There, now I have some too." Xiao Mubai was unwilling to take the first slice, and Shen Nian did not insist. Since Xiao Mubai had to driveter, and Shen Nian was in poor health, they skipped the wine and opted for arge bottle of juice instead. Shen Nian poured him some juice, and Xiao Mubai clinked sses with her: "Nian Nian, happy birthday." "Thank you." Though simple, the little birthday party was warm and sweet. Staring at the cake before her, Shen Nian pondered for a moment before speaking up. "Mubai." "I''m here." "You probably can''t understand why I''m willing to be resented by the Lu family either?" Xiao Mubai''s eyes flickered. He simply said: "It wasn''t your fault." It was those two drunks who were at fault. She was the victim. Shen Nian just smiled, not bothering to argue the point with him. Instead she asked: "Do you know how I met Lu Lingrui?" Recalling something, a beautiful smile lit up Shen Nian''s face as she recounted earnestly. "Lu Lingrui and I were ssmates. Although we were in the same ss, we didn''t know each other that well. As you know, just because you''re ssmates doesn''t mean you''ll be close. Lots of people graduate without ever saying a sentence to one another." "..." "As I recall, she was a simple, innocent girl. She didn''t like ying games. If she liked you, she liked you. If she didn''t, she didn''t. She had no qualms about snapping back at those scheming girls. After that she''d just stop interacting with them." Anyway, Shen Nian had never seen such a frank girl before. Being friends with her required little maneuvering, because she would give you her whole heart. Xiao Mubai listened to her very attentively. He had never met Lu Lingrui, hadn''t even seen a photo. To him, Lu Lingrui only existed in Shen Nian''s stories. From Shen Nian''s ounts, he understood Lu Lingrui to be simple, kindhearted and sunny. "We really started growing close in...tenth grade." Shen Nian pursed her lips, a sh of grief passing through her eyes. She lowered her gaze and slowly went on. "Back then, something happened in my family. My parents were out for a walk when they were hit by a runaway car and died on the spot." She was 17 that year. It was the darkest time of her life. Her beloved father and mother had left her side. Xiao Mubai was startled. Having known Shen Nian for four years, he only knew she never talked about her parents, and had assumed she didn''t have a good rtionship with them. He didn''t expect this. "At that time, Lu Lingrui was the first to take the initiative tofort me." By then they were sophomores. She took a week off to handle her parents'' affairs before returning to school in a daze, her grades plummeting. That day, she was sitting alone in the cafeteria corner weeping over her meal when Lu Lingrui put down her tray across from her. She said¡ª ¡¾Shen Nian, don''t cry anymore. Uncle and auntie would be sad to see you like this. From now on, I''ll be your trash can okay? You can tell me anything that makes you sad and I''ll share the burden for you.¡¿ Like a ray of sunshine, Lu Lingrui appeared in her dark world and illuminated it. Then, Lu Lingrui helped her rx and vent her sorrows. She would listen patiently as Shen Nian told her sad stories, and share happy stories to cheer her up. Lu Lingrui said, uncle and auntie haven''t left you, they''ve just changed the way they watch over you. She asked, why do loved ones have to leave? Lu Lingrui replied, because they want to go ahead to the next world and prepare a home for you there. "...I told Lu Lingrui that I had no family left. She said from then on she would be my family, and her family would also be my family." Shen Nian''s eyes grew redder as sheughed at the silly girl''s words. "That''s when I met Lu Lingchuan. He was two years older than Lu Lingrui and I, already admitted to A University with excellent grades. So Lu Lingrui would often take me to find Lu Lingchuan for tutoring to catch up on the work I''d fallen behind on." She had always felt Lu Lingrui was sent to redeem her. With Lu Lingrui, it was as if she had everything. Until that summer¡ª "Have you ever seen a sunny girl who used to smile everyday now spend her days in tears?" Shen Nian looked at Xiao Mubai and enunciated word for word: "I have." "..." "After that day, it was like she became a different person. She stoppedughing and talking. She just shut herself in her room all day." "..." Shen Nian had heard it said before: silence is the prelude to an outburst. At the time, she didn''t truly understand the meaning behind those words. Not until that day¡ª That day, she received Lu Lingrui''s farewell text. It was the first time since her ordeal that they hadmunicated, and also thest. Then, shemitted suicide. "She illuminated my world, yet I didn''t save her. I ran off, leaving her all alone there..." She hated herself for not bringing Lu Lingrui along when she fled. When Lu Lingrui left, she took with her the sunshine she had once given Shen Nian. "..." Xiao Mubai opened and closed his mouth, wanting to say something but not knowing what. Perhaps one saying rang true after all: You have no right to tell others to let go if you haven''t experienced their pain yourself. A thousand words distilled into one sentence: "You still have me." Shen Nian just smiled. ... The weather had already begun warming up in May. Perhaps because today was special, even though night had fallen, there were still many people outside. With a sweep of her eyes, Shen Nian saw many young couples, as well as families of three or four. They were all holding things, making quite a festive sight. She turned to Xiao Mubai, "Why did you bring me here? I see everyone holding stuff in their hands." "Mm," Xiao Mubai replied. "What they''re holding are skynterns." ¡¾Precious readers who haven''t left a review, go write a review and give a 5-star rating!¡¿ Chapter 15 Chapter 15 "Kongmingnterns?" Shen Nian felt it was rather strange, "Aren''t those things only avable during the Lantern Festival?" The Lantern Festival was in February, it had long passed. "Yes." Xiao Mubai simply responded, without further exnation, but instead took her to a nearby stand to buy a Kongmingntern. Unwrapping the outer packaging, they prepared the Kongmingntern. Shen Nian had only heard of Kongmingnterns before, never having set one off herself, so she was very curious and eagerly helped out. After it was ready, Xiao Mubai handed her a pen. Shen Nian was puzzled: "What?" "Kongmingnterns are also called Sky Lanterns,monly known as wishingnterns and prayernterns. It is a very ancient handicraft. Nowadays people will set off Kongmingnterns as a blessing, writing down wishes from their hearts by hand, so that their wishes maye true and they will be happy every year." After the exnation, Xiao Mubai looked at her and said, "Kongmingnterns fly up to the sky, closest to heaven. Write down what you want to say to Lu Lingrui, so that she can see it from heaven." Looking at the Kongmingntern, Shen Nian shook her head: "I have nothing I want to say to her." Her voice was very light: "I just...want to see her again." Lifting her head, she gave Xiao Mubai a big smile. .................................... That night, Xiao Mubai sent her to the entrance of her apartmentplex. Shen Nian grabbed onto the seat belt, turning her head to look at Xiao Mubai: "Thank you, I was very happy today." "It''s good to be happy." Xiao Mubai saw a strand of her hair had fallen across her face, and reached out a hand to help her tuck it behind her ears, but Shen Nian shrank back a little. His movement paused, and he retracted his hand: "It''s gettingte, hurry back and rest, you still have work tomorrow." "Okay, drive safely." "Mm." Unbuckling her seatbelt, Shen Nian got out of the car. Entering theplex and taking the elevator up, she then opened her door. The room was pitch ck. After closing the door, she fumbled for the light switch on the wall. "Click", the room instantly lit up, and Shen Nian turned to see the man sitting on the sofa, giving her a fright. Lu Lingchuan was sitting on the sofa, expressionlessly looking at her. Seeing the white dress she was wearing and the bouquet of sunflowers in her arms, his pupils abruptly contracted, jealousy rising in his heart. "Hmph!" He gave a coldugh: "Shen Nian, quite the charmer aren''t you!" "I don''t know what you''re talking about." Shen Nian put the flower bouquet aside and lowered her head to change her shoes. Lu Lingchuan rushed over in big strides, and fiercely pped the bouquet of sunflowers onto the ground. Shen Nian only felt a pain in her back. Lu Lingchuan stretched out his hand to fiercely grab her chin, anger surfacing in his eyes. "You''re with Xiao Mubai now? Been hiding it from me for a long time? Shen Nian, I didn''t think you were capable of this. You even changed your outfit. Which hotel did you two go to to fu-" "p!" Shen Nian fiercely pped him across the face. She leaned against the wall, craning her neck to stare stubbornly at the man. She had used a lot of strength with that p. One side of Lu Lingchuan''s cheek had a clear handprint. "Did that p all the filth out of your brain?" She looked at him and asked. "......" Shen Nian closed her eyes for a bit, then opened them again with not a hint of ripple in her gaze. "Lu Lingchuan, I have endured your hatred and retaliation because you are Lu Lingrui''s brother. I carried two children for you, I can say in good conscience that I don''t owe you anything anymore. All along, the only one I owed was Lu Lingrui." At the mention of those two children, a sh of pain went through Lu Lingchuan''s eyes, and his breathing grew heavier. Shen Nian was also thinking of her two children who never had the chance toe into this world. She smiled. "The enmity between us has nothing to do with Xiao Mubai." "Or do you feel that I''m not even worthy of someone caring about me?" She stared straight at him and asked, "Do I really have to die by your hands before you''ll be satisfied?" Shen Nian''s words made Lu Lingchuan''s heart sink. His hand pinching her chin abruptly tightened. "You''re mine!" .................................... The bedroom was very quiet, only asional faint sounds could be heard. Sweat mingling into the dark night. Lu Lingchuan gripped her hand tightly. Sweat slid from his forehead to the tip of his nose, finally dripping onto Shen Nian''s corbone. Shen Nian was forced to endure. She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth, not making a single sound from start to finish. He held her tightly in his embrace, wishing he could fuse her into his own blood and bones. His movements didn''t stop as he repeatedly uttered those crazy lines. "You''re mine." "Shen Nian, let''s go to hell together in this lifetime." Between them there would always be that insurmountable ravine that was Lu Lingrui. She couldn''t get over the fact that she had abandoned Lu Lingrui alone to flee by herself that time. And every time he saw Shen Nian, he couldn''t help but picture Lu Lingrui lying in that pool of blood. When Lingrui jumped from the building that year, she didn''t die instantly. Her body was still warm. She could still smile at him. It was in his arms that she gradually turned cold bit by bit. He wanted to save her but was powerless. That kind of heart-wrenching despair prated into his bones. Since they couldn''t disregard everything to be together in this lifetime, then they would go to hell together! In this lifetime, she and he were destined to be inextricably linked. ........................ The next day when Shen Nian woke up, Lu Lingchuan had already left as usual. Over the years, he would often spend the night here, but Shen Nian had never seen him when she opened her eyes. Every time she woke up, he would have already left. Getting up, she had just moved a little when her whole body already felt sore and weak. Supporting herself with one hand on the bed, she slowly sat up, taking one small step at a time to the bathroom, like an elderly person. As usual she would wash up first, tidy up, then get ready to go out. Carrying the garbage bags from several trash cans in the house to throw out downstairs. Entering the living room, Shen Nian searched around for a trash can, finally finding one on the other side of the coffee table. What she discovered at the same time was a cake box. Shen Nian froze for a moment. The cake box had ribbons tied in a nice bow on the outside. The box was transparent. Insidey a cake, not very big with simple decorations. Because the cake needed refrigeration, now that the weather had already turned hot, after sitting out at room temperature overnight, the cake had already melted and couldn''t be eaten. Looking at that cake, Shen Nian''s mind went nk. ........................... Lu Lingchuan didn''t go to work. Instead he went back to the Lu house. Entering the living room, he happened to run into Lu Lingchen. "Brother." Lu Lingchen said. "Mm." Lu Lingchuan acknowledged him, then asked, "How has Mom been recently?" "She seems to be doing better than before." "I see." "Brother..." Lu Lingchen called out to him again after some thought. "What is it?" Lu Lingchuan nced at him. "Don''t listen to everything Mom says." Lu Lingchen said seriously. Lu Lingchuan pulled up the corner of his lips, "Kids should just focus on studying properly." "I''m not a kid anymore. I''m already twenty." Lu Lingchen earnestly corrected him. "Brother, I know no matter what I say, you won''t listen. But still I have to tell you because you''re my brother. Some matters can''t clearly distinguish right from wrong. There''s only a few decades in this life, each day gone is one less day to live. Don''t leave yourself with regrets." Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Li Mingshi walked down the stairs. She was very beautiful, and had some simrities with Lu Lingchuan in her eyebrows and eyes. Her eyes, nose and mouth were all perfect, clearly indicating she was a beauty. However, she was overly thin, and her beautiful eyebrows and eyes were full of sadness. Her whole being looked haggard. Four years ago, she had lost her only daughter. Since then, her health and mental state had declined more and more. "Mom," Lu Lingchuan walked up to her as she came downstairs. "You''re back," Li Mingshi revealed a smile upon seeing her son. "Have breakfast at home." "Okay." Lu Lingchuan was busy with work, and although Lu Lingchen was still in school, he had started an internship and was also very busy. It had been a long time since the family of four had sat down to have a nice meal together. Li Mingshi took out tableware for five people. In addition to the family of four, she also put out a set of tableware at Lu Lingrui¡¯s usual spot. "Auntie recently learned how to make xiaolongbao dumplings. Mom thinks they turned out pretty good, try some," she said. After speaking, Li Mingshi picked up a dumpling with chopsticks and put it in Lu Lingchuan''s bowl, then did the same for Lu Lingchen, and then ced one in the empty bowl, as if Lu Lingrui was still there with them. The father and two sons knew in their hearts, but didn¡¯t say anything. "Lingchuan, how are things going with Miss Jinghe? Mom really likes her. She''s a nice girl, pretty, good family background, and graduated from a famous university." Lu Lingchuan didn''t speak, but Lu Lingchen next to him couldn''t help but retort. "Mom, my brother isn''t unable to find a wife. Why are you in such a hurry?" "You''re only twenty, of course you''re not anxious. It''s different for your brother. He''s already twenty-five. Your uncles and cousins around the same age already have kids." Li Mingshi nced at her younger son, then shifted her gaze to her older son. "Mom knows you''re busy with work, but there''s sense in settling down before focusing on your career." Thinking of something, Li Mingshi''s expression darkened. "Mom...won''t get to see your sister marry someone. Now I just hope you and Lingchen are well." In recent years, Lu Lingrui had been a taboo topic in the family. The atmosphere at the dining table grew heavy. Lu Yanhua put down his bowl and chopsticks and walked outside, taking out a cigarette case from his pocket. Li Mingshi also lost her appetite, heavily putting down her chopsticks on the table. "You''re still thinking about Shen Nian, aren''t you?" Li Mingshi suddenly looked up at Lu Lingchuan, her emotions somewhat agitated. "Lu Lingchuan, don''t forget who your sister was with when the ident happened. I said it four years ago, Shen Nian can never step through our family''s door!" As she spoke, her breathing gradually became difficult, her face deathly pale. "Mom!" Lu Lingchen quickly went up to help her calm down. "Don''t get angry. Shen Nian is also an innocent victim." Li Mingshi''s chest heaved violently, her eyes bloodshot. "She''s innocent, but my daughter is even more innocent. My Lingrui was only 18 years old. She still had a wonderful life ahead of her, but now it''s all gone, all gone!" Li Mingshi broke down into loud sobs. How desperate must her precious Lingrui have felt to resolutely abandon her parents, brothers and the imperfect world. "I know," the silent Lu Lingchuan finally spoke. "She and I...have long been impossible." He looked at his mother, pulling out a tissue from the box on the table and handing it to her. "Today I will meet with Miss Liang. As long as you like her, I will marry her." After Li Mingshi took some medicine, her emotions gradually calmed down. Lu Lingchen escorted her upstairs to rest, but Lu Lingchuan didn''t leave. Instead he went to the backyard garden. In the garden, Lu Yanhua sat on a bench smoking. Lu Lingrui''s death had cast ayer of gloom over the entire family. Hearing movement, Lu Yanhua turned his head to see it was his eldest son. "Lingchuan," he said. "Dad." Lu Lingchuan walked over and pulled out the chair across from him to sit down. He didn''t speak, only took a cigarette from the table, ced it between his lips and lit it with a lighter. He took a puff and blew out a smoke ring, the action practiced. Lu Lingchuan didn''t know when he had picked up the smoking habit, probably many years ago. It was probably after Lingrui''s ident, or the day she hadmitted suicide. It should have been the day shemitted suicide. Because that day not only did he lose his only sister, but also his first child. "Your mother''s condition has been worsetely since it''sing up on your sister''s birthday and death anniversary," said Lu Yanhua, looking at his son. It was nearly the end of May, almost June. Lu Lingrui''s birthday was in mid June, her death anniversary in mid July. Time flowed like water. In the blink of an eye, five years had passed since she left them, and Lu Lingrui would have been 23 years old. "Mm," Lu Lingchuan grunted in acknowledgement. "I''ll take that day off." Lu Yanhua also took a puff of his cigarette, and seemed to think of something. He turned his head to look at his son, "Is that Shen Nian girl still at yourpany?" Lu Lingchuan was silent. "Let her go. She''s also an unlucky child. Don''t let her keep suffering with us." Lu Lingchuan still didn''t speak. After a long while he finally responded, "Dad, this is between her and me. Don''t think too much about it." Lu Yanhua looked at him. "Can''t bear to part with her?" "......" "Son, you''ve always been very clear in your heart. Your mother will absolutely never ept her again." "......" "Although she was also a victim in that incident, as long as we see her, it''s not just your mother, our whole family will be reminded of Lingrui." If Shen Nian married into their family, every time they saw her it would be like seeing Lu Lingrui again. That kind of feeling would be too painful. As long as they saw Shen Nian for a day, the Lu family would not be able to get over Lu Lingrui''s death for a day. Lu Lingchuan still didn''t speak, only quietly smoked his cigarette. After a very long time he finally responded, "I know what''s what." Having finished his cigarette, he flicked the butt to the ground and crushed it beneath his shoe. Then he got up and left. ................................. After her birthday, Shen Nian returned to her usual life, calm as still water. Every day she went to work in the morning and got off work at night. After returning home she had nothing to do, reading some books or spacing out. Lu Lingchuan came back to stay the night at the apartment every other day or so. Although the two were in the same space, they were more estranged than strangers. Only during their intimate acts at night was there somemunication between them. Until this day, while Shen Nian was working as usual, she heard an unfamiliar female voice. "Hello everyone!" Hearing the unfamiliar feminine voice, Shen Nian looked up to see a young woman greeting everyone. She was very beautiful. The white dress she wore set off her fairplexion. In her hand she held an expensive brand name handbag. She smiled and waved at everyone. Seeing the unfamiliar face, the employees who were working looked at each other in confusion, not understanding what was happening. The young woman smiled at everyone and exined, "You probably don''t recognize me. I''m your President Lu''s friend. I happened to be passing by hispany today, so I came to see him." "Oh, that''s right, I bought drinks for everyone, please take one." She seemed to recall something and added that. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 After she spoke, she waved her hand to the people behind her. Then six young men came in carrying three huge foam boxes. They opened the lids on top and inside were all kinds of fruit teas, and they were name-brand too. A single cup of this brand''s fruit tea cost twenty or thirty yuan, so they had really spent a lot buying so many. The girl smiled and said, "Because I didn''t know what everyone liked to drink, I got some of everything. They''re 30% sweet, so you won''t get fat drinking them." "Oh right, for girls who don''t like cold drinks during their period or people who don''t like cold drinks, you can take the ones over there. Those are all hot." "Oh!" Having drinks, everyone was naturally happy and went to get them in an orderly fashion. Jiang Lingling picked out a fruit tea, then picked another one. She took the straws and went over to Shen Nian, "Shen Jie, I got you peach oolong tea, is that okay?" Hearing Jiang Lingling''s words, the girl''s gaze fell on Shen Nian as well. Seeing the young and capable-looking Shen Nian, she was startled for a moment, then tentatively spoke, "Shen Nian?" Hearing the other party urately call out her name, Shen Nian was also a little surprised. Looking again, she didn''t recognize the girl, "You are..." The girl immediately revealed a beautiful smile and came over, "Hello, I''m Liang Jinghe. You probably don''t recognize me, but I''ve heard about you from my dad. My dad is business partners with Lingchuan, and he often says Lingchuan has a very capable assistant and tells me to learn from you." Although Shen Nian didn''t remember which President Liang it was, she still smiled humbly. Her gaze suddenly fell on the girl''s earlobes, and seeing the familiar earrings, Shen Nian was stunned. Then she understood everything. Her smile only froze for one second before returning to normal, "I don''t deserve the honor of having the future wife of the president learn from me." Liang Jinghe was startled, clearly not expecting Shen Nian to be so smart. She smiled shyly, "My dad really didn''t exaggerate, Assistant Shen really is very smart." Jiang Lingling next to her blinked, somewhat confused. Liang Jinghe looked at the fruit tea in her hand and said to Shen Nian, "I bought fruit tea, what vor does Assistant Shen want?" Jiang Lingling understood this time, and quickly handed over the fruit tea she had gotten for Shen Nian. "No need." Shen Nian politely declined, "I don''t really like drinking these things. I''m used to drinking coffee." After speaking, she said to Jiang Lingling, "You drink it, I won''t." "Oh, okay." With Liang Jinghe there, Jiang Lingling also didn''t stay long. She took the two fruit teas and silently left. Shen Nian gave Liang Jinghe a slight smile, "Is Miss Liang here to see President Lu?" "Yes." Liang Jinghe said, "I happened to have time today, so I wanted toe see him." Shen Nian nodded to indicate she understood, then said, "President Lu is upstairs in a meeting." After speaking, she picked up her phone on the desk and nced at it, then added, "It should end in about ten more minutes." "Okay, then I''ll wait for him." "Alright, please make yourself at home, Miss Liang." Shen Nian didn''t say much more. She picked up her cup on the desk and went to the pantry. When she came back, she could hear the employees whispering. "I feel like this Miss Liang is more than just President Lu''s friend." "She''s definitely his girlfriend." "I think so too. President Lu has always kept his distance from women. I''ve been at thepany for two years and besides Assistant Shen, I''ve never seen him with any other women!" "Judging by her temperament, she''s definitely an heiress from some wealthy family. From what I know, President Lu''s family isn''tcking either, and President Lu is young and capable. The two of them are a match made in heaven!" "I have a feeling we''ll be seeing a lot more of Miss Liang in the future." "... " Shen Nian gripped her cup tightly and stared coldly at the whispering employees. Sensing Shen Nian''s warning gaze, everyone immediately stopped gossiping and lowered their heads to continue working hard. Shen Nian returned to her seat. Miss Liang Jinghe was sitting in the chair across from her desk. She sat very elegantly, holding a book from Shen Nian''s desk and reading it attentively. Shen Nian didn''t say anything. She put down her cup, sat down, then picked up her cup and took a sip. The coffee was still hot, and the aroma drifted out. Just smelling the aroma, Liang Jinghe looked up at Shen Nian and asked, "Is it Italian espresso?" Shen Nian was surprised, "Miss Liang also likes Italian?" Liang Jinghe smiled and shook her head, "I don''t really like drinking it, but when I was studying abroad, a lot of people around me drank it, so I''m quite familiar with the taste." After exining, she continued, "But a lot of my friends who drink this are male. I didn''t expect Assistant Shen to also like such bitter coffee." Shen Nian took another sip of coffee. The bitterness spread in her mouth, but she didn''t even furrow her brows. "Is that so? I don''t think it''s that bitter." Was it very bitter? She didn''t find it bitter at all. Liang Jinghe looked at Shen Nian and praised, "Assistant Shen, you''re so fair, you must look great in a white dress." Having finished organizing the documents, Shen Nian smiled at the praise, "You tter me, Miss Liang. Miss Liang is the one who truly looks good in white." Today, Liang Jinghe was wearing a white dress that made her look very clean. Just after she spoke, Shen Nian looked up and saw Lu Lingchuan returning. She immediately stood up, "President Lu." Liang Jinghe also stood up. Seeing that it was indeed Lu Lingchuan, she smiled, "Lingchuan." Lu Lingchuan expressionlessly nced at Shen Nian, who didn''t speak and just kept her eyes lowered. Retracting his gaze, Lu Lingchuan indifferently responded with an "Mm". Then he said to Liang Jinghe, "Go to my office." "Okay!" Liang Jinghe followed Lu Lingchuan back to his office. From beginning to end, Shen Nian didn''t say anything. She earnestly organized the documents, then took some of them to the copy room to make copies. Jiang Lingling happened to also be copying things there. Seeing Shen Niane in, she immediately called out, "Jiejie." "Mm." Shen Nian ced the documents down and operated the machine. "Jiejie, is that Miss Liang really President Lu''s girlfriend?" Jiang Lingling came over to gossip. "Most likely." Shen Nian answered, her mind somewhat distracted. "Jiejie, how can you be so sure?" Jiang Lingling didn''t understand. "Miss Liang clearly said she was just President Lu''s friend." "The earrings she was wearing were bought by President Lu when he asked me to buy them." "..." Jiang Lingling oh''d and no longer doubted it. The president giving earrings, it was most likely that kind of rtionship. The copy room was very quiet, with only the sound of the copier running. After quite a while, Jiang Lingling spoke, "Jiejie, I still think you look best in a white dress!" Hearing this, Shen Nian turned her head and smiled, "Thank you." "I''m serious." Jiang Lingling said sincerely. "Jiejie, you really do look great in a white dress." Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Shen Nian was so good-looking that one nce would make people fall for her. However, Shen Nian could only wear professional attire to work at thepany, and would only wear white at leisure. Seeing something, Jiang Lingling''s eyes lit up, "Sister Nian, your ne is so beautiful!" Shen Nian lowered her head to take a look. It was the sunflower ne. "Well, I bought it because I thought it looked good too." She said. "It''s very special." Jiang Lingling said, "This is my first time seeing a sunflower ne." Shen Nian smiled and tucked the ne back into her shirt. ........................... At night, after Shen Nian finished bathing, she leaned against the bed reading a book. The sound of the door opening came from the doorway. It was Lu Lingchuaning back. He walked into the room and stood at the door looking at Shen Nian. However, Shen Nian was concentrating on reading her book, seeming not to have noticed him. After staring for a long time, Lu Lingchuan retracted his gaze, pulled at his tie, and strode towards the bathroom. "Are you together with that Miss Liang?" Not knowing when, Shen Nian had put down her book and was staring at Lu Lingchuan''s back as she asked. "......" Lu Lingchuan''s figure paused for a moment. He didn''t answer but walked into the bathroom instead. Twenty minutester, Lu Lingchuan came out after taking a bath, his hair half dry. He sat on the other side of therge bed, silently drying his hair without saying a word. Shen Nian also didn''t go to get the hairdryer to help blow dry his hair like usual. The two of them were silent, and the atmosphere in the air was somewhat frozen. After drying his hair so much that it wouldn''t drip anymore, Lu Lingchuan threw the towel aside, then turned off the lights. In an instant, the room became pitch ck. Shen Nian didn''t say anything. She just silently closed her book and put it aside, preparing to sleep. She had justid down when a sturdy body pressed over, and Lu Lingchuan pinned her shoulder down with one hand while his lips were already on hers, lingering tenderly. Gradually shifting downwards, his lips fell on her neck again, vicle... Shen Nian raised her head nkly staring at the ceiling, not resisting him, only asking in a soft voice, "Are you together with Miss Liang?" It was still the same question as before. Knowing that he wouldn''t answer her question, Shen Nian continued speaking. "If you''re together with her now, we might as well break up." "......" Lu Lingchuan''s eyes condensed. He couldn''t see her expression in the darkness, but he could guess. Calmly, as if talking about someone else''s matters,posed and unruffled. His expression immediately darkened. "Shen Nian, don''t forget, only I have the right to end things between us!" The man gritted his teeth and enunciated word for word. "......I know." Shen Nian closed her eyes and softly said, "It''s just that since you''re prepared to move forward, there''s no need to waste time on me." "......" "After chatting with Miss Liang today, I felt she''s a girl with a good personality. I don''t want my existence to hurt her..." She didn''t get to finish her words before Lu Lingchuan pressed his lips on hers, biting hard and not allowing her to say the rest. He didn''t want to hear it, nor did he want her to say it! After a long time, Lu Lingchuan reluctantly let her go. Drenched in sweat again, the earlier bath was in vain. Lu Lingchuan sat at the edge of the bed. He groped for his sleep robe in the darkness and put it on without turning on the lights. As he got up, he seemed to think of something. He turned around and lowered his head to look at the bed. His voice was cold as he enunciated word for word, "Between us, only I have the right to end things. You don''t have the authority to make decisions for me!" "Bang!" Hearing the sound of the bathroom door being mmed shut, Shen Nian''s breathing gradually calmed down. She closed her eyes without saying anything more. ........................ In the following period of time, Liang Jinghe came to thepany several more times. Everyone knew her identity. She was the artistic kind of girl with very good temperament. She didn''t put on airs about her status. Every time she came, she would bring food and drinks for everyone. Therefore, the employees in thepany liked her very much. Some employees even secretly discussed wishing she and Lu Lingchuan would hurry up and get married. Having such a boss''s wife would be too blissful. On the weekend, Shen Nian made ns with Jiang Lingling to go shopping. The two first went into a milk tea shop to buy milk tea, then found a window seat to sit down. Today Shen Nian wore a white dress. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, giving her some of the youthfulness a 23-year-old girl should have. Jiang Lingling bit on the straw drinking her milk tea, but her gaze was fixed intently on Shen Nian. Feeling the gaze falling on her, Shen Nian raised her head and met Jiang Lingling''s eyes. She lowered her head to nce at the clothes she was wearing, then raised her head again to look at Jiang Lingling and asked, "What''s wrong?" "Hehe......" Jiang Lingling released the straw. Smiling radiantly at Shen Nian, she sincerely praised, "What I saidst time wasn''t nonsense. Sister Nian, you look better than Miss Liang when you wear white." Upon hearing this, Shen Nian looked again at the white dress she was wearing. The corners of her lips curved up slightly. "Miss Liang is the future CEO''s wife. Are you trying to make me offend her by saying this?" Jiang Lingling shook her head and said very earnestly, "Of course Miss Liang also looks good in white, but when she wears it, there''s a feeling like she''s an artistic rich youngdy. When you wear it..." "How do I look when wearing it?" Shen Nian suddenly wanted to know the answer. "When wearing it, there is..." Jiang Lingling was just about to blurt it out when the words were at the tip of her tongue but suddenly didn''t know how to describe it. Pure? Not just that. Innocent? Also not suitable to describe Sister Nian. Simple? What was that word? Jiang Lingling scratched her ears with her hands. Frowning, no matter how she thought about it, she just couldn''t recall it. "It''s just...very special. I also don''t know how to describe it either. Anyway, when I first saw Sister Nian wearing white, I felt like you''re the most suitable for this color. Although Miss Liang also looks equally good wearing it, it''s still not as nice as you." Even though white wasn''t some gorgeous color, wearing it wouldn''t make one look particrly special either. Yet when seeing Shen Nian wearing a white dress, one would feel a sense of amazement at first sight, giving people a eye-catching feeling that would make them inadvertently take another look or two...and have a hard time forgetting it. Shen Nian couldn''t helpughing. "Although a bit tongue-tied, I roughly understand what you mean. Thanks." "Hehe..." Jiang Lingling smiled embarrassedly. Her gazended on Shen Nian''s neck again as she pointed and said, "Sister Nian, your sunflower ne matches very nicely with your white dress." Shen Nian lowered her head to take a look at the sunflower ne around her neck and lightly hmm-ed in agreement. "Very beautiful, very special." Jiang Lingling praised sincerely. Shen Nian smiled faintly, "If you like it, I can bring you to buy one since this mall has their store." "forget it." Jiang Lingling waved her hands declining, "It looks good on Sister Nian when you wear it, but not necessarily on me. Also, having the same essory would make one feel ufortable." Jiang Lingling knew Shen Nian had always been very fond of sunflowers. On her office desk, there was a fake sunflower flower arrangement. Her cup had sunflower patterns, and even the stickers she used to stick notes were sunflower ones. As for herself, she didn''t actually like sunflowers that much. ¡¾Oh I''m back! These past days I was obsessed with reading novels and didn''t want to write... Please supervise me. I''ll update 4,000 words every day starting tomorrow. Can''t bezy anymore!¡¿ Chapter 19 Chapter 19 "Nian jie, there is a DIY shop on the upstairs floor of this shopping mall. There are many things that can be made inside, such as cups, bottles, bowls and tes. You can also DIY phone cases, money boxes, texture paintings, etc. Anyway there are lots of options! Shall we go take a look?" "Sure." After all today was meant for going out and having fun. The fifth floor of the shopping mall did indeed have a particrlyrge DIY shop. When the two of them went, there were already many customers inside, all busily making their own little crafts. "Here are some options of things our shop can make, take a look and pick one?" The shop assistant handed a small booklet to Shen Nian. Shen Nian opened the booklet and seriously flipped through a few pages, then pointed to one and asked the shop assistant: "What is this?" The shop assistant took a look, and replied: "This is DIY mini y figurines, which can also be DIY models. The material used is super sticky y. When it''s soft you can pinch it into shapes, and once it dries and hardens over a few days it bes very sturdy and won''t break unless intentionally damaged." Seeing that Shen Nian was interested in the mini y figurines, the shop assistant went on: "You can make small ones, a bit smaller than the size of your palm. There will be a wooden stick at the bottom to support it, so you can hold them. Oncepleted you can take them away immediately." Jiang Lingling next to them thought it didn''t seem bad. She looked towards Shen Nian: "Nian jie, shall we make these then?" Shen Nian nodded. After paying, the shop assistant brought them over to some empty seats. On the tables next to them were all kinds of colored ys and decorations. Following the steps, Shen Nian carefully pinched the y, first kneading them into little spheres before shaping them ording to her desired look. She broke off a small section of toothpick to fix to the bottom, then made small hands and feet. She worked very meticulously, and soon the basic shape of a super cartoonish figurine emerged. Shen Nian added on little clothes and shoes, used acrylic paints to lightly sketch facial expressions, then hair... While Jiang Lingling was still fretting over why she couldn''t make something as nice, she nced over and saw Shen Nian was already working on the hair. "Nian jie, yours is so beautiful!" Jiang Lingling couldn''t help but praise. Jiang Lingling wasn''t exaggerating. What Shen Nian made really was exceptionally exquisite, like those specially handmade for sale. So cute and tiny, Shen Nian even used acrylic paints to add an adorable expression to its little face. Shen Nian just smiled without replying much, and continued busying herself. Jiang Lingling looked at her own, then back at Shen Nian''s. Feeling a little discouraged she said: "Howe mine doesn''t look as nice as yours, Nian jie." "It''s nothing much." Shen Nian smiled. "Because I''m an arts student, so I have a bit of an advantage." "So Nian jie is an arts student! Then your family must be very rich." It wasmon knowledge that art supplies were expensive consumables. Without adequate finances it would be hard to pursue arts studies. "...Shen Nian''s motions paused briefly before resuming naturally. She replied: "Perhaps in the past. But my parents passed away in a car crash when I was in 10th grade. I''ve been living alone ever since." Actually she didn''t even like art that much, it was only because... Lu Lingrui liked it. Lu Lingrui''s wish before she passed away was to be admitted into the art faculty at A University. "...I''m sorry, that was thoughtless of me." Jiang Lingling fell silent, not having known of this. "It''s nothing." Shen Nian gave a faint smile. "It''s been many years, I''m no longer sad over it." After all she had grown ustomed to being alone all these years. Jiang Lingling kept silent, as she secretly sized Shen Nian up. She looked really beautiful when focused. Jiang Lingling had always known Shen Nian was good-looking, but only realized today that she was much prettier than she had imagined. From this angle Jiang Lingling could see her side profile. Shen Nian had a small face, an exquisite melon seed shape. Her eyes weren''t big or small, just the right size. Her nose bridge wasn''t highly prominent, but at an appropriate height for her facial contours. Her thin lips were like peach blossoms blooming in spring, with a faint pink flush. Today she had light makeup on, not concealing her natural beauty, only adding some colors. She held a brush in her hand, meticulously outlining the doll''s clothes bit by bit. It was meant to be a beautiful scene, yet Jiang Lingling noticed her shapely eyebrows slightly knitted together. There was some sadness in those gorgeous eyes fixed on the doll she was working on. ncing down, Shen Nian was sketching flower petals on the doll''s clothes, and using yellow acrylic paints to depict pistils... When engrossed in tasks Shen Nian would immerse herself in her own world, oblivious of her surroundings as she earnestly focused. Havingpleted the final stroke, Shen Nian grasped the bamboo stick of the figurine and gazed at the exquisite chibi doll, finally breaking into a smile. The y was still wet, any pressure could leave imprints. Shen Nian merely used her fingertips to lightly poke its little cheek. Only after finishing did she look to the side. Jiang Lingling had also made a doll. Thoughcking Shen Nian''s finesse she had tried hard. A white dress, high ponytail, then drawing facial expressions on the face. Not until Jiang Linglingpleted did Shen Nian speak. "Is this doll modeled after me?" Because the doll Jiang Lingling made had the same high ponytail and white dress as her, even the sunflower ne on the neck was replicated in detail. Practically Shen Nian''s epitome. "Mm." Jiang Lingling nodded a little embarrassed as she smiled bashfully. "But I didn''t manage to capture Nian jie''s beauty in my rendering." "It looks great." "Really?" "Yes." Jiang Lingling abruptly felt somewhat coy. Just as Shen Nian was about to ask what''s wrong, Jiang Lingling held out her "Little Shen Nian" to her. "Hmm?" "Nian jie, this is a small gift I made for you." Feeling a little shy, Jiang Lingling said: "Ever since I joined thepany you''ve provided me help and guidance. I''m really grateful. I made this hoping you''ll like it." Though it couldn''tpare with Nian jie''s workmanship, she really did try her best. Looking at the "Little Shen Nian" in her grasp, the corners of Shen Nian''s lips quirked into an increasingly wide smile. "I really like it." She told Jiang Lingling. "Truly?" Jiang Lingling''s eyes shone brightly. "Truly." Shen Nian said. "Thank you." Jiang Lingling felt even more embarrassed now. "I''m d if you like it." Having drunk arge cup of fruit tea, then sitting for so long, Jiang Lingling went to the bathroom first while Shen Nian waited at the seats. As Shen Nian looked at the two dolls in her hands she thought of something. Flipping them over, she selected a colored brush and first wrote a tiny "Nian" character on Little Shen Nian''s dress, before inscribing "Rui" on the other doll she had made herself. Nian and Rui. Shen Nian and Lu Lingrui. Putting both dolls together in close proximity, now it resembled them snuggling affectionately. Shen Nian smiled blissfully at this sight. "Shen Nian and Lu Lingrui will always be together." [I''m a tad stuck on the storyline. I''ll organize my plot outline tomorrow and add another 2,000 words. Update tomorrow thank you!] Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Aftering out of the restroom, Jiang Lingling and Shen Nian tidied up their things and left. While standing in the elevator going downstairs, Jiang Lingling suddenly remembered something and asked, "Nian, I remember that your alma mater, University A, will be celebrating its 100th anniversary soon, right?" Shen Nian thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "Yes." "Has your school invited you to go back for the anniversary?" Jiang Lingling asked. Usually, schools would organize grand events for such anniversaries and invite outstanding alumni to visit. Shen Nian, being an outstanding student herself, could be considered one of those outstanding alumni. "Yes," Shen Nian replied, "The school sent me an invitation a few days ago, and I n to go back for a visit." As they reached the fourth floor, the two of them got off the elevator. Instead of taking a direct elevator, they opted for the kind that stopped on each floor. Now on the fourth floor, they needed to circle around and take the elevator from the fourth floor down to the third floor. The fourth floor was the clothing section, and many famous brands were located there. Shen Nian held two dolls in her hands, lightly tapping them together, a slight smile appearing on her lips. She looked up and her gaze froze in ce. It was as if someone had punched her, causing her figure to sway, and she barely managed to straighten herself up. "Ack!" With a loose grip on her left hand, the doll named "Xiao Shen Nian" fell to the ground. Although the doll was well-made, the y was still soft, so when it hit the ground, it deformed. "Oh no, how did it fall?" Jiang Lingling looked at the doll she had painstakingly made, now turned into a shapeless mess, and instantly felt heartbroken. She looked up at Shen Nian and noticed that herplexion was somewhat pale. Jiang Lingling asked, "What''s wrong?" Then following her gaze, she eximed, "Lu... Lu Zong?" Not far away, there was an extraordinary couple. The man was over 1.9 meters tall, and his appearance was outstanding. Today, he wasn''t dressed formally, wearing only a white shirt with the top button undone, loosely wrapped around his well-built body, revealing the sleek lines underneath. The buttons on his sleeves were also unbuttoned, rolled up twice, revealing his attractive wrist bones. Next to him, the woman had exquisite makeup and wore a white dress that entuated her elegance. Unlike the other girls passing by, she didn''t exude excessive allure or an unreal sense of purity. Instead, she had a more artistic temperament. The man carried a bag from a well-known brand, and the woman stood beside him, creating a striking height difference. At first nce, they looked like the envy-inducing golden couple. Lu Lingchuan and Liang Jinghe. Sensing someone''s gaze on him, Lu Lingchuan raised his eyes and happened to meet Shen Nian''s pale face, leaving him stunned. As soon as she caught his gaze, Shen Nian immediately averted her eyes, lowered her head, picked up the broken "Xiao Shen Nian" from the ground, and said to Jiang Lingling, "Let''s go." "Ah... " Jiang Lingling, who was experiencing a boss-level date for the first time while out shopping, felt a bit at a loss and said, "But it seems like Lu Zong saw us." "Today is their day off. Let''s not disturb them on their date. Let''s go," Shen Nian hurriedly left, her steps hurried. "Oh, okay," Jiang Lingling quickly followed. When they arrived at the elevator on the third floor, there was usually a trash bin ced by the elevator. Without much thought, Shen Nian threw the broken "Xiao Shen Nian" into the trash bin. She stood in the elevator, descending slowly. Now she only had a "Xiao Lingrui" in her hand. Shen Nian stared nkly at "Xiao Lingrui." Upstairs, Liang Jinghe was still happy about buying something she liked. She stared at the things in the bag, then looked up at Lu Lingchuan, smiling happily, "I''ve liked this brand of bracelet for a long time, but the salesperson always said it was out of stock. Thank you for being willing to help me." Lu Lingchuan was good friends with the regional manager of this brand, so he made a call, and they immediately had the item in stock. It seemed like Lu Lingchuan wasn''t listening to her. Liang Jinghe was puzzled, "Lingchuan?" Following his gaze, she noticed that Lu Lingchuan was staring at something. But there was... nothing there. "What''s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Liang Jinghe asked. "No," Lu Lingchuan withdrew his gaze, handed her the bag, and calmly said, "I suddenly remembered that there are some tasks I need to deal with, so I''ll go back first." After speaking, he walked away quickly. "Lingchuan? Lingchuan?" Liang Jinghe wanted to call him back, but the man walked fast and didn''t stop. Liang Jinghe puffed her cheeks, feeling extremely frustrated. Lu Lingchuan walked to the elevator entrance but didn''t immediately go down. Instead, he looked at the nearby trash bin and saw a wooden stick sticking out. Lu Lingchuan reached out and picked it up. The "Xiao Shen Nian" that Shen Nian had dropped was in Lu Lingchuan''s hand. Because it hadnded face down, even though Jiang Lingling had pinched her face into a small size, it had turned into a pancake face, and the facial features were blurred. It was already ruined and couldn''t be kept. He stared at that little thing, and the stick in his hand spun around, but there was nothing on the back. Lu Lingchuan''s gaze froze as he looked at the doll''s dress. There was a word written on the white dress using a different color. Nian. Nian, unforgettable. He tightened the hand holding the stick, didn''t say anything, didn''t take the elevator, and turned to the fifth floor. After Lu Lingchuan left, Liang Jinghe didn''t stay long either. She casually entered a store, so she didn''t see Lu Lingchuane back, and she even went up to the fifth floor. After searching the fifth floor for a while, Lu Lingchuan found a DIY handicraft store. He walked in with the doll and asked the shop assistant. "Excuse me, was this made in your shop?" The shop assistant looked at the doll in his hand, which no longer looked good, and then looked at Lu Lingchuan''s handsome face. She was stunned for a moment but quickly nodded. "Yes, this is made by us." Lu Lingchuan asked, "Could you tell me how to make it?" ........................................ After parting ways with Jiang Lingling, Shen Nian returned home, unusually quiet all the way. She found a ce to put "Xiao Lingrui" and went into the bedroom to get her pajamas from the closet. In the bathroom, she let her hair down first and put the hairpin on the sink. Looking up at her reflection in the mirror, her eye sockets were already red, but her eyes were very dry, and not a single tear could fall. She sniffled, but Shen Nian didn''t speak and adjusted the water temperature for her bath. After taking a shower, she came out with only a towel wrapped around her body. She took the clothes she changed out of and prepared to wash them. Looking at the white dress in her hand, the scene in the mall involuntarily shed through her mind. Liang Jinghe was also wearing a white dress. She furrowed her brows and bit her lip before tossing her white dress directly into the trash can. A surge of frustration overwhelmed her as she stormed out of the bathroom and marched towards the walk-in closet. Opening the wardrobe, she took out all the white dresses inside and stuffed them into the trash can! It wasn''t until she saw the trash can brimming with her dresses that Shen Nian snapped back to reality. Sitting on the floor, she hugged her knees and lowered her head in silence. ... Chapter 21 Chapter 21 When Lu Lingchuan arrived, Shen Nian had already taken a shower and was tidying up things in the living room. Hearing the sound of the door lock opening at the door, Shen Nian''s figure stiffened for a moment as she was organizing the coffee table, but soon resumed normality as she continued busying herself. Throwing the unnecessary things on the coffee table into the trash can, wiping the coffee table with a towel, immersed in her own world, as if she hadn''t heard the sound of the door opening. After Lu Lingchuan came in, he didn''t speak either, just stood at the door watching her, holding something in his hand. After wiping the coffee table clean, Shen Nian got up and went back into the bedroom again, never looking at Lu Lingchuan. "Bang!" Hearing the sound of the door closing, Lu Lingchuan''s gaze finally retracted back to raise his own hand, looking at the little person he was holding. If Shen Nian saw it, she would be able to recognize it as the "Little Shen Nian" that Jiang Lingling had pinched for her, but on closer inspection it was not the same one again. Jiang Lingling''s was rougher, while the one in Lu Lingchuan''s hand was obviously spent more time kneading, and every detail was exquisite, but the hairstyle and clothes were exactly the same as Jiang Lingling''s. Gently twisting it, there was also a word written on the back of the white skirt. Nian. His eyes turned around the living room and stopped. The "Little Ling Rui" that Shen Nian had pinched was notpletely dry yet, so she had put it in a ce where it could get sunlight. The man walked over in big strides and put the "Little Shen Nian" next to the "Little Ling Rui". He gently stroked the faces of "Little Shen Nian" and "Little Ling Rui" with his fingertips, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips. Withdrawing his gaze, he finally turned and walked into the bedroom. Twisting open the bedroom door, Shen Nian was still tidying up things. Lu Lingchuan went into the bathroom. As he passed the trash can, he suddenly stopped and looked at the things in the trash can with deep eyes. Looking up, he stared at Shen Nian. Shen Nian didn''t know Lu Lingchuan was looking at her. She was sorting clothes, folding up clothes that she didn''t usually wear and putting them away, picking out all the white dresses and throwing them directly into the trash can. There were already two tied garbage bags next to them, which were also full of clothes. Lu Lingchuan''s eyebrows furrowed slightly as he stared at Shen Nian and asked lightly, "Why did you throw them away?" Shen Nian''s voice was also light: "They were clothes from a long time ago, too small to wear, taking up space, so I threw them away." Is that so? Lu Lingchuan didn''t speak, just stared at the white dress in her hand, which she threw into the trash can without hesitation. She had only bought this skirt less than three months ago. Was it small too? "Shen Nian," he called her, then asked, "Are you mad at me?" Shen Nian sneered, "Mr. Lu thinks too much." Mad? Did she have the right to get mad? Mr. Lu, she only called him that at work. Indifferent, aloof, clearly defining their positions. Lu Lingchuan didn''t say anything more, just picked up the skirt she had just thrown away, hung it on a hanger, but Shen Nian snatched it from him and threw it back into the trash can. Lu Lingchuan picked it up, Shen Nian threw it away, the two struggled for several rounds, and finally Shen Nian couldn''t suppress her emotions anymore and broke down questioning. "Lu Lingchuan, what exactly do you want to do!" "It''s what you want to do!" Lu Lingchuan suppressed his anger. "I don''t want it anymore, isn''t that okay?!" Shen Nian''sposurepletely copsed at this moment as she broke down shouting, "I hate white, I never want to see this color again!" Hate white the most... hate white the most! The white she used to love wearing the most. Lu Lingchuan''s eyes suddenly became fierce. He asked her, "Is that so? Is white all you don''t want?" Was it not him too? Lu Lingchuan didn''t ask this question. He didn''t dare ask. Because he didn''t want to hear the answer. "Yes!" Shen Nian answered without hesitation. Although it was such a simple word, at this moment it was like a sharp arrow, hitting his heart urately, nailing him to the wall. You don''t want me, do you? Yes! Shen Nian''s eyes were extremely red, but she was still trying to restrain her sore nose. She took a deep breath, staring at him with tear-filled red eyes, "Lu Lingchuan, actually I look down on you quite a bit. The grievances between us are between us, and have nothing to do with Miss Liang. But you, while nning to spend the rest of your life with Miss Liang, can''t be absolutely loyal to her." It was unclear which word provoked Lu Lingchuan, but the man''s pupils suddenly shrank, and his body exuded a violent aura and chill. "Are you going to hit me?" Shen Nian stared into his eyes and asked stubbornly. "......" "If you really hate me, could you not hit me? Just strangle me to death." Her voice was light, so light that only Lu Lingchuan could hear it. "If you strangle me to death, the grievances between us will be written off. You won''t owe me anything, and I won''t owe you anything either." Settled, nothing owed, best not to meet again in the next life. She closed her eyes and slowly raised her head, exposing her slender neck. Lu Lingchuan didn''t speak, but stared intently at her face of resignation. She wanted to clear up all rtions with him so much that she would rather die?! His hands at his sides clenched into fists, and the veins on the backs of his hands bulged. At that moment, Lu Lingchuan really wanted to strangle her and then end himself. End it all! But...seeing that face, the face he both loved and hated! "You want to die so much?!" Lu Lingchuan''s eyes were bloodshot as he red at Shen Nian. Shen Nian opened her eyes, fearless, ring back at him with equally red eyes. He red at her, she red at him, both very stubborn, neither willing to admit defeat. In the end it was Lu Lingchuan who backed down first. He looked deeply into Shen Nian''s eyes, wanting to say something. His lips moved but in the end he didn''t speak. He turned his head and strode away. "Bang!" The bedroom door was mmed shut loudly. Then it became utterly quiet. The expression on Shen Nian''s face was still so stubborn. She sniffed and didn''t say anything, just continued to find all her white clothes and throw them in the trash can. Tying up the garbage bag, throw it all away tomorrow! Until all the white clothes were thrown away, the breath that had been supporting her suddenly disappeared. Shen Nian felt her body start to chill, her legs went weak, and she fell inelegantly onto the carpet. One hand clutching her chest, breathing a little urgent, her face pale. .................................... Leaving in anger, Lu Lingchuan took the elevator down and left the building. He was emitting anger and gloom, his pace veryrge. "Boom!" A roar of thunder suddenly stopped him in his tracks. Lu Lingchuan looked up at the dark night. The night temperature had dropped a lot, and the cool wind blew on his face, a little damp. It looked like...it was going to rain. The next second, as if to confirm Lu Lingchuan''s guess, there was another "boom", this time apanied by lightning. Lightning and thunder. Immediately after, pea-sized raindrops fell directly down, drenching Lu Lingchuan almost instantly. Summer was the rainy season, it could be sunny one second and pouring rain the next. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Lu Lingchuan stood in ce, letting the rainwater wash over him. ¡¾Lu Lingchuan, will you really give me a home in the future?¡¿ Apanying the sound of the rain, Shen Nian''s voice suddenly appeared in his ears, and the scenes from back then yed in his mind like a movie. During high school, Shen Nian was very innocent. Although she could only wear school uniforms at school, whenever they went out on dates on weekends, she would wear simple white dresses with her hair tied in high ponytails, looking full of youth. Her looks were not of the stunning kind, her features were more on the soft side. Especially when she smiled, she gave off the feeling of first love like a breath of spring air. She held his arm, smiling with eyes narrowed to slits, and asked him. Lu Lingchuan, will you really give me a home in the future? What did he say back then? He said¡ª¡ª ¡¾I will, I''ll give you two homes.¡¿ He would bring her into his family, and after getting married they would have their own little home. Upon hearing this answer, Shen Nian was very happy at the time. ¡¾Then in the future when I want water I want you to pour it for me, when I want desserts I want you to buy them for me, when there is thunder and lightning I want you to apany me, okay?¡¿ She had been afraid of thunder since she was little. Her mom used to apany her, but now that her mom was gone, she wanted Lu Lingchuan to apany her. ¡¾Okay.¡¿ He agreed without any hesitation. ¡°Boom!¡± Suddenly there was a loud p of thunder, and Lu Lingchuan was abruptly jolted back to alertness. He swiftly turned around and strode withrge steps back towards the apartment building. He rushed back at top speed, nning to immediately rush into the bedroom after opening the door to pull her into his embrace without dy. But upon touching the door handle, the sound of weeping came from inside, and Lu Lingchuan froze abruptly. Shen Nian leaned against the bed, her hands tightly circling her own legs as she buried her head and cried. It was still thundering outside, the lightning illuminating her body. In the huge bedroom she was all alone, freely venting the grievances pent up in her heart. She sobbed so hard she choked on it, the weeping contained such repression, the sounds were very small, yet they urately struck Lu Lingchuan''s heart. ¡°Wu... ah wu--¡± Suddenly Lu Lingchuan lost all strength, unable to grasp the door handle no matter how he tried. His proud head drooped down slowly, his brow furrowed tightly. He turned around, back of his head leaning against the bedroom door, long legs bending as he gracelessly sank down to sit on the floor, one leg drawn up, one hand shoved into his short hair at his forehead. Silent. Summer raines and goes quickly, and within an hour it slowly petered out. Only when there was no more sound from the bedroom did Lu Lingchuan push the door open. There was only a smallmp on in the bedroom, Shen Nian leaning against the bedside, knees drawn to her chest, having fallen asleep just like that. His steps faltered for a moment. He didn''t go over to look at her, instead turned his head towards the bathroom. After around three minutes Lu Lingchuan came back out, a soaked towel in his hand. His steps were light as he walked towards Shen Nian. Looking at Shen Nian hugging her legs while sleeping after having cried herself to exhaustion, he bent down, one knee on the ground. With the towel he carefully wiped her tear covered face, then gently wiped her hands as well. Shen Nian had cried herself to sleep, so she slumbered deeply, unaware at all of Lu Lingchuan helping wipe her face and hands. After finishing, Lu Lingchuan returned to the bathroom to wash the towel clean before cing it back in its original spot, then came back out once more. He''d intended to carry her back onto the bed, but just as he touched her he stopped his hand. As if thinking of something, his head turned towards the bed to reach for the thin nket, then again seemed to think better and retracted his hand. Finally he looked towards the window, got up to tightly close the windows, then as stealthy as before left the bedroom. He gently closed the bedroom door, originally about to immediately depart, when his steps suddenly halted as he turned to look in a certain direction before striding over. ¡°Little Shen Nian¡± and ¡°Little Ling Rui¡± were ced together. Lu Lingchuan reached out to caress ¡°Little Ling Rui''s¡± face again, said nothing, before taking ¡°Little Shen Nian¡± next to her with him as he left. Silently appearing, silently leaving. Shen Nian had no idea Lu Lingchuan had returned, and would live her whole life without knowing Lu Lingchuan had ever brought a ¡°Little Shen Nian¡± back for her. Sometimes, a missed encounter is also a form of no fate. ................................................ After that day, besides at work Lu Lingchuan and Shen Nian never saw each other again. At thepany, he was still the aloof President Lu, while she was still the workaholic manager in her colleagues¡¯ eyes. The only topic between them was work - apart from that there was not one shred of personal feelings. Lu Lingchuan still went out to talk projects, and Shen Nian would follow along to socialize with all the bosses at the negotiation table, utilizing her high emotional quotient to rmend Ling Rui Group¡¯s brands while liquor ss after ss of high alcohol concentration got consumed. Drink until throwing up, then drink again after throwing up. Some questions have no answers, even if you seek your whole life you won''t be able to find them. Stubborn persistence will only waste time. The rtionship between them had always been veryplicated ¨C direct superior and subordinate, boss and mistress, mortal enemies... For a time, there seems to be no suitable word that can urately describe them. He cannot forgive her for abandoning Lu Lingrui back then, so he will never let her off. Yet she is also atoning, hoping to alleviate her own guilty conscience. The Lu family had been so good to her in those years, just as Lu Lingrui had been so good to her. Even now when rtions between her and the Lu family had chilled to rock bottom, she still cannot refute that it was Lu Lingchuan and Lu Lingrui who pulled her up from the abyss of pain and suffering after losing her parents back then. They gave her warmth and love. It is said that to owe another money may be unreasonable, but to owe another''s affection is the most reasonable. She owes the Lu family and must repay it. ........................... It was the weekend and Shen Nian was off. She had gotten up early, showering before casually applying some makeup and styling her hair in soft waves. She also changed into a goose yellow dress. She was dressed up very meticulously, because today she would be attending the 100th founding anniversary celebration at A University, her alma mater. A University was also Lu Lingchuan''s alma mater. It was likewise the university Lu Lingrui had dreamed of attending. Taking a taxi to arrive at A University, it had been close to two years since she wasst back. A University had changed tremendously. She called Zhou Teacher, who had been in charge of guiding her studies in the past. Zhou Teacher quickly rushed over to the school gates to fetch her, very happy upon seeing Shen Nian. ¡°Little Nian, I really didn''t expect you woulde.¡± She had heard Shen Nian was always busy with work. Shen Nian''s lips curled up. ¡°It''s the hundred year school celebration. As A University''s child I should return on such an asion.¡± The teacherughed even more happily as she led Shen Nian inside. "In these past two years our school has changed a lot, especially the added greenery. Look..." "Mm, quite big changes indeed." Since it was the hundred year celebration today the school put up special decorations, with balloons and horizontal banners lining both sides of the pathways, the entire campus filled with a festive aura. Shen Nian had only just passed her 23rd birthday not long ago, yet she had already graduated many years. Students who entered university the same year as her were only graduating now ¨C this was the disparity. The teacher asked how her job was going. Shen Nian patiently answered her queries. Zhou Teacher first brought Shen Nian to the school¡¯s Hall of Fame. Lining the hallway were picture frames spaced at intervals. Shen Nian knew of A University¡¯s Hall of Fame. Only the school¡¯s outstanding graduates could be disyed here. The faces in the earlier frames were strangers to Shen Nian, graduates from many years ago. When looking at one particr frame, her gaze halted. Chapter 23 Chapter 23 The man above looked very young and naive, very different from his currentposed and cold aloofness. He habitually put one hand in his pocket, looking at the camera with no smile, giving a cool feeling. Below is an introduction of him. Lu Lingchuan, an outstanding graduate of ss XX, founder of Lingrui Group. At a young age, Lu Lingchuan already had his ownpany that developed very well. Although his family background was good, Lingrui Group was built up bit by bit by Lu Lingchuan. Today is the 100th anniversary of the school. As an outstanding alumnus, he was naturally disyed in the celebrity gallery of the school. Shen Nian only looked for one second before withdrawing her gaze, closing her eyes. There were photos of other people behind, outstanding engineers, outstanding investors... Shen Nian also saw Xiao Mubai among them, also an outstanding graduate that the school was proud of. She hooked her lips and continued to look down. She was surprised to see herself. The photo was taken when she first entered the school. Below were the words - Shen Nian, outstanding graduate of ss XX. Teacher Zhou looked at Shen Nian affectionately, recalling Shen Nian''s school days, and began to reminisce. "Teacher has never seen such a smart child. You gave me the biggest surprise among all the students I have taught." "When you first entered A University, you were thest in the ss. Your grades were so bad that I was afraid you couldn''t graduate. Who could have thought you worked so hard. Not only did you graduate without issues, you alsopleted all credits and graduated early." From being thest in ss initially to the perfect reversal of graduating early, the things that happened to her were miracles that the school could boast about, so she was also an outstanding graduate the school was proud of. "Nian Nian, why did you choose this major? With your ability, choosing any other major would have been better than studying art." Shen Nian did have some artistic sense, but she didn''t have much interest in art. The one who was truly interested was Lu Lingrui. She came from a good family, and as the only girl in the Lu family, they were willing to spend money to nurture her artistic temperament. Lu Lingrui''s dream was to be able to enter the Art Department of A University. So when filling out her college entrance exam wishlist, she decisively gave up other schools and only put down the Art Department of A University. She also asked Shen Nian to go to A University with her. Later, the college entrance exam results came out. Lu Lingrui received the admission notice from A University, but...she could no longere. So Shen Nian chose the Art Department to fulfill Lu Lingrui''s regret. Hearing Teacher Zhou''s words, Shen Nian withdrew her gaze and turned her head to smile slightly: "One shouldn''t stay in theirfort zone, one should learn to challenge themselves." Hearing this, Teacher Zhou gave her an annoyed look. Normal kids choose majors they are good at or interested in when going to college. This kid deliberately picked something she wasn''t good at. Teacher Zhou wanted to take Shen Nian to see other ces, when a student hurried over and said to Teacher Zhou. "Teacher Zhou, Teacher Wu said there is some problem with the form you gave her and asked you to go back and take a look immediately." Upon hearing this, Teacher Zhou frowned: "I checked it twice, how could there be a problem?" The student shook his head: "I''m not sure either. You left your phone on the table and didn''t bring it. Teacher Wu could only ask me toe find you." That form was very important and the problem had to be resolved immediately. But Shen Nian... Teacher Zhou was very conflicted. Seeing Teacher Zhou''s dilemma, Shen Nian hooked her lips and smiled. "Teacher Zhou go take care of your things. I can wander around myself." Since Shen Nian said so, Teacher Zhou nodded. She wanted to continue taking Shen Nian around, but the other side really needed her to go take a look. "Then take a look around yourself. Oh yes, don''t forget to sign in at the signature wall." Thinking of something, Teacher Zhou reminded her, and then added. "There is a signature wall in the school za." "Okay." After Teacher Zhou left, Shen Nian first went to the za. Today was the school''s 100th anniversary celebration. Whether they graduated or not, as long as they were free, they all came. From afar, Shen Nian saw the signature wall with the A University logo. It was already filled with names. She took a ck marker from a table nearby, looked around, and finally found a nk spot. Just as she lowered her pen to sign her name, Shen Nian suddenly paused. After thinking for a bit, she didn''t write her own name on it, but wrote three words instead. Lu Lingrui. After signing, she put the marker back and turned to leave. ... After wandering around the campus aimlessly, Shen Nian finally had a destination after receiving Teacher Zhou''s text notification and headed to the school auditorium. When she arrived, there were already many people there. The seats didn''t have assigned names, everyone just sat together in groups, apparently sitting casually. Shen Nian picked a corner seat in thest row and sat down. She then lowered her head to y with her phone. Before it started, the auditorium was noisy. At the start time, a voice came from the speakers at the front. "Please quiet down." The noisy auditorium slowly quieted down. A University''s auditorium was veryrge, able to hold thousands. Although there were many people attending the 100th anniversary event, the seats weren''tpletely filled. Some were empty, especially thest row where only Shen Nian was sitting. On the front stage were long tables with middle-aged men sitting behind them. Each had a name te in front indicating they were the school leaders. The host started reading from his script. "Thank you to A University''s outstanding graduates and current students for attending the school''s 100th anniversary celebration!" There was a round of apuse from below. The host continued with an introduction of A University - its founding, achievements over the years... After going through the procedures, it was time for the leaders to give speeches. Shen Nian didn''t have much interest in these kinds of events. She only came today to wander around and distract herself. Perhaps the monotonous days recently of working between two points made her feel too depressed, causing her emotions to be somewhat uncontroble. Shen Nian closed her eyes, propping her forehead with one hand, and rubbed her temples in pain. Even she noticed that her mental state had been especially poor recently. When her temper red up, her mind went nk and she found it hard to control what she said and did. She didn''t want to argue with Lu Lingchuan, but she just couldn''t control herself or her emotions. She felt it was bing harder for her to restrain herself. Shen Nian gently shook her head. After she got through this period, she might need to see a doctor. "Next, we have outstanding graduate Lu Lingchuan give a speech¡ª" Just as the host finished speaking, thunderous apuse immediately sounded from below. Immersed in her own world, Shen Nian jerked her head up when she heard the name "Lu Lingchuan". Lu Lingchuan''s profile was already projected on the screen on stage. In the apuse, Lu Lingchuan walked on stage. That tall and slender graceful figure entered Shen Nian''s vision. He alwaysmanded the most attention in a crowd. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Lu Lingchuan wore a dark suit today, matched with a tie in a simr color scheme. The shiny sapphire tie clip gave off a glint, making his attire look straight and graceful, neat yet noble. The lights on stage shone on him, revealing his perfect and unparalleled figure. His gaze was as usual cold and devoid of any emotion. Those slender eyes looked ahead indifferently, like the cold moonlight in the night sky, giving off an aura of aloofness from worldly affairs. He sat in the empty seat next to the school leaders and leaned forward to adjust the microphone in front of him, revealing well-shaped wrist bones. Lu Lingchuan''s gaze swept over the audience below before retracting. He began, "Hello everyone. I''m Lu Lingchuan. It is my honor to be here today as the outstanding graduate representative." "...Shen Nian did not hear what Lu Lingchuan said next. She simply stared at him nkly. The distance between them was somewhat far, with so many people in between. In fact, Shen Nian could not see him clearly, but just seeing his figure caused scenes to involuntarily emerge in her mind ¨C that face. How could he be here? In recent days, their conversations had been limited to work matters, nothing more. She had never mentioned that she would be returning to University A for the centennial celebration, just as he had not revealed that he would be giving a speech on stage as an outstanding graduate representative. The host was also a student from University A. He looked at Lu Lingchuan excitedly, apparently recognizing him. As soon as Lu Lingchuan finished speaking, the host immediately raised the microphone to his lips. "Greetings, Senior Lu Lingchuan. I am a third-year student at our University A. When summer break ends, I will be entering my fourth and final year while also facing an extremely important issue ¨C employment." "There are many peers below at my grade level, including juniors and freshmen. Today is University A¡¯s hundredth anniversary celebration and we are honored to have invited so many outstanding alumni to return. We are also honored to be able to speak with Senior Lu Lingchuan." "I have some questions that I want answered. Senior Lu Lingchuan, would you be willing to address them?" Lu Lingchuan nodded slightly. "Go ahead." "Firstly, there is constant debate among students regarding career options. Some think that working at apany offers limited prospects for advancement and that entrepreneurship is the only path to sess. Others argue that entrepreneurship has its pros and cons and does not guarantee winning oues ¨C one careless misstep could lead to financial ruin. For stability and security, working at an establishedpany may be better. What is Senior Lu Lingchuan''s view on this issue...?" Lu Lingchuan steadied the microphone in front with one hand. His low yet appealing voice resonated to every corner of the venue through the speakers. "Every choice has its pros and cons. Choose the one most suitable for yourself instead of blindly following the crowd into something you are not adept at." The host nodded and moved on to the second question. "It is well known that Senior Lu Lingchuan is now a very sessful investor. Do you have any tips for sess that you can share?" "I don''t have any special secrets to sess. Just two words of advice for you all ¨C learn continuously." "I think I understand what Senior Lu Lingchuan means," the host responded. "Keep improving through continuous learning and umting experience. Is that right?" "Yes," Lu Lingchuan nodded, his gaze still searching for his target among the crowd. "My professor once mentioned Senior Lu Lingchuan in ss. He said that you had already started your business ventures while still a student on campus. That is why you have achieved such sess at a young age now." "My sess was not aplished through my efforts alone." Lu Lingchuan''s voice was deep. Hearing this, the host immediately asked, "Was there someone else involved?" "Yes," came Lu Lingchuan''s faint reply through the speakers to everyone''s ears. "Who was that person...?" "A girl who changed the trajectory of my life." The crowd let out cries of surprise, followed by hushed murmurs. Changed his life''s trajectory... Hearing those words left Shen Nian somewhat stunned. In fact, Lu Lingchuan had never intended to embark on the path of investment and entrepreneurship. He had other ideals and aspirations. The reason he ended up on this path was because of Lu Lingrui. The messy andplicated matters from years ago had tainted Lu Lingrui. The two drunk culprits responsible had some power and background backing them. Their connections were trying to get the offenders released, but the Lu family insisted on having them sentenced to death. For this reason, the Lu family had exhausted all connections, yet the case remained at an impasse even four years on without resolution. Lu Lingchuan got into investment and entrepreneurship in order to expand hiswork and get to know more influential figures of power, so he could ensure those two beasts from that year would be sentenced to death! If Lu Lingrui had not died, Lu Lingchuan would not have chosen his current path today. From this perspective, it seemed that she really did alter the course of Lu Lingchuan''s life. Thinking of this, Shen Nian couldn''t help a self-deprecatingugh. Sensing an intense stare, Shen Nian lifted her head and met Lu Lingchuan''s eyes. She froze. She did not know when Lu Lingchuan had started watching her. His long narrow eyes were profound as he looked at her withplicated emotions. Shen Nian was stunned into silence. Despite the great distance separating them, in that moment, everyone else faded into the background. The true protagonists were only him...and her. Shen Nian opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but realized she had lost her voice in that instant. I once hesitated, looking back at that faint glimmer of hope... Yet it remains neglected as always. In a fleeting moment, Shen Nian suddenly felt an urge to ask Lu Lingchuan. Are you willing to save me? "Thud!" Her phone slipped from her hand and fell to the floor, the sound instantly jolting Shen Nian back to reality. Lu Lingchuan was still watching her, but Shen Nian awkwardly avoided his gaze and lowered her head to pick up her phone from the floor. Then she fled like a frightened deer. Before getting to know Shen Nian, Lu Lingchuan''s goal had always been to be an exceptional person. At that time, marriage and love were far less important to him than his career. It was only after getting to know Shen Nian that he realized how desperately he wanted to bring a girl home as his wife, to have her by his side in name and status. If not for what happened that year... Perhaps they would already be married with a child. No, there should have been... Two. Gazing at her through the crowd, emotions surged within him. Meeting those beautiful eyes, Lu Lingchuan was suddenly tempted to disregard all lingering concerns and reservations, to disregard everything and run to her side and ask ¨C Are you still willing to be with me? If she said yes, he would give up everything else, wanting only her. A sh of dim light glimmered in the lifeless eyes, flickering unsteadily. The previously dark path ahead suddenly had a ray of light. If he could grasp that ray, he could escape the darkness and see the light again. But just as he was about to voice his question, Shen Nian suddenly got up to hurriedly take her leave. It was like having a bucket of cold water dumped on him. The eyes that were previously full of hope instantly dulled once more. Unbidden, scenes emerged in his mind of Lu Lingrui lying in the ambnce, clearly beyond saving yet still clinging onto his little finger with all her might to give him a pained smile; his mother''s mental breakdown; and Shen Nian mumbling deliriously in thete hours of the night, tormented by nightmares. There were far too many lingering concerns and considerations, so he could not simply disregard them all to run to her and take her into his embrace. Despite being so close, it felt like they were still worlds apart. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Aftering out of the hall, Shen Nian''s mind was somewhat chaotic, and in her mind''s eye, she uncontrobly shed back to his pair of hot eyes. The way he used to look at her was angry, resentful, cold. It seemed that he had not looked at her so seriously for a long time. Just one look almost made her unable to withstand it. Shen Nian walked ahead with her head down absent-mindedly. Suddenly she bumped into something and took a step back. "Nian Nian?" Hearing the familiar voice, Shen Nian looked up and saw the familiar face, somewhat surprised, "Xiao Mubai?" "You came too?" Shen Nian asked. Seeing Shen Nian, Xiao Mubai revealed a gentle smile, "I didn''t originally n oning, butter I thought that the school''s centennial celebration only happens once, if I missed it, it would be gone, so I still came." After saying that, he looked at Shen Nian, "What''s the matter? You don''t look well, and you weren''t even watching where you were walking." Shen Nian smiled, "It''s nothing, I just had a slight fever when I got up this morning." After answering Xiao Mubai, Shen Nian very naturally changed the topic. Seeing him holding a pen in his hand, she asked again, "What are you doing?" "I''m writing my wish." "Wish?" "Yes." Following his gaze, Shen Nian only then noticed that there were red ribbons and cards tied all over the big tree next to them, like those wishing trees that are only seen in temples. Looking at the tree, Xiao Mubai sank into his memories and called Shen Nian, "Nian Nian." "Hmm?" "Do you still remember this tree?" Hearing this, Shen Nian looked at Xiao Mubai somewhat puzzled. She didn''t have any impression of this tree and didn''t understand why Xiao Mubai would ask her that. Seeing her puzzled look, Xiao Mubai smiled, "Wasn''t there a tree I saved before?" "Yes." Shen Nian nodded. She remembered this matter, "That tree was already dead. At that time, the school was going to contact workers to chop down the tree. You went to the principal yourself and said you would revive it..." Recalling the events of the past, a smile shed in Shen Nian''s eyes. It seems that it was at that time that she first truly noticed Xiao Mubai. She was inexperienced in the world. Anyway, having lived for so many years, Xiao Mubai was the first person she had ever seen who wanted to save a dead tree. Seeing Xiao Mubai smile, Shen Nian suddenly understood. Looking at the big tree again, she said in surprise, "This is it?" "Yes." Xiao Mubai patted the tree, "Has it changed a lot?" Yes, how could it not have changed a lot? Shen Nian didn''t even recognize it. She looked up at the things hanging on the tree, "How did this tree be a wishing tree?" "After I revived this tree, I don''t know how it came out that this tree had narrowly escaped death and was destined for good fortune afterwards. If you write down your wish and tie it to the tree, it will definitelye true. Later, even more outrageous rumors spread, and this tree became the wishing tree for University A and became one of the school''s beautiful scenic spots." After listening, Shen Nianughed helplessly. There are no such things as deities in this world. It''s all justforting oneself. Xiao Mubai walked to the side where there was a small shelf in the bushes that looked like a mailbox. He opened the mailbox and inside there were many small cards and red ribbons. He took one and a pen and came back to hand them to Shen Nian. "What is this?" Shen Nian looked at the things in her hand, not understanding. "To make it convenient for everyone to make wishes, the school specially put paper and pens here. You can write down your wish and then hang it in the highest ce so that heaven can see your wish and help you make ite true." Hearing this kind of childish talk from the mouth of a grown man, Shen Nian couldn''t help chuckling, "I don''t believe this stuff." But Xiao Mubai looked at her very seriously, "You better believe it. I''ve heard that some students left messages here before, and then their wishes came true. It''s because some people''s wishes havee true that this wishing tree became so famous." Handing the things to Shen Nian, he raised what was in his own hand, "Anyway, it doesn''t cost any money, so just do it for fun and good luck." Since Xiao Mubai said so, Shen Nian could only nod, "Alright then." It was just for fun anyway. In order to coax Shen Nian into writing one, Xiao Mubai wrote one as well. Not far away there was a stone table. The two of them sat facing each other. Seeing Xiao Mubai seriously writing out his wish, Shen Nian became serious as well. She carefully considered it, then lowered her head to start writing. After finishing, she folded the paper, put it in the red velvet bag, and wrote her name with a signature pen on the fabric. Shen Nian. Once everything was done, she gave the strings on both sides a pull and tied a knot so that others couldn''t see the contents inside. When she looked up after finishing, Xiao Mubai was also done on his side. He held out his hand, "Do you want me to hang them up for you?" Shen Nian looked down at her skirt and nodded, "Thanks." "You''re wee," Xiao Mubai''s eyebrows quirked up. Taking off the suit jacket he was wearing, Xiao Mubai naturally handed it to her, "Hold this for me." Shen Nian took the jacket. He loosened his tie and undid the cuffs, rolling up his sleeves before taking both wishes and walking toward the wishing tree. First looking for a spot, he then jumped up and very adeptly grabbed onto the tree trunk, slowly climbing up. Watching from below, when Shen Nian saw that he had climbed high enough, she said, "It''s fine to hang it there." The higher up the tree, the thinner the branches, and it was easier to fall down. Shen Nian didn''t believe there was such a thing as a wishing tree to begin with, so she didn''t ask for her wish to be hung in the very highest spot for the heavens to see. Xiao Mubai looked up and said to Shen Nian, "It''s no problem, I can climb a bit higher." After saying that, he stepped on another branch. "Hey!" Shen Nian called out to him, but Xiao Mubai was very stubborn and insisted on climbing to the highest point. Her heart was in her throat as she watched him climb higher and higher, but fortunately he made it up safely without incident. He first hung Shen Nian''s wish in the highest ce, then put his own wish next to Shen Nian''s. After tying them, he started climbing down. Going down was much faster than going up. Stepping from branch to branch he made his way down until he was still more than two meters from the ground and simply jumped down directly. Xiao Mubai pped his hands and quirked his eyebrows at Shen Nian with a smile, "There, our wishes are in the highest ce, so when Heaven is granting wishes, he''ll see ours first." Shen Nian threw his jacket at him, "You can actuallyugh after doing something so dangerous!" When Xiao Mubai had jumped down just now, he had identally stepped on a very thin branch in his hurry. The thin branch couldn''t bear his weight and snapped directly. Fortunately Xiao Mubai reacted quickly and immediately steadied himself, otherwise falling from such a height, it would be a blessing from heaven if he didn''t smash his head. Xiao Mubai was hit by the jacket and pretended toin bitterly, "I only climbed so high because I wanted your wish to be granted first." Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Seeing Xiao Mubai''s serious face, Shen Nian was stunned at first, then came back to her senses and revealed a warm smile. "Thank you, Xiao Mubai," she said earnestly. Seeing her smile, Xiao Mubai also hooked his lips: "As long as you''re happy." He was only doing this to make her happy. Looking at Xiao Mubai''s face, Shen Nian thought, Xiao Mubai was perhaps the only ray of light in her dark world. "Let me take you out for dinner today?" Shen Nian took the initiative to speak. Hearing this, Xiao Mubai''s eyes lit up and he quickly responded, "Great! You offered it yourself, no going back on your word." Shen Nian couldn''t help but chuckle, reassuring him, "Don''t worry, I won''t go back on my word." ............................................. There were no special activities for the school''s centennial celebration. Shen Nian took a quick look around and left at noon. After having lunch with Xiao Mubai, she spent the afternoon at a nice library. Perhaps there was too much bitterness and repression in her life, so she felt the rare tranquility was happiness. By the time she thought of going home, it was already past 4:30 in the afternoon. Shen Nian hung up her phone and started thinking about what to eat for dinner. For some reason, she suddenly wanted to cook by herself. Previously, she had been too busy with work and ate at thepany or ordered takeout. Her kitchen at home was covered in ayer of dust. No matter how good the food at restaurants and takeout was, itcked the taste of home. Today, she finally had time. Shen Nian thought for a moment then went to the nearby farmer''s market after leaving the library. There was also produce at the supermarket, but Shen Nian still chose the farmer''s market. The moment she stepped into the farmer''s market, the shouts of peddlers mixed with the sounds of haggling rushed into her ears. It was a little chaotic. For some reason, Shen Nian rather enjoyed this messiness. Listening to the mor, she felt like there were other people''s voices in her world, not just her own. "Youngdy, do you want to take a look at the potatoes?" Hearing someone calling her, Shen Nian turned her head to see an aunt dressed simply waving at her. Seeing that Shen Nian had looked over, the aunt immediately revealed a bright smile and enthusiastically introduced her wares. "The vegetables from my stall are grown without pesticides, fresh and healthy! Take a look." "Sure." Shen Nian smiled slightly. Standing in front of the aunt''s stall, the aunt enthusiastically said, "Look at my potatoes. Aren''t they much bigger than other people''s? The taste when stir-fried ispletely different, trust me!" "And these cucumbers, I grew them myself. Although they don''t look very nice, I guarantee they are pesticide-free!" "Youngdy, take a look at this as well..." The aunt was too enthusiastic, and Shen Nian was a little overwhelmed, saying with a wry smile, "Auntie, I''m eating alone." The aunt suddenly realized and quickly nodded, "Eating alone? Then buy less, otherwise it''d be wasteful if you buy too much!" As she spoke, she put some of the potatoes she had helped pick out for Shen Nian back on the stand, leaving only two or three, just the right amount for a dish. "You can put the potatoes back, but since this is your first time buying from me, it''s better to buy less first, to try if it''s delicious. If so,e back another time!" "Thank you, auntie." Shen Nian smiled. The aunt weighed the potatoes and told Shen Nian the quantity and price, then grabbed a handful of scallions and garlic and added them in, "These are for you." Seeing the aunt being so enthusiastic, Shen Nian decided to speak up, "I don''t go out to buy groceries often. I want to buy some ingredients that can be stored. Please rmend some to me, auntie." The aunt''s eyes lit up and she quickly said, "There are quite a few that can be stored! My carrots are especially good. Make carrot cakes, carrot and yam soup, they are great! If you don''t want to be bothered, you can simply stir-fry carrots and eggs." "Winter melon can also be stored for a long time. Winter melon soup, I''ll pick a smaller winter melon for you so there won''t be any waste since you''re eating alone!" Shen Nian smiled and nodded, "Then I''ll listen to you, auntie." The aunt enthusiastically helped pick nice carrots and winter melon while chatting andughing, "Youngdy, you look so petite yet you''re out buying groceries yourself, really sensible! Unlike my daughter who only knows how to scroll on her phone and order express deliveries at home all day!" It was rare to meet such a warm-hearted auntie. Shen Nian was also very patient in answering her questions. "Auntie, I''m 23 already, not that young." "Oh my, 23?" The aunt looked surprised. "I really couldn''t tell, I thought you were only twenty, around the same age as my daughter. I didn''t expect you to be older than her." Shen Nian smiled. "23 already, have you started working?" "Yes, I already have a job." "How''s work? A smart girl like you must have found a good job, right?" "It''s not bad, I''m the CEO''s assistant." "The CEO''s assistant!" The aunt looked very surprised. "I know what that is, it''s a great job!" Regr factories only have bosses and factory managers. Only the person in charge of bigpanies is called the CEO. To be the CEO''s assistant without skills and capabilities? Impossible to be the CEO''s assistant! Shen Nian smiled, "It''s quite good." "Wonderful." The aunt said, "My daughter is in her third year of university, will be a senior when school starts. She''s about to enter society too, but that girl thinks of nothing but vanity all day long, not as capable as you!" Despite theints, the aunt''s smile was full of joy when talking about her daughter. Seeing her smile, Shen Nian was lost in thought for a moment, but quickly revealed a new smile, reassuring her, "You love her so much, she won''t fail to live up to your hopes." The aunt was extremely pleased to be pacified like this. She passed the weighed vegetables to Shen Nian, "I like you, child. Come by often in the future!" "Sure." After buying the groceries, Shen Nian returned home. Upon getting home, she first changed her shoes, then carried the vegetables into the kitchen. The pots and pans in the kitchen hadn''t been used for a long time. She scrubbed a pot first, then wiped the countertop before rinsing the vegetables. Then she took a knife and sliced what needed to be sliced, julienned what needed to be julienned. When Lu Lingchuan came back, he saw the busy Shen Nian. The moment he saw her figure, Lu Lingchuan felt as if he was a husbanding home from work, walking in to see his wife preparing dinner. This scene...was the future he had longed for since he was twenty. He never thought he would get to see it in his lifetime. Shen Nian was rinsing the rice. She rarely cooked, so while she knew the basics, she wasn''t very skilled. Simple tasks like cooking noodles and scrambling eggs were fine, but she didn''t know how to make moreplex dishes. Like cooking rice, every time she rinsed it, the water would be cloudy. Shen Nian wasn''t sure if it was thoroughly washed and kept rinsing again and again. She was hesitating whether to look up how many times rice should be rinsed when the man''s deep voice sounded from the doorway. "Rice only needs to be rinsed 2-3 times, scrub gently when rinsing. Rinsing too many times will deplete the vitamins, protein, and minerals in the rice." Hearing the familiar voice, Shen Nian looked up to see Lu Lingchuan standing at the door. Thest time he came back, they had a huge fight. Their rtionship had been icy since then. Shen Nian thought Lu Lingchuan wouldn''te again, so she was a little surprised to see him now. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 However, she quickly figured it out after being surprised for a few seconds. She and Lu Lingchuan had made an agreement earlier that to the outside world, they maintained the identities of a CEO and his assistant, and they could not tell anyone about their other rtionship. Privately, Lu Lingchuan had requested that she ept and execute his demands unconditionally and without reason. For example, if Lu Lingchuan wanted to see her, she had to rush over immediately. The apartment she was living in now was bought by Lu Lingchuan, so it was Lu Lingchuan''s home. Naturally, he coulde back anytime he wanted. Suppressing the fleeting surprise in her eyes, Shen Nian resumed her usual calmness and nodded, "Okay." Ming had rinsed the rice three or four times, so there was no need to rinse it again. Shen Nian poured the washed rice into the rice cooker, took some more rice out of the cab, and continued rinsing. She had only taken enough rice for one person, nning to eat alone. Now that Lu Lingchuan was back, she naturally had to prepare his portion too. This time she rinsed it three times before pouring the rice into the cooker. She added some water, plugged it in and pressed the button, waiting for the rice cooker to operate on its own. She also washed the vegetables she had cut earlier and put them on a te. Knowing that Lu Lingchuan was still standing at the door watching her, she deliberately ignored his gaze and focused on stir-frying the dishes. Neither of them mentioned the A University centennial celebration. Shen Nian put the wok on the stove, added oil, andpleted the preparatory steps correctly. When the oil was hot, she poured the vegetables in. The vegetables were rinsed clean but still wet. When the water met the hot oil, it sizzled noisily and sttered oil everywhere. Shen Nian was distracted and the noise startled her. She immediately took two steps back, almost dropping the te in her hand. Lu Lingchuan strode forward swiftly. With one hand, he supported her lower back. Shen Nian stared at him, surprised and puzzled. How could he... Lu Lingchuan didn''t look at her shocked expression. Instead, he said lightly, "Let me do it." Since he had already said so, Shen Nian naturally wouldn''tpete with him. She silently took a step back to give him space, then went to the side to wash the tes to be usedter and wiped them dry with paper towels. With nothing else to do after finishing her task, and Lu Lingchuan still there, she couldn''t leave either. So she just stood there, watching Lu Lingchuan cook. To be honest, Lu Lingchuan''s movements were not standardpared to professional chefs, but still much better than hers. He carefully inspected the ingredients while she quietly watched him from behind. There was an awkward harmony between them. The dishes Lu Lingchuan stir-fried looked quite appetizing. After cooking, he nced sideways and said very naturally, "te." Shen Nian immediately brought the te over. After scooping the dishes into the te, she went to wash the wok. Shen Nian didn''t idle either. She brought the dishes to the dining table. The two of them had made four dishes and a simple seaweed egg drop soup. The rice happened to be cooked as well. Taking the washed bowls and chopsticks out, they sat face to face across the table. After theirst fight, Shen Nian didn''t expect that they could still sit together like this to have a meal peacefully. Taking a deep breath to steady her uneasy state, she scooped him a bowl of rice, then scooped one for herself. Sitting down, she lowered her head and ate quietly without speaking. The only sounds at the dining table were of the two people using their chopsticks. The dishes Lu Lingchuan made were not particrly amazing, but the taste was decent too. Shen Nian had an unexpectedly good appetite and soon finished a whole bowl, leaving just the bottom. She tried her best not to lift her head and meet Lu Lingchuan''s gaze, because she didn''t know what to say or could say. She had acted like a madwoman and threw a tantrum in front of himst time. Now when she thought back it was so embarrassing. "I was only helping her shop that day. It wasn''t a date." Lu Lingchuan suddenly spoke. Shen Nian, who was spacing out, looked up and met his sincere eyes. She was stunned. It took a full five seconds before she reacted to what Lu Lingchuan was talking about. It was the time she went shopping with Jiang Lingling but bumped into him with Liang Jinghe. They were not on a date. He was just doing Liang Jinghe a favor. So was he exining? Shen Nian looked dazed for a few seconds before resuming her normal expression. She pursed her lips and gave a soft "hmm" in response. Then... the two had nothing more to say again. He had exined and she nodded to indicate she understood, but it seemed like the conflict between them was resolved yet unresolved at the same time. Just like the previous period, they had no topics except work. When they didn''t know what to say, they would rather keep silent. However, Shen Nian''s mood was definitely much better than the previous period, even Jiang Lingling noticed it. "Sister Nian, you seem to be in a pretty good mood these days," Jiang Lingling suddenly said while looking at Shen Nian. Shen Nian nced up from the documents she was sorting and curved her lips. "Is that so?" "Mm-hmm!" Jiang Lingling nodded in agreement. Shen Nian continued bowing her head to work busily while asking casually, "How do you know I''ve been in a good mood recently?" "Intuition," Jiang Lingling answered frankly. "The past few days, although Sister Nian was working diligently, you gave off a preupied vibe. But now it''s clearly different. It''s like, um... you don''t have worries anymore and are much happier overall." Amused by her peculiar description, Shen Nian couldn''t help but chuckle. "No idle chitchat during work. Have you finished your tasks on hand?" "Done," Jiang Lingling hurriedly handed the documents over to Shen Nian, "This is the information on Lawyer Xu Xiping that Boss Lu asked me to investigate. Sister Nian, you''ll need to check it again before I can pass it to Boss Lu." "Lawyer Xu Xiping?" Shen Nian looked at her, puzzled. "Yes," Jiang Lingling replied. Taking the documents from Jiang Lingling''s hands, Shen Nian seriously flipped through them. Xu Xiping was a renownedwyer domestically and abroad. He had been working overseas until two months ago when he returned to China and opened aw firm in City W. With many years of experience under his belt, he had taken on hundreds and thousands of cases, even the mostplex ones. He had never lost a case and was absolutely legendary in the legalmunity. But the more outstanding one was, the more entric their temperament. Ordinarywyers were easy to persuade as long as the price was right. But Lawyer Xu was different. He took cases as he pleased, depending on his mood. When he was in a bad mood, he wouldn''t take a single case for a whole year. Lawyer Xu was unmarried and childless, and his parents had passed away many years ago, so he had no family ties. He wasn''t addicted to women or money either. It was very difficult to bribe him. Jiang Lingling asked doubtfully, "Why did Boss Lu suddenly ask me to investigate Lawyer Xu? Ourpany already has professional legal advisors. Is Boss Lu nning to change advisors?" Shen Nian looked at the information above - Lawyer Xu''s date of birth, household registration, favorite foods, social circle etc., even some trivial details were found. It was obvious Lu Lingchuan attached great importance to this person. While Jiang Lingling was puzzled, Shen Nian understood very clearly. If this Lawyer Xu Xiping was as outstanding as rumored, the only reason Lu Lingchuan looked for him was for one matter, one person - Lu Lingrui. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 It has been over four years since Lu Lingrui passed away. For the Lu family and Shen Nian, every minute and every second of these four years has been agonizing. Firstly, because they lost Lu Lingrui. Secondly, even after all these years, they still haven''t made the two drunkards who ruined Lu Lingrui pay for their actions. The events of that year wereplicated. Lu Lingrui took her own life, but it wasn''t directly caused by those two drunkards. It could only be considered an indirect cause, which meant they wouldn''t face severe punishment. Back then, those two individuals destroyed Lu Lingrui while under the influence of alcohol. At most, they were charged with assault, which carried a maximum sentence of three years. However, the Lu family wanted the death penalty! Lu Lingrui lost her life because of them, and they must pay an equivalent price! Even so, it couldn''t alleviate the pain of losing Lu Lingrui. But it was impossible for the Lu family to dictate the oue. Moreover, those two drunkards had some connections, and they insisted that they were intoxicated at the time, unable to control their brains and bodies. It was an unintentional act, not premeditated. Their actions were deemed unintentional, not deserving of death. For all these years, both sides have been deadlocked. If the first trial failed, they would appeal again in the second trial. Lu Lingchuan worked so hard, expanding his social circle, just to meet more people and seek revenge for Lu Lingrui! Lost in her thoughts, Shen Nian stared at the name and photo of Xu Xiping in the documents. Her grip tightened, and she replied in aposed tone, "Mr. Lu has his reasons for asking you to investigate Lawyer Xu." Jiang Lingling also thought along the same lines. After all, he was the boss. If he wanted to meet someone, he would. If he wanted to investigate someone, he would. There was no need for so many questions. "Could you please take a look and see if there''s anything else to add, Nian?" Jiang Lingling asked. Shen Nian flipped through the papers and handed her the folder, saying, "No problem. You can give it to Mr. Lu." "Ah, okay." Jiang Lingling nodded and left first. Shen Nian continued organizing the documents in her hands, her movements bing hurried. Her chest felt as if arge stone was pressing on it, making it hard to breathe. She put down the documents, ced one hand on her heart, and her face turned slightly pale. She awkwardly reached for the ss of water nearby and gulped down more than half of it. That oppressive feeling finally subsided. Resting both hands on the desk, she lowered her head and closed her eyes, calming her breath. After a while, she regained herposure. Those drunkards would pay the price, and there would be an oue for Lingrui... Yes, there would definitely be. Sorting the documents, Shen Nian held the ones that needed attention and walked towards Lu Lingchuan''s office. "Bang bang bang," three knocks. "Mr. Lu." "Come in." Upon entering, Shen Nian found Lu Lingchuan on a phone call. He held the phone to his ear with one hand and pressed the wireless mouse with the other, his voice cold. "I know, I''ll go there in a couple of days." "Mhmm." "We''ll get in touch then." After that, Lu Lingchuan hung up the phone. Shen Nian approached and handed him the contract. "Mr. Lu, these are the documents that need your signature today. Also, you have a dinner appointment with General Manager Xu tonight at 7 o''clock to discuss the East City project." "Mhmm." Lu Lingchuan responded, "Put them aside, I''ll look at themter." "Okay." Shen Nian was about to ce the document on Lu Lingchuan''s left side when she nced down and noticed an open folder with obvious signs of being flipped through, presumably by Lu Lingchuan. With just a quick look, Shen Nian recognized it as the informationpiled by Jiang Lingling about thewyer Xu Xiping. She nced up at Lu Lingchuan, who was earnestly studying theputer screen, which also disyed information about thiswyer. Shen Nian lowered her gaze, set down the document, and turned to leave. Just as she was turning around, she heard the man''s calm instruction from behind, "Book a flight ticket for me to W City tomorrow." W City, where Lawyer Xu is currently located. It was highly likely that Lu Lingchuan intended to meet him. Shen Nian nodded, "Alright." ........................................ In the evening, Shen Nian apanied Lu Lingchuan to a dinner party. He had been eyeing this project for almost half a year, eager to secure it, but the other party had been stubbornly resistant. After numerous negotiations, they finally seeded today. Both Lu Lingchuan and Shen Nian had consumed a fair amount of alcohol. At the dinner table, Lu Lingchuan kept drinking with Mr. Xu, while Shen Nian only asionally raised her ss, maintaining a slight buzz but not getting as drunk as Lu Lingchuan. They hade by car, and now that they had both been drinking, it was obvious they couldn''t drive anymore. They left the car there and Shen Nian hailed a taxi. Apart from Shen Nian, Lu Lingchuan had other properties, and he would return to his apartment when he had arguments with Shen Nian. Shen Nian knew about his other properties but was unaware of their locations. Their rtionship could only be this ndestine affair; there would be no other possibilities. Shen Nian was well aware of her status, so she wouldn''t inquire about matters she shouldn''t. Lu Lingchuan was drunk and unable to go back alone, so Shen Nian took him to her home. Their home. After getting drunk, Lu Lingchuan behaved normally; he simply rested his head on Shen Nian''s shoulder. The driver in front drove while Shen Nian carefully looked after Lu Lingchuan. "Shen Nian..." he murmured with closed eyes, his voice barely audible. Shen Nian paused in her actions, thinking she had misheard. But the man''s murmurs didn''t stop. "Nian Nian, not ''eternal remembrance,'' but ''unforgettable remembrance''... Unforgettable remembrance..." Shen Nian froze. When they first met, she introduced herself. My name is Shen Nian, ''unforgettable remembrance.'' Unforgettable remembrance will surely have an echo. Back then, she hadn''t paid attention to the fact that ''eternal remembrance'' was also this ''remembrance.'' Every day she lived now was spent in remembrance of Lu Lingrui. Lu Lingchuan''s murmurs were faint, and only Shen Nian could make out what he was saying. The driver in front only heard him muttering and started a lighthearted conversation with Shen Nian. "Youngdy, is he your boyfriend?" "... " It was such a simple question, yet Shen Nian didn''t know how to answer. Yes... and no. To be more precise, they had a mutually beneficial rtionship as benefactor and lover. Shen Nian was undeniably beautiful, unforgettable at first sight, and her mncholic aura added to her appeal, making her a uniquely charismatic beauty. And as for Lu Lingchuan, there was no need for words. Long limbs, well-defined features, thick eyebrows, and thin lips¡ªa perfect example of a handsome man. When the two of them were together, anyone who saw them would believe they were a match made in heaven. Shen Nian was lost in thought and didn''t immediately respond to her master. Assuming that she had tacitly agreed, her master became even happier and continued in a very affable manner. "There''s a saying, how does it go? ''In vino veritas,'' there''s some truth to that. When your boyfriend gets drunk and calls out your name, it shows that you''re constantly on his mind and in his heart. Young girl, you''re fortunate. There aren''t many young people these days who are so devoted." "May you both havesting happiness, Uncle!" Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Hearing the driver''s kind blessings, Shen Nian hooked her lips. She couldn''t deny that the driver''s words touched her deeply - this was the kind of life she had been dreaming of, including now, with Lu Lingchuan. She really couldn''t bear to reject such a beautiful blessing. She smiled at the driver and said, "Thank you, uncle." When they arrived, the car stopped at the entrance of themunity. "39 yuan. I''ll take 30 for bringing you lovebirds together - it must be fate." "Thank you, uncle," Shen Nian took out 30 yuan in change from her bag and handed it to the driver. She then opened the car door and got out first before carefully helping Lu Lingchuan out. Fortunately, Lu Lingchuan was very cooperative. Shen Nian didn''t have to use too much effort to support him. The security guard at themunity entrance recognized Shen Nian and greeted her, then helped to open the door. Supporting Lu Lingchuan, they sessfully entered themunity, walked into the building, took the elevator and safely returned home. Shen Nian brought Lu Lingchuan into the bedroom and put him on the big bed. She hadn''t stopped the whole way and was panting heavily. Although she wasn''t drunk, she had drank quite a bit and her mind felt dizzy. She stood there catching her breath for a good while before taking off Lu Lingchuan''s shoes and helping him out of his suit jacket and loosening his tie. She was about to grab the nearby nket to cover him when the sleeping man suddenly grabbed her wrist. Before Shen Nian could react, her body was already out of control, falling heavily onto the man. Just as Shen Nian was about to get up, everything spun and when she regained her senses, she was already being firmly pressed down by Lu Lingchuan. "Lu..." Shen Nian was about to call out to him but the man didn''t give her a chance to speak. He forcefully blocked her lips. One hand was tangled in her hair, cradling the back of her head, while the other hand encircled her waist. He kissed her desperately like he couldn''t get enough. Easily parting her lips, he frantically sipped at the sweetness that belonged only to her, tracing every detail. Lu Lingchuan kissed her deeply and lingeringly. Without having to restrain himself like when awake, he revealed his truest self in his drunken state. He embraced her in his arms. After who knows how long, Lu Lingchuan reluctantly let go. Shen Nian finally regained her freedom and took big gulps of air. The man buried his head at her neck, his lips brushing past her earlobe. "I''m going to see Lawyer Xu..." He suddenly spoke, his voice still holding traces of drunkenness. It was as if he was talking to Shen Nian, yet also murmuring to himself. Shen Nian quietly listened to his soft mumblings. "Shen Nian..." He started calling out her name again. "Shen Nian..." Shen Nian didn''t struggle. She just stared at him nkly, watching him. He really was drunk. In order to secure the project today, he had drank like water. Like a child without any sense of security, he kept calling out Shen Nian''s name. Only by embracing her could he obtain that scarce sense of security. Shen Nian, Shen Nian... "I''m here," not knowing how many times she had heard him call out to her, Shen Nian finally responded. Shen Nian. I''m here. What would he say next? Shen Nian waited for his answer, but the man only silently moved his lips. "What?" Shen Nian couldn''t hear what he was saying. The room lights weren''t switched on and she couldn''t even make out the shape of his lips. But in the next moment, the man once again blocked her lips, even more forcefully than before. Shen Nian justy there, unable to evade or escape. Like prey lying on a chopping block, she could only let him have his way. The surroundings were very quiet without a hint of sound. Moonlight shone in through the window, spilling onto the big bed and illuminating their two figures. After who knows how long, Shen Nian was so tired that she fell asleep. Lu Lingchuan hugged her satisfylingly in his embrace, his chin resting on top of her head and his lips moved ever so slightly once more. The same lip shape as before. A silent, "I love you." ... The next day when Shen Nian woke up, it was already 11am. She touched her phone to check the time, then closed her eyes to rest a little longer before slowly getting up. As expected, there was no sight of Lu Lingchuan. She had booked a 10:30am flight to City W for him today. Right now he would be on the ne. After washing up and changing into new clothes along with light makeup, Shen Nian headed to work. As Lu Lingchuan''s assistant, she normally followed him around to assist with work. Now that Lu Lingchuan was away on a business trip, she finally had a rare respite. Lu Lingchuan had already arranged the next few days work in advance. Even with him not in the office, it was business as usual and Shen Nian worked, ate and lived her days just like normal. And so two days passed by. It was another afternoon and there was half an hour left till knocking-off time. A colleague Shen Nian normally had a good rtionship with, Li Nan, came by to hand in some documents. Taking the chance while Shen Nian was checking through them, she asked, "Nian Nian, are you free tomorrow?" "Tomorrow?" Shen Nian nced at the calendar on the side and paused for a second before quickly regaining herposure. She asked, "What''s the matter?" "Oh, it''s not anything major," Li Nan stuck out her tongue. "Since tomorrow is Saturday, our department is having an outbound activity to do some hiking and camping. I know that other than work, all you do is go home everyday - your life is too dull! So I wanted to invite you to join our department''s team building." Shen Nianughed and declined, "It sounds good but I happen to have something on tomorrow. Sorry, I can''t make it." "You''re busy huh..." Li Nan felt it was a pity but understandable. "It''s fine, workes first after all. If I''m free next time I''ll definitely join you guys to y," Shen Nian replied. "Okay." After amending Li Nan''s project report, it was the end of work hours. Shen Nian packed up and clocked out. But instead of immediately going home today, she headed to a nearby florist at herpany. *ding ling ling* As soon as she pushed open the door, she could hear the crisp sound of wind chimes, followed by the floristdy boss''s gentle voice. "Hello, what flowers are you looking for?" Shen Nian''s gaze swept over the variety of flowers before looking back at thedy boss and asking, "Do you have sunflowers?" "Sunflowers?" Thedy boss smiled. "Our shop does have some but not many. Miss, are you looking to add them as decorations into other flower bouquets?" "No." Shen Nian shook her head. "A whole bouquet of sunflowers." "I''m afraid we don''t have that many." "It''s fine," Shen Nian nodded and then left the shop. She went around several other nearby flower shops but either they didn''t have sunflowers or the variety wasn''t to Shen Nian''s liking. After wandering around fruitlessly for over two hours, she finally managed to buy what she wanted from one of the shops - a whole bouquet of sunflowers. Hugging the sunflowers happily, she headed home. The first thing Shen Nian did when she got home was to ce the sunflowers on the dining table. She took out a nt mister from the drawer, filled it with water and sprayed the sunflowers. There were different varieties of sunflowers - fluffy teddy sunflowers, premium oil painting sunflowers. What Shen Nian chose was a refreshing lemony yellow sunflower, also known as cream sunflower. The overall color leaned towards buttery yellow, giving off a very gentle feeling. [I''m back with an update, yes I''m alive] Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Shen Nian tidied up the sunflowers, then turned to go to the bathroom to wash. She had to get up very early tomorrow, so she needed to rest early today. The next day, Shen Nian woke up at half past three in the morning. She took out a ck dress from the wardrobe and put it on. She didn''t put on any makeup and tied her hair into a simple bun. Her clothes were ck, her hair was ck, and even the hair tie holding her bun was ck. The ck color was somewhat oppressive. After getting ready, she went out holding the bouquet of sunflowers. There were still taxis around at this time, though not many. Shen Nian was quite lucky and only had to wait five minutes before a taxi came. After getting in the taxi, she said lightly: "Cemetery in the east of the city." Getting a request to go to the cemetery at such an early hour really frightened the taxi driver. He nced at Shen Nian in the back through the rearview mirror. She was dressed all in ck, and with the darkness outside, her whole person was shrouded in gloom. Because the light was off, he couldn''t see her expression clearly, which really gave a creepy feeling. A hand stretched out which gave the driver a fright and he almost cried out. But on closer look he realized the slender, fair hand was holding a red bill. "I''m not a ghost," Shen Nian exined tly, seeming to know what the driver was afraid of. "Thank you for the trouble." When Shen Nian didn''t speak, she really was frightening. But hearing her voice, the driver was not so scared anymore. From here to the cemetery in the east of the city, even with the higher nighttime taxi fare, a single trip would not cost more than fifty yuan. Shen Nian very generously gave a hundred yuan bill, which was a huge tip. The driver took the money with a smile. "Little miss is going to pay respects?" "Mm," Shen Nian murmured in agreement. The car drove on. There were not many cars on the road at this time, so the journey was quite smooth. Perhaps because of the quiet surroundings, the driver kept trying to make conversation. "Paying respects to family?" "No, a friend." "A friend, ah..." The driver looked back at Shen Nian again. Without makeup, Shen Nian looked even more youthful. In the dim light, the driver could not make out every detail of her face, but he could see she was a young and pretty girl. Her friend was surely around the same age as her. Passed away so young... The driver felt somewhat regretful. Shen Nian held the sunflowers in silence, only answering the driver''s numerous questions with the asional "mm". She looked out the window. There were very few cars on the highway, and the streetlights swiftly slid past her vision. After looking for some time, Shen Nian lowered her head again to press her phone screen. The originally dark screen lit up. Her phone wallpaper was very simple, nothing special about it. At the top of the screen was the time, it was already four o''clock. Below that was the date. Saturday, June 15 A very ordinary day, no special asion at all. Mm, not special at all. The schedule she had set suddenly popped up with a reminder. [Lu Lingrui''s birthday] Mm, today was Lu Lingrui''s birthday. It was very quiet in the car again for a long time, until they finally arrived at the cemetery in the east of the city. Shen Nian got out of the car holding the flowers and walked in. At this time of day, the whole city was peaceful and quiet, not to mention this ce. When Shen Nian reached the cemetery entrance, the security guard was an old grandpa. Grandpa had not yet rested. Seeing Shen Nian arrive, he smiled, "You''vee." "Grandpa," Shen Nian said in surprise, "You haven''t slept yet?" "Knowing you wereing today, this old man waited up specially for you," the old man said. Then he pointed to the calendar on the table next to them, which showed today''s date. Below the 15th the grandpa had written some big words to remind himself and prevent mistakes. Shen Nian was stunned for a moment, then showed a smile. "Thank you, grandpa." "Alright, go on in quickly." It was a bit cold in the early morning, and the cold wind blowing on her felt chilling. "Foolish girl, how could youe out without a coat?" the old man nagged. Hearing the fussing, Shen Nian''s lips curled up in a smile. She said something back to him, then took the tools she kept here before going in. It was very peaceful and deste here. She didn''t need any lights or directions, turning familiar corners until stopping in front of a grave. She stood there, first lowering her eyes to nce at the icy gravestone without putting the sunflowers down, but cing them to the side instead. Squatting down on one knee in front of the gravestone, she put the tools borrowed from the old grandpa beside her leg. It was a small bucket. The old grandpa had already helped fill it with water for her beforehand. Shen Nian soaked a dry towel in it, then wrung it out cleanly and carefully wiped the gravestone, getting rid of all the dirt on it. She didn''t speak, just silently doing the task at hand. After wiping it clean, she finally hugged the bouquet of sunflowers and looked at the gravestone. The sky was a bit dark and she couldn''t see the words clearly, but Shen Nian knew what was written on it. Grave of eldest daughter Lu Lingrui. She lowered her eyes. She ced the sunflowers down and said gently, "I''vee to see you. Today is your birthday, happy birthday." "... " No one answered her. Just another gust of cold wind blew up. Shen Nian was very quiet. She had never been a talkative person to begin with. Leaning against Lu Lingrui''s gravestone, she drew up her legs and hugged them with her hands. She didn''t speak again, just sitting there very quietly, head lowered in silence. When she had arrived, the sky was still very dark, but summertime days came early. In less than an hour, the sky had already started to brighten faintly, and soon thest remnants of darkness faded away as the first rays of morning sunlight shone down. Feeling the light on her, Shen Nian''s body moved a little. She looked up at the sun in the sky. "It''s bright now." She didn''t expect it to get bright so quickly. She turned her head to look at Lu Lingrui''s gravestone, moved her lips, wanting to say something but not knowing what to say. In the past, it was always Lu Lingrui who had actively brought up topics with her. Now left toe up with a topic herself, she was silent for a long time but couldn''t think of anything to talk about. Actually, just seeing the photo and name on the gravestone already gave her greatfort. She took out her phone to check the time. Today was Lu Lingrui''s birthday. Her family woulde to see her. All these years, Shen Nian had purposefullye at different times to avoid unnecessary conflict. She knew Lu''s family didn''t want to see her at all. It was still early now. Lu''s family probably wouldn''te this early. On the other hand, Lu Lingchen was apanying Li Mingshi to see Lu Lingrui. Lu Lingchen held a bouquet of sunflowers in one hand, and supported Li Mingshi with the other. Over the years, Li Mingshi''s health had not been good. Sometimes when she was overwhelmed with grief over Lu Lingrui, she would even faint. "Mom, you didn''t need toe see sister so early," said Lu Lingchen. Li Mingshi was not wearing any makeup and looked very haggard. Her hair was just casually tied back with a hair band. Hearing her youngest son''s words, Li Mingshi shook her head. "Mom dreamed of your sister. She used to love her birthdays so much... Your sister must miss us." That was why she wanted toe early to see her. Seeing his gaunt mother, Lu Lingchen didn''t know how tofort her, and could only remain silent. It was always said girls were more thoughtful and understanding of their parents than boys. Chapter 31 Chapter 31 The Lu family had three children, but Lu Lingrui was their only daughter. Lu Lingrui was clever and sensible since she was little, and could always make Li Mingshi and her husbandugh happily. So among the three children, Li Mingshi and her husband doted on their daughter more. But Lu Lingrui suddenly passed away, which was an extraordinary blow to them. Mother and son went to Lu Lingrui''s tombstone, and happened to run into Shen Nian there. Seeing Shen Nian, Lu Lingchen was a little surprised that she hade so early. Shen Nian also heard the footsteps and looked up to meet the surprised eyes of Lu Lingchen and Li Mingshi, a bit unexpected. They didn''t usuallye this early before. But having met up, they naturally wouldn''t avoid it. Shen Nian stood up and nodded to Li Mingshi: "Auntie." Li Mingshi didn''t expect to see Shen Nian here. After the shock, it was anger. "What are you doing here?" "What have youe here for?" "You selfish child, what right do you have to stand here?" "Auntie..." "Don''t call me that!" Li Mingshi became emotional, her eyes slowly turning red: "You''re a murderer! You killed my daughter. My daughter died to save you. How can you still show your face here!" "......" Shen Nian was silent. "Mom!" Lu Lingchen quickly pulled Li Mingshi, but she had lost control of her emotions and shouted at Shen Nian. "Auntie didn''t treat you badly before, and regarded you as her own daughter. But you, you ungrateful wretch!" ncing at the sunflowers next to Lu Lingrui''s tombstone, she rushed over emotionally and smashed the flowers. "What''s the point of doing this now! She''s dead, stop putting on a show!" "My daughter is dead, she''s gone! My little Rui was always afraid of pain since she was small, how painful it must have been for her to jump down from that high ce!" Li Mingshi suddenly burst into loud sobs, rushing forward to grab Shen Nian''s clothes. "You wicked child, why didn''t you save her, why didn''t you take her away with you!" "Little Rui treated you so well, how could you bear to let her face all that alone, why didn''t you take her away..." "You''re a wicked child, a wicked child..." "......" Shen Nian just stood there like a log, staring nkly at the heartbroken Li Mingshi. She wanted to speak, but her mouth was like glued shut, unable to move. Li Mingshi cried until she was gasping for breath and couldn''t stand steadily. Lu Lingchen went forward and hugged Li Mingshi in his arms. "Mom, mom." "Nian Nian, why didn''t you bring little Rui out, why didn''t you bring my little Rui out..." Lu Lingchen looked up at Shen Nian: "Sis Nian, you should go first!" Li Mingshi was crying herself into fainting. She couldn''t see Shen Nian anymore. Seeing Shen Nian was like seeing Lu Lingrui again, making her even more anguished. Shen Nian retreated a step, moved her lips, but still didn''t say anything in the end. She turned around and left. Today was Lu Lingrui''s birthday, the day of her torment. Li Mingshi thought of her daughter whom she had painfully given birth to and raised with such effort, but was now just a handful of ashes lying there alone. That kind of heart-wrenching pain was simply impossible for most people to understand. After beingforted by her younger son, it took Li Mingshi a very long time to finally calm down somewhat. She stared at Lu Lingrui''s tombstone with tears flowing, cing the sunflowers she had brought next to it. Little sunflower Rui, how could you bear to leave your mama. You heartless, wicked child... Her gaze swept to the side, where the smashed sunflower bouquet on the ground had been brought by Shen Nian for Lu Lingrui. Li Mingshi''s eyes reddened again, silently shedding tears. Wiping away some tears, she still picked up the sunflowers from the ground and ced them next to her own bouquet. ............................................. After leaving the cemetery, Shen Nian went to a bar that was open 24 hours. There weren''t many people during the day, so it was quiet inside. She sat in a corner, holding a ss, drinking one after another until she got drunk and just slumped over the table. When she sobered up, she continued drinking again. She spent the whole day numbly like this. When Lu Lingchen rushed over, the table in front of Shen Nian was already piled with all kinds of liquor bottles. Seeing that she was still drinking, Lu Lingchen frowned and strode forward to snatch the ss from her hand. "Don''t tell me you''ve been drinking all day?" Shen Nian''s body swayed and she blearily opened her eyes. Seeing it was Lu Lingchen, she tugged her lips into a smile. "You''re here." "Yes." Lu Lingchen put the ss back on the table and sat down opposite her. With the alcohol taken away by Lu Lingchen, Shen Nian leaned her elbows on the table, propping up her head. After a moment, she spoke. "How is Auntie now?" "Nothing serious. After seeing Lingrui, I called a doctor to examine her when we went home. She was just emotionally agitated and will be fine after some rest." "That''s good." Shen Nian nodded absently. "Little Rui was closest to Auntie. If she knew I upset Auntie, she would definitely me me." "You know, my mom has always really li..." Lu Lingchen was about to say his mom had always really liked you, because that was the truth. Back then when Lingrui was still around, she would bring Shen Nian home every few days. Shen Nian was so well-behaved and sensible that Li Mingshi really liked her and treated her like her own daughter. Sometimes even Lu Lingrui would jealously grumble that mama''s little cotton-padded jacket had been reced by Shen Nian instead of her. Until after the incident... All these years, Li Mingshi had been in great pain. Even though she knew Shen Nian was also a victim, even though she knew the ones who really harmed Lu Lingrui were those two drunkards, in her grief over the loss of her daughter, she simply couldn''t think rationally about any of this. She had trapped herself in a vicious cycle, so she med Shen Nian. Why did she have to leave by herself that year, why didn''t she bring Lingrui along. If at that time Shen Nian had pulled Lingrui to run away together, wouldn''t her Lingrui still be alive now, still able tough happily, still able to softly call her mama, still able to, still able to... "......" Lu Lingchen stopped halfway through what he was saying, but Shen Nian knew what he meant. She gave a self-deprecatingugh. That''s right, it used to be fondness before, now probably only hatred remained. She stared nkly at the ss of alcohol in front of Lu Lingchen that she had just drunk. "Lu Lingchen." "I''m here." "Have you heard of a green fairy?" A green fairy? What was that? Lu Lingchen looked at Shen Nian puzzledly. Shen Nian curved her lips slightly and slowly said, "A green fairy is a cocktail, Van Gogh''s favorite. It''s said to have hallucinogenic effects." This drink had apanied her through the most difficult times. Lu Lingchen understood her meaning, but still said, "Girls shouldn''t drink too much, it''s not good for your health." Shen Nian just smiled without responding. She had long stopped caring about her own life. To her, dying tomorrow or the day after felt all the same. "What did youe to find me for? You haven''t said yet." Just now when Lu Lingchen called her, he said he wanted to talk to her, which was why she had told him her location. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 ¡°Shen Nian.¡± Lu Lingchen seriously called her full name: ¡°I still want to tell you that you are still young and your life should not stagnate. You also cannot live in the present or the past forever. You should take a step forward.¡± He paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°In fact, one should be more selfish. Being a little more selfish can actually make life morefortable.¡± ¡°...¡± Shen Nian did not speak, she only lowered her eyes. Did she still have a life of her own? Lu Lingchen stared at her and said earnestly: ¡°You can pursue your dreams and live more freely.¡± ¡°Dreams...¡± Shen Nian murmured these two words. Looking up at Lu Lingchen, she smiled and said, "I don''t have dreams, but I have aspirations.¡± ¡°Aspirations?¡± This was the first time she had taken the initiative to talk to him about something other than Lu Lingrui. He went along with her words, ¡°Tell me about them. If I can help fulfill them, I will.¡± ¡°Well...¡± Shen Nian thought about it seriously for a moment, then shook her head. ¡°You really can''t do that.¡± ¡°How do you know I can''t if you don''t tell me?¡± Lu Lingchen raised an eyebrow. ¡°I''m the young master of the Lu family. My brother is Lu Lingchuan. I have money and connections. What can I not aplish?¡± Seeing his arrogant look, exactly the same as before, Shen Nian could not help chuckling. She told him her aspirations to resolve his puzzlement. ¡°My dream is to go back five years, not talk to Lu Lingrui, not get to know Lu Lingchuan, not get to know all of you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Lu Lingchen did not expect this to be Shen Nian''s dream. He was utterly confused. ¡°Then you and my brother would...¡± ¡°Then I wouldn''t have gotten your brother,¡± Shen Nian answered for him. Yes, if she hadn''t be friends with Lu Lingrui back then, she would never have met Lu Lingchuan and fallen in love with him. Why would Shen Nian say something like this? Lu Lingchen did not understand. Because he was very clear in his heart that Shen Nian loved Lu Lingchuan very much, in the past and still now. Seeing the puzzlement on Lu Lingchen''s face, Shen Nian smiled slightly and resolved his doubts. ¡°Loss is more terrifying than never having gained in the first ce, because there is a process in between.¡± Going through that process is much more painful than directly knowing the result, because you witness it happen before your eyes. ¡°...¡± Lu Lingchen was stunned. ¡°Shen...¡± ¡°Luckily your brother has moved on,¡± Shen Nian smiled and interrupted him. ¡°Your brother has a girlfriend now, right? I''ve seen her before when she came to thepany. She is a very nice woman, a perfect match for your brother.¡± Hearing her say this, Lu Lingchen knew she must be talking about Liang Jinghe. Liang Jinghe... Lu Lingchen knew this woman. Her family was also in business and had good rtions with the Lu family. Liang Jinghe''s father was fond of Lu Lingchuan and hoped that his daughter could be with Lu Lingchuan. He had evene to drink with Lu Lingchuan''s father, Lu Yanhua, and brought up this matter over drinks. That Liang Jinghe was indeed outstanding. Lu Lingchen had seen many spoiled rich daughters, who tended to be cocky due to their wealth and background. But Liang Jinghe did not have these bad habits. She was very nice to people and would not look down on others because of her family¡¯s wealth. She was well-mannered in her speech and actions. Such a woman was a perfect match for Lu Lingchuan. However... Lu Lingchen looked seriously at Shen Nian and said, "The one my brother loved is you." "Is that so?" Lu Lingchen said Lu Lingchuan loved her dearly, but why was that love so faint that she could hardly see it? Shen Nian smiled slightly, not taking Lu Lingchen''s words to heart. It was fine. She did not mind anymore. After talking with Lu Lingchen for a while longer, Shen Nian was ready to head back. Lu Lingchen wanted to take her back since Shen Nian had drunk too much. She was very beautiful, so he would not feel assured letting her go home alone drunk. Although Shen Nian was tipsy, her mind was very clear. Strangely, sometimes when she clearly did not want to get drunk, she would end up dead drunk. Yet after drinking so much now in an attempt to numb her nerves, her mind just kept getting clearer. She refused Lu Lingchen''s offer to take her home and was determined to call a taxi herself. Once in the taxi, Shen Nian leaned her head on the window to rest her eyes and quickly drifted into a light sleep. She dreamed that she was back in high school, just after her parents had passed away when she had to do everything alone. The scenes in the dream were the same as back then. Lu Lingrui walked over with a smile and asked: ¡¾Can I sit here?¡¿ ¡¾Can I eat with you?¡¿ ¡¾Can I be your friend?¡¿ Lu Lingrui was very lively. Shen Nian could not bear to reject anything she said. Through Lu Lingrui, she got to know Lu Lingchuan and found love and friendship. That time was the most beautiful memory in her life. ¡¾Ding ling ling...¡¿ It was the bell for ss. "Ding ling ling¨C" That sound kept ringing, abruptly pulling the dreaming Shen Nian back to reality. She frowned slightly and slowly opened her eyes to find herself still in the taxi. The sound just now was not a school bell but her cell phone ringing. Shen Nian took her phone out of her pocket, nced at the caller ID, and picked up. She continued resting her head on the window with eyes closed. "Hello, Nan Nan, what''s the matter?" "Nian Nian, are you free now?" It was Li Nan''s voice on the other end. "..." Shen Nian did not answer but asked instead, "What happened?" Li Nan sighed and said, "Weren''t we having a departmental team building event today? I casually mentioned the project I''m in charge of to my colleagues while we were chatting. While discussing, I realized I had made huge mistakes in the project details, really bad ones." Shen Nian: "You can fix it when you get to work." "There''s no time!" Li Nan anxiously said, "The project documents need to be submitted the day after tomorrow. I can''t dy this. But I sprained my ankle mountain climbing today. There''s a huge swelling. The doctor said I need to rest for at least a week." "I wanted to ask my colleagues to help me fix it, but I was the one who followed that project from start to finish. Only I know clearly where the issues are. Even if I exin, they won''t understand what needs to be fixed." "So I have to fix this myself. I asked my boyfriend to go to the office and get the documents, but he couldn''t even find the right office building. I''ve given up hope on him, so I can only trouble you now... Do you have time to help me grab the documents and bring them to my ce? If not then never mind, I''ll ask my other colleagues again." "No need to ask them. I''ll go get the documents for you," said Shen Nian, rubbing between her brows and opening her eyes. "Really?!" Li Nan was extremely excited on the other end. "Thank you, Nian Nian! Thank you! You''re truly a lifesaver!" "It''s nothing." After hanging up Li Nan''s call, Shen Nian looked at the driver in front who was driving and said, "Sir, please make a detour to another ce first... I need to pick up some documents there..." Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Shen Nian went to thepany and got the documents Li Nan needed. When she came out of thepany, she was just about to go to Li Nan¡¯s house to deliver the things. ¡°Is this the right ce?¡± ¡°It should be.¡± ¡°Why do I feel like no one¡¯s here?¡± ¡°Who knows, let me take another look...¡± Hearing the women talking, Shen Nian subconsciously nced over and saw five or six women standing not far away, pointing at Lingrui Group. The youngest of the women looked to be in her thirties. Seemingly aware of Shen Nian¡¯s gaze, one of them looked up and met her eyes. It was this nce that made Shen Nian¡¯s pupils suddenly shrink. The woman who saw Shen Nian also widened her eyes in shock. The next second, she yelled in her loud voice, ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s her! I saw that little slut!¡± Her words immediately made the other women look over. Seeing Shen Nian¡¯s face, they all revealed furious expressions and rushed over to surround Shen Nian. ¡°You little slut, I¡¯ve finally caught you!¡± ¡°You¡¯re so young yet so vicious, how dare you let my husband die!¡± ¡°Little vixen, who knows if it was you and that dead girl who seduced my son!¡± The few women swarmed over aggressively. Of them, the two youngest women Shen Nian recognized¡ªone was Wang Yong¡¯s wife, the other was Yang Hao¡¯s wife. Wang Yong and Yang Hao were the two drunkards from back then. Shen Nian took a few steps back, but they were overbearing and arrogant. ¡°Little slut, I''m warning you to withdraw thewsuit immediately! If my son goes to jail, you won''t get away with it either!¡± ¡°Look at you, with the face of a sly fox. It must have been you who seduced my son-inw!¡± ¡°I heard the one who died was your good friend! Now that she¡¯s dead, what face do you have left to live in this world? Why don''t you just die with her!¡± Shen Nian had been drinking and her mind was still clear, but her steps were a bit unsteady. She was surrounded by them, with erged, sour and vicious faces right in front of her. They used the most viciousnguage in the world to insult her. ¡¾What face do you have left to live in this world?¡¿ ¡¾Why don''t you just die!¡¿ ¡¾What face do you have left...Why don''t you just die...¡¿ ¡¾Die, just die...¡¿ ¡°......¡± Shen Nian¡¯s mind buzzed. These few sentences were like on loop yback, echoing in her ears again and again. Gradually, even Shen Nian herself was brainwashed. Why doesn¡¯t she just die... Now that Ling Rui is dead, what face does she have left to live in this world? Just die... Die... ¡°Ah!¡± Suddenly hearing a scream, the next moment Shen Nian was pulled into a warm embrace. ¡°......¡± Shen Nian was like a doll without senses, staring nkly ahead, with only those words echoing in her mind. With knitted brows, Lu Lingchuan looked at Shen Nian in his arms: ¡°Shen Nian, Shen Nian!¡± ¡°......¡± She was like a fool. Seeing Lu Lingchuan, those arrogant women became even more brazen: ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± Of course they recognized Lu Lingchuan. It was him who wanted their husbands, their sons, their sons-inw to die¡ªthe Lu family man. ¡°Ah!¡± They rushed forward with outstretched long fingernails. ¡°Shen Nian, Shen Nian!¡± Lu Lingchuan shook Shen Nian forcefully. She was like a lifeless puppet. Raising his head, he stared fiercely at the women. Without mercy, he kicked the middle-aged woman in the stomach. ¡°Ah!¡± The woman fell to the ground in an ungraceful manner, clutching her stomach and screaming loudly. Lu Lingchuan had used his full strength in that kick. The one kicked was one woman¡¯s wife. They were so arrogant partly because they had greater numbers, and partly because many of them were older. Other than the two youngest who were Wang Yong and Yang Hao¡¯s wives, the other four were their mothers and mothers-inw, all in their fifties or sixties. They didn¡¯t expect him to actually take action. If he dared make a move, they would just fall to the ground and fiercely retaliate! That was what they had thought, but unexpectedly, Lu Lingchuan really dared to act, and acted so heavily at that. They were all cowards who bullied the meek and feared the strong. After that kick, they instantly didn¡¯t dare be arrogant anymore. The four older women were badly frightened, while Yang Hao¡¯s wife stared nkly at Lu Lingchuan, stunned silly. ¡°You, you actually dare to hit people! We¡¯re calling the police!¡± ¡°......¡± Lu Lingchuan stared at them with a face full of gloom. His cold, deep-set eyes were covered in ayer of darkness, sending chills down people''s spines. The air pressure around them had unknowingly sunk. Holding Shen Nian, Lu Lingchuan spoke coldly. ¡°That works out just fine, none of you can escape!¡± .......................................... Everyone went to the police station. Lu Lingchuan exined the grievances between them. Upon learning they already had an ongoingwsuit, the police immediately pulled up the surveince footage. It was clear the women hade to confront them first. They were first detained, then their other family members were notified to bail them out, while Lu Lingchuan finished giving his statement then left with Shen Nian. Sitting in the passenger seat, Shen Nian was exceptionally silent the whole time, not saying a single word from start to finish. Lu Lingchuan sensed that something was off with Shen Nian. With one hand on the steering wheel, he reached out his other hand to grasp the back of her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± I¡¯m here. Feeling the unfamiliar warmth on the back of her hand, Shen Nian¡¯s entire body shuddered. It was June, and the temperature had already risen, yet Shen Nian¡¯s hands were inexplicably ice-cold. Lu Lingchuan was also chilled by her icy hands. Just as he was about to say something, Shen Nian silently retracted her hand, curling up and closing her eyes. She had woken up very early today, visited Ling Rui, drank so much alcohol, and just experienced the shoving. She was tired. Seeing that she had fallen asleep, Lu Lingchuan didn¡¯t say anything more. He was still driving. The entire ride was exceptionally quiet, with not a hint of sound in the car. Lu Lingchuan drove to the residential area, directly entering the underground parking garage and parking in his own spot. Shen Nian still hadn¡¯t woken up even when he parked. After turning off the ignition, Lu Lingchuan didn¡¯t immediately open the door, but stared at the passenger seat instead. Beside him, Shen Nian¡¯s head leaned against the window. Head bowed, she looked to be fast asleep. Just staring quietly like this for over a minute, Lu Lingchuan finally opened the door and got out of the car. He then walked around to the passenger side, carefully opened the door, one hand steadying her as he bent down to scoop her up princess-style. His motions were very gentle throughout, clearly trying not to wake Shen Nian. Using his leg to close the car door, Lu Lingchuan carried Shen Nian to the elevator. Back home, he ced Shen Nian on the bed. She seemed to be having a nightmare, brows furiously knitted, face very unsettled. Lu Lingchuan reached out, wanting to smooth her creased brows, but it didn¡¯t work. Crouching by the bedside, stroking her soft hair, Lu Lingchuan quietly watched her like this. ¡°Buzz¡ª¡ª¡± The phone in his pocket suddenly rang. Lu Lingchuan reflexively muffled the phone, ncing at Shen Nian before getting up and walking out of the bedroom to take the call out on the balcony. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 He carefully and quietly closed the door. ¡°......¡± The bedroom became quiet again. Shen Nian, who had been sleeping, suddenly opened her eyes. She just nkly stared at the ceiling without saying anything. She knew that Lu Lingchuan had gone out. She sat up stiffly without even putting on her shoes and went into the bathroom. Their daily necessities were ced in the bathroom. Shen Nian stood in front of the sink, staring nkly at herself in the mirror. She had no makeup on, still wearing that ck dress, her hair was a bit messy, her face expressionless, even her eyes were dim. She now looked like a puppet in a puppet show, without a soul. She stared at herself nkly for three seconds, then reached out to open the mirror. Generally there would be storage space behind a sink''s mirror to put things. Shen Nian took out a very small paper box from inside, with words like eyebrow knife written on it. She poured out the contents after opening the outer box. They were strips of sharp eyebrow razor des. She picked up one of the des, peeled off the protective paper and threw it into the trash can next to her. She stretched out her left hand and looked at her slender wrist through which veins could be seen. ¡¾I heard the one who died was your good friend. She''s dead, what face do you still have to live on in this world? ¡¿ ¡¾Why don''t you just die with her!¡¿ ¡¾You shameless girls must have seduced my husband on purpose. I''ve seen lots of vain girls like you!¡¿ ¡¾The one who died shamelessly, you are no good thing either! ¡¿ ¡¾Just go die quickly! Scum like you don''t deserve to live in this world!¡¿ ¡¾Abandoning your good friend and running away yourself, how do you still have the cheek to live!¡¿ ¡¾Shameless!¡¿ ¡¾Quickly go die......¡¿ The vicious words they said echoed in Shen Nian''s ears over and over again. Her breathing became difficult, her chest undting. The only word in her mind now was death... Why did Ling Rui die but she still lived well... The heart-wrenching cries and usations of Li Mingshi during the day rang in her ears again. ¡¾You bad child, why didn''t you save her, why didn''t you take her away with you!¡¿ ¡¾My RuiRui treated you so well, how could you bear to let her face those things alone, why didn¡¯t you take her away!¡¿ Their insults intertwined with Li Mingshi¡¯s cries echoed back and forth in her ears. "I''m sorry... I''m sorry..." Shen Nian lowered her head, her shoulders shaking. Looking at her beautiful, clean wrist. Over the years, when she was in pain, she had thought of self-harm more than once, but such ideas would be interrupted every time they began to form. She could not self-harm. If she made a cut, Lu Lingchuan would be able to spot it. The pain in her heart had no catharsis. She really could not stand such suppressed pain. Dying would be good too. If she died, she would not feel so painful. .................................... On the balcony¡ª¡ª "Arrange proper amodation for Lawyer Xu. His flight is tomorrow." "I will pick him up personally tomorrow." Lu Lingchuan gave orders calmly. Suddenly. "Hiss -" For some unknown reason, there was a sudden dull pain in his chest that made Lu Lingchuan frown. He pressed one hand on his heart, but the feeling onlysted one second. "Mr. Lu, Mr. Lu?" Hearing the sound from Lu Lingchuan, the person on the other end of the call anxiously asked, "Mr. Lu, are you ufortable? Mr. Lu......" For some reason, Lu Lingchuan always felt a little stuffy in his chest, a feeling that was hard to express. Hearing the inquiry, Lu Lingchuan came back to his senses and replied inly, "It''s nothing, just identally hit something." "We''ll talk about other things tomorrow." For some reason, he was a little irritable now and just wanted to see Shen Nian. Even he himself did not know why he would feel this way. It was as if his brain had been given an order. See Shen Nian, see Shen Nian...... Without saying anything more, Lu Lingchuan hurriedly hung up the phone and turned to stride into the bedroom. ........................ "Snap." At the moment the de was about to touch her wrist, her right hand suddenly lost strength and the de fell into the sink. She stared at her pale face in the mirror. No, she could not do it... Shen Nian shook her head, shaking all those women''s insults out of her mind. She could not die, at least not now. The two beasts who ruined Ling Rui had not paid the price yet. She absolutely could not die. If only for Ling Rui''s sake, she had to live on. Shen Nian gritted her teeth, put away those des and put them back to their original ce before leaving the bathroom and returning to the room. Just as shey down, she heard the sound of Lu Lingchuan opening the door. Lu Lingchuan also didn¡¯t know what hade over him. Just now, after the dull pain, his heartbeat had uncontrobly sped up, as if it would jump out of his chest. That feeling made him very uneasy. Only after pushing the door open and seeing Shen Nian sleeping peacefully on the bed could that sense of unease gradually dissipate. Lu Lingchuan closed the door and walked towards the big bed, lowering his eyes to look at Shen Nian. To see that she was still in front of him, to see that she was still fine... He gently caressed her face, touching her slightly cool little face. Shen Nian was not yet asleep. She could clearly feel the man''s touch. She did not move, maintaining the posture of sleeping. Until she felt the mattress beside her sink down, followed by falling into his warm embrace again. Lu Lingchuan got into bed and took her into his arms. Only by hugging her like this could he soothe the uneasiness in his heart. Shen Nian¡¯s spirit had been somewhat chaotic originally. Smelling the familiar scent, his unique smell, she clearly felt herself being soothed. She also fell soundly asleep unknowingly. In previous years, in the days around Ling Rui¡¯s birthday, Shen Nian would be gued by nightmares, dreaming of fragments of the past with Ling Rui, dreaming of Ling Rui crying and questioning her why she abandoned her, dreaming of Ling Rui bing a malicious ghosting to take her life... Only this time, she slept without dreams all night, waking up naturally. Opening her eyes, she found it was already light out. Neither she nor Lu Lingchuan had drawn the curtainsst night, so the morning sunlight shone straight into the room through the windows. Shen Nian was awakened by the sunshine. As she opened her eyes, she saw the man¡¯s erged face right in front of her. Shen Nian was stunned seeing that face. It had been a long time since she had observed him so closely. It felt like she was dreaming. He had changed a lot over the years and had be more mature and stable. Even when asleep, his sharp brows were still frowning. Did he dream of something unpleasant? Shen Nian couldn''t help reaching out to touch his eyebrows lightly. Originally sound asleep, Lu Lingchuan suddenly opened his eyes, startling Shen Nian. She reflexively pulled her hand back, wanting to escape Lu Lingchuan¡¯s embrace, but the man did not give her a chance, hugging her tightly. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Once again in the man''s embrace, the familiar scent that belonged only to him lingered around her nose. Shen Nian was stunned for a moment. She was stiff all over, her expression dazed, not knowing where to put her hands. Was he...still not sober? That should be it, otherwise it would not exin why he suddenly hugged her. If he was sober, he would loathe her, let alone hold her in his arms. In a daze, as if dreaming. But even though Shen Nian knew this embrace was fleeting like a glimpse of a sinking flower, she still couldn''t bear to make a sound. Every extra second she could spend in this moment was a gain for her. One of Lu Lingchuan''s hands was on her back and the other was on her side waist, holding her steady in his embrace. His chin rested on her shoulder, tilting his head slightly so his lips brushed her earlobe. He was very sober, one could even say the moment he took her into his arms, he was already sober. Feeling the stiffness of the woman in his arms, Lu Lingchuan''s heart was also racing out of his control. His nose was too close to her ear. Afraid she would notice something wrong, Lu Lingchuan tried hard to keep his breathing steady, make it seem as normal as possible so she wouldn''t detect anything off about him. Now the rtionship between the two was not even as substantial as sand, more like a dandelion that would blow away with the slightest puff of air. But even so, Lu Lingchuan was still desperately clinging to this tiny bit of warmth. Perhaps the time was short, but to him it was an extravagance. It had been four years. This was the first time they calmly embraced each other like this. Neither wanted to break this rare tranquility, she didn''t speak, and he didn''t speak either. A fleeting moment of halcyon days. After a while, their phones rang, disrupting the atmosphere. Lu Lingchuan¡¯s phone on the bedside table lit up, vibrating. Lu Lingchuan frowned, displeased that the atmosphere was disturbed. He picked up his phone, saw who was calling, then immediately sat up and put on his slippers to get up from the bed while answering the call and heading towards the balcony. "Is Lawyer Xu on his way to the airport already?" "I will go early to meet him there..." Shen Nian also slowly sat up. He had opened the sliding door to the balcony. The wind from outside blew in, lightly fluttering the gauze curtains, vaguely revealing the back of the man on the phone. Shen Nian rubbed between her brows. She had suffered from insomnia for years. The first year after Lu Lingrui''s ident, she would stay up all night, often just lying in bed staring nkly at the ceiling until dawn came. Later she started relying on mtonin pills to forcibly get some rest. One pill didn''t work at all, she had to take two or three together. After that, her worsening mental state from theck of sleep led her to get prescribed sleeping pills from the doctor. With the sleeping pills, her sleep gradually returned a bit, although she still didn''t sleep for long, at least she could get four hours. Her sleep was very light. Whenever her emotions were too vtile, even sleeping pills became useless. She was in such poor spirits yesterday yet still managed to fall asleep without the help of sleeping pills, and she even slept very soundly. Picking up her phone next to her, she checked the time. It was already past 8 am, almost 9. What time did she fall asleep yesterday? She couldn''t remember, but it probably wasn''t toote. That meant she had slept for at least ten hours yesterday. It had been a long time since she had such a solid sleep. Staring at the sunlight outside, she had lived for another day. Shen Nian closed her eyes with a long exhale, adjusting her breathing, then slowly opened her eyes again. Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Lu Lingchuan was still on the phone, Shen Nian walked out of the room in slippers. Xu Lawyer ising to Beijing today, he is on the way to the airport now, it will take about three hours to arrive. Lu Lingchuan''s side is confirming the time and other matters. After finishing the call, Lu Lingchuan went back to the room with his mobile phone, only to see the big bed empty. He frowned slightly, and immediately walked towards the door, his pace was obviously a little hurried. He went to the living room first after leaving the room, no one was there. He immediately looked towards the dining room again, no one was there. There was already visible anxiety on his face, fortunately he restrained his emotions in time and finally rushed to the kitchen, and saw Shen Nian making sandwiches there. Her hair was tied up and then pinned with a hair clip. Two strands of hair on both sides were not tied up and hung there, blocking Shen Nian''s face. She was wearing a light pink pajamas, making her look much softer. Seeing this, Lu Lingchuan was in a daze for a moment. Scenes of Shen Nian wearing his white shirt and carefully preparing lunch boxes for him shed through his mind. But with a blink of an eye, those scenes disappeared instantly. She was standing there in light pink pajamas... Shen Nian was very fair, she was especially suitable for wearing white, giving people an indescribable feeling that he couldn''t find the right words to describe urately. But he just felt that she looked especially good in white. Although light pink also suited her, it didn''t give the same feeling as when she wore white. Feeling a hot gaze staring at herself, Shen Nian looked up and met the man''s dark eyes. She was stunned for a moment, then the corners of her lips curled up slightly. She asked in a low voice, "I made sandwiches, do you want to eat?" "......" Lu Lingchuan didn''t speak, just stared at her, and the atmosphere seemed awkward again. Just as Shen Nian was about to say something, the man suddenly turned and left the kitchen. As he left, he lightly "hmm" ed. Although the voice was not loud, Shen Nian was certain she heard it. It took three seconds for her to react that Lu Lingchuan meant he wanted to eat the sandwiches she made. Shen Nian pursed her lips, and the corners of her lips curved up a bit more. She took milk from the fridge and heated it up, then turned around and wrapped the just-made sandwiches in stic wrap. There were no fried dough sticks and buns at home. The nearest bun shop would take seven or eight minutes by electric bike, which would waste a lot of time. So Shen Nian simply made the quickest sandwiches and heated up some milk. When she brought the things to the dining table, Lu Lingchuan had already sat down. The sandwiches were just wrapped in stic wrap and not cut yet. Shen Nian took a small knife specially for cutting sandwiches and put it on the te. She also ced Lu Lingchuan''s milk in front of him, and exined in a low voice, "It was a bit rushed, didn''t have time to make anything else." "Mm." He gave another light "Mm", then Lu Lingchuan picked up the milk in front of him and took a sip, before saying, "I''m not going to thepany today. Reschedule the original ns if possible, cancel them if they can''t be postponed. You take over the other work, I''ll handle the documents that need my signature when I go to thepanyter." Lu Lingchuan arranged the work in an orderly manner. Shen Nian nodded: "Yes." As Lu Lingchuan''s assistant, listening to his instructions was the most basic part of her job. The air fell silent again for two seconds. Shen Nian was thinking about what topics to bring up, when Lu Lingchuan looked at her again, "Finish up the work for the next few days first. We''ll go see Lawyer Xu tomorrow." Lawyer Xu Xiping was thewyer Lu Lingchuan had specially hired to help resolve the Lu Lingrui incident. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Shen Nian came back to her senses and continued answering, "Alright." "They were detained for three days for deliberately making trouble, and the police also warned them. They won''te to bother you again before the next court session," said Lu Lingchuan as he picked up the knife on the te and started cutting the sandwich. It took Shen Nian only one second to react before she realized that the "they" Lu Lingchuan was referring to were Wang Yong and Hao''s wives. "Okay..." Shen Nian''s voice was noticeably softer this time. Her gaze fell on Lu Lingchuan''s hand, watching his hand holding the knife. For some reason, she was drawn to pay attention to that knife. Seeing the de of the knife, for some inexplicable reason...she felt a strange urge welling up inside to snatch over the knife and sh her own hand fiercely with it. "What''s wrong?" Noticing her absent-mindedness, Lu Lingchuan''s eyes followed her line of sight and fell on his own hand. Hearing the man''s voice by her ear, Shen Nian came back to her senses and retracted her gaze, "Nothing, I just want to eat the sandwich." Lu Lingchuan looked at her again before handing her half of the sliced sandwich. Shen Nian took a bite with lowered eyes. There was no more conversation between them. After the meal, Lu Lingchuan went to the airport while Shen Nian also tidied up a bit and went to thepany. At thepany, she first handled the work on hand, and categorized the work that Lu Lingchuan needed to handle ording to urgency. After busy working for two to three hours, everyone else had already gone for lunch, but she was still busy working. Sitting at her desk, Shen Nian''s hair was casually tied up with a rubber band, and a stray lock that wasn''t tied up by the rubber band hung down, covering her side profile. Jiang Lingling came back from lunch and saw that Shen Nian was still busy. She immediately walked over. "Sis Nian, howe you haven''t gone for lunch yet?" Hearing the voice, Shen Nian looked up and forced a smile, "I haven''t finished handling the work on hand." Jiang Lingling frowned, "Work can never be finished. You can''t starve your stomach just because the work isn''t done." After saying that, she pulled Shen Nian along, "Go eat quickly. You''ll be even less efficient in the afternoon if you work hungry." Shen Nian helplessly said, "I''m really not hungry..." "Whether you''re hungry or not, you have to eat. Sis Nian, Sis Nian..." Jiang Lingling knew Shen Nian had a soft personality and wouldn''t refuse her coquettish antics. Therefore, she deliberately acted cute, just to make Shen Nian unable to bear rejecting her. Sure enough, Shen Nian simply couldn''t reject the coquettish Jiang Lingling. "Fine, I''ll go eat, alright?" Only then did Jiang Lingling reveal a happy smile, "Anyway, it''s not work hours yet. I''ll keep youpany." Her stance clearly showed she was afraid Shen Nian would try to fool her. Shen Nian helplessly nced at her, "Let''s go." "Yay!" ... With Jiang Lingling watching over her, Shen Nian ate a little even without an appetite. Work resumed at 1:30pm, and it was just after 12pm now, so there was still about half an hour of break time. Shen Nian apanied Jiang Lingling to the lounge to drink tea. Apart from them, there were also other colleagues resting there. Everyone sat together and chatted about random topics. Shen Nian quietly sat there drinking water and listening. Soon her cup was empty, so she got up from her chair to refill her water. The water dispenser in the lounge had three settings - hot water, warm water and cold water. Shen Nian ced her cup in the middle, then pressed the button for warm water. The water flowed straight down and steadily into her cup. She stared at the hot water button on the far left. It was a red button with a cup icon on it, with three wavy lines drawn on it to represent steam. Her mind nked out for a moment as she reached out and pressed that button. Hot water flowed out, but with no cup to catch it, it all flowed down the drain below. The stream of water was steaming hot. She stared at the water stream, and suddenly reached her hand over. "Sis Nian!" Jiang Lingling''s voice came from behind, and Shen Nian suddenly snapped back to reality. She turned her head to see Jiang Lingling rushing over anxiously to turn off the hot water button. "Sis Nian, what are you doing?!" Her tone was filled with tension. Shen Nian was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "The water was too warm, so I wanted to dilute it with some hot water." Hearing Shen Nian''s words, Jiang Lingling finally breathed a sigh of relief. "What''s wrong?" She ced the cup under the hot water tap, which now had about half a cup of warm water. After adding some hot water, she picked it up and took a sip. Seeing how anxious Jiang Lingling looked, she couldn''t help butugh wryly. "I was just getting some water. Why are you so nervous?" "How can you say that, Sis Nian?" Jiang Lingling puffed up her cheeks, the lingering anxiety still on her face. "Just now when the hot water was flowing, I saw you about to put your hand in it. You scared me to death!" "..." Shen Nian''s drinking motion paused. Jiang Lingling didn''t notice Shen Nian''s abnormality and was still thinking about the scene she witnessed just now, feeling somewhat terrified in retrospect. "The water was so hot it was steaming. If your hand had touched it, you would definitely have gotten scalded." "..." Shen Nian curved her lips. "I was thinking about work just now and didn''t pay much attention. It''s nothing, don''t worry about it." "Mm-hmm." Jiang Lingling nodded. Shen Nian smiled at her and the two turned to head back. After taking two steps, Shen Nian looked back again at the hot water button on the dispenser. Just now...she did have the urge to stretch her hand over. She couldn''t exin why either. At that time her mind went nk, and she only had that one directive. To stretch her hand over... Shen Nian shook her head. She recalled looking at the knife in Lu Lingchuan''s hand this morning, and she also desperately wanted to snatch it over to sh her own hand viciously. She wasn''t stupid. Her current state was clearly abnormal. After work, she might need to go to the hospital for an examination. ... On the other hand, Lu Lingchuan received a call from Xu Lawyer, and the two briefly discussed the case first. Xu Lawyer flipped through the documents Lu Lingchuan had brought and frowned deeply. "The problem is quite serious. Thewyer they hired has very high prestige in the industry. If there isn''t more evidence, the probability of them being acquitted is still quite high." The main issue was that the requests from both sides differed too greatly. The Lu family strongly demanded the death penalty, while the otherwyer kept pleading not guilty. The existing evidence could only prove the other party was guilty. Violent rape usually carried a sentence of 3 to 10 years, but with Lu Lingrui''s suicide, the situation was moreplicated. ording to Article 236 of the Criminal Law, whoever rapes a woman by violence, coercion or other means, causing serious injury or death to the victim, or causing other serious consequences, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than 10 years, life imprisonment or death. The sentence depends on the specific circumstances. The other party kept insisting they were drunk then, and their brains and bodies were totally out of control. It was purely an ident, and even if they really did something wrong, it was absolutely not intentional. Even if they were wrong, it was not a crime deserving death. So they didn''t agree with the Lu family''s demand for the death penalty. The two sides were deadlocked, so it had dragged on for four years without a verdict. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Xu Lawyer looked through the case file again: ¡°Now we need to reorganize the evidence. By the way, when will you bring over that witness you mentioned earlier? I want to understand the situation to see if we can get anything else beneficial to the case from her.¡± Lu Lingchuan''s jet-ck eyes shed, "I''ll bring her here tomorrow." "Good." ................................. Shen Nian came out from the hospital with a bag and stic bag in one hand, and test report sheets in the other. In a daze, she walked out of the hospital to the sidewalk, standing there for who knows how long, until the repeated honks finally brought her back from her own world. Raising her hand to look at the test report sheet in her hand, she slowly read every word again. ncing up at the sky, she noticed it was starting to get dark. Closing her eyes briefly to regte her breathing, when she opened them again, all other emotions were gone from her face. She tore the report into pieces and threw them into the nearby trash can. She took out one of medication boxes from the stic bag and looked at it. Paroxetine. She then took out her own medication box from her bag, popped all the caps open, and dumped all the pills into the trash can. She opened the Paroxetine, took out the two blister packs, threw the outer box into the trash as well, then started prying out one pill at a time from the packs to put into her med box, and threw the empty packs in the trash too. For the bottled medications, she tore off the names and instructions. After sorting through the entire bag of meds, she closed the stic med box, threw it into her bag together with several bottles that now had nobels. A taxi pulled up in front of her. The driver rolled down the passenger window, "Need a ride?" Shen Nian softly responded with an "um", threw the stic bag into the trash, then got into the backseat of the cab. As the car drove along in traffic, Shen Nian just sat silently in the backseat. She opened her bag, popped open the med box she just put in, pinched a few pills and put them in her mouth. Without any water, she didn''t swallow them directly either, but chewed them into powder with her teeth instead. The bitter taste spread in her mouth as the pills dissolved, but Shen Nian showed no change in expression as she continued chewing until the pills fully dissolved in her mouth. After finishing that, she unscrewed one of the ubeled bottles, poured out more meds and continued chewing those as well. Seeing her chewing pills with such an expressionless face through the rearview mirror, the driver felt the bitterness despite not taking them himself. He grabbed the unopened bottle of mineral water next to him with one hand and passed it back to her, "It must be so bitter eating meds like that. I have water here." Shen Nian looked up at the water he handed to her, voice very soft, "No need, thanks." With her refusal, there was nothing the driver could do. He had to keep his eyes on the road so he couldn''t keep holding out the water, and took his hand back. When they reached the small district entrance, Shen Nian paid and got off. Entering the district, she took the elevator up. She input the passcode to open the door. The living room light was on and the man was sitting on the sofa going through some folders. He had a robe on with slightly damp hair¡ªseems he''d just gotten out of the shower. Hearing the sound at the door, Lu Lingchuan tilted his head slightly to see Shen Nian standing there. He picked up his phone next to him to check the time and frowned, "Why are you onlying back now?" She''d gotten off over two hours ago. Shen Nian first put down her bag, then took out her slippers from the shoe cab while changing shoes, speaking softly, "Had a few documents I didn''t finish going through, they seemed urgent so I worked overtime for a bit." After changing shoes, she picked up her bag and headed inside, putting the bag in the bedroom first beforeing out to tie up her hair. She then went into the kitchen. The pots, bowls and utensils in the kitchen seemed untouched. There were also some takeout containers on the dining table¡ªLu Lingchuan probably hadn''t eaten. She¡¯d only had a few bites at lunch herself and was quite hungry now as well. Lingling was right, not eating lunch does leave you starving at night. She opened the fridge to see if there was anything she could eat, but it waspletely empty without even eggs left. She then checked the freezer and all the frozen ready meals she¡¯d bought were gone too. ¡°I threw them out.¡± Shen Nian was still wondering where everything had gone when she heard his voice behind her. Turning around, there stood Lu Lingchuan at the kitchen entrance. He¡¯d just gotten out of the shower and his fair skin seemed translucent. The sharp, sculpted face carried a cold aloofness. He had very attractive brows, thick and slightly furrowed at the moment. His nose was just right in height and prominence, paired with perfect lips¡ªthin and lightly pursed now. Despite wearing only a robe, that face gave off an air of nobility and elegance. His deep, bottomless dark eyes seemed to devour everything in sight like a ck hole. Of all the men Shen Nian had seen, Lu Lingchuan was the most good-looking, and that wasn¡¯t just his looks but also his temperament. As their eyes met, the fridge started ring rms from having been left open. Coming back to her senses, Shen Nian quickly closed it, then looked to Lu Lingchuan again and asked, ¡°Why did you throw them away? I¡¯d just bought them not long ago.¡± ¡°Eating frozen meals is unhealthy,¡± came his matter-of-fact answer. ¡°......¡± Of course I know frozen meals are unhealthy too, but I¡¯d starve otherwise right now. Staying upte isn¡¯t very healthy either, but you do that anyway, don¡¯t you? Shen Nian gave him a helpless look. ¡°All I ate today was half a sandwich, a carton of milk, five or six small wontons and two cups of hot water. I¡¯m very hungry now. You threw out the frozen food I bought, so what am I supposed to eat?¡± ¡°Go out to eat.¡± Lu Lingchuan responded. ¡°What?¡± Shen Nian thought she¡¯d misheard. ¡°I¡¯m going to change.¡± Lu Lingchuan nced down at the robe he had on. After changing, he came out and didn¡¯t see Shen Nian, so went back to check the kitchen to find her still standing in the same spot. The man frowned slightly. ¡°I¡¯m treating. You really don¡¯t want to go?¡± Shen Nian looked at him, ¡°Why are you... suddenly offering to buy me dinner?¡± The man simply went to change shoes as he spoke matter-of-factly again, ¡°Because I¡¯m hungry too.¡± ¡°......¡± Well that sure is some reasoning. Other than obligatory work dinners, they hadn¡¯t gone out to eat together in a really long time. Since Lu Lingchuan had brought it up himself this time, Shen Nian couldn¡¯t bear to reject it, nor did she want to, so she changed shoes as well and they headed out together. The high-end small district Shen Nian lived in was strictly managed for absolute peace and quiet. So there were only convenience stores, pharmacies, pet stores, florists etc near the entrance without any restaurants. Lu Lingchuan drove to a nearbymercial area lined entirely with all kinds of eateries catering to every taste. Right now was also the busiest time for themercial street. Lu Lingchuan found parking first, then went looking for a restaurant with Shen Nian. As they walked pass the roadside stalls, there was one selling pets. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 When Shen Nian saw the cats and dogs locked in cages, her gaze seemed to be glued to them and she couldn''t look away. By the time she came to her senses, she had already walked over. A huge cat cage was ced on the table. Inside were dozens of palm-sized kittens, probably only a little over two months old. Although the cage was big enough, having so many kittens crowded into one cage was still a tight squeeze. Among them, a little white kitten was curled up fast asleep in the corner, its paws kicking the face of its neighbor... Seeing the little kitten''s face squished as it slept, Shen Nian couldn''t help a faint smile as the corners of her lips curled up. The one selling the cats was a youngdy with short hair and sses. Seeing Shen Nian staring intently at the white kitten, she immediately said, "If you like it you can hold it." As soon as she finished speaking, she opened the cage and took out the little white kitten to hand to Shen Nian. The little guy was half-asleep and dazed when suddenly taken out. It opened its eyes to a slit. As the shopkeeper handed over the kitten, Shen Nian carefully and gingerly took it into her embrace. Small and soft, the sight made Shen Nian''s heart melt. The little kitten nestled in Shen Nian''s arms, stretching out its paws to yawn, then fell back asleep. Lu Lingchuan was walking ahead. After taking a few steps, he nced sideways and didn''t see Shen Nian, so he immediately stopped and turned around. At this time of day the shopping district was liveliest, with many families who had just finished dinner taking their children out to wander, as well as many young couples who came out to eat. Lu Lingchuan walked against the flow of people, brushing past loving couples holding hands, families of three with parents holding a child''s hand on either side, families of four with the father carrying an older child of three or four while the mother held a five or six month old baby in her arms... Suddenly, he halted in his tracks, his dark eyes tightly fixed on the slender ck figure not far away. When Shen Nian went out today she wore a thin ck knee-length coat. Although it wasn''t very cold, there would be a cold breeze at night. She stood in front of a pet stand, holding a palm-sized kitten in her arms. Small and soft. A ray of light from themp beside her fell on her ck hair. A strand of hair hung down as she lowered her eyes to look at the little creature in her arms, the tenderness in her eyes was almost overflowing... Lu Lingchuan just stood there, lost in a daze... After holding the little one for a while and seeing that it was sleeping too soundly, Shen Nian gave it back to the shopkeeper, "Let it sleep." The shopkeeper put the kitten back in the cage. Seeing that Shen Nian''s gaze still lingered on it, she immediately tried to make a sale, "If you like it, just buy it and take it home. Coming home from work every day and seeing a little creature like this waiting for you, you won''t feel tired no matter how exhausted you were." It was obvious Shen Nian really liked the white one. She went on, "This is a purebred white Munchkin. Its mother is known among all our shop''s cats for being super affectionate and good-tempered. Right now it''s just too sleepy. When it''s awake during the day it will be clingy beyond belief, even wanting to cuddle up against you when it sleeps..." Shen Nian smiled faintly, just about to decline, when a low, pleasant male voice sounded from behind her, "How much?" The shopkeeper looked up to see a handsome young man standing behind Shen Nian. Since he had just gotten out of the shower to go eat, his outfit was simple and casual. On top he wore a loose white t-shirt, and on the bottom were ck pants rather than suit pants. Lu Lingchuan was used to wearing suits every day, and his wardrobe was filled with shirts and suits in simr styles. He didn''t actually have many casual clothes for daily wear. His hair was freshly washed but notpletely dried by the hair dryer. Even so, it didn''t detract one bit from his good looks, proud brows, eyes as dark as ink that contained allure and temptation, tall nose, lips as thin as des perfect for kissing, a jawline sharp and refined adding a touch of seduction, a tall and slender yet not bulky build. He stood behind Shen Nian, one tall and one short, looking quite well-matched as a pair. Shen Nian exuded an aura of gentleness. Even the sharpest de seemed to turn soft as the wind around her. Beside her, Lu Lingchuan was aloof and detached, noble and elegant. The cat-selling shopkeeper was stunned the moment she saw Lu Lingchuan''s face, but she quickly regained herposure. Seeing the two standing together so naturally, she assumed they must be an enviable couple - of course a boyfriend would buy a cat for his girlfriend. So she quickly introduced, "Our pet shop has a promotion these days, all cats are 20% off. The one this youngdy is looking at is a pure white Munchkin. Its fur is wless without any impurities, hard to beat in quality, so the price is a bit high... After the discount it''s 5500 yuan." This was certainly not a cheap price for a cat. The shopkeeper quickly added, "If you get a membership at our shop when purchasing the cat, you can get long term discounts on vet visits, cat food, toys, etc... And free lifetime baths..." Lu Lingchuan didn''t really have a concept of prices. He simply took out his phone, ready to scan the payment QR code nearby. But just as he lifted the phone, a hand grabbed his wrist. Lu Lingchuan''s brows furrowed slightly as he looked down at her. Shen Nian lifted her head and gently shook it at Lu Lingchuan, "Don''t buy it, I don''t want it." The shopkeeper tentatively asked, "You don''t like it?" But judging by her reaction earlier, it didn''t seem like she disliked it. "If you don''t like this one, we have many more - golden tabby, silver tabby, blue-gold tabby, Maine Coon... Today we only brought out a few. Our pet shop has many more cat breeds. Tell us what you like and we can help pick out ones with good quality." Shen Nian still held Lu Lingchuan''s hand without letting go. Hearing the shopkeeper, the corners of her lips turned up in a faint smile as she politely declined, "No need, I''m quite busy usually and don''t have time to take care of it." After speaking, she pulled Lu Lingchuan away. The two walked in the flow of people, one in front and one behind. Shen Nian held the hand Lu Lingchuan was holding his phone with, but he didn''t struggle, letting her grab it. The shopping district was not short on restaurants. There were several hot pot restaurants here, skewer ces beside them, barbecue across the way - whatever you wanted to eat was avable. After walking a stretch, Shen Nian finally turned around to look at him. Only then did she realize she was still holding his hand. She hurriedly let go awkwardly, lowering her eyes to conceal the hint of emotion in them. "What do you want to eat?" She asked, trying to keep her tone normal. Seeing her withdraw her hand, a sh of strangeness flickered through Lu Lingchuan''s eyes. He put away his phone and nced at the restaurant next door - it was a Sichuan homestyle ce. This restaurant catered to those who liked spicy food. Shen Nian preferred light vors and couldn''t handle spicy. Lu Lingchuan turned his head to look at another homestyle restaurant across the way. "Let''s go there," he said lightly. "Their tomato fish soup tastes pretty good." Shen Nian nodded. "Okay." Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Shen Nian and Lu Lingchuan went to the home-style restaurant across the street together. There were quite a few people, but luckily, they found an avable table in the corner that had just been cleaned and disinfected after the previous customers left. Lu Lingchuan scanned the QR code on the table with his phone to order dishes, selecting a few items, then very naturally handed his phone to Shen Nian. This restaurant had been open for many years. Most people nowadays like spicy food, and some dishes taste better the spicier they are. But Shen Nian didn''t like food that''s too spicy and couldn''t take it. This restaurant specially catered to people like Shen Nian with lighter tastes. Dishes that don''t contain spices usually don''t have much vor, but this restaurant was able to make many tasty non-spicy dishes. When Shen Nian and Lu Lingchuan were dating, they often came to this restaurant to eat. Shen Nian especially liked their tomato fish soup. No other restaurant could make tomato soup like theirs. Shen Nian liked adding some minced beef and celery to the bowl, then pouring the tomato soup over it. She could drink two to three bowls. Shen Nian took Lu Lingchuan''s phone. Out of habit, she first checked what Lu Lingchuan had ordered after opening the shopping cart. When she touched the menu, Shen Nian''s finger on the screen shook slightly. Naturally, the first item was their signature tomato fish soup. Below were some side dishes he had ordered - minced celery, minced beef, and an extra portion of bean sprouts. In recent years, Shen Nian had developed the habit of adding some bean sprouts to the tomato fish soup. Eating the tender fish with crunchy bean sprouts was absolute bliss. Lu Lingchuan still remembered her preferences and habits... No. After just a second, Shen Nian denied her guess, a hint of deep self-deprecation shing through her eyes. How...how could it be that he remembers her preferences... It was just that after eating it for so many years, it had be a habit of his as well. In the past, Lu Lingchuan often ate with her like this. After such a long time, it became a habit. Plus, the tomato fish soup was this restaurant''s signature dish. Anyone who came to eat here would order this dish. It was nothing. It was nothing... Shen Nian tried hard to calm her restless heart and steady herself. Her finger gently slid across the screen to order other dishes. Actually, Lu Lingchuan had already ordered everything she wanted to eat. But Shen Nian still ordered something else. Lamb rolls. Lamb... Actually, Shen Nian didn''t like eatingmb at all. Not one bit. When it came tomb, she had an extremely sensitive sense of smell. No matter how well the chef prepared it, she could detect a strong mutton smell and vor from the first bite. In the past, whenever she saw the character for mb," she would avoid it like the gue. But now... She had changed. He had changed too. Everything had changed, right? After pressing "submit order," Shen Nian gave the phone back to Lu Lingchuan. Lu Lingchuan took the phone and nced at the order. When he saw themb rolls, his gaze paused momentarily. cing the phone on the table next to them, he stared at her and asked, "You really like that cat." It was a statement, not a question. After being together for so many years, Lu Lingchuan knew her as well as he knew himself. From her expression earlier, it was obvious she really liked that little cat, yet she refused to let him pay for it. "..." Shen Nian held a ss of water the server had poured when they sat down. Hearing Lu Lingchuan''s words, her eyshes fluttered. She took a small sip of the hot water and responded in a very soft voice, "Mm, it''s okay." "Then why didn''t you want it?" He gazed at her, a hint of earnestness and persistence shing through his eyes. He was determined to get a satisfactory answer. She clearly liked that little cat a lot, yet was unwilling to buy it and take it home. Clearly...clearly she still loved him, yet was unwilling to bravely take that one step without regard for anything and...be with him. "..." Originally, Shen Nian didn''t want to answer, but she could clearly feel that intense, scorching gaze fixed upon her. She took a deep breath, raised her head to meet the man''s earnest eyes, and pulled her lips into a smile. "Although it was just a cat, it is still a life. I''m very clear that I cannot provide a good life for it." Someone like her whose own life was aplete mess, when would she have the time and patience to care for such a vulnerable little life? "Without me, it can choose a better owner and life." Following her would only lead to a bad life. "Ah...ah..." The cries of a baby sitting nearby interrupted the rather weighty atmosphere at this table. Lu Lingchuan nced sideways and spotted a family of three. The young couple seemed to be new parents. The girl had tied her hair in a ponytail and was heartily tucking into her meal, while her husband sat across from her. The man was cradling a seven to eight month old baby wearing a panda onesie. Standing on the man''sp, the tiny toddler was excitedly bouncing around ceaselessly, all the while babbling, "Ah ah ah." As a new dad, the man had ced his hands under the restless little one''s armpits, trying hard to keep the hyper tot under control, but to no avail. And so Lu Lingchuan witnessed this scene - The baby dribbled while bouncing around energetically. Amusement shone in the new father''s helpless eyes, while no impatience could be detected. Sitting opposite them, the new mother watched theical scene unfold, giggling at her flustered husband''s expense. Such a simple...yet warm and touching scene. Lu Lingchuan stared at them, a hint of longing appearing in his eyes for the first time. In the next moment, the abortion certificate he had glimpsed in Shen Nian''s bag emerged in his mind. He felt like he''d been dealt a heavy blow, instantly sobering up. His lips twisted into an extremely pained smile. In her previous response about why she didn''t want the cat, Shen Nian had also answered why she didn''t want...the baby. Because she couldn''t provide the life it deserved, so she didn''t want it. The baby... "..." This word was taboo to them both. Ever since the day Lu Lingchuan saw Shen Nian''s abortion certificate, they had never broached the topic again. Like a nail embedded in their flesh, it hurt terribly whether pulled out or even just touched. So they could only try their utmost to ignore that lingering ache. After finishing her exnation without getting a response from Lu Lingchuan, Shen Nian followed his gaze. Catching just a glimpse, she froze. A child. A family of three... Such a simple life was what Shen Nian had been yearning for even in her dreams. She didn''t need great wealth or a spectacr, unforgettable saga. From before, what she had always wished for was this kind of ordinary, tranquil life. To find a man she loved, have an adorable, well-behaved child, and then...just live out the rest of their lives peacefully like this. But even such a simple desire felt extravagant to Shen Nian. She had found a man she loved deeply, yet they couldn''t be together. She and Lu Lingchuan had been pregnant twice, yet were unable to keep the babies due to various reasons... Lu Lingchuan''s stepsister Lu Lingrui''s fate binding them was Shen Nian''s shackle, and also Lu Lingchuan''s shackle. There''s a saying - it''s easier to give advice as an outsider than take it as the person involved. As the parties involved, they could only remain deeply entrenched unable to break free. Nor could they cast it all off... Chapter 41 Chapter 41 They quickly served up the things they had ordered. Because they were afraid the tomato fish soup would get cold, the fish soup was brought in a small pot. The pot was ced on the hot te, and the waiter pressed a few buttons next to it before leaving. Lu Lingchuan didn''t speak, and Shen Nian was also silent. Both of them remained quiet. Shen Nian stared at the tomato fish soup in front of her, waiting silently. The fish soup was already hot when it was served, so it only needed to be heated for a short while before it started bubbling. Just like before, Shen Nian first put some chopped celery and beef cubes in her own bowl, then scooped a few spoonfuls of the tomato soup with argedle. Picking up her own small ceramic spoon, she stirred it around in the bowl a few times, scooped up a spoonful, and ate it. Lu Lingchuan stared at her silently for two or three minutes before slowly withdrawing his gaze and picking up his chopsticks to eat. The atmosphere at the table was very quiet. The two were so quiet that there wasn''t even the sound of eating. There was only the asional sound of Shen Nian''s ceramic spoon hitting her bowl. Themb rolls Shen Nian had asked for were brought up long ago and happened to be ced right in front of her. When she looked up, she just happened to meet eyes with themb rolls. Shen Nian''s eyes went nk for only a second before returning to normal. She used her chopsticks to pick one up and put it in the pot. The moment Shen Nian put themb roll in the pot, Lu Lingchuan had already fixed his gaze back on her. Themb rolls were sliced very thinly, so they didn''t need to be cooked for too long. Just scalding them for a bit was enough before they could be eaten. Lu Lingchuan watched as Shen Nian picked up the scaldedmb rolls with her chopsticks. Without even dipping them in the side condiments, she expressionlessly stuffed them in her mouth, chewed, and swallowed. One after another. Someone who didn''t know her seeing this scene would definitely think she really liked eatingmb rolls, otherwise she wouldn''t just stare at themb rolls and eat so much. Only Lu Lingchuan knew clearly that she actually didn''t likemb at all. In fact...she would feel nauseous from even just a whiff of the gamey smell. After Shen Nian ate over half the te, Lu Lingchuan finally couldn''t stand it anymore and spoke up, "You never used to eatmb before." His voice was very soft, and his gaze at her was very mild. "..." Shen Nian''s frail figure paused. Just then, themb roll she was holding had also finished scalding, so she stuffed themb into her mouth, slowly chewing it before swallowing. "People all change." Lu Lingchuan''s pupils suddenly contracted. His hand gripping the chopsticks tightened abruptly. People all change... "Buzz--" A phone ringtone interrupted their bizarre atmosphere. Lu Lingchuan put down his chopsticks on the empty te next to him, then took out his phone. The ringtone was still ringing, and the caller ID name was shing on the screen. He lightly knitted his brows, nced at Shen Nian again, then got up and left to take the call outside. The moment Lu Lingchuan left, Shen Nian, who had been struggling to stay strong, suddenly copsed like a crumbling iceberg, no longer able to hold herself up. Themb rolls boiled in her stomach, and not only did her sense of smell and mouth reject it, even her stomach couldn''t stand the taste either. Shen Nian immediately lowered her head to grab the trash can by her feet. Disregarding the astonished looks of those around her, she hugged the trash can and vomited violently, throwing up all themb rolls she had just eaten. But even after throwing it all up, the strong gamey smell still lingered in her mouth. No matter how much she rinsed her mouth, it was futile. Because she had vomited so forcefully, her eyes were a little red, and the corners of her eyes brimmed with faint teardrops. Shen Nian pulled her lips into a bitter smile. As expected, some things just couldn''t be mutually epted through limation, just like her andmb. From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a figure, and Shen Nian immediately put the trash can back. She grabbed a tissue from the side to wipe her mouth before crumpling it up and throwing it in the trash can, pretending nothing had happened. Lu Lingchuan sat back down and ced his phone to the side. He said lightly, "That was a call from Xu Lawyer just now." Even Lu Lingchuan didn''t know why he said that. It was an exnation. She must be overthinking when he had picked up the phone and left to take the call outside, so he said this to exin...the call wasn''t from someone else, it was from Xu Lawyer. "Oh." Shen Nian also didn''t expect Lu Lingchuan to say this to her, but she came to her senses and responded lightly, "I see." "Xu Lawyer asked us to go there at 10 AM tomorrow morning." To discuss Lu Lingrui''s matter. The next court session was only a few days away. "Okay." Shen Nian acknowledged. After eating a few more pieces of fish, Shen Nian said to Lu Lingchuan, "I''m almost done eating, I''m going to the restroom first." Then she got up and left. Lu Lingchuan stared at her gradually retreating back for a good while before withdrawing his gaze, staringplexly at the trash can by his feet. ... Shen Nian stood in front of the sink in the women''s restroom, one hand on her chest, desperately trying to vomit something up, but she had already thrown up most of it earlier. Now, she couldn''t vomit anything else out. But the gamey taste in her mouth was still so strong, so strong that Shen Nian felt dizzy and muddled. She felt like her brain had been stupefied by the smell. She scooped up some water to rinse her mouth before spitting it out, but no matter how much she rinsed, she still felt like the taste wouldn''t go away. "Excuse me, are you Miss Shen Nian?" A soft voice sounded from behind her. Shen Nian turned off the faucet and looked back to see a young waitress dressed in this restaurant''s uniform standing there. It was a server from this restaurant. Shen Nian nodded slightly. "Yes, I am. What''s the matter?" The girl took out a bottle of mouthwash from behind her and smiled at Shen Nian, "This is mouthwash your boyfriend asked me to buy for you. Your boyfriend specifically told me you don''t like the taste of mint, so I bought peach vor, nice and refreshing peach taste. I don''t know if you''ll like it." Looking at the mouthwash in the server''s hand, Shen Nian was startled. "My boyfriend?" "Yes!" The server blinked. Then she revealed an envious look, "Miss, your boyfriend treats you so well, and he''s so handsome too. And he''s so attentive. I wish you two lifelong happiness!" A tall, handsome, and attentive boyfriend was probably every girl''s dream man. Shen Nian came to her senses and knew who the server was talking about. Other than Lu Lingchuan, who else could it be? The corners of her lips curved up slightly. "Thank you." She felt her pocket for the change she had left over earlier. Finding a 100 yuan bill, Shen Nian handed it to her, "Thank you for the trouble. This is a tip." "No no no!" Seeing the money Shen Nian held out, the server quickly waved her hands. "I didn''t do anything much, you don''t need to tip me. And--" "I helped your boyfriend buy mouthwash. The mouthwash was less than 50 yuan, but your boyfriend directly transferred me 500 yuan. I wanted to transfer it back to him but he refused." Chapter 42 Chapter 42 The first time she had met someone so generous, the waitress was somewhat at a loss, also feeling uneasy about Lu Lingchuan''s extra money. "Actually, just give me money to buy some mouthwash. I really shouldn''t take any more. Miss, could you give me your payment QR code? I''ll scan the money to you¡ª" As the waitress started taking out her phone from her pocket, Shen Nian put the money back into her pocket and smiled at her, "Since this is his tip money for you, just take it." "But¡ª" "It''s fine. Helping us buy things isn''t your duty to begin with, so giving you delivery fees is what we should do." The waitress bargained with Shen Nian for a bit longer. Seeing that Shen Nian had no intention of taking the money back at all, she finally said, "Alright then. Next time if you twoe to eat in our restaurant again,e find me. I''ll treat you." Shen Nian and Lu Lingchuan had given her over 450 yuan for delivery fees. Treating them to a meal was the proper thing to do. Shen Nian smiled faintly. "Okay." Stunned by Shen Nian''s smile, the waitress sincerely said from the bottom of her heart, "Miss, you and your boyfriend are both good-looking with kind hearts. Heaven will surely bless you and let you grow old happily together." Having said that, she left. Hearing the waitress'' sincere blessings, Shen Nian''s smile froze and the slight curve at the corners of her lips quickly disappeared. Clutching the mouthwash, she turned around and ced it on the sink counter, raising her head to stare at herself in the mirror. Heaven will bless them and let them grow old together... Humph. Heaven had never blessed Lu Lingchuan before, nor had it blessed her, Shen Nian. Staring at the bottle of mouthwash, Shen Nian''s nose soured severely. She wrinkled her brows before immediately raising her head to stare at the ceiling light overhead, hot tears swirling in her eyes. She tilted her head back, not letting the tears fall. ... Exiting the bathroom, the things on their table had already been cleared by the waitress. Lu Lingchuan sat there holding his phone, his fingers quickly tapping the screen. He was probably replying to emails while waiting for her. As if having a sixth sense, when Shen Nian was still less than 10 meters away, Lu Lingchuan suddenly raised his head, meeting her eyes right on. Putting his phone away, Lu Lingchuan stood up, "Let''s go back." "Okay." Shen Nian answered and left the restaurant with him, one after the other. Neither of them mentioned anything about the mouthwash. For them, little things like this were meaningless, whether mentioned or not. Driving back after leaving themercial street, the car entered the underground garage. Taking the elevator up from the garage, Shen Nian unlocked the door with her fingerprint¨D From start to finish, the two of them exchanged zero words or dialogue. Until Shen Nian opened the door and they entered the room one after the other, just as Shen Nian was about to hit the light switch, there was a "bang" as Lu Lingchuan shut the door behind him. Not giving her a chance to turn on the lights, Lu Lingchuan pressed her directly against the wall next to them. What came next was his familiar scent. Lu Lingchuan leaned down towards her, one hand firmly grabbing her wrist and pressing it against the wall while the other held her waist tightly. His gentle breath caressed her face as he easily pried open her lips and teeth, lingering back and forth. His actions were gentle, as if she was a treasure to be carefully handled for fear that a slight mistake would break her. Shen Nian''sshes trembled lightly. In the pitch ck room, her facial expression was unclear, but she did not struggle. Her other unrestrained hand rose and clung onto his neck. For a man, this was an unspoken invitation. Lu Lingchuan only paused for a moment before reacting with madness. Soon, all their clothes were scattered on the ground as they kissed their way into the bedroom. They were people who could not stand the light, or perhaps it could be said that they did not dare face the light. Light represented hope, the start of a new day, meant they had to put on smiling masks to face everyone. Exhausted, truly exhausted. Only at night, in the pitch darkness where they could not see their own five fingers, could they temporarily forget everything and the shackles that hindered their progress. To be their true selves. Their real selves. After an unknown period of time, the room quieted down again. Shen Nian was extremely tired and sleepy, falling asleep in less than a minute. Lu Lingchuan turned on the small light by the bed and carried her into the bathroom to quickly rinse off before bringing her back to bed. The weather now wasn''t too cold, but Lu Lingchuan still covered her with a thin quilt to prevent catching a cold. The soft light from the bedsidemp shone upon her sleeping face. Lu Lingchuan gently caressed her cheek with the pad of his finger. He stared at her like this, his gaze gentle enough to overflow. Only at times like this could he watch her so openly without reservations. After staring at her for an unknown amount of time, Lu Lingchuan finally retracted his gaze. Lowering his head, he lightly pressed a kiss onto her soft lips¡ª Gently, tenderly, without any implication. Brushing aside a lock of hair on her face, Lu Lingchuan then quietly left the bedroom, gently closing the door. In contrast to Shen Nian who was tired and sleepy, Lu Lingchuan now felt wide awake. Leaving the bedroom, he entered the living room without turning on the lights and groped his way to the balcony by touch. It was already veryte, but standing on the balcony gave a beautiful night view of dazzling neon lights outside and streemps that had all lit up, with cars driving by one after another. Lu Lingchuan raised his eyes to nce at the sky. The weather today was good¡ªthe starry night sky was exceptionally bright, as was the moonlight. He retracted his gaze, taking a seat on the bench left permanently on the balcony. He used to frequently sit here alone in a daze at night, hence the bench. Settling down, Lu Lingchuan focused his attention on the paper in his hand¡ª He had taken it from somewhere when he came out earlier. Lu Lingchuan unfolded the paper¨D The edges were a little frayed from being viewed many times. Sitting there with courtyard curtains undrawn, the light from outsidemps and moonlight shone in, illuminating certain words on the paper he held. Abortion, surgery... It was Shen Nian''s consent form for her abortion surgery. He always kept this slip with him. On countless deep nights like this, he would sit alone like now, thumbing the paper, drowned in his own thoughts like a hollow old man. If not for everything that had happened, their first child would be three or four years old already. Already able to run and jump, to cry andugh, to call him Daddy... Lu Lingchuan stared nkly ahead for an unknown amount of time before removing the topmost surgical consent form to reveal the ultrasound scan underneath. It was the ultrasound Shen Nian had when she went to the hospital. Although only seven weeks along, the gestational sac was already visible¡ªa tiny little thing... Lu Lingchuan gently stroked that miniature little gestational sac that he could easily cover with one finger, caressing back and forth. And so, he remained awake through the night. ¡¾You haven''t reviewed my book yet~~~ Please hurry and write me a review, while also giving me a five star rating heh... This book is angsty, so I''m seriously afraid the average rating will end up at barely six-something. If that happens, it''ll really dampen my mood and I won''t feel like writing anymore *cries*...¡¿ Chapter 43 Chapter 43 The next day, when Shen Nian woke up, Lu Lingchuan had already gotten up. Supporting her head, she walked out of the bedroom. There were faint soundsing from the kitchen. She saw Lu Lingchuan walking out with a small pot in his hands. Seeing Shen Nian standing in the doorway, Lu Lingchuan only said: "Wash up and eat." Then he opened the lid of the small pot. Hot steam rose up along with the appetizing aroma of porridge. Lu Lingchuan took an empty bowl and used a spoon to scoop up the porridge. Today they were going to meetwyer Xu Xiping. Shen Nian gently massaged her forehead and turned to go wash up in the bathroom. After washing up and going out to the living room to eat, she then returned to the bedroom to change clothes. Opening the closet door, her gaze wandered back and forth among the row of clothes. During the previous argument with Lu Lingchuan, she had thrown away many clothes, and now the closet was empty. Most were the boring work clothes she wore for her job, utterly nondescript. Among the many outdated work clothes, Shen Nian picked out a purple shirt with water lily edges and puff sleeves in a retro Japanese style. For pants she chose a pair of ck high waisted pants with nice drape. Standing in front of the full length mirror, she took off her pajamas and put on the shirt, fastening the buttons from bottom to top. When fastening the top button at her neck, her fingers brushed against the ne she was wearing. Her movement halted. Bowing her head, her fingers pinched the sunflower pendant hanging around her neck, gently caressing it. After getting dressed, the two left. On the road, Lu Lingchuan drove while Shen Nian sat in the passenger seat, clutching her seat belt. Usually, the two rarely brought up the topic of Lu Lingrui. But today, they both knew clearly that going to meetwyer Xu Xiping, the topic discussed would only be about Lu Lingrui. So neither of them spoke. Lu Lingchuan drove the car to the garage of a high-end gatedmunity. Lawyer Xu was specially invited by Lu Lingchuan. Under normal circumstanceswyers would just stay at a hotel, but Lu Lingchuan cared deeply about Lu Lingrui¡¯s case. So he went ahead and arranged for thewyer to stay at an apartment under his name ¡ª To ensurewyer Xu could rest well without disruption and be in top mental state to assist them. After parking the car, the two entered one of the buildings in thepound, then took the elevator, pressing the floor number. The units in thispound had two elevators serving two units each. Stepping out of the elevator, Lu Lingchuan turned left, pressing the doorbell for unit 01. "Ding dong!" Soon a voice came from inside: "Come in." The smart door lock had already recognized Lu Lingchuan''s face and automatically unlocked. Lu Lingchuan twisted the knob and entered. Lawyer Xu, dressed in casual home clothes, happened to emerge from the bedroom carrying hisptop. Seeing Lu Lingchuan, Xu Xiping nodded slightly. "Mr. Lu." Xu looked around thirty-four or five years old. His appearance was not particrly striking, just very ordinary. There were no exceptionally dazzling features, but he gave off an extremely steady impression. Gold wire-rimmed sses were perched on his nose, adding some chill to his visage. Xu put down theptop on a nearby table. His gaze lifted again, but this time the one he looked at was not Lu Lingchuan, but Shen Nian. His eyes lingered on Shen Nian for just a second. "Miss Shen Nian?" Shen Nian nodded lightly. "Yes, that''s me." She was Shen Nian, one of the parties involved in the gang rape case four years ago. She was the only eyewitness and victim. She was also the most crucial witness in making those despicable scumbags pay. "Mm." Lawyer Xu did not say much more, just lightly nodded his head and swiftly shifted into work mode. "Miss Shen, I amwyer Xu Xiping. Mr. Lu must have told you about me already." "Yes." Xu set up a recording device he had on him on the table and started recording. "From now on, I will be taking over Miss Lu''s case. Starting now, I am the person you two trust the most. I will help resolve any issues you have. At the same time¡ª" He paused for a bit before continuing. "I will also need your trust. Mr. Lu has already provided me all the physical evidence. I went over it in one night. And Miss Shen, as the sole eyewitness and victim from the original incident, your testimony is crucial for the uing court hearings." "So I ask Miss Shen to carefully recall the course of events from that year in as much detail as possible. Try to be precise down to every detail, and speak out everything you can remember, the more the better." As expected of a famouswyer. After just a few sentences, that oppressive aura of authority was already apparent. But he was right too. As theirwyer, only by knowing the full details could he analyze the case and pick out the parts most helpful to them. The more the better. "......" As if teleported to the North Pole, the temperature seemed to plunge from the thirties down to negative fifty or sixty degrees in an instant. She was frozen stiff. All these years, the Lu family had never given up making those scumbags pay. And she... this was far from the first time she had to recount the details of that incident. The most painful thing was not falling into hell, but falling into hell then being forced back to the human world where someone made you recall every single detail of what had transpired in hell, over and over and over again in an endless loop of torment that ravaged her psyche. She forced out a strained smile on her rigid face. "Alright. The victim Lu Lingrui and I were high school best friends and ssmates. Her older brother Mr. Lu Lingchuan was my boyfriend at the time. That day..." As if reciting a textbook passage, Shen Nian numbly recounted the events of that year once again. As soon as Shen Nian said her first sentence, Lu Lingchuan fell to pieces! Those events from that day, he had already heard countless times over the years. Yet every time, his hands still couldn''t help shaking. In a fluster, he turned and retreated to the balcony in the living room. Shen Nian was matter-of-factly telling Lawyer Xu all the details about what happened that year while a faint "click" sounded in her ears. Her peripheral vision caught sight of Lu Lingchuan leaning against the wall of the balcony, bent over and smoking. He didn''t used to smoke before. He picked up the habit during that month interval between when Lu Lingrui''s incident urred and her eventual suicide, and then it grew steadily worse. Withdraw her sideways nce, Shen Nian gave a light sniff and paused briefly before continuing her ount to Lawyer Xu. After telling him a full ount of what happened back then, Xu Xiping turned off the recording device and nodded at Shen Nian. "Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Shen." Shen Nian struggled to control her emotions, feigning calm. "I''d like to use the bathroom. May I?" Lawyer Xu gave a slight dip of his chin. "By all means, go ahead." Shen Nian nodded and clutching her purse, left for the bathroom. She had just barely left when Lu Lingchuan immediately came over and sat down in the seat Shen Nian had vacated just moments before. His expression was overcast. "Lawyer Xu, do we stand a chance of winning?" Lawyer Xu gazed at hisptop screen. Disyed on it was the physical evidence Lu Lingchuan had provided him. Faced with Lu Lingchuan''s question, Xu''s brows knitted slightly. He didn''t beat around the bush but gave it to him straight. "With both witness testimony and physical evidence present, even if the goal is just to put them behind bars and we don''t hire me, but get any properly licensedwyer, winning the case would still be a certainty." It was the truth. The case details were already quite clear cut. It would be very difficult for the other side to wiggle their way out. Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Lu Lingchuan certainly knew they would win easily. However, this kind of victory could only make those two brutes sit in jail for a few years, and after a few years, they would be able toe out and live freely again. Live freely again. Just hearing these words felt extremely sarcastic. It was clearly their fault, they were the ones who hurt innocent people for their dirty thoughts, yet they only needed to serve a few years in prison to atone, why should they be allowed to start over after being released. What about the victimized Lu Lingrui and Shen Nian? Could their lives that were supposed to be beautiful start over? Lu Lingruimitted suicide, Shen Nian would live in an inferior world for the rest of her life, with no one to redeem her. Including Lu Lingrui¡¯s family - Lu Lingchuan lost his most pampered younger sister, Lu Lingchen lost his most beloved elder sister, Lu Yanhua and Li Mingshi lost their only daughter... They probably never even counted how many people they destroyed. Xu Lawyer closed hisptop and looked seriously at Lu Lingchuan, ¡°Mr. Lu, your younger sister died from suicide, although it was rted to the incident to some extent, the other party did not intend to kill your sister, so it can only be considered indirectly causing her death. It is very easy to put them in jail, but the death penalty...would be difficult.¡± The Lu family had filedwsuits for so many years without giving up, precisely because they would not ept a verdict of just a few years in prison, they were determined to make the perpetrators pay with their lives, a life for a life. But... although the behavior of the other party was vicious, it had not yet reached the point of deserving death. And when the incident urred, Lu Lingrui was already an adult, so the defendants did not constitute the crime of coercion against a minor. In addition, the two perpetrators, Wang Yong and Yang Hao, came from families with some money and background, and background was the most crucial factor. One side insisted on the death penalty while the other insisted on innocence. The two sides had been tangled up for so many years without any results. ¡°...¡± Lu Lingchuan was also very clear in his heart that the evidence he currently held was indeed insufficient to put those two men to death. But¡ª ¡°The death penalty is inevitable.¡± He must make them pay with their lives to atone for Lingrui. When Xu Lawyer took on this case, he had already seen Lu Lingchuan¡¯s determination that was difficult to shake. Although the chances didn¡¯t look good at the moment, since he had already taken the case, he would definitely do his utmost. ¡°I still don¡¯t know the strength of the other party right now. At the next court session, I will test out the bottom line of the other party first...¡± ..................... Shen Nian almost staggered miserably into the restroom. She closed the door without even having time to lock it, and hurriedly rushed to the sink. She turned on the faucet and started scooping up water to ssh on her face over and over. From earlier, her heartbeat had already started pounding out of control, seeming to want to break through her chest. She tried her best to restrain it but it was to no avail. It¡¯s nothing, nothing at all... She desperately tried to calm herself down, wanting herself to settle down immediately. But her heartbeat was still beating so fast... Some water got into Shen Nian¡¯s eyes and was a little ufortable. She looked up at herself in the mirror, her breathing somewhat urgent, unable to catch her breath. She didn¡¯t know if it was because her face was sshed with cold water, but herplexion was very pale. Shen Nian grabbed her blouse over her chest, trying hard to steady her breathing. Her other hand dug frantically in her bag until she finally found the pill box. Like a dying person desperately clinging to life, she very wretchedly opened the pill box with trembling hands and took out the pills. One, two, three... She didn¡¯t even know how many she grabbed, just stuffed them all into her mouth. She didn''t use water either, her teeth crushed the pills and the bitter taste spread in her mouth again. The bitterness in her mouth did calm her down a lot. Among the many medications the doctor prescribed yesterday, one box of pills contained sedatives. After taking the pills, Shen Nian¡¯s heartbeat slowly returned to normal, her body also stopped shaking, and her mood stabilized a lot. She closed her eyes to calm her breathing. Bang! The door of the restroom was suddenly pushed open. Shen Nian instinctively turned around immediately. Because she was startled, her hand identally bumped into the pill box that was ced next to her. With a tter, the pill box fell to the ground. Fortunately after taking the pills just now she had reflexively closed the pill box, otherwise pills would have spilled all over the floor. Meeting Lu Lingchuan¡¯s gaze, a hint of panic shed through Shen Nian¡¯s dark eyes. Fortunately after taking the medicine her emotions were much more stable. She asked in as normal a tone as possible, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lu Lingchuan didn''t say anything. He just lowered his eyes with his gaze falling on the pill box on the ground. Following his line of sight to look at the pill box, Shen Nian bent over to pick up the pill box and put it back in her bag, calmly responding, ¡°Oh, just now when I stood up from sitting on the toilet, I suddenly went dark before my eyes and almost fell over. It¡¯s probably because I haven¡¯t had time to exercise recently so my tendency to get dizzy attacks has red up again. I just took some medicine.¡± Shen Nian did actually have this problem before. If she gotzy and didn¡¯t exercise for a long time, she would get spells where everything went dark before her eyes. She had gotten checked out and it wasn¡¯t low blood sugar, it was just a little condition. The doctor prescribed her a type of medicine that she could take a pill of whenever she had a dark spell to alleviate it. But the doctor still rmended that she exercise as much as she could whenever possible. As long as she kept exercising there wouldn¡¯t be any issues. So in the past, no matter how busy Lu Lingchuan was, he would still drag her out to go jogging every three to five days. Thinking about it now, it was like a dream. Her voice was very calm, her voice lines also carryingposure. She soundedpletely un-suspicious like she was lying. Lu Lingchuan didn¡¯t think too much of it. He just retracted his gaze and said lightly, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lu Lingchuan turned and left. Shen Nian also left the restroom carrying her bag. ..................... After leaving the residential area where Xu Lawyer lived, the two people were still silent in the car. There was nothing good to talk about. This matter was a taboo between the two of them. Saying too much or saying the wrong thing would only lead to arguments. After Shen Nian took the medicine, her emotions stabilized a lot. Her head leaned against the car window. Somehow she fell asleep. This nap was very deep. The next time she woke up, she was already lying in bed... She immediately sobered up the moment before, herst memory still being in the car... Shen Nian swiftly turned her head to look around at her surroundings. Seeing the familiar room, she finally let out a breath of relief. Pressing her head, she sat up and rubbed her slightly aching forehead. Turning her head, she nced at the rm clock on the bedside table. It was 1:30 in the afternoon. After clearing her head she understood that she had fallen asleep in the car and Lu Lingchuan had brought her back. Getting out of bed and walking out of the room, there was no one else home besides her. Lu Lingchuan was not there. If nothing unexpected happened, he should have gone to thepany. After sleeping, Shen Nian¡¯s condition was much better. Herplexion was also not as ghastly as it was in the morning. She quickly tidied up and changed into work clothes before going to thepany as well. When Shen Nian arrived at thepany everyone else had already returned from lunch break,pletely engrossed in the afternoon¡¯s work. She went to her seat and put down her bag before she had even properly sat down when Jiang Lingling came over carrying a stack of documents. Seeing Shen Nian, she was somewhat surprised. ¡°Sis Nian, you came to work?¡± Jiang Lingling had assumed Shen Nian took the day off. ¡°Mm.¡± Shen Nian nodded slightly. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 "Great!" A sh of delight crossed Jiang Lingling''s face. She immediately pushed a stack of documents in front of Shen Nian, blinking her starry eyes pitifully at Shen Nian. "Sister Nian, please help send the documents in, please, please..." She put her hands together pleadingly, her face sincere. This little girl was truly irresistible when acting coquettishly. She was exactly like Lu Lingrui in the past. So Shen Nian simply couldn''t bear to refuse. She sat down at her seat, then flipped open the documents, ncing through them while saying to Jiang Lingling: "You didn''t check them?" "I checked them! I checked them three times!" Jiang Lingling fawned over her obsequiously, picking up the thermos by Shen Nian''s side and pouring water into her cup. "But you know what President Lu''s temper is like, Sister Nian. I was afraid I might have carelessly missed something during my checks and President Lu would discover it and scold me..." Shen Nian''s lips quirked into a smile, her face full of indulgence for Jiang Lingling. After carefully going through the documents again and making some slight revisions to ensure there were no issues, she closed them and handed them to Jiang Lingling: "It should be fine now. Go deliver them." However, Jiang Lingling just stood there staring fixedly at her with a kittenish gaze instead of taking the documents. "What''s wrong?" Shen Nian asked. "Sister Nian, you should deliver them directly." Jiang Lingling pointed in the direction of Lu Lingchuan''s office and said gingerly, "President Lu is entertaining an important guest right now. It would be too intrusive for me to suddenly barge in. And this document is quite important. Sister Nian, you''re President Lu''s personal assistant who has followed him since the beginning when he started from nothing. President Lu trusts you the most. So...it''s most fitting for you to go." Following the direction of her hand, Shen Nian nced towards the door of Lu Lingchuan''s office. Having been dragged by Jiang Lingling to check documents since arriving at thepany earlier, Shen Nian hadn''t paid attention to the office area until now. Lu Lingchuan was receiving a guest... For Lu Lingchuan to receive them personally, that guest must be the CEO of apany that had coborated with the Lingrui Group for many years. Jiang Lingling''s reason for fearing an intrusion that would offend the guest was usible. So Shen Nian nodded: "Alright, I''ll go deliver it." "Really? Thank you, Sister Nian!" It was as if Jiang Lingling had obtained an enormous advantage. Her entire being radiated delight to the point where if employees weren''t prohibited by Lu Lingchuan from chatting idly and acting rashly during work hours, she would have flipped joyously on the spot several times. "Sister Nian, I love you! I''ll treat you to a meal when I''m free!" Seeing her thus, Shen Nian couldn''t help but feel amused. After giving the documents a final check to ensure there really were no issues, she got up to deliver them. Standing outside the door of Lu Lingchuan''s office, Shen Nian lightly knocked three times. "Come in," came Lu Lingchuan''s cold voice from within. Shen Nian pushed the door open and entered. Having heard from Jiang Lingling that he had a guest, her gaze first fell upon the reception area. There was a small reception area in Lu Lingchuan''s office with a three-seater sofa in the middle and single-seater sofas on either side, carpeted flooring, as well as a rectangr coffee table. Lu Lingchuan sat on one of the single sofas with a cup of coffee before him. Seated on the three-seater sofa beside him was...Liang Jinghe. If Liang Jinghe weren''t right in front of her at this moment, Shen Nian might have nearly forgotten this person existed altogether. No wonder Jiang Lingling had said Lu Lingchuan was hosting an important guest. Liang Jinghe. A woman acknowledged by all thepany''s employees to be the "future madam boss". Naturally, she counted as an important guest. Lu Lingchuan raised his head and his eyes met Shen Nian''s. Seeing her unexpected appearance at thepany, his brows furrowed. Why did shee to thepany? Herplexion had looked quite awful this morning. Oblivious to Lu Lingchuan''s thoughts, Shen Nian automatically interpreted his frown to mean she had intruded presumptuously. Clutching the documents, she immediately bowed and apologized. "My apologies, President Lu. I wasn''t aware Miss Liang was here." Although Shen Nian was dressed in simple and nondescript ck secretary attire, there was an allure to the way she wore it. Her slim, long legs below her A-line skirt and her pretty bare face devoid of any cosmetics gave her a gentle beauty. Her expression was calm and serious. The manner in which she slightly bent her body to apologize was appropriate and proper, not a strand out of ce. Her disciplined attitude truly left no openings for criticism. There wasn''t the slightest hint of dejection, distress or even jealousy on her face. Composed and tranquil¡ªnot servile yet not arrogant either. She really was a capable, beautiful secretary who understood boundaries. Very good. Extremely satisfactory. Lu Lingchuan''s gaze towards her took on a sh of iciness. He spoke coldly, "What is it?" "Sir, this contains the materials needed for the four o''clock meeting this afternoon. Jiang Lingling has prepared them and I''ve looked them over too¡ªthere should be no issues. Please review them, President Lu," Shen Nian replied lightly with a slight dip of her head as she handed over the documents. Her businesslike manner made Lu Lingchuan''s tone turn two degrees cooler. "Put them on my desk." "Yes, sir." Without objection, Shen Nian brought the documents over to Lu Lingchuan''s desk. As she retracted her gaze, she inadvertently nced at Liang Jinghe. She and Liang Jinghe had only met a few times in passing but she had to admit thetter possessed an air of elegance. Dressed in a purple dress today with matching hair essories, Liang Jinghe exuded gentleness. Noticing Shen Nian''s gazend on her, Liang Jinghe revealed a friendly smile to her. Catching it, Shen Nian''s eyes paused though she said nothing. She merely gave a slight nod in acknowledgment, maintaining a secretary''s rigor. Seated at his desk with the documents Shen Nian had delivered before him, Lu Lingchuan was staring fixedly at Shen Nian instead of opening them. His sharp, frosty gaze seemed to want to peer into her inner thoughts through her eyes. Standing opposite Lu Lingchuan in eight centimeter heels, Shen Nian kept her back straight, neither servile nor overbearing as she fearlessly returned his stare. At this moment, she was merely a secretary. Just a secretary and nothing more. Seeing her thus, the mass of fiery anger that had been pent up in Lu Lingchuan''s chest condensed and swelled. Very good. Extremely good. So this was her keeping a distance from him? As expected of the woman who could effortlessly incite his fury! When speaking with Lu Lingchuan earlier, Liang Jinghe had sensed his aloofness, seeming somewhat preupied. Hence his tone had remained light throughout their conversation. The moment Shen Nian entered, she directly triggered the eruption of his suppressed anger for no reason at all. Anyone with a shred of perceptiveness could see Lu Lingchuan was extremely displeased right now and in an awful mood. Given that his state hadn''t been ideal even before Shen Nian came in, Liang Jinghe didn''t think too deeply into it. She simply assumed Shen Nian to be the hapless scapegoat receiving the brunt of his pent-up frustrations. She gave a light cough. "Lingchuan." Lu Lingchuan looked at her. Liang Jinghe pointed at the documents on his desk. "Didn''t you say there''s a meeting at four o''clock this afternoon? Let''s wrap this up quickly so we can continue our discussion. It''s already after three." Without directly indicating it, she had stepped up in a way that gave off the impression of kindly helping Shen Nian out whilst maintaining a natural air without affectation. At her words, Lu Lingchuan finally retracted his gaze from Shen Nian and lowered his head to flip through the documents. As attentive as Shen Nian was, there were hardly ever any problems with documents she prepared. After Lu Lingchuan finished his review and confirmed there were no issues, he closed the file and tossed it onto his desk. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Shen Nian had been Lu Lingchuan''s assistant for so many years that she knew what he meant with just a gesture. The documents were fine. She stepped forward and took the files back, nodding slightly to Lu Lingchuan. "Well, Mr. Lu, I''ll be going now." Lu Lingchuan didn''t even look at her. Shen Nian left with the documents, and as she closed the door she heard Liang Jinghe''s voice, "Lingchuan, cooperating with our family won''t disappoint you..." Cooperation. It was unsurprising that Liang Jinghe''s well-off family would cooperate with Lu Lingchuan. However, Shen Nian didn''t have the habit of eavesdropping. She closed the door and left. Jiang Lingling had been waiting in Shen Nian''s office area all along. Seeing Shen Nian finally emerge, she immediately came up and anxiously asked, "What happened? Sister Nian, why did you onlye out now? Was there a problem?" Shen Nian handed the folder to her, "The content is fine. Go photocopy it, remember thirty-three copies, and make three extra copies to deal with any unexpected issues. Also, get the conference room arranged." She gave very detailed instructions, afraid that careless Jiang Lingling might anger Lu Lingchuan. Lu Lingchuan was probably in a bad mood today after talking about Lu Lingrui in the morning. It was best if this poor Jiang Lingling didn''t rush up to be cannon fodder. "Oh, okay." Jiang Lingling always readily obeyed Shen Nian. Hugging the folder, she smiled brightly at Shen Nian. "Sister Nian, let''s go out for dinner after work today, my treat." Shen Nian had already sat back down to tackle the backlogged work. Holding a pen, she was writing, and upon hearing Jiang Lingling''s words, she paused but didn''t look up. She jokingly said, "Treat me to dinner? Don''t you have credit card bills to pay this month?" It wasmon for young people nowadays to be in debt. Especially someone like Jiang Lingling who had just started working and didn''t have a very high sry yet. After deducting rent, utilities, some rice and instant noodles, and credit card bills, she would find that her sry fromst month had disappeared again. It was a good thing their Lingrui Group provided free breakfasts and lunches. Employees working overtime could have free dinner too. Otherwise Jiang Lingling would have long been too poor to afford meals. As Shen Nian continued writing, she said, "I just helped out a bit casually. No need to treat me." "Oh..." Seeing that Shen Nian had rejected her, Jiang Lingling blinked. She wasn''t shameless. Compared to their peers who got bullied and pushed around by senior employees during internships, she was already very lucky to have found this job where someone helped her resolve mistakes, big and small, allowing her to get through the intern period without any major incidents and sessfully convert to a permanent role. Jiang Lingling was fully aware of how nice Shen Nian had been to her. So even though she knew Shen Nian earned more than her and lived better than her, she was still determined to treat her to this meal. However, since Shen Nian didn''t want Jiang Lingling to treat her, she could only...find another reason. Jiang Lingling squatted in front of Shen Nian, hands clutching the table and chin resting on it as she stared pitifully at Shen Nian. "I definitely want to treat you to express my gratitude for all your help. Coincidentally, I heard from my college ssmate that a new hot pot restaurant opened on South Street. They''re currently having a promotion where spending over 200 yuan gets 100 yuan deducted immediately - affordable, delicious and cheap! So I wanted to try it out. If I went alone, no matter how much I ate, it would only add up to a little over 100 yuan. Then I''d have to spend over 100 yuan without any discount. But if you go with me, Sister Nian, ourbined appetite could easily order 200 yuan worth, and we''d get to eat our fill. Most importantly, we could take advantage of the discount! 200 minus 100, rounded up means I''d only have to spend 100 yuan. I could enjoy affordable hot pot, and also treat you to thank you for taking care of me - killing two birds with one stone!" She made a scissor hand motion to indicate it was indeed two-fold benefits. Shen Nian looked up to see her staring expectantly, blinking nonstop and acting cute. Shen Nian could only relent helplessly. "Fine, I got it." Jiang Lingling''s personality was exactly the same as Lu Lingrui''s in the past - enthusiastic, lively, easygoing and without malice. Hearing her speak was just like hearing Lu Lingrui speak. She found it hard to refuse. "Great!" Seeing Shen Nian nod, Jiang Lingling immediately stood up, hugging the documents andughing, "Then I''ll go photocopy first. Don''t forget, Sister Nian! I''lle find you after work." Then she hurried off. Shen Nian curled her lips, and continued working with her head lowered. After around ten minutes, the door to Lu Lingchuan''s office opened. Liang Jinghe walked out from inside. Shen Nian heard the door opening, as well as the "tap tap" sounds of high heels stepping on the floor. She knew who hade out without looking up, and continued busying herself. She thought Liang Jinghe had already left, but a cup of coffee was suddenly pushed in front of her. Shen Nian, who was working, paused in surprise and looked up to see Liang Jinghe standing next to her. "Ms. Liang." Shen Nian put away the fleeting astonishment on her face and made to stand up. "No need to be restrained." Liang Jinghe pressed her shoulder and smiled, "You''ve been by Lingchuan''s side many years and know his temper. He''s just in a bad mood today, it''s not directed at you." Shen Nian lowered her head, "I know." Liang Jinghe went on, "I came today to discuss a partnership with Lingchuan. My dad has a project that''s been shelved for a long time because he couldn''t find a suitable partner before. But when he learned about Lingchuan''s youth and capability, he reconsidered and felt this project could create the greatest value for Lingchuan. So he asked me to discuss it with him." Liang Jinghe pushed the coffee she had just poured towards Shen Nian again, "I rememberst time I came to thepany, you said you don''t often drink fruit tea or milk tea, and are used to drinking coffee. I just ground this cup using the coffee machine in the pantry." "I was always studying abroad previously and never involved with the family business. This is the first partnership my dad has asked me to take over after I returned. We''ll probably have to liaise frequently in the future, please guide me." From before until now, there really wasn''t anything dislikeable about Liang Jinghe. Perhaps it was because although she was a rich youngdy, she was never arrogant or overbearing. It could also be because she wasn''t pretentious and didn''t deliberately curry favor like now in the office. It was also possible that, like now, she didn''t put on airs, and didn''t treat Shen Nian merely as a secretary. Instead, she disyed a friendly, modest attitude. Anyone would like such a person. Unfortunately, as long as she and Lu Lingchuan were together, there would never be peace between the two of them. She was Lu Lingchuan''s prospective girlfriend, while Shen Nian herself...might not even be a lover, let alone anything more. Suchplicated rtionships meant it was destined that Shen Nian and Ms. Liang could not get along harmoniously. Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Shen Nian''s eyes darkened as she concealed the emotions in them, and did not take the coffee Liang Jinghe had pushed over. She just said lightly, "I willplete my own work duties." Indifferent, aloof, she was like a secretary who took her work seriously. Liang Jinghe immediately understood, giving a faint smile without saying anything more, only saying, "Alright, then I''ll be going first." Shen Nian got up and nodded at Liang Jinghe. Not long after Liang Jinghe left, Lu Lingchuan came out from his office, striding meteorically towards the conference room. Shen Nian had already prepared the necessary documents, immediately picking up the things and following him. Today''s meeting was more important, with several employees taking turns to report on their work, whether it was exining PPTs or reporting on other work, they were exceptionally prudent, paying 120% attention to their own words and actions every moment, afraid of saying something wrong. Because...everyone in the room clearly felt that there were two cold airs in the conference room. The first was from the central air conditioning above their heads. As for the second... Everyone silently looked towards Lu Lingchuan. From the moment he entered the conference room, Lu Lingchuan had kept a stern face, listening to the employees report their work below without saying a word, the pen in his hand turning back and forth from irritation. Those who could sit here were smart people, with just one look at his expression everyone immediately knew in their hearts. President Lu was in a terrible mood today. So everyone obediently bowed their heads to listen carefully to the talks, not napping, not whispering privately, and not rushing up to the CEO to vent his anger and be cannon fodder. Shen Nian sat in her seat, lowering her head every so often to check the time. It was almost six o''clock. When this meeting finished, those who didn''t need to work overtime could leave directly. The employee was making the final summary, if nothing unexpected happened they would be able to end the meeting in three minutes. Shen Nian thought for a moment before clicking into the chat with Lu Lingchuan, tapping out words. ¡¾Going out for dinner tonight, will be back a bitter.¡¿ The inte speed was very fast, and Lu Lingchuan received the message in the next second. In the huge conference room, Lu Lingchuan as the Chief Executive Officer naturally sat in the main seat at the head of the table. Shen Nian was his assistant, as well as a long-time veteran of thepany, sitting in the first spot to his left. Because the distance was so close, when the phone on the table vibrated Shen Nian heard it very clearly. She saw Lu Lingchuan unceremoniously take out his phone to nce at it, he should have been looking at the message she sent. But in the next second he put the phone back on the table again, his expression unchanged, still as unpleasant. "..." So did he agree or disagree? While Shen Nian was struggling over this, the employee giving the report had already finished their final summary. They closed the documents in their hands, then carefully looked at Lu Lingchuan in the main seat, waiting for him to give feedback. One second passed, two seconds passed, ten seconds passed... Lu Lingchuan was still sitting there not saying a word. So the atmosphere in the conference room became even more bizarre. Did the President agree with this n or not? Currently President Lu looked very unhappy, so it should signify disagreement. But if he disagreed, he should have brought up the issues and fiercely criticized them already. So did he agree or disagree in the end? The employees seriously felt that they should find time in their leisure to learn about microexpressions, blindly guessing what the CEO was thinking was too difficult! Everyone was nervous and apprehensive, especially the employee who had just given the report and hadn''t sat down yet, his face looked like it had almost crumpled into the character for "suffering". Was the President going to praise him or scold him? Whether it was praise or scolding, could the President please say something, just sitting there wordlessly was too agonizing for him! Everyone was waiting for Lu Lingchuan to speak up. After about three minutes, the esteemed President Lu finally opened his mouth, "Meeting adjourned." After he finished speaking, he left directly with his phone. He had just left when everyone finally let out a breath of relief. They hurriedly tidied up their things and also got up to walk outwards, murmuring to each other as they went. "President Lu seems to not be in a good mood today." "Do you even need to say it? Anyone with eyes can see it!" "Could he have fought with Miss Liang? That shouldn''t be, I happened to run into Miss Liang on her way out when I was preparing documents just now, and at that time Miss Liang had a smile on her face and even greeted me, she didn''t look like she had just fought with the President!" "A man''s heart is like the needles at the bottom of the ocean..." Shen Nian had juste out from the conference room when Jiang Lingling''s voice sounded from behind her, "Sister Nian, wait for me!" The atmosphere at thepany was good, with everyone helping each other out normally. Privately, everyone had great rtionships, so unless it was an important asion they would usually call each other sister or by name instead of full names. Hearing Jiang Lingling''s voice, Shen Nian looked back. Jiang Lingling hurried to catch up to her carrying her things. "Sister Nian." "Mm." The two walked side by side, and Jiang Lingling''s mouth didn''t stop. "Luckily you were the one who submitted that document for me today. I could feel that President Lu was in a bad mood as soon as he entered the conference room." "Mm." She had also felt it. "Sister Nian, I haven''t seen President Lu many times, so I''m not very familiar with President Lu''s temper. You''ve followed President Lu for so many years, so I want to ask...is President Lu usually cold or asionally cold?" Usually cold or asionally cold...only Jiang Lingling would say it this way. Shen Nian thought back to Lu Lingchuan''s expression when she entered the office, saying to Jiang Lingling, "President Lu is in a bad mood today, so take cover if you see him scowling in the future." "Oh, got it." Jiang Lingling learned another thing, nodding, "Then Sister Nian, I''ll go tidy up first. Don''t leave, let''s go eat." "Mm." Back at her seat, after she finished allocating the documents Lu Lingchuan would need tomorrow, she only left carrying her own bag. Jiang Lingling was already waiting for her at the elevator doors. The two rode the elevator down together, then walked out of thepany building. It wasn''t early anymore at this time, but because it was summer, the sky still hadn''t darkened. The two stood at the side of the road. Jiang Lingling shook her phone, "My cab will get here in three minutes, let''s wait a bit." "Alright." She had just finished speaking when a sports car flew by from the side at high speed, too fast for people to react properly. Shen Nian quickly caught sight of the license te number on the back of the sports car. Seeing those familiar digits she knew it was Lu Lingchuan''s car. It seemed President Lu''s anger hadn''t abated. The car drove very quickly, disappearing from sight in an instant. But Shen Nian still stared fixedly in the direction the car had left, not withdrawing her gaze for a long time. "Sister Nian?" It wasn''t until Jiang Lingling called her that Shen Nian came back to herself, "Hm?" Jiang Lingling pointed at the car that had appeared in front of them at some unknown point, "The cab is here." "Okay." The two got into the backseat together. They went to Nandajie. At this time it was right at the liveliest period. Jiang Lingling brought her to the hot pot restaurant she had heard was affordable, delicious and good value. No wonder Jiang Lingling was raving about it, the poprity really was great. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 This hot pot restaurant was particrlyrge, upying an entire five-story building. When they entered the first floor, it was already packed with people. The young waiter immediately led them to a two-person table by the side on the third floor after noticing the twodies. They ordered the hot pot base and dishes and waited for the food to arrive. While waiting, the two chatted. Shen Nian wasn''t a talkative person, so it was always Jiang Lingling who initiated the conversation topics. She propped her chin and stared intently at Shen Nian. "Sister Nian." "Hm." Shen Nian was arranging Lu Lingchuan''s schedule and work for the next few days. "Sister Nian, do you have a boyfriend?" Jiang Lingling''s eyes flickered with curiosity, truly eager to know the answer. "..." Shen Nian''s typing hand paused as she looked up at her, not answering but asking instead, "Why are you suddenly asking this?" "Because in my heart, Sister Nian, you''re really impressive," Jiang Lingling said with wide eyes, speaking honestly. "Although we''re the same age, the gap between us is not small. When I was still in school, you had already started working hard. So now that I''ve just graduated, you already have several years of work experience and the ability to handle things calmly." She continued to vent, "When I was interning before, some of my dorm matesined about thepanies they were interning at. The veteran employees would boss them around just because they were senior. It would be fine if they asked them to do work-rted tasks, but they even made them buy coffee, tea, and lunch. When my dorm mates asked about work, the veterans would get impatient and say my dorm mates had no brains and didn''t know even the simplest things, questioning how they even got into university... That''s really ridiculous, right? We''re human, not machines. It''s normal not to know everything right after graduating. That''s why we ask to learn. Why did they have to say such rude things? It''s clear they were just abusing their seniority and showing disrespect." "I was lucky to meet you, Sister Nian. You''ve never made me buy coffee, and whenever I didn''t understand something, you patiently taught me. Even when I did a poor report, you would go through it carefully and help me correct the mistakes." Although they were of the same age, Jiang Lingling called her "Sister Nian" wholeheartedly, showing her respect for Shen Nian. After listening to her chatter on and on, Shen Nian put down her phone and quirked her lips, "I''m not as good as you say." "But in my heart, you are that good, Sister Nian," Jiang Lingling said sincerely. "In my heart, Sister Nian, you''re young and beautiful, capable, kind at heart, and have such a good temper. In all the time we''ve been together, no matter what mistakes I''ve made, you''ve never gotten angry with me..." Jiang Lingling extended a finger for each of Shen Nian''s good qualities until all ten fingers were spread out, but she still hadn''t finished. She simply gathered her hands and said, "If the full score is 100, Sister Nian, you''d get 120 in my heart because you even got the bonus points! So I was wondering, what kind of man would be so lucky to win your affection." She blinked and stared directly at Shen Nian, "So, Sister Nian, do you have a boyfriend?" After all that, she still circled back to wanting to know if Shen Nian had a boyfriend. Shen Nian tugged at her lips, theplex emotion in her eyes quickly disappearing as she said, "No." She and Lu Lingchuan had already broken up, so he wasn''t her boyfriend anymore. "Ah--" Jiang Lingling seemed a little disappointed, but quickly understood, "I suppose that makes sense. Sister Nian, you seem like a career-oriented, strong woman. We''re still so young, so you probably wouldn''t want to get into a rtionship, get married, and have kids early on." Still propping her cheek, Jiang Lingling began to imagine, "But I really want to know what kind of amazing man could win Sister Nian''s heart in the future. He should be like President Lu - tall, handsome, young, capable, and from a good family background..." In Jiang Lingling''s impression, Shen Nian was so impressive that the future partner of such an excellent woman would have to be exceptionally outstanding as well. "..." The tugged smile on Shen Nian''s face froze. Jiang Lingling had praised her too highly. That was just a false facade. If that facade was shattered, the real her would be revealed as quite unworthy. Back then, Lu Lingchuan had stood alone against the drunken man to let her escape, but she had actually abandoned Lu Lingchuan and ran away... Shen Nian took a deep breath to calm herself and changed the subject. "The food is here, let''s eat." The waiter had already brought the hot pot while they were talking, and now the dishes were served as well. "Oh, okay." Jiang Lingling had been eyeing the food and immediately picked up her chopsticks. This meal was rtively quiet, with the two no longer continuing their previous topic. Jiang Lingling shared amusing stories from her university days, like how one of her ssmates and her boyfriend were caught making out in the bushes by a patrolling security guard, or how her roommate in the first year was a gossipy drama queen... Shen Nian remained silent throughout, only listening. Suddenly, a handnded on her shoulder. Ever since Lu Lingchuan''s passing, Shen Nian had been very sensitive, feeling averse to physical contact from anyone other than those she fully trusted. So when she felt someone touch her, she immediately flinched away and looked up. It was an unfamiliar man who appeared to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. The man, around 1.7 meters tall, was of average height and looks. He wore a brand-name T-shirt with a gold chain around his neck and held a cup of alcohol in his hand. He stared at Shen Nian with a slightly hazy gaze, clearly intoxicated. When he noticed Shen Nian looking at him, he immediately shed a smileced with sleaziness. "Prettydy, you look so good. Why don''t you let me buy you a drink?" His words carried a greasy undertone. Whether it was the word "greasy," "sleazy," or "drunk man," each one undoubtedly triggered Shen Nian''s trauma and outrage. After all, it was a greasy, sleazy drunk man who... Shen Nian''s face immediately darkened. Across from her, Jiang Lingling noticed someone hitting on Shen Nian. Knowing Shen Nian wasn''t very talkative, she feared Shen Nian would feel ufortable, so she quickly intervened to reject him. "My friend doesn''t drink, thank you." However, the sleazy man ignored Jiang Lingling and continued staring at Shen Nian, showing no intention of giving up, "Prettydy, just give me a chance. It''s just a drink, no big deal. It''s not like I''m asking for your contact info, right...?" Shen Nian looked up, her jet-ck eyes meeting his, "Give you a chance?" "..." "Why should I give you a chance? Who are you?" The man''s expression froze. He thought Shen Nian looked so beautiful, with a gentle, innocent face that gave off a pretty and gentle vibe. He hadn''t expected her to respond that way. Chapter 49 Chapter 49 The man turned his head to look at another table behind him, then nced at Shen Nian''s beautiful face, but still couldn''t bear to leave, sticking to her like a stubborn piece of toffee. "Well... I''m ying Truth or Dare with my friends, gorgeous. Why don''t you have a drink with me? If you don''t, I''ll lose face in front of my buddies." "Get lost," Shen Nian said, struggling to refrain from smashing the pot at him. However, that simple "Get lost" struck a blow to the man''s self-esteem. Shen Nian''s coldness,bined with the catalyst of alcohol, made him feel utterly humiliated. Since she refused to drink with him, the man flew into a drunken rage andunched into a torrent of verbal abuse against Shen Nian. "Who do you think you are, huh? Don''t act so high and mighty!" "I was doing you a favor by offering you a drink, but look at how arrogant you''re being. I wonder if you''ll still be so arrogant when I''ve got you pinned down on the bed!" "Don''t pretend to be so pure and innocent. I bet you''re secretly the wildest one of them all!" "..." All sorts of vulgar, misogynistic, and demeaningnguage poured out of his mouth. He already looked sleazy to begin with, but now that he was hurling obscenities, his unsavory aura was on full disy for all to witness. There''s a certain type of man in this world who, despite having no money, capability, or background, acts meek and submissive when sober, but bes overconfident and boastful after a few drinks, deluding themselves into thinking they''re hot stuff just for spewing a few crude insults. In reality, all they''re doing is exposing their ownck of ss and refinement, their self-importance, and making fools of themselves in public. Jiang Lingling was dumbfounded, as the man''snguage was simply too vulgar and offensive. "What''s wrong with you? Why should we drink with you?" she protested. But as soon as Jiang Lingling spoke up, the man immediately turned his wrath on her. "Mind your own damn business! Who asked you?" At a nearby table, a burly man couldn''t stand it any longer. He mmed his chopsticks down and confronted the rowdy drunk. "You''re the one with problems, pal. Can''t you see thesedies don''t want to drink with you? Why are you cussing them out? Who do you think you are, anyway? Why should they have to drink with you?" The big guy was clearly from up north, his imposing stature alone enough to intimidate. Stung by the rebuke, the man''s bruised ego drove him to start arguing with the burly stranger. After trading insults, the two men came to blows. The northerner was no pushover, his muscr frame easily overpowering the drunken pest. The man''s friends, having been keeping an eye on themotion, rushed in to defend their buddy after seeing him get beaten up - especially the other drunken louts among them, emboldened by the alcohol coursing through their veins. The burly man wasn''t fazed in the slightest, effortlessly kicking aside anyone who came at him. With a single powerful kick, he sent the man crashing to the ground, clutching his stomach in tears of pain. The beating seemed to have sobered him up a bit, but instead of feeling remorse for his appalling behavior, he merely flew into an even greater rage, casting a resentful re at Shen Nian. It was all that damn woman''s fault he got beaten up! Turning toward their table, he noticed the empty beer bottles left over from their earlier drinking session. Without a second thought, the man grabbed one of the bottles and charged straight at Shen Nian. The burly man was still busy dealing with the other goons, while his wife tried to usher Shen Nian and Jiang Lingling to safety. As Jiang Lingling shook her head worriedly, Shen Nian''s face paled - the situation had escted dangerously, with everyone gawking at the fracas. The staff had tried to intervene earlier but failed, so they went to call for backup. Sensing the impending danger, Shen Nian looked up to see the man''s twisted, contorted face bearing down on her, bottle in hand. It all happened too fast for her to react. She could only watch helplessly as the man closed in on her. "Smash!" "Ungh..." But the expected pain never came. Shen Nian merely heard the man''s muffled grunt. Looking up, she was met with a gentle, handsome face. "...Xiao Mubai?" she uttered in disbelief. "What are you doing here?" His brow was furrowed, clearly suppressing the pain. Fixing his gaze on Shen Nian, the first words out of his mouth were, "Are you all right?" "..." He was the one more seriously hurt, yet his first concern was for her safety. Shen Nian shook her head. Without a moment''s hesitation, Xiao Mubai pulled her head into his chest, shielding her face from view. Themotion had grown so chaotic that onlookers were whipping out their phones to record the spectacle. Xiao Mubai''s actions protected Shen Nian''s identity from being exposed. The staff had finally brought security, who immediately apprehended the man wielding the bottle. The police station was nearby, and someone had already called them when the fight first broke out. Soon, the officers arrived on the scene as well. After a quick assessment of the situation, they rounded up all the brawlers, including the burly man and his wife. Although the big guy had resorted to violence as well, the restaurant''s security footage and numerous eyewitness ounts clearly showed that the drunken lout had initiated the conflict by harassing the women with lewdments, prompting the burly man to intervene. Even when the scuffle turned physical, it was the drunk who threw the first kick at the big guy, who was merely acting in self-defense when he retaliated. So the northerner wouldn''t face any charges for defending himself. Since Shen Nian was directly involved in the incident, she and Jiang Lingling would have to go to the police station to give their statements. Shen Nian noticed Xiao Mubai''s pallidplexion and a glimpse of red on the back of his white shirt... Fortunately, the drunken man was shorter than Xiao Mubai, so the bottle had only struck Xiao Mubai''s shoulder. If it had hit his head, the consequences would have been unimaginable. "Xiao Mubai, are you all right?" A few men approached with concern, apparently Xiao Mubai''s friends. "Xiao Mubai," Shen Nian said, her lips quivering slightly, "you should go to the hospital and get that wound treated first." Though the pain in his shoulder was acute, Xiao Mubai merely shed a smile. "Let me take you to the station to give your statement first." With that, he cradled Shen Nian''s head and led her out, an act of chivalry that elicited admiring gasps from the youngdies present. Soon, some of the other guys were draping their jackets over Jiang Lingling''s head too, concealing her face from the cameras. Xiao Mubai escorted Shen Nian to the police station before going to the hospital to treat his own injury. While not technically a victim himself - he had simply stepped in to shield Shen Nian from the bottle-wielding drunk, getting hurt in the process - his own wounds entitled him to seek medical attention first. At the station, Shen Nian recounted the events from the beginning. The police also obtained the security footage. With physical evidence and eyewitness testimonies, the case was straightforward. The instigators were swiftly taken into custody. As Shen Nian exited the interview room after giving her statement, the door of the adjacent office opened at the same time, revealing a familiar figure. The two women locked eyes, surprise flickering across their faces. "It''s you?!" they eximed in unison. After a brief moment of shock, the other woman broke into a smile. "Shen, the assistant - I must admit, I didn''t expect to see you here." Shen Nian was equally taken aback. She never imagined she''d run into Liang Jinghe at the police station. Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Currently dealing with the hotpot restaurant incident, Shen Nian is one of the involved parties, hence her presence here. Liang Jinghe... Shen Nian withdrew the surprise in her eyes, politely nodded at Liang Jinghe, and asked, "Miss Liang." Then she inquired, "Why are you here, Miss Liang?" Liang Jinghe smiled in response, "I co-own the hotpot restaurant with a friend. Since there was an incident, and my friend is away on a business trip, I came to understand the situation." After exining, Liang Jinghe looked at Shen Nian, expressing concern, "Are you okay?" "I''m fine." Shen Nian shook her head, not showing any closeness to Liang Jinghe, "Thanks for your concern, Miss Liang." Having met Shen Nian a few times, Liang Jinghe noticed Shen Nian''s reserved nature. She was a diligent assistant in Ling Chuan''s presence, always maintaining a strict and serious demeanor. In front of others, she appeared distant, giving off a cool and indifferent vibe. Thinking of something, Liang Jinghe asked again, "I heard a bit about the situation. Those people even tried to attack with bottles." As she finished speaking, the office door next door opened, revealing her supportive older brother and sister-inw, Jiang Lingling. "Sister Nian." Jiang Lingling walked over, noticing Liang Jinghe, looking surprised. "Miss Liang?" Then she turned to Shen Nian, silently asking, "Howe Miss Liang is here?" "Miss Liang is the co-owner of the hotpot restaurant. She came to handle the situation," Shen Nian exined, then turned to Liang Jinghe, saying, "If there''s nothing else, Miss Liang, we''ll leave." "Oh, okay." Leaving the police station with her older brother and sister-inw, Shen Nian thanked them. Despite her older brother being a muscr and shy guy, upon hearing the girl''s gratitude, he awkwardly blushed and just smiled. His wife, unimpressed, remarked, "He''s like this. Can''t stand seeing someone bullied, rushes forward without thinking." "I may not care about other things, but when ites to humiliating and using foulnguage against girls, I step in every time I see it." He put on a serious face, looking at his wife, "Being handsome isn''t a reason to attack women. A grown man who can''t even respect women won''t amount to anything. If he continues to insult, I''ll step in every time! Plus, I''m umting good karma. If you ever get bullied out there, I hope someone stands up to protect you like I do." His assertive words carried a strong sense of dogged determination. His wife couldn''t stopughing after hearing it all. After bidding farewell to Shen Nian and Jiang Lingling, the couple left. With everyone gone, Jiang Lingling held Shen Nian''s hand and asked softly, "Sister Nian, who was the person you dealt with earlier?" Judging by Sister Nian''s expression at the time, they seemed to know each other. He was quite handsome, tall, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, exuding a warm and polished charm as if basking in sunlight all year round. The contrast between Mr. Lu and Shen Nian couldn''t be more striking. Mr. Lu usually maintains a cold and aloof demeanor, exuding an air of authority. However, the young man from earlier, even without speaking or smiling, emanated a gentle vibe, akin to a friendly neighborhood brother. Shen Nian was concerned about Xiao Mubai''s injury, simply replying "friend" and then turning to Jiang Lingling, saying, "Lingling, you go back first. I need to go to the hospital." "Okay," Jiang Lingling nodded understandingly. She knew Shen Nian was going to the hospital to visit someone. "Take care, Shen Nian. I''ll head back now." "Thanks." Watching Jiang Lingling drive away, Shen Nian hailed a taxi to the hospital. After leaving the police station, Liang Jinghe returned home by car. Everything was settled at the police station, and she had the surveince footage as clear evidence. Regarding the incident at the hot pot restaurant, she had the manager handle the situation, apologizing to the affected customers and offering free meals, along with discount cards as a gesture of goodwill. While sitting in the car, Liang Jinghe''s phone rang, and she answered. After a brief conversation, her expression shifted slightly. "Is that so?" she asked. After a few seconds of silence, she continued, "Get in touch with the tform and reduce the visibility of the incident as soon as possible. Also, control the distribution of the videos. Any footage showing the victim or the good Samaritans should be taken down to avoid causing them trouble." Ending the call, she opened a social media tform. Sure enough¡ª #SouthStreetHotPotRestaurantAssault# was trending at the top. No good deed goes unpunished. In this era of advancedworking, news travels fast. What just happened could easily be broadcasted online, reaching far and wide. Liang Jinghe scrolled through the top videos, all capturing different angles of the altercation, filmed by bystanders. The faces of the main aggressor and a few aplices were visible in the videos. Fortunately, Shen Nian and Jiang Lingling were positioned in a way that their faces were mostly obscured. There were exnations from those who posted the videos as well. The man, reeking of alcohol, tried to hit on a prettydy, insisting she drink with him. When she refused, he became belligerent, hurling insults and assuming she was involved in certain professions due to her beauty. The gentleman nearby intervened, and the man, enraged, attacked him and was promptly subdued. The truth was more or less as described, thankfully not twisted or fabricated. Manyments condemned the man''s repulsive and disrespectful behavior towards women, likening him to a toad lusting after a swan''s flesh. Of course, there were absurdments from misguided individuals, suggesting that a normal girl wouldn''t go out for dinner sote and dressed like that unless she was intentionally enticing... Suchments were promptly shut down with a barrage of criticism. Scanning through thements, Liang Jinghe breathed a sigh of relief. Encountering situations like these, manyizens tend to me the victim rather than the wrongdoer, criticizing their attire, timing of going out, and other factors. Fortunately, the online atmosphere has improved somewhat, and with Shen Nian and Jiang Lingling not revealing their faces, their protection is maximized. "Buzz¡ª" As she continued scrolling through videos, the other phone in her pocket rang, disying a call from Lu Lingchuan. She immediately answered, apologizing, "Sorry, sorry, I just finished dealing with some issues at the hotpot restaurant my friend and I run." She had just been discussing work with Lu Lingchuan on the phone and had received an urgent notice toe over. "Mm." Lu Lingchuan didn''t seem particrly interested in anything. Just as they were about to continue discussing work, Liang Jinghe''s voice came through on the other end, puzzled, "Is this handsome guy Shen Nian''s boyfriend?" Liang Jinghe happened toe across the video of the guy smashing a bottle at Shen Nian, with Xiao Mubai shielding her. At these words, Lu Lingchuan responded, "..." Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Thinking that Lu Lingchuan, who usually doesn''t care about gossip, probably didn''t know about the incident at the hotpot restaurant, Liang Jinghe exined, "Today, there was a disturbance at the hotpot restaurant my friends and I run together. It was only afterpleting the written record that I found out Assistant Shen was involved. It seems like a man tried to chat her up but got angry when rejected, causing a scene. Now, videos of it are circting online, and it''s trending..." After saying this, she massaged her temples, feeling a headacheing on. Fortunately, she immediately had the manager apologize to the other customers and calm them down, and the waitstaff quickly brought in security to control the situation, so the damage to their hotpot restaurant''s reputation wasn''t too severe. Reflecting on her earlier words, Liang Jinghe realized they might have been inappropriate. That person was just defending Assistant Shen; they might not necessarily be her boyfriend. "The person defending Assistant Shen is probably just her friend. If they were a couple, they would have dined together. But that person rushed to her defense..." Liang Jinghe corrected her earlier statement. There was silence on the other end of the phone, so quiet that not even a breath could be heard. "Lingchuan, maybe I misunderstood," Liang Jinghe added. In somepanies, especially ones like Shen Nian''s where assistants are crucial, bosses don''t allow them to date. They expect them to fully dedicate themselves to work and not be influenced by romantic affairs. That''s why Liang Jinghe exined to Lu Lingchuan, fearing that Shen Nian might be misunderstood. But the response was still silence. "Lingchuan? Lingchuan?" Liang Jinghe called out several times, but there was still no response. She checked her phone and saw that Lu Lingchuan had already hung up. "Hmm?" Liang Jinghe didn''t realize that her unintentional words had ignited a bomb. ... Lu Lingchuan had been in a bad mood at thepany, so he left alone knowing that Shen Nian was going out for dinner. Shen Nian''s message didn''t mention who she was dining with, so Lu Lingchuan waited to find out. When he saw Shen Niane out, he immediately drove over and saw who she was dining with. Lu Lingchuan knew that person, Jiang Lingling, a young woman who had just been made permanent at thepany. Of course, Lu Lingchuan didn''t specifically pay attention to Jiang Lingling; he only had eyes for one person. He often saw her helping Jiang Lingling, teaching her the details of the job, and assisting her with documents. And, of course, there was another aspect¡ªJiang Lingling resembled Lu Lingrui. Not in appearance, but in temperament. Jiang Lingling, like Lu Lingrui, was a cheerful and smiling young woman, not someone with a delicate mind. They both were carefree and innocent, with smiles that could light up a room, their eyes curving like crescent moons when they smiled. That''s how Lu Lingrui was back then, sunny and smiling, like a sunflower basking in the sun. Until that incident... the sunflower lost its sunlight and was left with a withered fate. After that incident, Lu Lingrui never smiled again, locking herself in her room for a whole month. Then, she chose to end her brief life by jumping off a building. Perhaps because Jiang Lingling was so simr to the old Lu Lingrui, even though she knew Jiang Lingling''s abilities weren''t enough to work at Lingrui Group, she still kept her. After hanging up the phone, Lu Lingchuan stared at the tablet in his hand. He had been working on the tablet just now. Exiting the work interface, Lu Lingchuan opened a certain app, and sure enough, the hottest topic was the incident of a brawl in a hotpot restaurant. The second hottest topic was a mysterious phrase. #Today I believe in love again# Lu Lingchuan didn''t care whether it was about love or not. He clicked on the first trend, but identally touched the screen with his little finger, directly entering the second trend. About to exit, he saw the top video, and his gaze froze. A hint of coldness shed in Lu Lingchuan''s eyes as he watched the video on the screen, as sharp as a wolf''s. He clicked on the video, simr to the one Liang Jinghe had just watched. A man, furious, holding a bottle, charged at Shen Nian. At the critical moment, a figure stepped forward and embraced Shen Nian, using his back to block the bottle attack. The bottle shattered in an instant, and the man''s white T-shirt was soaked in red... The video didn''t show Shen Nian''s face, but Lu Lingchuan could immediately recognize her by her hair, figure, and even just one hand. And the man protecting Shen Nian... The man''s face appeared, with familiar features and eyebrows... Lu Lingchuan''s gaze froze, and all his hostility and coldness burst out in an instant. Xiao Mubai. Old friend. Lu Lingchuan and Xiao Mubai were both students at A University. Lu Lingrui had always insisted on going to A University so that she could be with Lu Lingchuan at the same school, with her brother protecting her during her college life, and even persuaded Shen Nian to apply to A University. In the end, Lu Lingrui failed to enter A University, and Shen Nian went to A University with her wish, bing Lu Lingchuan and Xiao Mubai''s junior. Lu Lingchuan had just met Xiao Mubai at school, and although they were not in the same department, they were both prominent figures in that department. Later, it was understood that... Xiao Mubai liked Shen Nian. They were together... Lu Lingchuan stared at the video, almost masochistically, ying the video over and over again, watching Xiao Mubai in the video almost without hesitation rushing forward to embrace Shen Nian. The hand on Shen Nian''s waist was so conspicuous... Scrolling down to thements, manyizens expressed their admiration on the screen. [Treasured Voice My Beauty: Ahhhh, I never expected to see love in a fight!] [Autumn Fish vor Rice: Did you see the face of that guy? Did you see him rushing to protect the girl without hesitation?! If this isn''t love, then what is!!!!] Of course, someizens remained skeptical. [Not ck Eye Circles: Are they really a couple? But the guy obviously came from elsewhere, and the reports also said that two pretty girls were approached while eating. If the girl had a boyfriend, why would the guy next door beat up the loser?] Soon someone replied¡ª ¡¾Qian''s Friends Circle: My cousin was dining nearby at the time. Although the video didn''t capture the girl''s face, my cousin said she was incredibly beautiful! Slim waist, long legs, a true goddess. When the guy rushed over, my cousin even heard the girl call his name, something like Mu Bai? The guy also gently smiled andforted the girl... Would a stranger go to such lengths?¡¿ ¡¾One Bite One Dumpling: I think the girl was out dining with friends, and her boyfriend happened to be dining outside with his friends too. He heard themotion, went over to check, and saw his girlfriend being bullied, so he didn''t hesitate to rush over...¡¿ Theizen''s words quickly garnered everyone''s approval. Well, that exins it. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 ording to the spection of online fans of Xiao Mubai and Shen Nian, everyone is immediately convinced about love again. The man is handsome and the woman is beautiful, looking like they just stepped out of a romance novel... In theter part of the video, when leaving, Xiao Mubai holds Shen Nian''s face in his embrace, not letting her be captured by the camera. Many fans bless them to have a child soon and be happily married forever. "Have a child soon, and be happily married forever..." These eight words, including all the well-wishes from fans''ments, felt like knives stabbing into his heart, one after another, piercing his heart and his rationality until it was torn to shreds... "Bang!" Lu Lingchuan suddenly raised his hand and violently smashed the tablet he was holding. The force of the action was so intense! The tablet was practically smashed into pieces the moment it hit the ground, the screen shattered into debris. "..." Lu Lingchuan ced one hand on the table, his breathsing in heavy gasps as he struggled to calm down, the bloody redness in his eyes lingering for a long time. ..................... At the hospital. Shen Nian was still unaware that the hot pot restaurant incident had be a hot topic online, let alone that Lu Lingchuan had found out about it. After leaving the police station, she rushed to the hospital. When she arrived at the hospital, the doctor was still treating Xiao Mubai''s wounds. His torn white T-shirt had been taken off and ced aside, revealing his muscr physique. He normally looked tall and slim, who would have thought that under his clothes he would have such well-defined abs, a full eight-pack even. Xiao Mubai''s skin was only slightly darker than Shen Nian''s, adding a few more points to his already perfect charm. Under normal circumstances, Shen Nian would have averted her gaze, but in this situation, she didn''t have time to think too much about it and went straight in. Xiao Mubai was sitting on the hospital bed, one hand gripping the edge, while the doctor was using tweezers to treat his wound. Xiao Mubai''s forehead was covered in sweat, and the usually gentle and handsome face was now furrowed with a pained expression, evidently struggling to endure the pain. Seeing this scene, Shen Nian paused for a moment, then went up to him: "Mubai." Hearing Shen Nian''s voice, Xiao Mubai turned his head slightly and gave her a weak smile: "You''re here." "Are you okay..." Shen Nian started to say, then realized she was stating the obvious. He clearly didn''t look okay. Looking up at the doctor, Shen Nian asked, "Doctor, how is my friend? Why haven''t you finished treating his wound yet?" She hade here afterpleting the statement at the police station, but Xiao Mubai''s wound still wasn''t treated. The doctor, still focused on his work, didn''t look up but patiently replied to her. "The wound itself isn''t big, but when the bottle hit him, some ss shards got into the wound, so I need to pick them out one by one." Shen Nian saw Xiao Mubai''s pained expression and asked again, "My friend is in a lot of pain, can you give him an anesthetic?" Just hearing about having to pick ss shards out of the wound sounded excruciatingly painful. "Although anesthesia can temporarily relieve the pain, the side effects are quite significant, so we try to avoid using it if possible." Xiao Mubai''s wound hadn''t reached the point where anesthesia was absolutely necessary. Seeing Shen Nian''s concerned look, Xiao Mubai gave a smile to reassure her: "I''m fine, you can sit over there. I''ll be okay soon." Instead of sitting down, Shen Nian took some tissues from the doctor''s desk and came back to wipe the sweat off Xiao Mubai''s forehead. "I''m sorry, I''ve caused you trouble again," Shen Nian said. Xiao Mubai maintained his smile, his gentle nature making him seem even warmer. "It''s not your fault, you don''t need to apologize," he replied. Shen Nian knew it would be melodramatic to say anything more. She couldn''t share Xiao Mubai''s pain, so she just did what she could to help. "Where are your friends?" Shen Nian suddenly asked. Apart from the fact that the two of them weren''t a couple, the online fans'' spection was pretty much spot-on. Xiao Mubai hade out for a gathering with friends today, and by coincidence ended up at the same hot pot restaurant as Shen Nian. At the time, Xiao Mubai was having dinner with his friends when he heard shouting from not too far away and realized something had happened. He had only intended to go over and see what was going on, but then spotted Shen Nian in the crowd. When that man was about to smash the bottle towards her, Xiao Mubai didn''t hesitate and rushed over to shield her from harm. Currently, there were only the three of them in the office, and Shen Nian hadn''t seen a fourth person since she arrived. The reason why Shen Nian had let Xiao Mubai go to the hospital alone while she gave her statement was because Xiao Mubai''s friend was with him. Xiao Mubai replied, "It''s gettingte, so I told them to go home." Shen Nian didn''t say anything, but silently went to get a disposable cup, filled it with water from the dispenser, and brought it over to help Xiao Mubai drink. In his current state, Xiao Mubai couldn''t drink by himself. Xiao Mubai didn''t put on airs either, gratefully epting Shen Nian''s small gesture of care. After drinking, he gave her a big smile: "Thank you." Shen Nian frowned: "We don''t need to say those words to each other." Hearing this, Xiao Mubai''s smile grew even wider. ..................... The living room was brightly lit, the silence only broken by the sound of the man''s heavy breathing. The man red at the smashed tablet on the floor, his breathsing in ragged gasps, his chest heaving violently, unable to calm down for a long time. After an unknown amount of time had passed, he picked up his phone and checked the time. Unlocking the phone with facial recognition, the screen was still showing the call log. The most recent call was from half an hour ago, with Liang Jinghe. Liang Jinghe''s hot pot restaurant was on South Street, and there was a police station on South Street, so unless something unexpected happened, the responding police officers would have been from the South Street police station. When he was on the phone with Liang Jinghe earlier, from what she said, he could tell that she had already handled everything. At the time, he could hear the sound of a car driving on the other end of the call, so he assumed she was on her way back. Liang Jinghe had gone back, and Shen Nian should have gone back too. Coming back from South Street, it would take at most twenty-five minutes to get home, factoring in the time to walk into the residential area, even at the slowest pace, she should have been back by now. But... Lu Lingchuan looked towards the front door, but it was quiet over there, no sound of the door opening... This time, he didn''t smash his phone. Instead, he made a call and as soon as it connected, he instructed, "Contact an employee who has a good rtionship with Jiang Lingling, and get her to find a way to discreetly find out where Shen Nian is." He hung up after saying that. Five minutester, the phone rang back, it was Lu Lingchen''s voice: "I asked Li Nan, who has a good rtionship with Jiang Lingling. Jiang Lingling told her that Shen Nian went to the hospital." "..." After reporting, Lu Lingchen asked in confusion, "Why did Shen Nian go to the hospital? Brother, why did you ask me to find out Shen Nian''s whereabouts? You even had me get someone else to discreetly ask Jiang Lingling." "Brother, did something happen? Brother?" At this moment, Lu Lingchuan''s mind was fixated on Lu Lingchen''s words "Shen Nian is at the hospital," and he had no attention to spare for Lu Lingchen''s questions. Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Hospital. After the doctor helped Xiao Mubai treat the wound and apply medicine, he wrapped it in gauze. "Don''t let the wound get wet for a while. Also, be careful when moving around, and don''t makerge movements with the injured shoulder. You need to take the medicine on time, you don''t need to stay in the hospital, but the wound is quite deep so you''ll need a tetanus shot." Aftering out of the doctor''s office, Shen Nian had Xiao Mubai sit and rest while she ran back and forth to collect the various medicines. Xiao Mubai sat down after getting the tetanus shot, and saw Shen Nian hurrying over. She was holding a paper bag, setting it down on a bench nearby, and taking out a white T-shirt and jacket from inside. "There aren''t many clothing stores nearby, and given the time, I just picked something casually. Don''t look down on it." Xiao Mubai came from a decent family, so this hundred-yuan white T-shirt was probably the first time he''d ever worn something so cheap. Looking at the clothes in Shen Nian''s hands, Xiao Mubai smiled and asked, "You went to buy clothes for me?" Earlier, after she had collected all the medicines and given him the bag, she had said "wait for me" before running off. At the time, Xiao Mubai didn''t know what she was going to do, but now seeing what was in her hands, he understood. "Yeah." Shen Nian folded the clothes and put them back in the bag, softly saying, "Your clothes got blood on them." Xiao Mubai was still wearing the bloodied white T-shirt, since he didn''t have a change of clothes, he couldn''t just not wear anything. "Let''s go change clothes in the doctor''s office from earlier," Shen Nian said. "Okay." The two went back to the doctor''s office from before, and after asking, the friendly doctor stood up and left, giving them the space. Xiao Mubai''s shoulder was injured, so he couldn''t raise that arm. Earlier, the doctor had helped him get the white T-shirt on. Now with the doctor gone, only Shen Nian could help. To save time and avoid Xiao Mubai having to move his arm too much, Shen Nian used scissors to cut open the bloodied T-shirt from the side and tossed it in the trash, then took out the new white T-shirt. When she''d seen him being treated earlier, she''d caught a glimpse of his upper body, so there was no point being shy about it now. It was just his abs showing, as long as she didn''t have any improper thoughts, things would be innocent between them. She first put the T-shirt sleeve over his uninjured arm, then carefully lifted his injured arm and slid that sleeve on. The shirt Shen Nian bought was very loose-fitting with a wide range of motion, so the series of movements didn''t disturb Xiao Mubai''s wound. The light shone down on Shen Nian''s head, entuating her quiet and gentle demeanor. Xiao Mubai could look down and see her loweredshes as she focused intently on helping him dress. Hershes were dense and long - she had an exquisitely beautiful facial structure. He remembered someone once said that for a woman with great bones, her beautysts a lifetime. Xiao Mubai''s mind wandered briefly, as if shing back five years earlier. When he first saw her. Back then, she stood in front of the school''s honor roll monument, staring nkly at the names engraved on it, while he gazed at her... equally entranced. Xiao Mubai felt his throat dry up. "Nian Nian." "Hmm?" Shen Nian was still busy dressing him. Xiao Mubai gazed at her intently. "This is the first time you''ve been so good to me." They had known each other for so many years, yet although Shen Nian treated him as a friend, she always kept her distance, because she knew he liked her. "..." Shen Nian''s movements paused briefly, and Xiao Mubai clearly saw hershes quiver, though she quickly regained herposure. After getting the shirt on him, Shen Nian grabbed the jacket to put on him as well, softly saying as she dressed him, "You''re a good person who has helped me a lot. I don''t want to be indebted to you." Xiao Mubai gazed at her unwaveringly. "I''ve said before, I willingly give to you, never expecting repayment." After zipping up the jacket, Shen Nian finally looked up to meet Xiao Mubai''s tender, affectionate gaze. "I know what you want, but I can''t give it to you, so I don''t want to owe you too much." What he wanted... Xiao Mubai''s gaze fell. What he wanted was her, it had always been her. Now she was clearly telling him that she couldn''t give him what he wanted, which was tantamount to telling him she would never love him in this lifetime. Shen Nian knew saying this would hurt his heart, but even though she was well aware, these were words she had to say. She couldn''t give him what he wanted, so she didn''t want to be indebted to him. "Xiao Mubai, I''ve told you before, you''re a good person deserving of a good woman, not someone lowly and unworthy like me." "What is a good person? What is lowly and unworthy?" Xiao Mubai suppressed the dejection in his eyes as he looked at her and asked. "There are no perfect people or things in this world - everyone has their own thoughts and mentalities. Even the most famous celebrities have haters. You could donate to charity and still be used of showing off. Even wealth, which millions of people aspire to, is seen by some as worthless garbage. So what is good, and what is bad?" Xiao Mubai looked down at the jacket on his body that she had bought for him, wondering how anything could look better. A full ten seconds passed before Xiao Mubai continued, "Like you, Shen Nian. You think you''re lowly and unworthy, indebted to Lu Lingchuan and Lu Lingrui, indebted to the Lu family. But to me, you''re the best woman I''ve ever known. You have a heart, flesh and blood. No matter how you talk about yourself, in my heart you''re that good." If she was a heartless person, she would have run away after facing such an ordeal. In that past incident, Shen Nian was also a victim. So even if she didn''t atone, no one could do anything to her. If she hadn''t run away back then, perhaps it wouldn''t have just been Lu Lingrui driving herself to suicide. Both Shen Nian and Lu Lingrui would have been ruined. But Shen Nian didn''t flee. She bore the pain of the Lu family, showing up for every court case over the years. Because she was the most crucial witness, using herself to seek justice for Lu Lingrui. "..." Upon hearing Xiao Mubai''s words, Shen Nian''sshes quivered, but she didn''t speak. "So..." Xiao Mubai paused, using his uninjured arm to stroke her hair. "Nian Nian, even the strongest person has times of physical and mental exhaustion. Just remember, I''ll always stand behind you as your sturdy mountain to lean on. Even if I know you can''t give me what I want, I still want to use my meager strength to protect you." Just like... how she had treated Lu Lingchuan. Everyone, including herself, knew that as long as she and Lu Lingchuan couldn''t let go of their care for Lu Lingrui, the two of them could never truly love and cherish each other wholeheartedly. She was so intelligent, clearly understanding this principle, yet she still chose to stay by Lu Lingchuan''s side regardless, willingly tormenting each other. Like a moth to a me, knowing it would die charging forward, but still unhesitatingly rushing in, gambling its life for thatst flicker of warmth. Chapter 54 Chapter 54 "..." Shen Nian''s nose turned sour, and tears flowed like a watergate that couldn''t be stopped. She lowered her head, not wanting Xiao Mubai to see her disheveled appearance. "All right." Xiao Mubai patted her head again and smiled, "It''ste, let''s go home." "Mmm." Shen Nian''s voice was muffled. Opening the office door, a doctor happened to be strolling back with a thermos. Seeing the perfectly matched pair, the doctor smiled and marveled, "Ah, young couples these days have such great affection!" Clearly, the doctor had mistaken them for lovers too. Well, anyone would make that mistake. "..." Shen Nian opened her mouth to exin, but Xiao Mubai naturally shielded Shen Nian behind him and exined to the doctor. "This is my sister." "..." The doctor was stunned, "Sister?" "Yeah." Xiao Mubai turned to look at Shen Nian, the warmth and doting in his eyes unmistakable, "The little girl heard I was injured and hurried to the hospital to keep mepany. I was afraid she''d worry, so I let here. If I didn''t let her, who knows where she''d be hiding, crying her eyes out." The doctor looked at Xiao Mubai, then at Shen Nian, and smiled awkwardly, "My apologies, I thought you two were a couple." Because they looked so perfect together - the young man was handsome and sunny, the girl gentle and beautiful. If they were siblings, one couldn''t help but marvel at their family''s great genes for the brother and sister to both be so good-looking. The doctor couldn''t help but praise again, "You siblings have such a great rtionship." Xiao Mubai smiled, "Thank you." After chatting with the doctor for a bit, the doctor instructed Xiao Mubai when toe back for a dressing change before leaving. Outside the hospital, Shen Nian wanted to send Xiao Mubai home, but he refused and insisted on sending her instead. It waste now, and it would be dangerous for the youngdy to take a cab alone at night. Xiao Mubai wouldn''t feel at ease letting her go back by herself. After several rounds of arguing, Shen Nian still couldn''t win against Xiao Mubai, so he sent her home. The cab stopped at themunity entrance. Shen Nian got out from the back seat but didn''t close the door. Instead, she instructed the Xiao Mubai in the rear seat, "Be careful on the road, don''t touch your injury. Send me a message when you get home." Hearing this, Xiao Mubai smiled, "Don''t worry, in this state I''m much safer than you. As long as you''re safe, I''ll definitely be safe too." He could still joke at a time like this. Seeing Shen Nian smile, Xiao Mubai felt at ease, "That''s better, you look so lovely when you smile, you should do it more often." Shen Nian pursed her lips without responding, but the smile on her lips didn''t go away. "Alright, go on back. It''s not early anymore. Take a shower when you get home, then get some rest. Today''s events are in the past, don''t dwell on them." "Okay." Shen Nian agreed with Xiao Mubai, then reminded him to take his medicine after getting home before closing the car door. After watching the car carrying Xiao Mubai leave, Shen Nian entered themunity. Exiting the elevator, Shen Nian unlocked the door with her fingerprint. "Unlocked." The mechanical female voice of the electronic door lock sounded, and Shen Nian twisted the handle to push the door open. The room was pitch ck and utterly silent. Shen Nian paused at the entrance, but quickly understood. Lu Lingchuan must have returned to his own apartment. This was her residence, and he would asionally visit, but he had other properties elsewhere. When he left the meeting room earlier, he seemed in a foul mood, likely displeased with her. So he didn''te here. Understanding this, Shen Nian didn''t dwell on it further. She entered and closed the door. As usual, she closed the door first, then turned on the lights while taking off her shoes. After closing the door as always, Shen Nian took off one high heel while her other hand went for the light switch. Her fingertips were about to touch the switch when arge hand gripped hers. Shen Nian was so startled she almost screamed, but before she could open her mouth, a powerful hand pushed her. With one high heel off and the other still on, her uneven stature made her easy to topple. The push threw her off bnce. Luckily there was a wall behind her; her back mmed against it, her body tilting as if about to fall. A hand pressed against her shoulder, pinning her in ce. Next, Shen Nian felt a sting on her lips as the man savagely tore at them with his. Originally frightened by the sudden attack, Shen Nian calmed upon recognizing his familiar scent. She knew that scent all too well. Realizing who it was, Shen Nian wasn''t afraid anymore and leaned against the wall, allowing him to vent his anger. He understood her, just as she understood him. From just that one kiss, Shen Nian could clearly sense his frustration and displeasure. Resisting him would be foolish and only bring suffering upon herself. So Shen Nian didn''t move, allowing him to take out his dissatisfaction on her. Lu Lingchuan didn''t embrace her, only using one hand to pin her shoulder in ce as he leaned down and vindictively bit at her lips. He showed no gentleness, each bite vicious, quickly filling their mouths with the familiar taste of iron. Clearly sensing that Shen Nian wasn''t struggling, just standing there obediently letting him ravage her mouth, thisck of resistance only further incited Lu Lingchuan. He suddenly released Shen Nian, his jealousy and pique zing in his eyes as he nearly spat out those words through gritted teeth, "Were you this obedient when he kissed you?" That video and theizens''ments kept reying in his mind like a giant screen, and even Lu Lingchuan himself didn''t know how he restrained himself from wrecking this ce. He admitted it - seeing Shen Nian together with Xiao Mubai, seeing others say they were a match made in heaven, he got jealous. Extremely jealous. "What?" Shen Nian was bewildered, not understanding what Lu Lingchuan meant. However, Shen Nian''s confusion did nothing to soothe the Lu Lingchuan who was already fully immersed in the jealousy jar. ying dumb, ying dumb at a time like this... She should have been home long ago, but she only just returned now. Jiang Lingling said it herself - Shen Nian went to the hospital, and Xiao Mubai was injured. Before Shen Nian could figure out what was going on, she suddenly felt a pain in her jaw as Lu Lingchuan gripped her chin. He used a lot of force, making Shen Nian''s jaw ache as she was forced to look up at him. The lights were still off, the two of them enveloped in darkness. But even in the pitch ck, Shen Nian quickly found his eyes. In the darkness, his ck pupils appeared even deeper, but his fury was something the shadows couldn''t conceal. "Shen Nian." He ground out her name, one syble at a time. "..." The surroundings were so silent that her breathing could be clearly heard. He suddenly leaned down close, their faces mere inches apart, so near that Shen Nian could feel his warm breath on her face. If she tilted her head up just a bit, their lips would touch. Then Lu Lingchuan''s voice, chilled with frost, "I believe I''ve told you before - your person and your life, they''re all mine, Lu Lingchuan''s." Chapter 55 Chapter 55 "......" The man''s words felt like icy needles piercing into Shen Nian''s heart, causing her heart to grow cold. She stared nkly at him, unable to make out his features clearly in the darkness, only able to vaguely see his silhouette. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately not a single word came out. Neither of them spoke again, the atmosphere in the air turning icy and stiff. After an unknown period of time, Lu Lingchuan straightened up, his hand that was originally gripping her chin now caressing her face. However, Lu Lingchuan''s caress was not gentle, his fingertips roughly brushing against her cheeks, over and over again, until Shen Nian''s delicate skin turned red. His voice was deep andced with an inhumane coldness. "I don''t like others touching my possessions, even if it''s just once." Thinking about her face buried in Xiao Mubai''s embrace, Lu Lingchuan wished he could immediately take a bottle of disinfectant and scrub her face clean. Until her cheeks were flushed red and burning hot, Lu Lingchuan finally stopped, his hand slowly moving down, following her arm until he reached her hand, intertwining their fingers. "Including these hands, I don''t want you to touch other men either, unless you want to use an entire bottle of hand soap to wash them." His thin lips brushed against her ear, his voice light and gentle, yet carrying a hint of tender threat. Releasing her hand, Lu Lingchuan''s hand moved further up, caressing her waist, his mind uncontrobly recalling the sight of Xiao Mubai''s hand resting on her waist in the video, that particrly offensive hand. "And this ce too." He paused for a moment, his tone thick with possessiveness. "It''s also mine." Lu Lingchuan had long been filled with jealousy, rendering him devoid of rationality. This calm and gentle state was even more terrifying than his hysteria. A gentle knife, each cut iming a life. "Shen Nian, you know I don''t like wearing hats, especially green ones," he said, biting down on her earlobe, letting out a muffled sound. "......" Shen Nian remained silent throughout. At first, she hadn''t fully grasped the situation, but after hearing his words, Shen Nian understood everything. Lu Lingchuan found out about the hot pot restaurant incident and about Xiao Mubai, which was the reason behind his outrage. Indeed, nothing could be hidden from him. Lu Lingchuan''s rationality had long been consumed by jealousy, and his mind was still reying that video, each loop fueling his anger even further. He was jealous, extremely jealous! Lu Lingchuan gritted his teeth, once again savagely biting down on Shen Nian''s lips, his actions so fierce that with one hand on her waist and the other tearing at her clothes. If there truly was no future for them, then they might as well descend to hell together! ...................................... After being tormented by Lu Lingchuan for an entire night, he finally showed mercy and let Shen Nian fall into a deep slumber. Before losing consciousness, she vaguely noticed the outside world brightening. She slept like the dead, and it was only after an unknown period of time that Shen Nian finally opened her eyes in a daze. Staring at the ceiling and the light fixture, she remained silent. After gazing for who knows how long, she finally averted her gaze and prepared to get up and freshen up. But as soon as she moved her hand, she felt as if all her energy had been drained from running twenty kilometers, her entire body aching and weak, as if her soul had left her body except for her head. As she tried to sit up, she realized she couldn''t, even the slightest movement causing her body to ache and weaken. She raised her hand, but could barely lift it before feeling drained of strength, and her hand fell back down. She looked up at the ceiling, breathing deeply. Despite sitting up being such a simple action, it took Shen Nian a full five minutes to aplish it. Finally managing to sit up, she shuffled, inch by inch, to the edge of the bed, then let her legs hang over the side, clothes from the previous night scattered on the floor. After a brief rest, feeling much better, she slipped her feet into her slippers, bracing her lower back as she tried to stand up¡ª Previously, the mattress had supported her, allowing her somefort. But now, standing up required her legs to support her entire body weight. Her legs were numb and weak, and before Shen Nian could fully straighten up, she copsed back onto the carpet. She gasped, rubbing her lower back and pounding her legs, then using the bedside table for support as she stood up again. Step by step, she made her way to the bathroom. After freshening up, Shen Nian checked the time and was surprised to find it was only a little past 9 a.m. She had slept soundly, thinking she had slept for a long time, but it had only been three hours. Gathering the scattered clothes and her phone, she tossed the clothes into the hamper and turned on her phone, finding an unread message. It was from Xiao Mubai. [I''m home now, get some rest. /smile] It was sentst night when she was with Lu Lingchuan. Her obedience andpliance had initially soothed Lu Lingchuan''s anger, but just then, the notification sound from her phone alerted him to Xiao Mubai''s message on the screen, reigniting his fury that had barely been calmed. He became even more ruthless and merciless. Shen Nian exited her chat with Xiao Mubai without replying, only opening her notes to check her schedule for the day. She had an important meeting at 1 p.m., where her presence was required, so she couldn''t take the day off. Bracing her lower back, Shen Nian frowned slightly, struggling to stand again, then went to pick out clothes. ...................................... When Shen Nian arrived at thepany, everyone was already working. As she walked past their desks, she returned to her own station. Setting her bag on the desk, she sat down and poured herself a cup of hot water from the thermos beside her, then took some pills from her pill case and a few more from a small bottle. Soon, she had a small handful of pills. Without separating them into doses, she popped them all into her mouth at once, washing them down with a sip of water. A few of the pills didn''t go down immediately, dissolving in her mouth when they came into contact with the hot water, but Shen Nian remained expressionless as she drank another sip of water. After taking the pills, she set her bag aside, turned on herputer, and began her work for the day. Shen Nian had been closely involved in preparing the materials needed for the important afternoon meeting, and although she had checked them two or three times already, she reviewed them once more to ensure there were no issues. While she was going over the materials, Jiang Lingling came over with some documents. "Assistant Shen, these documents need President Lu''s signature, but Assistant Shen needs to review them first." It was during working hours now. "Mm." Shen Nian looked up, all business. "Give me the documents." "Okay." Jiang Lingling handed the documents to Shen Nian and stood waiting. Shen Nian opened the folder. As Jiang Lingling stood there waiting, she suddenly noticed something and her eyes widened. "Nian Jie, why are you dressed so warmly? It''s over ny degrees today, it''s really hot." With just a casual nce, Jiang Lingling noticed that Shen Nian was dressed unusually conservatively today... Chapter 56 Chapter 56 They had three types of work outfits: spring/autumn, summer, and winter. At present, with the weather, it was natural to wear the summer outfit. Like Shen Nian''s elite office worker outfit with adies'' suit on top, but made of a very thin and breathable fabric, so even in summer it wouldn''t be too hot. Meanwhile, Shen Nian was wearing the spring/autumn outfit, with a thicker material, and the pencil skirt below was reced with pants. Especially around her neck, she had a silk chiffon scarf covering her beautiful long neck. "..." Hearing Jiang Lingling''s confusion, Shen Nian unconsciously touched her own neck. She didn''t want to wear the scarf either, but yesterday Lu Lingchuan kept biting her corbone, so there were some heavy marks that hadn''t faded yet, and she had to find a way to cover them. "Oh, this is a gift a friend brought me from abroad. I thought it looked nice, so I wore it out. Why, doesn''t it look good?" Shen Nian casually made up an excuse. Jiang Lingling shook her head and said truthfully, "No, it looks nice." Shen Nian was beautiful to begin with, so no matter how she dressed, she looked good. Jiang Lingling hadn''t noticed before, but when she observed carefully now, she saw that Shen Nian''s lip was cracked, and it was a very obvious mark. She paused for a moment, and suddenly understood. Jiang Lingling''s eyes lit up, forgetting it was work hours now, and stared at Shen Nian''s mouth with a gossipy expression. "Sister Nian! The stuff online can''t be true, can it?" "What online stuff?" Shen Nian didn''t catch on. Since yesterday''s incident until now, she hadn''t had time to check gossip news on her phone, so she didn''t know that the hot pot restaurant incident had been exposed online and was even a top trending topic. "Sister Nian, you really don''t know?" Seeing Shen Nian''s confused look, Jiang Lingling was also stunned. "The incident at the hot pot restaurant yesterday was recorded by onlookers and spread online. It was the top trending topic yesterday, number one and number two, and the heat only went down a bit today." "I only found out after Sister Nan called me yesterday to ask about the situation," she casually mentioned. "..." Shen Nian didn''t know initially, but then she understood. No wonder Lu Lingchuan knew about the hot pot restaurant incident. "Did they capture our faces?" Shen Nian felt a headacheing on and rubbed her brow. Her rtionship with Lu Lingchuan had dropped to freezing point again, and she was physically and mentally exhausted, with no spare energy to deal with the online exposure. "No, we were in a camera blind spot, so the videos spread online didn''t capture our faces clearly, at most a side profile with our hair covering part of it." Although it was just a side profile with no visible face, Shen Nian''s aura was hard to hide. She didn''t need to do anything, just standing there made her seem stunning. Even without seeing her face, just that side profile looked so beautiful, so her full face must be heavenly. "And then what?" Shen Nian asked further. "When that young man rushed out to protect you, someone recorded it and spread it online. Many people envied your romance, and there were manyments saying you two looked made for each other!" "..." Shen Nian finally understood where Lu Lingchuan''s anger came from. Before Jiang Lingling noticed Shen Nian''s furrowed brow, she continued excitedly, "I also think you two are very well-matched! Sure, there are many handsome men in the world, but few would rush forward unhesitatingly to block a beer bottle for you. That''s true love!" After saying that, she happily said to Shen Nian, "Sister Nian, you must be lying to me, right? You actually have a boyfriend, don''t you? That young man yesterday was your boyfriend, wasn''t he!" "No..." "Don''t say you''re just ordinary friends! I''m not stupid. Yesterday, the way that young man looked at you, the way he protected you - normal friends could never show that kind of gaze. Didn''t you notice the tender affection in his eyes when he looked at you, Sister Nian?" Although Jiang Lingling had never been in a rtionship, she had read many CEO romance novels. When someone truly liked someone, their eyes couldn''t lie. "I..." "Don''t exin." As Shen Nian was about to exin, Jiang Lingling interrupted her again. "And Sister Nian, your lips gave you away!" Shen Nian unconsciously caressed her lips and felt the cracked spot, which was a bit painful. She only noticed the obvious lip wound today while washing up, so she didn''t use lipstick when doing her makeup, instead using a very sheer, light lip tint. She applied the tint on her lips, but used a cotton swab to dab over the wounded area to avoid direct contact with the tint. Since the lip tint was a very sheer, light color, the coverage was even and no one could tell that one spot wasn''t applied. Jiang Lingling giggled while covering her mouth, "Although I''ve never been in a rtionship, I''ve seen my ssmates dating, and your lips are clearly from being bitten." If she didn''t have a boyfriend, how else would her lips be injured? "..." Jiang Lingling was also a huge fan of the pairing between Xiao Mubai and Shen Nian. In her impression, Shen Nian was an exceptionally gentle person, and the Xiao Mubai she saw yesterday also seemed like a gentle man. Gentle people paired with gentle people, they were simply perfect for each other. Add to that how incredibly good-looking Xiao Mubai was, especially the way he rushed forward to protect Shen Nian - he was so manly! Good-looking, gentle, and willing to fearlessly charge forward to protect his loved one - such men were extremely rare. As Jiang Lingling basked in her own spections, she smiled cheekily at Shen Nian, "Sister Nian, I agree with theizens - I think you two are perfect together! Congrattions in advance, and may you have an eternal bond for a hundred years! When you get married, don''t forget to invite me. I want to be a bridesmaid!" "..." While Jiang Lingling chattered away, she didn''t notice the chilling aura emanating from behind her. The temperature kept dropping, plummeting below zero to minus seventy or eighty degrees. By the time Jiang Lingling realized, it was toote. She was still talking when she suddenly felt a chill down her spine. She clearly sensed the icy auraing from behind her. Jiang Lingling''s smile froze, and she slowly turned around. When she saw Lu Lingchuan, her face paled with horror, and her heartbeat quickened. Lu Lingchuan had an aura and charisma thatmanded respect. He was the king seated on his throne, imperious and unrivaled. That kingly presence made one instinctively bow down in submission. Jiang Lingling was already afraid of Lu Lingchuan normally, let alone now. "M-Mr. Lu," Jiang Lingling stuttered, her hands trembling lightly, clearly nervous, regretful, and intimidated. Earlier, she had gotten too carried away and forgotten thepany''s rules. On her first day at thepany, the seniors had warned her: Mr. Lu was an extremely strict person. He didn''t want important work done amidst employees'' giggles and chatter. There was a time and ce for everything. During work hours, Lu Lingchuan wouldn''t interfere with idle chit-chat, but during working time, one had to be diligent and focused. Anyone caught engaging in non-work conversations would face punishments ranging from sry deductions and warnings to outright termination. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Lu Lingchuan stood there, expressionless, emanating a chilling "do not approach" aura. Shen Nian was also taken aback for a moment before quickly rising to her feet. Lu Lingchuan didn''t even nce at her, but instead shot a cold look towards Jiang Lingling. "Before noon, your resignation letter goes to HR." "..." Jiang Lingling''s face turned deathly pale. This meant dismissing Jiang Lingling. "Mr. Lu." With her years of experience as an excellent assistant, Shen Nian knew she should not have spoken up at that moment, for Lu Lingchuan had done nothing wrong. Rules make things orderly. Jiang Lingling knew thepany''s rules from day one, yet she willfully vited them. Her dismissal was justified. However, Shen Nian still spoke up. "..." Hearing Shen Nian''s voice, Lu Lingchuan said nothing but red at her coldly. Shen Nian persisted. "Jiang Lingling is a new employee, not fully familiar with thepany''s rules. Although she erred, it does not warrant immediate dismissal. Through this incident, she has learned her lesson. With this warning, I believe she will conduct herself more diligently." Dismissal and resignation are not the same. If Jiang Lingling was dismissed today, her record would show that she was fired at Lingrui Group for gossiping during work hours and caught by her superior. This would impact her future job prospects. Nopany wants an employee who cks off and gossips during work. As soon as Shen Nian finished speaking, Lu Lingchuan''s gaze became even more piercing, his tone frigid. "You believe in forgiving her? Since when did Shen the Assistant get to call the shots in thispany?" "..." "Shen Nian, the moment you uttered those words, you proved yourself unfit to remain here." Of course, Shen Nian knew that. As Lu Lingchuan''s assistant, she should have remembered to conduct herself professionally. If everyone cked off and pleaded for forgiveness when caught, it would set a bad precedent. Once Lu Lingchuan made an exception, a second and third person would follow. Thepany would then descend into chaos, rendering it unmanageable. She should have upheld that principle with unwavering integrity. Yet her words just now revealed her soft heart and plea for leniency. "Yes." Shen Nian stood upright, epting Lu Lingchuan''s reprimand. She raised her head slightly, her expression solemn. "If I had not responded, Jiang Lingling would have had no one to speak for her. In that sense, Jiang Lingling and I were equally negligent and gossiping during work hours. Since Mr. Lu intends to dismiss Jiang Lingling, my resignation letter will also be submitted to HR along with hers by noon today." "..." Upon hearing this, Lu Lingchuan''s gaze turned even colder as he stared intently at Shen Nian, who stood with her back straight and eyes resolute. Was she threatening him? Jiang Lingling, standing nearby, was dumbfounded by Shen Nian''s words. She had not expected her work negligence to be punished so severely, let alone implicate Shen Nian. "Mr... Mr. Lu." Despite her fear, Jiang Lingling spoke up. "It''s... it''s my fault. I didn''t work properly during work hours. I actively approached Assistant Shen to gossip. She didn''t engage me at all - I was just talking to myself. You can dismiss me, I ept it, because I did something wrong." "But... Assistant Shen is innocent. From the day I joined thepany until now, she has only helped me. She''s great, I... I don''t want her to be implicated because of my mistake." Though only slightly younger than Shen Nian, Jiang Lingling had just graduated and entered the workforce,cking the maturity and mental fortitude that came with Shen Nian''s years of professional experience. Despite mustering her courage to say so much, she could not control her emotions and broke down in tears by the end. Tears streamed down her face as she trembled in fear, yet she still pleaded for Shen Nian, begging Lu Lingchuan not to involve her. Originally irritated by her crying, Lu Lingchuan froze when he saw Jiang Lingling wiping her tears. Not only Shen Nian, but Lu Lingchuan himself had thought he was seeing Lu Lingrui when he firstid eyes on Jiang Lingling. Her smile, her mischievous tongue-sticking-out, that infectious grin... Seeing her tears, Lu Lingchuan momentarily hallucinated, Jiang Lingling''s face morphing into Lu Lingrui''s. In the past, when Lu Lingrui was wronged, she would also let out heartbreaking sobs, tugging at his clothes pitifully. [Brother, Lu Lingcheng deliberately kicked and ruined the oil painting I spent a week on. Quick, help me kick him so hard against the wall that he can''t get down.] And the pitiful Lu Lingcheng would then be kicked by Lu Lingchuan, tearfully taking on a month of household chores in penance, as Lu Lingruiughed gleefully. Back then, Lu Lingchuan would look at her with helpless yet doting fondness. [You little brat, you''re so happy to see him suffer?] [Yes! Serves him right for kicking a ser ball indoors and knocking over my easel.] [Petty.] [Hmph.] "..." Lu Lingchuan''s mind drifted, his gaze vacant, as if seeing the vibrant and lively Lu Lingrui once more. [Brother~] When she whined yfully. [Brother!] When she called out cheerfully. [Brother, I''m sorry, don''t be mad at me...] When she apologized cutely after misbehaving. [h h h, brother is a dummy.] When she gloated after a sessful prank. [Brother.] [Brother...] [...] He reached out, wanting to embrace the hallucination of [Lu Lingrui] before him. As he stepped forward, the mirage froze and vanished, abruptly snapping Lu Lingchuan back to reality. The Lu Lingrui who had stuck her tongue out at him yfully was gone. The one crying before him was once again Jiang Lingling. "..." He opened his mouth, then coldly dered, "Write the employee handbook one hundred times... by noon tomorrow and leave it on my desk." Then, turning to Shen Nian, "You, five hundred times." With that, he turned and left. Jiang Lingling, tears streaming down her face, stared at Shen Nian in bewilderment, uprehending. Shen Nian regained herposure first and nodded at her. "No need for dismissal. Just copy the employee handbook diligently. Don''t make such basic mistakes again." "Okay." She nodded, having learned her lesson from this incident. "I''m sorry, Nian... Assistant Shen. I got you implicated because of me." "I made the mistake myself. You didn''t implicate me." Shen Nian said, "I''ll have someone bring you the documentster. Go freshen up in the restroom first, then get back to work." "Okay." Watching Jiang Lingling leave, Shen Nian finally sat down. One hand supported her forehead as she closed her eyes and frowned. The other hand habitually touched the sunflower pendant ne around her neck, her fingertips tracing the petals. Chapter 58 Chapter 58 The punishment from Lu Lingchuan also had its benefits. Including her internship, Jiang Lingling had been in her job role for just over half a year, not even a full year, so her mindset hadn''t fully transitioned into a work mentality. Because Shen Nian had been protecting her all along, Jiang Lingling''s career path had been much smoother and easier than her peers. This was both an advantage and a disadvantage. Shen Nian couldn''t guide and shield Jiang Lingling forever. If Jiang Lingling got used to being protected and failed to learn how to grow on her own, it would be fatally damaging to her. Today''s punishment from Lu Lingchuan would make her much more clearheaded, helping her understand the harsh realities of society, and not to take the word "diligence" lightly. He''s the employer, she''s the employee. He pays her sry, so she needs to work for him. In society, it''s not like at school where shedding a few tears and apologizing can make things go away. If she cks off, getting fired is what she deserves. Copying the employee code of conduct one hundred times would teach Jiang Lingling an important lesson - no one will unconditionally tolerate, indulge or forgive you; society is just that harsh. After this incident, Jiang Lingling wouldn''t dare ck off at work again because she had tasted the bitterness of her mistake. When everyone went for lunch, Jiang Lingling was still diligently copying the code of conduct. Shen Nian passed by on her way to lunch and saw Jiang Lingling still copying. "You still have work in the afternoon, you can''t skip lunch." It was break time, so they could chat leisurely. But Jiang Lingling was holding a ck pen, copying with utmost seriousness, not even lifting her head. "Sister Nian, I made a mistake and deserve this punishment. I need to copy more, and the more my wrist hurts, the better, so I''ll remember this lesson!" Because of her negligence, she had almost cost Sister Nian her job too, so she had to make sure she learned from this mistake. "Sister Nian, thank you for speaking up for me. If not for you, I might not even have this chance to ept punishment." Hearing this, Shen Nian pursed her lips. "Why are you thanking me? I didn''t do anything." If anyone deserved thanks, it should be... Lu Lingrui. When Jiang Lingling teared up earlier, Shen Nian noticed a dazed look in Lu Lingchuan''s eyes. Not unexpectedly, he saw a shadow of Lu Lingrui in Jiang Lingling. Even though they knew Jiang Lingling and Lu Lingrui were not the same person, and their appearances werepletely different, Jiang Lingling''s personality resemnce to Lu Lingrui still softened Lu Lingchuan''s heart. Li Nan from the next office had just finished her work too. After tidying up the files, she smiled and said, "It''s good to give her a lesson. If she doesn''t grow up, she''ll continue to get bullied in the future." Then she invited Shen Nian, "I''m having dumplings for lunch today. Want to join me, Nian Nian?" "No, thanks." Shen Nian politely declined. "Oh, okay then." Li Nan nodded. "I''ll go have lunch first." "Sure." Watching Li Nan''s departing figure, a fragment shed through Shen Nian''s mind before disappearing quickly. She frowned, pondering for a full minute before turning to Jiang Lingling. "Lingling." "Hmm?" Jiang Lingling responded while continuing to copy. "I remember you mentioned earlier that Li Nan called you to ask about the situation, and that''s how you found out we were trending, right?" Indeed, during their earlier conversation, Jiang Lingling had mentioned Li Nan. Hearing this, Jiang Lingling looked up, puzzled. "Yeah, that''s right." Was there an issue? "How did Li Nan know it was us?" Shen Nian posed the key question. If she recalled correctly, Jiang Lingling had said that in all the online videos, neither of their faces was shown. So how did Li Nan know the people involved were them? Jiang Lingling blinked, unsure why Shen Nian was suddenly asking this, but she still recounted what had happened after they parted ways yesterday. "After we separated yesterday, I went home. Not long after reaching home, Sister Nan called me, asking what was going on and how I got bullied. I was confused too and asked her how she knew. Sister Nan said she saw the trending news, and although our faces weren''t visible in the videos, she recognized the clothes we were wearing yesterday, so she figured it out. Then I told her about the situation." "And then?" Shen Nian asked. "Did Li Nan ask anything else?" "She just checked on me, telling me to be careful and watch out for perverts next time I go out. Nothing much else..." Jiang Lingling pondered seriously, then seemed to recall something else. "Oh, yeah! Sister Nan also asked me where you were and if you''d gone home. I told her that the younger brother who protected you was injured and in the hospital, and you went straight to the hospital from the police station." After saying that, Jiang Lingling asked, puzzled, "Sister Nian, is there a problem?" Shen Nian was deep in thought over the matter. Hearing Jiang Lingling''s words, she snapped out of it and shook her head. "No, it''s nothing. I just suddenly remembered you mentioned that earlier, so I asked about it." "Oh." Jiang Lingling didn''t think too much about it and continued copying the employee code of conduct. Shen Nian leaned against the wall, her mind rapidly processing the information. Suddenly, her phone''s ringtone interrupted her thoughts. Shen Nian nced at the caller ID on the phone she had been gripping and narrowed her eyes, a strange light shing in them. Instead of immediately answering, she looked at Jiang Lingling and said, "Well, I''ll go have lunch first." "Okay, bye Sister Nian." "Yeah." Turning to leave, Shen Nian finally answered the call. "Hello." "..." ............... There were several tea houses and cafes near thepany entrance. Many employees would go there for afternoon tea or coffee during their lunch breaks or other rest periods. It was break time now, so to avoid being seen bypany employees, Shen Nian chose to meet at a cafe further away from thepany. When she arrived, the other person was already there, sitting by the window. He had changed a lot over these years, growing from a little brat into a tall young man almost 1.8 meters tall. His features were also exquisitely handsome, with thick eyebrows andrge eyes - the kind of looks girls adored. It had to be admitted that their family''s genes were impable. From the parents to the siblings, each one was better-looking than the other. Normally, Shen Nian rarely spoke to Lu Lingchen at thepany. Lu Lingchen was about two years younger than Shen Nian, just 20 years old this year and currently a student at A University. Although still a student, he had already started learning at his brother''spany, but due to his studies, he was only asionally seen at thepany. Everyone at thepany knew he was the younger brother of the CEO Lu Lingchuan, given their shared surname and simr looks - there was no way to hide it. Shen Nian was just Lu Lingchuan''s assistant. If others saw her frequently meeting and chatting with the CEO''s younger brother at thepany, it would inevitably lead to spection. So to avoid such issues, they chose to meet away from employees when at thepany. Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Hearing the sound, Lu Lingchen looked up and saw Shen Nian. He raised an eyebrow: "You''re here? Have a seat." Shen Nian walked over and sat across from him in the booth. Lu Lingchen had already ordered for her¡ªmilk and cake. She only nced at it before lifting her gaze and staring at Lu Lingchen: "What''s the matter? Speak." Earlier on the phone, Lu Lingchen had said he had something to discuss with her and wanted to meet in person. Lu Lingchen picked up his red tea and took a sip, raising an eyebrow slightly at Shen Nian: "What''s going on with you two again?" "What?" Shen Nian was only puzzled for a moment before understanding. "Don''t act like you don''t know," Lu Lingchen smiled. "In this world, only you could make him that angry." He didn''t name names, but it was clear who he was referring to. Shen Nian suddenly became candid as well, picking up her milk and taking a sip, saying casually, "You should be well aware of what''s going on between us." "After all," she paused, then said, "It was you who told Lu Lingchuan that I was at the hospital yesterday, wasn''t it?" She stared at Lu Lingchen, questioning him. As she looked him in the eye with unwavering confidence in every word she said, Lu Lingchen simply gazed back calmly. Then, he suddenly smiled: "What else do you know?" Shen Nian didn''t hold back, revealing all of her spections to him. "Based on my guess,st night you received a call from your brother, who asked you to look into my whereabouts, but not openly¡ªyou had to discreetly ask around. And he also told you who to ask: Jiang Lingling." "..." "Because of the hot pot incident yesterday, Jiang Lingling was with me the whole time, so she knew most of what happened. Of course, you all could have investigated on your own, but that would be time-consuming andborious. Lu Lingchuan probably wanted you to find out immediately, and... he would only believe Jiang Lingling''s answer." More than just the results of the investigation, Lu Lingchuan wanted to hear it straight from Jiang Lingling''s mouth. To make it more real. "..." Lu Lingchen raised an eyebrow, looking at the woman across from him with growing interest. "Go on?" "You and Jiang Lingling don''t normally interact, so of course you wouldn''t call her directly¡ªthat would raise suspicion." Suddenly receiving a call from the CEO''s younger brother about something would make anyone suspicious, right? If Lu Lingchen had brought up Shen Nian directly, it would have made Jiang Lingling wonder. No one at thepany knew about the history between Shen Nian and Lu Lingchuan except for Lu Lingchen. Although the two wouldmute and attend events together, everyone just assumed Shen Nian was Lu Lingchuan''s most trusted assistant. She had been by Lu Lingchuan''s side since the founding of Lingrui Group, his closest aide whom he entrusted with all his important work¡ªpractically his on-call personal assistant. "So you spent time investigating the internal rtionships at thepany and found that Li Nan and Jiang Lingling got along well. You called Li Nan using her number from the employee records and had her ask about the situation, probing for information about me indirectly. Of course, you wouldn''t ask directly either¡ªyou must have given Li Nan a usible reason to convince her, and made her promise to keep it confidential." Lu Lingchen probably told Li Nan he had seen the trending news and realized one of theirpany employees was involved in the incident. As a manager, he was very concerned about this. It all started because some loser guy was harassing two young girls. Now he couldn''t go ask them as a man¡ªthat would be inappropriate. So he was entrusting Li Nan to ask what happened and whether they needed counseling arranged. That reason was very convincing. Li Nan would have believed it wholeheartedly. If nothing went wrong, Li Nan probably imed she had seen a video and recognized Shen Nian and Jiang Lingling''s clothes¡ªan excuse Lu Lingchen likely came up with for her as well. After hearing this, Lu Lingchen nodded: "Yes, not bad. Anything else?" "The reason you told Li Nan to keep it confidential was probably: Girls are sensitive about these things, and publicizing the incident would just trouble and embarrass them. So it''s enough to check on them privately¡ªconsider this matter over, and don''t bring it up openly again." After considering it, Li Nan would have agreed with Lu Lingchen that it wasn''t a good thing, and there were still plenty of ill-intentioned guys out there who harbored resentment toward women. Since the video didn''t show Shen Nian and Jiang Lingling''s faces, there was no need to discuss it further and cause them more distress. The fewer people who knew about this incident, the better. After saying all this, Shen Nian looked at Lu Lingchen: "Am I right?" Lu Lingchen didn''t answer, only replying: "You said this was just your spection, with no proof." Shen Nian smiled at this: "I never say things without proof. Your brother is the best proof." The spiteful words he had hissed in her earst night as they tormented each other made Shen Nian suspicious. Lu Lingchuan never gossiped, so why would he know the hot pot incident in such detail? Shen Nian had also suspected Liang Jinghe at first, but they hadn''t met until the police station. Even if Liang Jinghe had mentioned something to Lu Lingchuan, how would Lu Lingchuan know that Xiao Mubai had put his hand on her waist to shield her at the hot pot restaurant? Liang Jinghe couldn''t have known that. Moreover, Liang Jinghe had left first, and the only one who knew Shen Nian went to the hospital was Jiang Lingling. Shen Nian racked her brain but couldn''t figure it out until she suddenly recalled Jiang Lingling''s unintentional mention of "Sister Li calling" earlier today. Then everything became clear. As for why she guessed it was Lu Lingchen and not Lu Lingchuan: 1) Lu Lingchuan wouldn''t stoop to calling an employee, and going himself would only rm and arouse Li Nan''s suspicion. 2) No one at thepany knew about her rtionship with the Lu family. Lu Lingchuan inquiring about her movements at night would naturally raise questions about their rtionship. So Lu Lingchuan could only ask someone he trusted who knew about their rtionship to investigate. Looking at the entirepany, the only one who fit those criteria was Lu Lingchen. "..." Lu Lingchen looked at Shen Nian, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration. He had to admit, Shen Nian was truly intelligent. Her logical reasoning and deductive abilities were impressive. It was no wonder so many CEOs wealthier than Lu Lingchuan had repeatedly tried to poach her over the years, offering high sries to make her their chief assistant. Every word she said struck right at the truth, as if she had witnessed it firsthand. Lu Lingchen nodded, confirming Shen Nian''s spection. But there was one thing he didn''t understand. "I told Li Nan to keep it confidential. She definitely wouldn''t tell anyone." Because if Li Nan spoke, she would offend Lu Lingchen and bebeled untrustworthy. In their line of work, breaking one''s word was a grave offense. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 "So," Lu Lingchen looked at her and asked, "how did you know?" He really wanted to know the truth. After saying so much, Shen Nian''s throat was a bit dry. She took another sip of milk before answering. "Yesterday, Li Nan was out running projects all day and didn''t even attend the afternoon meeting. How would she know what Jiang Lingling and I were wearing?" Moreover, Shen Nian arrivedte at thepany yesterday and didn''t run into Li Nan at all. And as a newly graduated employee, Jiang Lingling''s biggest trait was her punctuality habit. She clocked in every day at 8:58 or 8:59 for the 9 o''clock start. But Li Nan always arrived at the office half an hour early. Even if she clocked in and then went out for a project, she still wouldn''t have run into Jiang Lingling. Did Li Nan purposely wait half an hour after clocking in just to see what Jiang Lingling was wearing that day? This was the biggest loophole, and the key that made Shen Nian realize something was amiss. Li Nan didn''t see them at all yesterday, so how did she know what they were wearing? Unless someone explicitly told her that the two at the hot pot restaurant were Shen Nian and Jiang Lingling. "I guess Lingling had no ulterior motive and just believed Li Nan''s words. Anyone else would have been suspicious," Shen Nian concluded. Lu Lingchen nodded, so that''s how it was. He wasn''t at thepany yesterday either, so of course he didn''t know that Li Nan was out running business all day and didn''t even see Shen Nian. Since Shen Nian had already guessed everything clearly, Lu Lingchen didn''t try to hide anything and told her all he knew. "Yesterday I got a call from my brother. He asked me to have someone call Jiang Lingling to find out your whereabouts. At the time, I was perplexed but still helped my brother ask. But he didn''t say a word and just hung up, so I knew you two had a conflict again." Lu Lingchen shrugged, showing a hint of helplessness. After Ling Rui passed away, his brother''s temperament changed greatly, capricious and unpredictable. These past five years, he and Shen Nian had been in a love-hate rtionship, mutually torturing and tormenting each other. Only Shen Nian had the ability to provoke Lu Lingchuan''s anger and make him lose his senses. So after guessing what happened, Lu Lingchen immediately investigated carefully and learned about the hot pot restaurant incident. "Didn''t expect that Xiao Mubai still has feelings for you." Lu Lingchen knew of Xiao Mubai''s existence. After watching yesterday''s video, even he couldn''t help but be impressed. Knowing the danger ahead, yet still unhesitatingly rushing forward to shield Shen Nian from harm, Xiao Mubai''s feelings for Shen Nian were admirable even to this romantic rival''s brother. "Nian-jie," Lu Lingchen rested his chin on his hand and looked at Shen Nian very seriously. "You know, ever since Ling Rui''s incident five years ago, my mom''s mental state has been very unstable. Ling Rui was so close to you back then, you two were almost inseparable, like each other''s shadows. Just seeing one would unconsciously make you think of the other. On top of that, you had that unbreakable, messy rtionship with what happened back then... so my mom won''t let you into the house." Just seeing Shen Nian was like seeing Ling Rui''s shadow, and seeing Ling Rui''s shadow would make Li Mingshi think of the scene of Ling Rui lying in the morgue, childless. It would make her suffer, resent herself for not locking Ling Rui up at home that day so she wouldn''t have gone out; resent those two vicious beasts for targeting her innocent daughter; resent this bad girl Shen Nian... why didn''t you run away with her daughter... Lu Lingchen spoke very directly, and Shen Nian''s face stiffened as she stroked her cup and said in a low voice, "I know." Ever since Ling Rui''s incident, she hadn''t hoped to have a good oue with Lu Lingchuan. "Xiao Mubai is not a worse choice than my brother. You can try considering him." As an outside observer, Lu Lingchen had seen everything clearly over the years. Shen Nian and his brother were just tormenting each other, neither willing to let go, neither brave enough to take a step forward, only able to hurt and torment each other. If they could just let go of their attachment to Ling Rui, they would live much more rxed lives than now. But both were deeply emotional people. Ling Rui was the only ray of light in Shen Nian''s dark period after her parents died in a car ident. She couldn''t, and didn''t want to, let go of her attachment to Ling Rui. As for his brother... in Ling Rui''s short eighteen years, the person she depended on most wasn''t her parents, but her brother. She was doted on by Lu Lingchuan from a young age, and she depended on him more than her parents. Lu Lingchuan simrly doted on this little sister. One stubbornly held onto friendship, the other couldn''t let go of family ties. Neither was willing to give up their feelings for Ling Rui, so they could only hurt each other. If Shen Nian could take the first step forward, Xiao Mubai was a trustworthy choice. Perhaps if Shen Nian left, Lu Lingchuan could also let go and move on... "..." Hearing Lu Lingchen''s words, Shen Nian smiled bitterly, "How can you let a second person in when your heart already belongs to someone else?" "You''re still young, you don''t understand feelings." "I''ve never been in a rtionship, but I understand," Lu Lingchen looked at her seriously. "My brother is love, Xiao Mubai is bread. Love and bread often can only choose one, rarely can one have both." The former is a dream, thetter is reality. Reality and dreams are often hard to reconcile. Just like in this world, there are many people moved by youthful infatuation at first sight, but in the end still marry someone suitable but they don''t love. "..." Shen Nian lowered her eyes, hershes trembling. After a long time, she said, "Temporary salvation can''t save someone originally in darkness." "..." Lu Lingchen moved his lips but ultimately didn''t say anything. After a long while, Lu Lingchen finally said, "The next court hearing is in five days. Will you go?" "Yes." For Ling Rui''s sake, how could she not go? "Okay." Lu Lingchen nodded, knowing he couldn''t dissuade Shen Nian anymore. As he stood up to leave, he couldn''t help but add, "Nian-jie, Sister-inw, Ling Rui once told my parents and my brother that you were an exceptionally good person and she wanted to be lifelong friends with you. She knew your parents had passed away in an ident, so she told my parents to treat you like their own daughter. She even warned my brother that he could only marry you in this lifetime, and that you were the only sister-inw she would recognize." "..." Shen Nian froze. "Be good to yourself. If Ling Rui were alive, she certainly wouldn''t want you to suffer so much." "..." "Also, you know my brother''s temper and taboos. Don''t hurt him, and don''t hurt yourself either." Both of you are pitiful, ruined souls. Leaving those words behind, Lu Lingchen departed. "..." Shen Nian sat alone in the booth, staring nkly at the spot where Lu Lingchen had just been sitting. When she came to, tears were already streaming down her face. She reached up to touch the sunflower ne around her neck, leaned over the table, her shoulders gently shaking. Weeping silently. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 After that day, Shen Nian and Lu Lingchuan entered an inexplicable cold war. Although the two met and worked together every day, they did not exchange a single word beyond work-rted topics. Lu Lingchuan returned to his own apartment and never visited Shen Nian''s ce again. With the court hearing approaching soon, Shen Nian had been cooperating withwyer Xu Xiping to carry out their work. Besides that, she also made time to visit Xiao Mubai. Even though he was the root cause of the conflict between her and Lu Lingchuan, Shen Nian could not abandon him. He was injured because of her, and to have feelings and righteousness is human, but to be devoid of feelings and righteousness is beastly. Today, Lu Lingchuan was not at thepany and had not assigned her any work, so Shen Nian had some free time and decided to go to the hospital. These days, Xiao Mubai came to the hospital every day to change his dressings. "You''reing? Alright, I''ll be at the hospital shortly. You can go to the office we were at before to find me." "Okay." Shen Nian checked the time and asked, "It''s lunchtime now. Would you like me to bring you anything to eat? I can pick it up on the way." On the other end, Xiao Mubai chuckled, "The porridge shop by the hospital entrance is quite good. I had the pleasure of trying it a couple of days ago. Could you get me a bowl?" "Of course." After a few more words, Shen Nian hung up the phone. When her car arrived at the hospital entrance, Shen Nian got out and went to the porridge shop that Xiao Mubai had mentioned to buy the porridge. There weren''t many people, with only three or four scattered in the queue ahead of her. She was served quickly. Carrying the porridge, she was about to enter the hospital when a figure blocked her path. Shen Nian looked up with a frown and found a very beautiful woman standing in front of her. The woman was dressed elegantly, with light makeup entuating her gentle and affectionate features. Her facial features seemed somewhat familiar. But Shen Nian was certain she did not know this woman. However, the woman appeared to recognize her. The woman smiled and nodded at Shen Nian, saying, "Hello, Miss Shen Nian, is that right?" "..." Although the woman was a stranger, the fact that she could urately state Shen Nian''s name proved that she hade specifically for her. Shen Nian nodded slightly, "That''s me." Seeing Shen Nian''s cautious gaze, the woman smiled faintly, "No need to be afraid. I''m not a bad person. Although you haven''t met me before, you and my son are friends." Her son? The woman extended her hand, "Hello, I''m Xiao Mubai''s mother." Shen Nian: "..." ... The two went to a milk tea shop near the hospital. Shen Nian ordered two drinks and specifically inquired about Mrs. Xiao''s preferences and dietary restrictions when cing her order. From Mrs. Xiao''s curvaceous figure and wless skin, it was evident that she took great care of herself, so she likely didn''t prefer overly sweet beverages. Shen Nian instructed the staff to make the drink one-third sweet. Mrs. Xiao studied Shen Nian, her eyes smiling, "My son certainly has good taste. You''re a polite and kind youngdy." Upon hearing this, Shen Nian averted her gaze, neither overly cold nor fawning towards Mrs. Xiao. "Mrs. Xiao, please feel free to state your business with me directly." Shen Nian had never been one to beat around the bush, so she skipped the ttering pleasantries and cut straight to the point. Mrs. Xiao raised an eyebrow, "How do you know I have something to say to you? I haven''t said anything yet." Shen Nian smiled, "Madam, you deliberately stood at the hospital entrance, and I can''t think of any other possibility besides waiting for me. Of course, you could say that you were just idly strolling by the hospital entrance." "You also shouldn''t forget that my son is inside changing his dressings. Perhaps I was waiting for him toe out?" Mrs. Xiao was unyielding. "If that were truly the case, you wouldn''t have immediately approached and stopped me upon seeing me." "..." In fact, one could discern a person''s character from their expressions and words. Some people''s faces reveal their sincerity at a nce, while others immediately betray their calcting nature. Although this was Mrs. Xiao''s first meeting with Shen Nian, and their interaction had not evensted ten minutes, Mrs. Xiao had already realized that Shen Nian was an intelligent woman. She did not respond to Shen Nian''s remark but looked at her with even more admiration, "I knew my son''s judgment wouldn''t be poor." The prepared drinks were served, and Mrs. Xiao sipped from her straw. Her elegance and appearance made it difficult to believe she had a son in his twenties, as she appeared impably preserved, with her attire styled in a youthful manner. This was the kind of woman who lived in a honeypot, her every move and gesture exuding the luxury and bliss of her life ¨C a harmonious marriage and a dutiful son. "Although this is our first meeting, I''ve known you for a long time." Mrs. Xiao did not seem to be the petty type, and she was very forthright with Shen Nian. After some consideration, she revealed an answer, "It seems like... I''ve known about you for two years." "Although my son hasn''t told me too much, I''m his mother, and my understanding of him is second only to his understanding of himself. I''ve always known that he has a girl he really likes, named Shen Nian. I also know that the girl he likes has someone she likes, so my son is merely a backup... No, he can''t even be considered a backup, because he has never entered that girl''s heart." "Including the recent hot pot restaurant incident, the person my son risked his life to protect was you." Mrs. Xiao''s gaze fell upon Shen Nian''s face. Shen Nian lowered her eyes, staring at the cup in front of her. The atmosphere had grown somewhat cold. "Don''t be tense," Mrs. Xiao curved her lips, "I''m not here to cause you trouble. If I truly resented you, I wouldn''t need to sit here and talk to you. Back at the hospital entrance, I could have pped you right then and there. After all, if it weren''t for you, my son wouldn''t have been injured." Fortunately, Xiao Mubai was quite tall, while the man who threw the wine bottle was short, so when the bottle came flying, it only hit Xiao Mubai''s shoulder. But what if they were the same height? Where would the bottle have struck? Mrs. Xiao dared not imagine. "Don''t me me for looking into you. I just fear that my son might be deceived by a girl with ulterior motives. These days, young women may appear youthful, but the little tricks in their minds only grow more numerous." "Who doesn''t want wealth, money, and vanity? Just like my husband and I have been married for many years. Even though my husband never takes off his wedding ring and openly acknowledges his marital status with a child and a loving marriage, there are still plenty of young women lining up to tempt and seduce my husband, some even intending from the start to be his mistress." "Because in their minds, even if they can''t gain my husband''s love or the status of his legitimate partner, they can still obtain my husband''s money and physicalpanionship. When they go out in public, my husband would be their patron." Mrs. Xiao looked at Shen Nian, "My son has never been in a rtionship before, so I must be extra cautious. I can ept my son marrying an average-looking girl from an ordinary family background, but I will never allow a girl with ulterior motives to enter our household." Chapter 62 Chapter 62 "So, in your eyes, am I the former or thetter?" Shen Nian asked directly. "I said earlier, you''re smart. My son has good taste; you guess whether I categorize you as the former or thetter?" Mrs. Xiao tilted her head yfully. Shen Nian: "..." "If I really disliked you, two years ago I wouldn''t have let my son continue associating with you, or I would have already taken out a check for five million and asked you to take the money and stay away from my son." "..." "I know some things about you," Mrs. Xiao didn''t spell out the details, but both knew what she was referring to. At seventeen, her parents died in a car ident. At eighteen, she went through that ordeal. Her best friend went down a path of no return, and she suffered with guilt and self-me for five years. A pitiful child. "Actually, I quite like you. From the small act of you pouring me a drink earlier, I can see that you''re a thoughtful girl. If we were mother and daughter-inw, I think we could get along quite well. It''s a pity..." She paused. "You don''t like my son." "So you came to ask me to stay away from Xiao Mubai in the future?" Shen Nian asked. She thought no parent would want their child to remain immersed in unrequited feelings. Shen Nian was direct, and Mrs. Xiao didn''t beat around the bush either. "Precisely, yes. Mubai is my husband''s and my only child, and he was doted on by us and the elders from both sides while growing up. This child is also quite sentimental." "..." Shen Nian had noticed this too. Just because he met her, Xiao Mubai wasted five years on her despite knowing there was no answer. "A few days ago, my father-inw was diagnosed with cancer, mid-stage. The doctor said the chances of a cure were not high or low, but there were risks. For now, we haven''t told Mubai about this yet. Ever since Mubai was little, my father-inw has doted on him. This year, Mubai turned twenty-five, andtely my father-inw has been wanting to see Mubai get married and have children. Otherwise, even when he passes, he''ll have regrets." "By chance, I happened to notice the recent hot search a few days ago. After mulling it over for a few days, I thought I should meet with you for a chat." "..." No wonder Xiao Mubai was so gentle and tactful; it turned out he had a mother with high emotional intelligence. If Mrs. Xiao were now sitting here, taking out a check from her bag and arrogantly pushing it towards her, making it clear what her status was and telling her to stay away from her son henceforth, Shen Nian thought she would turn around and leave immediately. But instead, Mrs. Xiao was candid with her, expressed her positive impression, and shared her true thoughts about Shen Nian, as real as could be, leaving her unable to utter a word of refusal. A gentle knife, cutting deep into one''s heart - this saying was indeed reasonable. "So I didn''te to cause you trouble today. I wanted to hear your answer," Mrs. Xiao said. "If you''re willing to be with my son, I would naturally be delighted..." "Since Mrs. Xiao has investigated me, you should know about my messes," Shen Nian interrupted her. Since the other party had been so frank, she would be too. "I''ve been pregnant before, had abortions." She paused, then added, "Twice." Continuing, she summarized, "Currently, with my ex-boyfriend, who is also the father of my two children, our rtionship is unclear - we have the reality of a married couple but not the name." She and Lu Lingchuan were no longer boyfriend and girlfriend. During the day, she was his assistant. At night... "..." Mrs. Xiao was stunned for a moment, then smiled wryly. "You are quite honest." "There''s nothing to hide," Shen Nian said nonchntly. "Lies can only deceive oneself." Mrs. Xiao didn''t show any disdain, but said, "I had investigated you beforehand, so I was mentally prepared beforeing." "As for what happened back then... I''m sorry about it, but since I don''t know the full story, I won''tment. Whatever your past was, I wasn''t involved, so I have no right to lecture you. But if you''re willing to choose my son, the Xiao family will treat you like our own daughter. However, I do hope you can resolve things properly with the other party." She had already told Shen Nian as tactfully as she could. To be frank, she didn''t dislike Shen Nian. Plus, her son liked her so much. If Shen Nian was truly willing to be with her son, the Xiao family would cherish her like their own daughter. But this didn''t mean she was willing to ept Shen Nian''s ambiguous rtionship with her ex-boyfriend. No matter how diplomatically she spoke, it didn''t mean she was willing to see her son metaphorically wearing a green hat. She only had this one request for Shen Nian. "..." Shen Nian lowered her head in silence. Mrs. Xiao didn''t press her for an immediate answer either. The two remained quiet for nearly a minute. Just as Mrs. Xiao was about to say she could have time to consider, Shen Nian, who had been stirring her drink with the straw, suddenly spoke up. "Do you know what my first impression of you was?" Mrs. Xiao frowned. "Hmm?" Shen Nian looked up at her. "A woman soaked in the honey jar of marital bliss." Mrs. Xiao raised her eyebrows. "Whether one is happy or not can often be seen on their face. At first nce, I noticed your bright eyes, upturned brows, and even when not speaking, your lips were slightly curved upwards. It''s clear you live a very happy life." "Yes, I''m happy," Mrs. Xiao didn''t deny this. Her husband and son both loved her dearly, which was the foundation of her happiness. "Thest time I saw someone like you was about six years ago." The first time Lu Lingrui brought her to her home. When she first saw Li Mingshi, she was just like the current Mrs. Xiao. Beautiful, elegant, gentle, youthful - whether in figure or demeanor, she didn''t look like the mother of three children at all, because she was so happy, with a devoted husband and carefree children, so she could only be joyful every day. Mrs. Xiao only knew about the incident with Lu Lingrui back then, and that Shen Nian and her ex-boyfriend Lu Lingchuan, Lu Lingrui''s brother, had an entangled rtionship. But she didn''t know much about the two from the Lu family. Although both families had decent backgrounds, they developed in different directions, so they didn''t really associate. "And then what?" she asked. "And then..." Shen Nian paused. "That smile was ruined by me." Nowadays, Li Mingshi was haggard and gaunt, her eyes dull and lifeless, constantly red from crying, no trace of her former gentle, elegantdy of the house. "My parents died in a car ident, destroying my family. Lu Lingrui and Lu Lingchuan both said they would give me a family, but I ended up ruining their family too. Perhaps... I''m just an ill-fated loner. Anyone who gets close to me bes miserable." Thinking of this, Shen Nian wore a self-deprecating smile. "..." Mrs. Xiao opened her mouth but didn''t know how to console her. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 "So..." Shen Nian paused for a moment, looking at Mrs. Xiao. "I should probably not go and disturb your happy family anymore." Xiao Mubai treated her well, and she didn''t want to ruin Xiao Mubai''s family. With these words, she politely declined Mrs. Xiao''s request. Rising to her feet, Shen Nian gave a slight nod to Mrs. Xiao. "Madam, I will keep my distance from Xiao Mubai from now on, so as not to cause you any trouble." After saying this, she took the porridge from the table and left the tea shop. Watching her retreating figure, Mrs. Xiao moved her lips but ultimately said nothing. ... When Shen Nian arrived, Xiao Mubai had already changed his dressings and was sitting on a long bench in the corridor, holding his phone as he waited for Shen Nian. Hearing the sound of high heels, Xiao Mubai looked up, his eyes visibly brightening when he saw Shen Nian''s figure. He immediately broke into a warm smile. "Didn''t you say you''d be here soon when you called? I''ve been waiting for you for a while and was getting anxious, about to call you." Shen Nian lied with a straight face, "That porridge shop was too crowded. There was a really long queue when I got there, so I lost some time." "..." Hearing this, Xiao Mubai''s gaze seemed a little strange, but it passed quickly. He asked in a casual tone, "Is that so? I see." "Yeah." Shen Nian handed him the porridge. "Here''s the porridge you wanted." Xiao Mubai smiled. "Great, thank you." He took the porridge from Shen Nian''s hands with his uninjured left hand, set it on hisp, and opened it. "I haven''t eaten anything all morning, so I''m hungry now. Let me finish this porridge, then we can go." "Sure," Shen Nian replied. Xiao Mubai''s other hand was still immobile, so he needed to open the stic container''s lid with his left hand. Seeing this, Shen Nian moved to help. "Let me help you..." "No need." Xiao Mubai declined politely, giving Shen Nian a reassuring look. "It''s a small thing, no need to trouble you." With that, he easily opened the lid. There was a stic spoon next to him, which he used to drink the porridge. As soon as the porridge entered his mouth, he could feel it was cold. Xiao Mubai froze for a moment with the porridge in his mouth, then swallowed it without changing his expression. He casually told Shen Nian, "The porridge is cold." Shen Nian had bought it hot, but after chatting with Mrs. Xiao for quite a while at the tea shop, coupled with the hot weather and the shop''s low-temperature air conditioning, the porridge had gone cold. "Really?" Shen Nian feigned ignorance. "Maybe there were too many people buying it, so the porridge container''s lid was left open, and that''s why it went cold." Xiao Mubai smiled slightly. "Could be." Then he continued eating the porridge. Shen Nian didn''t want to dwell on the subject any further. Seeing how skillfully Xiao Mubai was eating with his left hand, she casually asked, "I don''t remember you being left-handed?" "This?" Xiao Mubai nced at his left hand, then exined, "I''m not exactly left-handed. I can use both hands. When I was little, I couldn''t use my right hand to eat, so I always held chopsticks with my left. But my family insisted I switch back. Although I got used to my right hand, I didn''t forget my left either. So I''m fortunate enough to be able to hold chopsticks and write with both hands." Knowing Shen Nian''s time was precious, he didn''t waste too much time and quickly finished the porridge. He wrapped the disposable bowl and spoon in the stic bag and threw it in a nearby trash can. Then he said to Shen Nian, "Let''s go." "Okay." The two left the hospital side by side, with Xiao Mubai talking to her as they walked. "If I remember correctly, the next court hearing is the day after tomorrow, right?" Shen Nian: "Yes." Xiao Mubai: "Are you ready?" Shen Nian: "More or less." Xiao Mubai nodded, then seemed to remember something. "Do you still remember those friends who joined us for the hot pot dinner?" "I do," Shen Nian said, a little distracted. "I only found out recently that one of my friend''s older sisters married the only son of a provincial official, so he has a decent background. That''s why I asked him to help me look into the backgrounds of Wang Yong and Yang Hao. Wang Yong has an aunt who married a secretary, while Yang Hao''s wife is the younger sister of a bureau chief." "..." Shen Nian''s pupils constricted slightly. "I know." They were all people with connections. The Lu family was at a disadvantage against them, and they were fortunate that the Lu family was not poor. If they were just ordinary citizens, this case would have been forcibly closed years ago. Relying on their connections, they acted arrogantly and thought they were above everyone else. More than once, they spoke rudely and regarded human life as worthless... "Lu Lingchuan must have investigated them over the years as well. They are old hands and naturally wouldn''t reveal their weaknesses easily. As for Yang Hao and Wang Yong, those two are not good people. I looked into them - they''ve known each other for over ten years, loafing around and causing trouble since they were eighteen or neen, with no proper jobs." "Even if the Lu family insists on holding them ountable for Lu Lingrui''s case, the other side won''t give in easily. If the Lu family demands the death penalty, the chances are less than 1%, maybe even less than that." Shen Nian was well aware of this, even without Xiao Mubai pointing it out. Then Xiao Mubai continued, "But for people like them with such tarnished records, is it possible that Lu Lingrui was their only victim? If there are more victims, and they show no remorse or change in their attitude, there''s a high chance they could be severely punished." Xiao Mubai was earnestly sharing the information and spections he had gathered with Shen Nian. His words seemed to clear the fog that had been clouding Shen Nian''s vision. Xiao Mubai was right - it would be difficult for them to receive the death penalty based solely on Lu Lingrui''s case. But what if there were many other victims? All these years, Lu Lingchuan had only focused on finding evidence to bring down the backers behind Yang Hao and Wang Yong. But they had been in their positions for so many years and were seasoned operators. If it was that easy to catch them, someone else would have brought them down long ago without Lu Lingchuan''s involvement. The Lu family had never considered taking another path... After saying this, Xiao Mubai seemed to remember something and exined further, "I only thought of this after my friend mentioned it. Of course, Lu Lingchuan could probably find this information as well." Xiao Mubai didn''t even know Lu Lingrui when she died; he only met Shen Nian after that. Originally, he had no reason to get involved in this case since it had nothing to do with him. It was only because Shen Nian cared about it that he went out of his way to call in favors from others to help Shen Nian obtain useful information. "..." Shen Nian''s feelings wereplicated, and for a moment, she didn''t know what to say. After a brief silence, she spoke up, "Xiao Mubai." "Yes," Xiao Mubai responded almost immediately. "Thank you for your concern. I will be indebted to you for the rest of my life, but... I don''t want to owe you that much..." She paused, then said those words, "From now on... let''s have less contact." "..." Hearing this, Xiao Mubai''s expression froze, and he forced an extremely unpleasant smile. "Is my existence causing you trouble?" Chapter 64 Chapter 64 "Yes," Shen Nian admitted frankly. Since she had to reject Xiao Mubai, the only way for him to move on was through Lu Lingchuan. So Shen Nian directly brought up Lu Lingchuan: "Actually, I haven''t told you this, but after returning from the hospital that day, I had an argument with Lu Lingchuan, and we''re still in a cold war period." "You know I don''t want to hurt you, and I won''t leave Lu Lingchuan. These past few days, I''ve thought about it over and over, and I still believe that keeping a distance from you is the best oue for you, Lu Lingchuan, and myself." Since she clearly knew that she couldn''t give him what he wanted, shouldn''t she refuse his kindness? "..." Xiao Mubai''s face turned pale, looking unsteady. But in the end, he still spoke out that word. "Okay." He had known her for five years, liked her for five years, and protected her for five years. He would fulfill all her requests. As long as it was her asking, how could he refuse? "As long as you''re happy..." His voice was soft, gentle, with a hint of indulgence andpromise. Even if it meant staying away from her, as long as this was what she wanted, he would oblige. "..." Xiao Mubai''s answer and expression made Shen Nian feel as if her chest had been struck violently, leaving her shaken. "Can I hug you one more time?" he gazed at her, tentatively asking his final request. Shen Nian nced at his injured right arm: "Your hand hasn''t healed yet." "It doesn''t matter, I just want to hug you again," Xiao Mubai stared at her seriously, with a trace of stubbornness in his eyes. "Just let it be thest time, okay?" His tone even carried a touch of pleading. "..." Shen Nian gazed into his eyes, the two making eye contact for nearly a minute before Shen Nian''s resolve finally crumbled, and she rushed into Xiao Mubai''s embrace. She wasn''t a heartless person; she saw Xiao Mubai''s protection and dedication towards her over the years. If she hadn''t met Lu Lingchuan, she thought she might have ended up with Xiao Mubai. But it was toote, their fate was too shallow. By the time he met her, her heart already belonged to someone else. Her heart already had Lu Lingchuan, leaving no room for a second person. In the end, they were destined to be apart. "..." Xiao Mubai was caught off guard, but steadied himself, stretching out his arms to tightly pull her into his embrace. Clearly feeling the pain in his right arm from exerting force, Xiao Mubai seemed numb, gritting his teeth but still holding her. This was her first time taking the initiative to enter his embrace, the first time, and thest time. If possible, he truly wished this fleeting moment couldst forever, without limits. He loved her, but he couldn''t force her. If she felt his existence would affect her life, then he would leave. It was okay; obtaining this hug was enough for him to fondly reminisce about for the rest of his life. This embracested a full five minutes. Xiao Mubai was deeply satisfied and reluctantly let her go. His eyebrows and eyes were still as handsome, his gaze still as gentle. "It''s gettingte, let''s get you a taxi back," he said. "Mm," Shen Nian responded. She called for a taxi, and during the short wait, the two stood side by side without speaking a word, yet still feeling the brief silence was blissful. The taxi was nearby, arriving in less than a minute. After confirming the te number, Xiao Mubai opened the rear door for Shen Nian and habitually gave her reminders. "Take care of your health, drink some warm water every day, don''t work yourself to the bone, and give yourself proper rest. Your health has never been great, so jog every day. If that''s too much, you can jump rope at home. Don''t just sit at your desk staring at theputer and burying yourself in work, okay?" Knowing this was thest time, Xiao Mubai said a bit more. Shen Nian patiently listened to the end and responded with one word. "Okay." Seeing the quiet Shen Nian, Xiao Mubai still had a lot more to say, but the words got caught in his throat, and he couldn''t get them out. In the end, he swallowed them all down and gave Shen Nian a big smile: "Alright, I have nothing more to remind you of. Be careful on the road." "Mm." Shen Nian got in the car, and Xiao Mubai personally closed the door for her. As the car drove away, Xiao Mubai watched its receding silhouette, seeing it get farther and farther away until it turned a corner and... disappeared from sight. "Boss, one bowl of in congee, please," a passerby''s voice came from nearby, at a congee stall not far away. "Small orrge bowl?" "A small bowl, I can''t finish arge one." "Got it!" The stall owner opened the lid, steam rising from the hot congee inside. With one hand holding a stic bowl and the other gripping argedle, he swiftly scooped out a bowl of in congee. The customer nced at the few congee containers on the stall before remarking, "Boss, why are there still just these few? Your dried tofu congee was especially delicious before, my son really liked it. But now every time Ie, it''s not avable." The owner covered the congee container with a disposable stic lid while sighing an exnation. "Can''t be helped, it''s summer now, and the weather''s hot. Not many people eat congee; everyone''s having cold noodles to beat the heat, who eats congee? If I made too much and couldn''t sell it all, it''d go to waste. So every summer, we only make the three or four best-selling varieties, none of the others." Hearing this, the customer nodded in understanding: "I see, that makes sense." "..." Not far away, Xiao Mubai''s gaze shifted back from the scene. He had a hand in his pocket, wearing the jacket Shen Nian had bought for him. Ever since he got this piece of clothing, the others in his wardrobe had been neglected. Even now, with the daytime heat enough to give anyone a headache, he still enjoyed wearing it. Fortunately, the jacket Shen Nian bought him was thin; otherwise, he would have broken out in a rash from the warmth. He turned around silently, following the road in the opposite direction from where Shen Nian had left. ... Soon, the day of the court hearing arrived. Shen Nian came early and met with Lawyer Xu first. Lawyer Xu briefed her on the situation and reminded her to be mindful of her words. Sometimes, words were very important; saying too much or too little could potentially make a huge difference in the oue. Shen Nian listened attentively. The Lu family''s car also arrived. Lu Lingchen came out from the front passenger side and opened the rear door to help Li Mingshi out. Over these five years, Li Mingshi had endured great hardship, no longer disying the grace and elegance of the former matriarch. Now, her face was haggard, with some strands of white hair emerging on her head. Shen Nian paused, her mind suddenly picturing the graceful and noble image of Mrs. Xiao. Lu Lingchuan and his father, Lu Yanhua, got out from the other side of the rear seats. During these years, he had also aged significantly, only hints of his youthful handsomeness and charm remaining in his eyes and brows. The Lu Lingxuan incident from back then didn''t just ruin Lu Lingxuan, Shen Nian, and Lu Lingchuan. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Shen Nian immediately took a step back, pulling the duck-tongue cap further down her head and lowering her masked face. She knew that seeing her face would remind the two members of the Lu family of their ill-fated daughter, Lu Lingrui. Therefore, whenever Shen Nian met them, she would proactively wear a hat and mask, and keep her head down, minimizing her presence as much as possible. Lu Lingchuan instantly noticed the pitiful, slender figure hiding behind Xu Xiping. Perhaps it was the ck dress she wore that made her look so thin, but her slender frame gave the impression that a gust of wind could blow her away. Lu Lingchuan averted his gaze and said to his father and the others, "Let''s go in." "Yeah." Today was another court hearing for Lu Lingrui''s case. Shen Nian had lost count of how many times she hade here over the past five years. The defensewyer hired by the other party was notorious for his sharp tongue. Even though the facts were already clear, he stubbornly insisted that his two clients were drunk at the time of the incident and had lost control of their faculties ¨C it was simply a drunken mistake without malicious intent. His clients had shown remorse and good behavior, and should receive a lighter sentence. If the Lu family insisted on iming premeditation, then they should provide evidence of such intent. Otherwise, his clients would not admit to it. It was evident that the defense had put a lot of effort into exploiting this loophole. Alcohol affects everyone differently; the level of intoxication varies from person to person. Only the individuals themselves truly know whether they were genuinely drunk or just pretending. Yang Hao and Wang Yong seemed to have coordinated their stories in advance, stubbornly refusing to admit they were faking drunkenness. Yang Hao said, "At the time, Wang Yong and I had drunk too much. We could barely walk straight and had no idea what we were doing." Wang Yong added, "When I''m drunk, I usually have no memory of what happened. I''m not sure what I did myself." Xu Xiping frowned, anticipating the difficulties of this case. First, the Lu family''s demands were too high, with almost zero possibility of being met. Additionally, the other party now had a high-rankingwyer who was exploiting the alcohol angle, seeking to prove that Yang Hao and Wang Yong were intoxicated to the point of losing their rationality, without any intent to harm. This could potentially lead to a lighter sentence. Furthermore, Lu Lingruimitted suicide; they did not physically harm her. At most, their presence provided a reason for her suicide. No matter how significant the reason, it did not change the fact that Lu Lingrui took her own life. If the defense gained the upper hand, the best-case scenario would be immediate release withpensation, or perhaps a few months to a couple of years in prison at worst. However, as long as their lives were spared, whether they served time or not became irrelevant. Both families had connections and influence, making it easy to get the two released from prison without anyone being the wiser. "As for the intiff''s im that Lu Lingrui''s suicide was directly caused by my two clients, I strongly disagree. ording to my investigation, Lu Lingrui had just finished her college entrance exam a month before her suicide." "As we all know, the college entrance exam is the most important test a student will take from elementary school through university. In recent years, many students have sumbed to extreme stress and exhaustion, losing hope for their future and taking their own lives. At the time, Lu Lingrui had justpleted this highly pressurized exam, and the mental strain and fatigue from relentless studying had likely not subsided..." His tongue was indeed venomous. Although it was clearly their fault, he was now openly questioning Lu Lingrui''s mental state. Nowadays, many students suffer from depression due to academic pressure. If he could insist that Lu Lingrui was depressed from the exam stress, and that her fragile mental state made her more susceptible to the actions of Yang Hao and Wang Yong, which merely catalyzed her suicide, then the me would shift. If Lu Lingrui did not have depression, her suicide would undoubtedly be directly caused by Yang Hao and Wang Yong. However, if it could be proven that Lu Lingrui had pre-existing depression due to stress, it would indicate she already had issues, and Yang Hao and Wang Yong''s actions were simply the unfortunate final straw that pushed her over the edge, reducing their culpability. After all, there is a significant difference between being directly responsible and being an indirect cause. Xu Xiping, wearing gold-rimmed sses and exuding an aura of untainted elegance, contrasted starkly with the smug, branded defensewyer opposite him. Adjusting his sses, Xu Xiping coolly stated, "ording to my understanding, our client Lu Lingrui was typically cheerful and lively. Even with the pressure of the college entrance exam, it did not significantly impact her sunny disposition, as attested by her ssmates and teachers. Therefore, the defensewyer''s spection is entirely unfounded." "Happiness can be faked," the defensewyer persisted. "True depression is often hidden in one''s heart. Many patients appear perfectly normal in their daily lives, eating and drinking as usual, yet tests reveal they suffer from severe depression. So outward disys of joy andughter cannot prove her mental state was sound, unless you can provide a psychological evaluation from that time, confirming her condition was good." Well said... Who would specifically get tested for depression when they appeared perfectly normal and cheerful? "..." Xu Xiping''s expression grew grave. After a few moments of silence, he turned to the judge. "I request that our witness be allowed to speak." The judge nodded, "Proceed." Shen Nian, as a witness, stepped forward, standing between the two smiling culprits, their wives, andwyer on one side, and the grim-faced Xu Xiping and Lu Lingchuan on the other. Despite being the intiffs, they appeared troubled and gloomy. As instructed by Xu Xiping, Shen Nian understood the importance of focusing on the crucial details while summarizing the less relevant aspects concisely. As one of the victims, no one knew the events of that night better than her. "Although the two were drunk that night, they still retained their rationality. The alcohol merely amplified the demons within them, causing them to act on their malicious impulses. I can confirm that when they surrounded us, preventing our escape, they were indeed sober enough to act with purpose and rity. If they had truly been cked-out drunk, they would have passed out on the ground or gone into an alcoholic frenzy, not deliberately trap us with one person ahead and the other behind." Shen Nian recounted the events dispassionately. "..." The case had taken another unexpected turn. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 The opposingwyer frowned, revealing an unhappy expression: "Ms. Shen is speaking recklessly here. May I ask if she has any evidence?" "..." At that time, Lu Lingrui took her through deserted alleys with no surveince cameras in order to meet Lu Lingchuan sooner, so there were no other witnesses, and no surveince footage as physical evidence. "If there is no substantial evidence, I''m afraid I cannot ept Ms. Shen''s oral testimony. Just now, Lawyer Xu also introduced Ms. Shen''s identity. As one of the victims herself, and a close friend of the other victim Ms. Lu, the two must have been on very good terms. Therefore, after Ms. Lu jumped off the building at that time, it''s understandable that Ms. Shen harbored extreme resentment towards my client. In her grief, she developed anger and a desire for revenge, which is only natural. Because of this resentment, she intentionally fabricated some nonsense to distort the facts." "So, if there is no substantial evidence, I''m very sorry Ms. Shen, but your testimony cannot be epted, and my side will not admit to it." Lu Lingchuan''s gaze sharpened, his eyes as cold as ice, staring straight at the opposing defensewyer. Originally, the opposing side was quite confident, even holding their heads high. Before the trial, he had received a promise that if he could get the other side to lose the case, not only would he receive his normal fee, but an additional one million as a hardship allowance. If his client was sentenced to three years, the hardship allowance would be two million; if only one year, five hundred thousand; but if he could sessfully defend and get his client acquitted on the spot, one million! Plus a high-end vi in the city center! And he would gain the lifelong protection of their two families. It''s worth noting that the Wang and Yang families were both wealthy and influential. If he could get on their good side, he would be unstoppable in the legal world! This was extremely tempting. He was feeling quite smug when suddenly he felt a piercing gaze directly on him, as sharp as a de stabbing into his vital points. Suddenly, his back broke out in a cold sweat. He looked up and met Lu Lingchuan''s icy stare, shuddering uncontrobly. The smugness on his face was reced by a hint of terror. That gaze... Lawyer Xu remained calm: "Regarding the opposing counsel''s question, my side will remain silent for now. Before answering, I would like to ask him a few questions first." The opposingwyer had just been rattled by Lu Lingchuan''s death re. Originallyposed, he was now flustered when Lawyer Xu addressed him directly. "You... go ahead." Lawyer Xu gripped the microphone in front of him, locking eyes with the flustered opposing counsel, speaking slowly and clearly. "Just now you said your client was in a drunken state at the time of the incident. I believe my side''s witness testimony is reasonable. If they were truly drunk, why did the two defendants resist so fiercely when they were arrested, unless they knew the identities of those apprehending them? And after the incident, they even tried to pull up their pants and run away. Would someone truly unconscious from intoxication have that many thoughts?" "..." The opposing counsel was taken aback: "Everyone behaves differently when drunk!" "Oh? Is that so? Since you insist on physical evidence and dismiss our witness testimony so readily, then please provide evidence to prove that they were indeed ckout drunk at the time." "..." "Furthermore, you groundlessly imed that my client had depression beforehand, and demanded that we provide proof of her mental state at the time. I find such an absurd imughable. For you to state it so assertively, you must have evidence proving my client suffered from depression, right? If so, please present it. If not, can we assume that you fabricated these baseless ims to exploit the fact that my deceased client cannot exin herself, in order to avoid responsibility?" "If that''s the case, can we use you of malicious defamation?" "..." Lawyer Xu''s words left the opposing counsel speechless. As for the first point, he indeed had no evidence to prove Lu Lingrui was depressed at the time. He had only looked at the records and assumed she might have been under great pressure after just finishing the college entrance exam... The opposingwyer faltered, quickly thinking of how to respond. Suddenly, his eyes lit up and he smiled again: "As for the first question raised by the intiff''swyer, we certainly have a witness." "..." Lawyer Xu''s gaze sharpened. "Our witness is naturally..." The opposingwyer turned his head, his gazending on Shen Nian. "...her." "..." These words caused an uproar ofmotion and discussion in the courtroom. The intiff''s witness had suddenly be the defendant''s witness? That was quite a twist. *Bang bang bang* The judge looked stern: "Quiet." The courtroom fell silent again, and the judge nodded at the opposingwyer: "You may continue." The opposingwyer nodded and continued: "Just now, Ms. Shen recounted the events of that night. I''m sure everyone now has an understanding. So, I would like to ask Ms. Shen a few questions." Shen Nian''s face was pale as she stood there and nodded: "Go ahead." The opposingwyer stood up, leaning on the table with both hands, staring at Shen Nian as heunched his venomous attack. "You said my client was in a drunken but lucid state, correct?" Shen Nian: "Yes." "How could you tell?" thewyer asked. "By their eyes and demeanor." "Very well." Thewyer nodded. "Now I have my first question. You said my client acted with malicious intent while in a sober state. You also said they were lucid at the time, and that they intentionally blocked you and Ms. Lu Lingrui with ill intentions. Two physically strong and sober men, in a deserted area with no surveince - if what you say is true, then why was only Ms. Lu Lingrui victimized while you escaped?!" "Secondly, you and Ms. Lu Lingrui were good friends. Why did you not even look back when she was being harmed? If we''re assigning me, your abandonment of Ms. Lu Lingrui at that critical moment is also rted to her eventual suicide!" Seeing Shen Nian''s pallid face, thewyer knew his words had hit their mark and pressed harder. "..." Shen Nian could barely stand, her thin frame swaying unsteadily. Suddenly, everything sounded muffled except for a piercing "beep" ringing in her ears. Her vision blurred, her legs went weak, and cold sweat poured from her brow as her mind grew hazy. [Why was only Ms. Lu Lingrui victimized while you escaped?!] [Your abandonment of Ms. Lu Lingrui at that critical moment is also rted to her suicide!] [Why?] [Why!] I''m sorry, I''m so sorry... Shen Nian''s breathing becamebored, her chest heaving rapidly as her pallid face twisted in anguish. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Shen Nian didn''t hear a single word of the ensuing verbal sparring. She felt as though she had been thrown into an icy abyss, chilled to the bone in a way that was terrifying. Despite the sweltering heat, Shen Nian''s palms were ice-cold. Even after it was over, she remained in a daze. The Lu family had not gained the upper hand in this battle. Shen Nian was lost and distraught, her gaze vacant even as she walked. The Lu family members looked grim, especially Lu Lingchuan. Veins bulged on his forehead, his hands clenched into tight fists as he struggled to control his temper, suppressing the urge tosh out physically. Earlier, when the opposingwyer repeatedly questioned Shen Nian about Lu Lingrui''s death, Shen Nian appeared stunned, her face white as a sheet, breathingbored, and expression vacant. At that moment, Lu Lingchuan couldn''t restrain his emotions and mmed his fist on the courtroom table. His death stare left the opposingwyer dumbfounded, until he was finally warned and Lu Lingchuan reluctantly took his seat. It wasn''t that he was afraid; he simply couldn''t act. If it had been anywhere else, Lu Lingchuan would never have let them off the hook! But this was a court ofw, the only ce where justice could be served for Lu Lingrui. Before those two beasts had paid their dues, he couldn''t afford to act recklessly and give the opposition an advantage. He couldn''t... "Mr. Lu." Xu Xiping called out to Lu Lingchuan, stopping the man in his tracks. "Let''s go this way." Xu Xiping said, gesturing to the side. He wanted to discuss some matters from the courtroom proceedings with Lu Lingchuan. Lu Lingchuan nced at his family, then followed Xu Xiping away. Lu Lingchen supported his mother, addressing his father, "Dad, you wait here. I''ll go get the car." Lu Yanhua''s face was haggard as he nodded, "Go ahead." Then, supporting his wife near a pir by the main entrance, he spoke softly and soothingly, "It''s alright. We won''t give up on the appeal. We''ll make sure those two beasts pay for what they''ve done." Li Mingshi didn''t respond, tears silently streaming down her face. How quickly time had passed. It had been five years since her daughter was gone. Five years was such a long time, too many changes had urred. Even Lu Lingchen was twenty years old now, but Lu Lingrui would forever be eighteen. In contrast to the Lu family''s somber mood, the Yang and Wang families were in high spirits! As they emerged, each one held their head high, brimming with arrogance. They had won this battle splendidly! If they kept up the momentum, perhaps their sons/husbands wouldn''t have to spend a single day behind bars! They came out one after the other, catching sight of Lu Yanhua and his wife at the entrance. Wang Yong and Yang Hao''s wife exchanged a nce, then jointly approached to provoke them. "Well, well, who do we have here? Looking awfully sour, aren''t we? In a bad mood? The sun''s shining so brightly today, how could anyone be in a bad mood?" Wang Yong''s wife chimed in unabashedly, "Some people were pointing their noses at us earlier, saying they''d make sure our husbands got the death penalty and that we should just wait for it. Well, we''re waiting! Where''s the death penalty? I haven''t seen it anywhere yet!" Yang Hao''s wife added, "Some people just love making big talk!" They still remembered the incident where they went to confront Shen Nian and Lu Lingchuan had them taken to the police station. After that warning from the police, they hadn''t dared to be so arrogant. Now that they had finally run into the Lu family, even if they couldn''t directly confront them, they had to seize the opportunity to provoke them. Wang Yong''s wife looked at Li Mingshi, her tone sarcastic and sinister, "Sister, look at what you''ve done to yourself. You''ve aged several years! All for a girl? Was it really worth it? You still have a son, so what if she died? Why are you still clinging to my husband and not letting go? My husband is the only son in the Wang family. You actually wanted him dead! You''re too cruel!" Yang Hao''s wife was no better, her mocking tone and gaze also attacking Li Mingshi, "Who are you trying to y the victim for? Your daughter''s suicide has nothing to do with us. We''ve been dragged into this for five years without any peace. We''re the ones who should feel wronged!" "Shut up!" Lu Yanhua snarled through gritted teeth, his eyes reddening. If his wife wasn''t still in his arms, he would have kicked them already! "Ooh, are you going to hit us now?" Wang Yong''s wife puffed out her chest defiantly. "Go ahead, go ahead and hit me. Hit me once, and see if I don''t drop to the ground and use you of assault!" There was simply no reasoning with such unreasonable people. "You!" Lu Yanhua was seething, about to make his next move, when Li Mingshi, whom he was holding, suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood! Li Mingshi''s pale face made the blood on her lips appear even redder. In the next moment, she copsed into Lu Yanhua''s embrace. Lu Yanhua''s pupils constricted in shock. "Mingshi! Mingshi!" The Wang and Yang families were also taken aback by Li Mingshi''s sudden coughing up of blood, giving them quite a fright! Once they regained theirposure, a twinge of guilt set in, as they had provoked her earlier. Averting their gaze uneasily, they persisted with their arrogance, "Hey, surely she''s not faking it? That looked way too fake to be real. Who just randomly coughs up blood like that?" "Trying to extort us? Dream on! We''re not falling for your tricks!" Despite their defiant retorts, they hurriedly made to leave. Shen Nian, who had been in a daze until she heard Lu Yanhua''s cries, suddenly regained her senses. Lu Yanhua was holding his wife, repeatedly calling out her name, with no attention to spare for others. The Wang and Yang families were trying to seize the opportunity to flee... She found her strength, rushing forward and grabbing them, "Don''t go!" Startled by the sudden force pulling them back, Yang Hao and Wang Yong''s wives eximed in shock when they saw it was Shen Nian, "What are you doing?" Over the years, they had been livingfortably, growing plump and robust. Each of them now weighed over 160 pounds, while the slender Shen Nian barely tipped the scales at 180 pounds. Either one of them could take on two Shen Nians, let alone both together. They didn''t take the frail Shen Nian seriously at all, roughly shaking her off with a forceful tug, "Get lost!" Shen Nian was flung aside, sprawling in an undignified heap, but the next second she pounced back, like a crazed wild beast. Her mind was singrly focused on one thought: she absolutely could not let them leave! "Hey, what are you doing?" "Are you crazy?" This time, in addition to those two beasts'' wives, others joined in. Earlier, they had snickered in the background as Li Mingshi and Lu Yanhua were being mocked. It was only after seeing Li Mingshi cough up blood that they realized they had gone too far, and now felt guilty, trying to make a hasty exit. But then Shen Nian suddenly appeared, crazily attempting to stop them from leaving. The two families, indignant and outraged, were about to resort to violence. By the time Lu Lingchuan and Lawyer Xu Xiping returned from their discussion, the scene outside had devolved into chaos. Lu Lingchuan immediately spotted Shen Nian, who had been kicked to her knees, stubbornly clinging to those two beasts'' wives with both hands, refusing to let them leave. Coincidentally, the judge and others also emerged at that moment, frozen in shock at the sight before them. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 .............................. The Wang Yang families were all arrested without a single person left, and the surveince cameras outside captured their actions and ugly faces clearly. Xu Xiping went along to handle the situation, while Lu Lingchuan and Lu Lingchen rushed Li Mingshi to the hospital immediately. At the entrance of the emergency room, Lu Yanhua sat on a chair, head lowered and unusually silent. Lu Lingchen kept staring in the direction of the emergency room door, while Lu Lingchuan leaned against the cold wall by the emergency room entrance, eyes closed, his emotions unreadable. Not far away at the corner, Shen Nian stood there, gazing nkly in the direction of the emergency room, waiting in a daze. Finally, the lights in the emergency room went off, and the door opened. A doctor came out, and the father and sons immediately rushed over. Lu Yanhua''s eyes were red as he hurriedly asked, "Doctor, how is my wife?!" The doctor took off his mask, his expression not looking too good. "There is no immediate danger to her life at the moment." "Then why did my wife vomit blood?!" Earlier when Li Mingshi vomited blood, Lu Yanhua felt like his world was crumbling. Five years ago, he lost his only daughter. He could not imagine what a fatal blow it would be if anything happened to his wife again. "This..." Seeing the grave expression on the doctor''s face, Lu Lingchuan said in a solemn voice, "Please speak frankly if there is anything." The doctor sighed heavily. "Based on my years of experience, this is just a spection for now. I cannot make arbitrary ims before the urate resultse out. My suggestion is to conduct a full body check-up for the patient first." "........." The doctor''s grave demeanor indicated that the situation was heading in an unfavorable direction. ........................... Shen Nian left only after seeing Li Mingshiing out of the emergency room. She went straight into a public restroom. Standing in front of the sink, she looked at her own reflection in the mirror. She looked a bit disheveled, with her elbow scraped from bumping onto the ground while trying to stop someone earlier. Her peripheral vision caught something, and she nced sideways to notice an eyebrow razor left on the adjacent sink, probably forgotten by someone who had been doing makeup and the cleaningdy had not yet gotten around to removing it. Shen Nian picked it up, unfolded the razor, turned on the faucet, and held it under the water stream. She stared at her left wrist and ced it under the water stream as well. The de touched her delicate skin, and with a forceful stroke, a gash quickly appeared, with fresh blood oozing out before being washed away by the water. Shen Nian kept her hand in the sink, watching impassively as the clear water turned a pale red before draining away... "Heh..." She suddenly startedughing, closing her reddened eyes, unable to stop herughter. ........................... Following the doctor''s advice, the Lu family had Li Mingshi undergo aprehensive medical examination, and the results came back soon. In the office, Lu Yanhua sat on a stool next to the doctor, while Lu Lingchuan and Lu Lingchen stood behind Lu Yanhua, the father and sons staring at the doctor. After reviewing all the test reports, the doctor''s expression turned grave as he uttered two words: "Stomach cancer." Those two short words struck the father and sons like a sledgehammer! Lu Yanhua''s body swayed, nearly falling off the chair, but Lu Lingchuan managed to steady him in time. "How is that possible!" Lu Lingchen widened his eyes, refusing to believe the doctor''s words. "How could my mom have stomach cancer?!" His lips quivered as he said the word "cancer." "The test results are here. I have no reason to lie to you." "Most early-stage cancer patients are asymptomatic, with only a few experiencing mild difort like bloating, indigestion, and so on. During the progression stage, stomach cancer may cause abdominal pain and weight loss. In thete stage, patients may also experience anemia, loss of appetite, and emaciation." "......" Over the years, Li Mingshi had be much thinner, but they had always thought it was due to the severe grief from losing Lu Lingrui, never imagining it could be cancer... Lu Lingchen felt like his body had turned soft, standing there in a daze, still unwilling to ept the reality. He had heard his medical student friends mention stomach cancer before, saying that globally, stomach cancer ranks second in terms of cancer incidence and third in terms of mortality rate. ...Lu Lingchen dared not think any further. Keeping his emotions in check, Lu Lingchuan calmly asked the doctor, "So my mother''s vomiting blood was also due to the stomach cancer?" "Yes." The doctor nodded. "The gastric mucosa is affected by the tumor, bing thin and fragile, so it cannot withstand any irritation. If irritated, localized blood vessel ruptures can ur, leading to vomiting blood." Sensing the heavy atmosphere, the doctor quickly added, "The rtively good news at the moment is that it was discovered rtively early, and the cancer has not yet progressed to the middle orte stages, which means there is still a good chance of a cure." "No one wants to encounter such a situation, but since it has happened, you, as the patient''s closest ones, cannot wallow in despair. You should stand by her side and encourage her to ovee the disease. The disease itself is not that formidable; the most important thing is the right mindset. I once encountered a patient whom we determined would not live beyond six months, but he maintained a positive attitude, and I witnessed him persevere year after year with my own eyes. So when faced with problems, do not let your mindset crumble." "Yes... yes..." Lu Yanhua had never looked so haggard and disheveled before. At this moment, he was like a soulless child, muttering repeatedly, "It will be fine, it will be fine..." He and Mingshi had been together for 27 years, but it wasn''t enough. How could she be so cruel as to let go of his hand and leave him? "So currently, the most pressing issue is adjusting the patient''s mindset." "Based on my observation, the patient''s mental state is quite poor." The doctor dropped another bombshell. He took out the brain CT scan results from the various test reports. "This is the patient''s brain CT scan result. Depression can severely impair memory function and cause brain dysfunction. ording to the feedback from the results, the patient''s depression is quite severe. If her mental state is not stabilized promptly, even without stomach cancer, depression alone could drive her to take extreme measures." "..........." Another massive bomb exploded in front of them, leaving them battered and wounded. In truth, the heavens have always been unfair ¨C the fortunate be even luckier, while the unfortunate grow increasingly unlucky. ................................ Li Mingshiy unconscious on the hospital bed, herplexion pale. The sickroom was utterly silent. They had arranged the highest level of VIP sickroom for Li Mingshi, which, apart from the bedroom, also had a living room, dining room, and kitchen, fully equipped. Lu Lingchuan stood by the window in the living room, chain-smoking one cigarette after another, quickly littering the floor with cigarette butts. He lowered his head, brushing aside the stray strands of hair from his forehead, his face full of worry. Lu Yanhua sat by the bedside in the bedroom, tightly gripping Li Mingshi''s hand that was not hooked up to an IV drip. So thin, too thin. He could feel her protruding bones. Suddenly, he recalled the first time he saw her over twenty years ago. Back then, when she was still a young girl, she stood amidst a sunflower field, her smile captivating his gaze. He approached her and struck up a conversation, and she blushed. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Time passed, and circumstances changed, but how did ite to this? Lu Lingchen brought back takeout food from outside and ced it on the dining table. He pushed open the bedroom door. "Dad." "..." Lu Yanhua held Li Mingshi''s hand, unmoving. "I bought some food. You should eat something. The doctor said Mom won''t wake up so soon." Lu Lingchen''s voice was soft. "..." Lu Yanhua still didn''t move. Lu Lingchen felt a pang of bitterness in his heart. Today was the court hearing, and his parents had woken up early without even eating breakfast, only to encounter this... "Dad." Lu Lingchen spoke again. "The doctor said earlier that people aren''t defeated by cancer, but by their own hearts. We''re Mom''s closest family, we should hold her hand and apany her to ovee the disease." "If you don''t eat or drink now, and keep looking so gloomy, how can Mom not worry when she wakes up? Overthinking won''t help Mom''s condition. So you must stay healthy and have the energy to apany Mom, right?" "..." Lu Lingchen''s words touched Lu Yanhua''s heart. Yes, he couldn''t wallow in despair now. He needed to eat properly and take care of his body so he would have the energy to care for his wife. He tightened his grip on Li Mingshi''s cool hand, lifted the corner of the nket, and ced his hand underneath. After checking that the IV drip was working properly, he stood up and followed Lu Lingchen out, carefully closing the door behind them. After convincing his father toe out, Lu Lingchen looked towards Lu Lingchuan, who was standing by the living room window. "Brother, you should eat something too." "Mm." Lu Lingchuan dropped the cigarette in his hand and crushed it under his shoe, then strode over. It was rare for just the three of them¡ªfather and sons¡ªto sit together for a meal. The atmosphere at the dining table was very quiet, with only the sound of Lu Lingchen opening the disposable meal boxes. "There''s nothing much going on at my school. For now, I''lle and take care of Mom. You and Dad can focus on work." Lu Lingchen spoke as he handed chopsticks to Lu Yanhua. "No need." Lu Lingchuan''s tone was t. "I''ve already arranged my work. You focus on your studies, and don''t worry about things here." "Brother." Lu Lingchen frowned. "I have more free time than you." He also worked at Lingrui Group, so he knew how much work Lu Lingchuan had every day. With thepany in a growth phase, meetings, social engagements, coborations, and business trips kept Lu Lingchuan''s every minute packed to the brim. Even the time for today''s court hearing had been cleared only after Lu Lingchuan had worked through three consecutive nights to finish his tasks in advance. "Brother, there''s no need to argue. You and Dad have to manage thepany, while I''m still in school with much more free time. Besides, you know that at A University, I only need toplete the credits to graduate, without daily attendance. So my time is quite flexible." He continued, "Mom''s condition isn''t bad, but it''s not great either. We''ll definitely need to give her the best medication and treatment. Currently, I don''t have the means to earn millions overnight, so you''ll have to take care of the financial aspect. How will Mom''s medical expenses be covered if you don''t go to work?" Lu Yanhua, holding his chopsticks with his head lowered, spoke up, "You go to work or school as usual. I''ll take care of your mother." "Dad..." "No matter how much time you have, you don''t have the experience of caring for your mother like I do. I''ve taken care of her for so many years and am more adept at it in every aspect. And... I want to be by her side constantly." In the past, she was afraid of insects and pain, even cowering behind him at the sight of a sharp-beaked chicken. Now faced with the terrifying demon of cancer, how could he bear to let her face it alone? He would apany her, no matter the oue. He had to be with her. "Don''t worry about thepany. For the past two years, I''ve hired professionals to manage it. Not going to the office won''t affect operations, and I can handle important matters online or over the phone." Lu Yanhua''s tone left no room for argument. "That''s how it will be arranged. Your mother is still asleep, and I can''t leave her. When she wakes up, I won''t be able to leave her side at all. After you finish eating, go home and bring the housekeeper here. Your mother doesn''t like takeout, so let the housekeepere and take care of her meals." "Okay." Lu Lingchen nodded. The conversation between the father and sons ended there, and silence fell again. Lu Lingchuan sat in the chair, his untouched meal box of rice in front of him. Lu Lingchen and Lu Yanhua were eating with their heads down, their food tasting nd. With Lu Lingrui''s situation unresolved and Li Mingshi''s illness on top of that, the pressures kept piling on, leaving them gasping for breath and with no appetite. Lu Lingchen picked at his rice, mechanically swallowing it. "The first time I saw your mother was in a field of sunflowers..." Lu Yanhua began, his voiceced with weariness. "..." "Tap." Lu Lingchuan lit another cigarette, the smoke obscuring his face, hiding his expression. From the moment they confirmed Li Mingshi had cancer until now, Lu Lingchuan had already smoked nearly a whole pack. Lu Lingchen had already lost his appetite, but he looked up when his father spoke. Lu Yanhua kept his gaze lowered, speaking one word at a time. "She was wearing a light yellow sundress, standing among the sunflowers with a beach hat on her head, more beautiful than the flowers." "I approached her and introduced myself, ''My name is Lu Yanhua, and you?'' She looked dazed for a moment, then smiled at me warmly, her face turning red." Van Gogh once said: [Everyone has a fire burning inside them, but passersby only see the smoke. But there will always be that one person, that one person who can see the fire, and then walk over and keep mepany. In the crowd, I saw his fire, and quickly walked over, fearing that if I was too slow, he would be engulfed by the dust of time. With my passion, my coldness, my wildness, my gentleness, and my unreasonable belief in love, I walked breathlessly towards him. I stammered, ''What''s your name?'' From ''What''s your name?'' onwards, everything followed.] Lu Yanhua''s gaze lowered, and his voice grew quieter. "If she''s not here anymore, what will I do..." When their daughter had her incident years ago, no matter how painful it was, he had mustered his strength, because he was the pir of the family and couldn''t fall. If he fell, the whole family would copse. But now... Lu Yanhua didn''t dare imagine what he would do if his wife wasn''t there anymore, what he could do... Some say that a father''s love is subtle. They may not be as meticulous in showing care like a mother would, but as long as you turn around when you''re tired, you''ll find your father has always been standing behind you. They may not be eloquent, but they express their love through actions. They may not have much time to spend with their wives and children because they are the pirs of the family, toiling tirelessly for their loved ones. But now... the pir of the Lu family was bent over, struggling to control himself, his shoulders shaking as he wept quietly. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Lu Lingchen hung up a call and came out of the ward, heading to a resting pavilion outside the hospital. When he arrived, someone was sitting there with their head lowered. "Sister Nian," Lu Lingchen called out to the person as he approached. Shen Nian was replying to an email on her phone with her head down. Upon hearing Lu Lingchen''s voice, she looked up. "You''re here." "Yeah." Lu Lingchen responded, his gaze falling on her wrist. Her left wrist was wrapped in a bandage. "Sister Nian, what happened to your hand?" Lu Lingchen asked. Shen Nian nced at the bandage on her wrist, then quickly averted her gaze, her expression still calm andposed. "Oh, I just scraped my wrist a little. The doctor applied some medicine and wrapped it in a bandage to prevent the medicine from rubbing off when I move my hand around. It can be removed once the medicine is absorbed." After saying that, she naturally tucked her left hand away. "..." If one pondered her exnation closely, the inconsistencies and loopholes would be apparent, but Lu Lingchen''s mind was in too much chaos at the moment to analyze the truth behind Shen Nian''s words. Shen Nian didn''t want to dwell on the topic either, so she naturally changed the subject. "I just received a call. Your brother has canceled all his work engagements for the next six months without any exnation, just instructing thepany to make the arrangements. Thepany is unsure of what happened since the matter is so significant, and they don''t dare act rashly. So they called me to confirm the situation." Currently, thepany is in a period of growth, and many admiring bosses have been keen to extend olive branches to work with Lu Lingchuan. Several existing partners were also nning to renew their contracts with Lu Lingchuan... His schedule had already been arranged for the next six months. But then Lu Lingchuan suddenly called and demanded the cancetion of all engagements, without giving any reason before hanging up. Thepany was left utterly confused, unsure of what had transpired. However, they knew that canceling all engagements could potentially cost thepany tens of millions, if not more... Such a substantial amount prevented them from acting on their own ord. Knowing that Shen Nian was Lu Lingchuan''s personal assistant, and the most trusted and capable among his many assistants and secretaries, they immediately called her to confirm the situation. Only after receiving her response would they dare proceed. Shen Nian lowered her gaze and spoke softly, "Today is a bit special. Your brother probably doesn''t want to hear my voice, so I called you instead." Normally, Lu Lingchuan would give orders to Shen Nian, who would then ry them down the chain. But today, Lu Lingchuan bypassed her directly. So Shen Nian assumed it was because Lu Lingchuan didn''t want to speak with her. After all, they were still in the midst of a cold war. Upon hearing this, Lu Lingchen immediately understood what Shen Nian was referring to. "There''s no need to cancel. Proceed as usual." With their mother being cared for by their father, and him as backup if needed, his brother''s presence wasn''t required. "Okay," Shen Nian nodded. "I''ll call thepany backter." Thepany was currently waiting for her response. Without her reply, they wouldn''t dare act rashly. "By the way," Shen Nian asked, recalling something. "How is your mother''s condition? Has she regained consciousness?" Li Mingshi''s sudden coughing up of blood and fainting was truly terrifying. "..." Lu Lingchen fell silent. "Did the doctor say what happened?" Shen Nian asked, despite not having experienced such a situation herself. But she knew that suddenly coughing up blood was not a good sign. Although she had been waiting nearby earlier, the distance from the corner to the emergency room was substantial, so she only saw the emergency room lights turn off and the doctors emerge. As for what the doctors said, she couldn''t hear from that distance. "..." Lu Lingchen remained silent. Shen Nian noticed something was amiss and furrowed her brows, scrutinizing Lu Lingchen''s face. Earlier, she had been in a hurry to conceal the injury on her wrist, so she hadn''t paid much attention to Lu Lingchen. Now, upon closer observation, she realized his eyes looked a bit redpared to earlier, and his face appeared more haggard. "...What''s wrong?" "Depression," Lu Lingchen suddenly spoke up. "..." Shen Nian''s heart sank, instinctively gripping her bag tightly. Outwardly, she maintained a puzzled expression. "...Huh?" "My mother underwent a full medical examination. The doctor said... my mother might have depression." Lu Lingchen revealed Li Mingshi''s condition, still unwilling to ept it as fact. "Along with... stomach cancer, mid-stage." "..." Shen Nian''s face instantly turned pale. Her grip loosened, causing her bag to drop to the ground, the unzipped bag spilling out a pill bottle and the phone she had just put inside. Her body trembled, and she clumsily squatted down to pick up the bag, grabbing the pill bottle from the ground. Her hands were shaking uncontrobly. "...Are you sure?" Her voice quivered. "Yeah," Lu Lingchen closed his eyes and nodded heavily. "After Ling Rui passed away, my mother''s condition deteriorated. She often had irregr eating habits. A few years ago, my father wanted to take her to see a doctor." For both physical and psychological evaluations. "But my mother refused, bing agitated whenever it was brought up. My father was afraid of provoking her, so he didn''t force the issue." And the result was... "..." Shen Nian stumbled as she stood up, nearly falling over. She reached into her bag, rummaging around before retrieving a card and handing it to Lu Lingchen. Shen Nian: "Take this." Lu Lingchen nced at the card she offered him. "What''s this?" "This is my savings from all these years," Shen Nian insisted on giving him the card. "Use it for the best treatment and medication avable. If it''s not enough, let me know, and I''ll raise more funds." It was only then that Lu Lingchen understood Shen Nian''s intention, and he immediately pushed the card back to her. "It''s not necessary." "Take it." "No need." "Lu Lingchen, this is not the time to be stubborn. Take it. The password is... your brother''s and my birthday." She had obtained this card five or six years ago when she and Lu Lingchuan were in the throes of their rtionship, so she set the password to their birthdays. Later on... she never got around to changing it. "Really, there''s no need, Sister Nian," Lu Lingchen declined once more. "Sister Nian, our family can afford the treatment." The Lu family was affluent. Lu Yanhua had his ownpany and shares in several otherpanies, with substantial ie. Li Mingshi was a frencer and hadn''t worked since marrying Lu Yanhua, spending her time painting as a hobby. Her artworks had been featured in many exhibitions, making her a somewhat renowned painter. Not to mention Lu Lingchuan''s skyrocketing wealth. So even if the treatment cost millions, the Lu family could afford it. As for Lu Lingchen''s remark about work pressure at the dinner table, he merely intended to divert his father''s and brother''s attention. With work obligations, they wouldn''t have as much time to dwell on their mother''s illness. Chapter 71 Chapter 71 "....." Gazing at the card Lu Lingchen pushed back into her hand, she lowered her eyes and remained silent for a few seconds before speaking. "I know the Lu family isn''t short on money." "..." If Lu Lingchen hadn''t guessed wrong, Shen Nian still had more to say, so he didn''t make a sound and continued listening to her. Shen Nian''s eyshes fluttered lightly: "It''s a parent''s responsibility to raise their children, and a child''s duty to care for their parents." She raised her head and curved her lips at Lu Lingchen: "I owe your sister a kindness, the duty she couldn''t fulfill... I should take it on instead." "Shen Nian..." Lu Lingchen had noticed from before that Shen Nian was a very stubborn person. She was too fixated on one thing, so she lived a very tiring life. People... should be a little more selfish, at least they wouldn''t live such a difficult life. "You know, my parents passed away in a car ident years ago," Shen Nian interrupted Lu Lingchen. "Now I have the ability to repay them, but unfortunately I''ll never have that chance again. Please take pity on me and let me have an elder to serve." "..." Lu Lingchen fell silent for a few seconds but still didn''t ept the money. However, he said, "Today my dad will discuss follow-up treatment with the attending physician. Cancer is a long battle, and a lot of preparation is needed. There will definitely be areas where I''ll need your help in the future, and I''ll let you know when I need you, without being courteous." epting her contribution might make her feel a little better. ... Li Mingshi woke up in the afternoon. She opened her eyes and simply stared at the ceiling in silence. Lu Yanhua had been taking care of her by her side, so he noticed the moment she woke up. "You''re awake." He forced himself to show a very rxed smile and grabbed her hand. Although her hands were a bit cool in the summer, they were too icy. Lu Yanhua held her hand, wanting to transfer the warmth from his palm to her, and then began talking about everyday matters. "Those people who intentionally caused trouble have been taken away. That should kill their arrogance." "Thepany recently got in contact with a new partner. I heard the other party has a rtive in politics, which might be helpful for us." "You fell ill, the doctor said it was because you were too distressed. So don''t think too much from now on. We will definitely get justice for our daughter, so before that, we all need to stay well and wait for that day toe, right?" "Have you forgotten what Ruirui said? She said you look good when you smile. If she knew that after she left, you''ve been frowning all the time, she''d nag again." "We don''t have that many words for each other, so why was our daughter so good at nagging? I don''t know who she took after..." Lu Yanhua didn''t avoid mentioning her illness. Cancer couldn''t be cured in a few days; it needed to be dealt with slowly, step-by-step. There was no way to hide it. Rather than finding all sorts of excuses to cover it up now, it was better to just tell the truth. Besides, Li Mingshi wasn''t stupid. Could she not feel the abnormalities in her own body? However, Lu Yanhua didn''t state it too bluntly either, only saying that she was ill without specifying cancer. "..." At the mention of her daughter, Li Mingshi closed her eyes, holding back her tears. Li Mingshi liked sunflowers. The first time she met Lu Yanhua was also in a field of sunflowers. Sunflowers, the messengers of sunshine, born to face the sun. In one''s life, they would encounter many setbacks, but Li Mingshi hoped she could live like a sunflower, born to face the sun, smiling positively. Ever since she was young, Lu Lingrui saw Li Mingshi drawing all kinds of sunflowers on paper, influenced by which she grew to especially love sunflowers too. Lu Lingrui lived just like a sunflower, her smile like a sunflower in the sunshine, radiant and dazzling. ["Mom, why are you so pretty? Is it because you''re so pretty that you gave birth to me this pretty too?"] Lu Lingrui had always been a sweet-talking child. She was good at coaxing people, so she was especially adorable. ["Mom, do you like me? I like you too mom, so this is a mutual attraction."] ["Mom, why do you look so good when you smile?"] ["Mom, I love you so much. No matter what, I''m a mama''s boy."] ["Mom..."] Whenever Li Mingshi closed her eyes, her mind was filled with images of Lu Lingrui acting mischievously in front of her. The once beautiful memories eventually became a double-edged sword. These scenes used to make her so happy and blessed, but now they stabbed her just as painfully. Lu Lingchuan had been standing at the doorway, simply watching his parents in the room. He leaned against the door frame, quietly to an extreme. "Ring--" His phone rang from his pocket. Lu Lingchuan nced at the caller ID, his gaze darkening slightly as he turned and went to the living room. "Hello." "I understand." "I''ll be right there." After a few simple responses, Lu Lingchuan hung up. He was about to leave directly, but after taking two steps, he stopped, turned around, and entered the bedroom. The bedroom was very quiet. Lu Lingchuan walked to Li Mingshi''s bedside. Li Mingshi had her eyes closed, her eyshes trembling slightly. She knew her eldest son was right beside her. Suddenly, her other hand was held. Lu Lingchuan''s hand wasn''t very warm either. Li Mingshi''s eyshes trembled more violently. "Mom." Lu Lingchuan looked at her, his voice low. "The four of us in our family can''t afford to lose anyone else." "..." ... After leaving the hospital, Lu Lingchuan went to Xu Xiping''s ce. Xu Xiping had changed into home clothes. Seeing Lu Lingchuan arrive, he waved his hand, and the two went to sit in the living room. "This case is extremely tricky. We''ve reached an impasse for now. If we can''t gain control of more evidence for another appeal, even if we drag it out for five more years, the result will still be the same." Xu Xiping didn''t beat around the bush with Lu Lingchuan,ying out the situation very clearly. "The opposingwyer is known in the circle for his venomous tongue. From today''s confrontation, you could feel that he''s a formidable character, skilled at using a few sentences to disrupt his opponent''s mind." Xu Xiping had been awyer for many years and was well aware of how important it was to remain calm in resolving matters. Just like today in court, both sides were fully prepared. While protecting their own interests, they were also constantly looking for weaknesses in the other party to attack. When faced with a situation, no matter big or small, if you expose your thoughts and shorings from the very beginning, you''re destined to lose. Sometimes, it''s not as much about the rhetorical and logical skills of both parties as it is testing each other''s state of mind. Only by remaining calm can you make it to the end. Today in court, the opposingwyer clearly saw through our situation and knew that the Lu family''s fatal weakness was Lu Lingrui, which could be seen from their insistence on the death penalty for Yang Hao and Wang Yong. So every word and sentence wasced with provocation, aimed at preventing the Lu family from staying calm. Only by losing theirposure would they expose their ws. Once those ws were seized upon, defeating the opponent would just be a matter of time. Xu Xiping made it clear to Lu Lingchuan that the opponent wasing on strong, and with only their current evidence, the possibility of winning this battle was 0. To win, they needed to gain control of more. Chapter 72 Chapter 72 ............... After taking a shower, Shen Nian came out wrapped in a towel and tossed her dirty clothes into the washing machine on the balcony. She added detergent and disinfectant, selected the desired function, and then pressed start. The washing machine received themand and began operating. Taking advantage of this moment, Shen Nian turned to tidy up the coffee table. As she crouched down and picked up a cup, she heard the sound of a password being entered at the entrance - "beep beep beep." [Verification failed] The electronic door lock announced in a mechanical female voice. Shen Nian immediately looked up towards the entrance, her brow furrowed as she became alert. Who could be trying to open her door at thiste hour? "Beep beep beep." The sound of entering a password again. [Verification failed] The second attempt to enter the password was incorrect. Shen Nian stood up immediately, and due to the sudden movement, she identally bumped her left wrist, causing a twinge of pain from the wound. She nced down at the wound, which had already scabbed over. After gently pressing it, she picked up a fruit knife from the fruit bowl on the coffee table. The small knife was perfect for self-defense. Gripping the fruit knife, Shen Nian stepped cautiously towards the entrance, her soft slippers making no sound on the carpet. [Verification failed] The smart door lock issued the third warning, and Shen Nian tightened her grip on the knife, her gaze fixed warily on the door, ready to act at any moment. "Beep beep beep." The sound of entering a password again. Just as Shen Nian was certain that the person outside her door was up to no good, this time it was not the failed password prompt. [Unlocked] Hearing the confirmation sound, Shen Nian froze for a second. Her door lock''s password was not simple, and if it were a thief or a bad person, they would not be able to guess the correct password in three or four tries. Unless the person outside originally knew the real unlock password, and the previous three attempts were just idental mistakes. But the only ones who knew the password to her apartment were herself and... If it were him, he wouldn''t have made that many mistakes. In that momentarypse, the person outside turned the doorknob and opened the door. Lu Lingchuan stood at the entrance, leaning his entire body against the door. He was still wearing the same suit from earlier that day, his jacket draped over his left arm, his tie hanging loosely around his neck, and the top two buttons of his shirt undone. His handsome face showed obvious signs of exhaustion, his once captivating, nted dark eyes now clouded with intoxication and a somber expression. His short hair was slightly disheveled, with a cute little tuft sticking up. Seeing his state, Shen Nian finally understood why he had entered the wrong password so many times earlier. Just one nce told her that Lu Lingchuan was drunk. Judging by his appearance, he was quite heavily intoxicated. No wonder he had entered the wrong password so many times - his brain was under the influence of alcohol, leaving him in a daze, even forgetting that the smart door lock had a fingerprint scanner and foolishly entering the password over and over again. Shen Nian was stunned, and her hand loosened its grip on the fruit knife, cing it on the nearby shoe cab. "Why did you drink so much?" she asked softly, concern subtly present in her tone. Lu Lingchuan leaned against the door, his eyes half-closed as if he had fallen asleep standing there. Hearing Shen Nian''s voice, he slowly opened his eyes, the intoxication still evident in their depths. Having been in the business world for many years, Lu Lingchuan had never allowed himself to be drunk before. He knew very well that the business world was like a battlefield, and if he couldn''t control his own mind at a drinking event, he would be at the mercy of others. So in all these years, the number of times he had truly gotten drunk could be counted on one hand. But today, he had poured so much alcohol down his own throat, finally letting himself bepletely inebriated, his senses and rationality gone. Yet in his drunken state, there was only one person''s face on his mind. Shen Nian, Shen Nian... At that moment, Lu Lingchuan suddenly wanted to see Shen Nian, to see her immediately, and only her. Despite being so drunk that he could barely walk straight, he had stumbled and crashed his way to find her. Lu Lingchuan finally moved, but who knows how much he had drunk - after just one step, his body swayed, about to fall. Shen Nian, who was watching nearby, felt her heart leap, and without thinking, she stepped forward to support him. Lu Lingchuan then fell into her embrace, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. "Nian Nian..." "..." Enveloped in Lu Lingchuan''s embrace, Shen Nian stiffened upon hearing that long-familiar nickname. It had been... a very long time since shest heard him call her that. "Nian Nian..." he called her again, his voice soft and faint, like a feather gently brushing against her heart, causing it to race uncontrobly. "Nian Nian bu wang... Nian Nian..." he kept murmuring. Shen Nian''s memories began to fade, shing back to the first time she met Lu Lingchuan. Back then, Lu Lingchuan had a slight smile on his lips as he politely nodded at her: "Hello, I''m Lu Lingchuan, proud as the morning frost, embracing all rivers." She replied: "Shen Nian, the ''Nian'' that means ''never forget.''" At that time, he had asked another question: "Nian Nian bu wang, must there be a response?" Back then, the young Shen Nian didn''t know that "nian nian bu wang" doesn''t necessarily mean there will be a response. Moreover, the "nian" in "nian nian bu wang" and the "nian" in "dian nian" (tomemorate) are the same character. The night breeze was a bit chilly, and a gust of cool wind blew over, causing Shen Nian, who was only wrapped in a towel, to sober up a bit. "Lu Lingchuan, go inside first, I''ll close the door," Shen Nian said softly, coaxing him. "..." Lu Lingchuan''s hands remained on her waist, his face buried in the crook of her neck, murmuring softly, clearly too intoxicated to hear a single word she said. Shen Nian had no choice but to straighten her arm and gauge the distance between herself and the doorknob, which was a bit far. She dragged Lu Lingchuan closer to the entrance, hisrge frame clinging to her body, restricting her movements and making it difficult even to raise her hand. After some fumbling, she finally managed to close the door. She pulled Lu Lingchuan into the living room and let him lie on the couch. Shen Nian then went to the kitchen, opened a drawer, and took out some honey. She scooped a spoonful into a cup and added hot water. Honey water helps promote the breakdown of alcohol and aids in the metabolism of alcohol in the body. Additionally, the sugar content in honey water can promote intestinal motility and help alleviate hangovers. In the past, when Shen Nian apanied Lu Lingchuan to social events and drank a lot, she would have some honey water upon returning, and it did seem to help. She brought the honey water out and looked at Lu Lingchuan lying on the couch, speaking softly: "Lu Lingchuan, I made some honey water, drink a little." "Nian Nian..." he murmured with his eyes closed. Seeing that he couldn''t get up on his own, Shen Nian first ced the cup on the coffee table, then used both hands to help him sit up. She then brought the cup of honey water to his thin lips and carefully helped him drink. Even though Lu Lingchuan was drunk, he didn''t create any trouble. Shen Nian fed him sip by sip, and he drank it sip by sip. After drinking about half a cup, Lu Lingchuan finally opened his eyes, his intoxicated yet still captivating gaze fixed intently on her. They were so close that he could clearly see every detail on her face. Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Looking at her from this close, he could see her stunningly beautiful eyes, with long and thick eyshes. Shen Nian had a youthful, innocent face. Her delicate features were soft and gentle. When she smiled, her eyes crinkled, giving off a warm, radiant vibe. He stared at Shen Nian, entranced. Shen Nian still held a cup in her hand. Noticing that Lu Lingchuan had stopped drinking, she looked at him quizzically, only to meet his profound gaze. His eyes were as alluring as ever, long and captivating. However, they now held a hint of intoxication,cking their usual sharpness and intensity. She froze for a moment, perplexed. "What are you looking at?" His eyes remained fixed on her, staring intensely. Did she have something on her face? Shen Nian touched her face. It didn''t seem so; after all, she had just taken a shower. "You," Lu Lingchuan replied, unexpectedly. Moreover, he seemed to be genuinely answering her question. "..." His single word felt as heavy as a thousand pieces of gold, leaving Shen Nian utterly floored. What are you looking at? You. Put together, it meant¡ª Looking at you. She gazed at Lu Lingchuan''s face, her voice hoarse. "...Do you know what you''re saying?" "I know." "Do you know who I am?" "It''s you." In that moment, his eyes saw only her, and nothing else. "..." Seeing his earnest yet slightly foolish expression, Shen Nian wondered if he was truly drunk or sober. If he wasn''t drunk, why was he acting so silly when talking to her? But if he was drunk, how could he converse with her so fluently? "I can''t believe you remembered the door password in this drunken state," Shen Nian shook her head, muttering the words absentmindedly. "Of course I remember." He leaned back on the sofa, lifting one hand to his forehead, staring at the overhead light. It seemed as if he had remembered something, and a pained, anguished look shed across his eyes as his breathing grew heavier. Shen Nian paid no attention to his response. Seeing that he had almost finished the honey water, with only a little left at the bottom, she didn''t force him to finish it. She picked up the cup, intending to take it to the kitchen and wash it. She had only taken two steps when Lu Lingchuan''s voice, faint yet audible, reached her from behind. It was so soft that she almost doubted if he had actually spoken. But Shen Nian heard it. Those few short words instantly shattered herposure. He said¡ª "The password is the memorial dates of my two children..." "..." The six-digit smart door lock password consisted of two parts. The first three digits represented the date of their first child''s miscarriage, which was also Lu Lingrui''s memorial date. On that fateful day, Shen Nian had received Lu Lingrui''s final text message before her suicide and frantically called Lu Lingchuan, searching everywhere Lu Lingrui might have gone. She didn''t witness Lu Lingrui''s jump from the building. By the time she received the phone call, Lu Lingrui was already gone. Shen Nian felt as if she had been struck dumb. She stumbled her way to the hospital morgue, where she could hear Li Mingshi''s heart-wrenching wails from outside the door. She slumped against the wall, her strengthpletely drained, staring nkly ahead, devoid of emotion. It wasn''t until she felt a dull pain in her lower abdomen that she was jolted back to reality. She looked down to see her white dress stained with red, blood trickling down her thighs. On that day, she endured a triple blow. She lost her dearest friend. She lost her first child. In a person''s short life, there are truly not many people they truly value ¨C parents, spouse, children, and closest friends... that''s about it. Unlike most people, Shen Nian had lost her parents at an early age, so she already had two fewer important people in her life. But on that day, she lost her closest friend and her child as well. It was on that day that Shen Nian realized there could never be a future between her and Lu Lingchuan. Some people are simply meant to be missed, and she was destined to be a mere supporting character in Lu Lingchuan''s life, someone he would eventually leave behind. As for thest three digits of the password, they represented the date of her abortion, the memorial date of her and Lu Lingchuan''s second child. Shen Nian had changed the password after her miscarriage, and aside from her and Lu Lingchuan, no one else knew this new password. When she had informed Lu Lingchuan about the password change back then, his expression remained impassive, showing no hint of reaction. Shen Nian had always assumed he didn''t know the significance of those six digits. But he did know. He had always known. "..." Shen Nian''s grip on the cup loosened, then tightened again. Lu Lingchuan sat, while Shen Nian stood, maintaining their positions for over a minute. Finally, Shen Nian moved first. She went into the kitchen, washed the cup, and then returned. ncing at her bag by the door, Shen Nian took out some pills and swallowed two of them, cing one hand on her chest. After a while, she felt her heart gradually calming down. She closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again before heading towards the living room. In the living room, Lu Lingchuan remained in the same position, his elbow resting on his forehead, eyes half-closed. She approached him and said, "It''ste, you should get some rest." She acted as if she hadn''t heard anything earlier. Some things were like bubbles, better left to float in the air undisturbed, for even the slightest touch would cause them to burst. "..." Lu Lingchuan didn''t respond. Shen Nian took his hand, and the moment she touched him, Lu Lingchuan opened his eyes, his dark gaze fixated on her. "..." Shen Nian felt uneasy under his intense stare and quickly averted her eyes, saying softly, "It''ste, and you have work tomorrow." With Lu Lingrui''s matter unresolved and Li Mingshi''s recent troubles, today must have been exhausting for him, not physically, but mentally and emotionally. "..." Lu Lingchuan remained silent, but when Shen Nian helped him up, he didn''t resist, obediently standing. The alcohol was still affecting him, causing him to sway unsteadily as he walked. Shen Nian was afraid he might copse at any moment, so she held onto his arm, supporting him. Shen Nian had just finished showering when Lu Lingchuan arrived, and she was only wearing a towel, her slender arms and distinct corbones exposed to the air. As she supported Lu Lingchuan, their bodies were in close proximity. With just a slight tilt of his head, Lu Lingchuan could catch a glimpse of the alluring sight below her corbone... She helped him into the bedroom. In his drunken state, he likely couldn''t manage changing clothes, so Shen Nian untied his loosely hanging tie, folded it neatly and ced it on the bedside table. She then removed his shoes and socks, letting him lie down. As she was about to cover him with a thin nket, Lu Lingchuan''s hand hooked around her waist, pulling her towards him with force. Shen Nian lost her bnce and fell onto Lu Lingchuan, her handsnding on his chest. Their faces were pressed together, noses touching, lips against lips. Their eyes met, and the distance between them was so close that they could feel each other''s breath and warmth. Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Lu Lingchuan''s eyes have always been captivating. Whether in the past or present, Shen Nian dared not gaze into his eyes for too long, because if she did, she would get lost in them. He reached out with his other hand and cradled the back of her head, pulling her down towards him. Then, he kissed her lips. It was gentle, faint, and tender, just like before. Lu Lingchuan had once said a romantic English phrase to Shen Nian: "Do you have a map? Because I just keep losing myself in your eyes." And now, it was Shen Nian who was lost in his eyes. ... The next day, the two woke up almost simultaneously. Lu Lingchuan released Shen Nian from his embrace and got up, slipping on his slippers to go to the bathroom to freshen up. Shen Nian also woke up and sat up in bed. Watching his back as he walked towards the bathroom, she felt a bit dazed. So, did this mean they had made up? Lu Lingchuan finished washing up and came out. Shen Nian, wearing a nightgown, walked over, skillfully opened the ss door of the wardrobe, and picked out a white shirt to help him put on. She buttoned up the shirt from bottom to top. Lu Lingchuan lowered his head, silently watching her as he enjoyed her service. "There''s a meeting at 7:30 this morning, a golf appointment with President Li of the Jiyuan Group at 1 pm, and a dinner with President Sun at 6:30 pm, which was scheduled three months ago," Shen Nian said as she finished buttoning his cuffs. She then opened a disy cab nearby and picked out a dark-colored, embroidered custom tie. For different asions, the way to tie the tie varied. For important events like contract signings, the tie knot needed to be more intricate to show respect. There were no particrly important activities today, so Shen Nian tied a tie knot for Lu Lingchuan that was neither too simple nor tooplicated, and then clipped on a blue sapphire tie clip. "Mm," Lu Lingchuan responded, staring at her. "You don''t need to go to thepany today. Take the day off." "Okay," Shen Nian agreed. Finally, she helped him put on his suit jacket and then saw Lu Lingchuan off. Earlier, while he was freshening up, Shen Nian had called thepany cafeteria. The meeting time was too early, so even if she started cooking now, she wouldn''t be able to make it in time. Therefore, she asked thepany cafeteria to prepare breakfast for Lu Lingchuan so that it would be ready when he arrived at thepany. After changing his clothes, Lu Lingchuan didn''t leave immediately. Instead, he stared at her face silently. Shen Nian felt a bit uneasy under his gaze, unsure what he was looking at. "..." If Shen Nian had been an outside observer, she would have realized that Lu Lingchuan wasn''t actually looking at her face, but rather at her... lips. Shen Nian''s lips were thin and pink - the perfect shape for kissing. He just kept staring, staring... Just as Shen Nian could no longer resist and was about to ask what was wrong, Lu Lingchuan withdrew his gaze and turned around. Watching his back, Shen Nian recalled something and spoke up, "Lu Lingchuan." Hearing her call his name, Lu Lingchuan''s steps paused, and his rigid back straightened. This woman had finally be self-aware, for once. He turned around, his gaze falling on her thin lips once again. Shen Nian looked at Lu Lingchuan and said, "Yang Hao and Wang Yong are just ruffians. They haven''t had proper jobs for years, spending every day fighting and brawling, living aimlessly. People like them are rotten to the core, and I don''t believe they haven''t had other victims." "If we can find other victims and have them all identify Yang Hao and Wang Yong together, they can''t refute everyone, even if they can refute one person." In this world, no matter what crime a personmits, there is never any perfection. "..." Lu Lingchuan remained silent. Not receiving his response, Shen Nian pursed her lips and tentatively asked, "Lu Lingchuan?" "Anything else?" Lu Lingchuan asked her. "Huh?" Shen Nian didn''t understand, and instinctively responded, "Anything else?" She had already said what she wanted to say. "..." Lu Lingchuan remained silent for over a minute before saying tly, "Got it." Then he turned and left. ... After Lu Lingchuan went to work, Shen Nian tidied up and then went to find Lawyer Xu Xiping. After listening to Shen Nian''s thoughts, Xu nodded in agreement. "Our thinking is the same. The only way to break the deadlock now is to find other evidence." Xu Xiping had also been busy all night, hisputer filled with various information he had collected. "Over the years, they''ve been detained countless times for fighting and brawling. People as despicable as them would never havemitted their first crime." "So Lu had already arranged for professionals to investigate yesterday." They were now just waiting for the results. "..." Hearing Xu''s words, Shen Nian was slightly taken aback. No wonder Lu Lingchuan hadn''t reacted at all when she mentioned it that morning - he had already thought of it. After leaving Xu''s office, Shen Nian stood by the roadside, and a taxi pulled up in front of her. The driver leaned out and asked her, "Miss, where to?" Shen Nian opened the rear door, got in, and closed it without answering the driver''s question. Instead, she became lost in thought. The driver called out again, "Miss?" "The hospital," Shen Nian snapped out of her daze and uttered those two words. Upon arriving at the hospital, Shen Nian first went to a nearby flower shop. There were always flower shops and fruit shops near hospitals, as fresh flowers and fruit baskets were essential for visiting patients. Opening shops in such locations ensured high foot traffic. At this time of year, sunflowers were in bloom, and almost every flower shop had them. Shen Nian bought a small bouquet of sunflowers before entering the hospital. During the previous day''s conversation, she had managed to extract the floor and room number of Li Mingshi''s hospital room from Lu Lingchen, saving her the trouble of having to find it. The high-end VIP rooms were on the top floor, with their own dedicated nurses'' station that only served patients on that floor. Shen Nian, holding the sunflowers, walked up to the room door but suddenly felt at a loss. She remembered something very important - Lu''s mother-inw didn''t want to see her. Shen Nian suddenly didn''t know whether she should go in or not. She wanted to fulfill her filial duty in ce of Lu Lingrui, but she didn''t want Li Mingshi to get upset at seeing her. As she wavered, a young nurse noticed Shen Nian at the door and asked, "Hello, who are you?" Shen Nian snapped out of her daze and nodded coolly at the nurse, "Hello, I''m Lu''s assistant." Although she wasn''t wearing professional attire, just a nce and her demeanor exuded the aura of a secretary or assistant. The nurse knew that the patient in this room was indeed married to someone with the surname Lu, and Shen Nian also possessed the air of a secretary or assistant. "Mr. Lu took Mrs. Lu for a check-up, and they might not be back for another half an hour," the nurse informed Shen Nian. She assumed Shen Nian was Lu Yanhua''s assistant. "Okay," Shen Nian nodded, then asked the nurse, "Can I leave something in the room?" She nced at the sunflowers in her hand as she spoke. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 The nurse hesitated for a moment, wondering whether to refuse or agree. Seeing that Shen Nian didn''t seem like a bad person, and that there were security cameras everywhere, if she truly had ill intentions, they could immediately catch her by reviewing the footage... With this thought, the nurse felt reassured and nodded: "Okay." "Thank you." Shen Nian lowered her head and pushed open the door to enter. The ward was a suite, with furnishings simr to a model home in a real estate showroom. She first ced the sunflowers on the empty table, without doing anything special, just pushing the chairs back into their original positions. Using the hair tie on her wrist, she tied her hair into a high ponytail, neatly tidying up the room. Her movements were swift, and since the room wasn''t too messy to begin with, she quickly made it clean and tidy. She also folded the clothes draped over the sofa and set them aside. Shen Nian took a ss vase with artificial flowers from a cab in the living room. She set the fake flowers aside, washed the vase clean, and then unpacked the sunflower bouquet she had brought, cing the sunflowers into the vase one by one. The furnishings in the high-end ward were not much different from those in a regr home, with various small items provided that one might need. Shen Nian searched around and found scissors in a drawer of the TV cab under therge living room TV. Shen Nian had some flower arranging skills, and she expertly trimmed the stems, continually adjusting the overall look until the bouquet appeared exquisite and beautiful. Carrying the vase, she looked around the living room and finally ced it on a small high table near the balcony. Afterpleting these tasks, Shen Nian tidied up the items on the table and also took out the trash. She came and left quietly, without anyone knowing she had been there. Shen Nian had left no more than three minutes when Aunt Xu, who had been working in the Lu family for a long time, returned from buying groceries. As soon as she opened the door, she saw that the room was clean and tidy, and there was a faint, soothing fragrance in the air. It wasn''t an overpowering scent, just a light, gentle aroma that gave a calming feeling when inhaled. Had a cleaning workere and tidied up the room? Aunt Xu didn''t understand, but she carried the groceries into the kitchen and began preparing the meal. Since learning that Li Mingshi had stomach cancer, the Lu family had been particrly attentive to her diet, with small, frequent meals, avoiding oil and spicy foods. Aunt Xu had just finished washing the vegetables and remembered that she still needed to wash and cut the fruits she had bought, as Lu Yanhua would be bringing Li Mingshi back soon. With this thought, she set aside her current tasks and went out to get the fruits. Lu Yanhua brought Li Mingshi back after her checkup. The moment they entered, Lu Yanhua also noticed the difference. It was the same house and decor, but it feltpletely different from when they had left. Yet upon closer observation, he could only tell that it had been cleaned. Was it because everything was tidied up? The balcony window was slightly open to allow air cirction, and the white curtains were pulled aside and tied back, making the room appear much brighter. Li Mingshi immediately noticed the sunflower vase on the small table, staring at it nkly for several seconds before slowly approaching it. Seeing that his wife''s attention was drawn to something, Lu Yanhua followed her gaze and also saw the sunflower vase. He froze for a moment, a hint of surprise in his eyes. His wife hadn''t painted sunflowers or mentioned them since their daughter Lu Lingrui passed away five years ago. Sunflowers were like a depiction of Lu Lingrui, born to face the sun, lively and radiant... Sunflowers were the embodiment of Lu Lingrui. Lu Yanhua''s heart skipped a beat, worried that the sight of sunflowers might cause his wife to break down. The doctor had said that emotions should be avoided during treatment, and her mood must remain stable and cheerful. But, unexpectedly, Li Mingshi showed no signs of breaking down. She stared intently at the sunflowers, reached out to touch the petals, and then... Finally, she smiled for the first time in a while. Although it was faint, just the corners of her lips curving upwards, when Lu Yanhua saw that smile, he let out a heavy sigh of relief. Aunt Xu came out and saw that Lu Yanhua had brought Li Mingshi back, saying: "Master and Madam are back. I just bought the groceries. I''ll make a few of Madam''s favorite dishes today." Li Mingshi smiled, and Lu Yanhua, who had been tense, also rxed greatly. He smiled at Aunt Xu: "Thank you for your hard work, Aunt Xu, buying groceries and cleaning the room. The sunflowers you bought look lovely. Your sry will be doubled this month." But Aunt Xu looked bewildered: "What sunflowers? I didn''t buy any." "What?" Lu Yanhua was momentarily stunned, immediately looking towards the nearby area where Li Mingshi had already picked up the vase. "When I came back, it was already so clean. I thought you had someonee and tidy up," Aunt Xu said, equally puzzled. "..." No. He hadn''t asked anyone to clean the room. Lu Yanhua had Aunt Xu take care of Li Mingshi, then went to the nurses'' station. A young nurse happened to be on duty, and upon seeing Lu Yanhua approach, she immediately stood up. "Mr. Lu, is there anything you need help with?" Lu Yanhua looked at the nurse and asked, "Did any strangers enter the ward today?" He paused, then added, "With sunflowers." The young nurse standing before Lu Yanhua was the same one who had spoken with Shen Nian earlier, and Lu Yanhua''s reminder made her recall it clearly. "Yes, someone dide. She said she was Mr. Lu''s assistant, so she must be your assistant." People able to stay in such a high-end ward were usually family members ofpany executives. "..." Lu Yanhua frowned. He didn''t have any assistants. "The person was quite young. She was carrying a bouquet of sunflowers. At the time, I told her that you were taking Madam for a checkup, but she said she wanted to go in and leave something." Young, sunflowers, Mr. Lu''s assistant. Connecting the three clues, Lu Yanhua immediately knew who it was. Mr. Lu - there was more than one Mr. Lu in their family. Not his assistant, then it could only be his son Lu Lingchuan''s assistant. And Lu Lingchuan''s assistant was... Shen Nian. For a moment, Lu Yanhua''s feelings wereplicated, and he didn''t know what to say. Seeing that Lu Yanhua didn''t respond, the young nurse became nervous, "What''s wrong, Mr. Lu... Was that person not your assistant?" Had she let a bad person in? The nurse was instantly terrified. "No." Lu Yanhua spoke up. Hearing this answer, the nurse''s heart sank, and she was about to bow and apologize when Lu Yanhua continued. "She''s my eldest son''s assistant. She knew that my wife was hospitalized, so she came to check on her." So it was Young Master Lu''s assistant. Hearing Lu Yanhua''s exnation, the nurse finally rxed. "If shees again..." Lu Yanhua was about to say... But the words got stuck in his throat, and he couldn''t bring himself to continue. After a few seconds, he finally said, "Never mind, it''s okay." He didn''t continue the topic further and left. For the next week, life was as peaceful as water. Shen Nian came to the hospital every day. She knew that Li Mingshi didn''t want to see her face, so she would time her visits during Li Mingshi''s checkups. Chapter 76 Chapter 76 She didn''t do much, just tidied up the room and ced a small bunch of sunflowers every day. Sometimes when Li Mingshi wasn''t getting checked in the ward, Shen Nian would put the flowers by the door. The date for Li Mingshi''s surgery was set, the Lu family had invited the most authoritative doctor in gastric cancer. After the surgery, she would need chemotherapy. On the day of the surgery, the Lu family members put aside their work to apany her. Li Mingshi had already changed into a surgical gown and was lying there. "It''s alright." Lu Yanhua held her hand, showing a rxed smile. "It''s just a minor surgery, don''t be afraid. It will be over soon. As long as you''re brave, when youe out, I''ll take you to see Lingrui, okay? You know, I used to be unwilling to let you see Lingrui." He coaxed Li Mingshi like a child. In the first year after Lu Lingrui passed away, Li Mingshi went to the cemetery almost every day. Just looking at Lu Lingrui''s tombstone would make her cry uncontrobly, and she had fainted multiple times. After that, the Lu family didn''t let her go to the cemetery frequently anymore. Hearing that she could go see her daughter, a glimmer of light shed in Li Mingshi''s eyes, and she nodded. Lu Yanhua suppressed the bitterness in his heart and held her hand tighter: "I''ll be waiting for you outside. When you wake up from the nap, it will be all good. Lingchuan and Lingchen are here too." Remembering something, Lu Yanhua took out a sunflower from his pocket - it was a white cream sunflower with pale yellow petals, lighter in colorpared to the normal variety. Shen Nian had sent it yesterday, and for some reason, he had absentmindedly taken one and put it in his pocket before leaving the ward. cing the sunflower in Li Mingshi''s hand, Lu Yanhua continued: "Lingrui too... me and the kids will all be waiting for you toe out." Li Mingshi nodded heavily. The nurse wheeled her into the operating room, and the doctor was already in position. Before going in, he said to Lu Yanhua: "Mr. Lu, please don''t worry." Lu Yanhua nodded at him: "Thank you for your hard work." "Of course." The doctor also went into the operating room, the door closed, and the light above it turned on. The hours of torment began. Lu Yanhua sat on a chair, looking down at the sunflower petal he was pinching. When he handed the sunflower to his wife earlier, one petal had fallen off. He sat there, silently waiting. "Dad." Lu Lingchen sat beside his father, not saying much, just silently apanying him. Lu Lingchuan leaned against the nearby wall, looking down at his phone, his thumb tapping the screen. Suddenly, sensing something, he looked up, staring straight at a corner not far away. By the time he looked over, the figure at the corner had already disappeared, with only a glimpse of a cream-colored dress hem seen as she hurried away. When Shen Nian noticed Lu Lingchuan looking over, she immediately averted her gaze and hid, pressing her back against the wall, her heart racing, one hand on her chest trying to calm her nerves. After five minutes, feeling that it should be fine now, she peeked out again. The next second, her expression froze. The moment she looked over, her gaze met Lu Lingchuan''s. Lu Lingchuan was still standing in the same spot, maintaining the posture of holding his phone, his piercing gaze fixed on her. One could say that Lu Lingchuan had been staring at that corner for five minutes, just waiting for her. "..." A look of bewilderment shed across Shen Nian''s face. Lu Lingchuan looked at her for three seconds, then lowered his head to look at his phone again, his face devoid of any extra emotion, as if he had never seen Shen Nian. Shen Nian pursed her lips, tightening her grip on her bag. When people are nervous, they really do feel like time drags on forever. Who knows how much time passed before the light in the operating room finally went off, and the door opened from the inside with nurses wheeling out the still unconscious Li Mingshi. Lu Yanhua was the first to rush over, first checking on his wife, then looking up at the doctor with worry. "Doctor, how''s my mom?" Lu Lingchuan asked on Lu Yanhua''s behalf. The doctor took off his mask and smiled: "The surgery was very sessful. But we can''t becent, she''ll need to actively cooperate with the subsequent chemotherapy. If there are no idents, the chances of recovery are very high." These words were truly a salvation, illuminating the gloomy Lu family. "That''s good, that''s good." Lu Yanhua kept murmuring. As long as she could recover, it was fine. The surgery was done now, and he would apany her through the subsequent chemotherapy, always by her side. When Lu Lingchuan heard the doctor''s words, his furrowed brow rxed, and his peripheral vision nced towards the distance. Shen Nian had been waiting. She watched as Li Mingshi was wheeled in and then out again, standing in her eight-centimeter high heels for hours until her legs ached. But when she heard the doctor''s words, she finally let out a sigh of relief, revealing a rxed smile. Leaning against the wall, tilting her head back, caressing the sunflower pendant on her ne, eyes closed, smiling lightly. After gastric cancer surgery, patients should remain in a fasting state for 1-3 days, unable to ingest food, and will need intravenous nutrition to sustain themselves. When Li Mingshi woke up, she saw the new sunflowers. Upon seeing them, her brows rxed, clearly in a good mood, the corners of her lips curved into a faint smile. Having just gone through surgery, she was still very weak, with obvious signs of exhaustion on her face. The sunlight from outside fell on her, making her smiling face even brighter. Li Mingshi was very cooperative with the subsequent treatment. Her favorite thing every day was to arrange the sunflowers. During her hospital stay, she received many sunflowers of various varieties - some were made into bouquets, while others were simply ced in bunches. Some of the sunflowers had wilted, but Li Mingshi couldn''t bear to throw them away. She had Lu Yanhua buy her flower drying agents and arge picture frame, nning to make a handcrafted hanging decoration. Her condition was much better than before. She could smile now and had something she wanted to do - this was a good thing. The most important thing in fighting cancer is one''s mindset. So, to keep Li Mingshi happy, Lu Yanhua brought her old painting supplies, which hadn''t been touched for many years. He also helped her buy new paints and brushes, all from her favorite brands. Sunflowers are muchrger than roses, so Lu Yanhua bought arge frame. It was too big to be ced on the table but could be hung on the wall. Inside it was a white board, to be used for crafting. Li Mingshi''s condition was good. She sat in the sunlight while Lu Yanhua helped her fix the white board on an easel. With her left hand holding a palette and her right hand holding a brush, she began sketching the outline of sunflowers on the white board. It had been a long time since she had taken up her brush, so she felt a bit rusty at first. But sunflowers were what she had always been best at painting, and she quickly regained her rhythm. Lu Yanhua sat beside her, watching over her. The sunlight fell on her, making her seem much brighter, and he felt a bit dazed. In the past, Li Mingshi often sat in the warm sun and painted for hours. When Lu Yanhua was busy, he would sit by her side and work. When he wasn''t busy, he would sit beside her and apany her, watching her create. Now, it was slowly returning to how it used to be. Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Li Mingshi had nearly finished her flower painting. She turned to Lu Yanhua and asked, "How does it look?" Lu Yanhua didn''t give a perfunctory response. After appreciating it seriously, he evaluated, "It looks great, vividly realistic." Li Mingshi curved her lips in a smile, then carefully adjusted some details. Lu Yanhua arranged the sunflowers neatly, cing the tools Li Mingshi needed to work with beside her for convenience. After adjusting the details, Li Mingshi took a sunflower that had been soaked in a flower drying agent andpared it to the painting. She cut off the lengthy stem with scissors, then glued it onto the canvas using tools. Few people would design artwork this way. Li Mingshi was quite imaginative, and this approach made the entire painting appear exceptionally three-dimensional. Once finished, Li Mingshi looked back at Lu Yanhua, who praised her without reservations, "Very beautiful." "Mmm," she nodded. "I think it looks quite nice too." Remembering something, she picked up a pen and began writing in the bottom right corner. Lu Yanhua watched herplete the text one letter at a time, a smile forming on his face. Seeing her finish writing, Lu Yanhua gently spoke up, "Shall I frame the painting for you?" "Mmm," Li Mingshi nodded, then added, "I want to hang it in the room." "Sure," Lu Yanhua always obliged her requests. The two framed the artwork together. Lu Yanhua personally hammered a nail into the wall, then hung up the painting. "How''s this?" he asked his wife. Li Mingshi stared at the artwork in front of her and nodded, "Good." ... Soon came Li Mingshi''s first chemotherapy session. Chemotherapy is a painful process, a prolonged ordeal. From the end of the first session until before the second, hair loss would be noticeable, and more hair would fall out over time. Even knowing this would happen, it had to be done. Chemotherapy is the most effective treatment for cancer. Surgery is only effective for treating tumors in the area of operation, but is unable to address potential metastatic lesions and clinically metastatic cancers, so chemotherapy is necessary. The agony of chemotherapy erased the smile Li Mingshi had barely managed to maintain these past few days. After undergoing the treatment, she looked haggard, which pained Lu Yanhua to see. If he could, he would willingly take on his wife''s suffering tenfold. But for now, all he could do was hold her hand and never leave her side. Lu Lingchuan stood at the doorway, watching his father sit by his mother''s bedside, grasping her hand intently, even losing focus. He had once heard people say that the love between the older generation was enviable. Despite the ups and downs experienced in their brief lives, in the end, they would grow old together, two wrinkled hands tightly sped, vowing to reunite in the next life. But for their generation, they were too rational and realistic. In this age of rampant ambiguity, profound affection and devotion seemed like a joke... Sensing a gaze from behind, Lu Yanhua turned to see his eldest son standing at the entrance. "Lingchuan?" His voice was soft, looking at his son in surprise, silently asking: When did you arrive? Before Lu Lingchuan could respond, Lu Yanhua nced at his wife. She was still quite weak, and he was afraid his conversation with his son might wake her, so Lu Yanhua gestured for Lu Lingchuan to go outside, indicating they should talk there. Lu Lingchuan didn''t speak, only turning to leave silently. After ensuring there were no issues, Lu Yanhua went out. In the living room, Lu Lingchuan spoke first, "How''s my mom doing?" "Quite well," Lu Yanhua''s expression was more rxed than before. "Your mother''s been in a good mood recently, smiling more. The psychologist has beenmunicating with her, and she''s been understanding." These were all increasingly positive signs. Recently, Lu Lingchuan had been busy with something, hence his absence from the hospital these past few days. "The doctor said it''s moderate depression, but since it was caught in time, with more guidance andpanionship, she''ll gradually improve," Lu Yanhua revealed a smile. Although his wife had cancer, the treatment was going well so far. And even though his wife had depression, they were able to guide her back in time. Fate had been unfair to the Lu family for years, but now they were finally seeing some light. Lu Yanhua didn''t ask for too much, only to help his daughter get justice soon, then for the family of four to be happy together. Lu Lingchuan was about to speak when his phone vibrated. He nced at it, his eyes darkening. Turning off his phone, he looked up at Lu Yanhua and said, "There''s been progress on Ling Rui''s case..." Hearing this, Lu Yanhua''s eyes lit up, "Really?!" "Yeah," Lu Lingchuan nodded. "Let''s discuss outside." "Yes, yes," Lu Yanhua nodded repeatedly, following Lu Lingchuan out of the ward. Not long after the father and son left, Shen Nian arrived carrying newly bought sunflowers. She intended to leave the sunflowers at the entrance and depart, but a nurse at the nearby nurses'' station noticed her and spoke up. "It''s Ms. Shen again." Hearing someone address her, Shen Nian turned and nodded at the nurse. The nurse wasn''t too busy at the moment and had time for idle chat with Shen Nian. "Mrs. Lu haspleted her first chemotherapy session. The doctor said the effects were excellent. Mrs. Lu has been in high spiritstely, which is very good for her condition. I believe Mrs. Lu will recover soon." Hearing this put a broader smile on Shen Nian''s face. She gave a soft "Mmm" in acknowledgment, murmuring, "She will definitely recover." "Oh, that''s right," the nurse continued, remembering something. "I just saw Mr. Lu and the eldest young master leave. Seems they had some important matter. They probably won''t be back for at least half an hour. The elderlydy Mr. Lu brought is also out buying groceries. So Mrs. Lu should be resting alone in the ward right now. This is a good chance for you to go in, Ms. Shen. If anythinges up, be sure to call for us." Shen Nian had intended to leave the sunflowers and depart, but upon hearing the nurse''s words, her heart stirred. Regaining her senses, she nodded at the nurse, "Alright." Then, carrying the sunflowers, she entered the ward quietly. ... Meanwhile, the Lu father and son went to the family lounge on this floor. Since these were all VIP wards, those receiving treatment here were either wealthy or prominent, so even the lounge was designed quite luxuriously. After finding some premium Longjing tea from the cab, Lu Lingchuan brewed two cups for Lu Yanhua. Setting the teacups on the table, they sat on the leather sofa. Lu Lingchuan began, "My people discovered that those two got locked up seven years ago on suspicion of assaulting a woman, but they were released after just a few days. The public exnation was a misunderstanding. But not long after that incident, the rted woman''s ordinary working-ss family, whose parents earned just 5,000 yuan a month, somehow managed to buy a 3 million yuan apartment in the city..." How could such an ordinary household suddenly afford a 3 million yuan home? "Eight years ago, someone made a huge fuss at Wang Yong''s home, iming their daughter was one of the ''concubines'' chosen by Wang Yong and his cronies. But afterward, there were no results..." "The same year, a young woman went missing without a trace. Her family reported it extensively, but to this day, her whereabouts remain unknown." Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Choosing concubines, this was insider jargon in certain circles, often appearing in the mouths of ill-educated young masters of wealthy families, or those idle and dissipated people addicted to gambling and vices. They would collect all kinds of beautiful women, of various ages, types, and degrees of beauty, like ancient emperors choosing those they were satisfied with, creating a decadent scene. Lu Yanhua looked at the phone Lu Lingchuan had pushed over to him, the screen disying the information Lu Lingchuan''s people had gathered recently. He looked up, gazing at his son in surprise: "These are all..." Lu Lingchuan nodded: "If there''s no mistake, yes." "..." Lu Yanhua''s hand holding the phone trembled: "Those beasts! Absolutely despicable..." His daughter was not the first victim. Before her, there were so many innocent people targeted by those two demons. Just thinking that it was because of them that his daughter couldn''t bear the pain and chose to end her life, Lu Yanhua was filled with hatred! His precious daughter was afraid of pain from a young age. When she was learning to walk and fell, she would cry and rush into his embrace. Such a child, afraid of pain, yet in the end chose such a painful way to leave this world... Lu Yanhua struggled to control himself, but his eyes still turned slightly red: "These things have been covered up for so long without breaking out, those two beasts must have spent a lot of money and effort to silence the victims. Will they speak out?" Lu Lingchuan''s gaze darkened, replying: "I''ll go on a business trip in a couple of days." To meet those victims in person. The more evidence and testimony against Wang Yong and Yang Hao''s misdeeds they could gather, and the more victims they could find, the better. They could unite and appeal again! When the wall copsed, everyone would push it down. With solid material evidence and testimony allid out, as long as they could confirm Wang Yong and Yang Hao were utterly depraved, applying for the death penalty would be a breeze. "Good, good." Lu Yanhua nodded repeatedly. They needed to find the evidence and testimony as soon as possible, so those two beasts could pay the price early, avenging his daughter. His wife would be overjoyed to know. With the matter weighing most heavily on his mind resolved, his wife could focus on recovering from her illness... Lu Yanhua felt happy, his face showing a smile. He stood up: "Aunt Xu went grocery shopping. Your mother is still resting, I don''t know when she''ll wake up. You go keep herpany." Pausing, Lu Yanhua continued: "I heard yesterday that eating more oranges, cantaloupes and such can help the kidneys expel harmful substances released by cancer cells, replenish fluid loss, increase hydration, and reduce chemotherapy''s toxic side effects. There''s no good fruit near the hospital, so I need to drive to the high-end supermarket myself and see if I can find the freshest, best fruit." "I was going to wait for Aunt Xu to return before going, but since you''re here now, I''ll go get them right away so your mother can eat them when she wakes up." "Okay." Lu Yanhua had received good news, so he was in a good mood and hurried to buy fruit for his wife. Lu Lingchuan left the rest area and headed back to the ward. As he passed the nurses'' station, a nurse saw Lu Lingchuan and immediately called out: "Mr. Lu!" Lu Lingchuan paused, ncing at the ward door: "Has she left?" "Not yet." The nurse said, "Assistant Shen went in a while ago." "Mm." Lu Lingchuan responded lightly, "Keep your mouths shut, and you won''t be shortchanged." Leaving those words, Lu Lingchuan entered the ward. "..." The nurse watched his retreating figure, her gaze puzzled. She knew the young, handsome man was the elder son of the hospitalized Mrs. Lu, and despite his young age, he was a sessful businessman, even the CEO of apany! He had ties with their hospital''s director. A couple of days ago, all the nurses at their station received a notice that they could not casually discuss matters in private while on duty. Additionally, when Lu''s family members weren''t in the ward and Assistant Shen happened to visit, they were to tell Shen that besides the resting Mrs. Lu, no one else was in the room, and they couldn''t tell Shen who had given these instructions. Although she didn''t understand the significance of this, since the director had increased their sries, they could only follow orders. Lu Lingchuan gently pushed open the door, his leather shoes making no sound on the floor. He walked to the bedroom doorway before stopping, the bedroom door slightly ajar, leaving a sizeable gap. Because Li Mingshi was sleeping, the room''s curtains were drawn, with only the bedsidemp illuminated. Lu Lingchuan stood at the doorway, observing the scene inside. Shen Nian had tied her hair into a ponytail, looking much more energetic. On the bedside table was a basin, the water inside still steaming. Shen Nian dipped the white towel into it, letting the towel soak in the hot water, then wringing out the excess water. Li Mingshi was extremely weak afterpleting chemotherapy and sleeping soundly. Shen Nian carefully raised her hand and began wiping it with the towel, then took the other hand and started wiping that as well. After chemotherapy, Li Mingshi couldn''t bathe for a couple of days, and Shen Nian knew she liked cleanliness, so she used the towel to wipe her down, which would make her much morefortable. When Shen Nian worked, she was meticulous and attentive. All these years, Li Mingshi had never emerged from the pain of losing her daughter, and because she couldn''t move on, she refused to see Shen Nian. Whenever she saw Shen Nian, she couldn''t help but think of Lu Lingrui, and then she would be overwhelmed with anguish. The painful emotions were difficult to control, and many times the words she said were particrly harsh. She couldn''t help but resent Shen Nian, resenting her for being a bad child, resenting her for not taking Lu Lingrui with her when she ran away... No matter how much Li Mingshi resented her, Shen Nian never argued back, allowing her to vent her resentment. Pain umted in the heart, and over time it would be an illness of the heart that needed to be released. Her parents passed away early. After meeting Lu Lingrui and being with Lu Lingchuan, Li Mingshi treated her like her own daughter, and although their mother-daughter rtionship was brief, it was a rare sweetness in her memory of past suffering. A debt must be repaid, fair and square. Since she owed Li Mingshi emotionally, she would naturally have to repay it bit by bit. And that also meant... fulfilling filial piety on behalf of Lu Lingrui. Lu Lingchuan said nothing, observing Shen Nian caring for Li Mingshi like an outsider viewing from a third-person perspective. If not for what had happened back then, the scene would undoubtedly be even more heartwarming than it was now. Even after being diagnosed with cancer, the five of them, or rather six, would have stood together to ovee the illness. A shattered te, no matter how carefully glued back together piece by piece, could never conceal the cracks. It could never return to its former state. After wiping Li Mingshi down, Shen Nian ced the towel back into the basin. She sat on the chair beside the bed, gazing at Li Mingshi''s haggard appearance. Sitting there, studying her so intently. Over these years, Li Mingshi had be haggard, the elegance and grace she once possessed now nowhere to be seen. Shen Nian couldn''t help but recall Mrs. Xiao''s face, a woman who lived in a world coated with honey and sweetness, as the saying goes. The Li Mingshi of the past and Mrs. Xiao were identical. But now... Shen Nian grasped Li Mingshi''s hand, softly saying: "Rest assured, I will use my life... to make them pay the price." [I''ll be going out for a meal, so I''m posting today''s update early. By the way, who among you hasn''t rated the book yet? Go leave a five-star review, okay? That 6.7 rating really threw me off... Also, please write more book reviews too, I love you all.] Chapter 79 Chapter 79 During this period, Shen Nian would only enter when the other members of the Lu family were not around and Li Mingshi was sound asleep. She didn''t do anything particrly touching; she merely tidied the room, arranged the flowers, wiped Li Mingshi''s hands, or straightened her slippers. There was no deliberate attempt to curry favor, no deliberate attempt atpensation. It was just like what a daughter would do for her mother, or a daughter-inw for her mother-inw - it was simply what was expected. Shen Nian was unsure when Li Mingshi fell asleep and was afraid that if she woke and saw her face, it might upset her. She was ill and should not get agitated. Shen Nian picked up the basin on the bedside table, preparing to leave. As she passed by the foot of the bed, she noticed a sunflower painting on the wall, which she hadn''t seen before. It must have been hung up in the past couple of days. At a nce, she knew it was Li Mingshi''s own work. She was a painter, and her paintings, like herself, were free, elegant, and romantic. Li Mingshi painted the most beautiful sunflowers. To bring a smile to his beloved wife''s face, Lu Yanhua had renovated the entire second floor of their home into a small family art gallery, disying Li Mingshi''s various artworks. Shen Nian had been fortunate enough to see them a few times before. Knowing it was Li Mingshi''s work, Shen Nian took a closer look, carefully studying it before realizing that Li Mingshi had attached real sunflowers to the painting, adding a special touch of beauty. Her artistry was as brilliant as ever. Just as Shen Nian was about to look away, she caught sight of the line of text written in the corner. The handwriting was small yet graceful. [My dear, Mom will stay strong.] Those seven simple words made Shen Nian stare at the first two, lost in thought. Her memory immediately transported her back to around six years ago when her rtionship with Lu Lingrui was at its best, and she was also with Lu Lingchuan. The Lu family adored her, and Li Mingshi treated her like her own daughter, often taking her and Lu Lingrui out for fun. After a waiter mistook them for sisters on yet another asion, Lu Lingrui linked arms with Li Mingshi, looking smug yetining yfully. [Who said we''re sisters? We''re clearly a devoted mother and daughter, a close mother-inw and daughter-inw, two affectionate sisters-inw. It''s all Mom''s fault for being so young and beautiful that she''s kept Dad mesmerized for so many years. And now she''s stealing the spotlight from me and my sister-inw. Hmph!] Lu Lingrui was like a little sunflower, clearly proud that her mother was praised for her youthful beauty, yet refusing to admit it directly and pretending toin instead. At the time, Li Mingshi was so amused by her daughter that she couldn''t stop smiling, tapping her little nose yfully. [Then from now on, whenever someonepliments me, I''ll tell them you''re my precious daughter and give you all the attention, okay?] [And what about Nian Nian?] Lu Lingrui let go of Li Mingshi''s arm, circled around to Shen Nian''s side, and linked arms with her instead, sticking her tongue out at Li Mingshi. [Nian Nian and I are both your daughters. Nian Nian is the baby, and I''m the elder one. When introducing us to others in the future, just say we''re your precious ones! Precious refers to me and Nian Nian!] For other mothers, such a casual remark would likely be forgotten as soon as it was uttered and not taken to heart. But Li Mingshi doted on her daughter, and from that casual remark, she embraced the term, introducing Lu Lingrui and Shen Nian to others in this way from then on. [These two are my precious daughters. The one in the sundress is my biological daughter, and the one in the white dress is my eldest son''s girlfriend, Nian Nian. She''s a sensible, good girl, just like my own daughter. Once they''re legally married, she''ll be brought into our family!] From others'' lips, "precious" was simply a term of endearment, but for Li Mingshi, "precious" was not just a pet name - it was a collective term for Lu Lingrui and Shen Nian. ... Shen Nian curled her lips in a faint smile as she stared at those two words. ... After finishing the tidying, Shen Nian quietly left the sickroom, telling the nurse that only the still-sleeping Li Mingshi remained inside. She asked the nurse to check on her every three minutes, and the nurse nodded in agreement. Watching Shen Nian leave, the nurse turned toward a certain spot, where a figure emerged from behind the door. Lu Lingchuan''s tall frame demanded attention, his mere presencemanding notice without uttering a word. The white shirt he wore concealed his well-defined muscles and sensual curves, the sleeves casually rolled up to reveal slender, well-formed wrists. To entuate the brightness, the hospital lights were on even during the day, casting Lu Lingchuan in a radiant glow. He stood in the illumination, tall and graceful, exuding an air of refined nobility. A shadow fell across his exquisitely handsome face, entuating his sharp features. His dark, narrow eyes fixed straight ahead, even though Shen Nian''s figure had long since disappeared from view. Still, his gaze refused to waver, and the nurse tried in vain to follow his line of sight, seeing nothing. Studying Lu Lingchuan carefully, she realized his deep, pensive gaze seemed to harbor pain and struggle, intermingled with other emotions, a wordless loneliness subtly seeping through. His peerless, graceful demeanor, coupled with the worry etched on his brow, only added to his allure. After an indeterminate amount of time, Lu Lingchuan finally averted his gaze and strode into the sickroom. That evening, after showering, Shen Nian sat on the bed, wrapped in a towel. Just as she was about to open the bedside drawer, footsteps approached, and Lu Lingchuan pushed open the bedroom door, meeting Shen Nian''s gaze unexpectedly. Shen Nian had just finished showering, her hair tucked into a dry cap, her makeup-free face appearing youthful and soft, her features gentle without being stunningly beautiful. Her delicate, innocent appearance naturally exuded a warmth. Not expecting Lu Lingchuan''s sudden return, Shen Nian was momentarily dazed, a flicker of bewilderment crossing her face. Lu Lingchuan''s gaze fell directly on her the moment he entered, and upon seeing her confusion, something soft seemed to brush against his heart. The corners of his mouth curved into a faint smile. Shen Nian recovered first, her hand instinctively smoothing the towel as she exined, "I just finished showering." "Mmm." Lu Lingchuan merely acknowledged her with a sound, saying nothing further before closing the door and heading to the living room. Watching him leave, Shen Nian finally withdrew her gaze. She opened the bottom drawer, which was filled with various medications, thebels on the bottles torn off and the boxes discarded, leaving only rows of untaken pills. Deftly retrieving a few rows, she popped out a couple of pills and tossed them into her mouth, reaching for the cup on the bedside table. Realizing the cup was empty, she put it back down without drinking any water and swallowed the pills dry. Selecting a ck long-sleeved nightgown from the closet, she changed into it and grabbed a towel specifically for drying her hair, setting the dry cap aside. The dry cap had already absorbed most of the water from her hair, so she simply patted it dry with the towel, continuing to dry her hair as she exited the bedroom. Lu Lingchuan was seated in the dining area, with four or five takeout boxes in front of him, their lids open beside them, revealing the exquisite dishes inside. Chapter 80 Chapter 80 This was the take-out food that Lu Lingchuan brought back. Lu Lingchuan was holding chopsticks and eating with his head down. He didn''t look up, but he heard the sound of the door opening and footsteps. "Eating," he said. "Mm," Shen Nian responded with a sound, casually grabbing arge hairclip from the nearby table and tying up her hair carelessly. Her hair was still damp now, but it wasn''t dripping anymore. She would tie up her hair first, then blow dry it after eating. After the trial, Li Mingshi fell ill and was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Lu Lingchuan was busy dealing with Li Mingshi''s situation first, and then Lu Lingrui''s matterter. He hadn''te to see Shen Nian for several days and had been staying in his own apartment. He came today, which Shen Nian didn''t expect. Shen Nian sat down and unconsciously reached for disposable chopsticks, only to realize that Lu Lingchuan had already opened them for her, and even opened the lid of the rice bowl, cing the lid next to it with the chopsticks on top. She paused for a moment, looking up at Lu Lingchuan. The man was still expressionless as he ate, not even giving her a nce, and his phone on the dining table kept vibrating. He was busy, very, very busy. "..." Shen Nian pursed her lips, silently picking up the chopsticks and looking at the dishes Lu Lingchuan had ordered, all of which were non-spicy. Because Shen Nian had a light taste and rarely ate spicy food. In contrast, Lu Lingrui craved spiciness and had to have extremely spicy hot pot or skewers. Lu Lingchuan had been apanying Lu Lingrui in eating spicy food since childhood, so he also developed a taste for spiciness. After getting together with Shen Nian, he found out she had a light taste, so he quit spicy food to match her preference. Although they could order a split pot for hot pot and skewers, there was no split te for regr dishes. Shen Nian had a light taste, so for her sake, Lu Lingchuan gave up spiciness and adopted a lighter taste too, hoping that she could enjoy her favorite dishes at every meal without having to cater to his tastes. There were four dishes, all of which were high-end dishes. Shen Nian casually remarked, "Why did you order so many dishes?" The two of them couldn''t finish four dishes. Hearing this, Lu Lingchuan nced at her and gave her a rather arrogant look, "I have money." "..." Shen Nian fell silent. This point, she had to admit, she wasn''t as wealthy as him. Today, Shen Nian left the hospital and went to thepany. There was an issue with a project in cooperation with the Lu family that needed to be resolved immediately. Shen Nian took on the urgent task and worked overtime, going through documents and writing data analyses. Finally, she managed to solve the problem before tomorrow. However, because she was busy handling work, she didn''t have time to eat dinner, not even a bite of a cracker. It was crucial to resolve the issue quickly, or it would cause losses for the Lingrui Group. "..." Lu Lingchuan stared intently at the dishes in front of him. It was Shen Nian''s favorite restaurant that she used to order frequently, judging from the delivery boxes with the store''s logo he had seen at home before. After taking another bite of rice, he put down his chopsticks and picked up his phone, replying to emails while casually saying, "Eat it all." "???" Shen Nian looked at him in disbelief. Eat it all? Did he think she was a big eater??? Shen Nian silently puffed out her cheeks, "I can''t finish it all." "Then why order so much?" "..." Clearly, it was you who ordered it. Finally, Lu Lingchuan raised his noble head and bestowed her with a nce, "Haven''t you learned that every graines with hardship?" Shen Nian quietly countered, "I can put it in the fridge and heat it up to eat tomorrow morning." After all, she wasn''t picky. If she couldn''t finish the food today, she could reheat the leftovers and eat them tomorrow. But the result was- Lu Lingchuan: "You want me to eat leftovers tomorrow?" "..." Shen Nian said, "You don''t have to eat them. I''ll eat them." Lu Lingchuan: "You want me to watch you eat leftovers? Are you implying something?" "???" Lu Lingchuan had a confident demeanor, "Are you implying that I don''t pay you enough, and you''ve sunk to having to eat leftovers every day to get by?" Shen Nian fell silent, "..." Man, your name is wild imagination. Seeing him put down his chopsticks and y with his phone, seemingly not intending to eat anymore, but there was still two-thirds of the rice left in his bowl. Shen Nian had been speechless earlier, but finally found a w in Lu Lingchuan''s argument and immediately pointed it out, "You haven''t finished either. There''s still so much rice left." Hearing her usation, Lu Lingchuan did look down at the rice bowl in front of him, and then he said: "Oh." "???" Oh??? The next sentence was- "I have money, I don''t mind." "..." Despite the simple conversation, the atmosphere between them had warmed considerably, and it had been a long time since they had such a cozy moment. The Lu family members, whether brother or sister, were all eloquent and persuasive. Shen Nian had been at a disadvantage in this regard before, so she wisely chose not to argue anymore, knowing that further debate would not give her the upper hand. She silently lowered her head and picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks, putting it in her mouth. This restaurant was an old-established one, run by an elderly couple. The dishes they made were all delicious, which was why Shen Nian frequented it. Shen Nian had been hungry all day, so she didn''t hold back and ate earnestly. Shen Nian ate silently, while Lu Lingchuan was busy with work, and the atmosphere was quite harmonious. Her appetite was small, and after eating more than half a bowl of rice and a good portion of the dishes, her stomach was full, but there was still a lot left. One bowl of rice and four dishes - even if Shen Nian were starving, she couldn''t finish that much. Lu Lingchuan only said it, but didn''t actually demand her to finish all the food. However, he didn''t waste it either, putting the lids on and storing it in the fridge. Lu Lingchuan came out of the kitchen, and Shen Nian was holding a hairdryer, looking for a ce with an outlet. She plugged in the hairdryer, adjusted the setting, and turned it on. This hairdryer was bought by Lu Lingchuan, a high-end brand with low noise and high heat output. Just like the setting Shen Nian had it on now, it made almost no sound, but the hot air was strong. She removed the hair clip, letting her still-damp hair fall loose, and held the hairdryer about ten centimeters away from her hair, gently moving it back and forth. Lu Lingchuan sat down on the sofa next to her, the faint sound of the hairdryer reaching his ears, a soft humming noise that captured all of his attention. At some point, his gaze was no longer on his phone but fixed intently on watching her blow-dry her hair. Even when blow-drying her hair, Shen Nian gave off an obedient vibe, holding the hairdryer in her right hand and gentlybing through her hair with her left, extremely focused. Suddenly, she felt a burning gaze upon her and looked up, meeting the man''s deep, starry eyes. The sudden eye contact startled them both. Lu Lingchuan reacted quickly, not averting his gaze but continuing to stare at her naturally, and said, "Work is postponed for a week after tomorrow. Going on a business trip to Hai City." "Hai City?" That was a city with spring-like weather all year round, a city by the sea. "Yeah," Lu Lingchuan responded. "A business trip." After a pause, he added, "You''re going too." [To wee all the new darlings, I''ve decided to give each of you a sweet treat~~~This counts as sweet, doesn''t it?] Chapter 81 Chapter 81 "Yes," Shen Nian agreed, but as soon as the words left her mouth, she felt a stinging pain on her scalp. "Tch--" She sucked in a breath of cool air. The temperature of the hairdryer was a bit high. Earlier, when Lu Lingchuan was speaking to her, the nozzle of the hairdryer had been blowing continuously at one spot, burning her. Shen Nian put down the hairdryer, one hand touching her head. But even before she could, arge hand covered her ck hair, gently massaging the spot where she had been burned. "..." Shen Nian looked at the man in slight surprise. Lu Lingchuan, however, did not look at her, only staring intently at her head, his handsome face solemn. He was showing concern for her, yet avoiding eye contact. His other slender hand took the hairdryer from the side, one hand supporting her slightly damp tresses, holding the hairdryer about two or three decimeters away, a distance where the hot air could be felt but would not burn. He helped Shen Nian blow-dry her hair. In truth, one can discern a person''s true character from many small details in the way they speak and act. Lu Lingchuan''s movements were gentle, using his slender fingers tob through her hair, ensuring he didn''t tug painfully, as if he were well-practiced in such tasks. The hot wind from the hairdryer was so warm, blowing on her in a way that made Shen Nian feel drowsy, almost as if she had returned to the past. Lu Lingchuan used to help her blow-dry her hair often back then. Lu Lingchuan held a lock of her dark hair as he blow-dried it, his brows furrowed in concentration. Whenever he set his mind to something, he would fully dedicate himself to aplishing it without distraction. Shen Nian knew this quirk of his, which is why she allowed herself to stare intently at his face. It may sound a bit imusible, but... the Lu Lingchuan from before was a very gentle person. He was like Xiao Mubai, gentle, chivalrous, and respectful towards others. He was a filial son, a responsible elder brother, and a devoted boyfriend. The rtionship between the Lu siblings had always been good. Lu Lingrui was very clingy with her brother, and as long as Lu Lingrui did not act unreasonably, Lu Lingchuan would indulge her. Ever since... the dual tragedies of Lu Lingrui''s incident and passing, Lu Lingchuan seemed to have be a different person. His former gentleness and patience had vanished, reced by aplete change in temperament. Because he cared so deeply, he found it difficult to ept the fact that the person he cared about was no longer around. Moreover... Lu Lingchuan had witnessed Lu Lingrui''sst breaths right before his eyes. The girl who used tough so cheerfully nowy bloodied and lifeless in the ambnce. Seeing Lu Lingchuan on the verge of a breakdown, she mustered her strength to smile and raise her hand, trying tofort him. In the end, she never managed to form that smile. After that, the gentle Lu Lingchuan was no more, reced by a vtile and mercurial man. Shen Nian stared at Lu Lingchuan, lost in thought. Even she herself could no longer discern her feelings towards him. Lu Lingchuan, do you know? It seems like I''m giving up on you, yet it also feels like I''m waiting for you. These two opposing thoughts upied equal halves of a spinning wheel, leaving Shen Nian unable to tell which one she truly wanted. Life is a constant stream of choices. Living... is truly exhausting. ... The next day, the two woke up early and went to thepany for a meeting. Shen Nian had initially thought that this business trip would only involve her and Lu Lingchuan, but to her surprise, Lu Lingchen and two otherpany managers were also present. The Lingrui Group aimed to secure a particr project. While the profits from the project itself were of little concern to Lu Lingchuan, he had his eyes set on the connections of the potential business partner. Word had it that the partner had many friends in politics. Lu Lingchuan nned to intentionally give them some benefits, so they would remember his kindness. This would allow Lu Lingchuan to naturally establish a connection with them. Once they became acquainted, Lu Lingchuan would then have an opportunity to take advantage of their political connections. There were five people going on this business trip, and ne tickets had already been booked. After the meeting concluded, they quickly gathered their belongings and rushed to catch their flight. Two cars were needed for the five of them. Naturally, Shen Nian and Lu Lingchuan rode in one car, as Shen Nian was Lu Lingchuan''s assistant. The other two were Manager Yu and Deputy Manager Chen, who were in charge of this project, so they took the other car. Shen Nian went ahead to get the car started. As she was about to turn on the engine, Lu Lingchen leaned against the car door and raised an eyebrow at her. "Assistant Shen, long time no see," he said with a smirk. Shen Nian had lowered the window as soon as she got into the car, giving Lu Lingchen the opportunity to act cocky as he stuck his head inside. "..." Shen Nian gave him an irritated nce before averting her gaze, unwilling to spare him even a single look. "Hey, Sister Nian, that''s not very nice," Lu Lingchenined. "Didn''t you always send me a message beforeing to the hospital? And didn''t I always let you know?" To avoid identally running into the Lu family, Shen Nian would send a message to Lu Lingchen before going to the hospital, and if there were any issues, he would message her not toe. His head was now protruding into the car, extremely close to Shen Nian. So, Shen Nian casually gave him a light tap on the head. "You little brat, you''re not even that old, but you''ve already learned to threaten people." "Ow!" Lu Lingchen clutched his head in protest. "You hit so hard, do you really hate me that much? Don''t forget that there are only five of us going this time, an odd number. If you bully me again, I''ll stick to my brother like glue, teaming up with him and leaving you out!" Shen Nian: "..." You really have a way with threats, don''t you? In the past, Lu Lingrui often bullied Lu Lingchen, and he would go crying to Lu Lingchuan. Back then, Shen Nian had always felt sorry for Lu Lingchen, the youngest sibling, a poor soul unloved by his father and mother, ganged up on by his elder brother and sister. But now, looking at him again, it''s no wonder he was bullied. He just asks for it with his constant whining. Just as he finished speaking, a chill ran down Lu Lingchen''s spine, causing him to shiver. "Mr. Lu," Shen Nian said, nodding towards the person behind him. Lu Lingchen turned around to see Lu Lingchuan standing behind him, one hand in his pocket, expressionless, with no indication of when he had arrived. "..." Startled, Lu Lingchen still managed to call out, "Brother." Yet Lu Lingchuan didn''t even spare him a nce, his gaze fixed on Shen Nian. "You, get out." He was addressing Shen Nian. Shen Nian hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes, Mr. Lu." With that, she unbuckled her seatbelt and exited the car. Watching his brother''s demeanor, it seemed clear that he was targeting Shen Nian. Lu Lingchen suddenly realized that his brother must have been standing there for a while and had likely overheard his conversation with Shen Nian. Unsurprisingly, it appeared that his brother was now taking his side by backing him up. With this realization, Lu Lingchen straightened his back, about to say something, when Lu Lingchuan gave him a casual nce. "You, get in." "Oh." Without a second thought, Lu Lingchen did as his brother instructed and got into the car. After closing the door and fastening his seatbelt, he stared directly at Lu Lingchuan once more. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 The result was that Lu Lingchuan still didn''t look at him, but stared at Shen Nian instead: "Get in the car." Shen Nian didn''t say anything, silently opening the rear door and getting in, with Lu Lingchuan following closely behind her. After closing the door, he finally looked at Lu Lingchen properly, giving a casual order: "Drive." "Oh." Lu Lingchen silently started the car, furtively ncing at Lu Lingchuan through the rearview mirror. The man''s face was expressionless, making it impossible to discern his emotions. However, just from his slightly furrowed handsome brow, one could tell that his brother... seemed to be in a bad mood. Judging from the tone he used when speaking to Shen Nian earlier. It might be better to wait until they boarded the ne to find a chance to talk to his brother. For now... it''s better not to. You can''t provoke an angry tiger. As Lu Lingchen drove out of the underground parking lot, he btedly realized something. Originally, Shen Nian was supposed to drive, so how did it end up being him? Looking at the two sitting side by side in the back, although separated by a distance, on the left and right... Damn! He had be their driver?! ....................... They soon arrived at the airport, with Manager Yu and Deputy Manager Chen preceding them and taking care of check-in, security, and boarding. After boarding the ne, Lu Lingchuan found his seat ording to the number on his ticket. The first-ss seats were arranged in pairs, with two seats together on the left and two on the right, separated by an aisle, making a total of four seats per row. Lu Lingchuan sat in the window seat on the left side, while Manager Yu and Deputy Manager Chen upied the two seats on the right. After boarding, Lu Lingchen checked his seat number, then looked towards Lu Lingchuan, who was leaning on his elbow and staring out the window: "Brother, let''s sit together." Hearing this, Lu Lingchuan withdrew his gaze, nced at him, and said nothing, speechless. Lu Lingchen sat down next to Lu Lingchuan, followed by Shen Nian behind him. Her seat was behind Lu Lingchuan. The airline tickets were arranged by thepany staff, who, after much deliberation, decided on these seating arrangements considering that Lu Lingchen was Lu Lingchuan''s younger brother and Shen Nian was Lu Lingchuan''s assistant. This way, Mr. Lu and Manager Lu, the brothers, could sit together, while Assistant Shen would be close to Mr. Lu, ready to receive instructions at any time. Shen Nian''s seat was also on the inside, and the passenger next to her had already taken their seat - arge, obese man whose size was hard to gauge, but whose bulk was considerable. As soon as he sat down, Shen Nian felt that the space was already overwhelmed by his presence, leaving her with only a tiny gap to squeeze through. After silently observing the crevice the obese man had left for her to pass, Shen Nian waited a few seconds before addressing him politely: "Excuse me, could you please make some room? My seat is on the inside." Shen Nian hade straight from the office, still wearing her secretary outfit, which entuated her slender and tall figure, especially the long, slim legs visible beneath her skirt, leaving many in awe. The obese man''s narrowed eyes widened considerably at the sight. He clumsily stood up, moving to the aisle to let Shen Nian through. Shen Nian walked past and took her seat, then leaned her elbow on the armrest, chin in hand, mimicking Lu Lingchuan''s pose as she gazed out the window. "Beautifuldy." Shen Nian ignored the voice addressing her. "Beautifuldy?" This time, she felt a hand touch her waist, prompting her to shift inwards and turn to see the obese man seated next to her. The obese man grinned, his eyes squinting into slits as he waved his phone: "Beautifuldy, you''re going to Hai City too, what a coincidence?" "..." This flight was a direct one to Hai City; where else would she be going? It was a truly low-level attempt at making a pass. Shen Nian didn''t respond, silently turning away, but the obese man didn''t pick up on her indifference and continued grinning as he spoke: "I go to Hai City all the time; it''s perfect for tourism. They have a lot of famous seafood restaurants there. I know several ces that serve really delicious food at reasonable prices." "Why don''t we exchange WeChat contacts? Once we arrive in Hai City, we can chat more. If you have any questions, just ask me, and I''ll let you know." Shen Nian moved to the innermost edge of her seat, putting as much distance as possible between herself and the obese man. "No, thank you." The obese man was relentless: "Beautifuldy, you''ll definitely need it. Just add me as a friend." "The ne is about to take off." Before takeoff, passengers were required to turn off their phones or switch to airne mode, so Shen Nian was politely declining his request. However, the obese man was oblivious: "Oh, it''ll still be a while before takeoff. The economy ss passengers haven''t even boarded yet, so we have some time." Shen Nian: "I use an old-fashioned phone." This was a clear rejection. As expected, the obese man faltered, forcing an awkwardugh: "Beautifuldy, you sure know how to joke around." Lu Lingchuan overheard the entire conversation between Shen Nian and the obese man behind them. The obese man was shamelessly persistent, clinging to Shen Nian and pestering her for her contact information, embodying the saying "Even a ghost would be debauched beneath the peony blossoms." Lu Lingchuan couldn''t stand it any longer: "Lu Lingchen." Lu Lingchen, who was ying on his phone, looked up: "Hm?" Lu Lingchuan was annoyed, closing his eyes and massaging his brow: "Switch seats." "Huh?" Lu Lingchen looked bewildered; he was wearing Bluetooth earphones and had been absorbed in watching videos, so he hadn''t noticed the situation behind him and didn''t know what was going on. He was confused by Lu Lingchuan''s words, but he silently stood up nheless. "Brother, if you prefer the window, then I''ll..." He was about to switch seats reluctantly. "With Shen Nian," Lu Lingchuan said casually. "???" Lu Lingchen removed his Bluetooth earphones, even more perplexed, instinctively ncing towards Shen Nian behind them. The obese man hadn''t given up yet and was still harassing Shen Nian, even preparing to make physical advances. "Hey." Lu Lingchen realized what was happening and immediately called out to the obese man. He regarded Shen Nian like an older sister, just as he did with Lu Lingrui. Seeing Shen Nian being harassed, he didn''t hesitate to intervene: "Nian-jie, let''s switch seats." Without waiting for Shen Nian''s response, the obese man objected: "Who are you?" "A friend of hers, my sister." In front of the twopany managers, Lu Lingchen didn''t use the term "sister-inw" or simr, but referring to her as "sister" was eptable. Firstly, Shen Nian was older than Lu Lingchen; secondly, Shen Nian had been with Lu Lingchuan since the early days of his business, essentially his right-hand woman, so it wasn''t inappropriate for Lu Lingchen to call her "sister." "Listen, old man, it''s true that a graceful and virtuousdy is a rare find, but you should also have some self-awareness. Can''t you see how annoyed my sister is with your pestering?" "You...!" A flight attendant, having heard themotion, hurried over: "Is there a problem here?" "Look." Lu Lingchen pointed: "This gentleman here has taken a liking to my sister and keeps pestering her for her contact information. I want to switch seats with my sister." The flight attendant nced at the obese man, then at Shen Nian. Shen Nian was seated in the innermost corner, upying only a small portion of the spacious seat while maintaining a distance from the obese man. Even without seeing her face, her slender figure and elegant demeanor made it clear that Shen Nian was indeed a beauty. A beautiful woman being harassed was all toomon, so the flight attendant didn''t doubt Lu Lingchen''s words. Chapter 83 Chapter 83 "Very well, sir." The flight attendant gave a standard smile. "But please be quick. Standing here will hold up the other passengers." "Okay." Lu Lingchen looked at Shen Nian. "Nian, take my seat." Shen Nian stood up to leave, but the fat man stubbornly refused to give up his seat. The flight attendant looked embarrassed as she turned to the fat man. "Sir, would you please stand up for a moment so this youngdy can get out?" The fat man retorted, "Why should I stand up? I''m not getting up!" He was being unreasonable. "Sir..." Lu Lingchuan stood up from his seat in front. His deep, piercing gaze fixed on the fat man, who was instantly intimidated by his stare. Having spent many years in the business world, Lu Lingchuan had cultivated a powerful aura, a fox-like presence. Without needing to say much, a single nce could strike fear into others. His eyes seemed to unleash hundreds of razor-sharp des, irresistibly overwhelming anyone they fell upon. "Stand up," he said softly, his voice light but bone-chilling, making the fat man shudder. "Mr. Lu," Shen Nian called out. The fat man was a typical bully, brave against the meek but cowardly against the formidable. Faced with Lu Lingchuan''s intimidating presence and Shen Nian''s "Mr. Lu" address, he didn''t dare act arrogant any longer and silently stood up. Shen Nian exited the row, and Lu Lingchen took her seat. The incident seemed to be over, but the resentful fat man red at Shen Nian, who was now seated in front of him. He stretched out his foot, intending to kick the seat in front of him. Lu Lingchuan noticed his petty action and, looking at Shen Nian about to sit down, said calmly, "You sit here." Shen Nian obediently nodded. "Okay." She then took Lu Lingchuan''s former seat, while he sat in the aisle. Seeing Lu Lingchuan in front of him, the fat man remembered the intimidating re from earlier and became uneasy. He withdrew his foot, no longer daring to act out. After a minor disruption that was quickly resolved, the economy ss passengers had all boarded, and the cabin doors were closed. The ne taxied to the designated runway for takeoff. After elerating and taking off, the three-and-a-half-hour flight to Hai City began. Shen Nian had not slept well the previous night, so she leaned against the window and fell asleep shortly after takeoff. Lu Lingchuan opened the tray table in front of him, cing hisptop on it to review a project report. He felt a cool breeze from the air conditioning blowing on his hands, making them feel chilled. Public spaces tend to set the air conditioning temperature quite low during hot weather. Even Lu Lingchuan found it a bit cold. He immediately turned his head to look at the person beside him. Shen Nian''s petite frame was curled up, her arms wrapped around herself as she slept restlessly. Frowning slightly but saying nothing, he turned his attention back to theptop. Less than a minuteter, he called over a passing flight attendant. "Can you bring me a nket?" The attendant smiled. "Certainly, sir." She quickly brought Lu Lingchuan the requested nket, which he draped over Shen Nian, tucking it in to prevent drafts. Unintentionally touching her hand, he found it icy cold. Lu Lingchuan''s movements paused for a moment as he gripped her hand and tucked it under the nket. They arrived in Hai City in the afternoon and went straight to their pre-booked luxury hotel after leaving the airport. They had an appointment with the otherpany''s CEO the next day, so today was free time for leisure activities. This hotel was renowned for itsvish amodations and prime location. But what attracted visitors most was the oceanfront view ¨C every room opened to a panoramic vista of the sea. Waking up each morning to such breathtaking scenery was truly captivating. The hotel''s beach area allowed visitors to swim in the shallow waters, and many tourists had already gathered on the sand. After returning to her room, Shen Nian changed into a dress, having slept for nearly three hours on the ne. Now fully refreshed, she prepared to go to the beach for a stroll. Leaving the hotel, she made her way downstairs. The tide was still out, and many visitors were swimming and ying in the shallow waters. Several children were digging in the sand with small shovels, building sandcastles. Shen Nian walked alone along the beach, wearing sandals. A few grains of sand had slipped into her shoes, irritating her feet, so she decided to remove them and walk barefoot on the sand. She wore a light blue floral sundress that fell to her ankles. The sea breeze caused the dress to billow gently, lending an ethereal grace to her appearance. Her hair was simply tied back with a hair tie, a few loose strands framing her face. Devoid of makeup, she exuded a clean, gentle beauty. Holding up the hem of her dress, she gazed at her fair, lovely feet, leaving a trail of footprints in the sand as she walked ¨C evidence of her presence. Along the way, she encountered a group of children building sandcastles, engrossed in their joyful y. One child noticed Shen Nian, approached her, and tugged at her hand, repeatedly calling her "beautiful sister" with an endearing lisp that brought a warm smile to her face. The child even tried to coax her into joining their sandcastle-building. Watching the yful,ughing children, Shen Nian''s eyes brimmed with tenderness. The adorable little rascal, who knew where he had learned to tter people? Children these days were so precocious. She gazed fondly at the young boy holding her hand, reluctant to look away. If not for all the troubles in her life, her own little one would be four years old now. She didn''t know how big a four-year-old child would be, but they would surely be running and jumping, cooing in that sweet, childish voice to cheer her up. Rarely did Shen Nian feel so rxed, as she squatted down with the children, using a small shovel to build castles and sand figures alongside them. Her gentleness and patience impressed the mothers watching over the children. One mother couldn''t help but remark, "You have such a good temperament. My little rascal drives me crazy every day." Shovel in hand, Shen Nian smiled and replied, "It''s tiring, but very fulfilling." Having a lively little one fussing around was truly a blessing. "That''s true," the mothers agreed. One of them asked Shen Nian, "You seem quite young. Are you married?" Shen Nian shook her head. "Not yet." Eyeing Shen Nian''s beautiful face, another mothermented, "Then you must have a boyfriend. With your good looks and sweet disposition, any man who marries you will be very fortunate." Shen Nian smiled. "I''m not as good as you say." The mothersughed. "Make the most of your youth and go out to see the world. Don''t have children too early. Look at us ¨C once we had kids, we have to revolve around them. Even going out for fun requires dragging the whole family along." Shen Nian did not respond, focusing instead on carefully opening the small duck-shaped mold in her hand, which was filled with sand. As she opened the mold, the sand formed the shape of a little duck. Chapter 84 Chapter 84 A little loli pointed at a little duckling, saying in a sweet, childish voice, "Ducky." Shen Nian''s voice also unconsciously softened, "This is a ducky." "Pretty ducky." "Yes, sister also thinks the ducky is pretty," Shen Nian said. "Sister pretty!" the little loli said again. "Thank you, you''re pretty too." The wind blew the little girl''s hair all over her face, and when she opened her mouth, the soft strands got stuck inside. "Pfft." The little girl was about to touch her mouth with her sand-covered hands. "Don''t move." Shen Nian gently held her hand, helped her remove the hair from her mouth, then undid her messy bun and skillfully tied her hair into a new little knot. With her hair neatly tied, there were fewer loose strands flying into her mouth. The little girl reached out her small hands to touch her bun, and Shen Nian gently brushed the sand off her hands and asked softly, "Does it look nice?" Without even looking, the little girl solemnly replied, "Nice!" Shen Nian''s smile deepened, "Do you like it?" "Like!" The little voice melted Shen Nian''s heart, "Sister pretty, Hanhan pretty, we''re all beautifuldies." The little girl''s mother burst intoughter, amused, and Shen Nian also chuckled. Kneeling on one knee, with one hand around the little girl''s waist, she tapped the loli''s nose, "Yes, you''re a beautifuldy." Suddenly, she felt a scorching gaze fall upon her, and Shen Nian''s heart skipped a beat as she looked up to see Lu Lingchuan not far away. Lu Lingchuan was only wearing a white shirt, not as neatly buttoned as when he was at work. He wasn''t wearing a tie, and the top two buttons were undone, revealing his corbone. The sea breeze blew, causing his shirt to flutter slightly, and his stray bangs waved gently. He looked like he had just taken a shower and casually put on a shirt and pants beforeing out. Stripped of the cool and sharp demeanor he had at work, he now had a much more youthful appearance, like a college student. On the beach, he stood there while she knelt on the ground, holding a child in her arms, their eyes meeting. The sea breeze tousled their hair. The scene seemed frozen in that instant. "Big brother!" The little loli in her arms excitedly grabbed Shen Nian''s finger upon seeing Lu Lingchuan, "Handsome big brother!" Lu Lingchuan approached them and stopped in front of the two, then squatted down to eye level with the little loli. He pinched her little face and a rare smile appeared on his usually stern expression, "You''re so small, yet you already know what''s handsome?" "Mommy often looks at handsome guys on her phone," the little loli said matter-of-factly. Her mother added, "Mommy says that long legs, long arms, high nose, and big eyes are handsome guys. Big brother also has long legs, high nose, and big eyes." The little one was about to point at Lu Lingchuan''s nose, and he lowered his head to oblige her. Nowadays, many young men have monolids, making their eyes appear small, but Lu Lingchuan''s eyes were much more attractive than most men''s. His features were just right - not too in, but not excessively striking either, which coulde across as uncouth. Shen Nian loved his eyes the most. In the past, they always held a gentle warmth. Just one look from him, and she would melt within seconds, falling into the tenderness in his gaze. Later on, however, his eyes seemed veiled by a hazy mist, concealing his true emotions. No matter how closely she looked, she could never see into his heart - it felt like an immeasurable distance separated them, despite their physical proximity. Though he was right in front of her, she could never see through him. The little girl''s mother had been watching them interact. Seeing how her precious daughter truly liked Shen Nian, and that Shen Nian was very patient with her, she didn''t stop their interaction. But who would have thought the little girl would betray her own mother the moment she saw a handsome guy? Flushed with embarrassment, the mother pulled her daughter away and muttered, "You little brat! When did Mommy ever look at handsome guys on her phone?" "Mommy also calls Daddy," the little loli continued obliviously, "Teacher Mei said Mommy''s husband is Daddy, but Mommy calls many guys Daddy, I have many dads... Waaah!" Her mother covered her mouth, her face red as she gave Shen Nian an awkward smile, "Kids just say nonsense." Then she hurriedly left with her daughter in tow. Shen Nian watched the mother and daughter''s retreating figures, her smile unfading. "Shen Nian." Lu Lingchuan''s voice came from beside her. "Hmm?" Shen Nian didn''t turn her gaze away. "Do you think... those two kids would be sons or daughters?" "..." Shen Nian''s smile froze as she turned to look at the man. Lu Lingchuan was also watching the little loli from before. The little girl was now standing under a tree, her mother likely scolding her. With her hands behind her back, she twisted her body shyly, head lowered, looking incredibly cute. This seemed to be the first time Lu Lingchuan had brought up the topic of having children while fully conscious. Sons or daughters? Shen Nian had never considered this question before. Because she didn''t dare think about it. Now that it was brought up, Shen Nian pondered the idea for the first time. But after much thought, she shook her head, "I don''t know." "I like both," Lu Lingchuan replied. He liked the idea of having sons or daughters. Two children, ideally one son and one daughter. Having a son and a daughter would make lifeplete and perfect. "..." Shen Nian didn''t respond, only turning to gaze at the boundless ocean. "This is my first time at the sea. I''ve only seen it in videos before. The ocean looks like this in reality," she said with a faint smile. "I always wanted to go on a beach vacation before, but I couldn''t stand the heat in summer or the cold in winter. Back when I was a student, I only had time during summer and winter breaks. My parents told me that if I studied hard and got into a good university, they would help me take a month off to go y at the beach." Thinking back now, so many years had passed. Unfortunately, her parents never fulfilled that promise. They didn''t see her take the college entrance exam or get into university, as they passed away in a car ident when she was 17. "You mentioned that before," Lu Lingchuan stood beside her, both gazing at the ocean. "I also said I would bring you here." [I will take you to see the ocean, and if you like it, I can give you a beach wedding.] Shen Nian naturally remembered thetter part, but she ignored it, only asking Lu Lingchuan, "So does this mean you''ve fulfilled your promise today?" Her parents said they would take her to see the ocean, but never did. Lu Lingchuan said he would give her a beach wedding, which likely wouldn''t happen either. Shen Nian stared at the boundless ocean, unable to see the horizon. Waves rolled in, one after another, sunlight sparkling on the water''s surface. She wasn''t really looking at the sea, but rather at her own shattered regrets. [Good night] Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Shen Nian thought of something and turned to look at Lu Lingchuan, asking seriously, "Do you like the ocean?" Without waiting for the man to answer, she pulled her gaze away and continued staring at the sea surface, talking to herself, "I quite like it." With the sea breeze blowing, Shen Nian felt that the world in front of her had be clear. She tilted her head slightly, closed her eyes, and felt the sea breeze. The weather was hot now, and even the wind blowing on her body felt warm, not stinging at all. Shen Nian''s lips curved into a slight arc, smiling as she said, "If possible, I want to buy a house by the sea after retirement. I might really love the ocean too much." There were too many crossroads in life, and at each new crossroad, one had to make a choice again. If the wrong choice was made even once, it would be irreversible. This feeling of being on tenterhooks was truly exhausting. Unlike the ocean, which was vast and boundless. With the sea all around, there was no need to deliberately choose a direction. Drifting in any direction was fine; no matter where one ended up, one could appreciate the unique scenery. She thought that she really liked the ocean very much. Lu Lingchuan didn''t say a word, only staring at Shen Nian. She wore a light blue floral spaghetti strap dress, her skin enviably fair. She was tall but slender, with her exposed corbone particrly eye-catching,plementing her girl-next-door looks that would make any man fall for her at first sight, lending her an elegant and alluring appearance. Shen Nian tilted her head slightly, feeling the sea breeze, revealing her beautiful jaw line. With her eyes slightly closed, her eyshes were dense and long. A hint of a smile danced at the corners of her lips, containing the clear hue of a spring, making her look pure and innocent. She was like a goddess of the sea. Lu Lingchuan stared at her for a long while before speaking frankly, "You look prettier in a white dress." The light blue floral dress was beautiful, but if she wore white, she might look even more stunning. Lu Lingchuan would never forget the first time he saw her, when she stood behind Ling Rui, wearing a white dress like a fairy left in the mortal world. When she saw him, she paused for a moment before revealing a shy yet polite smile. That smile was etched in Lu Lingchuan''s heart, unforgettable until death. No matter when he recalled it, his heart would race uncontrobly. It had been a long time since he hadst seen her in white. "..." Upon hearing Lu Lingchuan''s words, Shen Nian opened her eyes and turned to look at him. Suddenly, she curved her lips into a slight smile, "Life is about trying new things. I think I look quite good in other colors too." Not necessarily just white. The sun had set, and even the sea breeze had be much cooler. Shen Nian said to Lu Lingchuan, "It''s gettingte, I''ll head back first. Feel free to stay, Lu." After saying that, she lifted her dress and walked towards the hotel. Lu Lingchuan didn''t follow her but remained standing there, continuing to stare at the ocean. Suddenly, he felt a small attachment on his leg and looked down to see a little baby clinging to his thigh. Such a tiny thing, not even as long as his leg. It was the little girl from earlier. The little girl still had the buns that Shen Nian had tied for her on her head, looking adorably cute. Lu Lingchuan looked at her, his voice bing much gentler, "What''s wrong?" Even he himself was puzzled at how gentle he could be. The little girl looked up at him with her childish voice, "Brother, Mom is going to take me back. I''m saying goodbye to you." Upon hearing this, Lu Lingchuan raised his head and saw the little girl''s mother not far away, holding the child''s belongings and waiting. When she saw Lu Lingchuan looking over, she nodded slightly and revealed a very polite smile. Lu Lingchuan curved his lips, bent down, and picked up the little one. The chubby bundle nestled in Lu Lingchuan''s embrace, her two plump little hands naturally wrapping around his neck. "Little one, goodbye." The little girl hugged Lu Lingchuan and kissed his cheek, "Brother, can I see you again tomorrow?" Lu Lingchuan was here for work, not tourism. With important business negotiations tomorrow, he really didn''t have time for casual strolls. However, looking into the little girl''s big, dark eyes, Lu Lingchuan couldn''t bear to reject her and nodded, "Yes, as long as you eat well tonight and sleep well, you can see Uncle tomorrow." He was about the same age as the little girl''s mother, so he should call himself Uncle. Children were just children. The little girl was immediately led away, "Then I''ll build sandcastles with Uncle tomorrow." She was inviting Lu Lingchuan to y in the sand with her. "Okay." Lu Lingchuan agreed. "Uncle, hug Hanhan and take a picture!" "Okay." Lu Lingchuan agreed to everything. The little one was delighted, hugging Lu Lingchuan, her face pressed against his, giggling happily. Feeling the child''s tender cheek, Lu Lingchuan smiled slightly and murmured, "If only Uncle could have an adorable baby like you." After saying that, a hint of gloom shed in his eyes. After all, it was just a pipe dream, a foolish fantasy. ..................... The next day, having prepared early, Lu Lingchuan was dressed in a formal suit, while Shen Nian was still in her impable secretary outfit, her hair neatly tied up, and ck-framed sses on her nose, adding a touch of schrly elegance to her gentle features, concealing some of her radiance. Today was mainly about discussing cooperation, and she was not the main focus, so there was no need for her to dress too conspicuously. The agreed meeting location was at the golf course, and they arrived just as the other party did. After getting out of the car, Lu Lingchuan first shook hands with the otherpany''s president. "President Zou, it''s an honor to finally meet you." The other party was a middle-aged president, with a potbelly and a Mediterranean hairstyle. Upon seeing Lu Lingchuan, he smiled widely, "Hello, hello, Lu! I''ve heard so much about your reputation, Lu. You''re truly a young and aplished man!" "You tter me." After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Lu Lingchuan began introducing his team, "This is my younger brother, Lu Lingchen, and the two project managers, Manager Yu and Vice Manager Chen, as well as my secretary, Shen Nian." After shaking hands one by one, President Zou''s gaze finally fell on Shen Nian, his eyes sparkling, "So this is the beautiful assistant who is always by Lu''s side. I''ve been looking forward to meeting you!" In the business world, who didn''t know about Lu Lingchuan''s young and capable female assistant? If not for this assistant''s help, Lu Lingchuan wouldn''t have been able to establish a solid foothold in the business circle and surpass everyone in such a short time. Lu Lingchuan was undoubtedly talented, but his assistant was also a formidable figure not to be underestimated. Suddenly being called out, Shen Nian''s face bore a standard smile as she nodded towards President Zou, "Hello, President Zou. I''m Shen Nian." Just a smile, a nce, or even just the tone of her voice revealed Shen Nian''s uniqueness. President Zou revealed an understanding smile, "No wonder there are so many praises for Assistant Shen. This poise is indeed impressive." Shen Nian smiled, "President Zou is too kind. It is my honor to have the opportunity to converse with you." Shen Nian''s high emotional intelligence response delighted President Zou. Pointing to the young man beside him, President Zou introduced with a smile, "This is my nephew, about the same age as you. He''s currently training under me to develop his abilities." [And...] Chapter 86 Chapter 86 President Zou pointed to a young man, around the same age as Shen Nian, with an average appearance and decent height. As soon as he saw Shen Nian, his eyes lit up, and he immediately extended his hand, "Hello, Assistant Shen, I''m Zou Zhijie." Shen Nian gave a slight nod as a polite acknowledgment. After the greetings, Lu Lingchuan and President Zou discussed some trivial topics before getting to the point. They had nned to y golf, and Shen Nian went back to the car to retrieve Lu Lingchuan''s golf equipment. Many high-end individuals have their own set of golf clubs. Others had already gone ahead, and Shen Nian took the equipment out of the trunk before closing it. Immediately, a figure eagerly approached her. "Assistant Shen, how can a girl like you carry such heavy things? Let me help you¡ª" Looking up, it was the young man from before, President Zou''s nephew. Shen Nian frowned and politely declined his offer, "No need, Mr. Lu doesn''t like others touching his things." Zou Zhijie smiled awkwardly, "I see." Shen Nian nodded and carried the golf clubs, following behind. President Zou was a golf enthusiast who would often scratch his itch by ying a few rounds whenever he had free time. Lu Lingchuan knew this, so he intentionally booked this golf course. "ying golf really cultivates one''s temperament. Whenever I have troubles, I y a few rounds, and as the ball flies out, my worries seem to fly away with it." Lu Lingchuan smiled politely, "I''ve heard that President Zou is a golf master. I''vee today to humbly seek your guidance." President Zouughed heartily, "Mr. Lu is too kind. One look at you, and I can tell you''re a quick learner. There''s no need for me to teach you." The two exchanged pleasantries, quickly findingmon ground. Shen Nian stood nearby, carrying the equipment. When Lu Lingchuan had built enough rapport, she stepped forward and handed him the golf clubs. Lu Lingchuan adjusted his stance, gripping the club with both hands, his feet angled 10-15 degrees from the target line, with his hips and shoulders parallel to the target, and his weight on his left foot. His movements were impable, with no ws to be found. He swung, and the ball soared through the air in a beautiful parabolic arc. "Excellent!" President Zou apuded, grinning from ear to ear. "What a great shot! Mr. Lu is indeed modest." Lu Lingchuan had yed to President Zou''s taste, and thetter became much more amiable in his speech. The two executives exchanged banter and friendlypetition on the golf course, significantly improving their rtionship. Shen Nian stood by, ready to assist as needed. She wore eight-centimeter stilettos with thin heels. While standing for a short while was bearable, standing straight for an extended period became challenging. Shen Nian felt her calves going numb. She shifted her weight, struggling to maintain her bnce. Although engaged in conversation with President Zou, Lu Lingchuan''s peripheral vision remained focused on Shen Nian, noticing her furrowed brow as she looked down at her feet, straining to stand upright. Without a word, the man simply gave her a nce. After years of working together, Shen Nian understood Lu Lingchuan''s silent message. She nodded in response and silently left the golf course. The lounge area of the golf course was luxuriously furnished. Shen Nian found a sofa to sit on and immediately started massaging her calves, relieving the pain since she couldn''t remove her shoes in public. When Lu Lingchen approached and saw her massaging her legs, he instantly understood, "No wonder he asked me to go to the car." Hearing his voice, Shen Nian looked up, notprehending his meaning. "What?" Lu Lingchen didn''t exin but simply handed her a paper bag. Shen Nian gave him a puzzled look, opened the bag, and found a pair of new ck fur-lined slippers inside. She looked back at Lu Lingchen with a questioning expression. Lu Lingchen gestured towards her feet, "High heels can cause pain when worn for too long. Change into these; no one will notice." The slipper soles were clean, appearing brand new and unworn. Shen Nian asked him, "Who gave you these slippers?" She didn''t believe these were bought by Lu Lingchen, as there were no stores nearby, and even if there were, they would only sell golf equipment, not shoes. Lu Lingchen plopped down beside Shen Nian, "Guess. If you get it right, there''s a reward." Shen Nian ignored him, not bothering to respond. Her heels were genuinely hurting now, so she epted Lu Lingchen''s offer of slippers. She removed her high heels and slipped on the fur-lined slippers. The soft slippers provided relief to her aching heels, significantly reducing the pain. Seeing her change into the slippers and put the high heels in the bag, Lu Lingchen couldn''t help butment, "Truly, couples in love are hard to understand. Even when they deeply care for each other, they still stubbornly refuse to admit it." His words gave Shen Nian pause, and she instantly realized the truth. The slippers weren''t prepared by Lu Lingchen. They were from Lu Lingchuan. "Correct, it was him," Lu Lingchen confirmed, seeing her realization. "I only found out about the slippers after he called me." "..." Shen Nian paused momentarily, then continued her actions, putting the shoes in the bag and cing it beside her feet. Noticing her distracted state, Lu Lingchen sighed and shook his head. Perhaps it was true that observers could see more clearly. He knew his brother had always held feelings for Shen Nian, and Shen Nian had never given up on loving his brother. However, the Pacific Ocean seemed to stand between them, preventing them froming together. Lu Lingrui''s death and those two children''s lives were lost, something that could not be ignored. They say that those with feelings and principles are human, while those without are animals. As long as one is human, they have emotions. As long as they have emotions, they care about those emotions. And as long as they care about emotions, they be entangled within them. In the past incident, Shen Nian was the victim, but humans are like that. Everyone is the same. When they lose something important, sadness is inevitable. Those who im to instantly move on and let go after being sad are being too hypocritical. As long as they truly cared, they cannot help but feel resentful and regretful, even knowing they shouldn''t. They cannot control their emotions and wonder what could have been different if certain things had changed, as if that could alter the oue. Just like the incident back then, Li Mingshi could never let it go, always wondering. If she hadn''t let her daughter go out that day, her daughter wouldn''t have encountered that incident. If she had taken the matter seriously and driven her daughter to the gates of A University herself, her daughter wouldn''t have taken the shortcut through the alley and been ambushed by those scumbags. If Shen Nian had pulled Lu Lingrui along and they had both run away together, perhaps Lu Lingrui wouldn''t have ended up on that path. Because Lu Lingrui was Lu Lingchuan''s only sister, and he witnessed her passing with his own eyes, seeing her struggle to hold his hand and console him in her final moments, Lu Lingchuan found it hard to let go. Because Lu Lingrui was once Shen Nian''s closest friend, and even in the midst of that incident, Lu Lingrui gave Shen Nian the only chance to survive and escape, Shen Nian also found it hard to let go. Ultimately, it was because they cared too much about Lu Lingrui that the two became entangled in the emotional web they had woven themselves, struggling more and more as they tried to break free. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 If they could win thewsuit soon and make those two beasts pay the price, perhaps... they could let go and move forward. Thinking of the other purpose of this trip besides work, Lu Lingchen''s eyes were determined. This time, they must sessfully obtain what they want! "Assistant Shen." The two were sitting when they heard a third person''s voice. Looking up, they saw Zou Zhijie, President Zou''s nephew, bringing tea and water over. He smiled especially warmly when he saw Shen Nian. Pushing the tea in front of Shen Nian, Zou Zhijie smiled and said, "Assistant Shen, their red tea tastes really good. It''s a very authentic English red tea. Give it a try." "..." Shen Nian frowned at his excessive eagerness, which she found hard to ept. His intentions were written all over his face. Seeing his ingratiating manner, Lu Lingchen''s interest was instantly piqued, and he straightened up to watch with relish. "No need," Shen Nian refused decisively. "I don''t like drinking tea." "..." Zou Zhijie''s smile froze, but he soon put on a new smile. "You don''t like tea? No problem, the coffee here is also..." "I''m not thirsty right now," Shen Nian refused outright. "Sorry, Young Master Zou, I''m discussing work with Manager Lu." She nodded and gave him a look that clearly meant he should leave. "..." Rejected, Zou Zhijie scratched his nose, smiled awkwardly, and found a way out for himself. "I see. Okay, then I''ll go book the hotel first. After President Zou and my uncle finish golfing, we''ll still need to go have dinner." With that, he left somewhat reluctantly. Watching his departing back, Lu Lingchen raised an eyebrow, his gaze falling on the red tea in front of Shen Nian. He picked it up and drank it quite shamelessly. "Hmm." After taking a sip, Lu Lingchen closed his eyes, seriously savoring the taste. "It really is authentic English red tea." "..." Shen Nian looked at him speechlessly. "Aren''t you afraid he put something in it?" Lu Lingchen dared to drink tea offered by a stranger, truly a greenhorn. His clear gaze revealed a hint of stupidity. Lu Lingchen opened his eyes and looked at Shen Nian with an air of gossip. "As expected of my Sister Nian. Even dressed like this, you still attract countless men to bend over for you." The ck-framed sses perched on Shen Nian''s nose bridge covered up half of her beauty, but her charm was undimmed. "..." Shen Nian said nothing about her alluring charm. "They''re just a bunch of hypocrites who couldn''t be more hypocritical." They were attracted by her face, so they shamelessly pestered her, affecting her mood and wasting her time. Years ago, those two beasts had seen the beautiful, pure faces of Lu Lingrui and Shen Nian and formed wicked intentions. Since then, Shen Nian had be averse to people hitting on her. She would feel disgusted, even annoyed. Not wanting to discuss this topic, Shen Nian asked Lu Lingchen instead, "How is your mother doing?" Lu Lingchen took another sip of red tea and replied, "The effect is good. The chemotherapy process is a bit tough, and her condition isn''t very good, but you can tell she''s actively cooperating with the treatment." After hearing this, Shen Nian nodded and murmured, "That''s good." As long as she cooperates, it''s good. ... A few hourster, Lu Lingchuan and President Zou returned. After golfing, the n was to go to the hotel for dinner. President Zou said to Lu Lingchuan, "President Lu, I know of a seafood ce that is their specialty. I must let you try how delicious it is!" Being by the sea, seafood was a local specialty. After getting ready, they left the golf course and headed to the hotel together. On President Zou''s side were himself, his secretary, and Zou Zhijie. On Lu Lingchuan''s side were Shen Nian, Lu Lingchen, as well as Manager Yu and Deputy Manager Chen, who would be mainly responsible for subsequent cooperation after the project was finalized. Since Lu Lingchuan would be busy with other matters after reaching the cooperation, he didn''t have time to instruct his subordinates, so he brought the two managers with him. After finalizing the deal here, he would immediately have them take over the subsequent cooperation. As soon as they got out of the car, Lu Lingchen''s phone rang. He answered without much thought, but his expression changed after hearing what was said on the other end. "Brother," he called out to Lu Lingchuan. Lu Lingchuan, who was walking ahead, stopped. Lu Lingchen hurried over and said a few words in his ear. Shen Nian was standing behind Lu Lingchuan, so she didn''t hear what he said, but she guessed about seven or eight points from reading his lips. It seemed there was an issue with Li Mingshi''s treatment. This was just Shen Nian''s guess, which was confirmed when she saw Lu Lingchuan''s expression change. Lu Lingchuan nodded to President Zou, "Sorry, I have an urgent matter to attend to. Let me take a call first." President Zou was taken aback but quickly said, "Then President Lu, please go handle your business first. After taking the call, a server will bring you to the private room." Lu Lingchuan responded and hurried outside while dialing his phone, with Lu Lingchen following closely behind. Although they left, Shen Nian and the others were still there. President Zou shifted his gaze back and smiled warmly at Shen Nian, "Assistant Shen, please." They entered the private room first, and as the host, President Zou naturally sat in the main seat. Zou Zhijie was his nephew, so he sat to his right. After sitting down, President Zou beckoned eagerly to Shen Nian. "Assistant Shen, sit here." "..." Shen Nian didn''t even look at him and walked around to sit in the third seat to the left of President Zou. She left the two seats in the middle vacant for Lu Lingchuan and Lu Lingchen. The two managers sat beside her. As soon as she sat down, President Zou showed a friendly smile. "When I attended the banquet in the capital before, I heard people say that President Lu has a youngdy by his side. Although young, she is very capable. Today, I finally have the honor of dining with Assistant Shen." The smile on Shen Nian''s face was just right, with the curve of her lips meeting the standard, leaving no room for criticism. "You''re too kind. I''m just a small assistant." Beforeing, Lu Lingchuan had investigated President Zou thoroughly. Naturally, President Zou also understood Lu Lingchuan''s achievements over the years, and a woman named Shen Nian was always behind each of Lu Lingchuan''s sesses. In this day and age, it''s easy to find a young, pretty assistant, but it''s difficult to find one as young, pretty, and capable as Shen Nian. "One of the heads of my subsidiaries went abroad recently. With him gone, that subsidiary of mine is like a headless dragon, causing me a lot of worry. If I could have a capable assistant like Assistant Shen to share my burdens..." President Zou said with a smile while meaningfully gazing at Shen Nian. He didn''t finish his sentence, but his implication was clear. He had extended a temptation, intending to poach Shen Nian to work for him. He specifically mentioned the subsidiary and being his right-hand person, telling Shen Nian that if she was willing toe work for him, he would give her the management of one of his subsidiaries. Additionally, he would make her his right-hand person. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 These two temptations, either one of them, are more promising than being Lu Lingchuan''s assistant. Shen Nian lowered her gaze, concealing the sharpness in her eyes, looked up, and pretended not to understand, telling President Zou, "President Zou, with your capabilities, I''m sure you will be able to find a suitable candidate to take over the branchpany soon." "......" Hearing this answer, President Zou was very disappointed, but soon said, "Well, since Mr. Lu hasn''te back yet, let me go to the restroom first." Shen Nian nodded. Seeing that his uncle had left the private room, Zou Zhijie also immediately got up and followed him out. President Zou came out of the restroom and saw his nephew standing there, staring at him intently, as if waiting for him toe out. "......" President Zou frowned, turned on the faucet to wash his hands, and said, "You little brat, what scheme are you up to this time? Just spit it out." Zou Zhijie stood next to him and said with a smile, "Uncle, are you trying to poach Shen Nian to our family?" "......" President Zou''s movements paused, and he looked around, seeing that there were no outsiders around, he candidly admitted, "That Shen Nian is a talent no less than Lu Lingchuan. The two of them together are not even fifty years old, yet they have reached this level of ability. If you give them another three to five years, this throne will surely belong to them." The capabilities of today''s young people are simply extraordinary. Thinking about how he has been struggling in the business world for all these years, yet he was caught up by these two young people in just a few years. Given time, they will surely be great. It''s not very likely to poach Lu Lingchuan, but his right-hand man, Shen Nian... is a big treasure trove. President Zou knew that manypanies have been trying various means to poach Shen Nian and offer very tempting conditions. Today, he finally had the chance to interact with Shen Nian, and he naturally had to offer the most generous conditions he could. Unfortunately... Shen Nian turned out to be as loyal to Lu Lingchuan as everyone said. Even with such tempting conditions, Shen Nian showed no interest at all. "Uncle, it seems that Lu Lingchuan is quite interested in cooperating with us," Zou Zhijie, being a shrewd person, could see Lu Lingchuan''s intentions at a nce. "Indeed." President Zou nodded in agreement, "He mentioned it when we were ying golf today that if both parties can cooperate, they are willing to make a concession of one-tenth." Lu Lingchuan is willing to lower his status to cooperate with the Zou Group, and President Zou was also very intrigued, first because Lu Lingchuan was indeed very sincere, and second because he knew Lu Lingchuan''s potential, and cooperating with him would not go wrong. Perhaps in three to five years, he would no longer be qualified to cooperate with Lu Lingchuan. Zou Zhijie also noticed his uncle''s interest and quickly said, "Uncle, the Lingrui Group is very good, and the cooperation is appropriate, but it''s obvious that the other party is more eager to cooperate with us! Before making a concession, we can negotiate for more benefits..." President Zou looked at his nephew, "What do you mean?" Zou Zhijie grinned and whispered a few words in his ear. After hearing it, President Zou was surprised. Before he could speak, Zou Zhijie immediately said, "Uncle, I''m serious! If this n seeds, it will be a triple win for us!" "First, our cooperation with the Lingrui Group will remain. Second, as long as Shen Nian and I have a romantic rtionship, she will be considered half a member of our family. In the future, when we get married and have children, it''s only natural for our own people to work in our ownpany. Why would they go to otherpanies?" "As for the third point, hehe..." Zou Zhijie said with an embarrassed smile, "Uncle, you''ve seen it yourself. Shen Nian is not only good-looking but also capable. Having such a girlfriend will solve my lifelong issue. Plus, we''ll have a capable person in ourpany, and ourpany will be more and more prosperous in the future, won''t it?" "......" Zou Zhijie only mentioned three points, but they made President Zou extremely tempted. Having his nephew and Shen Nian, who are simr in age, be together would be so wonderful. First, Shen Nian''s appearance is very impressive, which can boost the reputation of the Zou family. Secondly, Shen Nian''s abilities are well-known, and if she is in a rtionship with his nephew, he can get her assistance without offering any temptation, which is a profitable deal without spending any money. Thinking about it, there are so many benefits. President Zou is not a fool. He does want to cooperate with Lu Lingchuan, but it''s obvious that the other party is more eager to cooperate with him. As businessmen, when ites to cooperation, it''s a test of both parties'' mentality. Whoever shows their weakness first will be at a disadvantage. Apparently, Lu Lingchuan has already revealed his weakness. President Zou was still a little worried, "Are you sure you can do it?" "Of course!" Zou Zhijie firmly nodded, "As long as you''re willing to help me, I can win over Shen Nian!" "Okay." The uncle and nephew quickly reached an agreement, and Shen Nian in the private room had no idea that they were plotting against her. When Zou Zhijie came back from the restroom, he had the waiter bring the most expensive red wine from their hotel. He personally poured a ss and then walked towards Shen Nian. "I''ve heard my uncle talk about Assistant Shen before, and now that I''ve seen you, Assistant Shen is indeed very remarkable. Your working ability and demeanor truly make me feel inferior. This first ss of wine, I must drink to you!" As he finished speaking, he handed the wine ss to Shen Nian. Seeing Zou Zhijie approaching her, Shen Nian frowned. Because of his enthusiasm in the afternoon, Shen Nian had no affection for him and didn''t want to drink his wine. Just as she was about to refuse, Zou Zhijie quickly noticed her thoughts and hurriedly said, "This ss of wine is my respect, Assistant Shen cannot refuse!" President Zou also chimed in from the side, "My nephew is a year older than you, Assistant Shen, but his abilities are not even one-tenth of yours. This ss of wine, he should be the one drinking to you, and please also take care to guide and give advice to Zhijie in the future." The uncle and nephew took turns praising Shen Nian, leaving her no reason to refuse. Staring at the wine ss Zou Zhijie handed her, and remembering what Lu Lingchen said, that President Zou''s connections are far-reaching, and that''s why Lu Lingchuan is in contact with him, as he may be able to provide great help in Lingrui''s matters. So... she must drink this wine. Shen Nian stood up, took the red wine from Zou Zhijie, lowered her head, and drained it in one gulp. "Assistant Shen is straightforward!" Zou Zhijie immediatelyplimented, taking the wine bottle to pour her another ss. "My uncle said that Mr. Lu is very interested in wanting to cooperate with our Zou Group..." Shen Nian had hardly touched any alcoholtely, and it had been a long time since shest drank. Suddenly drinking again, she felt a bit flustered. Hearing Zou Zhijie''s words, Shen Nian nodded, "The cooperation between the Zou Group and our Lingrui Group will surely be a win-win situation." Zou Zhijie smiled, "We do highly appreciate the capabilities of yourpany, but... we still value yourpany''s goodwill more." As he said this, he raised his wine ss, hinting at his meaning. "..." Shen Nian paused for a moment, understanding. She once again emptied the ss of wine, looking at Zou Zhijie, "Of course, in order to cooperate with the Zou Group, we have shown the utmost sincerity." Chapter 89 Chapter 89 President Zou also stood up and smiled at Shen Nian, saying, "I''ve seen Shen Assistant''s sincerity." The uncle and nephew continued to chat with Shen Nian, while the two managers next to them werepletely ignored, as if they were invisible. They brought up one topic after another, trying their best to get Shen Nian to drink. Although young, Shen Nian had fought her way up from scratch alongside Lu Lingchuan, and she was also a social adept. It was obvious that they were deliberately trying to get her drunk, but since she didn''t know their true purpose, Shen Nian could only y along, following their lead step by step. Zou Zhijie thought Shen Nian was just a young girl, even a year younger than him. Even if she had been working with Lu Lingchuan for a few years, how much progress could she have made in such a short time? Her alcohol tolerance was likely just average. If she got drunk, it would be easier to do anything. He didn''t know how much she had drunk, but he himself was already a little tipsy, much more boastful than before, and President Zou was also slightly intoxicated. Shen Nian was wearing ck-rimmed sses, but they couldn''t conceal her delicate features and fine facial features. The sses even added a touch of maturity and professionalism to her. At this moment, her beautiful eyes were filled with drunkenness, and she swayed her head, her movements unsteady. It''s done. Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Zou Zhijie showed a triumphant smile, staring at Shen Nian''s face with infatuation, and said, "Assistant Shen, my uncle told me that yourpany is very eager to cooperate with our Zou Group and is even willing to lower your standards." Shen Nian''s eyes were eight-tenths drunk and only two-tenths clear. She put one hand on her forehead and didn''t speak. Zou Zhijie didn''t insist on waiting for her answer, but continued, "This project... may be a bit difficult. In fact, besides your Lingrui Group, there are two otherpanies that are also interested in cooperating with us..." He didn''t finish his sentence, but just shook his head, pretending to be troubled. Shen Nian caught his meaning and remained silent. "However..." Zou Zhijie changed the subject, and there was more toe. "Assistant Shen, you should have noticed that I''m a little interested in you. If you can express your sincerity, I can discuss it with my uncle..." As he said this, his hand reached out to touch Shen Nian''s hand. Just as he was about to make contact, Shen Nian naturally avoided it, and her peripheral vision immediately turned to look at President Zou. President Zou was sitting in his seat, sitting upright and maintaining a cold demeanor. He had heard what Zou Zhijie had just said, but he didn''t interrupt. That is to say, he tacitly approved of his nephew''s words. No wonder the uncle and nephew hade up with so many irresistible reasons to get her to drink. It turns out they wanted to bully her. Zou Zhijie had made his intentions very clear. Whether the twopanies could cooperate had nothing to do with Lu Lingchuan and President Zou, but depended on Shen Nian. As long as Shen Nian sumbed to being bullied, the project would definitely go through; if Shen Nian refused, the Zou Group had plenty of other partners to choose from. Shen Nian lowered her gaze and concealed theplexity in her eyes. When she looked up again, her eyes were still filled with the drunken haze. She pretended not to understand Zou Zhijie''s hint and simply said, "If that''s the case, I need to report this to President Lu immediately." As she spoke, she put her hand in her bag to take out her phone. But as soon as she took it out, the phone was snatched away by Zou Zhijie and pushed to the center of the rotating dinner table, far away from Shen Nian. "Assistant Shen, why are you so naive? It doesn''t matter whether you report to President Lu or not. What matters is whether we can cooperate, and that depends on you, Assistant Shen. I heard from my uncle that you are President Lu''s most trusted right-hand person, and you have helped him win many tricky projects. I''m sure you arepletely loyal to President Lu..." "As long as you give the nod, we can also fulfill your loyalty to President Lu once again..." Taking advantage of Lu Lingchuan''s absence, Zou Zhijie blurted out everything he should and should not have said. Knowing Shen Nian''s unwavering loyalty to Lu Lingchuan, he deliberately brought up Lu Lingchuan. Shen Nian looked at the phone that had been thrown to the center of the table, her gaze heavy. She had already guessed that as soon as she took out her phone, it would be snatched away, so during those few seconds when her hand went into the bag, she had pressed the emergency hotkey several times to activate the emergency dialing. Her only emergency contact person was one person. ..................... Outside, Lu Lingchuan was on the phone with someone in the capital. Just then, Li Mingshi received a strange call, and as soon as she answered, abusivenguage came from the other end. ¡¾You''re Lu Lingrui''s mother, right? Your daughter deserved to die!¡¿ ¡¾Why are you dressing so nicely at such a young age? Is it just to seduce men? So pretentious!¡¿ ¡¾Your psychological endurance is so low, right? Just because she was vited, you had to go and throw yourself off a building? It''s good that she''s dead, because she would have jumped off a building for other reasons in the future anyway.¡¿ ¡¾Hahaha hahaha hahaha...¡¿ These words trampled on every bottom line of Li Mingshi. Hearing them, she directly copsed. In addition to the endless calls, there were also various bombarding text messages, with more than a hundreding in just a minute! They were all kinds of sarcastic and derogatory remarks, saying that Lu Lingrui''s suicide was deserved, and that she had brought it upon herself by making a stic friend who abandoned her. Saying... Li Mingshi directly fainted from anger. Her phone number had been maliciously leaked. In addition, the incident regarding Lu Lingrui from years ago had also been maliciously exposed. Someone had bribed many marketing ounts to start reporting the incident on arge scale, and they even released the chat records between Wang Yong''s wife. Marketing ount: ¡¾Hello, is it true that your husband Wang Yong assaulted a youngdy five years ago?¡¿ Wang Yong''s wife: ¡¾Yes, my husband is still being detained.¡¿ Wang Yong''s wife: ¡¾My husbandmitted this foolish act when he was drunk, and although it was not intentional, we acknowledged our mistake. But the other party has been relentless in pursuing us. ¡¿ Wang Yong''s wife: ¡¾We are willing to makepensation, but the other party insists on having my husband killed! They have also lost their daughter, how can they bear to make me lose my husband and my inws lose their son? They are too heartless! And their daughter didn''t die at the hands of my husband, it''s not like he incited her tomit suicide.¡¿ ¡¾We''ve been harassed by them for five years, isn''t thepensation we''ve made enough?¡¿ Though it was their fault, they still pretended to be extremely aggrieved. Even thements below were particrly damaging to the moral principles. ¡¾Is that necessary? Although they made a mistake, it''s not to the point of deserving death, right?¡¿ ¡¾Rape is usually only punished with around three years in prison, they''ve been tormented for five years, isn''t that enough?¡¿ ¡¾Can''t you just look forward? Is it meaningful to keep clinging to their tiny mistakes?¡¿ These usernames were all long strings of numbers, clearly bought water army ounts. Just a nce could tell that this was the other party''s new round of attack - using public opinion to suppress the Lu family. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Some of what was said is indeed true. First and foremost, Lu Lingrui died by suicide, not at his hands. Secondly, the crime of assaulting a woman is not punishable by death. The Lu family has been relentlessly pursuing this matter, to an extent that some see as rather extreme. The other party did this deliberately to stir up trouble and provoke public opinion. The inte is a double-edged sword, capable of exposing many depraved beasts with twisted moralpasses. Even when one knows the other party is unforgivably wicked, there will always be brainless trolls blindly following and viciously insulting the victim. They deliberately bribed marketing ounts to whitewash the misdeeds of Wang Yong and Yang Hao, while emphasizing the Lu family''s unyielding determination and viciously portraying them as pitiable victims. After seeing the marketing ounts, the first thought of the masses was how the Lu family was being so petty... This way, their goal was achieved. As long as someone attacks the Lu family, it is a joyous asion for them. "Your mother''s condition has stabilized now. Don''t worry, I''ve turned off her phone and discarded that number. I''ll get her a new number tomorrow," said Lu Yanhua over the phone. "..." Lu Lingchuan gripped his phone tightly, his expression darkening. Gritting his teeth, the veins on the back of his hand bulging. If he had a knife in his hand and the Wang and Yang families were in front of him, he wouldn''t hesitate to stab them all to death! Beasts! Years ago, the Lu family had gone to great lengths to suppress this matter, not wanting Lu Lingrui to face criticism even after her death. So those who knew about the Lu family''swsuit were few and far between over the years. They tried every way to maintain Lu Lingrui''s final dignity, yet the other party shamelessly made it public, even spending money to hire inte trolls to sway public opinion. After a long while, Lu Lingchuan finally regained hisposure and said with effort, "I''ll have someone take down all the reports." "No need," said Lu Yanhua. "Jinghe has taken care of it." Jinghe, Liang Jinghe. "Jinghe''s father is acquainted with the founders of the major short video and social media apps. I immediately sought the Liang family''s help when this happened." Information about Lu Lingrui''s case had only just started spreading when it was forcibly suppressed. So no matter which social media app you search, you won''t find a single trace. Fortunately, it was suppressed in time. "Jinghe called me to say she has had people contact those marketing ounts that published the information. They admitted to receiving a huge sum of one million yuan each, paid by someone who only asked them to post one piece of content after taking the money." Which was about Lu Lingrui''s case from years ago. As for who paid them, besides the families of Wang Yong and Yang Hao, who else could it be? Lu Lingchen was furious. "They''ve gone too far!" He punched a nearby pir with his fist! Lingrui was ruined by them, and even five yearster, they still had to bring it up and make a big fuss about it. Lu Lingchuan didn''t express his rage. He only wore a solemn expression, his voice as cold as the December wind: "Have Liang Jinghe preserve the evidence." This would be the key strike for them to counterattackter. Deliberately hiring people to incite public opinion and distort the truth ¨C as long as the evidence is conclusive, it could be the weapon for their retaliation. "I know. With father in the capital, all you need to do is contact the victims in Hai City." Currently, all hopes rest on Lu Lingchuan. Lu Yanhua stood on the balcony, holding his phone. He slowly walked towards the bedroom but stopped at the doorway. The door was open, and he stood there watching Auntie Xu caring for Li Mingshi. Li Mingshi, who had been improving, broke down again after receiving the phone call and messages. The first round of chemotherapy had caused severe hair loss, making her look even more haggard. Lu Yanhua felt a pang in his heart. He gripped his phone and turned away. "Lingchuan, it all depends on you now." The five-year-long feud and grievances should finallye to an end. "..." After hanging up, Lu Lingchuan remained silent for a moment before calling Liang Jinghe. She answered quickly, her pleasant voiceing through: "Lingchuan." Lu Lingchuan rarely called her directly, so Liang Jinghe immediately understood why he was calling and spoke first without him bringing it up. "You don''t need to worry about public opinion. All information about Lingrui has been removed. I''ve been monitoring the inte, and they won''t have another chance. Additionally, I''ve instructed all major tforms to ban Lingrui''s name." Searching for "Lu Lingrui" would yield no results. Not a single word about Lu Lingrui''s case from years ago would appear online. Liang Jinghe was very thoughtful, considering every aspect. Listening to her describe her arrangements over the phone, Lu Lingchuan remained silent for a while before speaking. "Thank you." Liang Jinghe, who had been reporting, was momentarily stunned before smiling warmly: "There''s no need for such pleasantries between us. Uncle Lu said you''re in Hai City." "Yes." "Stay safe. And..." She paused, then continued, "May your wishese true." When Liang Jinghe received Lu Yanhua''s call today, she was very surprised. She thought the Lu family only had two brothers and didn''t expect them to have had a daughter whomitted suicide five years ago. She had always wondered why Lu Lingchuan''spany was called Lingrui Group. Ling was Lu Lingchuan''s surname, but what about the ''rui''? Was it the name of another woman, like his first love or someone he loved but couldn''t be with? Only now did Liang Jinghe learn that it was indeed a woman''s name ¨C Lu Lingchuan''s sister, named Lu Lingrui. Due to the urgency, Lu Yanhua only told her a brief summary ¨C that despite hearing just a little, Liang Jinghe couldn''t help but feel sympathy. Just how deeply wounded must someone be to choose death at such a tender age? She didn''t know, nor could she fully empathize. All she could do was try her best to preserve the little dignity this girl had left in this world. ... After hanging up with Liang Jinghe, Lu Lingchen had also finished his call. Holding his phone, he looked at Lu Lingchuan: "Brother, we''ve found her. She''s currently working as a server at a small restaurant. We can go there tomorrow." "Hmm." Lu Lingchuan acknowledged. As soon as the words left his mouth and he had turned off his phone screen, it lit up again. Lu Lingchen saw the contact name. [Nian] It was Shen Nian. Didn''t she go to the private room earlier? Why was she calling now? Lu Lingchuan answered the call but didn''t hear Shen Nian''s voice. Instead, he heard an unfamiliar yet familiar male voice. [Shen Assistant, why can''t you understand? Whether I report to Lu or not is unimportant. What matters is whether Shen Assistant is willing to cooperate with us...] It was the voice of Zou Zhijie, the nephew of Director Zou. Lu Lingchuan and Lu Lingchen heard every word he said, loud and clear. After hearing it, Lu Lingchen was shocked but also impressed. Well, well, I thought the young man just had high standards, but I didn''t expect him to take the suicidal path instead of the secret admirer path. Before Lu Lingchen could say anything, he felt a gust of wind beside him. By the time he realized what was happening, Lu Lingchuan had already stormed into the hotel. Chapter 91 Chapter 91 In the private room, Shen Nian was uncertain whether the phone call had gone through or whether Lu Lingchuan had answered it. When she and Lu Lingchen had left earlier, they were walking in a hurry, and she didn''t know what had happened. Moreover, the distance between the hotel entrance and the private room was considerable. Zou Zhijie had been trying to take advantage of Shen Nian, using ttery and veiled threats about their business partnership. Shen Nian knew that President Zou considered Zou Zhijie important, which was why she hadn''t openly defied them, avoiding them each time without making a fuss. Unsure if the call had gone through, Shen Nian could only rely on herself. Her gaze fell upon the two managers sitting nearby, hoping they would speak up and help her out of this situation. The two managers saw Shen Nian''s gaze and felt uneasy. They were experienced in the ways of the world and understood Zou Zhijie''s intentions all too well. However... Lu Lingchuan had previously said that securing this project was essential, and there could be no mistakes. Zou Zhijie was acting so brazenly, and President Zou had not uttered a single word of reproach, even asionally making remarks hinting that Shen Nian should ept it calmly. This proved that he tacitly approved of Zou Zhijie''s actions. If they spoke up, they would undoubtedly offend Zou Zhijie and President Zou. If the project fell through because of them, Lu Lingchuan would not let them off the hook. After much hesitation, the two managers turned their heads and ignored Shen Nian''s gaze. In the business world, unspoken rules weremonce, and it was not unusual forpanies to offer women to their partners to secure deals. Shen Nian was Lu Lingchuan''s trusted assistant, so it wasn''t a big deal for her to make a small sacrifice for him. Besides, everyone knew that Shen Nian had been by Lu Lingchuan''s side from the beginning, struggling alongside him. Who could say if she had previously offered herself for the sake of a deal? If she had, then sacrificing herself once more wouldn''t be a big deal. "..." Shen Nian had only wanted them to say something to change the subject, but the two managers deliberately looked away, pretending not to see, and even Manager Yu remarked, "Assistant Shen, Young Master Zou is a good man. You should just go along with him." At that moment, Shen Nian felt a chill in her heart, overwhelmed by a sense of sadness. To them, the unspoken rules were perfectly normal. As long as their goal was achieved, what did it matter if a few women were sacrificed? "Heh..." Shen Nian let out a scornfulugh. Zou Zhijie heard her mockingughter and paused for a moment. "What are youughing at?" After asking, he continued hinting, "Assistant Shen, I haven''t made any arrangements for tonight..." He threw Shen Nian a suggestive nce and continued, "After tonight... we can sign the contract tomorrow." Shen Nian no longer pretended to be drunk, letting the feigned drunkenness fade from her eyes. She straightened her body, about to retort, when suddenly there was a loud "bang," followed by a scream. The next second, the door to the private room was violently kicked open from the outside, and three people entered. A server, Lu Lingchen, and Lu Lingchuan. The scream came from the server who had led them there, as she hadn''t expected Lu Lingchuan to kick the door down. The high-quality door to the private room was kicked open by Lu Lingchuan, the lock broken, and there was even a visible dent in the door itself. Lu Lingchuan stood at the entrance, one foot still raised in the air, exuding an icy aura. His eyes were as cold as a frozen pond, filled with sinister shadows that would make anyone shudder at a single nce. Due to the incident with Lu Lingchen, his rage had already reached its peak, and he was barely holding back from exploding. Zou Zhijie''s actions were akin to poking a needle into a balloon about to burst. "Bang!" Lu Lingchuan''s long-suppressed fury finally erupted. His icy gaze fell directly on Shen Nian. Shen Nian stood there, staring at him in bewilderment, not expecting Lu Lingchuan to kick the door open. Nearby, Zou Zhijie was also stunned, his hand about to reach for Shen Nian''s waist, interrupted midway, still in the posture of embracing her, mere inches away from her waist... Lu Lingchuan saw that hand, and the ferocity in his eyes raged uncontrobly. In a few strides, he rushed forward, grabbed Shen Nian''s hand, and pulled her behind him. Then, without warning, he viciously kicked Zou Zhijie''s knee. Zou Zhijie cried out in pain as his body copsed uncontrobly to the ground, the drunkenness he had felt earlier instantly sobered by the pain as he howled, clutching his leg. President Zou was also startled by the sudden turn of events, as was Shen Nian, who hadn''t expected Lu Lingchuan to barge in and kick Zou Zhijie. Zou Zhijie was President Zou''s nephew, and this kick was a clear sign of enmity between them. At this moment, Lu Lingchuan had lost all rationality, his fury raging unchecked in his mind. He grabbed Zou Zhijie from the ground and mmed him onto the dining table. His thin lips moved, each word uttered like that of the King Yama from hell. "Trying to impose the unspoken rules on me, you''ve got some nerve!" Zou Zhijie was terrified, his eyes wide, his legs trembling uncontrobly, but his mouth still defiant. "You... you darey a finger on me! My uncle will never consider partnering with you!" Yes... his uncle had said that Lu Lingchuan was intent on partnering with them, even willing to lower his profits. He wouldn''t dare offend his uncle, he wouldn''t dare... "Lu Lingchuan!" President Zou was also shaken by the scene, seeing his nephew pinned to the dining table in such a sorry state. "Lu Lingchuan, is this really necessary over a woman? My nephew didn''t mean anything by it. Just give the word, and we can sign the contract right now!" "..." Lu Lingchuan slowly turned his head, his eyes as ck as a raging storm, filled with ruthless ferocity. This uncle and nephew had angered him. "..." President Zou was taken aback, momentarily stunned. He was old enough to be Lu Lingchuan''s uncle, and in his decades of experience in the business world, he thought he had seen it all. Yet now, he found himself taking a step back, his heart racing uncontrobly, all because of the gaze of this young man. It was fear. "Heh..." In his fury, Lu Lingchuan let out augh, even the sound dripping with the chill of a thousand frozen miles and a million snowkes drifting through the air. "Is this really necessary?" He picked up a nearby wine bottle and smashed it against the table edge. "Bang!" The bottle shattered, shards of ss flying everywhere, even leaving a bloody gash on Zou Zhijie''s face. The remaining half of the bottle was gripped in Lu Lingchuan''s hand, its jagged edge razor-sharp. The overhead light cast shadows over the man''s fierce features as he pressed the bottle against Zou Zhijie''s throat, like a vengeful spirit from hell. "You can try and see if it''s necessary..." Feeling his life threatened, Zou Zhijie''s pupils constricted in terror as he stared at Lu Lingchuan. He tensed his body, not even daring to swallow, fearing that the slightest movement might cause him to be cut by the sharp bottle... Lu Lingchuan''s fury was beyond everyone''s expectations. Seeing that Lu Lingchuan was truly prepared to kill Zou Zhijie, Shen Nian immediately stepped forward. "Lu Lingchuan!" Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Outside, there were still so many prying eyes watching. If Lu Lingchuan truly harmed Zou Zhijie, it would surely invite unnecessary trouble. "Lu Lingchuan." Shen Nian shook her head. "Calm down..." Lu Lingchuan''s breathing was heavy, the crimson in his eyes refusing to fade. But upon hearing Shen Nian''s voice, the little rationality he had left increased slightly. Seeing his emotions had slightly eased, Shen Nian carefully tried to take the wine bottle from his hand. Fortunately, Lu Lingchuan didn''t struggle, allowing her to take it. After taking the wine bottle from him, Shen Nian immediately threw it aside, finally breathing a sigh of relief. Lu Lingchen at the door also let out a breath of relief. If his brother had truly acted, it would have caused a lot of trouble. Ling Rui''s case had yet to be resolved. Feuding with President Zou''s side now would only be adding fuel to the fire. The hotel manager hade over earlier, bringing a bunch of security guards. It was Lu Lingchen who had calmed the manager, preventing them from calling the police. "Lu Lingchuan." Shen Nian called his name again, staring at his tightly clenched fist, the veins protruding on the back of his hand. Although he had changed greatly after Ling Rui''s passing, he would never lose hisposure and rationality like this unless something major had happened. Shen Nian''s voice gradually pulled Lu Lingchuan back. He gazed at her, looking her up and down. Her clothes were tidy, with no signs of mistreatment. He then released Zou Zhijie, who was so frightened he had nearly wet his pants, and pulled Shen Nian out of the private room. The manager and security guards at the door dared not provoke the King of Hell, silently clearing a path for them. It wasn''t until muchter that Zou Zhijie finally recovered from the shock and became enraged. "Lu Lingchuan has gone too far!" Lu Lingchen did not leave with them, instead staying behind to clean up the aftermath. Hearing President Zou''s words, Lu Lingchen burst intoughter. "President Zou, you seem to be turning the tables here." "..." Lu Lingchen walked in, looking at the now terrified Zou Zhijie, his gaze then slowly shifting to President Zou''s face. The two brothers shared a striking resemnce. Although younger, Lu Lingchen had also matured overnight after Ling Rui''s passing. While hecked his brother''s imperious aura, he was by no means someone to be trifled with. "The Lingrui Group sincerely wanted to cooperate with Zou''s Group, yet President Zou wanted his nephew to exploit one of ourpany''s employees?" "..." President Zou felt guilty. "You... you''re talking nonsense, I don''t know what you''re saying." Even he knew how dishonorable this act was. "Really?" Lu Lingchen raised an eyebrow, his gaze scanning the area around where Shen Nian had been, eventuallynding on the center of the dining table. He reached out his long arm and picked up Shen Nian''s phone that Zou Zhijie had knocked onto the table, then lifted his own phone. This was the one Lu Lingchuan had thrown on the ground when he kicked down the door. Lu Lingchen had picked it up. The two phones were still in a call. Lu Lingchen calmly ended the call on one of the phones. On Shen Nian''s phone, a notification popped up: "Recording saved." He waved Shen Nian''s phone at President Zou. "Assistant Shen''s phone has automatically saved the call recording. If President Zou is unwilling to admit it, and insists on involving the police, we can certainly go to the police station for some tea and discussion." "..." "If President Zou truly feels he and his nephew have been wronged, you''re also wee to publicize today''s events at your own expense. The Lingrui Group is willing to add a million dors to make this a high-profile case known to all. Then we can see which side the masses will stand on." Just hearing that Lu Lingchuan had kicked down the door and was even prepared to kill Zou Zhijie would surely provoke public outrage. But with Zou''s Group having tried to exploit Shen Nian first, the case took a dramatic turn. Even if Lu Lingchuan had used force, what of it? The clear-eyed masses would only apud! "..." President Zou knew they were in the wrong and was regretful. He regretted allowing Zou Zhijie to try to exploit Shen Nian. If this incident hadn''t happened, the cooperation between the two sides could have proceeded smoothly, and Zou''s Group would have profited. For this project, even if Lu Lingchuan didn''t want to work together, it would have greatly benefited Zou''s Group. Lu Lingchuan had never intended to profit himself; his only reason for securing the cooperation was the connections President Zou had. Of course President Zou wanted to cooperate with Lu Lingchuan, but his intentions were impure. Thinking Lu Lingchuan wanted to work with him, he became arrogant and overstepped. Leading to the present situation. "Manager Lu," President Zou smiled ingratiatingly. "This is all that brat''s fault. You gentlemen shouldn''t take it to heart. We still need to cooperate in the future, don''t we?" "Cooperate?" Lu Lingchenughed outright. "Ourpany doesn''tck this cooperation, much less a cooperation obtained by sacrificing our female employees." "..." There was nothing more to say between them. Lu Lingchen then turned his gaze to Manager Yu and Vice Manager Chen. Although he hadn''t witnessed them condoning Zou Zhijie''s exploitation of Shen Nian, the fact that they hadn''t said a word while she was mistreated showed their stance. "It seems the two managers approve of exploitation?" Lu Lingchen said with a mocking smile. "Manager... Manager Lu," the two managers stammered, tongue-tied. "No... not at all..." They tried to exin, both filled with regret. "Not what?" Lu Lingchen''s smile deepened as he spoke slowly. "Assistant Shen, Young Master Zou seems like a nice guy. Why don''t you just go along with it?" "..." The Manager Yu closest to him froze, his face contorting in horror as his body began to tremble. Lu Lingchen mocked, "Manager Yu, those were your words, weren''t they?" "..." He then looked at Vice Manager Chen beside him. "When Manager Yu said that, Vice Manager Chen remained silent, which amounts to tacit approval?" "..." Staring at the two of them, Lu Lingchen''s smile faded as he coldly stated, "The Lingrui Group has gotten to where it is today through capability and hard work, not crooked means! Even if it wasn''t Assistant Shen today, no female employee of ours is to be sacrificed for the sake of achieving a goal!" "It seems the two of you hold vastly different life values, value systems, and world views from the Lingrui Group. If that''s the case, I have no need to keep you both. Please submit your resignation letters to my email by tomorrow. I''ll approve them personally." Leaving them with those words, Lu Lingchen walked out with Shen Nian''s belongings, ignoring their pleas for him to stay. Reaching the door, he took a card from his pocket and handed it to the manager. "For the door that was kicked in and anything broken inside, please make a list so we can provide fullpensation." ... Lu Lingchuan drove away with Shen Nian, who kept watching him. His mood was poor now. Driving in this state was very dangerous, so Shen Nian looked around before speaking to Lu Lingchuan. "Lu Lingchuan, find a ce to stop and calm down." Chapter 93 Chapter 93 "......" Lu Lingchuan nced at her, the murderous crimson still lingering in his eyes, but he still followed Shen Nian''s words and parked the car in the parking lot up ahead. The two got out of the car, with the ocean nearby. This was one of the major attractions of Hai City for tourists. Many visitors who came here for sightseeing would rent a two-person bicycle and pedal along the seaside path, admiring the scenery along the way, which was a way to cultivate their temperaments. It waste now, however, and the beach was deserted, with even the sea breeze feeling bone-chilling. The two walked side by side along the beach, one tall and one short. The sky had already darkened, and streetmps were spaced out along the path ahead, their light illuminating the way for them. Shen Nian had drunk some alcohol and was a little tipsy. She walked with her head down, watching her own feet. The wind blew against her, feeling a bit chilly. Suddenly, a warmth enveloped her securely. She looked up, staring in confusion at the suit jacket draped over her shoulders. It still carried its wearer''s body heat, having just been removed. She looked up at him. The owner of the suit had unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled up his shirt sleeves, and the once impably knotted tie was now loosened, with the top two buttons also undone. The sea breeze was cold at night, and Shen Nian only felt a little warmth while wearing Lu Lingchuan''s jacket, but he was just in a shirt, and had even undone so many buttons. She couldn''t help but say, "The wind is too cold." He would freeze like this. Lu Lingchuan nced at her, leaving her with a cool look. "I''m dissipating heat." He said those three words so matter-of-factly that Shen Nian found it a little funny. She held back the urge tough out loud. Well, his ferocity and anger from earlier were quite intense, so he probably did need to "dissipate heat." The two didn''t say anything else, just walking side by side, on and on... Shen Nian looked ahead and saw no end in sight, suddenly feeling like she wasn''t walking along a beach, but along the path of life itself. She and Lu Lingchuan walked side by side - was this the end, the end of life''s journey for them? Shen Nian suddenly wanted to see the end. Even if they didn''t reach old age hand in hand, she had at least walked this stretch of life''s path side by side with Lu Lingchuan. It''s unknown how long they walked, but there was still no end in sight. The wind had blown long enough to sober Shen Nian up, and Lu Lingchuan had also calmed down. Seeing that he was in a better state, Shen Nian finally spoke up, "Tomorrow I''ll personally apologize to Director Zou, so hopefully we can still reconcile." When Shen Nian said this, she herself didn''t have much confidence - the way Lu Lingchuan had wanted to kill Zou Zhijie earlier, the two sides would probably not only fail to reconcile, but would be sworn enemies instead. Upon hearing this, Lu Lingchuan turned his head and looked at her. "Why do you need to apologize? Did you do something wrong?" Shen Nian pursed her lips. "Sometimes an apology isn''t necessarily for being wrong, but for the sake of interests, where we have no choice but topromise." She would only apologize for the sake of Director Zou''s connections, for Lu Lingrui''s sake. "......" Lu Lingchuan stopped in his tracks. Shen Nian had walked two steps ahead before realizing he wasn''t following her. She turned around to see Lu Lingchuan standing there, looking at her. Shen Nian was puzzled for a second. Just as she was about to speak, Lu Lingchuan had already strided up, walking past her with a cold voice. "You can represent yourself in apologizing, but not me. No way." Someone who dared toy a hand on his woman still wanted him to apologize? No way. "......" Shen Nian was stunned for a moment before snapping back to reality. She knew how determined Lu Lingchuan was about avenging Lu Lingrui, that he would go to any lengths for that purpose. Now, despite knowing Director Zou could be of great help, he still refused to lower his head. Was it for her sake? Even though Shen Nian thought it was unlikely, the mere thought of it when it formed in her mind made her heart feel sweet. Only she would try to find sugar amid a pile of ice shards. Even if it was just a delusion formed in her mind, it put Shen Nian in a great mood. She caught up to the man, her steps now much lighter. Thinking of something, Shen Nian asked Lu Lingchuan, "Did something happen in the capital?" She hadn''t forgotten how Lu Lingchuan had barged into the private room radiating murderous rage. If it was just Zou Zhijie, it wouldn''t have been enough to make him so angry - he must have already been suppressing his fury over some other matter earlier, with Zou Zhijie just being the spark that lit the fuse. "......" Lu Lingchuan nced at her, but quickly looked away. "Nothing." The matter was already resolved, so whether she knew about it or not didn''t matter anymore. Even if he told her, it would only give her one more reason to be angry. Of course Shen Nian didn''t believe it was nothing, but since Lu Lingchuan didn''t want to tell her, she didn''t ask further. The two walked for another stretch before finally turning back, not having reached the end. There weren''t many cars on the road as they drove away. Shen Nian gripped the seatbelt, admiring the scenery along the way - it was truly beautiful. Lu Lingchuan had one hand on the steering wheel, the other resting on the door. The car arrived at a famous snack street in Hai City. Neither of them had eaten yet. After parking, they found a popr restaurant. They sat down, and the server brought over the menus. Since the two couldn''t eat much, they only ordered a few signature dishes. The dishes were soon brought out - being a coastal city, seafood was obviously their specialty. The shrimp at this restaurant were as big as palms, looking absolutely delicious. Lu Lingchuan took the disposable gloves provided and put them on before picking up a shrimp from the te and methodically peeling it. As expected, a handsome man made everything he did look like a scendscape - Lu Lingchuan looked especially pleasing to the eye as he focused on peeling the shrimp. Shen Nian had always loved eating seafood, so Lu Lingchuan was skilled at preparing it. That huge shrimp was peeled clean in just three quick motions, and he habitually ced the meat in Shen Nian''s bowl. Seeing the shrimp appear in her bowl, Shen Nian looked up to see Lu Lingchuan grabbing another one to peel. She pursed her lips but didn''t say anything, silently lowering her head to continue eating, not wanting to interrupt the rare moment of warmth. Soon, Lu Lingchuan had peeled the entire te of shrimp and pushed it in front of her. He then prepared a few other kinds of seafood that she liked before finally taking off the disposable gloves, using a few paper napkins to wipe his hands clean, and eating his own meal. This meal was rather warm and pleasant. After finishing, Lu Lingchuan looked at her, "Full?" "Mmhm." Shen Nian nodded. She hadn''t wasted a single shrimp that Lu Lingchuan had peeled for her, eating every one, and now felt very stuffed. "Mmhm." Lu Lingchuan echoed, then called out, "Check please." The server immediately came over with the bill. "Sir, here is your bill. The total is $878. Will that be cash or..." "Online payment." Lu Lingchuan was about to take out his phone when his face darkened. His phone had been smashed when he kicked the door earlier. Chapter 94 Chapter 94 "What''s wrong?" asked Shen Nian, seeing that Lu Lingchuan was frowning and showing no intention of paying the bill. Lu Lingchuan didn''t say a word, silently looking at her. Just that one nce, and Shen Nian immediately understood. Her mouth twitched. Alright, he didn''t bring his phone. Shen Nian waved to the server: "I''ll pay." After saying that, she turned to grab her bag out of habit. But the stool next to her was empty. Shen Nian: "..." She had been brought out by Lu Lingchuan, leaving her phone and bag behind in the private room. Looking at the now empty tes in front of them, the two of them exchanged nces, both silent. Had they justmitted dine and dash? ..................... Three minutester, Lu Lingchuan hung up the phone and returned it to the boss: "Sorry about that." Luckily, the boss was quite understanding, smiling: "No worries." Less than a minuteter, the boss''s card received a payment of 5000 yuan from Lu Lingchen. After deducting the cost of the meal, the boss converted the remaining 4000 yuan into cash and gave it to Lu Lingchuan. As they left the restaurant, Lu Lingchuan''s face was still dark. Shen Nian couldn''t help but burst outughing: "Hahaha!" The idea that she and Lu Lingchuan had nearlymitted dine and dash struck her as incredibly amusing, no matter how she looked at it. Hearing herughter, Lu Lingchuan turned to look at her, gruffly demanding: "What are youughing at?" "It''s funny," Shen Nian replied, her eyes crinkling with a smile that warmed his heart. Lu Lingchuan looked at her again, as if about to say something else, but the sight of her joyful smile made him swallow his words. After finishing their meal, the two were about to head back when they noticed a flower shop along the way. Lu Lingchuan stopped and led her inside. Shen Nian looked at him quizzically: "Why are you bringing me here?" "To spend money," Lu Lingchuan answered simply. Shen Nian: "I don''t really want anything." "It''s a rare asion to get money from Lu Lingchen, so I won''t feel good unless I spend it. Choose something." "..." Well, the real victim here was Lu Lingchen. Seeing the attractive couple enter, the shop assistant eagerly approached them. "Sir, ma''am, would you like to buy some flowers?" "Yes." The assistant beamed. "Our flowers are all air-flown in, with a wide variety to choose from - both buds and fully bloomed. What kind of flowers does thedy prefer? Our roses are quite popr. Sir, you could give thedy a bouquet of roses to express your affection." As she spoke, she gestured toward the rose section with various types: ssic red roses, as well as blue roses (also known as ''blue belles''), and champagne roses. Lu Lingchuan nced over, then turned to Shen Nian: "Which one do you like?" Shen Nian shook her head and scanned the shop, her gaze finally settling on the sunflowers. She pointed: "I want those." Lu Lingchuan looked over, his expression darkening slightly. Nevertheless, he didn''t say anything and simply instructed the assistant: "Wrap up a bouquet of those." "Sure," the assistant chirped, going to pick out the flowers. Arge bouquet would be inconvenient to carry, so Shen Nian only requested a small,pact bundle. Cradling the sunflowers, Shen Nian was delighted, with a faint, lingering smile on her lips. Despite the minor hup, she felt overall quite happy with how the day had gone. As the two returned to the hotel, they noticed two figures - one taller, one smaller - waiting by the entrance. "Hanhan?" Shen Nian immediately recognized the little girl with the radish-head haircut from their encounter on the beach yesterday. The little girl clung to her mother''s hand, drowsy but stubbornly refusing to sleep as she waited for them. Seeing Shen Nian and Lu Lingchuan, the girl''s mother smiled: "This little one is quite stubborn for her age. She remembered the promise from yesterday and insisted on waiting here instead of going upstairs." Yesterday, Lu Lingchuan had promised they would meet again today, and the child had taken it to heart. Barely able to keep her eyes open, Hanhan finally spotted Lu Lingchuan and extended her tiny arms: "Hug." Shen Nian nced at Lu Lingchuan, who stepped forward and scooped the little girl into his arms. Lacking experience holding children, Lu Lingchuan''s movements were a bit stiff, but luckily Hanhan was old enough that he wouldn''t identally crush her. Hanhan wrapped her arms around Lu Lingchuan''s neck, letting out a delicate yawn before mumbling: "Bad brother." Lu Lingchuan looked at her, his eyes brimming with tenderness: "I''m sorry." Despite their brief acquaintance, Lu Lingchuan''s fondness for the little girl was sincere, his patience and gentleness undeniable. For some reason, whenever he saw Hanhan, his heart unconsciously softened. Perhaps because Hanhan touched the most tender part of his heart. Whenever Lu Lingchuan saw Hanhan, he couldn''t help but wonder: if the child he and Shen Nian had lost had survived, would they be just as adorable and clingy? Too young to use proper terms, Hanhan simply called Lu Lingchuan "brother" because of his youthful, handsome looks. That soft, sweet "brother" also reminded Lu Lingchuan of histe sister, Lu Lingchen. From a young age, Lu Lingchen had been the most attached to Lu Lingchuan, sweetly calling him "brother" in that same endearing way when she was little. Shen Nian''s birthday was in May, while Lu Lingchen''s was in June. Lu Lingchen passed away at 18, while Shen Nian was now 23 - Lu Lingchen would still be 18. No, by now she would be a four-year-old child. Hanhan clung to Lu Lingchuan''s neck, struggling to stay awake. Seeing this, her mother chided: "After brother apologized, what should you say?" "Forgive brother," Hanhan murmured obediently. This little girl was truly endearing. Upon noticing Shen Nian, Hanhan''s drowsiness dissipated as she blinked herrge eyes and politely greeted: "Hello, sister." "Good girl," Shen Nian said, pinching her chubby cheeks. "Brother and sister went to earn money, not because we didn''t want to see Hanhan. Since Hanhan forgave brother, will you also forgive sister?" Hanhan''s eyes grew wide: "Earn money?" "That''s right." Shen Nian offered her the sunflowers: "Sister bought these flowers for you. Do you like them?" The small sunflower bouquet was light for Shen Nian but a bit unwieldy for Hanhan to hold. Seeing Shen Nian give her daughter a gift, Hanhan''s mother quickly protested: "Oh no, we couldn''t possibly ept." She turned to Hanhan: "Baby, give the flowers back to sister." "It''s okay, keep them," Shen Nian insisted with a smile, unable to resist pinching Hanhan''s cheeks again. "Little one, always be like a sunflower." Sunny and vibrant. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 This hotel is one of the high-end star-rated hotels in Hai City, and those who can stay here are not short of money. Seeing that Shen Nian sincerely gave the gift to the little girl, Hanhan''s mother didn''t refuse it anymore and smiled at her daughter, "What does sister Nian want to say to you?" The little girl immediately understood, "Thank you, sister." "Such a good girl," Shen Nian couldn''t help but smile, "Howe you''re so smart at such a young age?" This little one had really warmed her heart. After ying with Hanhan for a while, Shen Nian and Lu Lingchuan finally went upstairs. Lu Lingchuan preferred quietness and didn''t want the noise in the hallway to disturb him. Plus, as the general manager, thepany had booked the top-tier presidential suite for him and Lu Lingrun, while Shen Nian and the two other managers were on the floor below in the luxury suite. The elevator required a room card to ess, but luckily Shen Nian had hastily stuffed her card into the pocket of herdy''s suit when she left, so it wasn''t too much trouble getting back to the room. Lu Lingchuan''s card was also with Shen Nian, and she had put it in her pocket together with hers. She swiped her card first, then swiped Lu Lingchuan''s. The elevator door closed, and they started to rise. Shen Nian held the room cards in her hand, and they stood side by side in silence. The elevator interior was very luxurious, with gleaming golden walls that reflected their images. Shen Nian lowered her gaze and pretended to be calm, but in the corner of her eye, she was watching his reflection in the elevator door. Lu Lingchuan stood tall and elegant, wearing only a shirt, not a speck of dust on him. When he had hugged the little girl earlier, he had deliberately buttoned up the top two buttons of his shirt, but the rolled-up sleeves had not been pulled down, revealing the nicely-shaped bones of his wrists, adding an schrly, refined air to his appearance. His narrow eyes emanated a coldness like moonlight. No matter when or where, he always looked so good. A "ding" sound interrupted Shen Nian''s thoughts as the elevator stopped at her floor, and the door slowly opened. She was here. Shen Nian took off the jacket that belonged to Lu Lingchuan, including his room card, and handed them to him. "Mr. Lu." "..." Lu Lingchuan''s gaze shifted slightly, not saying a word. Shen Nian furrowed her brows: "Mr. Lu?" After several seconds, Lu Lingchuan''s eyes finally looked over, and he reached out to take the items from her hand. Since no one was getting off, the elevator was about to automatically close. Shen Nian hurried to step out, but before she could take a single step, a slender hand firmly grasped her waist. The next moment, she fell into a slightly cool embrace. Because Shen Nian was wearing Lu Lingchuan''s jacket, and he had been out in the wind for a long time, his body was cool. In just a few seconds, the elevator door had closed, and it continued to rise. "Ding--" Since it had only gone up one floor, they arrived quickly. Without giving Shen Nian a chance to react, Lu Lingchuan had already carried her out of the elevator. Not until she heard the "beep" of the room card being swiped did Shen Nian realize what was happening, but Lu Lingchuan had already turned the doorknob. "Lu..." Shen Nian wanted to call his name, but Lu Lingchuan didn''t give her a chance to speak, directly grabbing her around the waist and pulling her inside, then using his foot to close the door. "Bang." With the sound of the door closing, Lu Lingchuan sealed her lips with a kiss. He held Shen Nian in his arms like a princess, and without any support, Shen Nian could only tightly wrap her arms around his neck. Lu Lingchuan pressed her against the wall, and Shen Nian''s body was suspended in the air, clinging to him tightly, afraid of falling. Shen Nian thought that in front of Lu Lingchuan, she had never had the upper hand. This man knew her so well that all it took was a single nce or gesture, and she would inevitably sumb to him. Even if she clearly saw the abyss in front of her, she would still jump into it without hesitation. ... Lu Lingchuan had one hand supporting the back of Shen Nian''s head as he gazed at her. Over the years, every detail about her had been deeply etched into his mind and heart. Even now, Lu Lingchuan still found it hard to imagine that he could love a woman so deeply in his life. It was deeply rooted, carved into his bones. He leaned down, his thin lips brushing against her beautiful earlobe, his voice soft, filled with emotion, humility, and pleading. "Can we have a child...?" With just one sentence, Shen Nian, who had been deeply immersed in the moment, was instantly jolted back to reality, as if hit on the head. She felt her breathing bing increasingly difficult, not because of Lu Lingchuan, but because of herself. The bitter taste of the dissolved pills seemed to be spreading in her mouth again. It was so bitter. Only now did she truly feel the bitterness. Lu Lingchuan did not see the pain in Shen Nian''s eyes, as he was busy weaving a beautiful dream for himself. The passing of Lu Lingrui had been agonizing, torturing him for these past years, making him feel as if he couldn''t bear to live. He didn''t know how many times in his dreams he had returned to that day, when after Shen Nian had called him, they had frantically searched for Lu Lingrui, until a phone call from the police, saying they had received a report of someone jumping from a building, a young girl, probably the one they were looking for. The police''s words had instantly plunged Lu Lingchuan into the depths of the South Pole, a chill running through his entire body. Even though he refused to believe it, he still rushed there frantically. And then, he saw Lu Lingrui lying in a pool of blood. Some said that in the face of a major ident, the pain would not be felt before death, as it happened too quickly. But Lu Lingrui was still alive, clinging to life. She had always been so afraid of pain - even a small fall as a child would make her cry for a long time. From such a high ce, she must have been in excruciating agony. He had rushed towards her, only to be stopped by the emergency medical personnel who were rushing to put Lu Lingrui on the ambnce and attach an oxygen mask to her. As shey on the stretcher, she still mustered a smile towards him, trying to reach out her hand tofort him, but... That smile never fully formed. They say a man will have four greatest loves in his life: his mother, his sister, his wife, and his daughter. That day, Lu Lingchuan had forever lost his beloved sister, whom he had doted on for eighteen years. When people asked why he was in such agonizing grief, why he couldn''t let go, they said one should move forward. It was because he cared too much. Nothing could be more painful than witnessing the death of someone you deeply cared about, yet being powerless to stop it. Every time he dreamed of that day, Lu Lingchuan felt as if he had been cast into the depths of hell. Perhaps, from the day Lu Lingrui passed away, he had already entered hell, and had nevere out since. And now, Lu Lingchuan hoped that a new life could redeem him. Perhaps with a child who shared his bloodline, he could muster the courage to tear himself away from the shackles of kinship, selfishly choosing the child over Lingrui. "...So, what do you say?" Lu Lingchuan''s actions became more insistent, his voice tinged with urgency. "Please..." Shen Nian did not answer. She simply looked at him with open eyes, then closed them again, not uttering a single word. Chapter 96 Chapter 96 "......" It was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him, and Lu Lingchuan instantly sobered up. He looked at Shen Nian, who had closed her eyes and remained silent, his heart turning ice-cold. Silence was an unspoken rejection. And it was the coldest form of rejection. He suddenly increased his grip, biting down hard on her taut lips until they both tasted the metallic tang of blood. He tightly clutched her arms, forcing her to intertwine her fingers with his, his eyes burning with intense madness. "I hate you, Shen Nian." "......" Until the very end, Lu Lingchuan never heard Shen Nian utter the word "okay." Quickly regaining hisposure, the room was dark, without any lights on. Shen Niany there silently with her eyes closed, as if asleep. Lu Lingchuan rose and entered the bathroom. "Click." It was the sound of the bathroom door being locked. Shortly after, the sound of running water could be heard. Shen Nian slowly opened her eyes, turning her gaze towards the bathroom. She quietly sat up, put on her clothes, and left silently. The bedroom door closed, followed by a sound from the bathroom door. The bathroom door opened again, and Lu Lingchuan stood at the entrance, wearing a bathrobe. The shower in the back was running, and due to the high temperature, the bathroom was filled with steamy mist. He stood there expressionless, staring intently at the bedroom door, his silence tinged with mncholy. ............................................... Shen Nian returned to her room downstairs, fortunately, there were few people living on these two floors, so no one encountered the disheveled Shen Nian. Until she closed the door, she leaned against it, her breathing bing heavier, her chest rising and falling dramatically. It was as if she was having an asthma attack, her pale face looking terrifying. Her peripheral vision caught sight of a bag on the shoe cab nearby, it was hers. It must have been left there by Lu Lingchuan. Their rooms were all booked by thepany, so Lu Lingchuan only needed to go to the front desk, provide his name and ID number to verify his identity, and then tell the front desk to help deliver something to a friend, and they would use a master key to open the door for him. Shen Nian stumbled over in a frantic state and began rummaging through the bag until she found a pill box and a few small medicine bottles. She didn''t turn on the lights and blindly grabbed a few pills, directly popping them into her mouth and swallowing them dry. Then, she slid down, leaning against the shoe cab. After a long time, her emotions finally calmed down, but her mind was filled with Lu Lingchuan''s words, "to have a child." Suddenly, Shen Nian seemed to recall something and began searching the floor again. Earlier, when she was looking for the pill box, she had dropped everything else on the floor. She was poked a few times by hairpins, lipstick, and cards before finally finding her phone. Unlocking it, she clicked on the search bar and rapidly tapped on the screen. [Can taking antidepressants affect pregnancy?] Then, search. In those few short seconds, Shen Nian could hear her own heartbeat, pounding so quickly and loudly. Until, the search results popped up, with the nine bold, erged words at the top. [Can taking antidepressants affect pregnancy] Antidepressants have certain side effects and can cause serious harm to the body because they contain sedatives. If a person bes pregnant while taking them, it can greatly affect the fetus in the womb. It is rmended not to have children during the illness period and to wait three months after recovery before considering pregnancy. "......" Shen Nian''s hand went limp, and her phone dropped to the floor. Even though she had already known the answer, seeing these cold words still made her heart sink to the depths. ............................................... The next day, Shen Nian woke up very early, or rather, she hadn''t slept at all. All night, she would doze off for less than half an hour before waking up again in a frenzy. Even after taking two sleeping pills, there was no effect. It wasn''t until she took a third pill that she felt a bit drowsy. But even when she fell asleep, it was restless, tossing and turning, her eyes closed but her mind awake. It felt like being on a rollercoaster, going up and down, the feeling of being suspended in midair was extremely torturous. After sleeping for a little over an hour, she woke up again, this time unable to fall back asleep. Finally enduring until 7 a.m., seeing that it was almost time, she got up. There was something very important she had to do today. After freshening up in the bathroom, she returned to find her phone nk. Shen Nian sat on the edge of the bed, thinking for a moment, then called Lu Lingchen. After a short while, he answered, "Sis Nian?" Shen Nian said, "I''m all packed up, when are we leaving?" He sighed on the other end, and Shen Nian asked, "What''s wrong?" "Nothing." Lu Lingchen said, "I''m having breakfast in the lobby,e down." "Okay." Hanging up, Shen Nian went downstairs. After arriving on the first floor, she looked around before spotting Lu Lingchen eating breakfast alone in a corner, with no sign of Lu Lingchuan. Shen Nian walked over and pulled out the chair across from him, sitting down. Hearing the sound of the chair being pulled, Lu Lingchen looked up. Shen Nian had not put on any makeup today, andbined with herck of sleep, she looked a bit haggard, but even so, her good looks were undeniable. Her features were all very soft, the image of the "fairdy" in everyone''s mind was more or less like her. Lu Lingchen''s gaze lowered, noticing the wound on her lower lip, which had already scabbed over after a night. "......" Lu Lingchen sighed helplessly, "You two alwayse to me whenever you argue, whenever you argue you both find me, I feel like I''m just your messenger." Whenever they argued, Lu Lingchuan would call him, and Shen Nian would call him too, a typical case of them feeding him dog food when things were good, and each kicking him when things were bad. The sadness of being a single dog. "......" Hearing Lu Lingchen''s words, Shen Nian felt embarrassed, silently pursing her lips, stubbornly retorting. "Who told you we argued?" "You didn''t?" Lu Lingchen shrugged. "You can call him right now and prove to me that you two didn''t argue." "......" Shen Nian fell silent. Seeing that she was rendered speechless by his words, Lu Lingchen sighed helplessly, snapped his fingers to summon a server, and gestured towards Shen Nian, "Please bring her the A set meal, thank you." This hotel was very ssy, even the restaurant had dedicated servers to assist guests with any issues at any time. "Of course." The server nodded and left. Five minutester, the server brought the A set meal and ced it in front of Shen Nian, "Miss, this is our hotel''s A set meal, featuring a Chinese style. It includes steamed buns, porridge, eggs, and we also have noodle soup, dumplings, soy milk, and more. If you need anything else, please let us know." Lu Lingchen had almost finished eating, so he gestured towards her with his mouth, "Eat your breakfast first." Shen Nian was indeed hungry, so she didn''t say anything and started eating. Her appetite has always been small, and she felt full after eating just half of the meal. Seeing that she had almost finished, Lu Lingchen nced at his watch, then stood up. "Let''s go." Seeing him stand, Shen Nian was taken aback. Lu Lingchen noticed Shen Nian still sitting there and asked, "What''s wrong?" "It''s just... the two of us?" "What else?" Chapter 97 Chapter 97 "......" Shen Nian silently pursed her lips, then remained silent. Seeing her demeanor, Lu Lingchen felt helpless, but he didn''t give her a hard time. Instead, he said directly, "My brother rushed to the airport about an hour ago and, if nothing goes wrong, has already boarded the earliest flight out of Hai City." Upon hearing this, Shen Nian abruptly looked up, staring at Lu Lingchen with a hint of bewilderment. She was surprised. Today was supposed to be about meeting the victim from back then, for Lu Lingrui''s case. How could Lu Lingchuan possibly leave? Could it be because of yesterday... "Don''t overthink it. My brother just flew to another city," Lu Lingchen quickly said, seeing that Shen Nian was clearly overthinking. "This morning, Xu Lawyer called my brother. Apart from Hai City, they also found other victims. To save time, we''ll handle the victim in Hai City, while my brother goes to meet the other victims. Xu Lawyer said the more victims they can find, the better, and the more evidence, the better." They just need to nail those two beasts to the wall, unbudgeable, so they can get the death penalty! .............................. Lu Lingchen drove, taking Shen Nian on a long journey, watching the scenery change from prosperous to decrepit. Finally, Lu Lingchen drove into an old, dpidated neighborhood. The surrounding areas had be ruins, the ground littered with bricks, steel bars, and debris left over from demolished buildings. Only a few buildings still stood, their surfaces looking rundown and giving off a sense of imminent copse. Some even had clothes hanging outside to dry, indicating that people still lived there. They parked their car not too far away. Shen Nian gazed at those few buildings, quite surprised, "They live here?" This... was clearly a building ted for demolition, unfit for human habitation. Lu Lingchen took a file bag from beside him, pulling out the documents inside. "ording to our investigation, after leaving the capital, they moved to Hai City and currently reside here. The woman we need to visit is Chen Bei, 26 years old, currently working as a server at a shop, earning 3,600 yuan per month." Shen Nian saw the two photos on top. One, taken about six or seven years ago, showed a youthful and innocent Chen Bei, her eyes curved into crescents when she smiled, the epitome of a pure campus goddess. Next to it was a second photo, taken recently. Chen Bei, now 26 years old, donned a server''s uniform, her hair tied into a regtion bun, exposing her shiny forehead. Compared to the first photo, she had changed drastically, no longer exuding the aura of an innocent goddess, but rather a sense of world-weariness, with a dull gaze. Although people change with time, her transformation was too drastic. "Chen Bei was still a university student when she experienced that incident back then. Afterward, she suddenly dropped out of school and left the capital. With only a high school education, she faced significant limitations when looking for work." So, in addition to Lingrui, those two beasts had ruined how many other lives. A figure entered their line of sight - a woman wearing a faded white T-shirt and jeans, about to enter the dpidated building. "That''s her." Lu Lingchen recognized her as the Chen Bei they were looking for. Chen Bei currently worked as a server at a shop. Since Hai City was a famous tourist spot, many visitors came to enjoy the nightlife, so most shops there operated 24 hours a day. Chen Bei''s current shift was the night shift, starting around 8 PM the previous day and ending around 8 AM the next morning. She was just getting off work now. In such a rundown neighborhood, the presence of a luxury car would seem out of ce, so to prevent any unnecessary trouble, Lu Lingchen didn''t park next to the dpidated buildings. Once he confirmed it was Chen Bei, Lu Lingchen opened the car door, preparing to get out. "Lingchen," Shen Nian called out to him, and Lu Lingchen turned his head. "You wait in the car first. I''ll go talk to her," Shen Nian said. "Since we''re both women, she might be more at ease with me than with you." Lu Lingchen considered it for a moment and nodded, "Alright, I''ll wait in the car. If anything happens, give me a call, and I''lle over right away." "Okay." Shen Nian grabbed her bag and got out of the car. Meanwhile, Chen Bei had just gotten off work and was about to go home and sleep. "Chen Bei," suddenly, someone called out her name. "Hmm?" She turned around and saw a figure appearing behind her. Shen Nian was dressed simply today, a gray short-sleeved top paired with light brown, flowy wide-leg pants, and a pair of sandals below. No designer logos, just a simple outfit, and she wasn''t even wearing makeup. Yet, one could still sense her refined aura. In contrast, Chen Bei appeared rather ordinary. "Who are you?" Chen Bei asked, puzzled. She didn''t recognize the woman before her and didn''t understand how she knew her name. Shen Nian approached and gave her a slight nod. As she lowered her head, a cool demeanor befitting an assistant emerged. "Hello, I''m Shen Nian. I came to find you today in hopes that you could help with something." "Help with what?" Chen Bei eyed her warily. "To be a witness and identify the wrongdoings Wang Yongmitted against you in court. I''ve learned that Wang Yong and his friend back then..." Initially, Chen Bei thought Shen Nian was a scammer, cautiously guarding herself against being brainwashed or cheated out of money. However, upon hearing the name "Wang Yong," her face instantly turned deathly pale! Without even listening to what Shen Nian had to say, she turned and ran! Her reaction was too intense, leaving Shen Nian no chance to respond. By the time Shen Nian snapped out of it a secondter, Chen Bei had already fled twenty meters away. "Chen Bei!" Shen Nian immediately gave chase, but the sandals on her feet greatly hindered her running. Adding to that, the area was ted for demolition, with debris and rubble scattered everywhere, not a single decent path in sight. Shen Nian hurried to catch up but failed to watch her footing. She stumbled on the uneven ground, spraining her ankle. She fell ungracefully onto the ground, a searing pain shooting through her sprained ankle. Cradling her injured foot with one hand, she looked up, but Chen Bei was nowhere to be seen. Shen Nian slowly stood up, carefully testing the weight on her injured foot, which sent a sharp stab of pain through her ankle. It seemed to be a rather serious sprain. At the moment, Shen Nian had no time to tend to her injury. She brushed off the dirt from her clothes and, step by step, slowly made her way into the dpidated neighborhood. She knew where Chen Bei lived. The buildings in the dpidated neighborhood were walk-ups, with a total of seven floors. Chen Bei lived on the seventh floor. With her sprained ankle, it took Shen Nian a long time to climb up to the seventh floor. There were four doors on the seventh floor. Shen Nian checked the dusty door numbers and finally found 704. As she approached, she noticed the door was open. Shen Nian frowned, carefully examining it. It wasn''t left open; the lock had been broken. Chen Bei must have panicked upon returning and forcefully barged in, damaging the door in the process. Originally, Shen Nian was contemting how to get Chen Bei to open the door, but this fortunately saved her the trouble. Chapter 98 Chapter 98 As Chen Bei opened the door, she came out of the room holding a cup, bumping into Shen Nian, and her pupils suddenly contracted. "Who are you really, and why won''t you leave me alone?" She was quite agitated. After saying that, she tried to retreat back into the room: "Don''t look for me, I don''t know anything, I don''t know anything!" "Chen Bei!" Shen Nian took a step forward, but a piercing pain shot through her ankle again. Enduring the pain, she said, "Don''t you want that beast Wang Yong to pay the price?" "..." Hearing this, Chen Bei, who was about to close the door, paused. Shen Nian took out a business card from her bag, "I''m Shen Nian, the executive assistant to Lu Lingchuan, the CEO of Lingrui Group." "..." Chen Bei still eyed Shen Nian warily, not blindly believing her words. Instead, she took out her phone from her pocket. Shen Nian knew what she intended to do, so she prompted, "Ling from dawn, Rui from flower bud." "..." Following Shen Nian''s prompt, Chen Bei urately typed in "Lingrui Group" and searched. Sure enough, a lot of news and Lu Lingchuan''s photo came up. Shen Nian took another step forward, but the sensitive Chen Bei immediately took a step back: "Don''te any closer!" "..." Shen Nian frowned slightly, one hand pressed against her leg, and she held up the business card in her other hand: "I just wanted to give you this." Chen Bei still didn''t trust her, pointing to a nearby table: "Just put it there." Seeing that she was still on guard, Shen Nianplied, limping over to ce the business card on the table before retreating. Chen Bei carefully walked over, took the card, and walked away, maintaining distance from Shen Nian. She looked down at the business card. Shen Nian, Executive Assistant to the President of Lingrui Group. Below was a string of phone numbers. Based on the number on the card, Chen Bei dialed the phone, and soon Shen Nian''s phone in her bag started ringing. Chen Bei looked at her, and Shen Nian met her gaze: "Do you believe me now?" "..." Chen Bei pursed her lips without saying a word. She was just an ordinary person. She had never met or known any big bosses. She could only use this method to verify if the other party was lying to her or not. She hung up the phone, and Shen Nian''s iing call ringtone also abruptly stopped. Chen Bei gripped the bedroom door, no longer as agitated and sensitive as before, only lowering her head and saying, "You''re an assistant at a bigpany, what do you want with me?" Shen Nian looked at her, sincerely replying, "To make that beast Wang Yong pay the price." These words touched Chen Bei, and she immediately looked up, seeing the earnest expression on Shen Nian''s face, not appearing to be deceiving her. She was just a small service worker, with nothing worth lying about. After a long while, she finally said, "But we don''t even know each other, so... why would you help me?" "Because five years ago, my best friend Ling Rui and I were cornered by the drunken Wang Yong and Yang Hao. They..." Shen Nian paused, a sh of pain in her eyes. She didn''t borate on the details, only saying, "A monthter, my best friendmitted suicide. We''ve been in a legal battle with them for five years, demanding the death penalty, while they pleaded not guilty." "..." A five-year legal battle. Upon hearing this, Chen Bei''sst shred of wariness towards Shen Nian disappeared. She knew that Wang Yong was a wealthy man, with money and background, which was why he had been so arrogant for so many years. For someone to have been in a five-year legal battle with him proved that this person''s background was also not to be trifled with. "So you came to find me to..." Chen Bei tentatively asked. "The crime of rape alone is not enough to warrant the death penalty. Plus, my best friendmitted suicide, and they were drunk at the time. They insisted it was a drunken mistake. Without more witnesses and evidence proving that those two are utterly despicable, they may ultimately be acquitted. Even if convicted, it would be less than three years." Shen Nian finished, her gaze somber: "That''s why I''m looking for you." "...Drunken mistake..." Hearing those four words, Chen Bei couldn''t help butugh bitterly, teeth clenched in hatred: "When have they ever made a ''drunken mistake''? Alcohol only makes them fully expose their beastly nature!" She looked up at Shen Nian and said, "Come in." Chen Bei invited Shen Nian into what she called the living room, though it only had a table and a small fridge, with peeling wallpaper and a paint bucket on a stool, clearly showing traces of wall painting. "Have some water," Chen Bei said, holding out a cup. It was just an ordinary cup, printed with the logo of some tutoring school, clearly a promotional gift. Seeing Shen Nian staring at the printed words on the cup, Chen Bei''s eyes shed with a hint of self-consciousness, quickly exining, "Although it''s not a nice cup, I''ve washed it clean. It''s not dirty." Shen Nian smiled: "I''m not looking down on it." Saying that, she took the cup and drank some water, which was just in boiled water. Seeing that Shen Nian really wasn''t looking down on her, Chen Bei finally rxed. After drinking the water and putting the cup down on the table, Shen Nian said, "If you don''t mind... could you tell me about the situation back then? I was able to find you because while investigating Wang Yong, I came across what happened to you, but we only know some surface information." At the mention of that time, a sh of panic and fear flickered in Chen Bei''s eyes. She remained silent for a full minute before finally speaking in a small voice. "Back then, I was still a freshman in college. My roommate and I went out... that roommate was a friend I''d known for many years. We were from the same hometown, went to the same high school, got into the same university, and were even assigned to the same dorm room, so we were really close." "Because our parents were so strict in high school, once we got to university and became adults, we wanted to see what a bar was like. So that day, the two of us went." "After wandering around for a bit, we found it wasn''t much, just really noisy, and we lost interest. We were about to head back when we were stopped by a few ruffians who started harassing us and trying to get us to drink. We refused, but they forced the drinks on us." Chen Bei hung her head, and even though so much time had passed, recounting that past incident still made her body tremble in fear. "Even... even though we''d never drank before, our tolerance wasn''t so low that we''d pass out after just one drink. But after drinking what they forced on us, we felt powerless all over and passed out." Hearing this, Shen Nian immediately realized that the drinks they were given likely contained something. "...Ping Ping drank it all, but I struggled and spilled a lot, so I only drank a little. I woke up faster, in a daze, and heard theughter of many men. At the time, I didn''t dare open my eyes, only squinting, and I saw six or seven men sitting on the sofa, ordering us around like kings. That was when I realized that besides Ping Ping and me, there were other girls who had been victimized too." Chen Bei''s hands shook more and more, her eyes flickering with deep fear and unease. Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Shen Nian held Chen Bei''s trembling hands and looked at her seriously: "Don''t be afraid." Hearing Shen Nian''s words, Chen Bei''s fear was slightly soothed. She held the cup and took another sip of water before continuing. "I heard them pointing at us like buying livestock, and at that time I didn''t know what it meant to select concubines, I was just scared. I wanted to run away when they weren''t paying attention, but Wang Yong caught me. Wang Yong beat me up and knocked me unconscious." "The next day when I woke up, I found myself and several other girls lying on the floor of a room, and we... didn''t have a single piece of clothing on." Chen Bei''s eyes grew redder and her voice shook more and more: "Ping Ping and I reported to the police immediately. At first, the police swore to us that they would definitely find out what happened yesterday and give us an exnation. But on the same day, I received a call from an unknown number. As soon as I answered, the person on the other end cursed at me very rudely, saying a lot of insulting words to me, calling me shameless and saying that I was wasting their time and they had to put in effort to deal with this damn slut." "He even mocked me, saying it was useless for me to report to the police, that he has backers, and that we were just ordinary people whose puny arms could never twist around their thick thighs. After he vented his anger, he hung up. The next day, I asked Ping Ping, and she said she had received a call too, from Wang Yong''s wife, who cursed her for deservedly being a mistress at such a young age, going to that kind of ce on purpose to seduce her husband." "..." Shen Nian was not surprised by Wang Yong''s wife''s unreasonable behavior, having witnessed it more than once before. Chen Bei continued: "At that time, we were young and naive, so we told the police officer in charge of our case that they were threatening us and asked them to provide evidence. We were so stunned by their cursing that we didn''t record anything. Later, we presented all the evidence we could find, determined to fight to the end, but nothing ever came of it." "It was onlyter that we realized even the police officer in charge was Wang Yong''s man, so no matter how much we protested, there would be no result. At that time, we were summoned and told a lot of hurtful things." "They told us Wang Yong had backers, and besides him, the other rich second-generation kids present also had backers. We said Wang Yong called and threatened us, so they told us to provide evidence. If we didn''t have evidence, they would sue us for defamation and put us in jail." "What they didn''t know was that after being cursed at, we started recording audio on our phones all the time, so we recorded everything they said. Later, we found Wang Yong''s home and raised a ruckus there, just to expose his hypocritical facade." "But why did you suddenly back down?" Shen Nian asked. She remembered Lu Lingchen telling her that Chen Bei had abruptly dropped out of school back then, and her family had practically fled the capital overnight. And the Ping Ping that Chen Bei mentioned... "..." Hearing Shen Nian''s question, Chen Bei lowered her head andughed miserably: "Because I saw the harsh reality and understood the true meaning of ''the strong are kings, the weak are bandits.''" "After that day, I received another call. They had found all my information - which university I attended, my major, even my parents'' identities and workces." "They threatened me that if I continued to cling to this matter, they would spread news of what happened to my school, so I wouldn''t be able to hold my head high; they would also publicize it at my parents'' workces, letting everyone know they had such a shameless daughter. They even found my hometown address and said they would print flyers and scatter them from the east to the west of my vige, so everyone would know." "..." So this was the real reason Chen Bei and her family hurriedly left the capital all those years ago. Even after so many years, recounting it still made one feel indignant. Shen Nian stared at her and asked seriously, "Now, are you willing to be a witness and expose their despicable behavior back then?" "..." Chen Bei sat there, frowning, unable to make a decision for a while. Shen Nian added enticingly, "Including your friend Ping Ping, if she is also willing to testify, the Lu family and Lingrui Group will fully protect you both." As soon as Shen Nian said this, Chen Bei''s expression changed drastically! One could clearly see the panic on her face as she became restless. Shen Nian immediately noticed her strange state and asked, "What''s wrong?" "Ping... Ping Ping..." Chen Bei shuddered, her face pale and eyes red. It took her a long time toplete the sentence: "Ping Ping died that year!" "..." Hearing this, Shen Nian''s expression also changed drastically. ..................... Five minutester, Lu Lingchen came in with the files he had. In total, he had three victim files - one was Chen Bei''s, and the other two were of others. Now, Lu Lingchen pushed one of the files toward her: "Please confirm, is the Ping Ping you mentioned this person?" Chen Bei looked down and saw three bolded words on the file. Zhang Yueping. Unlike Chen Bei''s file which was veryprehensive, Zhang Yueping''s file contained very little information - only that she may have been involved with Wang Yong''s incident back then, with no further details. It was understandable, as it was an event from so many years ago. Lu Lingchen''s people had already done well to find this much in such a short time. However, what surprised Lu Lingchen and Shen Nian was that Zhang Yueping and Chen Bei knew each other. Upon seeing Zhang Yueping''s name, Chen Bei immediately broke down in tears. Originally, Shen Nian thought she had known the real reason behind Chen Bei''s family leaving the capital all those years ago. But now she realized that was just the beginning. After Wang Yong threatened Chen Bei''s family back then, Chen''s father and mother were scared. They were just workers who had beenboring for years, and this was all they had achieved. If Wang Yong really spread the news far and wide, not to mention being ridiculed by others for the rest of their lives, their daughter Chen Bei''s reputation would be ruined. As the saying goes, good news doesn''t travel far, but bad news spreads a thousand miles. If word got out that their daughter had been drugged, no one within a hundred miles would dare marry her in the future. Wang Yong had money and power, while they only had thin, bamboo-like arms that could never twist against his thick thighs. This matter could only be swallowed. But Zhang Yueping refused to swallow her anger and insisted on an exnation. Chen Bei chose to let it go, but Zhang Yueping raised a ruckus on her own. "...Ping Ping''s personality has been like this since childhood. Once she sets her mind on something, she absolutely refuses to back down easily. When I saw her stand alone against capital, I wavered at the time, considering whether I too should courageously confront capital." "But...in a couple of days, Ping Ping went missing." Chen Bei''s voice trembled with fear as she spoke on. Chapter 100 Chapter 100 "Missing?" Lu Lingchen and Shen Nian exchanged nces, knowing that something serious must have happened just from hearing those two words. "Are you sure she''s really missing?" Zhang Yueping was just an ordinary college student, and as Chen Bei said, she was from the countryside, not a rich kid, so how could she suddenly go missing? "That''s what they''re saying publicly..." Of course, there was something fishy about it. "Yueping''s parents noticed she hadn''te back for two days, so they immediately reported it to the police. However, they spected that Yueping might have been emotionally unstable and probably encountered something that caused her to act recklessly and run away. They said... well, they made a lot of guesses, but they didn''t think she had been taken by bad people." "I don''t know how they handled it specifically, I only know that Yueping was listed as a missing person, and then... there was no further update. I went to see Yueping''s parents afterward, and they had already been driven insane." The two elderly parents who had lost their daughter were raving mad, crying one moment andughing the next. When they saw Chen Bei, they grabbed her hands excitedly and kept muttering. "Yueping, you''re still alive, you''re okay, they didn''t kill you..." Repeating things like that over and over. Chen Bei held a cup in her hand, head lowered, and said slowly, "Unless something unexpected happened, Yueping is gone, and... they''re involved. After finding out that Yueping''s parents had gone insane, I saw through it all. I''m just an ordinary person, there''s no way I can stand up against them." "My parents only have me as their daughter. I couldn''t let them end up like Yueping''s parents, so I sent the four elderly people back to their hometown, and I left Hai City too, far away from them." She only wanted to live out the rest of her life in peace. Zhang Yueping''s parents remained raving mad, and the vigers all thought they had been driven insane by the shock of their daughter''s disappearance, imagining every day that Zhang Yueping had been killed, which is why they had driven themselves insane. The two old people often muttered about life and death, but no one paid much attention to that aspect. "..." Lu Lingchen''s expression was solemn. He never expected that this time, they would uncover such a massive bombshell that had been hidden for so many years. If they had really dared to silence people to cover it up back then, they would have been sentenced to death! ... Lu Lingchen and Shen Nian brought Chen Bei back to Hai City and provided her with 24-hour protection. They also informedwyer Xu Xiping and Lu Lingchuan about Zhang Yueping''s case, and both took it very seriously. Lu Lingchuan immediately dispatched people to investigate. After returning to Hai City, Shen Nian''s tense mental state finally loosened a bit. At home, she wore casual clothes and walked slowly, step by step, holding onto furniture for support. The ankle she had sprained while chasing Chen Bei still hadn''t healed and had even swollen a bit more. It took her a while to make her way to the sofa and sit down, then Lu Lingchen''s call came through. "Hello." Shen Nian answered, "What''s up?" "I''ve arranged amodation for Chen Bei," Lu Lingchen said. "Mm-hmm." She bent over with difficulty and picked up a cup from the coffee table. "We''ve disrupted the peaceful life she had finally settled into. Ensuring her safety is our responsibility." "Naturally," Lu Lingchen said. "Chen Bei has started sorting through the evidence she has. Once she has everything organized, she''ll hand it all over to Lawyer Xu." "Good." "By the way," Lu Lingchen remembered something and asked Shen Nian, "How''s your ankle?" He had seen her injure her foot that day when he wasing downstairs from the seventh floor, and he had carried her down. "It''s fine," Shen Nian looked at her swollen ankle and replied. "Although a sprained ankle isn''t a big deal, you should still take care of it. I think yours looks pretty bad," Lu Lingchen knew her nature - she would endure any pain or difort, being too stubborn. That''s why he said that extra line. Shen Nian curved her lips, "Got it." Over all these years, Lu Lingchen had treated her decently. After Lu Lingrui passed away, Shen Nian saw him like a younger brother. After hanging up, Shen Nian took a sip of water. On the coffee table was a small tray containing the pills she had just taken out. One, two, three... too many to count. Shen Nian cupped the pills in her palm and swallowed them in one go. She drank a few more sips of water to wash them down. After setting the cup back on the coffee table, Shen Nian remembered something and took out her high school graduation photo that she had hidden under the sofa cushion, staring at the image of herself standing side by side with Lu Lingrui. Lu Lingrui''s smile was as radiant as she remembered. Shen Nian couldn''t help but curve her lips into a smile, reaching out to gently caress Lu Lingrui''s face with her fingertips. The pills she had taken contained sedatives, and before long, Shen Nian grew drowsy. She hadn''t rested well during thosest two days in Hai City. When Lu Lingchuan returned, Shen Nian was sound asleep. He had rushed over straight from the airport, travel-worn. He opened the door and went directly to the bedroom, pushing open the door to see her sleeping peacefully. Perhaps knowing that Chen Bei would help them point towards the truth about Wang Yong and Yang Hao had put Shen Nian''s mind at ease, and her sleep had improved. It was rare to see her sleeping so calmly, her brow not furrowed. Over the years, no matter how many big or small fights they had, no matter how much they quarreled, in that instant when he saw her face, his previously restless heart suddenly calmed. He was still carrying a small bag, which he had picked up from the hospital on his way back. When Lu Lingchen had called him, he had casually mentioned Shen Nian''s sprained ankle. It was just a passing remark, but Lu Lingchuan had taken it to heart, and before he realized it, the passenger seat was filled with medicine. Shen Nian was asleep, so his footsteps were light, making no sound on the floor. He stopped at the foot of the bed. This proud woman was now naturally kneeling on the carpet beside the bed, the bag ced by her feet. He gently lifted the thin nket and easily identified which foot was injured. The swelling was still quite severe. Lu Lingchuan frowned, reaching out to gently touch the swollen area. Even in her sleep, Shen Nian felt the pain, and her body reflexively pulled her leg back. Lu Lingchuan didn''t dare touch it again. He knelt there motionless, not forcibly pulling her leg, only after seeing that Shen Nian had calmed down did he carefully lift her foot again, this time deliberately avoiding the injury to prevent touching the painful area. One hand supported the underside of her foot while the other searched through the pile of medicine and found a numbing spray. He first carefully read the instructions to confirm that this was the right medication before opening the cap, keeping about ten centimeters from the injury, and aiming the nozzle at the swollen area. Then he pressed it once, and again, evenly spraying the medication over the wound. Shen Nian was groggy, her eyes too heavy to open, but her mind had cleared slightly. She clearly felt someone supporting her feet, which were icy cold, as if something had been sprayed on them. Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Shen Nian''s eyelids felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, and she could not open them no matter how hard she tried. After helping her apply the medication, Lu Lingchuan ced the medicine on a small table beside her, then quietly left the room. His phone, which was ced on the shoe cab at the entrance, kept vibrating with non-stop iing messages. Lu Lingchuan was very busy. He came back silently, took the phone, closed the door, and then left as silently as he had entered. It was not known how long had passed before Shen Nian finally woke up in a daze. The room was pitch ck and exceptionally quiet. She first opened her eyes a little slit, allowing her brain to wake up, and then fully opened her eyes. She rubbed her temples, having slept quite soundly. Recalling that earlier, when she was asleep, she felt someone supporting her feet and spraying medicine on her injured ankle... It must have been a dream, but it felt so real. Often, the brain and body do not work in sync; the body may be asleep, but the brain remains alert, so sometimes one can perceive what is happening around them while asleep and even know that they are sleeping, not dreaming, but simply cannot open their heavy eyelids. She wanted to stretch her legs out, but suddenly realized that one of her legs was sprained, though it was toote to stop the motion. Unexpectedly, she did not feel the piercing pain she had anticipated; the pain had significantly subsided. Shen Nian stared at her injured ankle in surprise. Compared to before she fell asleep, the swelling had reduced slightly, and a faint scent of medication lingered in the air, emanating from her ankle. She was taken aback. So... it wasn''t a dream? ... After leaving Shen Nian''s ce, Lu Lingchuan went to the hospital. As he pushed open the ward door, the bedroom door was surprisingly ajar, with the curtains of both the room and the connected living room windows drawn open, allowing sunlight to stream in and brighten the entire room. Approaching the bedroom, he heard Liang Jinghe''s voice. "Auntie, your sunflower painting is so beautiful. I even saw your work at an exhibition abroad!" "Really?" It was Li Mingshi''s voice. "My paintings went abroad?" "Yes, I went with some foreign friends at the time. They stood in front of your work, praising your painting skills andplimenting you to high heavens, so that''s why I have such a deep impression." Li Mingshi chuckled. "My paintings are not as good as they say, I just paint casually." Liang Jinghe was peeling an apple, her movements a bit clumsy, indicating she didn''t do this often, unable to peel the skin in a long strip. But she sat on a chair, with a small te on herp, cing each piece of apple peel onto it, despite the arduous process. She persisted until all the peel was removed. She wore a disposable glove on one hand while holding the apple, using the other hand to grab a new te and cut the peeled apple into pieces. After finishing, she handed the te to Li Mingshi. "Please have some apple, Auntie. Uncle Lu bought these big and sweet ones." Seeing how considerate Liang Jinghe was, Li Mingshi smiled faintly. "Thank you." Liang Jinghe took off the disposable glove and threw it into the nearby trash can, then grabbed some paper towels from the table to wipe the fruit knife. Hearing Li Mingshi''s gratitude, she immediately became displeased. "Auntie, it''s no big deal, I''m just peeling an apple for you. If you keep thanking me, I won''t daree here anymore." Li Mingshi smiled gently, a rare sight. Seeing her smile, Liang Jinghe also smiled and helped hold the te for her. "Let me hold it for you, eat slowly." "Okay." This was the scene Lu Lingchuan saw upon entering. Although Liang Jinghe was a pampered youngdy, she was not arrogant at all, acting in a straightforward manner without pretense. Her personality was a bnce between Shen Nian and Lu Lingrui, a cheerful girl, but not as blunt as Lu Lingrui; she had Shen Nian''s gentleness and thoughtfulness, though Shen Nian tended to keep things to herself and bear the burden alone due to her quiet nature, while Liang Jinghe was much livelier. Lu Lingchuan could sense this from just their brief exchange. Li Mingshi looked at Liang Jinghe with affectionate eyes, likely recognizing this trait as well. "Mom." Lu Lingchuan spoke as he approached. Seeing her son, a glimmer of joy shed in Li Mingshi''s eyes. "You''re back." "Yeah." He walked over and held her slightly cool hands. The weather was already quite hot, but Li Mingshi was still ill, so she couldn''t use the air conditioning. Instead, two fans were ced in the corner to keep the room cool, yet her hands felt chilly. She appeared even thinner than before, likely due to the chemotherapy. Seeing her eldest son, Li Mingshi promptly asked, "Son, about Lingrui''s case..." Her biggest concern now was whether Lu Lingchuan had found more evidence. Just thinking about the phone harassment and threatening messages she received made Li Mingshi nearly break down. Although Jinghe had reassured her not to worry, and Lingrui''s case had not been made public, the thought of those two families'' actions filled Li Mingshi with utter hatred! Hearing Lu Lingrui''s name, Liang Jinghe immediately stood up. "Auntie, now that Lingchuan is here, I can rest assured. You and Lingchuan talk, I''ll step out first." Lu Lingrui''s case was a taboo in the Lu family. Even though she and Lu Lingchuan were good friends, she should avoid any appearance of impropriety. This was a family matter, and as an outsider, it was inappropriate for her to stay and listen. After saying this, Liang Jinghe nodded and left. Seeing the agitated Li Mingshi, Lu Lingchuan carefully tended to her, cing a pillow behind her back so she could lean against itfortably while sitting up in bed. "Don''t worry." His voice was low and solemn. "I''ve obtained other evidence, and I''m currently searching for more victims. I can assure you, they will not have a good oue." If Zhang Yueping, one of the victims mentioned by Lu Lingchuan and Shen Nian, is indeed dead, and it was truly done by Wang Yong and his aplices, then those scumbags will face the death penalty. "Really?" Light finally returned to Li Mingshi''s eyes. "Yes." "That''s good, that''s good..." Li Mingshi nodded, smiling through her tears. "Next year is your sister''s benmingnian. She''ll be 24 years old. I want her to have a happy benmingnian in the other world." "..." Lu Lingchuan tightened his grip on Li Mingshi''s hand. "She will." As scheduled, the doctor and nurse arrived on time to examine Li Mingshi. Lu Lingchuan inquired about her condition. Although Li Mingshi looked haggard, the results were positive, and the chemotherapy seemed to be working well. While the medical staff conducted the examination, Lu Lingchuan quietly stepped out. Liang Jinghe was still waiting outside. Seeing Lu Lingchuaning out, she smiled: "Lingchuan." [One more chapteringter, let me go eat first] Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Lu Lingchuan walked over to her and nodded, "You''ve worked hard these days." He had called Lu Yanhua a few days ago, asking him to investigate other victims, so recently Lu Yanhua had been too busy toe to the hospital, and it was Auntie Xu who had been taking care of Li Mingshi. But with only one person, it was difficult to attend to everything without neglecting Li Mingshi. When Liang Jinghe learned about this, she volunteered toe and take care of Li Mingshi. Although she was not skilled at caring for others, she was very earnest in doing everything. "I''ve been waiting for you toe out so I could give you this." Saying this, Liang Jinghe took out a small USB drive from her bag and handed it to Lu Lingchuan. She looked at Lu Lingchuan seriously and said, "This contains all the evidence I''ve found, including screenshots of their conversations about bribing marketing ounts, screenshots of their payment ounts. These are enough to prove that out of spite, they intended to spread rumors to hurt us. It''s really disgusting." Lu Lingchuan tightly gripped the USB drive, "Thank you." "Don''t thank me, we''re friends." Looking at Lu Lingchuan, Liang Jinghe''s smile carried a hint of girlish shyness. The first time she met Lu Lingchuan, she was drawn to his charisma. There was no need toment on Lu Lingchuan''s appearance ¨C his thick brows, high bridged nose, exquisite lips ¨C every feature exuded nobility. Liang Jinghe had stayed abroad for many years, where foreigners'' features were more chiseled and profound. So there were many handsome men abroad, and Liang Jinghe was quite immune to good looks. What truly attracted her was his charisma. The first time she met Lu Lingchuan, he was wearing a ck windbreaker, standing out in the crowd. He noticed her, his jet-ck eyes emanating allure. He walked over and sat across from her, giving a slight nod as a greeting. He was quiet, not saying a word. When he lowered his gaze, one could sense the mncholy about him, as if troubled by something. His cold aloofness coupled with sadness ¨C twopletely contrasting auras coexisted harmoniously within him, instantly captivating Liang Jinghe. He told her that he had no intention of pursuing a rtionship, and was only present due to family pressure. Liang Jinghe didn''t mind, replying that they could be friends first, and if he developed such intentionster, they could explore further. So afterwards, they became friends. Previously, Liang Jinghe had thought that perhaps it was just the novelty of meeting such an extraordinary man like Lu Lingchuan that made the impression so profound, a fleeting moment of infatuation, nothing more. But after so long, her heart still fluttered. Could it be that... she really liked him? She stared at Lu Lingchuan''s face, pondering something, "Oh by the way¡ª" Lu Lingchuan lifted his gaze from the USB drive and looked at her. "..." Liang Jinghe had intended to ask about Lu Lingrui, but the words caught in her throat as she suddenly recalled a saying. Praise should flow freely, but criticism requires three considerations. Simrly, good news can be actively shared to spread joy; but if the other party does not voluntarily disclose bad news, one should not inquire and cause them grief. "It''s nothing." Liang Jinghe changed tack, not asking further. She simply gave him a small smile, "Since you''re here, I''ll take my leave?" "Okay," Lu Lingchuan nodded. After seeing Liang Jinghe off, Lu Lingchuan returned. The doctor had finished examining Li Mingshi, and the nurse was preparing the medicine needed for the IV drip. The doctor needed to discuss Li Mingshi''s condition with Lu Lingchuan. Auntie Xu, who had worked for the Lu family for many years, had returned from grocery shopping. With Auntie Xu present, Lu Lingchuan felt reassured to leave with the doctor. Auntie Xu tidied up, picking up the tes and such from the table to be washedter. As she bustled about, she said with a smile, "Miss Liang is really considerate, gentle and sunny." Having heard good news from her son, Li Mingshi''s mood had improved. She sat propped up against the headboard and nodded, "That child is good." A very considerate child indeed. The nurse came in with a tray, and Auntie Xu quickly cleared the bedside table to make way for the IV drip. There was a stand next to the bed for hanging the IV bag. The nurse unwrapped the IV tubing, busying about as she said with a smile, "Miss Liang has apanied Madam Lu every day these past few days. Madam Lu''splexion has improved a lot." Although her face was still haggard, herplexion was much better than the first two days of hospitalization when she looked deathly pale. Now she had a rosy glow. Auntie Xu chimed in with a smile, "Miss Liang insisted that getting more sun would improve one''splexion, repeatedly reminding me to open the curtains when the outdoor light was good to let the sunshine in." The nurse nodded, "More sunlight is good." She hung the medicine bottle on the stand, the fluid slowly dripping down through the tubing. The nurse''s hands kept moving as she continued chattering, "The previous assistant, Miss Shen, was also very good. There was a period when she woulde every day to see you. When you were awake, she would leave sunflowers at the door. Only when you were asleep would shee in. One time, I came to change your IV drip bag and saw Miss Shen sitting by the bed, wiping your face..." The nurse was in a good mood today, so her words flowed freely,pletely forgetting Lu Lingchuan''s prior instructions. By the time she realized, it was toote ¨C she had said everything she should not have said. The nurse''s face paled as she stared at Li Mingshi in horror, afraid of triggering an emotional breakdown. She had been repeatedly instructed not to mention Miss Shen in front of Madam Lu, yet she hadpletely forgotten. The nurse felt remorseful and regretful. Carefully observing Li Mingshi''s expression, Li Mingshi only knitted her brows slightly but said nothing, her emotions still rtively stable. Knowing she had made a mistake, the nurse anxiously inserted the needle, not daring to utter another word in the process. After finishing, she hurriedly left with the tray. Watching the nurse''s tense departure, Auntie Xu shifted her gaze and helped adjust Li Mingshi''s IV tubing. She sighed, "Madam, you actually liked that girl Nian a lot." Auntie Xu had worked for the Lu family for over twenty years, without husband or child. She had watched Lu Lingchuan and his siblings grow up, and the Lu family respected her greatly. So she dared to speak these words. "..." Li Mingshi lowered her gaze in silence. Auntie Xu could only sigh helplessly. Even she knew that Nian had visited, and the sunflowers were from her. The Madam was much more astute ¨C how could she not know? In the past, after Lu Lingchuan and Shen Nian got together, the two would oftene to the Lu residence for meals. Auntie Xu had a very good impression of the gentle and polite Shen Nian. She had thought Shen Nian and Lu Lingchuan would make an enviable couple. How did it end up like this? ... In the time that followed, Lu Lingchuan and Shen Nian had no contact at all. Lu Lingchuan and Lu Lingchen traveled across the country to meet the victims, while Shen Nian returned to thepany and continued working. She was the first to arrive at the office and thest to leave every day, using work to numb herself. Her medication doses kept increasing, and whenever her emotions were unstable, she could only rely on drugs to stabilize her mood. Chapter 103 Chapter 103 "Sister Shen, this is the data you asked me to organize. Please take a look and see if it''s okay." Shen Nian received the folder handed over by the employee and reviewed it carefully. "It''s fine." After going through it, Shen Nian instructed the employee, "Make thirty copies of this file. We''ll need them this afternoon." As she was about to return the folder, she thought of something and said, "Never mind, I''ll do it myself." "Yes, Sister Shen." The employee nodded. Shen Nian took the file to the copy room, ced it on the photocopier, pressed a few buttons, and the printer started working, gradually spitting out papers below. An employee came out of the pantry, holding a tray with more than a dozen cups of tea, water, and beverages. She ced the tray on the table, "Take your drinks, everyone. Lulu, here''s your ck tea. Xiao Ya, your fruit juice." About a dozen people got up to take their drinks. Shen Nian leaned against the printer, watching them gather around, her lips curving slightly. There were less than five minutes left before the break, so she allowed them to rx a little asionally. After watching for a moment, Shen Nian turned her gaze back to the printer, monitoring the papersing out. "Sister Shen." Someone called out to Shen Nian. She looked up to see an employee walking over and saying, "Your coffee." After a pause, she added, "No sugar." Shen Nian smiled, "Thank you." She took the coffee handed over by the employee and took a sip. Not a single grain of sugar, and the bitterness of the coffee spread in her mouth. Shen Nian used to like adding a little sugar to her coffee, but now she increasingly preferred this natural bitterness. Bitterness in her mouth helped her temporarily forget the bitterness in her heart. There was a sound from the elevator entrance as Liang Jinghe emerged from the elevator. She was wearing a white dress today, which made her look exceptionally gentle. Carrying her bag, she walked over and greeted everyone enthusiastically, "Long time no see, everyone." Previously, Liang Jinghe had treated everyone to drinks, and she had a friendly demeanor, so the employees at Lingrui Group had a particrly good impression of her. It was almost lunchtime, plus the "futuredy boss" was inspecting, so everyone was a bit more rxed. "Hello, Ms. Liang." "Ms. Liang, your dress looks beautiful today." "Thank you." Liang Jinghe smiled modestly. "..." Upon hearing Liang Jinghe''s voice, Shen Nian paused in the middle of drinking her coffee. She initially wanted to pretend she didn''t hear it, but Liang Jinghe noticed her standing by the printer. "Shen Assistant." "..." Shen Nian froze for a second, but when she raised her head, her expression had returned to normal. She always maintained a serious and proper attitude in front of Liang Jinghe, so there was no need to force a smile. Her expression was cold as she held the coffee cup, giving Liang Jinghe a slight nod as a greeting. After Liang Jinghe returned a smile, she shifted her gaze and continued speaking to everyone, "I''ve booked the French restaurant downstairs. Would you all like to join me for lunch?" These words immediately elicited cheers from everyone, perfectly timed as it was lunchtime. "Thank you, Ms. Liang!" Everyone eximed in unison. The joy evident on their faces showed that they were truly delighted. They all knew the French restaurant downstairs, which had rather high prices. Usually, a meal would only cost a few dozen yuan for a simple dish, or they could eat for free at thepany cafeteria. For a morevish meal, a few people might pool together for a hotpot and spend two or three hundred yuan. But at the French restaurant downstairs, even just to fill their stomachs, the cost would be at least 500 yuan per person. Liang Jinghe had booked the entire French restaurant to treat them to lunch, demonstrating her generosity and magnanimity. Seeing how happy everyone was, Liang Jinghe turned to Shen Nian, "Shen Assistant, is the French restaurant okay? If you don''t like it, we can change to somewhere else." "Don''t worry about me." Shen Nian''s tone remained unenthusiastic, "There''s a meeting this afternoon, and I need to personally oversee the content, so I was nning on skipping lunch to work. You all enjoy your meal." "Work is important, but eating is also crucial." Liang Jinghe showed disapproval, then added, "Besides, today''s lunch is mainly an invitation for you." "For me?" Shen Nian frowned. If she wasn''t mistaken, she and Liang Jinghe hadn''t interacted much, and their rtionship hadn''t reached the point where Liang Jinghe would invite her to lunch. "Yes." Recalling something, Liang Jinghe showed a sweet smile, "There''s something I need Shen Assistant and everyone''s help with, especially from you, Shen Assistant. If you''re unwilling to help me, I''ll be quite troubled." "I don''t think I have such capabilities." Her voice remained indifferent, "If there''s anything you need me to do, Ms. Liang, please let me know. I''ll certainly help if I can." After saying that, she lowered her gaze and took another sip of coffee. Liang Jinghe smiled brilliantly, "It''s actually not a big deal. I just need you all to help set the scene." It was already past working hours, and no one had left. Everyone was listening to what Liang Jinghe had to say. Liang Jinghe looked at everyone and spoke with a smile, "Mr. Lu will be back this Friday, and I want... to confess my feelings to him that day. I hope you all can be there to support me. What do you say?" "Wow!" Everyone was excited, as if they had just stumbled upon a juicy piece of gossip. Shen Nian''s hand trembled violently, spilling much of the coffee and burning her fingers. Her eyshes fluttered intensely as she struggled to control her abnormal breathing. "Ms. Liang, you''re so beautiful and polite. It should be our Mr. Lu confessing to you instead." Perhaps because the futuredy boss was so friendly, and it was already after working hours, the employees were bing bolder. Upon hearing this, Liang Jinghe shook her head in disagreement, "Who says surprises can onlye from men? As long as you like someone, you can give them a little surprise." Liang Jinghe''s eyes curved into a smile, "Everyone has worked hard this morning. Let''s go eat first?" "Yes!" Everyone responded in unison. Some had already tidied up and taken the elevator downstairs to wait. Jiang Lingling closed herputer, picked up her phone, and walked over to Shen Nian, inviting her, "Sister Shen, let''s go together." Shen Nian stared at the printer that hadn''t finished spitting out papers and declined, "No need, you all go ahead." Li Nan happened toe over. She didn''t know the rtionship between Shen Nian, Lu Lingchuan, and Liang Jinghe, and only assumed that Shen Nian was too dedicated to her work. She casually advised, "Come on, Shen. No matter how important the work is, you still need to eat. You said yourself that you''ll be busy this afternoon. If you don''t even eat lunch, how will you have the energy to work properly in the afternoon?" "No need..." "You really are in a hurry. Let''s hurry up and eat. After we''re done eating, we cane back, right? Since someone else is paying, we might as well eat. Don''t you think so?" Before Shen Nian could finish speaking, Li Nan continued. Jiang Lingling, who was equally clueless about what was going on, nodded in agreement, "Yeah, yeah, that''s right." The two of them grabbed Shen Nian, one on each side, and started walking. "Come on, let''s go. It won''t take too much time just to have a meal." Without giving Shen Nian a chance to speak, the two of them dragged her away. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Liang Jinghe had booked the French restaurant an hour in advance and rearranged the seating, with tables ced in a circle like the group activities in school, appearing very lively. Everyone sat wherever they wanted. Shen Nian, as usual, chose a corner seat while Li Nan and Jiang Lingling sat on either side of her. As soon as she sat down, Shen Nian lowered her head to her phone, minimizing her presence. They had just settled in when the French dishes arrived, one te per person. Marseille fish soup, goose liver pat¨¦, Parisian lobster... All expensive items. Liang Jinghe must have been truly generous to treat so many people. The waiter then brought over some fruit juices. Liang Jinghe smiled and said to everyone, "French red wine is renowned, but if today were a rest day, I would have opened a couple decent vintage bottles to celebrate. However, since you all need to work this afternoon, it''s best to avoid alcohol. So fruit juice it is." One had to admit, Liang Jinghe had impable social graces - humble, courteous, generous without being showy. It''s no wonder people liked her so much. Someone then remarked, "No worries, if we''re lucky enough to attend Miss Liang and Mr. Lu''s wedding, we can make up for it then!" Liang Jinghe smiled faintly, "If that dayes, I''ll send you all an invitation." With such an amiable "future boss''s wife", the atmosphere was lively. Everyone started by enjoying the food together, discussing fine dining and drinks. Liang Jinghe had traveled extensively, so she shared insights into different cultures. The conversation then turned to confessions of love. Someone suggested Liang Jinghe could choose a venue first. Another said they could prepare 999 roses, symbolizing eternal love. Someone else said... Romance needn''t only be created by men; women could do it too. It was a test of who loved whom more. Since Liang Jinghe adored Lu Lingchuan, she was willing to set aside her reservations for him. "We could pretend nothing happened, find a way to lure Mr. Lu over, then give him a huge surprise! Miss Liang can step forward and confess her love while we set the mood..." Just describing it painted a vivid picture. Liang Jinghe thought it was a good idea, but there was one problem: "But how do we get Lingchuan toe? He won''t go without a legitimate reason." "That''s true." The person who suggested it was stumped, having forgotten that detail. Mr. Lu wouldn''t be easily fooled by some random excuse. Suddenly, the employee had an idea and her eyes lit up. "We could ask Assistant Shen for help!" All eyes immediately turned to Shen Nian. "Assistant Shen is Mr. Lu''s most trusted aide who has been with him since thepany''s founding. If she speaks up, she''s far more likely to seed than any of us!" "..." Shen Nian felt uneasy being stared at by so many eyes. She had no choice but to look up, meeting the gazes of Liang Jinghe and countless others, all awaiting her response. Shen Nian averted her eyes ufortably and said softly, "I can''t do it." Of everyone present, Lu Lingchuan disliked her the most. She had no such ability. But the employee grew more enthusiastic. "Assistant Shen, don''t be so modest. Mr. Lu trusts you with so much important work. Who here can match you? If even you can''t do it, then no one can." Liang Jinghe gave Shen Nian an apologetic smile. "I''m sorry to trouble you, but could you please help?" "..." Shen Nian felt as if she had been submerged in an icy December pool, a chill pervading her body and soul. Their gazes were like icicles, piercing right through her, binding her in ce. Everyone thought this little favor should be easy for Shen Nian. Little did they know, to her it was the torment of descending into hell. In the end, Shen Nian could not withstand the weight of so many stares. She said faintly, "I understand." As soon as the words left her lips, the icicles piercing her disappeared. With the issue of summoning Lu Lingchuan resolved, the others stopped worrying and continued discussing the confession setup. ..................... For the rest of the afternoon, Shen Nian remained silent, even during meetings. She sat quietly, lost in her own world. Soon it was time to leave, but unusually, no one rushed home. Instead, they joined Liang Jinghe to prepare for the confession - flowers, venue, lighting, etc. Everything needed preparation. With Lu Lingchuan''s return approaching, they had to work overtime. As for Shen Nian, having taken on the task of "calling Lu Lingchuan over", she was not assigned any other work. So she went straight home. Back home, Shen Nian resumed her solitary routine - eating alone at the table, washing dishes, then showering. After her shower, dressed in pajamas, she curled up on the sofa and stared nkly into space. She had no other pastimes. Whenever she had nothing to do, she would gaze at the wall, lost in thought. "Ding dong --" "Ding dong ding dong --" Her phone kept ringing with notifications, snapping her back to reality. She thought someone had messaged her, but they were just news alerts pushed by various apps. #Unidentified female body found in the suburbs at 4:30 PM today# Shen Nian usually ignored gossip, so she paid no attention at first. But when seven or eight identical alerts popped up across different apps, she identally tapped one and it opened a fresh report. She was about to exit but glimpsed certain keywords that made her pause. She quickly scanned the article for key terms, then instantly switched to Weibo. The news had exploded there. She clicked in and saw the report along with a police statement issued three minutes prior. The statement was clear - an unidentified female body had been discovered in the suburbs. After responding to the report, the police were taking it very seriously and had a professional coroner examine the body on-site. The coroner confirmed the deceased was a woman around 19 or 20 years old who had been dead for six to seven years. As soon as the news broke,izens erupted in outrage, condemning the perpetrator''s cruelty. Seeing the age and time of death reported above, Shen Nian felt a jolt in her heart, and an idea formed in her mind. But she was not certain yet, so she clutched her phone, refreshing every few minutes to ensure she saw thetest news as soon as possible. Sure enough, a couple of hourster, new information emerged. Someone revealed that about seven years ago, a freshman student named Zhang Yueping had suddenly gone missing from a prestigious university in the capital city. Upon seeing this message, Shen Nian confirmed it. Lu Lingchuan had taken action. [Just now, while rereading the previous content, I saw everyone''sments, and I want to exin something to you all ~ From the beginning, my setting for Lu Lingchuan was that he was someone who valued family very much, especially since he had witnessed Lu Lingrui''s death before his eyes, that kind of feeling of helplessness when someone you care about leaves in front of you, which added to his pain. Although Shen Nian was not the murderer of Lu Lingrui, the incident they were involved in together,bined with how close they used to be, inseparable like each other''s shadow. Seeing Shen Nian would remind him of Lu Lingrui, and seeing Lu Lingrui would remind him of Shen Nian. This is why Li Mingshi could not see Shen Nian, because seeing Shen Nian''s face would remind her of her poor daughter, and remember Lu Lingrui''s suicide, which would cause her pain. To be fair, who could ept Shen Nian entering their home again after going through something like this? Lu Lingchuan cared about his mother and Shen Nian, so he has been entangled with Shen Nian, unable to let go of his feelings for Lu Lingrui and his mother, so he could not wholeheartedly be with Shen Nian. That''s why he wanted to have a child with Shen Nian; if he had his own child, he might be able to take that step and tell himself to be selfish for his child, to selfishly let go of his care for Lu Lingrui and his mother, and choose his own little family with Shen Nian. At the root of it, the child was just an excuse, because without a child, he couldn''t find an excuse. Isn''t that just how the human heart works? When neither choice is right, you''ll unconsciously find an excuse to convince yourself to choose the option you want. Lu Lingchuan truly loved Shen Nian, but there were too many ties between them that made it impossible for them to go back to how they used to be. In summary, they are all pitiable.] Chapter 105 Chapter 105 The discovery of the body caused a huge uproar online, upying the top trending spot for several days in a row. Everyone was waiting for the results and demanding punishment for the perpetrator. Shen Nian was also closely following the updates. Soon, someone revealed that Zhang Yueping seemed to have gotten into some trouble before her disappearance, as she was hysterically saying that she wanted to seek justice for herself before mysteriously vanishing. Chen Bei came forward and exposed the truth behind the "selection of consorts" incident from years ago, including how she was harassed, insulted, and threatened by Wang Yong and others. She also revealed that Zhang Yueping must have been silenced! Because normally, Zhang Yueping was an honest person who never made enemies. Her only "crime" was against those beasts! The audio recordings that had been hidden in her phone for so many years, containing her and Zhang Yueping''s grievances and their desperate pleas for justice that were pped down by reality, finally saw the light of day. Theizens were not to be trifled with. Even with just two parts exposed, they could dig out the remaining eight parts. Someone discovered that the Wang Yong mentioned by Chen Bei was a notorious rich punk from the capital city. His cousin-inw was married to an official, so his family had some connections. As a result, he and other rich punks like Yang Hao would loaf around all day, getting into fights, "selecting consorts," andmitting all sorts of misdeeds. Other victims then came forward, iming that they had been forced by Wang Yong, Yang Hao, and others, who then used threats against their families to keep them silent. One victim after another surfaced, spilling their experiences, and some even leaked videos of these rich punks'' debauchery. In the videos, Wang Yong, Yang Hao, and a few other simrly obnoxious rich punks were drinking and groping scantily-d beauties, their faces flushed but their eyes clear. They boasted while hugging the beauties, saying they could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, and that alcohol only made them want to conquer all the beautiful women in the world. Those who refused would be raped, and they could just im they were drunk afterward. As long as they said they were drunk and couldn''t remember, coupled with their family connections, they would be out in no time. Meanwhile, the backers behind these rich punks were also exposed. It was as if someone had nned it all - explosive information kepting one after another. Before people could digest one piece of news, the next had already arrived. These beasts were pushed to the highest point, receiving condemnation and curses fromizens across the web. The police quickly gathered evidence. There were witnesses who imed to have seen this group of rich punks led by Wang Yong and Yang Hao hurriedly leaving in an SUV a few years ago. They saw shovels when the trunk was opened. The timing matched closely with the estimated time of Zhang Yueping''s death. The trending updates kepting - Aizen dug up Wang Yong''s home address. All the windows of their vi were smashed, and Wang Yong''s family fled in disarray... Yang Hao''s wife was osted and humiliated on the street... Someone found out Wang Yong''s son''s school. The child is now isted by all his ssmates... Wang Yong, Yang Hao, and others, including their influential backers, were taken in for investigation as suspects in the "Zhang Yueping Death" case... Lawyer Xu Xiping, representing the Lu family, re-appealed the case of Wang Yong and others maliciously assaulting Lu Lingrui, leading to her suicide, and demanded severe punishment! Initially, they stubbornly imed they were just drunk and didn''t mean any harm. But as more evidence surfaced, this excuse was no longer valid! Lu Lingrui was not the first victim. The other victims had to plead guilty because they couldn''t afford to offend these people. If it weren''t for the Lu family''s persistence, there would have been more victims in the past five years. Everyone has to pay the price for their actions. This group of beasts had been arrogant for so long due to their wealth and connections. Now that the wall has fallen, everyone is pushing them down. It''s time for them to face retribution! During this period, Shen Nian called both Lu Lingchuan and Lu Lingchen, but no matter who she called or when, they were always on another call. Everything exposed online was orchestrated by Lu Lingchuan. He was very busy. "The number you have dialed is currently on another call..." Shen Nian, dressed in professional attire, sat in her seat, holding her phone. She stared at the phone screen, then hung up. She ced the phone beside her and continued working on herputer. Li Nan happened toe by with some documents. "Assistant Shen, these are the reports fromst quarter. Please take a look." "Okay." Shen Nian epted them and looked them over. While Shen Nian was reviewing the documents, Li Nan winked at her. "Nian Nian, when are you going to the confession tonight?" "..." Shen Nian froze, and after a while, she finally looked up. "Huh?" "I mean, Miss Liang''s confession to President Lu." Li Nan thought Shen Nian had forgotten. "You''re the one who''s supposed to call President Lu and lure him over. Everyone else can skip it, but you can''t." "..." Shen Nian''s eyshes fluttered, and she lowered her head, speaking softly, "I have something else to do tonight, so I won''t go." "How can you miss such an important event?" Li Nan frowned. "..." No matter what Li Nan said, Shen Nian didn''t say another word. Even though she knew that one day, Lu Lingchuan would end up with Liang Jinghe, she didn''t want to be the one to deliver Lu Lingchuan to another woman. ... Shen Nian originally nned to leave directly after work, but Liang Jinghe personally requested her presence, so Shen Nian was forced to attend the confession event. From the setup alone, it was evident that Liang Jinghe had put in a lot of effort. The 999 white roses were all freshly transported, and Liang Jinghe arranged them one by one. She personally handled everything, including the setup and location. "Lingchuan''s flight arrives at 8 PM. It''s already 7:30 now, so I''ll need your help when it''s 8 o''clock." Liang Jinghe winked at Shen Nian. Shen Nian''s throat felt like it had swallowed a handful of knives, and it was painful to speak. With great difficulty, she said, "Okay." Liang Jinghe''s smile deepened. "Thank you for your hard work. I''ll go check on the other areas first. Today, dinner is on me for everyone, so don''t leave just yet." With that, she happily left, leaving Shen Nian alone in the corner. Shen Nian silently stood in the corner and took out her phone to call Lu Lingchuan again. "Hello, the number you have dialed is currently unavable..." Lu Lingchuan was likely on a flight and had turned on airne mode. At 7:50 PM, a nended smoothly at the international airport in the capital city. Lu Lingchuan and Lu Lingchen disembarked, with someone carrying their luggage behind them. "Lawyer Xu has filed the appeal. What other evidence do we have in hand right now, brother? When will you release it?" Lu Lingchen asked as they walked. Lu Lingchuan nced at him as he turned off airne mode. "I''ll let you know when." His steps paused as he noticed a missed call from [Nian]. He opened it. She had called three times in the past two days. After the second call went unanswered, Shen Nian knew he was busy, so she didn''t call again to avoid disturbing him. The third call was made this afternoon. Meanwhile, Lu Lingchuan had made hundreds of calls over the past few days, keeping him spinning with business, so he didn''t notice Shen Nian''s calls. Since parting ways at Sea Cityst time, they had barely spoken on the phone, with Lu Lingchuan being the one to initiate the calls, merely giving work instructions that Shen Nian acknowledged with an "mmm" or "I understand," without any superfluous words. After a moment''s hesitation, Lu Lingchuan lightly tapped the screen and dialed her number. Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Shen Nian was about to sneak away when her phone in her pocket rang, instantly drawing the attention of those nearby. Sensitive, everyone quickly checked the time and found it was around 8 o''clock, excitedly asking, "Shen Nian, is that Lu President''s call?" "It''s probably him. Lu President is arriving in the capital at 8 o''clock. He might have called his assistant Shen Nian right after getting off the ne to give her work instructions." "Shen Nian, quick, check if it''s Lu President''s call!" Liang Jinghe immediately came over upon hearing and gazed at Shen Nian expectantly. Under everyone''s gaze, Shen Nian had no choice but to take out her phone. The employee closest to her saw the caller ID. The contact name Shen Nian had for Lu Lingchuan was his full name, so no one would discover their rtionship through the contact name. "It really is Lu President!" Seeing that it was indeed Lu Lingchuan, everyone became excited. "Assistant Shen, hurry and answer!" "Remember to be tactful and find an excuse to lure Lu President here!" Urged by everyone, Shen Nian answered the call. "Hello..." Her voice was light and faint, "Lu President." "..." On the other end, Lu Lingchuan frowned upon hearing Shen Nian address him like that. Over the years, they had argued big and small, and every time they were in a cold war, Shen Nian would call him "Lu President," clearly separating their rtionship with that title. Plus, Shen Nian''s voice was so faint, making Lu Lingchuan think she was still in a cold war with him. Lu Lingchuan''s originally somewhat agitated heart was doused with cold water, and his voice was also cold, "I''ve gotten off the ne." "Hmm." Shen Nian responded, but said nothing else. Lu Lingchuan didn''t say anything either, and the atmosphere became awkward. Seeing that Shen Nian didn''t get to the point, everyone was getting anxious, making all kinds of subtle gestures to urge her on. Under everyone''s pressure, Shen Nian had to steel herself and continue, "Do you have time now?" Hearing Shen Nian say that, Lu Lingchuan was a bit surprised, not knowing what she wanted, so he didn''t immediately agree, only saying, "Go on." Shen Nian''s head was throbbing more and more, and her voice grew softer, "I have some things I need to discuss with you in person..." Her voice was so soft that it was almost inaudible. After a pause, she added another sentence, "Is that okay?" When Lu Lingchuan heard Shen Nian''s soft and gentle "Is that okay?", the heart that had been doused with cold water started beating rapidly again. But thinking about her coldness, Lu Lingchuan didn''t immediately agree, only coolly leaving her with, "Tell me more." Then he hung up. Lu Lingchen, who was beside him, only spoke after he hung up, "Shen Nian?" "Yeah." Lu Lingchuan replied. "Something happened?" "She said she has something she needs to discuss with me in person." Lu Lingchuan frowned, "I wonder what she wants to say." It was precisely because he didn''t know what she wanted to say that Lu Lingchuan didn''t agree right away. The main reason was... when Shen Nian said that, her voice was so cold and indifferent that it gave him a bad premonition, and panic attacked his nerves. He was afraid... that Shen Nian wanted to break up with him. If that was what she wanted to say, Lu Lingchuan would absolutely not go see her! "Discuss something?" Lu Lingchen carefully thought about it, then said, "Is it about what''s happening online?" Online? Lu Lingchuan''s eyes flickered. Lu Lingchen said, "Shen Nian called me too, but I was too busy at the time to respond. With how big this has blown up online, she must know that we''re behind it, and this matter is also somewhat rted to Ling Rui''s case. Is what she wants to discuss this?" After Lu Lingchen mentioned it, Lu Lingchuan''s uneasy heart was slightly soothed. "Brother." Lu Lingchen looked at Lu Lingchuan with a serious expression, "You care about Shen Nian in your heart. If this goes smoothly, you two should be together properly and stop tormenting each other." "..." Lu Lingchuan''s body stiffened. Lu Lingchen knew he had gotten through to him, so he continued, "You two have been mutually tormenting each other for so many years. Ultimately, your knot is Ling Rui, and her knot is also Ling Rui, including Mom''s knot also being Ling Rui." "A small stream may appear calm on the surface, but you never step into the same river twice, for the water is always flowing. Even if the water in this stream is very turbid, it won''t be long before it bes clear again¡ªbecause the murky part has flowed away." Lu Lingchen said earnestly, "Brother, I just want to tell you that time won''t stop, and we can''t live only for that memory. Even if today is unsatisfactory, when you wake up tomorrow, a new day will stille." "..." "Mom likes Shen Nian, but because of Ling Rui''s death, seeing Shen Nian pains her; you clearly can''t let go of Shen Nian, but because of Ling Rui''s death, you can''t move on either." "So..." Lu Lingchen paused, then continued, "If we win thiswsuit and avenge Ling Rui, Mom''s knot will be untied. You and Shen Nian can start over." "..." Lu Lingchen''s every word struck Lu Lingchuan''s heart. Start over... Start over. With each repetition of those four words in his mind, his heartbeat elerated. Like a person trapped in a quagmire grabbing a lifeline, the only hope to live. Visions of Shen Nian holding a child in a warm, domestic scene shed through his mind. They could start over... Right? Lu Lingchuan abruptly raised his head, "I won''t go see Mom at the hospital today." Lu Lingchen was stunned for a moment, then nodded, "Mom has me looking after her. Dad''s flight back to the capital is tomorrow morning, so you don''t need to worry about the family." Without saying anything else, Lu Lingchuan hurriedly left the airport and sent Shen Nian a message as he walked. [Are you at home?] He was about to send the message when he suddenly remembered that there had been wind sounds during their call earlier, so she should be outside. He deleted the four characters in the input box and retyped the message. [Address] Then he sent it. ................... On the other side, after Lu Lingchuan coldly hung up, Shen Nian''s heart, which had been hanging by a thread, finally settled. She shrugged at everyone, and they all looked dejected. "Ah¡ªeven Assistant Shen can''t deceive him. What do we do now?" Just now, some people had huddled close to Shen Nian and heard Lu Lingchuan''s cold words. Liang Jinghe lowered her eyes, a flicker of disappointment visible in them. Shen Nian didn''t want to stay here any longer. Every second here was filled with Liang Jinghe''s love for Lu Lingchuan, and she only wanted to hastily flee. "It''s nothing important. I''ll go first." With that said, she turned to leave. At that moment, a "ding dong" notification sound came from the phone. Someone immediately eximed, "Is it a message from President Lu?" With these words, everyone''s interest was reignited again, and they said in chorus: "Very likely." "Shen Nian, you check it quickly!" Urged on by the crowd, Shen Nian had no choice but to open her phone to prove it wasn''t him. But as she opened the message, she was taken aback. [Address] Just these two simple words. The sender was Lu Lingchuan. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Lu Lingchuan received Shen Nian''s location just as he was leaving the airport, so he immediately hailed a taxi to go there. Although it was summer, the evening wind was cool. The car window was rolled down halfway, allowing the outside wind to blow onto Lu Lingchuan''s face. It didn''t sober him up; instead, the small me in his heart was fanned, growing stronger and stronger. Lu Lingchen''s words kept repeating in his mind. If the matter with Ling Rui was resolved and they had let go of their baggage, they could start over. Start over... The hand clenched lightly on hisp tightened its grip. With each repetition of those four words in his mind, his determination grew stronger. Could they start over? ...Yes, they could! It only took twenty minutes from the airport to reach the ce. Lu Lingchuan got out of the car and surveyed his surroundings. It seemed quiet and dim here. He frowned slightly, taking out his phone to double-check the location. This was indeed the ce. Putting his phone back in his pocket, he walked forward. This was a small but scenic park. Normally, many families woulde here for a stroll after dinner. Previously, Lu Lingchuan would often bring Shen Nian here for a run. Since Shen Nian''s health wasn''t great and she would get dizzy and have blurred vision without regr exercise, back then, no matter how busy he was with his studies, Lu Lingchuan would make time for two hours in the evening to apany her for a walk or run. If he was too swamped, he would video call her to urge her to exercise with jump ropes. Recalling those little moments from the past, Lu Lingchuan quickened his pace, the sound of his leather shoes tapping on the ground echoing around him. There was only one path ahead, and Lu Lingchuan took long strides forward until he saw a dark silhouette blocking his way, forcing him to stop. It was already dark out, and with no lighting in the area, he couldn''t make out what it was, only sensing an exceptionally deep shadow ahead. He took a few steps closer and realized it was a sign ced on the small path, propped up by an easel, with arge board on top. It was too dark to see clearly, so Lu Lingchuan bent down for a closer look, barely making out the words written on it. [Lu Lingchuan, I like you.] Upon seeing those few words, Lu Lingchuan''s heart sank abruptly, and his heartbeat immediately raced out of control, faster and faster... His gaze slowly drifted downward, and at the very bottom were two letters. c & h. His pupils constricted sharply, his heart pounding as if it might burst out of his chest at any moment. At that instant¡ª "Bang!" All the lights around him suddenly turned on. Lu Lingchuan then realized that the flower beds surrounding him were filled with white roses, and the path he had walked on was lined with strings of lights. A figure in white appeared in his peripheral vision, causing Lu Lingchuan to look up sharply. Even to this day, Lu Lingchuan could never forget the white figure he first saw when he met Shen Nian. She wore a white dress, her face bare and natural, her entire being bathed in gentle grace. As it was her first time apanying Ling Rui, Shen Nian was a bit reserved, her movements tentative and careful. Upon seeing the sudden appearance of Lu Lingchuan, she was startled like a frightened little animal, immediately hiding behind Ling Rui. Catching his gaze, she realized her reaction was impolite and curved her lips in an apologetic smile. That smile went straight into Lu Lingchuan''s heart. It felt like he was transported back to six years ago, the first time he met Shen Nian. His gaze slowly moved upward, from her legs to her waist, inch by inch... When he saw Liang Jinghe''s face, the heart that had been fluttering seemed to be submerged in icy water, freezing abruptly. The smile that had begun to form on his lips froze as well. Liang Jinghe wore a white dress, exquisitely made with a simplistic bridal gown feel. She held a small bouquet of fresh flowers and, filled with love for Lu Lingchuan, walked towards him step by step. She was slightly shorter than Shen Nian, so when she stood before the taller Lu Lingchuan, she had to tilt her head back slightly. Liang Jinghe curved her lips into a smile that held Shen Nian''s warmth yetcked none of Ling Rui''s radiance. Gazing at Lu Lingchuan''s rigid expression, she spoke. "I''ve heard people say that creating romance is the man''s responsibility, while the woman only needs to enjoy it. I strongly disagree with that statement." "..." "Because I believe romance is something one creates for the person they love. Since I like you, I wanted to give you the romance I created with my own hands." She looked at Lu Lingchuan, her smile deepening. "You said before that you didn''t have any romantic intentions at the moment. Do you remember how I responded to you?" "Hmm..." Liang Jinghe pondered seriously, then continued, "I said that I felt the same way. We had just met and didn''t know each other well. If we got together after only one meeting, it would be too awkward. We could take our time to cultivate our feelings, and if we developed intentionster, we could get together then." "Now, what I want to say is... I''ve thought about it seriously for a long time, and I''m certain that I like you." "So¡ª" Liang Jinghe took a deep breath and extended the bouquet towards him, saying, "Mr. Lu Lingchuan, will you be my boyfriend?" Simultaneously, a giant sign in the distance lit up, disying only a simple fewrge words. [Lu Lingchuan, will you be my boyfriend?] "Bang bang bang!" The sound of something exploding rang in his ears, followed by pink flower petals raining down on him and Liang Jinghe. Employees who had been hiding emerged all at once. The male employees carried handheld confetti cannons to liven up the atmosphere, while the female employees held balloons that floated up into the night sky when released. "Get together! Get together! Get together!" Everyone rhythmically pped and cheered excitedly. Lu Lingchuan looked up and immediately spotted Shen Nian among the crowd. Unlike the others cheering and pping in unison, she stood out, rigid and silent like a wooden doll. Shen Nian had been pushed out to help set the mood, but she stood there silently, seeming out of ce. Sensing an intense gaze fixed on her, Shen Nian looked up and met Lu Lingchuan''s eyes. His narrow eyes, cold as icy pools, were shadowed by a darkness that seemed to darken his already stern features in the gentle breeze. The lights illuminated the sign Lu Lingchuan had misread earlier due to the darkness. The letter after the ''c'' wasn''t ''n''; it was ''h''. Not ''chuan'' and ''nian'', but ''chuan'' and ''he'' ¨C Liang Jinghe''s ''he''. Shen Nian, you''ve truly given me a big surprise! Shen Nian only nced at him before quickly turning her head away. Lu Lingchuan''s knuckles tightened harshly, his deep gaze like a ferocious beast trapped in the night. In that moment, his heart was chilled. Liang Jinghe gazed at Lu Lingchuan expectantly, yet Lu Lingchuan stared at Shen Nian with an icy cold expression, while Shen Nian... chose to avoid Lu Lingchuan''s gaze. The man''s expression had long turned as cold as ice, his ck eyes like a boundless night sky, devoid of any glimmer of light. Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Silence is the unspoken default. And Shen Nian''s silence was the fatal blow that broke Lu Lingchuan. He thought they could start over, but Shen Nian''s direct rejection made himpletely sober. "...Okay." Lu Lingchuan said that word through gritted teeth. Wasn''t she luring him here just to hear him say that? A sh of delight flickered in Liang Jinghe''s eyes, and the next second she rushed into Lu Lingchuan''s embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist. Lu Lingchuan stood like a statue, motionless, allowing Liang Jinghe to hug him. The man''s answer made the onlookers cheer with excitement, all of them cheering and hooting. "Ohhh~~~" There were even faint whistles. Yet she still didn''t look at him. Lu Lingchuan''s gaze remained fixed on Shen Nian, so persistent, his expression numb. Eventually, a lifeless glimmer shed in his dim eyes. Everyone''s attention was on the two people in the distance, no one noticing that Shen Nian''s hand was trembling, and the trembling was getting worse. She used her other hand to press down firmly, frowning hard to prevent excessive emotion that might arouse suspicion. Wanting to leave hastily, when she looked up she met Lu Lingchuan''s gaze. His scorching gaze stared straight at Shen Nian, questioning, interrogating. He was asking her¡ª Are you satisfied? Is this what you wanted? Are you satisfied now? Shen Nian immediately felt a chill run up from below, freezing her to the core. ..................... Shen Nian staggered back home in a sorry state. Just as she was about to close the door, a slender, fair hand stopped it. Seeing that hand, Shen Nian''s pupils shrank, she tried to force the door closed, but Lu Lingchuan used his strength to fling her aside. She felt a spinning sensation, and with a loud "thud" of the door mming, Shen Nian was mmed against the wall by Lu Lingchuan. Her back hit the light switch at the entrance, instantly illuminating the room. Lu Lingchuan lowered his head to look at her, his eyes bloodshot, as Shen Nian tried to push him away and struggle. "Let me go..." The man didn''t budge, and she pushed him harder, "Let me go!" Lu Lingchuan tightly gripped Shen Nian, ring fiercely at her, agitation coursing through his entire body, as if countless insects had burrowed into every blood vessel, viciously gnawing at him, making him suffer unbearably. "Are you satisfied?" His voice was cold and harsh. "..."Shen Nian stared at him nkly. "Answer me!" He screamed hysterically, "Are you satisfied!" Shen Nian''s eyes turned red as she continued staring at him, then she smiled wryly, "Yes, I''m satisfied." "..." "Lu Lingchuan, I hope you''ll be happy." She looked at him, enunciating each word carefully. Liang Jinghe is a good person who truly loves Lu Lingchuan, so Liang Jinghe is more suited for Lu Lingchuan than her. At least, when Lu''s mother sees Liang Jinghe, she only feels affection, not pain. "Happy?" Hearing her words, Lu Lingchuanughed outright, his jet-ck pupils ring at her fiercely, his eyes turning an ominous bloody red, "What right do you have to choose happiness for me! What right do you have!" "Shen Nian! You never considered being with me!" "You''re just a cold, heartless woman! You chose to abandon Ling Rui back then! And now you unhesitatingly choose to abandon me too!" Like a child on the verge of a breakdown, he protested vehemently, shout after shout, sentence after sentence. He raised his fist and pounded his own chest, over and over, "No one has ever hurt me as deeply as you! You hold the knife, and every blow strikes right at my heart!" Stabbing him all over, tearing him apart! "..."Shen Nian''s ears were ringing, as if she had lost her voice, only silently watching his frenzied state. Lu Lingchuan had beenpletely tormented into losing all reason and lucidity, filled with frantic rage, he protested in disbelief, "Shen Nian, how can you be so heartless! Why would I fall for such a cold woman like you! You''re just an untamed white-eyed wolf, no matter how good I am to you, you always bite back!" He pinned her against the wall, one hand clutching her throat, the veins on the back of his hand bulging, "You''re a white-eyed wolf! Rather than letting you harm others in the future, it''s better to strangle you to death today!" "..."Shen Nian didn''t struggle, only staring at him with reddened eyes. His eyes looked bloodshot, his gaze filled with endless despair and emptiness. He was unwilling to ept it. Why didn''t Shen Nian want him, why wouldn''t she want him! Even now, Shen Nian hadn''t shed a single tear, her eyes were just terrifyingly red. Watching Lu Lingchuan in such a frenzied state, the force on her throat grew stronger, almost robbing her of all breath. Shen Nian curled her lips into a smile, then slowly closed her eyes. She had already resigned herself to this fate. Seeing Shen Nian so willing to die, Lu Lingchuan recoiled as if electrocuted, stumbling several steps backwards. His back mmed hard into the shoe cab, knocking everything on the shelf to the floor with a ttering crash. "Cough cough cough..." Shen Nian clutched her throat, coughing violently, the survival instinct forcing her to gulp down huge breaths of air. Lu Lingchuan only stared at her, after that heart-wrenching frenzy, all that remained was a devastated, numbing despair. "Heh..." He gave a self-deprecatingugh, muttering, "You win..." "Shen Nian." He called her name, his expression so calm. He said, "I''ve never disliked you as much as I do now." "..."Shen Nian froze, her heart almost stopping. Tears instantly welled up in her eyes and streamed down her face. He said he disliked her. He had always said he hated her before, because hate is the transformation of love. The more love, the more hate. But now, he said he disliked her... "..."Lu Lingchuan stared at the tear-stained Shen Nian, numbly asking her, "Are these crocodile tears?" After saying that, heughed at himself, "You really are so changeable." Tricking him into epting Liang Jinghe''s confession, and now crying as if wronged, as if she were the victim. Perhaps due to exhaustion from the past few days, Lu Lingchuan suddenly felt very tired, more tired than he had ever been, too tired to even lift his hand. He didn''t want to say anything more, no matter how much they argued, it wouldn''t change the oue. Like a world-weary old man, he grabbed the door handle and opened the door. Then he left the home he shared with Shen Nian. Shen Nian''s legs felt like they were disabled, unable to muster any strength. Sliding down the wall, she copsed onto the floor in a pitiful heap. Tears streamed down like rain, shoulders shuddering violently. For so many years, no matter how they quarreled or went cold, when they turned around, the other was always standing behind them. Because there were only the two of them, no one else showed up. But now... a third person had appeared. Until the moment today when Liang Jinghe threw herself into Lu Lingchuan''s embrace. She hadpletely lost Lu Lingchuan. Lu Lingchuan would no longer belong to her. .................. [There''s something I need to exin. Yesterday, I didn''t fail to update; it was just that the backend was stuck, and I couldn''t post the chapter. I was extremely anxious about it. Usually, there''s no problem, and the updatees out around 3 or 4 AM. But I waited until 5 AM, and it was still under review. I thought it might get sent back for revisions, so I set an rm for 8 AM, preparing to wake up early to revise the chapter. Otherwise, as someone who usually wakes up around 3 or 4 PM, you all might have been driven mad waiting... Fortunately, when I woke up around 8 AM, it had already been released. For those of you who haven''t followed my Weibo ount, @ErciaoCiao, hurry and follow it. Unless something unexpected happens, I usually update in the early morning hours. If you don''t see my update in the early morning, there''s an 80% chance it got stuck in review. Follow me, and if a chapter gets stuck in review, I''ll post a notification on Weibo because I can''t notify you in the chapter itself when it''s stuck. That way, you don''t have to wait foolishly and can just go to sleep early and read it during the day. If a chapter gets stuck in review in the future, I''ll notify you. If you see the notification, just go to sleep early and read it the next day. If there''s no update and no notification from me, it''s likely just myzy habit acting up again. Wait for me to get my act together, and I should still be able to scrape together a chapter for you to read. You can wait for it then. Finally, remember to follow my Weibo ount, @ErciaoCiao. That''s it, mwah!] Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Xiao Mubai forcefully barged through the private room door and saw that the room was empty. His heart sank, and he immediately turned to the waiter, urgently questioning, "Are you sure she''s here?" The usually gentle man spoke with an unusual harshness, startling the waiter into shrinking back before nodding. "This is the room, alright. Earlier, a very beautiful youngdy with red eyes reserved this private room. She looks exactly like the photo on your phone, sir, and her surname is Shen, Shen Nian..." Upon hearing this, Xiao Mubai swiftly turned back to the private room, surveying it once more, but still no one was there. The couch in the room was spotless, not even the fruit tter on the table had been touched, all as clean as if no one had ever entered before. The panic in Xiao Mubai''s heart grew more intense. "Search! Quickly search!" He then rushed inside, heading straight for the restroom. He pushed open the restroom door, it was pristinely clean, with no signs of anyone having been there. He hurriedly went to the sink, running his fingers over the basin, no water stains. In other words, no one had used the sink. He carefully examined everything again, confirming that there were no traces of blood. This allowed him to breathe a slight sigh of relief, but the thought of not having found Shen Nian yet made his heart tighten once more. "Sir! I found her!" The waiter''s voice came from outside. Xiao Mubai immediately rushed out, finding Shen Nian in the most easily overlooked corner of the room. The moment heid eyes on her, Xiao Mubai was stunned. She was sitting in the corner, surrounded by countless empty liquor bottles. In the dim lighting, her head leaned against the wall, eyes closed, tears soaking her small, palm-sized face, her hand gripping an empty liquor bottle that had been drained. No shouting, no fuss, just silently sitting there, tears streaming down her face. "Nian Nian, Nian Nian..." Xiao Mubai''s heart sank as he crouched down and gripped her shoulders. Upon closer inspection, he noticed small red dots all over Shen Nian''s face and neck, asionally even some patches of red, as if she had scratched herself. Xiao Mubai''s pupils constricted, his voice trembling, "Nian Nian!" ... Shen Nian felt like she had slept very deeply, dreaming of when she was around five or six years old. The tiny her was being held by her mother, while her father took pictures of them with a camera. Back then, naive and innocent, she looked at her father holding the camera and asked, "Daddy, why aren''t you in the picture with us?" Her doting father stroked her soft hair and said, "Because your and mommy''s smiles are only for daddy to see." Her family was quite wealthy. Her father was a key employee at apany, and her mother was a full-time housewife. They followed the saying, "The husband earns to support the family, the wife and children are responsible for being beautiful." From as far back as Shen Nian could remember, her parents had never argued. For small family matters, her father listened to her mother, and for moreplicated issues, the couple would discuss together. Shen Nian was their only daughter, so they were willing to invest time and effort into raising her. Both parents were gentle and patient people, so the daughter they raised was also good-natured. If not for that car ident... Shen Nian would still be a little girl living in the love and care of her parents. As a child, all she wanted was to grow up quickly and be her own master, doing what she liked. But after growing up, she realized that being an adult came with so many worries. The most innocent and happiest times were in childhood. Shen Nian felt like she was walking endlessly on a path, with no direction or end in sight. After walking for who knows how long, she finally saw figures in the distance. A couple, walking side by side. As if sensing something, they turned in unison, their faces breaking into gentle smiles upon seeing Shen Nian. It had been a long time since Shen Nian dreamed of her parents. Like a young child, she rushed toward them, wanting to embrace them, but fell through an empty space. Looking up, she saw they were still ten meters away from her. Every meter she walked, they retreated a meter, maintaining that distance between them forever. Yet Shen Dad and Shen Mom continued smiling at her. Finally, Shen Mom opened her mouth. "Nian Nian." She called Shen Nian by her nickname, then said, "Daughter, be a happy person." Shen Nian was taken aback, and before she could respond, the ground beneath her feet vanished, plunging her into endless darkness... ... "Beep--" "Beep--" The monitor beside the hospital bed sounded. Shen Nian slowly opened her eyes, greeted by a sea of white. "Beep--" Drawn by the sound, she turned her head, only then noticing she was in the hospital. As she was about to look away, she saw the person slumped over the edge of her bed. Dark, cropped hair, slender, handsome hands... Shen Nian''s heart sank. Xiao Mubai''s sleep was light, and the small sound immediately roused him. He lifted his head, meeting Shen Nian''s gaze. Upon seeing that it was Xiao Mubai, Shen Nian paused, a flicker of disappointment crossing her eyes. "You''re awake!" Xiao Mubai did not notice Shen Nian''s strange reaction, clearly excited that she had woken up. "It''s good you''re awake, I''m so d you''re awake..." "I... I''ll go call the doctor!" With that, he immediately stood and rushed out, shouting as he ran, betraying his usualposure. "Doctor, doctor!" "Hey..." Shen Nian had wanted to call out to stop him, but Xiao Mubai ran too quickly, taking just a few strides to disappear out of the room. Shen Nian withdrew her gaze silently, then looked at the call button beside her. The doctor Xiao Mubai summoned came in and conducted a full examination on her. "There doesn''t seem to be any issues now, but you have alcohol intolerance, so it''s best you avoid alcohol in the future. Alcohol intolerance is essentially alcohol poisoning. Mild cases can cause disorientation, hallucinations, convulsions, and other symptoms. Severe cases can lead to unconsciousness, pallor, even shock; patients with underlying conditions may developplications like cerebral hemorrhage or stroke." Yesterday, when Xiao Mubai found Shen Nian, she wasn''t asleep but had actually passed out. "Alcohol poisoning?" Shen Nian had heard the term before but never imagined it would apply to her. She curved her lips, a hint of fatigue on her face. "Doctor, you must be mistaken. I don''t have an intolerant constitution, so how could I have alcohol intolerance?" The doctor''s expression was stern as he exined seriously, "You may not have a history of intolerance, but your body isn''t in great shape, and your low immunity, coupled with drinking that much alcohol, could easily lead to alcohol intolerance." Seeing how young she was, the doctor couldn''t help but say a few more words: "Although alcohol is not as harmful as smoking, a little bit can be pleasant, but too much can still hurt your body. For the sake of your family and yourself, it''s better not to touch it anymore." Having already had an allergic reaction once, alcohol had be her allergen, just like being allergic to other things - if she came into contact with it, she would have an allergic reaction. A severe allergic reaction could even be life-threatening. After the examination, the doctor finally left the ward. Shen Nian sat leaning against the hospital bed, while Xiao Mubai stood beside her. For a moment, neither of them said a word, and it was unusually quiet. Chapter 110 Chapter 110 After a long while, Shen Nian slowly raised her head and gave Xiao Mubai a very regretful smile. "It really is an unfortunate piece of news. I actually quite enjoy drinking, so it looks like I won''t have the chance to drink again." "And you''re still smiling!" Xiao Mubai had an expression of disappointment, staring at her with a stern face. The smile on Shen Nian''s face deepened. One sitting, one standing, one smiling, one with a stern face. After who knows how long, it was eventually Xiao Mubai who couldn''t keep it up any longer. He bent down and tucked her exposed hand back under the nket. "Xiao Mubai," she called him. "Hmm," Xiao Mubai''s voice was muffled. "I dreamed of my parents," Shen Nian said. Upon hearing this, he looked up at her. He knew that Shen Nian''s parents had left her when she was still in high school due to a car ident. Shen Nian rarely brought them up to him on her own ord. He didn''t respond, but just quietly looked at her. Shen Nian continued, "I dreamed of things from when I was little." Shen Nian seemed to be lost in memories, her face beaming with a bright smile, "When I was in kindergarten, there was a costume party. My parents took it very seriously and bought a lot of costume supplies. My mom and I dressed as princesses, and my dad was a knight. This kind of childish activity is usually not taken seriously by parents, so at the time, I was the most beautiful one..." Recalling those childhood memories, her smile grew wider, and she evenughed out loud with a puffing sound. "Now that I think about it, that was almost twenty years ago. Time really flies..." Perhaps that memory was too profound, even though so many years had passed, Shen Nian still remembered it so clearly and vividly. Xiao Mubai picked up the hot water kettle beside him. He had boiled the water earlier, and after it had boiled and automatically turned off the switch. He ced a cup on the table and poured in half a cup of water. The temperature hadn''t cooled down yet, and steam was still rising from it. He took another cup and poured the hot water from the first cup into the second, then poured it back, repeating the motion several times to help the water cool down faster. Hearing what Shen Nian said, he replied, "Missing your uncle and auntie? I''ll take you to see them." Shen Nian pursed her lips, "It''s just been too long since Ist dreamed of them." She then gave a self-deprecatingugh, "The doctor just said that alcohol poisoning can cause delirium and hallucinations... Maybe I was just hallucinating." "Your uncle and auntie probably know you''re not taking good care of yourself, so they''re unwilling to appear in your dreams," said Xiao Mubai, rarely saying such harsh words. Finally, he poured the hot water into the cup in his right hand, leaving just the bottom, and drank the remaining mouthful of water from the cup in his left hand to test the temperature. Confirming it wouldn''t scald her mouth, he handed the cup in his right hand to her, his face unusually stern. Upon hearing this, Shen Nian was stunned for a moment, lowering her head to look at the hot water handed to her by Xiao Mubai. She silently reached out and took it, then took a sip before softly muttering, "I just identally drank too much." "identally?" Xiao Mubai was amused by her poor lie. "You think I just picked you up off the street?" So he didn''t really know how much she had drunk? Shen Nian pursed her lips and fell silent, feeling unusually guilty. After a long while, she finally weakly asked, "How did you know I was... there?" "Because I searched through every big and small bar in the capital city," Xiao Mubai answered before Shen Nian could finish her question, knowing what she wanted to ask. "..." He stared at Shen Nian, seriously joking, "Even alcoholics probably don''t know the locations of all the bars in the capital as well as I do." "..."Shen Nian lowered her gaze. Before Shen Nian woke up, Xiao Mubai had been telling himself that if she woke up, he had to severely scold her. The harsher he scolded her, the more she would take his words to heart. So from the beginning until now, Xiao Mubai had been cold and aloof, speaking in a way thatcked the gentleness of before. But seeing Shen Nian silently lower her head, Xiao Mubai''s eyes flickered, and a hint of sadness showed in his eyes. In the end, he sighed wearily. He sat down and said in a tired voice, "If I couldn''t find you, I would have gone crazy." Xiao Mubai moved his lips, scrutinizing her carefully. In the time they hadn''t seen each other, she had be much more haggard, and there were many more worries in her eyes. "I thought my distance would make you happier." Yet she had still ended up in such a tattered and haggard state. "..."Shen Nian''s eyes flickered, and after a long while, she finally spoke. "I''m sorry." "You have nothing to apologize to me for," Xiao Mubai said. "Since Lu Lingchuan is with someone else now, you should look forward too." Upon hearing this, Shen Nian looked at Xiao Mubai in confusion. How did he know...? "I have a friend who knows Liang Jinghe, otherwise how could I deduce that after they got together, you would go out and get drunk?" Xiao Mubai said. He stared at Shen Nian and said seriously, "Shen Nian, don''t do this again. I''ll worry." Shen Nian curved her lips into a smile. "It was just drinking a bit too much. I also drink when making business deals." "That''s not what I''m worried about," Xiao Mubai said. "Do you know how scared I was? I was afraid that if I was even a minutete in finding you, when I pushed open the door, I would see you hadmitted suicide." Lu Lingchuan and Shen Nian had been entangled for so many years, just as Xiao Mubai had loved Shen Nian for that many years. Although Shen Nian had never epted him and he had always been an outsider in this rtionship, Xiao Mubai was very clear about what kind of person Shen Nian was. If Shen Nian were more selfish, she would repeatedly assert her innocence and never let the Lu family shift the me onto her. In the end, she still valued her feelings too much, even ming herself for why she didn''t take Lu Lingrui with her when she ran away to seek help, leaving Lu Lingrui alone to face it. On top of that, she couldn''t let go of her feelings for Lu Lingchuan, but clearly the two of them could no longer go back to how they were before, so they ended up tormenting each other for all those years. She was such a fool. Now that Lu Lingchuan was with someone else, Xiao Mubai was afraid... "..." Xiao Mubai spoke very directly, and Shen Nian''s eyshes trembled. After several seconds, she finally looked up and gave him a gentle smile. "How could I? To go and die for such a trivial matter, my tolerance would be far too weak." After saying that, she continued smiling: "Shen Nian and Lu Lingchuan have been entangled for so many years, perhaps because we were the only two people for each other, so we kept tormenting one another. Now that Miss Liang Jinghe has appeared, Auntie Lu must be delighted to know that Lu Lingchuan has found new affection and moved away from me, and her illness will surely improve too. Lu Lingchuan is someone who values family ties deeply; if Auntie Lu gets better, he will be fine as well. This is a good thing ¨C he has finally taken that step forward, and we are no longer just treading in ce." "What about you?" Xiao Mubai asked her. "Auntie Lu will be happy, Lu Lingchuan will be fine... but what about you? Will you be okay?" "Of course," Shen Nian said. "As long as Lu Lingchuan has taken that step toward a better life, I naturally won''t continue waiting for him anymore." [Just found out that there''s backend censorship going on overnight, no wonder I kept getting blocked until 7-8 AM for the past two days. Today''s chapter has been updated first, I''ll find a new update timeter and let you all know then.] Chapter 111 Chapter 111 "......"Xiao Mubai merely stared at her in silence. Shen Nian looked up and met his eyes, her brows curved gently: "Are you thinking of calling me brainless? Go ahead and scold me if you want, I''ll listen." Xiao Mubai said to her: "You''re not brainless, you''re naive." So naive, he had never seen such a naive girl before. Shen Nian was taken aback for a moment, then asked with a smile: "Is that apliment?" "No." Xiao Mubai''s face was stern: "I''m scolding you, didn''t you hear?" "...." She had never heard someone scold someone like that before. Although they weren''t a couple, they had known each other for many years and were like close friends. She looked at him, and he looked at her. Suddenly, they bothughed. .............................. Shen Nian still needed to receive an IV drip at the hospital, and Xiao Mubai had gone to pay the fees and get the IV fluids. In the ward, only Shen Nian was left alone. She reached out and touched the sunflower ne around her neck, seeming to remember something, and turned to look at the table beside her. There were two phones, both belonging to Shen Nian. One was a very new model, while the other was a few years old. Nowadays, phones are updated and reced so quickly that after just five years, the appearances of these two looked vastly different. Shen Nian almost always carried two phones with her - one for making calls and work, and the other with no apps installed, only containing one text message - Thest text message that Lu Lingrui had sent her beforemitting suicide. She opened it and stared at the words she had long since memorized. After gazing at it for a long time, she murmured to herself. "If you had hated me back then, maybe I would have felt better." Sometimes Shen Nian wondered why she still couldn''t let go even after so many years. After much thought, she figured it might be because of Lingrui''s kindness. Lingrui had never med her, not even in thest few minutes before she jumped. Staring at the text message on the screen, she said softly: "There''s nothing more to say between us." Because they had said too much when they were young. The two high school girls used to talk about everything - going to ss together, eating together, studying together in the library, and sometimes even sleeping in the same bed, talking about love and their futures. Lu Lingrui was talkative and could go on and on even when scolding Shen Nian. They had discussed so much, like how when Shen Nian married Lu Lingchuan, Lu Lingrui would be her only bridesmaid; And when Lu Lingrui got married, although Shen Nian couldn''t be her bridesmaid, she would have to have two little ones to be the flower girls; They would choose the same major in college, and even if they attended the same university but different majors, that wouldn''t work because it would start making them drift apart. And they had to choose art, which was Lu Lingrui''s forte. Actually, Shen Nian was quite talented in art too. Her parents had made her learn painting and music when she was young, but she didn''t pursue it seriously, though she did have a foundation. As for why Shen Nian had to follow Lu Lingrui''s wishes, it was because Lu Lingrui said she was too dumb - Shen Nian could do everything Lu Lingrui could, but not vice versa; Lu Lingrui had also said that one month before Shen Nian married her brother, they had to go on a trip together, just the two of them, as a final single girls'' trip before Shen Nian had her own family after marriage; And... They had said too much. So much that Shen Nian couldn''t even remember it all, so besides "I''m sorry," she couldn''t think of anything else to say to Lu Lingrui. She looked at the screen and smiled bitterly: "I still want to see you again, just to catch a glimpse of you. After all, in this life, you''re the only one I owe." "...." The ringing of a phone interrupted Shen Nian. She turned her head to look at the other phone on the table, nced at the caller ID, then answered and put the phone to her ear without saying anything. The other end was also silent at first. After a while, a weary sigh came through. "He told me... he wasn''t going to go there yesterday because he was afraid you would break up with him." "...." Shen Nian''s eyshes trembled, but she remained silent. "But you were even crueler." Tricking him into going to another woman''s confession scene. "...." The caller didn''t speak, but Lu Lingchen knew she was listening. Lu Lingchen pinched the bridge of his nose, then called out to her: "Nian-jie." He asked: "Are you really giving up?" Shen Nian lowered her gaze to the sunflower ne around her neck, taking several seconds before murmuring: "Giving up is a pity, but some things are pointless to persist with." After a pause, she questioned: "Isn''t that so?" "...." Lu Lingchen was rendered speechless by her words. After a good while, he stated: "You know my brother has always liked you and only you. Even when he was with Liang Jinghe, he didn''t like her." "I guess Liang Jinghe and I proved that saying," Shen Nian said. "Which one?" "You can''t have both the fish and the bear paw." "...." It took a long time before Lu Lingchen asked: "Why?" Shen Nian looked up at the bright, white ceiling light. "Lu Lingchuan may still like me, but there are too many shackles between us. Lu Lingrui''s death is an unfathomable abyss, and his two children with me are two equally bottomless abysses. Then there''s the knot in your mother''s heart... Any one of these is enough to prevent us from being together, let alone all of them ovepping now." She exhaled a deep breath. "...." "As for Liang Jinghe, she may not have captured your brother''s heart yet, but her background is clean. There are no lives standing between her and your brother. When your mother sees her, she''ll just see her future daughter-inw, not someone who reminds her of Lingrui." She paused, then said: "That''s the difference between Liang Jinghe and me." Sometimes there are no perfect choices - no matter which you choose, you have to give up something to gain something else. She is love, Liang Jinghe is reality. Many men, when they were young and reckless, meet a woman who bes the moon in their heart. They vowed to marry her, but in the end were defeated by reality and married a woman who may not be the love of their life, but was suitable to live with. The same goes for women. "In life, we all have to bow to reality," she concluded. "If you look at it that way, I''m still the unattainable moon in your brother Lu Lingchuan''s heart," she said,ughing at herself. Her expression turned somber as she thought of something, and she murmured softly, "It was worth it." At least she had entered Lu Lingchuan''s heart, making her life worthwhile. Lu Lingchen asked her, "Do you really think you and he can''t end up together?" "It''s possible," Shen Nian said suddenly. Her response surprised Lu Lingchen, who had expected her to say it was impossible. Chapter 112 Chapter 112 "For him to lose his memory or for me to lose mine, it would be best if we both lost our memories together. Start from scratch, with a clean te." "Without the heartache of Ling Rui, without all those shackles, he loves me and I love him. We could fall madly in love all over again." This seemed to be the only way out of their predicament. "But I don''t want to," Shen Nian said after a pause. "I don''t want to forget Ling Rui," she repeated, her expression distant. "When my parents passed away, and I thought my life would be dark forever, Ling Rui appeared and pulled me out of the abyss. I don''t want to forget her at all." "..." It took Lu Lingchen a long time to speak. "Love really can change a person. You and him were formidable figures in the business world, but when ites to love, you''re like idiots being beaten on the spot. Your IQ plummeted from 200 to 2, essentially making you mentally disabled." Shen Nian was amused by his frank words. "So rude, is that how you talk to your sister?" "By the way," Shen Nian said, remembering something, "Can I take two days off?" Then she added, "You know, we just had a fight, and he''s probably annoyed by the sound of my voice right now." "Granted," Lu Lingchen readily agreed. "I''ll talk to him about it." "Thank you," Shen Nian smiled. "How about thewsuit...?" she asked again. "Everything is going smoothly," Lu Lingchen told Shen Nian everything he knew. "The person is currently detained, and many others are implicated besides those two, including the forces behind them." It was a major case. After all these years of entanglement, Lu Lingchuan finally understood that to make those two scumbags pay, he had to uproot their backers from the roots. Over the past two years, Lu Lingchuan had uncovered evidence of corruption, bribery, and abuse of power by them. Only after ensuring he had enough to nail them did he release all the information he had. "..." Shen Nian lowered her eyes. She knew that these past few years, after Lu Lingchuan had regained his footing, he had been quietly gathering evidence against the forces behind Wang Yong and Yang Hao. "Xu Lawyer hasn''t contacted me for a while. Let me know when you need me to step in." Lu Lingchen said, "For now, it doesn''t seem necessary. The victims we''ve found are enough to prove their crimes beyond doubt." "Okay," Shen Nian agreed. "That''s good." It was good if everything went smoothly. Lu Lingchen sensed her weariness in her voice, so he didn''t say more. "Rest up these few days." "Okay." "I''ll hang up then." "Okay." Just as Lu Lingchen was about to hang up, Shen Nian''s voice came through again. "Brother." "..." Lu Lingchen paused. Though he knew Shen Nian had always treated him like a brother all these years, this was the first time she had actually called him that. Shen Nian lowered her eyes, looking at Ling Rui''s messages on her phone, her voice soft. "Sister... might not be able to hold on much longer." Lu Lingchen was still recovering from being called "brother" when he heard her say that, leaving him bewildered. He instinctively responded, "What?" "Nothing," Shen Nian looked up with a nonchnt smile. "My love for your brother, I might not be able to hold on to it anymore, so I thought I''d let it go. You go ahead, I''ll hang up." Then, she hung up. ... After being discharged, Shen Nian left the hospital. Her health was fine, she just couldn''t drink alcohol anymore. Xiao Mubai helped her into the passenger seat, ensuring her seatbelt was fastened before walking around to the driver''s side. He started the car and drove away. On the way, Xiao Mubai gripped the steering wheel and asked her, "Do you want to go home now? I can drop you off." "Home..." Shen Nian murmured those two words, then nodded. "I want to go home." Xiao Mubai understood. There was an intersection ahead, so he prepared to make a U-turn. Shen Nian''s residence was in the opposite direction. "My home," Shen Nian suddenly added. Hearing this, Xiao Mubai only paused for a moment beforeprehending. Her home, not the one she shared with Lu Lingchuan. "Okay," Xiao Mubai agreed, then said, "I''ve never been there, you''ll have to guide me." "Sure." Shen Nian led Xiao Mubai back to her home, the one she shared with her parents. It was an upscale residentialmunity. After entering themunity, they parked in the underground garage and took the elevator up. Exiting the elevator, they turned left and stopped at one of the doors. She keyed in the passcode and opened the door. Inside, it had been vacant for a long time. Shen Nian found the light switch, illuminating the space. Disposable dust covers had been ced over the floor and furniture, nowyered with dust. Shen Nian bent down and began tearing off the dust covers from the entryway. "Let me," Xiao Mubai crouched down to help her. He worked swiftly, quickly removing the cover at the entrance. "Should we take them all off?" Xiao Mubai asked. "Yeah," Shen Nian nodded. "It''s been several months since I''ve been here. There''s too much dust on the covers, we''ll take them off and rece them." "Got it," Xiao Mubai nodded and continued working. Shen Nian tried to help him, but Xiao Mubai refused, first removing the cover from the living room sofa and telling her to sit and wait for him. "But I can..." "Go sit, don''t make me angry," Xiao Mubai cut her off, knowing what she was about to say. What did a gentle person like him look like when angry? Shen Nian pouted, her mind conjuring up Lu Lingchuan''s face. The Lu Lingchuan of old was as gentle as Xiao Mubai, but he was forced to be a cold, ruthless man. Okay, that was quite intimidating. Shen Nian sat on the sofa, hugging a cushion, silently watching him work. Xiao Mubai moved deftly, therge dust covers easy to remove and gather. Soon, he had collected all the covers. "Where are the trash bags?" Xiao Mubai asked. "In the second drawer of the entryway cab," Shen Nian replied. Xiao Mubai opened it and found a half-used roll of trash bags. He tore off a few, opened them up, and stuffed the dirty covers inside, filling threerge bags. He tied them closed and ced the bags by the door. Shen Nian watched him andmented, "Here, you''re either a driver or aborer. If it were me, I would have run away already." She was joking. After putting the trash bags by the door and closing it, Xiao Mubai smiled at her words. "It''s fine, I''ve already received my reward." "Oh?" She hadn''t paid him. Xiao Mubai gestured toward himself, then the house. "Am I the first toe here?" "..." Shen Nian fell silent. This was not the first time; Xiao Mubai had been here before. Everything Xiao Mubai had just done... Lu Lingchuan had done many times before. Moreover, he had even used his own earnings to pay her exorbitant electricity bills, ensuring that for the next hundred years, whenever she wanted to return home, as long as she flipped the switch, the lights would be on. He said, "You may not live here, but the lights at home will always be on for you, waiting for you toe back home." Chapter 113 Chapter 113 "..." She didn''t say a word, and Xiao Mubai understood everything. He originally thought that finally he had something that could surpass Lu Lingchuan... He hooked the corners of his mouth, lightly bringing the atmosphere back: "The fact that you could bring me here shows that I still upy an important ce in your heart, so I''m very happy." Shen Nian merely curved her lips slightly and didn''t deny it, calmly saying: "Yes, you''ve always been very important to me." If it weren''t for Xiao Mubai, she was afraid she wouldn''t have been able to hold on. Xiao Mubai was stunned for a second after hearing her straightforward words, then he stared at her fixedly. Shen Nian felt a little ufortable being gazed at by the man''s scorching gaze, and was just about to open her mouth when she saw the man smile faintly: "It was worth it." He said the same thing he said to her in the hospital. "What?" "Hearing you say that, I also feel that I was worth it." At least it wasn''t a one-sided infatuation without response. The two looked at each other, Shen Nian stunned, Xiao Mubai smiling. "By the way." Just as the atmosphere was about to be awkward, Xiao Mubai immediately pulled his gaze away and looked around: "Is this the ce where you''ve lived for many years?" "Mm." Shen Nian nodded, hugging a cushion and lowering her head to sniff it. It hadn''t been aired out in too long. "I didn''t live here until around elementary school, after that I''ve lived here ever since." "I want to take a look around." Xiao Mubai looked at her, then added: "The first time I saw you was at A University, when you were already in college. I don''t know anything about what you were like as a child." "Sure." Shen Nian stood up: "I''ll show you around." "Mm." Shen Nian had lived in this house for over a decade, even though she hadn''t lived there for a long time, she knew everything about it like the back of her hand. "This is my parents'' bedroom, after they passed away I kept it unchanged, without moving anything." Shen Nian first brought Xiao Mubai into the master bedroom, a veryrge room, and as she went in she felt nostalgic. She walked up to the dressing table, on top of which were still ced her mother''s old makeup and skincare products, having gone through many years they couldn''t be used anymore, but she still kept them in their original ce. Xiao Mubai looked around and nodded: "The decor looks very nice, was it Aunt''s style?" "Mm." Shen Nian responded: "My mom always had good taste." Xiao Mubai''s gaze was instantly drawn to the veryrge family portrait hung above the headboard. Shen Nian turned her head and saw what Xiao Mubai was looking at, following his gaze she saw the family portrait, and she smiled faintly: "This is the family portrait we took, it was taken when I was 16 years old." This was the first time Xiao Mubai saw such a youthful Shen Nian, her eyes and brows held a rity untainted by the harms of society, other than that there wasn''t much difference from how she looked now. Shen Nian resembled her mother, Shen Nian''s mother was also very beautiful, clearly a very gentle person. Shen Nian''s father was also handsome and dashing. A family of three with very high looks. "We mostly had individual photos in my family, many of just me or me and my mom, we never took a family portrait before, this was the first time. We also made a promise that we would take another one when I graduated high school, when I graduated college, when I got married, and when I had kids..." The more she spoke, the softer Shen Nian''s voice became and the more dim her gaze, as if clouded by sadness. They had promised so much, but didn''t even fulfill the first promise. They passed away in a car ident before she graduated high school. Sensing Shen Nian''s dejected mood, Xiao Mubai immediately changed the topic: "Did you take a lot of photos before? Come to think of it, I don''t have any photos of you." He smiled. This was true. Shen Nian raised her head, looking at him: "Are you asking me for photos?" Xiao Mubai raised his brows: "I said it so clearly and you still have to ask?" He was indeed asking. Shen Nianughed out loud: "Then you might be disappointed, I don''t have any photos left." "Hey..." Xiao Mubai red at her unhappily: "You just said yourself that you had a lot of photos from when you were little." "I used to have them." Shen Nian said: "After my parents passed away, there was one time when Lu Lingchuan apanied..." Shen Nian originally wanted to say there was one time when Lu Lingchuan apanied her back here, but abruptly realized and silently omitted the part about Lu Lingchuan, then continued thetter part. "That time I gathered all the photos from home, and then burned them for my parents." Shen Nian''s eyelids drooped slightly: "I hoped they wouldn''t forget me." What Shen Nian didn''t say was that at the time, Lu Lingchuan had taken away a few photos, ones that he thought were the best looking ones of Shen Nian from different ages, the rest she had indeed burned for her parents. Afraid that Xiao Mubai wouldn''t be happy after hearing this, Shen Nian didn''t mention it. Xiao Mubai asked her: "Don''t you think it''s a pity? These were your happiest memories with them." "Not a pity." She raised her head, pointing to the family portrait: "Having this is enough." After saying that, she smiled and said: "There''s nothing much left in my parents'' room, I''ll show you my room now." "Okay." Shen''s Father was a very caring and devoted family man, putting all his efforts into his family. Just looking at the house, one could tell. Even though it was a family of three, there were four bedrooms. "This is my room, and that''s my dad''s study over there." Shen Nian brought Xiao Mubai out of her room, then pointed to a room not far away, and then pointed to the one next to it: "That''s my other room." After saying that, she walked over. She opened the door and went inside. The space inside wasn''t small either, about the same size as Shen Nian''s room, with all sorts of things. "This is the desk where I did homework, the easel next to it is the one I bought when I used to paint, the thing in the corner is a piano, and the shelf has a violin on it." She opened a small cab, inside were stacked some clothes. "These are the dance costumes from when I learned dancing, and over there are the gloves and clothes from when I learned boxing..." "Dancing and boxing?" Xiao Mubai was amused: "A sh of ice and fire?" Shen Nian touched her nose: "Dancing was something my mom had me learn, she said learning dance requires controlling your diet, learning self-discipline from a young age gives you an advantage in all aspects." "As for boxing, that was something my dad had me learn, he said it''s good for a girl to have some self-defense skills, but after I got punched in the face by a mischievous boy the same age as me just a few sses in, my dad couldn''t bear to let me continue." Xiao Mubai looked around, nodding: "I didn''t expect you had learned so many things before." "They are all taught some basic skills." Shen Nian closed the cab: "Mom says that everyone''s life is like a painting. Even though you don''t need to hold a brush toplete it, adding a few strokes at the right time will make the painting more beautiful, more liked by others, and more valuable." "Mom says studying is not the only path. Being able to develop in other fields is also a talent. Although learning these things at a young age can be a bit difficult, if I don''t have the ability to get into a good university in the future, at least these skills can be my backup n." Shen Nian pointed at the items in the room. Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Xiao Mubai nodded: "Auntie is a very farsighted person." Shen Nian looked around again and felt there was nothing else to introduce: "That''s it, nothing more." "Okay." She took a breath: "It''s been a long time since I came back to visit. Now that I''vee back again to see my parents, my heart feels much more at ease." She said to Xiao Mubai: "Let''s go back." Xiao Mubai responded, then asked: "Do you need to cover it again?" "No need," Shen Nian said. "In a couple of days when I have time, I''ll ask the housekeeper toe clean it up. Although it''s covered with a dust cover, it''s still dirty. We''ll air out the bedding at that time, then re-cover it." "Alright." The two closed the door and left with the garbage. On the way, Xiao Mubai suddenly parked the car in a spot by the side of the road. Shen Nian, who was looking outside, turned her head: "Hmm?" Xiao Mubai unbuckled his seatbelt: "You wait here, I''ll be right back." "Okay." Shen Nian nodded without asking further. After about ten minutes, Xiao Mubai hurried back, holding two bunches of flowers in his hands. Shen Nian was puzzled: "What''s this?" "To pay respects to your uncle and aunt, I naturally need to buy flowers." "But..." She hadn''t said anything about going, but seeing that Xiao Mubai had already bought the flowers, she swallowed the rest of her words and nodded: "Thank you." Thank you for his thoughtfulness. Xiao Mubai put the flowers in the back and buckled up again, raising his eyebrows: "The address." ............... Twenty minutester, the two arrived at the cemetery. Xiao Mubai carried one bunch, and Shen Nian carried the other. They walked into the cemetery and stopped in front of a tombstone. There was only one tombstone; Shen Nian had them buried together. Mom had said that Dad was a very responsible person and that she was very happy to have married him in this life, so she wanted to be together with him in the next life too. In thest second before the car ident, Dad had tightly held Mom in his arms. So Shen Nian had them buried together, hoping that they could be together in their next life. "Has someone been here?" Xiao Mubai noticed the flowers in front of the tombstone and was a little surprised. The petals hadn''t withered yet, so someone must havee in the past couple of days. He looked down at the bouquet and was even more puzzled: "Lychnis flowers?" Who paid respects with lychnis flowers? Normally, it would be chrysanthemums, forget-me-nots, light-colored lilies, and so on. When she heard Xiao Mubai say "lychnis flowers," Shen Nian''s eyshes trembled, and the conversation from those years echoed in her ears again. ["Just buy white chrysanthemums, why did you buy lychnis flowers?"] ["The clerk told me the meaning of lychnis flowers, and I thought it was nice, so I bought them."] ["What?"] ["Evesting, unchanging love."] ["..."] Shen Nian was speechless. ["So, when did you fall in love with my parents?"] ["It''s my evesting, unchanging love for you." Lu Lingchuan tapped her head impatiently. "Your uncle and aunt haven''t met me, so I can only tell them about my feelings for you this way - evesting and unchanging. I hope they can be at ease."] ["This is also the symbol of the Shen family''s future son-inw. From now on, whenever they see lychnis flowers, they''ll know it''s their son-inw who hase to visit them."] "..." Lu Lingchuan had been here. "It must be one of Dad''s colleagues," Shen Nian casually made up an excuse to brush it off. "Dad''s old friends were pretty decent." Xiao Mubai silently looked at her for a moment. Friend... What kind of friend would send flowers with that kind of meaning? However, Xiao Mubai didn''t expose Shen Nian''s lie. Instead, he joined her in cing the flowers in front of the tombstone. Earlier when they came, Shen Nian had also bought candles. She knelt in front of the tombstone and lit them. Xiao Mubai stood to the side and respectfully bowed three times. Then, he spoke softly: "Hello, Uncle and Auntie. I''m Xiao Mubai, Niannian''s... friend." And then, he had no more words. After a long while, he finally said softly: "I will take good care of her." Shen Nian lowered her eyes in silence, not saying a word from beginning to end. After returning from the cemetery to see her parents, Shen Nian rested at home for another day before going back to work. As she came out of the elevator, Jiang Lingling was just discussing work matters with a colleague. Hearing the sound, she looked up, her eyes shing with delight: "Nian-jie, you''re here." "Yeah." Shen Nian nodded at her with a slight smile: "Work hard." After speaking, she headed towards her workstation. "Wan-jie, let''s settle it like this. I''ll trouble you with the rest," Jiang Lingling hurriedly instructed, then quickly caught up with Shen Nian. Shen Nian sat down at her desk, ced her bag beside her, and turned on herputer first. There was a small mountain of file folders on the desk, all the work that had umted over the past two days. Jiang Lingling helpfully separated the files ording to urgency and gossiped: "The boss''s wife is here today too!" Shen Nian''s hand paused as she sorted through the files, but then she resumed as normal: "Waiting for President Lu to go out for lunch together?" Yes, they were together now, so it was normal for them to go out for a meal. "Not exactly," Jiang Lingling thought for a moment, then said, "It seems to be for work. Previously, Miss Liang had a project that she was preparing to coborate with us on." "Oh." Shen Nian responded with a casual acknowledgment, not asking further. "Assistant Shen." An employee came over with some documents: "These documents need President Lu''s signature urgently." Shen Nian nced at the empty desk next to her: "Leave them there, I''ll take them overter." "Okay." After sorting the files, Shen Nian carried the documents and headed towards Lu Lingchuan''s office. Three knocks on the door: "Knock, knock, knock." After hearing the cold voice of the man inside, she pushed the door open and entered. "President Lu." Shen Nian resumed her diligent and earnest demeanor from work, her delicate face disying seriousness and dedication. Lu Lingchuan and Liang Jinghe were sitting on the sofa discussing work. When Lu Lingchuan looked up, Liang Jinghe also turned her head upon hearing the sound and smiled at Shen Nian. "Miss Liang." Shen Nian lowered her head slightly. Liang Jinghe nodded, then asked with concern: "I came yesterday, but I didn''t see you around. Lingchuan said you took a sick leave?" "Yes." Shen Nian lowered her eyes: "The night before, the hot water ran out while I was showering, so I had to rinse with cold water. Then I turned on the air conditioning, and I got a fever." "Assistant Shen needs to take care of herself." "Thank you for your concern, Miss Liang." Shen Nian took two steps forward and ced the documents in front of Lu Lingchuan, meticulously stating: "President Lu, these documents require your immediate signature." Lu Lingchuan looked at her expressionlessly, not saying a word. Shen Nian seemed not to notice, as she took a pen from the table, uncapped it, and then handed it to him: "Mr. Lu." Lu Lingchuan was seated on the sofa, and Shen Nian bent over, bringing the two of them unusually close, allowing her to catch a glimpse of the weariness in his eyes. It had only been two days since theyst saw each other, but he looked much more haggard. Afraid of Lu Lingchuan noticing, Shen Nian only nced at him briefly before averting her gaze. Lu Lingchuan did not make it difficult for her either, taking the pen from her hand, opening the file, and signing his name on thest page. Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Liang Jinghe was discussing work with Lu Lingchuan when Shen Nian came in and interrupted them. After greeting Shen Nian, Liang Jinghe continued talking to Lu Lingchuan: "Tian Ya Group has the most advanced technology in the country. If we can coborate with them, we can do even better." Lu Lingchuan made an affirmative sound, as he was also aware of this. "I had my assistant look into it, and Tian Ya Group''s chairman is a drunk. As long as he''s happy with the drinks, anything can be discussed." "I''ve prepared two decent bottles of wine, and have scheduled a meeting for 8 pm tonight. Is that okay with you?" Lu Lingchuan: "Alright." After a pause, he looked up and finally made eye contact with Shen Nian. His gaze was cold and indifferent, with a hint of aloofness: "Youe too." Their current positions seemed to be merely those of a boss and an employee. Being called out, Shen Nian reacted quickly, holding the files and lowering her head slightly. "Yes, Mr. Lu." Then she left the office. Liang Jinghe was looking at the documents while talking to Lu Lingchuan, so she didn''t notice Lu Lingchuan''s absent-mindedness. Lu Lingchuan stared in the direction of the door, watching her leave the office until she was out of sight. He averted his gaze, with a hint of gloom in his eyes. ..................... At 7:50 pm, Lu Lingchuan''s car arrived on time at the entrance of the luxury hotel. Shen Nian got out of the car first, followed by Liang Jinghe''s assistant. Liang Jinghe''s assistant was carrying the wine, while Shen Nian was holding the materials they would need. Lu Lingchuan and Liang Jinghe got out from the back, with Liang Jinghe naturally hooking her arm around the man''s as they walked inside while discussing work. Shen Nian and Liang Jinghe''s assistant followed behind. The staff opened the private room door for them, and Chairman Cheng had already arrived. Greetings were naturally exchanged between the two parties. "Mr. Lu, Ms. Liang! It''s been a long time." Chairman Cheng shook hands with Lu Lingchuan first, then Liang Jinghe extended her hand and greeted with a smile: "Thest time I saw Uncle Cheng was at an auction two years ago. You seem to be getting younger and younger." Liang Jinghe''s ability to handle interpersonal rtionships was truly remarkable. With just one "Uncle Cheng," she immediately closed the distance between them and Chairman Cheng, and then added apliment, putting thetter in a good mood. Even if the coboration didn''t work out, he would still give them some favors in their work out of courtesy. Sure enough, Chairman Cheng was ttered by Liang Jinghe''s words,ughing with his mouth wide open. His gaze fell on Liang Jinghe''s hand hooked around Lu Lingchuan''s arm, "You two are..." Liang Jinghe gave a slight smile and nodded. Chairman Cheng immediately understood, praising them: "What a perfect match you two are! You must send me an invitation when you get married!" "Definitely." Liang Jinghe smiled: "I''ll deliver it to you in person." The atmosphere was set very nicely right from the start. They took their seats, with Lu Lingchuan on the left of Chairman Cheng, and Liang Jinghe on his right. Shen Nian took the seat next to Liang Jinghe, separated by one empty seat. Everyone was seated. It was only then that Chairman Cheng noticed Shen Nian: "So this is Assistant Shen." Being addressed, Shen Nian stood up, giving Chairman Cheng a standard smile and a nod: "Good evening, Chairman Cheng. I''m Mr. Lu''s assistant, Shen Nian." Chairman Chengughed: "I''ve heard a lot about the famous Assistant Shen. Now that I''ve seen you, you really are young, beautiful, and most importantly, capable!" Everyone knew that Lu Lingchuan had a very devoted assistant who had been following him and helping him build his career. "Chairman Cheng, you tter me. I''m just doing my job," Shen Nian nodded slightly, then sat down. Liang Jinghe chimed in at the right time: "Knowing that Uncle Cheng likes to drink, a few days ago my dad brought back some good wine from abroad, and I picked out two decent bottles for Uncle Cheng." After saying that, she nced at her assistant, who immediately understood and picked up the bag at her feet, taking out two bottles of wine. "Wow!" Upon seeing the wine, Chairman Cheng''s expression changed instantly, turning the bottles around in his hands and praising: "Indeed, it''s good wine!" Having drunk for so many years, Chairman Cheng was so familiar with wines that he could tell the quality just by looking at it. "I had this brand three years ago, and wanted to buy more, but their production was too low and I couldn''t get my hands on it." Liang Jinghe smiled: "Well, now you have it." "Hahaha..." Chairman Cheng was very pleased, praising Liang Jinghe: "You little girl, you really know how to make me happy." Liang Jinghe''s smile deepened: "As long as Uncle Cheng is happy." Lu Lingchuan said very little, with Liang Jinghe being the one to liven up the atmosphere. Chairman Cheng had someone bring over sses, and immediately opened the wine that Liang Jinghe gave him, personally pouring it for her and Lu Lingchuan. The three of them clinked sses. Now that their boss was speaking, Shen Nian, as the assistant, naturally didn''t need to stand up and put on a fake smile. Her phone, on silent mode, had been vibrating. She lowered her gaze and discreetly took out her phone. It was Xiao Mubai sending her messages, asking how she was feeling. [Doing fine.] Shen Nian replied. He quickly sent a new message. [I heard there''s a food street on South Street today, want to check it out?] Xiao Mubai extended an invitation. Shen Nian typed: [No need, I''m out discussing work, not sure when it will end.] [With Lu Lingchuan?] "..." Shen Nian''s hand touching the screen paused for a moment before she replied. [Yes.] [...] There was no reply for over a minute, and just as Shen Nian thought he wouldn''t reply, a new message popped up on the screen. [Remember the doctor''s advice, don''t drink alcohol, you have an allergy condition now.] [Got it.] "Assistant Shen." Shen Nian had just sent the message when she heard someone calling her name. She immediately turned off her phone and tucked it behind the chair, then looked up to see Chairman Cheng looking at her, as well as... Lu Lingchuan. Shen Nian stood up: "Chairman Cheng." Chairman Chengughed: "I''ve heard that Assistant Shen can drink thousands of sses without getting drunk. Since it''s rare for us to meet, we should have a good toast together." He then gestured to his secretary, who immediately came over with the wine bottle and poured a full ss for Shen Nian. "..." Shen Nian paused for a moment, then said humbly: "I only asionally have a small drink." She didn''t take the wine, but picked up a ss of juice instead: "I haven''t been feeling welltely, so I''ll substitute the wine with juice." "Ohe on, it''s rare for us to have a meal together. Just having juice isn''t fun, you should drink wine and enjoy yourself!" "If Shen Nian''s assistant doesn''t feel well, then he should drink less," Chairman Cheng thought Shen Nian''s mention of "not feeling well" meant that a rtive hade. "..." Shen Nian did not respond. The atmosphere at the scene became awkward. Chairman Cheng had been smiling, but after Shen Nian didn''t respond to him for a full minute, his smile began to fade. He turned to look at Lu Lingchuan. "Mr. Lu, your assistant isn''t giving me any face." Chapter 116 Chapter 116 As a level 10 alcohol enthusiast, Chairman Cheng''s face turned a bit unsightly after being rejected. Liang Jinghe panicked a little, having finally appeased Chairman Cheng. She couldn''t afford to offend him over such a trifle. She looked toward Lu Lingchuan. Meanwhile, Lu Lingchuan was staring at Shen Nian. After just a few days apart, the two looked more haggard, especially Shen Nian, whose expression looked sickly. Lu Lingchuan''s hand hanging by his side tightened slightly. Even though their rtionship had turned ice-cold, he still couldn''t bear to see her in distress. Picking up the wine ss in front of him, just as he was about to speak, Shen Nian, who had been looking down, suddenly raised her head and gave Chairman Cheng a polite smile. "Chairman Cheng misunderstood. I''m just feeling a bit unwell and didn''t want to spoil your enjoyment. Since you don''t mind, I''ll join you." With that, she put down the juice in her hand, picked up the wine in front of her, nodded, "Chairman Cheng," and drained the entire ss, not leaving a single drop. "Good!" Chairman Cheng was delighted and also finished the wine in his ss. The rest of the meal went rather smoothly. Chairman Cheng was just a wino ¨C as long as he could drink to his heart''s content, he could discuss anything. Liang Jinghe was very tactful. At the appropriate time, she proposed a partnership, followed by a fewpliments, and Chairman Cheng readily agreed to the deal. After the meal, Lu Lingchuan and Liang Jinghe went to see Chairman Cheng off first, while Shen Nian and Liang Jinghe''s assistant didn''t follow. Shen Nian had a few drinks, and her head felt heavy. She sat there with one hand propping up her head. After a while, she recovered slightly and got up to leave. Liang Jinghe''s assistant, who was holding Liang Jinghe''s bag, looked up just as Shen Nian stood up. Seeing Shen Nian''s face, Liang Jinghe''s assistant was startled. "Assistant Shen, your face..." Shen Nian touched her face, only feeling a slight warmth. "Hmm?" "Your face... is covered in tiny red dots." Not just her face, but her exposed neck as well, was dotted with tiny red spots. "..." Shen Nian frowned slightly. Without a mirror, she couldn''t see her disheveled appearance. "I''m fine." Leaving those words, Shen Nian left the private room. Before exiting the private room, she turned a corner and ran into Lu Lingchuan. Lu Lingchuan had just returned and collided directly with her. Upon seeing Shen Nian, Lu Lingchuan''s pupils constricted as he took arge stride toward her. Shen Nian''s head was hazy, and she wasn''t looking ahead, merely walking with her head down, when she bumped into Lu Lingchuan''s chest. The impact caused her to stumble back two steps. Looking up, she saw Lu Lingchuan. She shook her head to regain some rity. "Mr. Lu." Those two words were devoid of any emotion. She nodded slightly, then turned to leave. However, Lu Lingchuan suddenly grabbed her hand. Shen Nian was held back from leaving, forced to stop in her tracks. She tried to pull her hand away, but Lu Lingchuan''s grip was tight. "Let go..." Even her voice sounded weak and feeble. "What happened to your face?" Lu Lingchuan stared intently at her face. "It''s nothing." Shen Nian didn''t want to borate. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something else. Lu Lingchuan looked down at the back of Shen Nian''s hand, which also had tiny red dots. A hint of panic shed in the man''s eyes as he rolled up her sleeve. "Are you allergic to something?" Her appearance clearly indicated an allergic reaction. But he remembered she didn''t have any allergens. "Mmm." Taking advantage of his momentary bewilderment, Shen Nian immediately withdrew her hand and pulled her sleeve back down. She replied tly, "Just a slight alcohol allergy." "..." How could she be allergic to alcohol when she... "The past is the past, and the present is the present." Shen Nian knew what he was thinking, so she said, "You can''tpare the past and present." Just like six years ago, she never imagined she and Lu Lingchuan would end up in their current situation. Lu Lingchuan stared at her withdrawn hand, his voice low. "You know you''re allergic, so why did you drink?" "Because I''m an employee of thepany." Shen Nian stated. Meeting his gaze, Shen Nian said sincerely, "As long as I''m still with thepany for a day, I naturally have to prioritize thepany''s interests. It''s my responsibility." Nothing more, just that. Not for Lu Lingchuan, not for Lu Lingchuan''s daughter. She was just doing her duty as an employee to secure benefits for thepany she worked for. Nothing more. "Lingchuan." Lu Lingchuan was about to say something else when a voice interrupted them. Liang Jinghe walked over. "Chairman Cheng has been sent off. The car is parked at the hotel entrance. Let''s go." As she finished speaking, she noticed Shen Nian beside them and looked surprised. "Assistant Shen, your face?" "It''s nothing." Shen Nian forced a smile. "Just a minor allergy." Then she continued, "I may need to go to the hospital. I''ll go first." Liang Jinghe expressed concern. "Let us take you to the hospital first." "No need." Shen Nian politely declined. "I''ll go ahead." After saying that, she nodded slightly at the two of them and left unsteadily. Lu Lingchuan stared at her frail yet stubborn back, his hand by his side clenching and unclenching. "Lingchuan, will Assistant Shen be okay?" Liang Jinghe was quite worried, as Shen Nian''s condition seemed quite serious. Lu Lingchuan averted his gaze and said tly, "She''ll be fine. Let''s go." Although still concerned, Liang Jinghe followed Lu Lingchuan''s lead since he wanted to leave. The two got into the car and left the hotel, driving onto the main road. From earlier, Lu Lingchuan had been distracted, leaning his elbow on the car door and looking outside. Liang Jinghe had also had quite a bit to drink and was now resting her eyes in the seat. Suddenly, Lu Lingchuan saw something. Although it was just a fleeting glimpse, Lu Lingchuan saw Shen Nian walking on the sidewalk. He immediately sat upright and turned his head to look back. But the car was moving too fast, and it was dark outside, so Shen Nian''s figure soon disappeared from sight. Lu Lingchuan turned his gaze back, took out his phone and stared at the screen. A few secondster, he looked up and instructed the driver, "Stop the car up ahead." Opening her eyes in surprise at his words, Liang Jinghe looked at Lu Lingchuan questioningly. "Lingchuan, what''s wrong?" "Something came up at thepany." Lu Lingchuan said. "I need to go to thepany for a bit." Liang Jinghe nodded understandingly. "Then we should have the driver take a detour to thepany." "No need." Lu Lingchuan declined. The driver pulled over to the side of the road, and Lu Lingchuan got out of the car. "I''ll take a cab myself. Have the driver take you home." Leaving those words, Lu Lingchuan closed the car door. Liang Jinghe stared nkly after him. For some reason, she felt there was something odd about Lu Lingchuan, but she couldn''t pinpoint exactly what it was. She rubbed her brow and didn''t think too much about it: "Master, let''s go by car." ... Shen Nian took off her high heels and carried them in her hand, walking barefoot and swaying with each step. It was alreadyte, and there was no one on the sidewalk except her. The streetlight illuminated her. Lu Lingchuan stood thirty meters behind her, silently watching her stagger. She took one step, and he took one step, following behind her while maintaining a distance. Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Lu Lingchuan stood there earnestly observing Shen Nian for the first time, watching her walk ahead of him, one step at a time, getting further and further away... As Shen Nian walked in front, she suddenly stumbled and was about to fall. Lu Lingchuan''s face changed, and he rushed forward. But just after taking two steps, a quicker figure appeared. Xiao Mubai immediately parked his car on the roadside when he saw Shen Nian, unbuckled his seatbelt, got out of the car, and timely caught Shen Nian after jumping over the railing. Shen Nian looked up, seeing it was Xiao Mubai, and smiled: "How did you get here so fast?" Xiao Mubai frowned: "When you called, have I ever dyed?" Noticing the small red spots on her face, Xiao Mubai was both angry and helpless: "I knew it! No matter how good the promise, it doesn''t stop you from harming yourself at all." Shen Nian smiled wryly: "I had no choice, the other party was an old drunkard, and they wouldn''t be happy if I didn''t drink." "But why just you?" "We all drank." After saying that, Shen Nian reassured him: "It''s alright, I only had two sses, not much." Xiao Mubai wanted to scold her more, but seeing the red spots on her face, he couldn''t bring himself to do it: "Are you feeling unwell?" Shen Nian shook her head: "Just feeling itchy." "I''ll take you to the hospital." "Okay." Xiao Mubai looked down and saw her bare feet on the concrete ground, without hesitation he was about to carry her in his arms, but Shen Nian refused. "No need." Even though she and Lu Lingchuan were no longer possible, Shen Nian didn''t want to owe Xiao Mubai too much. Because she knew she couldn''t give him what he wanted, so the less she owed him, the better. Xiao Mubai had always disliked forcing her, so since Shen Nian was unwilling, he didn''t insist. Without a second thought, he took off his leather shoes, only in socks on the concrete ground: "Wear the shoes." "No..." Shen Nian was about to refuse again, but Xiao Mubai threatened her. "Either I carry you, or you walk yourself." After saying that, he very naturally took her high heels from her hands. "..." Shen Nian stared at the shoes on the ground, then looked up at Xiao Mubai with a big smile: "Thank you." Xiao Mubai watched her put on the shoes, then helped her over the railing, and naturally said, "In front of me, you never need to say those two words." He opened the passenger door for her to get in. After closing the door, he walked around to the driver''s seat and drove away. "..." Not far away, Lu Lingchuan silently watched it all. Xiao Mubai''s attention was fully on Shen Nian, so he didn''t notice Lu Lingchuan nearby. Lu Lingchuan watched their interaction, so leisurely, so...patible. He stood alone on the sidewalk, silently standing there for a very long time. ............................................... Xu Lawyer''s actions were swift, and on Lu Lingchuan''s side, more than a dozen victims had gathered, each with some evidence. Lu Lingchuanpiled everything and sent it over. This time, Lu Lingchuan''s actions were fierce and rapid, determined to crush them to the ground without giving them a chance to breathe or retaliate. Li Mingshi''s second round of chemotherapy had finished. She had lost a lot of hair and had already started wearing a hat despite the weather not being cold yet. The chemotherapy process was torturous, andpared to before, she looked much more haggard. But fortunately, her physical examinations were getting better and better. As long as she endured through the chemotherapy, she could regain her health. When Liang Jinghe and Lu Lingchuan visited Li Mingshi at the hospital together, Li Mingshi was sitting on the balcony painting. Since being hospitalized, Li Mingshi had picked up her long-abandoned hobby of painting, as if she had slowly let go of her daughter''s death and gradually resumed her former life. Lu Yanhua sat there, tenderly watching his wife paint herself. "Auntie." Liang Jinghe walked in with a gift bag. Li Mingshi turned her head and smiled at her: "Jinghe is here." "Yes." Liang Jinghe nodded, and asked with concern: "Auntie, are you feeling better?" Li Mingshi put down her brush, smiling helplessly: "More or less the same, but I''m just getting uglier." After saying that, she subconsciously touched the hat on her head, with a hint of gloom in her eyes. Regardless of gender, one always cares about their own appearance to some extent, and Li Mingshi found it hard to ept her current unsightly self. "So I''vee to make Auntie pretty again." Sensing Li Mingshi''s low mood, Liang Jinghe smiled and said. She raised the bag in her hand as she spoke. "I have a friend who opened a wig store, and the wigs he sells are exactly like real hair, so I asked him to select a few for me." As she spoke, Liang Jinghe took out the exquisite wigs from the bag, all very suitable for Li Mingshi''s style. "Auntie." Liang Jinghe looked at her. "You..." Staring at the wigs, Li Mingshi was a bit taken aback. To think of this at such a time, it was quite thoughtful. "You girl, you don''t need to be so considerate." Liang Jinghe blinked: "Auntie, I''m not exaggerating to promote my friend''s products. If you don''t believe me, I can shave my head bald and we can wear wigs together." As she spoke, she was about to take out her phone and order an electric shaver from a delivery app. "You girl." Li Mingshi red at her: "Nonsense, you seem like such an obedient girl, yet you keep saying such outrageous things." After saying that, she paused, as if suddenly realizing something. Liang Jinghe didn''t know what Li Mingshi was thinking, but seeing that she had cheered her up, she smiled: "As long as you''re happy, that''s good enough." Li Mingshi smiled, then looked up at Lu Lingchuan standing behind her: "It''s quite rare for you two toe together." Hearing this, Liang Jinghe immediately shed a big smile, stepped back two paces, then hooked her arm around Lu Lingchuan''s and announced the good news to Li Mingshi: "Auntie, we''re together now." Upon hearing this, Li Mingshi''s expression froze, and Lu Yanhua also nced at Lu Lingchuan. Lu Lingchuan stood there, not saying a word from start to finish. No surprise, only silence. Just as the atmosphere was about to be awkward, Li Mingshi nodded and cracked a smile. "That''s good." ........................ After staying with Li Mingshi for a while and having a meal together, Lu Lingchuan and Liang Jinghe left. The two took the elevator down to the underground parking garage and found their parked car. Liang Jinghe opened the passenger door and got in, closing the car door before asking Lu Lingchuan. "Does Auntie dislike me? She doesn''t seem happy after knowing that we are together." Liang Jinghe was not a fool; she sensed that subtle feeling in the atmosphere just now. After saying that, she turned her head and fastened her seatbelt. Lu Lingchuan sat in his seat, looking down at the steering wheel. After a few seconds of silence, he slowly spoke. "I loved a girl." After a pause of two seconds, he added, "For six years." He said "loved," not "loved in the past." Chapter 118 Chapter 118 "......" Liang Jinghe''s hand gripping the seatbelt froze, and she slowly turned her head, staring at the man. After a long time, Liang Jinghe finally spoke: "So is it over now?" Although it was somewhat painful, she wasn''t surprised. Lu Lingchuan was a very outstanding person, and when Liang Jinghe learned that he was already 25 years old yet still single, she had thought that there must be someone in his heart. "No," he said. "I''ve never gotten over it." "......" Liang Jinghe''s face turned pale, and her grip on the seatbelt tightened as she struggled to find her voice. "So... what did you mean by telling me this?" "She said..." Lu Lingchuan murmured. "What?" Liang Jinghe didn''t hear him clearly. Lu Lingchuan turned his head and stared at Liang Jinghe''s face, slowly opening his mouth. "You''re a good person, and you know I don''t like you." "......" Liang Jinghe lowered her gaze, not saying a word. She liked Lu Lingchuan, but that didn''t mean she was a fool. Whether someone liked you or not could be seen from the details. Lu Lingchuan had epted her confession, but he had never been happy about it. Liang Jinghe had thought about this before she decided to confess. Since she had decided to take the initiative and confess, she had already prepared to put in more effort. "I don''t want to let her down, nor do I want to deceive you or myself," Lu Lingchuan said. "If you loved her so much, why didn''t you get together?" Liang Jinghe asked the crucial question. "......" Lu Lingchuan''s expression froze, and he stared at his own hands for a long time before opening his mouth, his voice hoarse: "Before, it was me who didn''t dare to have her, now it''s her who doesn''t want me." The hand gripping the steering wheel tightened a bit, and the decision in his heart also grew more resolute. "We''ve known each other for six years, been entangled for six years, and even if we have to part ways, I hope there can be a period at the end of our story." Lu Lingchuan looked up at Liang Jinghe again: "So I''m very sorry, but I have to deal with my past. If......" He paused, a hint of gloom shing in his eyes, and his voice dropped: "If we''re really destined to be apart... then if you still need meter, I can try to be with you on the premise that I don''t have her in my heart anymore." He knew Liang Jinghe was a decent girl, but this was all he could promise. "......" Liang Jinghe gave a self-deprecatingugh. Lu Lingchuan was too honest, so honest that she didn''t know what to say. They say that if a man truly wants to deceive his partner, he would never let her find out. She should be thankful that Lu Lingchuan didn''t hide anything from her while being with her and still being entangled with the woman in his heart, leaving her unable to distinguish whether she was the third party or the other girl. "Lu Lingchuan, it would have been better if you hadn''t told me all this," Liang Jinghe muttered, meeting Lu Lingchuan''s eyes, her own reddening. "If I had found out myself, I could have thrown a ss of water in your face, cursed you as a scumbag, and then turned around and never thought about you again without hesitation." But instead, he was just so honest. Why be so honest... "......" For a moment, neither of them spoke. "You''re right," Liang Jinghe finally broke the silence, nodding. "You two have been entangled for six years, and no matter good or bad, there should indeed be a result, for your sake, for hers, and for mine." Liang Jingheughed with red eyes, she had originally intended to cry, after all, this counted as a breakup. But she couldn''t cry, she could onlyugh. She turned to look at Lu Lingchuan, "I want to know what kind of person that girl is, for you to have loved her for six years." From 19 to 25, Lu Lingchuan had given those most youthful and beautiful six years to that girl. She really wanted to know what kind of girl she was. What kind of girl... Hearing this question, Lu Lingchuan himself became dazed, his mind involuntarily picturing Shen Nian''s face, Shen Nian in various forms. Her blushing shyly. Her smiling and curling her lips. And her stubborn look when arguing with him, her cold demeanor when they were at odds... There were so many. "She''s a gentle person," Lu Lingchuan eventually chose to describe her with these two words. "......" Liang Jinghe was stunned for a moment, then nodded slightly. "No wonder." She must be an exceptionally gentle person for Lu Lingchuan to be unable to forget her for so many years. She clutched her bag, hesitating repeatedly before finally speaking. "Lu Lingchuan," she called out his name one word at a time. Lu Lingchuan looked at her. Liang Jinghe took a deep breath, met his eyes, and said seriously: "If you two end up together, can you send me a wedding invitation?" After a pause, she said, "I hope it''s written by you two personally." She continued, "And if... you two don''t end up together, can you seriously consider me?" "At that time, please be with me on the premise that you don''t have her in your heart anymore." She asked him, "Can you do that?" Lu Lingchuan stared at her, and just when Liang Jinghe thought he would refuse, Lu Lingchuan nodded: "Okay." Liang Jinghe immediately smiled: "You''ve promised, I heard you." "Yeah." "Since we''ve cleared the air," Liang Jinghe looked relieved, ncing at the time. "It''s gettingte, and I have a meeting this afternoon, so I should go first." With that, she opened the car door to get out. "Let me give you a ride," Lu Lingchuan said. "......" Liang Jinghe only hesitated for a moment before getting out of the car. She held onto the car door and stared at Lu Lingchuan in the driver''s seat: "No need, there are plenty of taxis at the entrance, I can easily get one." Then, she looked down at the passenger seat she had just upied, and said: "This seat temporarily belongs to another girl, it''s not appropriate for me to sit there." Then, she deliberately showed a rxed smile: "I''m off, be careful on the road." With that, she closed the car door and left. .............................. Shen Nian sat on the sofa after taking a shower. The antidepressant pills she had to take every day were ced on the coffee table, with a cup of hot water beside them. She had forgotten to boil water before going out tonight, and the thermos had run out of warm water, so she had to boil some first and let it cool. Taking advantage of this time, she applied the medicated ointment. Other medications could potentially have serious side effects if taken together with antidepressants, so Shen Nian didn''t ask the doctor to prescribe oral pills, and only bought some ointments to apply. She had persisted in applying the ointment for two days now, and the small red spots on her face had already faded, with only a few remaining on her elbows. As Shen Nian was unscrewing the cap of the ointment, a sound came from the door¡ªthe electronic door lock unlocking. Hearing that familiar "unlocked" sound, Shen Nian''s heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively eased her grip. Fortunately, she reacted in time and immediately loosened her hand, or else the ointment in the tube would have burst out. When she looked up, Lu Lingchuan was standing at the entrance. One standing, one sitting, they gazed at each other. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 It took a while before Shen Nian found her voice again. "What are you doing here?" As she spoke, her voice carried a hint of hoarseness. After asking, she lowered her head again in silence, taking a tissue from the side to wipe off the ointment that had smeared onto her hand due to her earlier outburst. Lu Lingchuan stared at her intently. "I came to see you." "..." Shen Nian paused in the motion of wiping her hands. Lu Lingchuan walked over and stopped in front of her, then knelt down on one knee in a very natural manner. He took the ointment from her hands, held one of her hands, and examined the now faded red spots on it. He squeezed a little ointment onto the tips of his fingers and carefully applied it to her arm. "Since when have you been allergic to alcohol?" He didn''t know. "Don''t drink next time." "..." Shen Nian stared at the top of Lu Lingchuan''s head with an expression of utter disbelief. Suddenly, she jerked her arm back and asked him in a tone of utter bewilderment, "Do you even know what you''re doing?" Lu Lingchuan looked up, meeting her gaze. Shen Nian''s throat felt a little dry as she turned her head away and said tly, "You''re currently Liang Jinghe''s boyfriend. Although we had some entanglement in the past, we should keep our distance from the moment Liang Jinghe appeared." After a pause of two seconds, she continued, "I don''t want to be the other woman, nor do I want to hurt an innocent person." She had hurt too many people in this life and didn''t want to owe anyone else any emotional debt. Lu Lingchuan remained in his kneeling position, just slightly lower than Shen Nian sitting on the couch, his jet-ck eyes betraying no emotion in their silence. He stared at her for half a minute before asking, "Do you really wish for me to be with her?" "..." Shen Nian''s eyshes fluttered slightly. "At least she''s more suitable for you than I am." That was the truth. "Only I know best who is suitable for me or not," Lu Lingchuan said, then asked her, "I don''t like her, so no matter how good her conditions are, she''s not the one I like." Shen Nian looked up and met his gaze. With a wry smile, she said, "What you''re saying is only appropriate for dating. For marriage, you have to find someone suitable, whether you love them or not is irrelevant." "..." Although her words sounded sarcastic enough, it was the truth. Many married couples live together, have children, yet don''t necessarily love each other deeply - they''re just suitable for one another. "Perhaps," Lu Lingchuan nodded, revealing a self-deprecating smile. "Liang Jinghe may be the suitable one for me, but do you know who the one I love is?" "..." Shen Nian''s eyshes trembled even more violently, and she lowered her head again to avoid his gaze. "I don''t know." She was avoiding the topic and tried to get up. Lu Lingchuan seemed to have anticipated her intent to flee, holding her down and not letting her leave. "It''s you," he said. "You''re the one I like." He had always liked her. "..." Even though she knew the answer, her heart still raced uncontrobly upon hearing him say it. She stared at Lu Lingchuan in bewilderment, not understanding... why he would say such a thing. "Shen Nian, we''ve known each other for six years and been entangled for five years. But the most beautiful and memorable time... was only that one year," Lu Lingchuan said self-mockingly. One year was too short - the most beautiful memories they shared were too fleeting. "..." Upon hearing Lu Lingchuan''s words, Shen Nian also felt a sense of mncholy. Yes, only one year. But even though it was brief, it was still the warmth she could never obtain again in her short life. "The fact that we''ve been entangled for so many years and never let go of each other, doesn''t it prove... that we still have some destiny together?" He tightened his grip on her hand. "I know you''ve never given up your obsession with Ling Rui either. Now that things are being resolved, can we start over?" His tone grew more and more humble. Before, there was no Xiao Mubai or Liang Jinghe. Even though they hurt each other, they were still there for one another after the hurt. Now there were others in their lives, and the distance between them grew farther and farther... "..." Shen Nian opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but her voice failed her. After a long while, she finally managed to rasp out haltingly, "You already have Liang Jinghe." "No, I don''t," Lu Lingchuan said. "I''ve made it clear to her that I don''t like her. We''ve broken up." Now the three of them were all free. Liang Jinghe wouldn''t be the other woman, and neither would Shen Nian. Shen Nian lowered her eyes, staring at his hand holding hers, but ultimately she silently pushed him away in rejection. "..." Lu Lingchuan''s expression, which had previously held hope, immediately darkened. He forced a smile, revealing a sorrowful expression. He asked her, "Is it because of Xiao Mubai?" Is it because... she had epted Xiao Mubai? "It has nothing to do with anyone," Shen Nian said, her thin lips trembling slightly. It was her... own choice. Her emotions seemed to be getting slightly out of control as she nced at the hot water and pills on the tea table. She reached for them, dropping the pills into the hot water. Lu Lingchuan watched as Shen Nian took the medicine. The man frowned, just watching her. Sensing his gaze, Shen Nian took another sip of hot water before tly exining, "The doctor said my allergies were quite severe, so aside from applying ointment, I also need to take antihistamines." Lu Lingchuan watched her, and she met his gaze with a calm expression. Shen Nian was too calm, so calm that even she herself believed the words she spoke were true. Lu Lingchuan''s mind was in a jumble at the moment, fixated only on Shen Nian''s rejection and her apparentck of guilt, so he didn''t dwell too much on this particr issue. His voice was hoarse as he suddenly said, "Today is September 22nd." Shen Nian was taken aback for a moment, then nodded, "Yes." Time was passing so quickly - it would be October soon. This year would be over soon. Lu Lingchuan stared at her and said, "There are still 100 days until next year." Shen Nian didn''t respond, silently listening to him continue. "I want to make a bet with you." "Using the one year we loved each other as the capital for the bet," Lu Lingchuan added. "..." Shen Nian pursed her lips. "Go on." Lu Lingchuan looked at her, "Starting from tomorrow until December 31st, a total of 100 days. During these 100 days, we''ll date like we did six years ago, regardless of anyone or anything else. After 100 days, if you choose to be with me, we''ll get married." December 31st was thest day of this year, followed by January 1st - the start of a new year. As long as Shen Nian still wanted him, they would abandon the past and start anew. Shen Nian did not immediately agree, but instead asked him, "What if I choose to end it?" "You''re so looking forward to ending things with me?" Lu Lingchuan countered, a hint of self-mockery flickering in his eyes. "..." Shen Nian silently bit her lip. "Since it''s a choice, naturally there would be at least two options." Chapter 120 Chapter 120 "......" Lu Lingchuan stared at her, his jet-ck eyes like a boundless night sky, devoid of twinkling stars, dim and devoid of light. After a long while, he finally continued, his voice raspier than before. "If you choose to end things with me......" A hint of evasion and gloom flickered in his eyes, but ultimately he resigned himself. He went on, "I will respect your choice, and once the agreement ends, I will let you go and wee your new life." Lu Lingchuan gazed at her and asked, "So, wanna bet?" "This is your only chance to leave me." "You know I''ve never let you go, and if you choose not to bet with me, I won''t let you leave either." Although the two had been entangled for years, after so many years of love, Lu Lingchuan used their most loving year as capital to strike a betting agreement with Shen Nian. If they still loved each other, then they would let go of everything and start anew. If... in the end, they chose to part ways, these final 100 days would at least give each other some beautiful memories. Their six-year-long rtionship may not have been perfect, but it had toe to an end, and then... they would embrace new love. One had to admit, Lu Lingchuan was born to be a businessman - he knew too well what his partner wanted, so the temptation he offered was hard to refuse. The final 100 days, let go of all grudges, love each other again like they once did at their most loving time. "Okay." Shen Nian nodded. "I ept." "But I have one request," Shen Nian said. Lu Lingchuan nodded, "Go ahead." "Since you''re giving me the choice, then I''ll give you the chance to regret. During these 100 days, if you ever want to end it, anytime, anywhere, I''ll respect your choice. Is that okay?" Shen Nian asked. Lu Lingchuan fell silent for two seconds, then nodded, "Okay." After agreeing, he picked up the ointment beside him to help her apply it. Shen Nian tried to withdraw her hand, but Lu Lingchuan was rather insistent. "You need to apply the ointment." Not giving her a chance to refuse, he said, "The betting agreement starts now, so we''ll resume our former boyfriend-girlfriend rtionship." With those words, the somewhat solemn atmosphere was instantly alleviated. Shen Nian curved her lips, a hint of a faint smile in her eyes. "Don''t try to brainwash me. You said it starts tomorrow, not today," she said. "Really?" "Yes." "Well, sorry, but as a businessman, it''s not my style to not profit myself." Lu Lingchuan said. Pausing, he continued, "Consider thesest few hours a gift from you." Clearing his throat, he added, "A trial period." Shen Nianughed wryly, "Only members get trial periods." Since when did such a thing exist? "Exactly." Lu Lingchuan said with a straight face. "Even if I sign up for a membership, I get a few days of free trial. Why shouldn''t you give me one?" "......" A businessman was indeed a businessman - no matter how strange the logic, it somehow made sense. But it was only a few hours anyway, so she''d just give in. Shen Nian stopped resisting and let Lu Lingchuan help apply the ointment. After applying the ointment, Shen Nian got up. "I''ll go draw you a bath. You can take a shower." "Okay." "Your ck pajama set, I washed it clean a few days ago and put it in the wardrobe. Wear that one?" Shen Nian said as she walked away. "Okay." It felt like his voice was getting farther and farther away, as if he hadn''t followed her. Shen Nian turned around to see Lu Lingchuan still in the same kneeling position, though she was no longer on the couch. He was kneeling, staring at... the couch? "......" Shen Nian was amused by his rigid posture. "What are you doing?" Lu Lingchuan''s body was stiff. "I''m pondering a problem." "???" Shen Nian asked, "What problem?" Lu Lingchuan said seriously, "How to alleviate the difort caused by poor blood cirction and insufficient oxygen supply to the cells due to my leg position." Shen Nian carefully considered every word he said, and after understanding, she curved her lips. "So your leg fell asleep, right?" His leg fell asleep, yet he described it so professionally. "Yes," the man admitted readily. From the moment he came in until now, he had been kneeling the whole time, so how could his leg not fall asleep? Hearing the matter-of-fact tone in his voice, Shen Nian found Lu Lingchuan adorable for the first time. Yes, adorable. She tentatively asked, "Do you need me to help you up?" Lu Lingchuan replied, "Aren''t you going toe over quickly?" Their brief exchange had lightened the atmosphere considerably. Shen Nian turned around and helped Lu Lingchuan up. Lu Lingchuan''s leg had indeed fallen asleep, and quite badly too. With Shen Nian''s help, he slowly stood up, nning to sit on the couch to recover. After helping him to the couch, Shen Nian said, "Let me go draw your bath." As she turned to leave, she didn''t notice her standing position, and her right leg was against the coffee table. So when she turned right, her shin hit the coffee table directly. The coffee table pushed back a bit, and Shen Nian stumbled back two steps. Coincidentally, she stepped on Lu Lingchuan''s shoe and fell right onto hisp, squarely sitting on his numb leg. Seeing Shen Nian stumble back, Lu Lingchuan immediately reached out to catch her. When Shen Nian fell onto hisp, his hand touched her lower back. And then. The whole world fell silent. Lu Lingchuan: "......" ............ Amotion that could also be considered a rare heartwarming moment. Lu Lingchuan went to take a shower, while Shen Nian sat leaning against the bed. Thinking of something, she bent down and opened the drawer under the bedside cab. Over the years, although the two often quarreled over trivial matters, Lu Lingchuan''s best quality was that he never rummaged through her belongings. The bedside cab on Shen Nian''s side was where she kept things she needed at night, and Lu Lingchuan knew this, so he never put his things in her territory. She opened the bottom drawer, which was messy, filled with boxes and bottles of medicine, almost jammed with so many items. Shen Nian rummaged around until she finally found the key. She closed the drawer, locked it with the key, then opened the top drawer and tossed the key inside. When Lu Lingchuan came out, Shen Nian was browsing her phone. Drying his short hair with a towel, he wore the ck pajama set, which had a faint floral scent, the same as Shen Nian''s. It was September now, still hot during the day, but with a cool breeze at night. Lu Lingchuan lifted the thin nket and got into bed, catching a glimpse of Shen Nian flipping through photos in his peripheral vision. "What are you looking at?" Lu Lingchuan asked. "Just browsing." Shen Nian replied to Lu Lingchuan while flipping through photos. "The October long vacation ising up soon. I''ve seen many bloggers rmending travel guides, and I''ve already scrolled through many of them." She then showed her phone screen to Lu Lingchuan, disying incredibly beautiful natural scenery and picturesquendscapes from within the country. Lu Lingchuan caught a glimpse of the longing in her eyes. "Want to go traveling?" [Yes, there has been a reversal again~~ So is it he or be after all~~ We''ll find outter. By the way, I had surgery yesterday and took leave from my neck scarf. From now on, I''ll notify you guys of anything on there. Those who haven''t followed me yet, quickly go follow @ErchaodeQiao] Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Travel... Upon hearing those two words, Shen Nian became lost in thought. It seemed... like she had never traveled before. After snapping out of it, she shook her head, "I''d better not." Shen Nian flipped to the next rmendation, which was for small-scale travel destinations that wouldn''t be overcrowded during the seven-day holiday. "Thepany has been quite busytely, when would I have time to travel?" she made an excuse. Thepany matters were secondary; the main issue was... Ling Rui''s situation. Lu Lingchuan couldn''t leave, he needed to stay on top of it at all times. "..." Lu Lingchuan stared at her intently: "As long as you want to go, I''ll take you." When he said this, there was no hint of joking. It seemed as though they had returned to six years ago when, if it was something Shen Nian liked, Lu Lingchuan would give it to her, and even if he didn''t have the ability at the time, he would still try his best to give her the best he could. Now too, if she wanted to travel, he would put everything aside and apany her. "..." Shen Nian hadn''t seen that look in a long time, as if they had gone back to the past, and she was momentarily dazed. After snapping out of her daze, she shook her head and refused again: "Really, there''s no need." Pointing to the content on her phone, Shen Nian said, "There will be too many people. They say it''s going out to have fun, but in the end you can''t see anything except a sea of people''s heads,pletely pointless." "And you know I don''t like being in crowded ces." On this point, Shen Nian wasn''t lying. Every year during the seven-day holiday, there would be reports of traffic jams and tourist attractions packed with people. "Mm." Lu Lingchuan thought about it seriously for a moment, responding with an acknowledgment to respect Shen Nian''s wishes, but he still kept the idea in mind. Before next year, he would definitely resolve Ling Rui''s situation, and then he would take Shen Nian to visit all the famous tourist destinations in the country, especially the coastal cities. She really liked the ocean, she had said. Lu Lingchuan had just put down his phone on the bedside table when it rang. Shen Nian was a bit tired and let out a dainty yawn. Looking at the caller ID, it was Lawyer Xu Xiping calling, most likely about Ling Rui''s situation. Seeing that Shen Nian was tired, Lu Lingchuan left the bedroom so as not to disturb her. After talking to thewyer for over an hour, he hung up and set his phone to silent mode before entering the room again. The main light in the room had been turned off by Shen Nian, with only a smallmp on by the bedside. She was nestled in the nkets, already sound asleep. The soft warm glow illuminated her peaceful sleeping face. At this moment, Shen Nian looked like a sleeping beauty. Seeing how soundly she slept, Lu Lingchuan''s footsteps unconsciously became much lighter. He walked to the bedside, ced his phone on the nightstand, then slowly sat down and carefully lifted the covers to lie down. With one hand propping up his head, he gazed intently at Shen Nian''s sleeping face. Although she was merely sleeping, Lu Lingchuan looked as if he couldn''t get enough, unable to resist wanting to take another look, and another. ... During this period, so many things had happened that it had been a long time since Shen Nian had slept so soundly. She ended up sleeping until broad daylight. When she opened her eyes, she saw Lu Lingchuan''s face. His profile was exceptionally handsome, with dark brows, long eyshes, and a prominent, straight nose that was even more visible from the side. His thin lips were slightly pursed, exuding a hint of sensuality. When sleeping, hepletelycked themanding aura he had when working, instead taking on a gentle demeanor. It was as if... they had gone back to six years ago, before he had entered the business world. Upon waking from her sleep, it truly felt like they had returned to six years ago, the year they loved each other the most. Her beautiful dream had begun. Shen Nian stared at him, lost in a daze, not even noticing when Lu Lingchuan had woken up. The man opened his eyes to find Shen Nian gazing at him absentmindedly. Having just woken up, her hair was a bit messy, coupled with her vacant expression, which added a touch of adorable softness. The corners of Lu Lingchuan''s lips unconsciously curved into a slight smile. He leaned in and kissed her lips. It was only when Lu Lingchuan kissed her that Shen Nian snapped out of her own world. By the time she realized what was happening, Lu Lingchuan had already pinned her down. The man was an excellent kisser, gentle and soft, without any aggression, allowing one to involuntarily immerse themselves in his tenderness, and then... find it impossible to escape. His hand intertwined with hers, their fingers interlocked, like the most ordinary couple. "Mmm..." It wasn''t until Shen Nian was breathless from his kisses that she pushed him away. Lu Lingchuan released her lips, his sensual thin lips moving towards her petite earlobe, exhaling a breath of hot air. Shen Nian shuddered from the warmth of his breath. Observing her little reaction, a smile surfaced in Lu Lingchuan''s eyes: "Good morning, girlfriend." Having just woken up, his voice carried a slight huskiness, an unforced maism that was particrly alluring. Since they both needed to go to work and couldn''t stay home all day, after teasing Shen Nian for a bit, they both got up. Shen Nian went to freshen up while Lu Lingchuan took the initiative to prepare their breakfast. In the past, Lu Lingchuan was the type who wouldn''t even touch cooking, as there were maids at home to cook for the family, so there was no need for him to do it himself. It was only after getting together with Shen Nian that, on one asion when Ling Rui was joking around, she said something that stuck with him. "Nian Nian can only cook noodles, and my brother can''t even cook noodles, you two domestic disasters together will only be able to eat in noodles in the future." Ling Rui covered her mouth and giggled. "We can just order take-out every day," Shen Nian retorted defiantly. "But a lot of take-out is unhealthy, who knows if they have a conscience or not? If you run into one without a conscience, they might just cook your food with gutter oil." There were plenty of incidents involving take-out food. It was because of this very simple conversation that Lu Lingchuan took it to heart. Afterward, whenever Auntie Xu was cooking, Lu Lingchuan would conscientiously run into the kitchen and observe how she cooked, asking her about the use of each seasoning, how much was considered too much, and so on. From a young master who couldn''t do anything, he slowly learned how to scramble eggs, saut¨¦ vegetables, andter on, moreplex dishes... It was because of Shen Nian that Lu Lingchuan learned how to cook. By the time Shen Nian came out, Lu Lingchuan had just finished ting the breakfast he had prepared. "Time for breakfast," Lu Lingchuan said upon seeing Shen Nian. "Oh." Nodding in acknowledgement, Shen Nian walked over and pulled out a chair to sit down. Lu Lingchuan touched the milk ss, ensuring the temperature was just right before pushing it towards her. Lu Lingchuan''s breakfast was more Western-style. He used a knife to cut the sandwich in half, then passed it to her. Shen Nian took it and silently took a bite, then sipped some milk. Sometimes, there''s no need to artificially create a cozy atmosphere. Just sitting together to have a meal can make one feel happy. At least, that''s how it was for Shen Nian. Chapter 122 Chapter 122 After finishing their meal, Lu Lingchuan went to change clothes, while Shen Nian was a bit faster. As she was adjusting her dress, Lu Lingchuan pushed open the door and came out, mostly dressed, except for the top two buttons of his shirt left undone. He had a suit jacket draped over his arm and was holding a tie in his hand. Shen Nian took the initiative to step forward and take the tie from his hand. Without words, Lu Lingchuan lowered his head. She tied his tie skillfully, as they only had two not-so-important meetings at thepany today and didn''t need to meet any other business partners. So Shen Nian tied a simple knot for Lu Lingchuan''s tie, avoiding aplicated and overly formal look. After tying the tie, she clipped on a tie clip and then helped him into his suit jacket. Lu Lingchuan remained silent, calmly watching her bustle about. They looked like the most ordinary couple. He prepared breakfast for her in the morning, and she tied his tie and helped him with his suit jacket. After getting dressed, the two of them left for work together, even taking out the household trash with them. Lu Lingchuan carried the trash bag in his left hand and held Shen Nian''s hand with his right. Feeling the warmth enveloping her hand, Shen Nian looked up to see Lu Lingchuan''s utterly nonchnt expression. "Let''s go, we''re going to bete," he said. Shen Nian pursed her lips without saying anything, following him into the elevator. They pressed the button for the ground floor and stood side by side in the elevator. "Ding-dong..." Upon reaching the ground floor, the elevator doors opened, and the two of them stepped out. Lu Lingchuan threw the trash into the garbage bin near the elevator entrance, then held Shen Nian''s hand as they went to find their car. From just now until this moment, the atmosphere remained warm. Lu Lingchuan personally drove and brought Shen Nian to work. Their best quality was that they didn''t need to deliberately avoid thepany''s employees. Because everyone knew that Shen Nian was Lu Lingchuan''s most trusted and ever-ready assistant, it was perfectly normal for them to ride in the same car and arrive at work together. As they exited thepany elevator, Lu Lingchuan strode ahead, and Shen Nian followed closely behind. "Mr. Lu, there''s a meeting in B21 in half an hour," Shen Nian reminded him, regaining her professionalposure for work. "Mm," Lu Lingchuan responded leisurely, then entered his office, while Shen Nian took her seat at her workstation. Half an hourter, everyone had arrived early for the meeting, with Lu Lingchuan and Shen Nian being thest two to arrive. Although they didn''t need to maintain distance to avoid others, they also wouldn''t be overly intimate; in thepany, they had a boss-assistant rtionship. As soon as Lu Lingchuan took his seat, the meeting officially began, and someone stood up to present their PowerPoint slides. Shen Nian was listening attentively when she felt her phone vibrate. After ncing around and seeing that no one was paying attention to her, she discreetly took out her phone and unlocked it. It was a WeChat message from Lu Lingchuan. [Bored.] Just those two words. This time, Shen Nian looked directly at Lu Lingchuan and saw him sitting upright, holding his phone. Yes, he wasn''t secretly messaging; he was openly cking off. Feeling Shen Nian''s gaze, Lu Lingchuan looked up and met her eyes, his expression utterly unapologetic. "..." Shen Nian was speechless, lowering her head again and replying. [If you''re bored, you might as well count pigs.] Then she turned off her phone and continued taking notes. In less than thirty seconds, her phone vibrated again, with Lu Lingchuan sending her another message. [You only have one, no matter how you count it, it won''t change. Counting me would be even more boring.] "..." Shen Nian''s hand gripped her phone tighter, her teeth clenched. Well, there was still a bit of the old Lu Lingchuan from six years ago. The previous Lu Lingchuan was like this, being attentive to details but finding ways to tease her whenever he was bored. Shen Nian decided to turn off her phone, not bothering to reply to him, but her phone kept vibrating. "Mr. Lu." The employee giving the PowerPoint presentation saw that Lu Lingchuan was constantly on his phone messaging, so he swallowed hard and asked nervously, "Mr. Lu, did I say something wrong?" Why was he messaging so much? "No," Lu Lingchuan was still staring at his phone, his fingers not stopping. "I''m listening. You do your thing, I''ll do mine. Continue." After saying that, he sessfully sent another message, and Shen Nian''s phone vibrated again. Everyone: "..." What was going on with Mr. Lu today? After sending the message, Lu Lingchuan hadn''t heard any sound, so he looked up at the employee and said again, "Continue." Although unsure of what was happening, the employee still wiped the sweat from his brow and continued his presentation. Perhaps only Lu Lingchuan had the audacity to ck off so brazenly, as if it were perfectly normal. Shen Nian''s phone kept vibrating, and to avoid others noticing that Lu Lingchuan was messaging her, she took out her phone again and saw a barrage of thirty messages from him. She skimmed over the meaningless ones at the beginning and went straight to thest few. Lu Lingchuan had sent her a website link. [Choose!] he said. Shen Nian typed: [What?] Lu Lingchuan''s reply came quickly: [Choose!] Still that same word. Choose? Choose what? With curiosity, Shen Nian clicked on the link. The title was [100 Things Couples Can Do to Improve Their Rtionship?] Freshnesses from doing many new things with the right person, not doing the same thing repeatedly with different people. Let''s do 100 things together~ Go do them~ I won''t let two people in love be bored. 1. Write letters to each other 2. Sing a song together and record it 3. Go shopping together in couples outfits 4. Spend a day together at an amusement park 5. Go to a haunted house together 6. Teach me one of your special talents 7. Celebrate each other''s birthdays 8. Go camping together 9. DIY a cake together 10. Do pottery together 11. Make handprints together 12. Visit our elementary, middle, high schools and colleges together 13. Close your eyes and let your partner guide you across the street 14. ... These were 100 little things that couples should do, and some said that afterpleting all 100, they could get married and grow old together. Shen Nian read silently one after another, her lips curving into a slight smile. They were all just ordinary little things, but if done together with someone she liked, they would undoubtedly be cherished, warm memories. As she was reading, another message from Lu Lingchuan came through. [Have you chosen yet?] Shen Nian carefully considered for a moment, then replied. ¡¾There are too many, it''s dazzling.¡¿ There really were too many, a full 100 items even. As soon as her message was sent, the other side replied immediately. ¡¾No need to choose.¡¿ "?" Shen Nian didn''t know what he was going to do, then the man''s next message came. ¡¾Do them all!¡¿ Those two short words carried Lu Lingchuan''s upromising dominance. ¡¾Yes, I''m going to sprinkle sugar on you all~~~It''s really sweet, isn''t it? Do you want to see how they interacted in their most loving year~~¡¿ Chapter 123 Chapter 123 They had 100 days left, just the perfect 100 things to do, one thing each day, to make these 100 days more memorable. Shen Nian scrolled down, although reluctant, she had to interrupt Lu Lingchuan''s wonderful idea. ¡¾Many things can be aplished in a day, no need to spread them over multiple days.¡¿ For example, this one ¡¾spend a day at the amusement park¡¿ and these two ¡¾ride the rollercoasters together¡¿ ¡¾ride the Ferris wheel together, kiss at the top¡¿ can all be done on the same day. There''s also that ¡¾celebrate each other''s birthday¡¿, but their birthdays don''t fall within these 100 days, so unless something unexpected happens, that one can''t be done. Lu Lingchuan fell silent as expected. Just as Shen Nian thought he had given up, Lu Lingchuan sent another link with outrageous additional items. ¡¾101. Come up with a set of secret hand gestures and signals that only you two understand 102. Camp on the beach overnight 103. In spring, sunbathe on thewn, have a big meal, then nap on each other''sps 104. Co-create an artistic work ...¡¿ Shen Nian: "........" Alright, she could see that Lu Lingchuan was really determined toplete these 100 little things. Well, with this, she knows how to spend these 100 days too. The meeting was still going on, Shen Nian lowered her head and secretly went through the list of 100 little things they were going to do. The beginning was fine, just some simple but very heart-warming things, but looking towards the end... ¡¾95. Take our families on a gathering or trip 96. Make an unforgettable proposal 97. Take our own wedding photos 98. Design a dream wedding 99. Have a child of love, give the baby all our love 100. And so, for the long journey ahead, hand in hand, grow old together¡¿ Although just words, reading them made Shen Nian''s heart race. These are probably what she hoped for but could never attain in this life. The meeting finally ended amid Lu Lingchuan''s tant cking off and Shen Nian''s discreet messing around. After the employee who presented the PPT finished, they nervously looked at Lu Lingchuan, waiting for him to point out any shorings. Lu Lingchuan, however, was still engrossed in ying with his phone. It wasn''t until over a minute of silence that he finally looked up calmly, "Done?" Everyone: "......" Lu Lingchuan showed no embarrassment for cking off, "Not bad, meeting adjourned." He stood up, ncing at Shen Nian beside him, "Shen Nian, organize your notes and send them to my office desk." With that, he strode off. Shen Nian stood up and lowered her head, "Yes, President Lu." After Lu Lingchuan left, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief, but no one was in a hurry to leave the meeting room. Instead, they huddled together whispering. "What''s up with President Lu?" "No idea, but he''s definitely different from before. If you say he''s happy... well, he still has that stony face. But if you say he''s not happy... you still get the feeling that President Lu is in an especially good mood today." Shen Nian didn''t join their conversation. She gathered her things and left. Jiang Lingling hurried to catch up with her. "Sis Nian, you''re President Lu''s assistant, so you know him best. Tell me, did something good happen to President Lu?" Shen Nian, holding her notes andptop, said, "How would I know if President Lu is happy?" "Although he didn''t show it on his face, his whole demeanor told us that he''s in an exceptionally good mood today." Jiang Lingling insisted, "Sis Nian, didn''t you notice?" Shen Nian pretended not to understand, "Notice what?" "President Lu spoke to you much more gently." Jiang Lingling said, "Before, he was always cold when instructing you." Shen Nian countered, "Wasn''t he just as cold today?" When Lu Lingchuan instructed her earlier, he certainly didn''t show any personal feelings. "Um......" Confused by Shen Nian, Jiang Lingling started doubting herself. That''s right, President Lu was just as cold as ever when instructing Sis Nian. But... she just felt it was odd, even though it was the same coldness as before, it somehow felt... warmer. Jiang Lingling was so confused by Shen Nian that her thoughts became a jumbled mess. She didn''t know how to describe that feeling and frustratedly grabbed her hair. Seeing her bewildered like that, Shen Nian couldn''t help but smile, pursed her lips, and quickened her pace, leaving. Watching Shen Nian''s departing back, Jiang Lingling was utterly dumbfounded. Not only was President Lu acting weird, but she also felt that Sis Nian was in an exceptionally good mood today too. .............................. In a great mood today, even work seemed much easier than usual. Right at quitting time in the afternoon, Lu Lingchuan came out of his office. Shen Nian had just shut down herputer and grabbed a few documents that needed handling today, following Lu Lingchuan into the elevator. Lu Lingchuan drove out of thepany''s underground garage himself and onto the road. Shen Nian lowered her head, going over the documents she had brought. "These need your review, these just need your signature, and the dinner with President Tian is scheduled for 9 PM the day after tomorrow." "Mmm." Lu Lingchuan replied, then said, "You don''t need to go to the dinner after tomorrow, there will be drinking." He remembered that Shen Nian was currently alcohol intolerant, and drinking was unavoidable at executive dinners. "......" Shen Nian paused for a moment, then said, "Okay." It was rare for them to have such a calm exchange. Shen Nian looked out at the unfamiliar scenery, turned, and gazed at Lu Lingchuan in puzzlement, "Not going home?" She had walked the route from thepany to their home so many times that she could recognize it with her eyes closed, so she was very sure they weren''t taking the way home. Lu Lingchuan had one hand propped against the door, the other casually on the steering wheel, looking entirely rxed. Hearing Shen Nian''s question, he replied, "Going to do the first thing." The first thing... Reminded by Lu Lingchuan, Shen Nian finally remembered what he had said that morning. They had 100 days, so they were going to do 100 things, one thing each day. And the first thing in the list Lu Lingchuan had given her was: ¡¾Write letters to each other¡¿ Writing letters... in this age of the inte, the inte has reced so many things, and letter writing as a means ofmunication was long ago reced by text messages and instant messaging. Shen Nian was amused, "Where are we going to write letters?" But Lu Lingchuan looked as if he knew what he was doing. "I found a ce called ''Time'' that offers letter-writing services." Shen Nian looked at him with some curiosity: "How did you know?" Shops like this were probably frequented more by little girls, and even she had never heard of a shop called "Time". "I saw it on the map," Lu Lingchuan said rather matter-of-factly. During the day when he wasn''t busy at the office, he would take out his phone and open the map, taking the Lingrui Group as the center, and start looking at the roads and shops in all directions. Chapter 124 Chapter 124 One advantage of the phone map is that when zoomed in, it can disy all the stores on each street. Lu Lingchuan zoomed in little by little, and then... found this store. As they were talking, they had arrived at the destination. Lu Lingchuan parked the car. Shen Nian had conveniently brought casual clothes when she went out in the morning, so she changed in the car while Lu Lingchuan put a cap on her head. Shen Nian took out a clean mask from her bag and put it on herself, then handed another one to Lu Lingchuan after thinking for a moment. Both of them were eye-catching with their good looks in a crowd, and Shen Nian didn''t want to attract too much attention. Lu Lingchuan had apparently thought of this as well, taking the mask from Shen Nian''s hand. The two got out of the car, and after closing the doors, Lu Lingchuan naturally held Shen Nian''s hand, and they walked side by side. That store was located on a bustling street and was very popr in the evenings. Due to the gradually cooling weather, the night had fallen earlier now. It was still broad daylight when they left the office, but now it had already grown dim. The two walked slowly forward, with many small vendors around. Some sold decanted perfumes, some sold candy hawthorns, and even those selling sweet potatoes and chestnuts hade out. After walking about halfway down the street, they finally saw the store that Lu Lingchuan had mentioned. The storefront had a very simple ck and white decor, with just two simple words ¡ª Time. It seems to be a popr store as well. The two entered together, pushing the door open to see that there were quite a few people inside. The store area was particrlyrge, at least two hundred square meters at a nce. There was a corner with tables set up for customers to write, and next to it was an area for taking pictures and checking in on social media. One wall was covered with sticky notes where customers could write down what they wanted to say to themselves or to others, while the other side disyed the store''s services. For example, the "Time Capsule" service: they would give you something like an egg, where you could put your most precious items inside, lock it up, and the store would bury it for you. After 10 or 20 years, the store would send you the key along with the address of where the items were buried, and you could dig them out again. There was also a "Letter to Your Future Self" service, where the store provided various bookmarks, stationery, and envelopes for you to choose your favorite, and you could write a letter to your future self 10 yearster, leaving an address for them to mail it to you in the future. What Lu Lingchuan wanted was the third service, "A Letter to Each Other," which was mainly designed for couples. When they were most in love, they could write a letter to each other, and the store would mail the letters to them at a designated time. If by that time they were happily married, they could bring the two letters back to the store, and the staff would give them a red rose as a blessing. If they had broken up by then, they could stille back, and the store would give each of them a bell flower. The bell flower symbolizes health, expressing gentle love, and gratitude. Happiness leads to longevity, exercise keeps one young, peace is bliss, and health is fortune. Even if they didn''t grow old together, the hope is for both parties to find peace and joy. To meet and love once in this life is already not a waste. This store really knew how to do business. Shen Nian and Lu Lingchuan chose the third option, but they made one request: they didn''t need five or ten years. Too long. The Miss was very amodating, smiling and saying, "You can set the time yourselves." Lu Lingchuan thought for a moment, "How about December 31st of this year?" This was thest day of their agreed-upon 100 days, receiving on thest day the letter they wrote for each other on the first day. The symbolism was quite nice. "Okay," the Miss readily agreed and was about to write down the time. "Wait a moment." Shen Nian stopped her, thinking for a bit before saying, "Can we not set a specific time?" "Hm?" The Miss didn''t understand Shen Nian''s meaning. "Just don''t confirm the mailing time," Shen Nian exined. "Please give us a mailing address, and if one day I want to send out my letter, I''ll email you, and could you please mail this letter for me?" With this exnation, the Miss immediately understood, giving a slight smile. "Of course, this is your memory, you can decide for yourselves." After finalizing the mailing method, Lu Lingchuan paid and left an address. Lu Lingchuan left the Lu family address, while Shen Nian left the Shen family address. Neither of them left the address of their current residence. The Lu and Shen families represented the past, while the ce they currently lived represented the present. For them, the most beautiful time was six years ago, when he was Lu Lingchuan and she was Shen Nian. Now, they had been so worn down by reality that they didn''t even remember their own names. After writing down the addresses, the two went to choose stationery and envelopes. There were too many styles and designs, dazzling the eyes with cute and vintage options galore. Choosing stationery and envelopes also had a little game: the shelves on the left and right were identical, disying the same envelopes and stationery on both sides. The couple would choose separately. If they picked the same stationery or envelope, it meant they were in sync. But if they chose the exact same envelope and stationery, then it was destined love. Shen Nian and Lu Lingchuan yed this game. Shen Nian walked down the middle, where the disy was just like a supermarket aisle, with stationery and bookmarks on the left and envelopes on the right. There must have been at least a few hundred envelope designs alone. To pick the exact same one out of a few hundred possibilities, it really was destined love. As Shen Nian looked around while walking, her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of yellow. Her gaze paused, immediately turning to look, and she saw an envelope printed with sunflowers. The sunflowers on it were beautiful, depicting a whole field of them in a countryside style. ncing across to the stationery section, there was sunflower-themed stationery and bookmarks in the same style. Those who knew Shen Nian were aware that she loved sunflowers, even saying she loved them as if they were her life. At first, it was Li Mingshi who loved them, and after years of exposure, Lu Lingrui also grew very fond of sunflowers. After Lu Lingrui passed away, Shen Nian seemed to take over her obsession, loving sunflowers to the point of infatuation. The two came out at almost the same time, and the Miss had been waiting for them. To keep an air of suspense, before they went in, the Miss had given them a file bag and asked them to put their chosen items inside before revealing them. Shen Nian and Lu Lingchuan handed the file bag to the Miss together. The Miss smiled and said, "Now we''ll see if you two are in sync." Shen Nian pursed her lips. ording to her understanding of Lu Lingchuan, he would definitely think she chose the sunflower design. The shop Miss had already opened her file bag and taken out the stationery. It was a purely white envelope and letter paper with no patterns printed on it. Shen Nian had not chosen the sunflower design. It was time again to unveil Lu Lingchuan''s choice, and Shen Nian was certain he would pick the sunflower design, because he knew of her fondness for sunflowers. But the moment they were revealed, Shen Nian was astonished, her gaze immediately turning towards Lu Lingchuan. Her eyes reflected disbelief, shock, and incredulity. He... had also chosen the in white envelope and letter paper?! Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Lu Lingchuan calmly met her gaze, his eyes deep and somber. Both of them were wearing masks, and Shen Nian was also wearing a hat, concealing most of her features. Yet just standing there, eyes locked, gave the impression that they were a perfectly matched pair. The youngdy nced at Shen Nian, then at Lu Lingchuan, surprise shing in her eyes. "I didn''t expect you both to choose white." It was utterly unexpected because her store offered more than three hundred different styles of envelopes and stationery, and couples usually chose envelopes or paper with cute patterns. The in white ones without any prints were the least popr. These two had chosen white stationery at the same time. Their eyes didn''t spark with dazzling fireworks; they simply gazed at each other, calm and serene. "Can you tell me why you chose the white envelopes?" the youngdy asked, immensely curious. Lu Lingchuan looked at Shen Nian, and Shen Nian looked back at him. In unison, they said, "Starting from scratch, a nk te." Zero has no meaning, yet it holds infinite meanings. In Arabic numerals, it represents counting nothing; in Chinese, it signifies nothingness; in Taoism, it represents the realm of emptiness. Zero represents nothingness, yet it is the beginning of everything. As their words faded, both of them paused, then exchanged a smile. ... Lu Lingchuan and Shen Nian chose a spot in the corner to sit down. For privacy, they sat back-to-back, with pens already prepared on the table. Shen Nian picked up a pen, but when she saw the nk paper, her mind went nk, unsure of what to write. What could she say to Lu Lingchuan...? There was nothing left unsaid between them. After a few seconds of contemtion, she still wrote something on the paper. Once finished, she folded the letter and slipped it into the envelope, sealing it with glue. As she stood up to put the envelope in the mailbox, Lu Lingchuan followed suit, rising from his seat. There were a few other couples nearby, still writing intently. Lu Lingchuan and Shen Nian were thest to sit down, yet they finished within a minute. A letter written in less than a minute... No matter how you looked at it, it seemed perfunctory... Lu Lingchuan stared intently at the envelope in Shen Nian''s hand, his gaze reproachful: "You didn''t just write nothing and brush me off, did you?" Shen Nian pursed her lips, tucking the envelope into her embrace, not letting him see. "No, I didn''t." "I don''t believe you." The other couples were writing lengthy passages, their thoughts overflowing beyond a single page. But Shen Nian had stood up before her seat was even warm. Shen Nian didn''t want to reveal what she had written. Gazing at Lu Lingchuan, she said gloomily, "Well, you stood up right away too. Let me guess how many words you wrote. Ten? Five? Could it be that you didn''t even write five words?" "..." Now it was Lu Lingchuan''s turn to feel awkward. They walked towards the mailbox together, each carrying their own me. As Shen Nian was about to drop her envelope into the mailbox slot, Lu Lingchuan grabbed her hand. She looked up at him questioningly. Without a word, he ced his envelope on top of hers, the two envelopes ovepping. The mailbox slot wasrge enough for both envelopes to fit through side by side. Lu Lingchuan allowed her to hold the two envelopes, then grasped her hand as they slipped the envelopes into the mailbox together. ... In the days that followed, they adhered to their agreement, doing something special together every day. They strolled the streets in matching couple outfits, took a pottery ss, brushed each other''s teeth and exchanged a kiss afterward, held hands while crossing the street... They acted like an ordinary young couple, even sweeter than most. Just like six years ago. On this particr day, as soon as Shen Nian got off work, Lu Lingchuan took her to an amusement park, holding her hand as he walked ahead, while she followed behind reluctantly. "Tomorrow''s our day off. We could havee to the amusement park then." What could they do bying now? But Lu Lingchuan was adamant. "I checked, and there''s a fireworks show today." This amusement park was renowned for its beautiful fireworks disys, though they were only held on special asions or announced at thest minute. Lu Lingchuan had been monitoring it closely and immediately bought two tickets when he saw that there would be a fireworks show that evening. The fireworks show was scheduled for around 8 PM, but it was only a little past 6 PM, meaning they would have to wait over an hour. Shen Nian walked alongside Lu Lingchuan, her arm naturally linked with his. After spending so much time together, they had be quite attuned. "So how should we kill this hour?" she asked. Just then, a piercing scream echoed from the nearby roller coaster. "Ahhhhh..." Shen Nian looked at the twisting, turning roller coaster track and smiled mischievously. Pointing at the ride, she suggested, "Why don''t we spend the next hour on the roller coaster?" "No way." Lu Lingchuan slipped one hand into his pocket, coolly replying, "I''m afraid you''ll cry." Shen Nian wasn''t convinced. "I won''t." She had never ridden a roller coaster before, but she had always wanted to try. Back then, Lu Lingchuan had insisted that roller coasters were too dangerous, with all those loops and inversions, so he forbade her from riding anything risky. In the end, he had taken her on the merry-go-round a few times instead. In Lu Lingchuan''s own words: "You''re just sitting on a roller coaster, and you''re just sitting on the merry-go-round. It''s all the same, just riding something to satisfy the craving." Shen Nian had immediately retorted: "Do you even know the difference between a watermelon and a cherry? They''re nothing alike, and you don''t just sit on a roller coaster - you''re suspended from it." Anyone who had ridden a major roller coaster knew that, except for the smaller ones, you were essentially hanging like a roasted duck on therger rides. In response, Lu Lingchuan had coolly given her a pointed look: "If you''re going to sit properly, then sit. If you''re thinking about being suspended, then no way." And just like that, Shen Nian''s roller coaster dreams were mercilessly crushed by Lu Lingchuan. Recalling how arrogant Lu Lingchuan had been back then, Shen Nian felt resentful. She lowered her head and yfully bit his arm with a soft "woof." Shen Nian didn''t bite hard, so it didn''t hurt. Lu Lingchuan only felt her small, sharp teeth grazing his arm. He turned his head and tapped her on the crown. "I don''t care. You''re only allowed to cry in one ce, nowhere else." "What?" Where was this sudden arroganceing from? Noticing the confusion in Shen Nian''s eyes, Lu Lingchuan added matter-of-factly, "My bed." "..." Taken separately, the two sentences seemed fine, no issue. But put together... Shen Nian''s cheeks instantly flushed red, and she let out another yelp, biting down even harder. About an hour before the fireworks disy, Lu Lingchuan led Shen Nian into a store. Looking at the rows of cute keychains hanging on the wall, Shen Nian seemed rather speechless: "Don''t tell me you brought me here to buy these little things." It was a gift shop, filled with plush toys. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Lu Lingchuan did not answer; he simply walked inward, where there were things other than plush toys. Clothing area, shoe area, bag area. Lu Lingchuan led Shen Nian towards the clothing area, pointing at the first row of two items of clothing with the same style but different sizes: "Couple outfits." He said, "I want to wear a couple outfit." Indeed, one of the 100 things they had to do was [Stroll while wearing a couple outfit]. Shen Nian nced at the clothes, then looked at Lu Lingchuan half skeptically: "You... sure you want to wear that now?" It wasn''t that she didn''t want to wear it; the clothes sold in amusement park gift shops were mostly cute styles, and Shen Nian could hardly imagine Lu Lingchuan wearing a couple outfit, with an adorable bear head in the front. Lu Lingchuan insisted, "I want to wear it." "......" Alright then. Among the various styles of couple shirts, Shen Nian picked and chose, eventually settling on a khaki-colored long-sleeved hoodie set. As the weather grew colder, these couple hoodies were thin and fuzzy, just right to wear without an outer coat. The color wasn''t bad; the women''s had an oversized, super cute cartoon doll printed on the front, while the men''s doll was a bit smaller, with erged letters. Cute, yet not overly cute. Shen Nian picked up the hanger, holding the two hoodies up against herself, her bright eyes fixed on Lu Lingchuan: "How about these?" Lu Lingchuan nodded, unhesitatingly praising: "They look good." Everything she picked looked good. With no objections, the two settled on this outfit, paid for it first, then changed into it in the store''s changing room. When Shen Nian saw Lu Lingchuan in the khaki hoodie, her eyes lit up. The man''s looks were naturally notcking; his chiseled features were distinct, his handsome face exquisite, with slender eyes beneath his sword-like brows that looked at Shen Nian with deep affection. Even just wearing a hoodie and cargo pants, his slender waist and straight long legs were outlined impably. Stripped of his formal suit, this hoodie color made him look much younger, like a fresh university graduate. To avoid being recognized by acquaintances, they kept their masks on. Even with his face covered, his height and figure still made him the focus of attention wherever he went. Lu Lingchuan tugged at his own clothes, looking at Shen Nian and asking, "Does it look good?" Shen Nian spoke honestly: "It looks good." It had been a long time since she''d seen him wear casual clothes other than suits and dress shirts. Upon hearing this, Lu Lingchuan let out an amusedugh, his rich, maic voice lightly rippling in Shen Nian''s ears. Though she couldn''t see the smiling face behind his mask, his eyes crinkled, showing his excellent mood. His pheromones radiated outward from him as the center, making people''s hearts flutter. Praised by Shen Nian, Lu Lingchuan was in an excellent mood, naturally putting his arm around Shen Nian''s waist as they left. Passing by the hair essory area, the man''s eye was drawn to a khaki-colored item among the many cute headbands. The headband was covered in soft, fuzzy fabric, with two little ears on either side, like a little bear. Lu Lingchuan took an immediate liking to it, putting it on Shen Nian''s head. "What?" Feeling a headband on her head, Shen Nian instinctively reached to touch it. Lu Lingchuan helped adjust it for her, then carefully looked her over, satisfied that it was as cute as he''d imagined. Only then did the man nod contentedly. He leaned down to kiss her face, his voice pleased and rich: "Let''s go." He took Shen Nian''s hand and headed for the cashier: "Time to pay." ... After buying the couple outfits, the two strolled hand-in-hand through the snack street. Coming out of the snack street, Lu Lingchuan was carrying an assortment of snacks. The evening fireworks show started promptly at 8 PM. Although it was only around 7:30 PM, many visitors had already gone to im spots. Seeing the dense crowd heading in one direction, Shen Nian''s hand tightened around her cotton candy: "With that many people, we won''t be able to see anything." She didn''t like being in tight crowds. Lu Lingchuan checked the time, seeing it was about time, "Let''s go." With that, he pulled Shen Nian in the opposite direction of the crowd. "Ah?" Weren''t they going left to see the fireworks? Why was Lu Lingchuan going right? Before Shen Nian could ask, Lu Lingchuan had already pulled her away. The whole way, Shen Nian was utterly baffled, until she saw the massive Ferris wheel in front of them. The Ferris wheel was currently running, with around ten people lining up in front of it. Didn''t he say he was taking her to see the fireworks? Why were they going on the Ferris wheel again? Lu Lingchuan tapped the shoulder of the person in front, then took out his phone: "Let''s switch spots, I can reimburse your amusement park tickets for today." At first, the person thought Lu Lingchuan was joking, until Lu Lingchuan actually transferred the money to him, leaving him dumbfounded before beaming with delight and moving to stand behind Lu Lingchuan. Lu Lingchuan sessfully moved Shen Nian to the front of the line, then tapped the next person''s shoulder and said the same thing. Like that, in less than three minutes, they went fromst in line to first. The staff working there were utterly dumbfounded. This... you couldn''t say they didn''t cut the line, because they did; but you also couldn''t say they cut the line, since the people in front willingly gave up their spots. Let''s just say, it''s great to have money. Sessfully reaching the front of the line, Lu Lingchuan pocketed his phone with satisfaction. Shen Nian silently nced at the dozen or so people behind them¡ªa few thousand yuan would cover it. She couldn''t help but remark, "Actually... even without cutting the line, we would have been able to get on." There weren''t that many people in front. However, Lu Lingchuan calmly retorted, "If money can solve it, I don''t like to waste time." "......" Alright, privilege of having money. Just then, the Ferris wheelpleted a full rotation, and the passengers started disembarking one by one. Once most people had disembarked, the staff opened the gate blocking Shen Nian and Lu Lingchuan, telling them, "You can board now." The Ferris wheel car had lowered to the bottom, and the two took their seats, closing the door behind them. The Ferris wheel looked different from the outside than from the inside¡ªfrom the outside it was beautiful, while sitting inside was peaceful and quiet. Shen Nian sat in her seat, silently watching as their car slowly rose higher, going from seeing nothing to viewing the entire amusement park''s evening scenery, looking down upon the city''s twinkling lights. She stared off into space, only snapping out of it when she noticed Lu Lingchuan fiddling with his phone, fixated on something. "What are you looking at?" Shen Nian couldn''t help but ask. From the moment she noticed, it seemed that Lu Lingchuan was very mindful of the time. Upon hearing this, Lu Lingchuan''s gaze shifted from his phone, and he stared at her, asking, "Do you still remember the dream you mentioned thest time we were on the Ferris wheel?" "I remember," Shen Nian nodded. She clearly recalled the scene from six years ago, the first time she and Lu Lingchuan rode the Ferris wheel. At that time, she leaned against the observation cabin, gazing at the twinkling lights outside. She said¡ª "I hope that one of those countless lights is shining for me." Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Lu Lingchuan sat across from her, his sensual thin lips moving slightly: "Ten seconds countdown." "What?" Shen Nian didn''t understand. The man didn''t respond to her, but instead began counting down. "Ten." "Nine." "Eight." ... "Three." "Two." "One." As thest word fell, there was a "bang!" sound, and something like a shooting star rushed up from below, bursting into a colorful disy in the night sky. It was fireworks. At the same time, their observation cabin stopped at the highest point of the Ferris wheel, and from this angle, the view of the fireworks was even more impressive than looking up from the ground. Shen Nian leaned against the ss, her eyes fixed on the fireworks, unable to hide the smile on her face. "Shen Nian." Suddenly, a gentle yet maic voice came from behind her. "Hmm?" Shen Nian was about to turn her head, but before she could see the man clearly, his arms encircled her waist, and with a powerful tug, she collided into Lu Lingchuan''s embrace. He lowered his head and urately met her lips. "I love you," the three words slowly escaped his mouth. Six years. He had known her for six years, and loved her for six years. His deep voice carried a bewitching quality, his warm breath stirring her heartstrings. Some say that when you kiss at the highest point of the Ferris wheel, God can see you first and bless your love. Lu Lingchuan''s hand cupped the back of her head, then deepened the kiss, tangling their lips in a domineering embrace. The fireworks outside became the backdrop for their ardent disy. They kissed at the highest point of the Ferris wheel, proving their love to God. ............... The next day, a day off¡ª Today they didn''t have to go to work, so the two of them indulged in sleeping in. When Shen Nian woke up, she was nestled in Lu Lingchuan''s embrace. She let out a dainty yawn and slowly opened her eyes. Reaching out, she felt for her phone on the bedside table and checked the time. It was already 9:30 in the morning. She rubbed her eyes and fully woke up, about to sit up. However, as soon as she moved, Lu Lingchuan''s hand on her waist tightened, and Shen Nian fell back into his embrace. Lu Lingchuan buried his head in her corbone, nuzzling her like a fluffy puppy seeking affection. Shen Nian couldn''t help butugh, pushing his head gently: "Let me go, I need to get up." Lu Lingchuan kept his eyes closed, as if he had fallen asleep in her arms. After a few seconds, he mumbled, "It''s a day off today." Meaning he wanted her to sleep in a little longer with him. "I know," Shen Nian said. "But I''ve made ns to go shopping for clothes with some colleagues today." She had already promised them, and she couldn''t back out now, as that would be rude. "..." Lu Lingchuan didn''t say anything. Shen Nian waited for a long time but didn''t hear him respond, so she said again, "Did you hear me?" "Hmm..." Lu Lingchuan respondedzily with his eyes still closed, then said, "I''m not happy about it." While others express their unhappiness through emotions, Mr. Lu expressed it directly. It was a rare day off when they could rest, but she had to go out with others. The CEO was not pleased, very displeased. Shen Nianughed helplessly and pushed his head again: "I promised a few days ago, I can''t really refuse." To appease him, Shen Nian''s voice softened: "I''lle back early, and then we can go to the farmer''s market to buy ingredients and have a hot pot at home?" Coaxed like this, Lu Lingchuan finally relented and let her go: "Okay." It was almost 10 o''clock, and if she wasted any more time, she would bete. Shen Nian stepped out of bed in her slippers and headed to the bathroom. ............... The atmosphere at thepany was good, and Shen Nian had helped many people, so she had always been popr. Today, the ones who invited her out shopping were not only her closest friend Jiang Lingling but also Li Nan, He Ying, and a few others. When Shen Nian arrived, they were already there, and they all entered the mall together. The first floor of the mall had quite a few clothing stores, and they started browsing one by one. "What do you think of this dress?" "Hmm, it''s nice, but the color is a bit too light. With your little one being at a mischievous age, you won''t be able to keep it clean." "You''re right..." The few of them huddled together, picking out clothes, while Shen Nian browsed alone nearby. The style of this store was quite nice, and she liked it. She picked up a ck jacket and happened to be standing in front of a mirror, so she held the jacket up against herself to check the fit. Hmm, not bad. "Sister Nian!" Jiang Lingling suddenly came out of nowhere and pounced on Shen Nian. Shen Nian smiled and merely chided her gently: "Be careful, don''t get the clothes dirty." "Okay!" Jiang Lingling readily agreed, holding two dresses in her hands. "Sister Nian, Sister Nian, help me choose which one looks better!" Shen Nian carefullypared the two and pointed to the one on the left: "This one." "Got it!" Jiang Lingling hadplete faith in Shen Nian''s taste and immediately returned the one on the right to the shop assistant. Noticing the ck jacket in Shen Nian''s hand, Jiang Lingling asked, "Sister Nian, you like this one?" "It''s alright," Shen Nian said, looking down at the jacket in her hand. "I think the style is nice." Then she held up the jacket and asked Jiang Lingling, "Doesn''t it look good?" "Hmm..." Jiang Lingling scrutinized it carefully for a moment, then gave her opinion: "It''s not that it doesn''t look good, but Sister Nian, you''re so beautiful, and your figure is so great, you would look good even in a sack." "It''s just... I feel it doesn''t really match your aura." After saying that, feeling that she had made a fair point, she nodded to emphasize her words. Indeed, Shen Nian''s features were very gentle, resembling that of a fresh, innocent beauty - the kind of delicate look that suited lighter colors better. Catching sight of a white embroidered loose bubble-sleeved blouse nearby, Jiang Lingling immediately grabbed it. "Sister Nian, you''ll definitely look gorgeous in this!" Without even needing to try it on, just looking at the style, she could imagine how beautiful Shen Nian would look wearing it. "..." Shen Nian didn''t take the blouse from Jiang Lingling but instead stared at the white shirt. After a long pause, she curved her lips slightly, took the blouse from Jiang Lingling''s hand, but didn''t try it on. Instead, she put it back on the rack. "It''s quite pretty, but I don''t like it." "Ah..." Jiang Lingling looked at the shirt now hanging back on the rack. "I thought it looked really nice. Sister Nian, you don''t like it?" "Hmm," Shen Nian replied. "I don''t like white." With that, she handed the ck jacket in her hand to the shop assistant: "Please pack this one up for me. Thank you." When she heard Shen Nian''s words, Jiang Lingling was somewhat surprised and puzzled. Without much thought, she asked directly: "Sister Nian, you don''t like white? But I remember you really liked white before." She recalled that when she first started her internship, Shen Nian wore white every day, looking exceptionally beautiful. It was precisely because she knew how good Shen Nian looked in white that she thought this blouse would suit her well. "..." Shen Nian''s eyshes fluttered, and she slowly curved her lips into a smile: "I used to like it quite a bit, but not anymore." Chapter 128 Chapter 128 "......" Shen Nian seemed reluctant to bring up that matter, so Jiang Lingling silently closed her mouth and didn''t say anything more. After wandering around for about two hours, everyone had their hands full of shopping bags as they chatted and walked towards the elevators. The mall they visited was extremely upscale, a towering 400 meters high with 88 floors that housed abination of five-star hotels, high-end shopping centers, and top-tier office buildings. Even the elevators exuded an atmosphere of luxury and opulence. Aside from the entrance side, the other three sides were made of transparent ss, allowing passengers to gaze out at the city as the elevator ascended. "There''s a restaurant on the 88th floor that''s particrly famous for their sky dining experience." "I saw it mentioned in the travel guide! I heard their Italian meat sauce pasta is absolutely exquisite!" With just the few of them in the elevator, everyone excitedly discussed where they would have lunch, pressing the button to close the doors and selecting the 88th floor. The elevator began its ascent. Shen Nian, who had entered first, stood in the corner. She rarely joined such conversations, holding a bag in her left hand and her phone in her right. Given the high floor, even just riding the elevator required some time, so she could only pass the time by looking at her phone. "Hey? What''s that person doing sitting there?" Someone spoke up, and then Shen Nian was tapped. Shen Nian looked up at He Ying, who had tapped her, and said, "What?" "That." He Ying pointed upwards at the building across from the ss, where a person could be seen sitting on the windowsill. "Could it be that they''re going to jump?" From the looks of it, it really seemed that way. Upon seeing the person sitting on the windowsill, Shen Nian''s pupils constricted abruptly, and her face instantly turned pale. The bag and phone in her hands dropped to the floor as she stumbled back two steps, stepping on Jiang Lingling''s foot. "Ouch." Jiang Lingling was in pain from the stepping, and quickly tried to support Shen Nian. "Nian-jie, what''s wrong with you?" "......" Shen Nian stood there rigidly, as if she had been struck dumb. "Nian-jie?" Before Jiang Lingling could say anything more, Shen Nian suddenly came to her senses and lunged towards the ss, crashing to the floor of the elevator and frantically pounding on the ss. "Quick, save her... quick, save her... save her quickly!" "Save someone! Save someone!" "Hurry, someone save her!" Shen Nian''s screams pierced the air, startling everyone in the elevator. Jiang Lingling tried to help Shen Nian up, but was pushed away. Shen Nian was acting like she had gone mad, incessantly shouting until her voice became hoarse. Save her, save her. The elevator moved swiftly, initially looking up at the person but then leveling with her, clearly revealing that it was a young woman, no more than twenty years old, sitting there. They only crossed paths for a second before the elevator continued ascending. The young woman sat on the windowsill, her legs dangling in the air, without any safety precautions. The next second, she leaned forward and plummeted down. An image of Lu Lingrui shed before Shen Nian''s eyes, and as the young woman jumped, Shen Nianpletely broke down. Clutching her head, she let out a piercing scream. "Aahhhhhh!" ..................... The incident of someone jumping quickly caused a major uproar. Within half an hour, police cars had arrived and barricades were set up. Footage from local videos showed people at the scene uploading clips. Apparently, the young woman who jumped was only 20 years old, and it seemed like she had gotten into an argument with her parents, leading her to impulsively jump from the building in a moment of despair. Her parents were utterly devastated - her mother had fainted on the spot, and her father wept uncontrobly. It was trulymentable. At such a young age, she had ended her life over a quarrel with her parents. He Ying silently put away her phone and carefully nced at the distressed Shen Nian beside her. Shen Nian sat on the bench, hugging her knees, her hair slightly disheveled, appearing dazed and lost. In their impression, Shen Nian was usually quiet and distant but gentle. Despite her youth, she was exceptionallyposed and never put on airs. Everyone present had received help from Shen Nian at some point. This was the first time they had seen Shen Nian in such a state of distress. Everyone was extremely worried, especially Li Nan and Jiang Lingling, who respectively held a towel and a ss of water, looking at Shen Nian with concern. "Shen Nian..." He Ying tentatively called out to her. "Are you okay?" "......" Shen Nian remained silent. He Ying closed her mouth and whispered to the person beside her, "Do you think she knew that young woman?" Otherwise, why would she have reacted so intensely? The person next to her shook their head in bewilderment. "I don''t know." It was the first time they had seen Shen Nian so distraught, and not knowing what had happened or the rtionship between Shen Nian and the young woman, they didn''t know how to console her. Everyone was extremely anxious, wanting tofort Shen Nian but unsure how to do so. "...I didn''t know her." After some time, Shen Nian finally spoke, her voice soft and hoarse - likely from the earlier screaming that had strained her throat. Hearing Shen Nian speak up, everyone quickly turned their attention to her. "Nian-jie, are you alright? You gave us such a fright," Jiang Lingling said, her eyes reddened with worry. "Yes," Li Nan chimed in, using a clean towel to wipe Shen Nian''s hands as she gentlyforted her. "Were you just shocked by someone jumping? It''s okay now." Shen Nian lowered her head listlessly, silently watching Li Nan wipe her hands as she spoke in a hoarse voice. "I had a very important friend." "......" "She died." "She was eighteen when she died." The others wore expressions of realization. Shen Nian murmured, her eyes growing increasingly red. "Shemitted suicide by jumping off a building. On the way to find her before she died, I didn''t even get to see her onest time." As she spoke, Shen Nianughed bitterly, her eyes brimming with tears. "She sent me onest text message before she died, telling me to be happy..." She said she didn''t me me... Foolish, foolish Lu Lingrui. Why didn''t she me me? Why shouldn''t she me me... "......" The others listened in solemn silence, finally understanding why Shen Nian had reacted so intensely. Losing an extremely important friend at such a young age, to suicide no less - any of them would have struggled to bear such a burden. Jiang Lingling had previously heard Shen Nian mention a friend who had passed away. But she didn''t know there was so much behind it. Jiang Lingling took Shen Nian''s hand and crouched down, saying earnestly: "Sister Nian, although I don''t know the sister you mentioned, she must have been very kind to you. Not being able to see her onest time is a pity, but perhaps this was her final act of tenderness towards you. She didn''t want you to see her wounded and battered. She wanted you to remember her as always beautiful." Shen Nian looked up at Jiang Lingling''s face and momentarily saw Lu Lingrui. She smiled through her tears, and cried through her smiles. She nodded. "Perhaps so." Perhaps Lu Lingrui''s final act of tenderness towards her was to spare her that sight. If she had witnessed Lu Lingrui''s death before her eyes back then, she would have broken down long ago, unable to carry on until now. [The day before yesterday, I: I want something sweet. Yesterday, I: I want something sweet. Today, I: I want... never mind, let''s do half and half.] Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Raising her head, Shen Nian forced a smile upon seeing everyone''s concerned looks. "I''m fine, don''t worry about me." Releasing her legs that had been hugged close, Shen Nian stood up. "We''ve been wandering for so long, everyone must be tired. You guys order first, I''ll go cool off over there for a bit." "Nian-jie..." Jiang Lingling looked at Shen Nian with concern, but Shen Nian smiled back at her, reassuring her instead. "I''m really fine, I just need to calm down for now. Could you order me a lunch too? You said this ce has good Italian meat sauce pasta, right? Order one for me." After saying that, she left. Jiang Lingling wanted to say something more, but was held back by Li Nan. Turning in a hurry, Li Nan shook her head at Jiang Lingling. "Let her calm down. Any constion from us now would only disturb her." Jiang Lingling finally relented. This restaurant''s decor was indeed nice, divided into indoor and outdoor dining areas. Their signature was the outdoor sky dining area, surrounded by greenery and climbing vines, with a grassywn and pebbled paths, like an aerial garden. At this moment, Shen Nian had no heart to appreciate the scenery. She walked over to the railing. To prevent idents from children running around, the restaurant had purposefully raised the railing to around Shen Nian''s chest level, with very narrow gaps between the railings that were filled in with decorations. She leaned on the railing, the height allowing her to overlook the scenery below, buildings in full view, yet obscured by a hazy mist due to the altitude. Shen Nian stared nkly, unable to take in the view at all. The movie in her mind was rewinding, then fast-forwarding through bits and pieces of her closest rtionship with Lu Lingrui six years ago. "Nian-nian, let''s buy matching best friend bracelets, okay?" Lu Lingrui had stopped at a small stall, holding her back. "Nian-nian, don''t apany my brother today, apany me instead~~~" Lu Lingrui vying for attention with Lu Lingchuan. "Nian-nian, we''ll be the best sisters-inw!" Lu Lingrui pulled her along, nodding andughing with eyes squinted into slits. "Nian-nian~~~I know I was wrong, I won''t do it again." Lu Lingrui looked pitiful, blinking her eyes after some mischief. "Nian-nian!" "Nian-nian~~" "Nian-nian..." "..." "Nian-nian!" Suddenly, someone called out to her, snapping Shen Nian out of her daze. In front of her was Lu Lingrui''s big, bright smile, radiant as always, like a sunflower. She reached out her hand to Shen Nian and said¡ª "Nian-nian, let''s go y together." Shen Nian stared nkly, murmuring, "Xiao Rui..." "Okay." She said. cing her hands on the railing, she started to hoist herself up. Wanting to climb over the railing, to take Lu Lingrui''s hand... "Nian-jie!" Another voice interrupted Shen Nian, as Jiang Lingling rushed forward and grabbed her. "Nian-jie, what are you doing?!" Jiang Lingling''s voice pulled Shen Nian back to reality. She closed her eyes, then opened them again, and Lu Lingrui was gone. It had only been her imagination, just her imagination... "Nian-jie! Nian-jie!" Seeing Shen Nian''s dazed expression, Jiang Lingling was so anxious she was almost in tears. "Can you hear me? Nian-jie..." Shen Nian was shaken by her, feeling dizzy. She reached out to hold Jiang Lingling''s shoulders, smiling wryly. "Stop shaking me, you''re going to make me dizzy." Seeing the tears welling up in Jiang Lingling''s eyes, Shen Nian''s gentle gaze shed with a hint of helplessness. She reached out, using her fingers to wipe away the tears, like a gentle older sister, softly asking, "Why are you crying?" Jiang Lingling sniffled pathetically. "Nian-jie, you were trying to climb over the railing just now..." She had seen that little girl in the elevator unhesitatingly jump down earlier. Just thinking of that scene made Jiang Lingling''s tears flow uncontrobly. She was scared. Scared that Shen Nian would go down that same path. "..." Shen Nian was stunned. "Really?" Then she smiled again. "I didn''t mean to." Wanting to help Jiang Lingling wipe her tears but unable to find any tissue after patting herself down, she could only use her hand. "I just wanted to get a better look at the scenery, but it''s too high up to see clearly, and the railing is too tall, so I thought I''d try standing on my toes. I didn''t expect you to misunderstand." She exined helplessly. Jiang Lingling still had tears clinging to hershes, asking skeptically, "Really?" Shen Nian smiled. "Why would I lie to you? So much time has passed since that incident, I''m not so fragile that I''d have a breakdown and want to jump just from seeing someone else do it." All these years, the first impression everyone had of Shen Nian was of her being strong. She was so diligent, so strong. This girl of only 23 years old, while her peers were still being pampered by their mothers, eating snacks, binge-watching shows, and ordering deliveries, had be the most trusted assistant of apany''s CEO. Her achievements were something even men ten years older than her could rarely surpass. In everyone''s memory, Shen Nian had always been so hardworking. She was like an indestructible giant, following alongside Lu Lingchuan step-by-step, reaching where they are today. It was because of her and Lu Lingchuan that the Lingrui Group exists today. Someone with such perseverance was indeed unlikely to feel so dejected over something so trivial. Shen Nian had always been a good actress, her brows and eyes smiling, with a hint of helpless affection in her gaze. She gently wiped away Jiang Lingling''s tears, appearing so normal that she didn''t seem to be lying at all. Seeing the sincerity in Shen Nian''s eyes, that she didn''t seem to be deceiving her, Jiang Lingling finally wiped away her own tears. Shen Nian smiled warmly. "Did you need me for something?" Jiang Lingling shook her head, only then realizing how embarrassing it was for someone her age to be crying like that, lowering her head to wipe away the tears, her voice still choked with sobs. "The pasta you ordered is here, I came to call you to eat." "Mm." Shen Nian turned to nce at the scenery outside the railing, then pulled her gaze back, saying to Jiang Lingling, "Let''s go." Seeing her eyes were still red, Shen Nian looked exasperated. "Alright, you look like I bullied you with that face." Jiang Lingling immediately adjusted her mood, no longer crying, just with slightly reddened eyes. Pinching her small chin, Shen Nian smiled. "There, let''s go." "Mm." ... When they returned, everyone was eating and chatting. To liven up the atmosphere from earlier, someone suggested ying a game where whoever was called out had to share an embarrassing childhood story. Shen Nian walked over and pulled out a chair to sit down, with Jiang Lingling sitting beside her. When she saw them returning, Li Nan smiled and said, "We''re ying a game, do you want to join?" Shen Nian smiled, "You all y, I''ll watch for now." "Okay." With those words, a new round of the game began. They ced their phones in the middle and opened the same game app. The app ran, and whoever''s phone lit up red was the lucky one to be chosen. It was a little game they had devised themselves. The red light shed on each person''s phone in turn, finally settling on Li Nan''s phone. Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Immediately, someone said, "Sister Nan, it''s your turn!" Li Nan made a pitiful expression and rubbed her head, "Wait, let me think." She thought as she spoke, "I remember when I was around six or seven years old, I was craving snacks and saw other ssmates buying snacks from the school store every day after ss. I was so envious, but I didn''t have any money. So I came up with a n to sweet-talk the good-looking, rich boys who were naive but had money - in one sentence, they were dumb but wealthy and handsome." "I used abination of ttery, lies, and threats to tell them that I was their future wife, and it was only natural for them to support me by buying me lots of tasty snacks. I said that if they didn''t, I wouldn''t marry them in the future, and they would end up alone and unloved." "Back then, there were far more boys than girls in the ss, with about three-quarters being boys. They were terrified by me, and every day they would save up and buy me snacks." Looking back on her childhood antics now, every word brought joy. Everyone had a curious expression, eagerly asking, "And then what happened?" Li Nan shrugged helplessly, "And then... one day, I got caught. Two boys in the ss got into a fight over whose ''wife'' I was. The teacher and parents found out about my despicable scams, and it all came to light." "Those two boys who fought over me only then realized that apart from them, I had said the same thing to more than twenty other boys in the ss." "They thought I was exclusively their wife-to-be, but no, I had promised over twenty of them. I wasn''t a cheater; I just wanted to give every boy a family." "Hahahahahaha..." Everyoneughed with their mouths wide open, continuing to ask, "And then what happened?" Li Nan sighed, "Then my parents educated me, and they took me to apologize to each boy one by one and return the money they had spent on snacks for me. I said sorry to every single one of them." "Hahahahahaha..." Everyoneughed hysterically, even Shen Nian couldn''t help but crack a smile. Li Nan was so embarrassed by everyone''sughter, "At the recent ss reunion, some of the boys still remembered this incident and jokingly wanted to take me to get our marriage certificate." "Hahahahaha..." Everyone does silly things when they''re young, but looking back, they''re all fond memories. Jiang Lingling wasughing so hard that tears came out, and she said to Shen Nian while wiping her eyes with a tissue, "Sister Nian, you must find this really funny too, right?" Shen Nian cracked a slight smile and said softly, "I suddenly realize that everyone makes mistakes in their reckless youth, and some people only need to say sorry to be forgiven..." Her expression became distant for a moment, and she lowered her gaze. Some people only need to say sorry to be forgiven, while others... need to atone for the rest of their lives. ............... Since she had promised Lu Lingchuan that she would return home early, Shen Nian only stayed with the group for a little while before leaving. On the way back in the taxi, the driver was listening to the radio, which was reporting on the jumping incident that had urred earlier that day. As soon as Shen Nian got in the car, she closed her eyes to sleep, but she couldn''t rest peacefully. Although she was asleep, her brain was still awake, and the radio broadcast kept filtering into her mind. She tossed and turned, her brow tightly furrowed. "Nian Nian." She suddenly heard Lu Lingrui''s voice in her ear, and Shen Nian''s eyes snapped open, only then realizing that she was in the car. She stared nkly ahead for a long time, dazed. The taxi driver noticed Shen Nian''s abrupt awakening through the rearview mirror and asked with concern, "Hey, miss, did you have a nightmare?" "Yeah..." It took Shen Nian a while to find her voice again, her mental state unstable. "It''s probably because I kept hearing this on the radio." She pointed to the radio in the car. Sometimes, what you see or hear before falling asleep can make its way into your dreams. Upon hearing this, the driver quickly freed his hand to turn off the radio and then handed Shen Nian an unopened bottle of mineral water beside him. Shen Nian indeed needed to drink some water to calm down. She took the bottle, saying softly, "Thank you, driver." Then she opened the cap and took a small sip. The driver sighed, "It''s just so tragic. My daughter is around the same age, and as a father, I can''t bear to hear about things like this. She was only in her early twenties, with her whole life ahead of her. How could she have lost hope like that?" "And her parents, too - with a child that age, whatever the problem was, they should have talked it through properly. Hitting and scolding can only backfire and hurt the child''s self-esteem." "If this happened to me, I think I would have died from the pain. To raise a child for so many years, only for them to suddenly be gone - no parent could bear that kind of suffering." The driver was merely expressing sorrow from a father''s perspective for the lost innocent life, unaware that his words about "her whole life ahead of her" had instantly shattered Shen Nian''s already fragile emotional state. Her hand holding the water bottle trembled, and she quickly lowered her gaze, her eyshes and thin lips quivering uncontrobly. That''s right, her whole life was just beginning, her whole life was just beginning... What parent could endure the pain of losing a child? Shen Nian was haunted by the images of Lu Yanhua''s anguish despite his outward strength for his family and wife, and Li Mingshi''s devastated sorrow, her voice echoing in her ears. [You bad child, why... why did you abandon Rui Rui?] Shen Nian''s breathing became erratic, and she turned to rummage through her bag. It''s not here, it''s not here... She then remembered that she had locked away her medication. Unable to find her medication, she could only gulp downrge amounts of water, forcing herself to calm down. ................. After a difficult journey, she was about to get out of the car in a daze, forgetting to pay the fare until the driver reminded her. After paying, she forgot to take her shopping bag, and the driver had to call her back again. Finally, she managed to get out of the car and hurried into the residentialplex and took the elevator. Lu Lingchuan had been working from home all day, with hisputer set up on the table in the sunroom. He was standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, enjoying the view while listening to a report over the phone. Xu Lawyer was discussing thewsuit with him. Currently, the opposing side was in disarray due to the overwhelming evidence and public pressure, making it difficult for them to recover. Recently, when the poprity was about to decline, Lu Lingchuan exposed that they had previously attempted to bribe marketing ounts tounch a counterattack and hire inte trolls to bombard the victims'' families, with evidence and proof that they could not be wronged. They had originally intended tounch an online opinion attack against the Lu family, but it backfired on them. Now, the Wang and Yang families can no longer act arrogantly, and they only hope that Wang Yong and Yang Hao will survive, even if they are sentenced to life imprisonment. Unfortunately, their backers have also been implicated by Lu Lingchuan. At the next court hearing, they will undoubtedly face the death penalty. Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Shen Nian entered after entering the password. Lu Lingchuan, who was on the balcony, heard the sound and turned his head, saying to thewyer Xu on the phone: "Send the detailed information to my mailbox, I''ll take a lookter." Then he hung up. Shen Nian was taking off her shoes when Lu Lingchuan came over: "Why are you back so early?" It was only a little after 2 p.m., and he had thought she wouldn''t be back until 3 or 4 p.m. Hearing the man''s voice, Shen Nian abruptly looked up, her pale and frail face catching Lu Lingchuan''s eye. He frowned and immediately grabbed Shen Nian''s arm: "What''s wrong? Why do you look so haggard?" Shen Nian forced a casual smile: "I''m fine, what''s the matter?" The man''s brow furrowed deeply: "Yourplexion doesn''t look good." "Really?" She pretended not to know, touching her face, then remembering something and exining: "Maybe I''m just tired from shopping too long." Her tone was still normal, looking straight at Lu Lingchuan without any hint of guilt. Seeing the man still frowning, Shen Nian hung her bag and put down the seven or eight shopping bags, rubbing her arm: "It''s been a while since I walked that much." Lu Lingchuan had always known that Shen Nian''s health was not good, it had been that way for many years. If she sat for too long without exercise, she would feel dizzy; simrly, if she went a long time without exercise and then suddenly walked too much or exerted herself too much, her heart rate would spike, leaving her breathless and pale. That''s how lies work - as long as the person doesn''t admit it, even if you guess the truth, it''s still just a guess in the end. Shen Nian... had never intended for Lu Lingchuan to know she was ill. Lu Lingchuan only felt that Shen Nian''s condition was off, but with no clue, he couldn''t guess it was rted to depression. Shen Nian just didn''t seem to be in a good state, so he pulled her into the bedroom: "Go rest for a bit." "It''s okay." Shen Nian refused, taking out her phone to check the time before smiling at Lu Lingchuan: "Didn''t we say we''d have hotpot at home today? Let''s go buy ingredients." Lu Lingchuan frowned: "It''s still early, no rush. Rest first." "I''m really fine." Shen Nian said, "I rested enough in the taxi earlier." After a pause, she continued: "It may seem early now, but it takes a long time to pick vegetables, wash them, cut them, and prepare the broth." "Let''s go." She picked up her bag. Lu Lingchuan couldn''t dissuade Shen Nian, so he had to go along. Opening the door, Shen Nian stopped as if remembering something. "Oh right, there might be some spare change left in the cab in the room from before. We can use that to buy vegetables so we don''t have to spend cash." After saying that, she handed her bag to Lu Lingchuan: "Wait for me, I''ll go get the money." Taking the most steady steps into the bedroom, she instantly crumbled as soon as she closed and locked the door behind her. Stumbling to the bedside table, Shen Nian opened the top drawer and found a key, which she used to unlock the drawer below. Amidst the various medicines, she rummaged out a pill case and bottle, downing several pills straight away. The familiar bitter taste spread through her mouth again. She sat slumped on the carpet by the bed, eyes closed. It had been so many days since shest took them... ... Lu Lingchuan had turned Shen Nian''s bag upside down. Aside from her two phones, there was a lipstick, a small mirror, and a card holder for her bank cards. Nothing else. He looked towards where Shen Nian had gone, his gaze somewhat pensive. He always felt Shen Nian was hiding something from him, but he didn''t know what. Putting the contents back one by one - the first phone, then the second... When he saw the old model phone, Lu Lingchuan paused. Pressing a button, the lock screen lit up showing 98% battery, proving Shen Nian had been charging this phone regrly. Swiping up with his thumb prompted for a password. Without hesitation, Lu Lingchuan entered his own birthday - Back when they were together, they had set each other''s birthdays as their phone unlock passwords. After entering thest digit, it unlocked to the home screen. The phone was empty except for preinstalled apps, not even a custom wallpaper. This phone was like a factory reset device with nothing special about it. Except that Shen Nian carried it with her, which made it special. Lu Lingchuan flipped through a few times, then had an idea and opened Messages. Sure enough, it wasn''t nk - there was one old text message. From about five years ago. Sent by "Ling Rui." Seeing those two characters, Lu Lingchuan''s fingers trembled slightly. ... After drinking the water by the bedside that had sedatives mixed in, Shen Nian slowly calmed down. She had just stood up when the door handle turned, but didn''t open since she had locked it from the inside. Standing outside, Lu Lingchuan frowned and knocked: "What''s going on?" One hand on her chest feeling her gradually steadying heartbeat, Shen Nian raised her voice: "Nothing, I''m just changing clothes, wait a moment." Then it went quiet. Lu Lingchuan waited outside for about a minute, watching the seconds tick by. Seeing no sign of Shen Nianing out, the man''s expression grew urgent, about to force the door open. Just as he was about to act, there was a click and the door opened from the inside. Shen Nian had changed into fresh clothes and washed her face, now drying it with a towel. Wiping away the water droplets, she tossed the towel casually into a nearby trash can. "I walked too much today and got sweaty, so I changed clothes and washed my face. I''ll need to shower after the hotpot." She fixed her hair. Done, she took out some spare change from her pocket - five, ten, twenty bills and even some coins. "We can only use this money for buying vegetables." She linked arms with Lu Lingchuan. "Let''s go." Lu Lingchuan let her pull him along, ncing back at the room, but saw nothing amiss. ... Shen Nian took Lu Lingchuan to a nearby farmer''s market she had been to a few times before and was familiar with. They would buy the meat for the hotpot at the supermarketter, but the vegetables were better from the farmer''s market stalls since they were homegrown by the vendors and more nutritious. Just like the most ordinary young couple, they made a date to stroll through the vegetable market together, and the two novice householders could still discuss things. Passing by a vegetable stall, Shen Nian saw some pumpkins and thought they looked nice, so she wanted to buy one. However, a disagreement arose when they were selecting it. Shen Nian: "I think the bigger ones are better." Lu Lingchuan: "The small ones will do, we can''t finish a big one." Shen Nian: "You don''t understand, the bigger ones mean they had good nutrition while growing, just like people, good nutrition is why they grow taller." Lu Lingchuan, with one hand in his pocket: "The small ones are more concentrated essence." Chapter 132 Shen Nian disagreed: "The big ones are definitely better, sweeter." Lu Lingchuan retorted, equally unwilling to back down: "The small ones. More concentrated essence means sweeter." The two started bickering at the vegetable market, debating whetherrge or small pumpkins were better. The vegetable vendor Aunt, having witnessed their lovey-dovey exchange, thought both had a point and quietly suggested: "How about... you hear my opinion?" Lu Lingchuan and Shen Nian turned to look at her simultaneously. The Aunt patiently asked, "Are you buying for arge family?" Shen Nian: "No, just for two." Aunt: "How many meals?" Lu Lingchuan: "Just one." The Aunt decisively picked out a smaller pumpkin, patting it, "There''s only two of you, and it''s just for one meal. Buying a big one would be wasteful. This small one will do." After weighing it and quoting a price, she looked up at Shen Nian and paused, lost in thought. Suddenly, her eyes lit up with recognition. "Oh! Aren''t you that youngdy from before?" Shen Nian looked puzzled: "Hm?" The Aunt was clearly excited: "Don''t you remember Aunt? You bought vegetables from me before, and we chatted a bit. Have you forgotten?" (Referring to Chapter 26, for those who need a refresher) Shen Nian thought for a moment, seeming to recall something, and smiled gently: "Hello, Aunt." "Good girl." The Aunt beamed, then nced at Lu Lingchuan beside her, her eyes brightening again: "Is this... your boyfriend?" "He''s..." Before Shen Nian could finish, Lu Lingchuan naturally put his arm around her waist and nodded to the Aunt: "Hello, Aunt." This gesture spoke volumes. The Aunt was delighted: "Wonderful, wonderful! You two look perfect together. What else do you need? I''ll give you a discount!" Shen Nian smiled: "Thank you, Aunt." Shen Nian had bought from this Aunt before and found her produce to be quite good, so she picked out a few more items. She grabbed seven or eight potatoes, a lot of lettuce, bean sprouts, mushrooms, baby cabbage... Seeing the young couple tossing vegetables into their bag as if money were no object, the Aunt hesitated: "It''s just the two of you eating, do you need to make so many dishes?" The vegetables they were buying could each make a separate dish, rather than beingbined into one. Shen Nian stuffed the vermicelli she''d chosen into the bag Lu Lingchuan was holding open, and replied to the Aunt: "Aunt, we''re not stir-frying. We''re having hotpot." Hearing this, the Aunt''s expression became even more bewildered. She quietly looked down at the pumpkin on her scale: "The pumpkin is also... for hotpot?" The young couple nodded in unison. Aunt: "..." In all her years, this was the first time she''d heard of putting pumpkin in hotpot. Thinking back to their earlier argument, it was clear they were both clueless about everyday life. The Aunt sighed helplessly, put the pumpkin back, and pulled over their overstuffed bag. She removed some vegetables, leaving only one portion of each. "There''s only two of you, you can''t eat that much. You''ll probably want to buy meat too, so you shouldn''t buy too many vegetables. They''ll go bad. This is enough." She weighed the vegetables and calcted the price, generously rounding down the total. She even grabbed two packets of hotpot seasoning from her stall ¨C one spicy, one not ¨C and tucked them into the bag as a gift. Shen Nian pulled out a 50 yuan note from her pocket and handed it to her: "Thank you, Aunt." "Oh, no need for thanks." The Aunt looked down, counting out change. "You young couple, it''s clear you''re not very savvy about daily life. You''ve got a long road ahead, and much to learn. Right now it might seem fine with just the two of you, getting by with irregr meals, but when you have kids, with a little one to care for, you''ll have to learn some things whether you want to or not." She finished and pressed the change into Shen Nian''s hand: "Learn well." Shen Nian smiled: "Thank you, Aunt." Lu Lingchuan carried the vegetables in one hand and held Shen Nian''s hand with the other. As they left the Aunt''s stall and walked through the crowd, Lu Lingchuan suddenly said, "It seems I really should improve my knowledge in this area." "What?" Shen Nian looked up at him. Lu Lingchuan looked at her and said, "I can''t let you and our little one live on irregr meals in the future, can I?" He knew how to cook, but only if someone prepared the ingredients first. When it came to selecting ingredients himself, he didn''t know how to choose or how much to buy. Imagining the three of them ¨C him, her, and their child ¨C holding hands anding to the market together in the future, Lu Lingchuan''s mood brightened, and the corners of his mouth turned up. He was so absorbed in his fantasy that he didn''t notice Shen Nian''s expression had be a bit stiff. She quietly lowered her head without saying a word. ... That evening, after finishing their hotpot meal, Lu Lingchuan volunteered to clean up the table. With her usual task taken, Shen Nian said she would take a shower first. After hotpot, they both smelled strongly of the meal. Lu Lingchuan took the bowls and chopsticks to the kitchen, while Shen Nian went to the bedroom. Hearing the "bang" of the closing door, Lu Lingchuan paused, then bent down to open the dishwasher and put the dishes inside. He grabbed a cloth for wiping the table, dampened it, and took it out to clean. About three minutester, Lu Lingchuan suddenly stopped wiping. He pulled out some paper towels to dry his hands, then walked towards the bedroom and turned the doorknob. Shen Nian was in the shower; the sound of running water could be heard from the bathroom. Lu Lingchuan''s steps were light, his slippers making no sound on the carpet. He gently closed the door behind him and went first to the chest of drawers, searching from the top drawer to the bottom. Each drawer contained everyday items, nothing unusual. Not satisfied, he searched through the other cabs and drawers, again finding nothing. He turned his head and noticed Shen Nian''s bedside table. After a moment''s consideration, he strode over to it. He opened the top drawer ¨C nothing out of the ordinary. When he tried to open the bottom drawer, he found it was locked. He paused, his gaze sharpening. Logically, there should be a spare key hidden nearby in case the main key was misced. He opened the top drawer again and searched through it carefully. Sure enough, he found a key. Lu Lingchuan used the key to unlock the drawer and opened it... The first thing he saw was a sh of white. He held his breath. When he saw a stack of documents inside, he was taken aback. He took everything out. On top were some importantpany documents. Underneath were two property deeds, and some graduation certificates and other papers. Shen Nian owned two houses: the one she currently lived in and the one belonging to the Shen family. Besides these, she had nothing else. Lu Lingchuan massaged his aching head. Could it be... that his suspicions were wrong? That actually, nothing was amiss? The fact that he hadn''t found anything so far seemed to indicate that everything was normal, and all his perceived abnormalities were merely unfounded suspicionscking evidence or logic. Chapter 133 Lu Lingchuan was about to continue exploring when the bathroom door made a faint sound, as if blown by the wind. This sound immediately made Lu Lingchuan retract all his thoughts. He quickly picked up everything on the floor and put it back exactly as it was, closed the drawer, locked it, and ced the key back in its original position. He hade in quietly and left without a trace. As if nothing had happened at all. The bathroom door remained tightly closed, with the light inside still on, mixed with the sound of running water. Inside, Shen Nian stood barefoot on the floor, wrapped in a towel. She was exceptionally fair-skinned, especially her slender white calves beneath the towel, which were particrly alluring. With one hand clutching the towel, she leaned against the wall next to the bathroom door, her head pressed tightly against it. Looking up, she stared at the bathroom light above, lost in thought. Who knows how long it took before she hazily returned from her own world. Turning her head, she looked at the messy pile of medicine blister packs and bottles on the sink. She lowered her eyes, concealing the dimness in their depths. ... In the following days, the two resumed their normal life, continuing to fulfill their 100-day agreement, ying the role of a happy couple. The only change was that Shen Nian, who hadn''t taken medication for a month, started taking it again. Since witnessing the suicide jump firsthand, things appeared the same on the surface, but had actually changed. Whenever nightmares gued her, that scene would appear in her dreams. Previously, although deeply immersed in guilt, she hadn''t actually seen Lu Lingruimit suicide, so everything in her dreams was just her imagination. Now, with a real example, she would repeatedly dream of being in an elevator, rising higher and higher... then witnessing Lu Lingrui standing on the rooftop, jumping down with an expressionless face. And she watched helplessly, a suffocating feeling enveloping her. The scene yed over and over, tormenting her mind. Lu Lingchuan always felt that Shen Nian was hiding something from him. After that incident, he had tried to probe and search several times, but Shen Nian was too natural, showing no nervousness, making it impossible for him to find any issues. Shen Nian was in the living room looking at herputer when Lu Lingchuan made up an excuse to enter the bedroom, searching once again. He came out empty-handed. Shen Nian wasn''t in a hurry. She quietly listened to the faint sounds he made, her eyes fixed on theputer screen, not saying a word. It wasn''t until she heard the bedroom door open that Shen Nian slowly raised her head, shing a big smile at Lu Lingchuan. "It seems we need the A file. I remember bringing it back yesterday." Lu Lingchuan walked over, nced at the content on theputer screen, and gave an "Mm" of agreement to Shen Nian''s words. Shen Nian stood up. "Shall I go get it?" With that, she entered the bedroom. Locking the bedroom door, Shen Nian knelt on the carpet beside the bed, feeling under it. She felt something and pulled it out. It was arge but not tall box, where she had stuffed all the medicine she was taking. Theirrge bed had only a one or two-centimeter gap underneath, but pushing aside the bedside table revealed a slightly higher gap in the designed headboard area, just high enough to slide the box in for easy cleaning. Usually hidden by the bedside table and not visible unless lying on the floor to look, this hiding spot waspletely undetectable. While Shen Nian went to fetch the item, Lu Lingchuan had no heart for work. Not just the bedroom, but the living room, dining room, and storage room - he had checked them all many times, finding nothing unusual. It seemed he was indeed being overly sensitive. ncing at the time and date in the lower right corner of theputer screen, he calcted that today was the 50th day of their trial rtionship. Time really flew; half of it had passed in the blink of an eye. Lu Lingchuan''s lips curled into a slight smile. Only 50 days left, and their 100 days would be over. Ending five years of entanglement, starting anew... "Buzz¡ª" The phone on the table rang. Lu Lingchuan nced at the caller ID; it was Lu Lingchen. He picked up the phone and answered, his voice pleasant and maic: "Lingchen." "..." The other side said something, and Lu Lingchuan''s expression changed slightly. He immediately stood up: "What''s the situation now?" "I''ll be there right away." As he spoke, he hurriedly put on his jacket while walking towards the door. Shen Nian had juste out of the room and, seeing Lu Lingchuan in such a hurry, asked, "What''s wrong?" Lu Lingchuan hung up the phone, his face grim. He pulled Shen Nian close, left a kiss on her forehead, his voice tinged with urgency: "Something''s happened at the hospital. I need to go there for a bit." The hospital... something must have happened to Li Mingshi. Shen Nian''s face paled slightly, and she immediately grabbed Lu Lingchuan''s hand: "Is there anything I can do to help?" Lu Lingchuan hurriedly changed his shoes: "Not for now. Just stay at home and wait for me, alright?" He patted her head, hisrge hand reassuring: "I''ll be back early. We still have that movie to see, remember?" Their n for today was to work from home during the day and go see a newly released blockbuster in the evening. Shen Nian pressed her lips together, looking at him worriedly. Lu Lingchuan finished changing his shoes and opened the door, about to leave. Shen Nian had seen Lu Lingchuan''s back many times before, watching him get further and further away from her. But this time was different. Her heart plummeted, as if someone had stabbed it several times, the pain making her lips tremble. "Lu Lingchuan!" she called out to him. Lu Lingchuan''s steps faltered. He turned to look at Shen Nian, giving her a reassuring smile. "Be good. I''ll be back soon." "..." Shen Nian opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but her throat felt parched. In the end, she nodded with difficulty: "Be careful on the way." "Mm." Lu Lingchuan left, and the entire apartment fell silent. Shen Nian returned to the living room sofa, unable to focus on work, sitting there lost in thought. Remembering something, she lowered her head and felt under the sofa cushion, pulling out a photograph. It was her high school graduation photo with Lu Lingrui. Shen Nian gently traced Lu Lingrui''s smiling face with her finger, murmuring softly. "Lingrui, Auntie has suffered enough. Remember to give her some sweetness." ... Lu Lingchuan and Lu Lingchen hurried to the hospital one after another, entering the ward. The ward door was tightly closed, no sound escaping from inside. After who knows how long, the door finally opened. The first thing visible was a man''s long legs. His figure blocked the light from the hospital ceiling, casting a shadow on the ground. His steps, unlike his usual firm stride, seemed somewhat light. Lu Lingchuan stumbled out of the hospital room, one hand pressed against the wall as he inched forward step by step. Several times he nearly fell. "Brother!" Lu Lingchen called out anxiously, wanting to go and support him, but Lu Lingchuan pushed him away. The two brothers left the hospital room, one in front of the other. There was an artificialke at the hospital, with an ancient-style pavilion beside it, offering a pleasant view. Lu Lingchuan sat in the pavilion, head bowed, not saying a word. Chapter 134 Lu Lingchen followed him inside. It had been a long time since he had seen his brother so defeated and dejected. The lost and dispirited look in his eyes made Lu Lingchen''s heart ache. "Brother," Lu Lingchen couldn''t help but speak up, "Some words aren''t worth listening to. Life is your own, and only you know what truly makes you happy. No one has the right to make decisions for you, so Mom''s words..." "Do you have any cigarettes?" Lu Lingchuan interrupted him. Lu Lingchen was taken aback for a moment, then shook his head, "I never smoke." "Hmm." Lu Lingchuan responded faintly, then began searching his own pockets, actually finding a half-smoked pack of cigarettes. It must have been left there earlier and forgotten. He had both cigarettes and a lighter. Lu Lingchuan took out a cigarette and put it between his lips, lighting it with the lighter. He took a drag and slowly exhaled a smoke ring. Finally, he raised his head but didn''t look at Lu Lingchen. He just sat there alone, smoking and staring at the artificialke nearby. He remained silent, looking extremely lonely. He smoked one cigarette after another, until he started coughing violently, with more and more cigarette butts piling up on the ground. Who would smoke so recklessly? Lu Lingchen wanted to advise him against it, but then thought better of it and silently closed his mouth, just standing beside him, quietly keeping himpany. Lu Lingchuan quickly finished the small pack of cigarettes. Looking at the now empty cigarette box, he finally stopped smoking. He remained seated, gazing at the artificialke. "Lingchen," he suddenly called out to Lu Lingchen. His voice was hoarse and very low from smoking too much. Hearing Lu Lingchuan call him, Lu Lingchen responded, "I''m here." "..." Lu Lingchuan fell silent, not speaking. Just when Lu Lingchen thought Lu Lingchuan wasn''t going to say anything, he asked in a low voice, "All these years... how have I treated Shen Nian?" He asked Lu Lingchen this question. "..." Lu Lingchen was silent for a few seconds. "We all know that Shen Nian... she and Ling Rui were both victims. Although she left Ling Rui behind and ran away back then, she wasn''t escaping, but going to get help. It was just toote." That year, Lu Lingrui, wanting to take a shortcut to reach A University where Lu Lingchuan was, had taken Shen Nian through a secluded alley. That''s where they encountered those two beasts, Wang Yong and Yang Hao. The ce was very isted, as it was being considered for demolition and reconstruction, so most of the residents had moved out. Shen Nian could only escape from the alley and run outside to seek help. Unfortunately, it was toote. When Shen Nian returned with help, those two beasts had already fled, leaving behind only a shattered and dazed Lu Lingrui... "..." Lu Lingchuan fell silent again, looking down at his hands. He forced out an ugly smile, self-mockingly. "Perhaps I''m still not awake." After a pause, he continued, "Maybe I''ve never been awake." He smiled, a smile filled with bitterness, pain, and... reluctance, which finally transformed into determination. Lu Lingchuan stood up and strode away. Seeing the look in his eyes, Lu Lingchen felt a sudden pang in his heart, vaguely sensing something was wrong. He hurriedly chased after him, calling out repeatedly, "Brother? Brother!" But Lu Lingchuan''s steps were firm and resolute, and he didn''t look back. ........................... Lu Lingchuan had told her he would be back soon, but Shen Nian waited for a long time, until it was dark outside, without seeing any sign of him. She ate something casually, then quietly curled up on the sofa, lost in thought. When she had nothing to do, she would sit there hugging her legs, lost in her own world. "Door unlocked." The mechanical female voice of the door lock sounded, immediately snapping Shen Nian back to reality. She sat up straight, craning her neck to look at the door, and indeed saw that familiar figure. Although it had only been a few hours since theyst met, he looked much more haggard. "You''re back," Shen Nian said, putting on her slippers and going to help him take off his coat. As she approached him, she was suddenly overwhelmed by the strong smell of cigarettes on him, causing her to cough incessantly. The smell was so strong that Shen Nian could hardly catch her breath. Lu Lingchuan took several steps to the side, keeping his distance from Shen Nian. "Don''te near me, I reek of cigarettes." Shen Nian was indeed choking badly, coughing until tears came to her eyes. "Why did you smoke so much?" Lu Lingchuan silently took off his coat and hung it nearby. The smell was mainly on the coat, and after taking it off, the smell on his body wasn''t as strong. "I didn''t smoke," he lied with a straight face. "I was in the smoking area for a while, and someone kept smoking next to me, so the smell got on me." "..." Who would believe that? But Shen Nian didn''t dwell on this issue, she just said, "Why don''t you go rinse your mouth first? Should I heat up some food for you? Have you eaten?" "No," he said. "Then I''ll go heat up the food, you go rinse your mouth," Shen Nian said. "Okay." After changing into slippers, he quietly went to the bathroom outside. When he came out, Shen Nian had already set the table with the heated dishes. Seeing Lu Lingchuane out, Shen Nian pushed the food in front of him and handed him the chopsticks. "I learned to cook a few dishes from a food blog. Since you weren''t home, I just made something simple. Try it and see how it tastes?" "..." Lu Lingchuan remained silent, quietly taking the chopsticks, picking up some food and putting it in his mouth, chewing silently. "Is it good?" Shen Nian asked as shedled some soup for him. Lu Lingchuan nodded heavily, "It''s good." Then he continued eating quietly. "..." Shen Nian felt that Lu Lingchuan was preupied with something, but she didn''t know how to bring it up. Could it be... that something had happened to Auntie Lu? He didn''t say anything, and she didn''t dare to ask. Lu Lingchuan showed no intention of speaking up, just eating quietly. Yes, just eating the dishes. He didn''t touch the rice at all, silently and intently eating one dish, finishing it until only the sauce remained, then moving on to the next dish, and then the next. As if he could never be full. Shen Nian was stunned, wanting to remind him, but seeing his expression, she swallowed her words. Finally, Lu Lingchuan finished all the small dishes Shen Nian had cooked, then picked up therge bowl and drank all the soup. Except for the rice, he had eaten all the dishes and drunk all the soup. "..." Shen Nian had never known Lu Lingchuan to have such arge appetite. Finding it incredible, she still managed a small smile, "I''ll put the dishes in the dishwasher first." With that, she stood up to clear the table. "Nian Nian," he called her, his voice so gentle. "Hmm?" Shen Nian asked. "Do you remember our 100-day agreement?" Lu Lingchuan suddenly asked. "..." Shen Nian''s movements froze. She looked up at Lu Lingchuan, somewhat incredulously. These past few days, they had been lovers in the honeymoon phase. Neither of them had brought up this topic, deliberately avoiding it. "Hmm..." She made a sound of acknowledgment, then asked, "What is it?" Lu Lingchuan looked at her. "Back then, you said you were giving me a right." Shen Nian had given Lu Lingchuan a right. During these 100 days, Lu Lingchuan could call it quits and end things at any time. "..." Shen Nian fell silent for a few seconds, then sat down. "So?" "Let''s break up," Lu Lingchuan said. Chapter 135 "..." Looking at his serious eyes, Shen Nian was momentarily speechless, just staring at him nkly. Liar, he clearly said it would be 100 days. "Alright," her voice was soft, naturally continuing Lu Lingchuan''s words: "I ept." She had said before that he had the right to end it at any time. "However..." Shen Nian paused, then continued: "I hope this is the result of your careful consideration." She wasn''t a stuffed toy that he could pick up when he wanted to y and discard when he didn''t, repeatedly toying with her. "..." Lu Lingchuan just looked at her, silent. "It seems I was overthinking," Shen Nian smiled gently. His words meant he had already thought it through. She nced at the dishes ready to go into the dishwasher, then back at Lu Lingchuan. "So... what now?" After a second, Shen Nian continued asking: "Did youe to drive me out?" Although the house was in Shen Nian''s name, Lu Lingchuan had bought it. It belonged to him. "This house is yours," Lu Lingchuan said, then added: "I''llplete thepensation to you over the next few days." "What are you talking about?" Shen Nian interrupted softly, meeting his gaze. "You don''t owe me anything, so why talk aboutpensation?" "..." Silence, endless silence between them. "Likewise," Shen Nian spoke again, looking at Lu Lingchuan, a faint smile on her lips making her appear especially gentle. From the moment he mentioned breaking up until now, apart from the initial second of frozen expression, she had maintained a slight smile. "Lu Lingchuan, I don''t owe you anything either," she said. "..." Lu Lingchuan''s pupils constricted slightly, seemingly unable to bear it. He stood up, about to leave. Watching his back, Shen Nian called out: "Lu Lingchuan." "..." Lu Lingchuan stopped. "Today is the 50th day of our hundred-day agreement," she said, looking at his back. "..." "Can you stay and spend the rest of today with me?" She had never said such words before. This was the first time she actively asked him to stay, to keep herpany. Lu Lingchuan''s posture stiffened. He slowly turned around, once again meeting Shen Nian''s eyes. Shen Nian smiled at him. "You know, I don''t like drama. We''ve known each other for so many years. We started sweet, and now we''re breaking up. I hope we can end it with dignity." After saying this, she tentatively asked: "Will you stay with me for onest night?" These words were like cing meat before a wolf¡ªthe temptation was too great to refuse. "Alright," he said. "Mm!" Shen Nian smiled very happily. Among so many couples who break up in heart-wrenching scenes, they were quiet inparison. No arguing, no fuss. Shen Nian was still smiling. After putting the dishes in the dishwasher, Lu Lingchuan wiped the table clean with a cloth. They had originally nned to go see a movie today, but that was now canceled. With only onest night, they wanted to say a few more words, knowing they wouldn''t be able to in the future. But sitting together, they found there wasn''t much left to say. The weather was getting colder now. Shen Nian, sensitive to cold, didn''t want to stay in the living room. She went to the bedroom, changed into her pajamas, andy down on the bed. Lu Lingchuan came in about ten minutester, holding a simple hot water bottle, bulging with hot water. Shen Nian was already lying in bed, both hands clutching the nket, staring nkly at the ceiling. The nket at the foot of the bed was lifted slightly, immediately letting in a rush of cold air. Shen Nian shivered lightly, snapping out of her daze. Then, she felt the man''s hand naturally grasping her foot. Ice cold. Shen Nian had always had this problem. Every winter, her whole body would get cold, especially her hands and feet, as if they''d been taken out of an ice cer. Soon after, she felt a warmth on her feet, and then the nket was tucked in. Shen Nian had been using a hot water bottle for the past few days. The weather had turned cold, but not too cold. Using the air conditioner would make it too hot, but without it, her feet would be unbearably cold. So she had found a hot water bottle on a shopping app. The water didn''t need to be too hot; slightly warm was just right. Shen Nian didn''t say anything. Lu Lingchuan turned and went into the bathroom to shower,ing out after about seven or eight minutes. Changed into his sleepwear, he lifted the other corner of the nket. "I''m currently following up on a project, so I can''t resign immediately. I''ll resolve it within two months, then I''ll leave," Shen Nian suddenly spoke. "..." Lu Lingchuan paused as he got into bed, then softly responded with an "Mm," reaching out to find the switch nearby. "Click." The room instantly darkened. Although theyy on the same bed, there was an awkward distance between them. It was so quiet they could hear each other''s breathing. Bothy with their eyes open, expressionlessly staring at the ceiling in the dim light. "Will you stay in Beijing?" After a long while, Lu Lingchuan asked. Shen Nian was silent for a few seconds, not answering, but instead asking: "Is the answer to this question important to you?" "Yes," Lu Lingchuan admitted quickly. "It''s very important to me." "..." Shen Nian was silent for a few more seconds, then chuckled lightly: "Maybe, maybe not." "The world is so big, there should still be a ce for me." "Mm." Then, silence fell again. "How is Aunt''s health?" After another long while, this time Shen Nian initiated the conversation. "She''s fine now," Lu Lingchuan said. "That''s good," Shen Nian nodded. "Aunt''s health hasn''t been good for years. Once she''s recovered, Uncle should take her out to see more of the world. Perhaps seeing new things could improve her mood. After all, treating cancer isn''t just about the body, it''s about the mind." "Alright," Lu Lingchuan agreed. Then, silence again. "Nian Nian," Lu Lingchuan''s voice sounded once more. "Mm?" She responded gently. "Do you hate me?" Lu Lingchuan asked. "..." Shen Nian was very quiet. She thought about it seriously, then replied: "No, I love you." It was the first time she admitted it so openly. Lu Lingchuan''s pupils suddenly constricted. "I love you so much..." Shen Nian''s gaze was somewhat dazed. "Because besides my parents, you''re the only person who has loved me unconditionally. More deeply than Ling Rui, more deeply than Uncle and Aunt. Your existence makes me realize that I''m not so bad after all, otherwise someone as excellent as you wouldn''t have been guarding me all this time." Lu Lingchuan held such an important ce in Shen Nian''s life. She loved him to her very core, which was why she had willingly endured their mutual torment all these years. Perhaps all those intoxicated by love are like this - so deeply immersed in it that nothing else matters. "Lu Lingchuan, no matter what, I''m grateful for your presence," she said. "Including everything you''ve given me, adding color to what would have been an otherwise unremarkable life." Chapter 136 "You never used to say such grandiose things," Lu Lingchuan spoke. "Really?" Shen Nian paused for a moment, then smiled. "Well, I''m saying them now." Like old friends who hadn''t seen each other in years, they wanted to talk more but,ckingmon topics, they kept searching for conversation starters. They''d touch on a subject, discuss it briefly, then let it fade. After a few moments of silence, they''d find another topic and chat about it for a while. "I''ve met a few people recently," Lu Lingchuan found a new subject. Shen Nian listened quietly. "Theirpanies are all in coastal cities," he added. "When the timees, see if there''s a city you like. If there is, let me know, and I''ll help arrange things. Once everything''s wrapped up here, you can go straight there to start work. With all your years of experience working with me, job hunting shouldn''t be too difficult for you." All these years of working alongside Lu Lingchuan had given Shen Nian considerable experience and skills. Her youth, capability, and diligence would likelynd her a vice president position in anypany, so Lu Lingchuan wasn''t worried about that aspect. Though he said he wasn''t worried, he still paid special attention to it. "..." Shen Nian remained silent. Lu Lingchuan rarely talked this much. Even without getting a response from Shen Nian, he continued speaking. "Once you''ve decided on a city to settle in, I''ll gift you a seaside apartment. You can go there for a few days during your time off to rx and cultivate your mind." "Your taste has always been on the milder side. A little spice is fine, but stay away from overly spicy foods, okay?" "And alcohol. In the future, whether it''s voluntary or not, take care of yourself. Don''t force yourself to drink. Be smart, use fruit juice as a substitute." "If... one day you get married, send me an invitation. I''d like to see it." As he said this, Lu Lingchuan''s voice trembled slightly. Beside him, Shen Nian had already crumbled. She gripped the nket tightly, tears welling up in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall. Hadn''t they agreed to break up? Shouldn''t they be burning bridges and never speaking to each other again? Why was he still saying so much? Why did he still care so much? Lu Lingchuan kept talking. In a short time, he had already nned out Shen Nian''s future life. Food, housing... Shen Nian kept telling herself to restrain her emotions, to hold back. Finally, her emotions copsed. Shen Nian suddenly turned over and straddled Lu Lingchuan, lowering her head to bite his lips fiercely. Today, she had taken the initiative three times. She had taken the initiative to ask Lu Lingchuan to stay with her. She had taken the initiative to tell Lu Lingchuan "I love you." She had taken the initiative to kiss Lu Lingchuan. "..." Lu Lingchuan was stunned for a few seconds. When he came to his senses, the thread of sobriety he had been desperately clinging to instantly snapped. He immediately took control, holding Shen Nian tightly, one hand pressing against her lower back, pulling her firmly into his embrace. After tonight, she could belong to anyone, but she would no longer belong to him. The entanglement of six years was finallying to an end tonight. "..." Shen Nian frowned slightly, her arms wrapped around Lu Lingchuan''s neck. Feeling pain, she lowered her head and bit his corbone hard, without any tenderness. This bite used all her strength. "I hate you," she suddenly said. "..." Lu Lingchuan''s movements stiffened. "I hate you," Shen Nian repeated like an emotionless robot, over and over. "Lu Lingchuan, I hate you." "I hate you." Yes, she had lied. She loved Lu Lingchuan, but that didn''t stop her from hating him too. The root of hate is love. Perhaps it was because she loved him too much, but not purely enough. Too manyplicated factors had developed in between, giving birth to hatred. But it didn''t matter anymore. Whether it was love or hate, after tonight, they would be familiar strangers. She had no right to be part of his life. And he no longer had the right to step into hers. ... When Shen Nian woke up, Lu Lingchuan had already left. Feeling the cold side of the bed next to her, Shen Nian''s hand lingered there for a long time before she sat up. She had lived here for so long, yet it felt like she had never really walked through the entire house properly. Getting up, she first went to the bedroom''s balcony, then walked back into the bedroom, past the dressing table, the chest of drawers, the walk-in closet, and into the bathroom. Then she went to the living room balcony, the living room, dining room, guest bathroom, kitchen, storage room... She walked through every corner of the house. Shen Nian realized for the first time how big the house was, so big that it felt lonely with just her living in it. Back in the bedroom, she opened the wardrobe''s ss door. Her clothes and Lu Lingchuan''s were stored separately. On this side were Lu Lingchuan''s various shirts, neatly arranged in a row. She had personally ironed and hung each shirt. She could name the style of each shirt with her eyes closed. From left to right, her finger glided over each shirt. With each touch, she could picture Lu Lingchuan wearing them. He hadn''t taken any of them with him. Not the clothes, not the daily necessities. It was just like before, as if... they hadn''t broken up at all, as if they had just had a big fight over some disagreement and were now in the midst of a cold war. But with Lu Lingchuan''s wealth, he probably didn''t care about these things. Perhaps he simply didn''t want the hassle of taking them. Looking at the shirts, Shen Nian gave a lowugh and murmured. "It''s dawn." No matter how beautiful the dream, it was time to wake up. Over the next few days, Lu Lingchuan and Shen Nian didn''t see each other. It seemed Lu Lingchuan had gone on a business trip without Shen Nian. She had an important project on her hands, and the partneringpany greatly valued Shen Nian''s abilities. They had specifically requested her to handle the project personally, refusing to sign with anyone else. This was Shen Nian''sst project before leaving thepany. Once it was sessfullypleted, she would resign and leave. So she personally oversaw every detail, allowing no room for error. "None of these proposals will work. Redo them all," Shen Nian said, looking at the proposals in her hand. Not one of them met her standards. All the proposals were sent back, leaving the employees discouraged. One employee meekly said, "Assistant Shen, those requirements are a bit high. It might be very difficult to achieve." Shen Nian kept her head down, writing, and replied coolly, "If you can''t do it, that''s due to your limited ability. It has little to do with how difficult the task is." "..." The employee was at a loss for words but persisted, "Actually, n A is really quite good." Without looking up, Shen Nian retorted, "Don''t pick trash out of the garbage bin and try to disy it in my showcase of fine products." "..." The staff couldn''t help but wonder if it was just their imagination, but their former Assistant Shen, while always professional and meticulous, seemed to have be noticeably... colder and more ruthless in the past couple of days. Chapter 137 "..." Sensing the silence from the other party, Shen Nian slowly raised her head, ncing at the document in the hand of the employee who had just spoken, and said, "Revise this proposal within an hour, then bring it back to me." "..." After being reprimanded, several employees left with bitter expressions. An hourter, they silently returned with the revised proposal. When they were still dozens of meters away from Shen Nian''s desk, they couldn''t bring themselves to take another step forward. ncing at Jiang Lingling, who was busy working diligently not far away, one employee''s eyes rolled around for a moment before lighting up. They quietly walked over to her. "Lingling." Hearing someone call her name, Jiang Lingling looked up and saw the person approaching, blinking in confusion. "Sister Tong, is something the matter?" Ye Xiaotong gave Jiang Lingling a friendly smile. "It''s like this..." She exined in great detail how Shen Nian had just reprimanded her. "...That''s the situation. Now I''ve revised the proposal, but I''m not sure if it''s correct. Do you think you could... help me deliver it?" Ye Xiaotong asked tentatively. "Me?" Jiang Lingling pointed to herself, feeling a bit embarrassed. "That doesn''t seem right. I wasn''t involved in your project." "It shouldn''t be a big deal. Mainly because Assistant Shen is so nice to you. Even if there are problems with the proposal, she won''t scold you. She might guide you to revise it or just fix it herself..." It wasmon knowledge throughout thepany that Shen Nian was particrly kind to Jiang Lingling. "Lingling, how has Sister Tong treated you in the past? Not badly, right? This proposal gave me such a headache to revise, and now I''m really nervous..." As an employee who had only be a full-time staff member a few months ago, Jiang Lingling remembered how everyone had been very friendly to her during her internship. After a moment''s thought, she nodded. "Alright then. I''ll help you deliver it." Ye Xiaotong was overjoyed. "Thank you, dear! If we get through this, I''ll treat you to dinner tonight!" Jiang Lingling took the revised proposal to find Shen Nian. "Assistant Shen." Hearing the familiar voice, Shen Nian looked up and saw Jiang Lingling. She frowned slightly. "Why are you here?" Jiang Lingling grinned sheepishly. "Sister Tong was afraid to bring the revised proposal herself, so she asked me to help." Normally, this would have been a small matter. Shen Nian wouldn''t usually make a big deal out of such things, and had even helped Jiang Lingling deliver things several times before. But this time... Her frown deepened as she looked at Jiang Lingling coldly, her voice cool and detached. "The moment you agreed to help someone else, you were prepared to bear the consequences for them, weren''t you?" "Huh?" Jiang Lingling looked bewildered. "Jiang Lingling." Shen Nian called her full name seriously and sternly. "You weren''t involved in this project, yet you''re helping deliver the proposal. That means you''re prepared to be reprimanded by me, right?" "..." Jiang Lingling was still stunned. "Very well." Shen Nian nodded and tapped the desk. "Bring the proposal here." Shen Nian had always been gentle with Jiang Lingling, so this was the first time she had spoken to her so harshly. Jiang Lingling was in a daze. When Shen Nian told her to bring the proposal over, she numbly ced it on the desk. Shen Nian quickly flipped through it, and then... She flung the documents to the floor. "Did you really revise this? What on earth did you change?!" For the next half hour, Jiang Lingling, who had kindly helped deliver the document, and Ye Xiaotong were both reprimanded so severely by Shen Nian that they couldn''t even lift their heads. Finally escaping from Shen Nian''s office, Ye Xiaotong clutched the proposal, feeling both miserable and dejected. "This is the first time I''ve felt that Assistant Shen could be so harsh when scolding people." Perhaps they had be too ustomed to Shen Nian''s smiles, so much so that they had forgotten that she was the only person who had been with Lu Lingchuan from the very beginning, building thepany from nothing, and was his most trusted right-hand. "Lingling, don''t you think Assistant Shen has been acting a lot like President Lu these past few days?" Maybe it was just their imagination, but they felt that Shen Nian now resembled Lu Lingchuan quite a bit. Whether it was her aura at first nce or the intensity with which she had just reprimanded them, it was just like President Lu. It was the first time Jiang Lingling had been scolded like this. While feeling upset, she was more worried. She couldn''t shake the feeling that Sister Nian had be a different person. She hadn''t been like this before. ... After a busy day at thepany, Shen Nian had originally nned to work overtime. It wasn''t until her phone rm reminded her that it was time to leave that she looked up from her work. Turning off the rm, she vaguely remembered that Xiao Mubai had asked her out for dinner today, so she couldn''t workte after all. Checking the work currently at hand, she realized this project was substantial and couldn''t be dealt with in just a few days. There was no need to rush. She had already aplished quite a bit today. After organizing her things, she opened the locked drawer beside her, put everything inside, locked it, and tossed the key into her bag. She turned off theputer and other devices, then got up to leave. By this time, most people had already left. Shen Nian entered the elevator and exited thepany building. As she was descending the steps at the entrance, she spotted Jiang Lingling in the distance, bored and drawing on the ground near a stone pir at the street corner. Jiang Lingling was crouched there, idly drawing and waiting, until she heard the sound of high heels. She suddenly looked up, saw Shen Nian, and her eyes lit up. Immediately dropping the small pebble she had been using to draw, she ran over. "Sister Nian!" Compared to Jiang Lingling''s excitement, Shen Nian appeared much calmer. "Why haven''t you gone home yet? It''s sote." "I was waiting for you," Jiang Lingling replied. "Waiting for me?" She frowned. "Is something the matter?" Her voice was still cool, and she seemed much colder than before,pletely different from how she used to be. The smile on Jiang Lingling''s face slowly faded, reced by a cautious expression. "Did I upset you today... Sister Nian, I''m sorry. Please don''t be angry with me." "..." Shen Nian scrutinized Jiang Lingling, who was now looking down and fidgeting with the strap of her bag, clearly very uneasy. "You don''t need to apologize to me," Shen Nian said. "You''ve let yourself down, not anyone else." "?" Jiang Lingling looked up. "You weren''t involved in that project, so you didn''t need to deliver the proposal. I know Ye Xiaotong asked you to help, but some favors you can do, and others you can''t. You didn''t know whether her proposal was good or bad, so what made you confident enough to deliver it thinking I wouldn''t scold you?" "..." Jiang Lingling silently lowered her head again, fiddling with her clothes. Her voice was soft as she said, "It''s because Nian, you''ve often helped me before, and then Tong asked me to do this, so that''s why..." "Before I help you deliver anything, I always check it over myself first. I only deliver it once I''m sure there are no issues. Of course, when I agree to help you, I''m also prepared to face any consequences on your behalf." Chapter 138 "Clearly, you don''t have that ability yet," Shen Nian cut straight to the point. "..." Seeing Jiang Lingling with her head almost lowered to the ground, Shen Nian massaged her temples, feeling a headacheing on. "Lingling, work isn''t a game, and surviving isn''t living. Working in a publicpany like this is like fighting for food among a pack of wolves and tigers. You can only afford to be kind and help others get food when you''re sure you''ve eaten your fill. Do you understand what I mean?" "I know..." Jiang Lingling''s voice was weak. "Simrly, there are things you can involve yourself in, and things you can''t. Don''t agree to everything people ask of you. Learn to refuse appropriately. This way, you won''t end up being the nice person everyone mes." "..." This time Jiang Lingling didn''t speak, only nodding slightly. Seeing her like this, Shen Nian decided not to say more. "Alright, it''s gettingte. You should head home now." The weather was getting colder, and it was already dark at this hour. Shen Nian knew Jiang Lingling lived alone, and it would be dangerous for her to return home toote. Hearing this, Jiang Lingling quietly raised her head and said softly, "Sister Nian, I didn''t do well today. Let me treat you to dinner." "No need," Shen Nian refused. "Just go home." She nced to the side and noticed a car parked nearby. Because it had gotten dark and her attention had been focused on Jiang Lingling, she hadn''t noticed it earlier. It wasn''t until the car started shing its hazard lights that Shen Nian noticed. Recognizing the familiar license te, she turned back to Jiang Lingling and said, "Get home early. I''m leaving now." With that, she walked towards the car in her high heels. Opening the passenger door, Shen Nian got in. Xiao Mubai, smiling, reached out to move the water bottle from the passenger seat to the side. Shen Nian closed the door, fastened her seatbelt, and asked, "When did you get here? Why didn''t you call me?" Xiao Mubai started the car. "I''ve been here for a while." As he drove away, they passed Jiang Lingling waiting for a ride at the intersection. Xiao Mubai nced at Shen Nian, his smile deepening. Seeing his smile, Shen Nian said irritably, "Just say what you want to say." Xiao Mubai teased, "I didn''t expect you to scold her so harshly." His car had been quite far from them, so he couldn''t hear Shen Nian''s reprimands, but just from the looks of it, he knew it must have been severe. "Why are you suddenly so strict with her? You used to be very indulgent." Even Xiao Mubai knew how good Shen Nian was to Jiang Lingling. He had asked before, and Shen Nian had said it was because Jiang Lingling reminded her of Lu Lingrui. She hadn''t said anything more. But that one sentence was enough for Xiao Mubai to understand. Because Jiang Lingling was so much like Lu Lingrui, Shen Nian''s feelings for her were bound to be different from those for others. She would be more patient in helping her, and as long as things weren''t too unreasonable, she would indulge her. For no other reason than that Shen Nian saw Lu Lingrui''s shadow in her, so she was willing to do anything. "..." Shen Nian didn''t immediately answer Xiao Mubai''s question. Instead, she remained quiet for a full minute before speaking. "I can''t be by her side forever. She needs to grow on her own eventually." She now realized that she had been too indulgent with Jiang Lingling before, always helping her solve even the smallest problems, to the point where Jiang Lingling was still inexperienced in many things. People only remember pain and grow when they hit obstacles. By always being there to catch Jiang Lingling before she fell, Shen Nian had prevented her from feeling the pain and learning the lessons. ... After dinner with Xiao Mubai, Shen Nian returned home. To the Shen family home. Since that day when she parted ways with Lu Lingchuan, Shen Nian had been staying at the Shen family home. Opening the door, Shen Nian first put her bag on the table, opened the shoe cab to take out her slippers, and as she changed her shoes, she called out, "Dad, Mom, I''m home." This was her habit. In the past, every time she returned home, she would habitually say this. After saying it, she realized she had done it again out of habit. "..." She silently pressed her lips together. Recently, Shen Nian had asked the housekeeper to tidy up the house, wash the bedding, and air out the quilts. With her staying here for the past few days, the house finally had some signs of life. She went to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. It was empty except for a few bottles of water she had bought from the convenience store the day before yesterday. She took a bottle of mineral water, twisted off the cap, took a sip as she left the kitchen. Sitting on the sofa, she noticed a courier envelope on the coffee table from the corner of her eye. She had found it at the door when she came in earlier. The recipient was her, and it was a local delivery. But she hadn''t ordered anything. Usually, these envelope document bags contained paper items, possibly importantpany documents. However, she had never told anyone she was living here now. Puzzled, Shen Nian tore open the document bag and emptied its contents. Inside was just one envelope. A white envelope. The envelope clearly showed the postal code and her address. And in the bottom right corner: [For Shen Nian] The familiar, beautiful handwriting, with its distinctive steadiness. His handwriting was as handsome as he was. So with just one nce, Shen Nian knew it was his handwriting. This was the letter they had written for each other in the store on the first day of their 100-day agreement. Lu Lingchuan had already notified the store owner to mail the letter to her. Her previously calm heart suddenly rippled with emotion, her hand holding the envelope trembling slightly. After a long while, she finallyposed herself and opened the envelope. Inside was a sheet of pure white paper, also personally chosen by Lu Lingchuan. She unfolded it. Most of the paper was nk. When she saw the text, Shen Nian finally understood why Lu Lingchuan, like her, had finished writing in less than a minute. Because there were only two words on the paper. [Cherish] This was what Lu Lingchuan said to her. No flowery words, no lingering attachment or reluctance to part. Just two words. Cherish. Every minute and every second I spend with you, I cherish deeply. These two short words caused the walls Shen Nian had carefully built to crumble in an instant. ... At the Capital International Airport, a nended smoothly. Lu Lingchuan left the airport and drove aimlessly, not knowing where to go. His heart felt empty. Though he had many ces to stay, they were just amodations, houses, not homes. Like a homeless child, he wandered blindly on the road alone, not knowing where to go or where he belonged. After being so busy for days, his mind was weary, and he drove in a daze. By the time he came to his senses, he was already driving on the elevated highway, and this road led back to that home. The home he shared with Shen Nian. "..." Lu Lingchuan btedly realized this, but on the elevated highway, he wasn''t allowed to turn around or stop. As if finding a good excuse for himself, he continued driving forward. [Yesterday''s writing was too rough, so I carefully revised it. Now there shouldn''t be any typos, you can read it again~ The content hasn''t changed, it''s just much more refined] Chapter 139 The car arrived at the entrance of the residentialplex. Normally, residents who drove would go directly to the underground parking garage and take the elevator home from there. Lu Lingchuan hesitated for a few seconds as he drove around the entrance, then decided to park in a nearby spot. He got out of the car, closed the door, and walked towards the main gate of theplex. As he entered the lobby, the security guard on duty recognized him as a resident and swiped him in with the ess card. Lu Lingchuan entered theplex, his feet crunching on the gravel path as he walked forward step by step. This was a path he and Shen Nian had walked many times before. When he reached a certain building, Lu Lingchuan stopped in his tracks. The cold wind whipped around him, making his coat flutter and tousling his short hair. Lu Lingchuan stood there with his hands in his pockets, slowly raising his head to count the floors from bottom to top. Then, he found the floor he was looking for. The lights were on in the apartments above, below, and to the sides, but the one in the middle remained dark. Among the sea of lights in countless homes, the light in his and Shen Nian''s apartment had gone out. Lu Lingchuan didn''t know how long he stood there in the wind until he felt his face grow numb. Only then did he slowly lower his head. Instead of going up, he turned and left. The security guards at theplex entrance had been working there for years and naturally recognized the residents. Seeing Lu Lingchuane out again, the guard on duty in the lobby was surprised and casually asked, "Heading out again sote?" "Mm," Lu Lingchuan responded nomittally, with no intention of saying more. "You young people are so busy these days, going on business trips for days or even weeks at a time. Just the other day, I saw little Nian leaving with a suitcase. Seemed like she was off on a business trip or something?" Every time the guard opened the door for Shen Nian when she returned, she would politely nod and greet him, so he knew her and had a particrly good impression of her. "..." Hearing this, Lu Lingchuan''s steps faltered for a moment before he continued on his way. ... Lu Lingchuan returned to the Lu family home. He hadn''t been back since Li Mingshi had fallen ill and been hospitalized. As he entered, he noticed the lights were on downstairs and furrowed his brow. Who would be up at this hour? Just as Lu Lingchuan was about to go upstairs, Auntie Xu came down. She was surprised to see him. "Lingchuan? Weren''t you on a business trip? Why are you back?" "Auntie Xu," Lu Lingchuan greeted her, then asked, "Why are you here?" Auntie Xu pointed to several suitcases next to the living room downstairs. "The master is at the hospital now, so I took this opportunity toe back and get some thick clothes and a warm quilt for the madam. The hospital has nkets, but they''re not asfortable." "Mm." Lu Lingchuan acknowledged, then asked, "How is my mother doing?" Auntie Xu smiled. "She''s much better now, don''t worry. I''m taking care of her at the hospital." Noticing the weariness around Lu Lingchuan''s eyes, Auntie Xu said with concern, "You have dark circles under your eyes. Haven''t been sleeping well these past few days, have you? It''ste now, I need to get back to the hospital soon. You should get some rest." "Alright." As Auntie Xu went to get the suitcases, she noticed something on the table and quickly called out to Lu Lingchuan, who was heading upstairs. "Lingchuan." Lu Lingchuan stopped and turned his head. Auntie Xu picked up an envelope from the table and brought it to him. "I found this at the door when I came back today. It looks like a package for you. I saw your name written on it." Lu Lingchuan took the package from Auntie Xu. Sure enough, the shippingbel had his name and the Lu family address on it. "Thank you." Lu Lingchuan said, then took the envelope upstairs. Back in his room, he took off his coat and draped it over a nearby chair. He tore open the envelope to find another envelope inside. When his fingers touched the white paper, he paused. Then, like a slow-moving elderly person, he gradually pulled out the envelope. It was a letter from Shen Nian. He opened the envelope and unfolded the letter. Like him, Shen Nian had written only two words on the paper. [No regrets.] Having experienced a brief moment of sweetness, she had no regrets. ... The next morning, after an early meeting, Shen Nian headed back to her desk. She walked while looking down at some documents, passing by a few employees who were whispering among themselves. "I just saw the boss''s wife when I went to deliver some files to Mr. Lu." "Really? I haven''t seen her in ages. I thought she and Mr. Lu had broken up." "How could they break up? Miss Liang is so beautiful andes from a good family. She and Mr. Lu are a perfect match, don''t you think?" "That''s true..." As the employees passed by Shen Nian discussing this, her steps faltered. The boss''s wife... Liang Jinghe. Lu Lingchuan was back together with Liang Jinghe. She lowered her gaze, lost in thought for a moment. But after just three seconds, Shen Nian raised her head again and continued walking to her desk. When she returned, there was already a mountain of files on her desk. The director who had just ced them there saw Shen Nianing back and immediately called out, "Assistant Shen, you''re back from the meeting." "Mm," Shen Nian responded. "Good timing. Let me brief you. The top five files need to be reviewed by you. The ck folders underneath contain the information you requested; I''ve already sorted and categorized them. The white files at the bottom need Mr. Lu''s signature. It''s urgent¡ªwe couldn''t get them signed while Mr. Lu was away on his business trip, so it''s been dyed until now. Now that Mr. Lu is back, we need to get these signed right away to avoid any further impact." Shen Nian nced at the files and mentally went through the director''s instructions before nodding. "I understand." "Alright then, carry on." "Mm." Sitting down, she first went through the files that needed her review. After confirming there were no issues, she signed them and put the ck folders with the information she needed in a file organizer within easy reach. Finally, there were the documents that needed Lu Lingchuan''s signature. Her gaze fell on the white folder. Without a word, she simply picked up the files and headed towards Lu Lingchuan''s office. She knocked on the door¡ª"tap, tap, tap"¡ªand only pushed it open after hearing the man inside say "Come in." Liang Jinghe was sitting on the couch, drinking red tea. Seeing Shen Nian, she curled her lips into a slight smile and nodded at her. Shen Nian''s face remained expressionless, but she nodded back before walking towards Lu Lingchuan. "Mr. Lu, these files need your signature." "Bring them here," Lu Lingchuan said without looking up. Shen Nian ced the documents on the desk. As Lu Lingchuan saw the new files before him, he set aside the work he had been doing. Opening the folder, he carefully went through the project terms. Only after ensuring everything was in order did he sign the documents, repeating the process for the other files as well. Once he had finished signing, he pushed the documents aside and resumed his previous work. He hadn''t given Shen Nian a hard time, but neither had they engaged in any unnecessary conversation throughout the entire process. Chapter 140 Shen Nian didn''t linger, taking the documents and leaving. The two parted ways calmly, without any personal grudges. Apart from their past romantic rtionship, they were still boss and assistant. Watching Shen Nian close the door, Liang Jinghe finally turned her gaze away, looking at the busy Lu Lingchuan. She wanted to say something but hesitated. After a long internal struggle, she finally spoke up. "Lingchuan, have you made up your mind?" she asked. "Mm." Lu Lingchuan continued working, his voice indifferent: "My mother''s health isn''t good. One more happy event to cheer her up is a good thing." "..." Liang Jinghe fell silent, pressing her lips together. "Then... is there really no chance for you and her?" Liang Jinghe knew her position didn''t allow her to ask this, but she still did. "..." Lu Lingchuan''s hand holding the pen trembled slightly. The pen tip pressed against the paper, and the ink quickly spread, leaving a very obvious mark. He quietly put the pen aside and crumpled the paper into a ball, tossing it into the empty trash can nearby. Without answering Liang Jinghe''s question, Lu Lingchuan only said: "If you''re unwilling, you can refuse at any time." "..." This left Liang Jinghe speechless. She lowered her eyes, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. Willing? How could she not be willing? Even knowing that he hadn''t truly let go of the person in his heart, even knowing that she had never truly entered his heart, he had also clearly told her and respected her choice. But faced with his request, she still found it difficult to refuse. ... Apart from that day when they met while delivering documents, in the following days, Lu Lingchuan and Shen Nian were busy with their own affairs. Shen Nian was responsible for a project and often spent time in the meeting room, while Lu Lingchuan had his own arrangements. They wouldn''t even cross paths once in a normal day. During this time, Shen Nian had been living in her own home. Every day after returning home, she had no social life, no hobbies, not even watching TV. She just sat on the sofa hugging her knees, staring into space with no time limit. After spacing out, she would get up and go to bed, then go to work the next day. After work, she would eat, shower, and then after showering, continue to space out. This cycle repeated itself. After another busy day, Shen Nian finally finished her work. She checked the time and realized it was quitete. She quickly packed up her things, grabbed her bag, and left. Walking to the roadside to hail a taxi, one quickly pulled up. Shen Nian opened the back door and got in. "Driver, please go to..." She was about to automatically give the address of the Shen family home, but remembering there were no change of clothes there, after some consideration, she gave the address of the other ce. The car stopped at the entrance of the residentialplex. Shen Nian got out and entered. She entered the building and took the elevator. Coming out of the elevator, she held the password door lock, lightly pressing her thumb on the fingerprint recognition spot. The door unlocked sessfully. She opened the door to a very quiet apartment. Opening the shoe cab to change her shoes, she had just taken out her shoes and put them on the ground when her peripheral vision caught sight of a pair ofrge, light gray slippers also on the floor. These were new slippers they had bought together at the supermarket recently. As the weather had turned cold, Shen Nian had picked out new thick slippers for both of them. They hadn''t followed the typical couple''s choice of blue and pink matching slippers, but rather chose the same color and style in different sizes. Seeing those slippers, Shen Nian frowned slightly, a hint of confusion shing in her eyes. She clearly remembered putting those slippers in the shoe cab when she left, so how did they end up outside? But she didn''t think too much about it, put the slippers back in, changed into her own, and entered the apartment. She had been busy all day and was both tired and sleepy. She didn''t even stay in the living room, heading straight for the bedroom. Yawning while closing the bedroom door, she then flopped onto the bed. With her nose pressed against theforter, a familiar scent wafted up. Shen Nian opened her eyes, bing a bit more alert. Thinking she might have smelled wrong, she grabbed theforter and sniffed again uncertainly. That faint, pleasant scent lingered in her nostrils. Lu Lingchuan had a very nice scent, very light and subtle, yet distinctive enough. It wasn''t too feminine, but rather added a touch of allure and sexiness to his entire being. She had thought that with Lu Lingchuan gone for many days, the room would have long lost his unique scent. She didn''t expect it to still be there, and so strong at that. Having smelled Lu Lingchuan''s scent, Shen Nian became much more awake, sitting up straight on the bed. It was a good time to go take a shower. Lu Lingchuan had dinner with clients today and drank quite a bit. Swaying as he walked, he managed to steady himself each time he was about to fall, making it home with great difficulty. Standing at the door, he was in a drunken haze. His fingerprint failed to be recognized several times in a row. Lu Lingchuan frowned, a sh of impatience crossing his face. He swiped the password lock screen, intending to enter the passcode to get in. He was drunk, but his brain was very clear. The password... the password was... the password was the death anniversary of his two children... Fumbling, he pressed six numbers on the pad, then the # key. The door unlocked sessfully. He turned the knob and entered. His body swayed slightly, eyes half-closed. Since that day when the security guard told him Shen Nian had left with her suitcase, Lu Lingchuan had beening back here every day. He didn''t need to deliberately reminisce; just sleeping here for a night made him sleep very soundly. He didn''t even turn on the lights, changing his shoes in the dark. After taking off one shoe, he was about to step into his slippers but stepped on empty air. He frowned deeply. Finally, he found the slippers in the shoe cab. After changing shoes, he entered the apartment, swaying all the way. Atst, he reached the bedroom door, turned the doorknob, and pushed it open. The faint light inside hit Lu Lingchuan like a blow to the head, instantly sobering him up. As he looked up, his eyes met those of Shen Nian, who was sitting up in bed reading a magazine by the bedsidemp. Shen Nian''s eyes were filled with bewilderment. For the first few seconds after seeing Lu Lingchuan, she was stunned, followed by panic and confusion. Why... why was he here? This was their first face-to-face encounter since breaking up. The atmosphere was incredibly awkward. Not expecting Shen Nian to be back, Lu Lingchuan sobered up considerably. Now that he was already inside, there was no backing out. His hand tightened on the doorknob as he came up with a somewhat usible reason: "I came to get some clothes." When he left before, he had deliberately not taken anything, preparing this very excuse foring back here legitimately in the future. Shen Nian came to her senses and responded with a soft "Mm." Then she lowered her head to continue reading the magazine, though she couldn''t focus on anything. She just flipped through the pages aimlessly. Lu Lingchuan walked in, heading straight for the walk-in closet. Opening the ss cab, he casually browsed through the clothes. Shen Nian flipped through a magazine with a rustling sound, listening to the noise from the dressing room but not looking up at him. Lu Lingchuan picked out a set of clothes at random, then dawdled over selecting a tie and tie clip. He was about to leave with his chosen attire when something crossed his mind. He paused, ncing towards the bed. After a few seconds of hesitation, he spoke to Shen Nian. "I''m getting married." Chapter 141 "..." Shen Nian''s hand holding the magazine suddenly trembled, nearly tearing the page. After a pause, she curved her lips into a smile and said, "Is that so? Congrattions, then." She added, "I''ll move out as soon as possible in the next few days." "No need," Lu Lingchuan said. "The property deed is in your name." His implication was that he had given her this house. After so many years of entanglement, Shen Nian had never asked for anything from him. Now that he was getting married, as his ex-girlfriend, receiving an apartment aspensation didn''t seem too bad. By epting this materialpensation, it seemed their years ofplicated feelings and grievances could be considered settled. "Thank you," she said to him. They had be so estranged that they now had to thank each other. Then, there was nothing left to say. Lu Lingchuan remained silent, and Shen Nian didn''t speak either. The two of them stood there in an awkward silence. After a long moment of quiet, Lu Lingchuan took his clothes and left. "Let''s talk," Shen Nian''s voice came from behind. "..." Watching his retreating figure, Shen Nian said, "Like when we first met." They used to have so much to say to each other, howe they couldn''t find any topics now? Lu Lingchuan''s figure wavered. Just as he was about to turn around, he heard her say: "Never mind." Shen Nian chuckled softly, "I actually wanted to chat with you." But she was afraid of seeing his indifferent attitude. Afraid of making things difficult for him and embarrassing herself. Shen Nian took a deep breath, looked up again, and showed a sincere smile. She looked at him and said: "President Lu, I wish you and Miss Liang an evesting love, soaring high together. May you have a harmonious marriage and bear children soon." "..." Lu Lingchuan stood there rigidly, not saying a word. After standing there for who knows how long, he finally lifted his feet and left. ... After that day, Lu Lingchuan never came back. They often ran into each other at thepany, but maintained their distance. Somehow the news spread, and everyone in thepany knew that Lu Lingchuan and Liang Jinghe were getting married. It was said that the wedding date was set for the end of the year. The end of the year meantte December, and it was already early December now. That meant there was less than a month left. "Haven''t President Lu and Miss Liang only been together for a short time? Why are they getting married so quickly? Isn''t it too rushed?" "You don''t understand. For rich people, marriage isn''t just about feelings, it''s also about benefits ¨C what they call a strategic alliance. Our President Lu is handsome and wealthy, Miss Liang is a returnee from overseas. From any perspective, they''re a match made in heaven. Plus, both families are prominent figures... Their marriage is a foregone conclusion, whether it happens sooner orter. They might as well get married early, allowing the two powerful families to join forces and create more benefits for both parties." In thepany cafeteria, Shen Nian habitually found the most secluded spot to sit down. Even sitting in the corner, she could still hear employeesmenting on Lu Lingchuan and Liang Jinghe. Her hand holding the fork paused. There was still more than half a te of pasta left in front of her, but she had lost her appetitepletely. Jiang Lingling wandered around the cafeteria with some documents, finally finding Shen Nian. "Sister Nian," she walked over and sat across from Shen Nian. "This is mytest revised project. Can you take a look to see if it''s okay? The parts in red are my new changes." These days, while Shen Nian was busy with the project, she was also closely monitoring Jiang Lingling''s work. She had suddenly be much more demanding. Proposals that Jiang Lingling could previously get approved in two attempts were now being rejected even after seven or eight revisions. Shen Nian looked at her: "It''s lunchtime now, haven''t you eaten?" "I did, I gobbled down two pieces of bread," Jiang Lingling stared at the folder in her hands. "Sister Nian, you''ve rejected me so many times without approval, which shows this project is very important. I need to get it right quickly, I can''t let you down." Seeing her serious expression, Shen Nian''s lips curved slightly: "Actually, the project isn''t that important. I''m training your abilities." Since she had lost her appetite anyway, she simply pushed her te aside and opened the folder. Inside, various colored pens had been used for revisions, each color representing a different round of changes. The pages were densely covered with notes, showing that Jiang Lingling had truly put her heart into it. Looking only at the newly revised parts, this revision was quite good. The effect of so many rounds of changes was finally showing. There was a red pen clipped to the folder. She took it and made a few more adjustments in several ces, then pushed it back to Jiang Lingling: "This would be better, take note." "Oh," Jiang Lingling quietly epted the folder. Shen Nian picked up her red tea and took a sip, looking at Jiang Lingling who was earnestly learning. A rare smile appeared on her face. "That''s more like it. Skills are learned for oneself. No matter how capable others are, it''s their own business. It''s best to rely on yourself for everything, because no one will protect you for a lifetime." Jiang Lingling looked up: "Then will you protect me for a lifetime, Sister Nian?" "..." Shen Nian was silent for two seconds, then firmly shook her head: "No." "That''s why you need to improve. This is the reason why I''m pushing your abilities." After the project ended, she would be leaving, and Jiang Lingling was the one she worried about the most. In apany where only the fittest survive, without ability, one would only face the fate of being discarded by thepany. After discussing with Jiang Lingling for a while, she went off to work on the project based on Shen Nian''s guidance. After clearing her tray, Shen Nian also returned to work. She had barely sat down when Xiao Mubai''s call came in. Shen Nian smiled, answered the phone, holding it with her left hand while her right hand busied with work. "Why are you calling me at this time?" On the other end, Xiao Mubai was also busy, his voice as gentle as ever: "Checking in, did you eat on time?" Shen Nian couldn''t help butugh: "I did, just got back." Xiao Mubai chuckled: "Don''t lie to me, or I''ll show you my angry face if I find out." "Pfft." Shen Nian couldn''t help but giggle: "Alright, please let Young Master Xiao show me a face change, I''ll consider it a free performance." They bothughed. "Oh, right," remembering something, Xiao Mubai invited her: "I heard the zoo in the south of the city has opened. Want me to take you there after work today?" Since Shen Nian''s breakup with Lu Lingchuan, Xiao Mubai had been trying every day to take her out, making efforts to distract her. "No need," she wasn''t interested in animals and didn''t want to go see them: "The project is in its final stages these days, it''s already good if I don''t have to work overtime. Where would I find time to watch animals?" "Alright," Xiao Mubai always respected Shen Nian''s wishes: "Then we''ll go when you''re free." After finishing, he added with concern, "However, you need to be bnced with your busy schedule. Make sure to rest when you need to." "Okay," Shen Nian obediently agreed. "I have some work to do on my end, so I''ll get back to it. Shall we hang up?" "Xiao Mubai." Just as Xiao Mubai was about to end the call, Shen Nian stopped him. Xiao Mubai asked, puzzled, "What is it?" Holding her phone, Shen Nian said, "I just remembered something. I might need to trouble you with a favor." "Go ahead." "I own two properties. Could you help me find a reliable real estate agent to list them online for sale?" Chapter 142 "What?" Xiao Mubai thought he had misheard. "Nian Nian, why are you suddenly selling your house?" he probed cautiously. Hearing the tension in Xiao Mubai''s voice, Shen Nian chuckled. "Once I finish this project, I don''t n on staying in Beijing anymore, nor do I intend toe back. Leaving the house empty would be a waste, so I thought I''d sell it for some cash. If things go well in another city, I''ll just buy a house and settle down there." She paused before adding, "Actually, I quite like the sea. I''ll probably end up settling by the coast in the future." Shen Nian''s tone was very rxed, full of anticipation for the future. Only then did Xiao Mubai breathe a sigh of relief. "Alright, I''ll keep an eye out for you." Just then, a few other managers working on the same project came looking for Shen Nian. "Assistant Shen, are you busy right now? It''s time for the report to President Lu." Shen Nian covered the phone and nodded lightly, "Give me a minute." Then she spoke to Xiao Mubai on the other end of the line. "Thank you, Mubai." "No need to be so formal with me. Hang up now." "Okay." After hanging up, Shen Nian ced her phone on the desk to charge, grabbed the documents beside her, and followed the others into the CEO''s office. ... For the past few days, Liang Jinghe had beening to thepany every day, spending the entire day in Lu Lingchuan''s office. With the wedding date approaching and Lu Lingchuan being extremely busy ¨C dealing with bothpany matters and following up on Lu Lingrui''s affairs ¨C he simply couldn''t find time to choose wedding items. So Liang Jinghe had toe over and discuss these matters with him during his rare moments of free time. When Shen Nian and the others entered, Liang Jinghe was sitting there flipping through a bridal magazine. Sometimes having good eyesight isn''t always a blessing; Shen Nian''s gaze immediately fell upon the bright red Chinese character for "happiness," looking both eye-catching and festive. Without lingering, Shen Nian quickly averted her gaze, briefly consulted with her colleagues, and then began the work report. Forty minutester, the report wasplete, and they awaited Lu Lingchuan''s response. He gave a slight nod. "No issues. Compile what you just reported and send it to my email." The group responded in unison, "Yes, Mr. Lu." With the report finished, they turned to leave the office in an orderly manner. Seeing the employees leave, Liang Jinghe looked at Lu Lingchuan and spoke, "Lingchuan, are you free this weekend? Could youe with me to choose a wedding dress?" Lu Lingchuan replied in a t tone, "I have a client meeting this weekend." Liang Jinghe lowered her head, a sh of disappointment crossing her eyes, but she still said, "Alright then, I''ll go by myself." Shen Nian, who was thest to leave, overheard the conversation behind her. One foot had already stepped out of Lu Lingchuan''s office. The next second, she paused, turned her head, and spoke up. "I''m free this weekend. Do you need me, Miss Liang?" As soon as the words left her mouth, both Lu Lingchuan and Liang Jinghe''s gazes turned to her. The man''s eyes were deep and unreadable, his hand gripping the pen a little tighter, but he remained silent, just looking at her. In Liang Jinghe''s impression, Shen Nian had always been cool and aloof. This was the first time she had actively engaged in conversation with her. Slightly surprised, she recovered and smiled, "Wouldn''t that be troubling you?" "Not at all," Shen Nian replied. "Miss Liang is about to be thedy of Lingrui Group. It''s my duty and responsibility to serve thepany." "As long as it doesn''t inconvenience you," Liang Jinghe''s eyes curved in a smile. "Having you apany me, you can also give me some advice." Shen Nian lowered her head, deliberately ignoring the piercing gaze on her. Liang Jinghe was easily satisfied. With Shen Nian apanying her, she no longer dwelled on whether Lu Lingchuan would be there or not. Turning her head to Lu Lingchuan, she said with a smile, "Assistant Shen will apany me, so you can focus on your work. Don''t worry about me." Lu Lingchuan lowered his head, leaving only a curt "Whatever." Shen Nian didn''t say anything more, left the office, and gently closed the door behind her. Lu Lingchuan sat there, feeling restless for the first time. Despite having so much work waiting for him to handle, his mind was inplete disarray, leaving him unable to concentrate on work. Frustration, from body to soul. This feeling had persisted for several days, intensifying especially when Shen Nian came in to deliver documents or report on work. Coupled with Liang Jinghe constantly talking about wedding matters in his ear, he felt increasingly irritated. This was the first time Lu Lingchuan felt so mentally exhausted. He wanted to escape, to run far away, to cover his head and neither hear nor ask about anything, to not care about anything at all. After Shen Nian left, Lu Lingchuan remained in a daze, unaware of what he said or did, as if he had lost his soul. He didn''t know how long this statested, but gradually, his blurred vision began to clear. He suddenly came to his senses, only to realize that the office had already darkened. ncing at the time, it was already past six in the evening, and the street lights outside hade on. The office waspletely quiet. Even Liang Jinghe had gone somewhere, leaving him sitting there alone. Back to his senses, he felt a splitting headache. Putting down his pen, Lu Lingchuan closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Then he stood up and walked towards the floor-to-ceiling window behind him, intending to rest his eyes by looking at the outside view. Something caught his peripheral vision. Lu Lingchuan looked down at the street below. Shen Nian wasing out of thepany building. A familiar car was parked by the roadside; he felt like he had seen it somewhere before. Sure enough, the next second, the driver''s door opened, and Xiao Mubai jogged around the front of the car towards Shen Nian, naturally taking her bag from her hand. They were too far away for him to hear what they were saying, but he could tell they were in good spirits. Shen Nian reached out to grab Xiao Mubai, who dodged her. The two chased each other like children, running back and forth. When they were about five meters from the car, Xiao Mubai stopped and let Shen Nian catch him. She gave him a couple of yful swats, and he ruffled her hair before naturally opening the passenger door for her. They looked sopatible, the scene so warm and intimate, so... jarring. Lu Lingchuan stood there, his hands at his sides alternately clenching and unclenching. In the end, he chose to let go. He watched the car drive away, disappearing from his sight, his eyes dim and lifeless. ... On the weekend, Shen Nian woke up early. She didn''t have to go to work today, but she had an important task¡ª Apanying Liang Jinghe to choose a wedding dress. It was her own suggestion, after all. Apanying her ex-boyfriend''s current girlfriend to choose a wedding dress ¨C if word got out, people would probablyugh their heads off. Knowing she was just ying a supporting role today, Shen Nian chose an inconspicuous outfit. With her ck-framed sses on, she looked much more bookish. Without any makeup, she left the house with a bare face. She had agreed to meet Liang Jinghe in front of the bridal shop. Having left early, she arrived just as Liang Jinghe was getting there. "You''re here," Liang Jinghe said with a big smile upon seeing Shen Nian. "I thought I''d have to wait a bit longer." Shen Nian''s smile remained polite and measured. "I was the one who offered to apany Miss Liang. It would be quite rude to bete." Chapter 143 Hearing this, Liang Jinghe''s smile deepened. "By the way, I brought breakfast especially for you. Have you eaten yet?" As she spoke, she turned to look at her assistant, who immediately handed over the breakfast. Shen Nian politely declined with a smile, "I''ve already eaten, thank you, Miss Liang." After exchanging pleasantries, they entered the store together, where the staff had been waiting respectfully for some time. Seeing Liang Jinghe arrive, they immediately disyed respectful and friendly smiles. "Mrs. Lu, you''re here." With that, three or four employees gathered around Liang Jinghe, and the one wearing a manager''s badge began to speak. "Today, we''ll mainly be selecting four sets of clothes: the traditional Chinese wedding dress for before the ceremony, the main wedding gown, the dress for toasting, and the evening gown." Upon hearing this, Liang Jinghe was surprised. "We need to choose that many?" She had thought they only needed to select one wedding dress. "Yes, Mrs. Lu," the manager smiled. "This is just a rough division into four categories. In fact, we can be even more specific if we consider it carefully. For example, the traditional Chinese wedding dress is usually bright red, with differences in style and embroidery. If you prefer, you can also choose pink, gold, blue, or purple versions, depending on the bride''s preferences and the wedding venue''s style. That''s the significance of choosing wedding attire." As she spoke, the manager had already led them to the traditional dress section. They were greeted by a long corridor several dozen meters long, with racks on both sides disying traditional dresses in various colors and styles. The store had deliberately chosen spotlights, illuminating the dresses and making the sewn-on diamonds sparkle and shine. "They''re beautiful," Liang Jinghe''s eyes lit up. Indeed, they were stunning. Liang Jinghe browsed through the entire selection without finding her ideal style, as every piece was beautiful. Her eyes were dazzled by the choices. The manager beside her smiled and said, "Our store does indeed have quite a variety of styles. If you''re having trouble deciding, you could start by choosing the groom''s outfit first. Comparatively, the groom''s traditional dress styles are more limited. Once you''ve decided on the groom''s attire, you can choose a matching style that you like for yourself." After saying this, the manager looked around and realized that Liang Jinghe had only brought two women with her, with no groom in sight. "Where''s the groom? Why didn''t hee?" Liang Jinghe forced a smile. "He''s quite busy and really doesn''t have time toe choose clothes, so I''ll be selecting his outfit." "I see," the manager nodded, though a hint of curiosity flickered in her eyes. It was the first time she''d seen a groom who didn''t evene to try on his wedding attire. In fact, given the status of the Lu and Liang families, with their powerful alliance, not just the wedding dress but every aspect would typically be custom-made at the highest level. They wouldn''t normallye to a bridal shop to choose. However, due to the rushed wedding date, with less than a month remaining, there wasn''t time for custom orders. They could only select from ready-made pieces in the bridal shop. Unable to decide, Liang Jinghe turned to Shen Nian for help. "Assistant Shen, I''m overwhelmed. Could you please take a look as well? Just pick out the ones that catch your eye." "Of course," Shen Nian nodded and stepped forward to help with the selection. Although she was supposedly helping, Shen Nian was even more meticulous than the bride-to-be, Liang Jinghe. She examined each piece one by one, first selecting those she found appealing, then filtering through her choices again, repeating the process multiple times. In the end, she selected several high-quality traditional dresses for Liang Jinghe. For the main wedding gown, there was no need to choose ¨C Liang Jinghe directly purchased the store''s prized centerpiece. She also selected dresses for toasting and the evening reception. Although it wasn''t her own wedding, Shen Nian chose with utmost care, offeringments on each dress. For each of the four asions, they selected four or five dresses. Liang Jinghe went to put on makeup first, then try on the dresses. The assistant followed Liang Jinghe into the makeup room, while Shen Nian stayed outside, leaning against the wall and lowering her head to respond to Xiao Mubai''s messages. Xiao Mubai: [It''s your day off today. Where would you like to go? I''lle pick you up.] Shen Nian typed back: [No need, I''m at the bridal shop now.] The other side quickly replied with a [?] [Miss Liang is here to choose her wedding dress today, and I''m acting as a consultant,] Shen Nian replied. She was engrossed in typing, not paying attention to her surroundings, until she heard Liang Jinghe''s voice and looked up. "Assistant Shen, how does this one look?" Upon hearing this, Shen Nian raised her head to see Liang Jinghe wearing a pink traditional Chinese wedding dress. The soft pink color made her look both youthful and beautiful. Her hair was pinned up, adorned with a matching hairpin, and a pink gemstone dangled on her forehead. Shen Nian was instantly captivated. Holding her phone, she nodded earnestly and said, "It looks beautiful." Her critique was utterly sincere. Liang Jinghe felt a bit embarrassed under her earnest gaze and smiled, saying, "There are still several more to try on. I''ll go try the others." As soon as she finished speaking, the young assistant who had been taking photos for her immediately pulled the changing curtain closed. Shen Nian suddenly lost interest in her phone. She closed it and leaned against the wall, earnestly waiting for Liang Jinghe to emerge from behind the changing curtain. She watched, mesmerized, as Liang Jinghe tried on traditional dresses of various colors and styles. "Wipe your drool, it''s about to drip," a man''s teasing voice sounded in her ear. Shen Nian turned her head to see him, somewhat surprised. "Why are you here?" Xiao Mubai replied seriously, "You told me you were at the bridal shop with Liang Jinghe trying on wedding dresses." She had indeed mentioned being at a bridal shop, but... "I don''t recall telling you which bridal shop I was at." "Did I need you to tell me?" Xiao Mubai stood beside Shen Nian, towering over her. He held a thermos in his hand. As he opened the lid and poured just-right temperature milk into it for Shen Nian, he nced towards the changing curtain. "For the Liang family''s daughter''s wedding, even if they can''t have haute couture, they would certainly choose the most expensive bridal shop in the capital." So it wasn''t difficult to find at all. Looking down at the milk Xiao Mubai handed her, Shen Nian raised an eyebrow, took it, and sipped slowly, holding the lid with both hands. Liang Jinghe had already finished trying on all the selected traditional dresses and was now changing into the main wedding gown. The changing curtain opened again, revealing Liang Jinghe in a white wedding dress, looking both delicate and radiant. The staff ced a tiara on her head and changed her earrings, transforming her from the dignified Chinese style to a dreamy Western-style bride in an instant. Shen Nian stared intently, asking Xiao Mubai, "How does she look? Isn''t she beautiful?" Her eyes curved with delight, clearly in a good mood. Gazing at the fluffy, shimmering wedding dress, the makeup artist was touching up Liang Jinghe''s makeup. Shen Nian''s face was full of longing. "No wonder so many girls want to wear a wedding dress and have a photo shoot even if they''re not getting married." In her haste to meet the deadline for the style, Liang Jinghe changed rather hurriedly. Even so, it was impossible to conceal the stunning beauty of the wedding dress. "They say a woman is at her most beautiful when she''s wearing a wedding dress..." she murmured. Xiao Mubai only nced for a moment before shifting his gaze to Shen Nian. The wedding dress was indeed beautiful, but Xiao Mubai was worried about... her. "Are you alright?" he asked. "Of course," Shen Nian smiled. "I''m perfectly fine." "..." Xiao Mubai was silent for a few seconds, then spoke again. "You shouldn''t havee today, actually." There was no need to see these things that would only hurt herself. Chapter 144 "..." Shen Nian fell silent, wordlessly continuing to gaze at Liang Jinghe. After an indeterminate time, she finally spoke. "I know this isn''t my moon, but for a moment, its light truly shone upon me." "..." Liang Jinghe walked towards Shen Nian, her wedding dress trailing behind her. Her eyes crinkled with a smile as she shed a broad grin at Shen Nian. "Assistant Shen, what do you think? Is there anything that needs altering?" After all, it was an off-the-rack dress, not custom-made to her measurements, so some imperfections were inevitable. Shen Nian scrutinized the dress thoroughly beforementing, "It''s absolutely beautiful. Miss Liang, you have an excellent figure. There''s nothing in particr that needs changing." Liang Jinghe''s face lit up at thepliment. "Thank you." Her gaze then shifted to Xiao Mubai standing next to Shen Nian. She paused for a moment. "And this is...?" She asked this reflexively, but immediately realized she knew the answer. She had seen Xiao Mubai before, albeit briefly. Xiao Mubai was quite handsome, so even though she had only glimpsed him once, he had left an impression. Shen Nian''s lips curled into a smirk as she nced sidelong at Xiao Mubai, leaning against him. "My boyfriend," she said nonchntly. Just as she finished speaking, the phone she had been holding rang. ncing at it, she saw it was from thepany, likely a work call. She walked away with the phone. "Don''t listen to her nonsense," Xiao Mubai said, watching her retreating figure with a mixture of exasperation and affection in his eyes. Looking up to meet Liang Jinghe''s appraising gaze, Xiao Mubai''s lips curved into a smile as he introduced himself properly. "I''m her brother." ... After apanying Liang Jinghe to choose her wedding dress, Shen Nian entered overtime mode, finallypleting all the wrap-up work a weekter. Shen Nian picked up her pen, signed thest document, and breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at the stacks of files piled high, a smile of liberation spread across her slightly fatigued face. From this moment on, she was truly saying goodbye to the past. The stack of documents was thick enough to crush someone. Usually, even ncing at them would give her a headache, but now Shen Nian found herself leafing through them with interest. "I''ve checked and signed off on everything that needed my approval. The rest is up to you all." Jiang Lingling arrived just as Shen Nian was giving final instructions to the other team members. Each team member had their own responsibilities, and Shen Nian had been pulling all-nighters to finish her part ahead of schedule. All that remained was a brief handover before she could finally rest. After spending about ten minutes on the handover, the others left with their arms full of documents. Shen Nian stretched luxuriously, then turned to see Jiang Lingling had arrived. She smiled, "You''re here?" "Mm-hmm..." Jiang Lingling nodded, asking softly, "Sister Nian, did you need me for something?" She had received a message from Shen Nian earlier asking her toe by. "Yes," Shen Nian said, sitting back down in her chair. She opened the bottom drawer beside her and took out two notebooks, pushing them towards Jiang Lingling. "I suddenly remembered these and thought I''d give them to you," she said. Jiang Lingling walked over, picked up one of the notebooks, and opened it. Inside were densely packed notes, filled with writing. "These are the records I''ve kept since I first started working on projects with President Lu. They''re not too messy; you should be able to understand them. If you encounter any tricky problems in the future, you can refer to these notes. They should help you solve most issues." She had been keeping these records since the early days of the startup. After so many years, these two notebooks represented the distition of all her expertise. Now, she was handing over everything to Jiang Lingling. "..." Jiang Lingling was stunned to receive such a precious gift. She looked at Shen Nian in disbelief. "You''re giving something so important... to me? Are you sure, Sister Nian?" "Of course I''m sure," Shen Nian said with a gentle smile. "All of this information is alreadymitted to memory. Whether or not I have the physical copies doesn''t make much difference to me." She tapped her temple with her slender, elegant finger. "So rather than letting them gather dust in a drawer, I''d rather give them to you. If you can improve yourself using these notes, that would be their greatest honor." Given Shen Nian''s words, Jiang Lingling didn''t stand on ceremony. She clutched the two notebooks filled with notes to her chest and looked at Shen Nian, solemnly promising, "Don''t worry, Sister Nian. I''ll study them carefully." Shen Nian smiled. "I trust you will." "Then... shall I get back to work now?" Her smile deepened. "Yes, go on." Having received Shen Nian''s notebooks, Jiang Lingling was in high spirits as she turned to leave, beaming. She had only taken a couple of steps when Shen Nian''s voice came from behind her. "I''m going on a trip," she said. "..." Hearing Shen Nian''s words, Jiang Lingling stopped in her tracks once more and turned around. She looked at Shen Nian quizzically. "Sister Nian, you''re going on a trip?" "Yes," she said. "I''ve been working overtime and pulling all-nighters on this project for so long, I''m feeling mentally and physically exhausted. So I''m nning to go on a trip to rx and unwind." After a moment''s thought, Shen Nian continued. "I just realized that I''ve been so focused on work all these years, I''ve never actually gone on a proper trip." Everyone knew that Shen Nian had been working alongside Lu Lingchuan since she was eighteen or neen, helping him build thepany from the ground up. Although she was incredibly aplished now, she was still only a 23-year-old woman. "Going on a trip to clear your mind is indeed a great idea," Jiang Lingling wholeheartedly agreed. "Sister Nian, make sure you enjoy yourself, okay? And take lots of beautiful photos to show me when you get back." Shen Nian smiled. "I will." As Jiang Lingling was about to leave again, Shen Nian called out her name directly. "Lingling." "..." Jiang Lingling halted once more, turning back puzzled. "Hmm?" This time when she turned around, she saw Shen Nian looking at her with intense seriousness. "To be honest, the reason I initially approached you was because you reminded me so much of her. You have the same carefree personality, and the first time I saw you smile, with those faint dimples at the corners of your mouth, I was mesmerized." That carefree, lighthearted smile was almost identical to Lu Lingrui''s. "..." Although surprised, Jiang Lingling didn''t react too strongly. Shen Nian had mentioned before that Jiang Lingling''s personality resembled someone she cared about deeply. "At first, I did see you as a substitute for her, a way to make amends. But now, the reason I''m good to you is entirely because you''re Lingling, not because of her or anyone else. It''s because you deserve it. I''m sorry for once seeing you as someone else''s recement," Shen Nian said, not wanting to hide anything and choosing to bepletely honest with Jiang Lingling. Jiang Lingling didn''t pay much attention to it and even smiled reassuringly at Shen Nian, "If it weren''t for Sister Nian teaching me, I wouldn''t be where I am today. I could never me you for that." Shen Nian smiled gently. "I''m going on a trip," she stated again. After a brief pause, she asked Jiang Lingling, "Would you wish me a pleasant journey?" "Of course I will," Jiang Lingling replied without hesitation. "I hope you have a wonderful trip, Sister Nian! Enjoy yourself to the fullest." Having received Jiang Lingling''s heartfelt wishes, Shen Nian felt a wave of contentment wash over her. Chapter 145 Shen Nian hadn''t seen Lu Lingchuan for several days. He was too busy withpany affairs, Ling Rui''s matters, and wedding preparations. The two scoundrels who had hurt Lu Lingrui, Wang Yong and Yang Hao, were thoroughly reinvestigated. One by one, victims came forward, pinning them down without giving them a chance to recover. In addition, several rich second-generation kids were implicated, including Wang Yong and Yang Hao''s wealthy and influential rtives, who were also uprooted by Lu Lingchuan - suspended, investigated, and detained. Lu Lingchuan personally followed up on these matters, even postponingpany business. Shen Nian''s resignation letter required his personal approval, but since Lu Lingchuan was temporarily unavable, Shen Nian began her vacation first. It had been a long time since she had rested, and Shen Nian was enjoying this rare holiday. Her life returned to the quiet solitude of one person - shopping for groceries alone, eating alone, taking walks alone, daydreaming alone. With her newfound leisure time, she no longer paid much attention to the clock, doing whatever came to mind. These days, she had fallen in love with nning trips. Every day, she would sit on the balcony, basking in the sunlight, drinking coffee while researching travel guides for her favorite tourist spots, diligently taking notes. She didn''t know how long she had been writing when she suddenly realized there was no food left at home. She looked up, thought for a moment, then got up, grabbed her coat and phone, and headed out. She took a taxi to her usual supermarket. As she was about to enter, her peripheral vision caught an olddy riding a tricycle passing by, with numerous balloons tied to the back for sale. Among them, a pink pig balloon caught Shen Nian''s attention. She immediately forgot why she hade out and started following the olddy. Shen Nian''s mental state had been like this for days, difficult to describe. To say her spirits were low wouldn''t be urate, as she was calm and quiet, neither crying nor making a fuss. But to say she was in good spirits... she seemed dazed and confused, sometimes in the middle of doing one thing when suddenly another idea would pop into her head, and she''d abandon what she was doing without hesitation. It wasn''t that she was abnormal, just that she seemed to have lost the steadiness and seriousness she had while working. Now she was like an inexperienced child, giving an impression of being somewhat absent-minded. Just like now, she had followed the olddy for quite a distance before suddenlying to her senses. Looking around, she found herself at an intersection, with the asional sound of car horns in her ears. Shen Nian closed her eyes and pressed her head, realizing she had zoned out again. Unable to hail a taxi at this spot, she waited for the green light and crossed the pedestrian crossing, intending to catch a taxi on the other side. After crossing the street, she looked at the surrounding buildings and had a vague feeling of familiarity. Upon careful consideration, she realized A University was nearby. A University... Suddenly, Shen Nian''s mind was filled with thoughts, and when she came to her senses again, she was standing at the gates of A University. A University allowed visitors, so Shen Nian entered easily. Standing on the grounds of A University, the ce felt both strange and familiar. As a graduate of this school, Shen Nian had actually spent pitifully little time on campus. She didn''t go to see any teachers, just wandered aimlessly around the school by herself. She went to the basketball court, where male students were ying basketball, sweating out their youth, while female students sat nearby cheering with bottles of mineral water. She went to the library, where it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, everyone studying diligently. She went to the teaching building, where sses were in session in some of the ssrooms. She went to the cafeteria... Walking along the pebbly path, beside the artificial hills and waters of A University''sndscaped area, she reached the end where a ssh of red caught her eye. It was a veryrge tree with sturdy branches, covered in red ribbons and cards - a veritable wishing tree. She vaguely recalled the scene when she first met Xiao Mubai. Back then, she had happened to pass by and heard Xiao Mubai arguing with a teacher. The teacher insisted the tree was dead and should be cut down sooner rather thanter, but Xiao Mubai believed it could still live... Later, she found out that it wasn''t a teacher at all, but the principal. Thinking about it now, during the school''s centennial celebration, Xiao Mubai had even helped her hang a wish. Shen Nian looked up and immediately spotted her ribbon among the many red ones. Because it was at the very top. All the others were below, as they couldn''t reach that high. The higher up, the thinner and more fragile the branches became, and one could easily fall if not careful. At the time, Xiao Mubai had said that hanging the wish at the highest point meant that when the heavens granted wishes, theirs would be seen first. When Xiao Mubai said this, she had teased him for being superstitious. Now, recalling the wish she had written up there, she looked up at the fluttering red ribbon. Standing under the tree, she closed her eyes, sped her hands together, and prayed earnestly. If it really worked, she hoped her wish woulde true. After touring the school, she prepared to leave. Not far from the gate, she saw a signature wall. Upon closer inspection, she found it bore a logo - it was the sign-in board from this year''s centennial celebration. The school leadership must have thought it hadmemorative value, so they put the board on disy here. It was densely covered with names. Shen Nian looked from left to right, top to bottom, one by one. Finally, she saw Lu Lingchuan''s name. During the school''s centennial celebration, Lu Lingchuan had returned as an outstanding graduate. She only looked for a few seconds before continuing downward, then found Lu Lingrui''s name. This was the one she had signed at the time. A University was Lu Lingrui''s dream school, but unfortunately, she never had the chance to step through its gates. A few well-dressed female students passed by, and Shen Nian, spotting something, chased after them. "Excuse me," she called out. The students turned, looking at Shen Nian curiously. Shen Nian pointed at the makeup bag the middle girl was carrying and asked politely, "Do you happen to have an eyeliner pencil?" The student looked bewildered. "Yes, I do. Do you want to borrow it?" "Could I buy it from you?" Shen Nian asked. It was the first time someone had stopped them wanting to buy a used eyeliner pencil. Although confused, the student didn''t think Shen Nian looked like a bad person. She quietly opened her makeup bag and handed the eyeliner to her. "I just bought a new one a few days ago, so you can have this old one." Shen Nian took it. "Let me pay you for it." "No need, it''s just an eyeliner pencil." Shen Nian smiled brightly. "Thank you so much." With the eyeliner in hand, she returned to the signature wall. Opening the cap of the eyeliner pen, she gave it a gentle shake, searching for an empty spot near Lu Lingrui''s name. To her surprise, she actually found a space. But just as she was about to put pen to paper, she suddenly stopped. After a moment''s hesitation, she opted for a corner spot instead, writing her name far from Lu Lingrui''s and even further from Lu Lingchuan''s. Shen Nian. Seeing her own name appear on A University''s centennial celebration signature wall, she felt a surge of joy. It was proof that she had once been there. Chapter 146 ............... After returning from school, Shen Nian fell ill. The examination revealed she had caught a cold, and she was advised to take medication and rest to recover. "Cough, cough, cough..." Shey in bed, coughing violently, her face pale and extremely weak. She grabbed a handful of cold and cough medicine, stuffed them into her mouth, and washed them down with water. "Cough, cough..." No sooner had she finished drinking than she started coughing again. The medicine had just gone down her throat when the sudden coughing fit made her start to retch. Shen Nian quickly pulled over the trash can and leaned over the edge of the bed to vomit. All the medicine she had just taken came back up. She didn''t know how long she had been vomiting, but it felt like she had emptied her entire stomach. Towards the end, with nothing left to bring up, she was just dry heaving. Finally, when she managed to calm down, she reached for the cup on her bedside table, took a sip of water, rinsed her mouth, and spat into the trash can. She had been taking medication for several days now, with no visible improvement. In fact, her condition seemed to be worsening. In just a few short days, Shen Nian had lost five pounds, making her already slim figure appear even more gaunt. A bitter taste of medicine lingered in her throat. The cold capsules she had been taking had a particrly strong, nauseating smell that made her want to vomit just by catching a whiff of them. She leaned back in bed, closing her eyes topose herself. Having thrown up everything, Shen Nian felt a bit hungry, but the bitterness in her mouth left her with no appetite. "Ding dong ¡ª Ding dong ¡ª" Her phone chimed beside her. Eyes still closed, she felt around for it, grabbed it, and slowly opened her eyes. She tapped on the screen to find a voice message of several dozen seconds from Xiao Mubai. Xiao Mubai had been away on a business trip and wasn''t in the capital. He had said he wouldn''t be back until the end of the month at the earliest. She yed the voice message, and Xiao Mubai''s warm, pleasant voice came through the speaker. "Nian Nian, I''ve got news about the houses you asked me to list. A wealthy businessman is very interested and wants to buy both properties. In a few days, the boss''s secretary wille to view the houses on his behalf. If everything checks out, we can sign the contracts. Could you give me the passcodes for both of your houses? I''ll arrange for someone to meet with them." "Cough, cough, cough..." Shen Nian covered her mouth as she coughed. After catching her breath, she replied with a voice message. "Alright, please negotiate with the buyer on my behalf and ask if they can give me a month''s grace period. I''ll move out as soon as possible. Also, could you ask about the payment method? Is it possible to expedite the payment?" She rushed through her response, releasing the recording button just before another coughing fit hit her. Her bronchitis was severe. While coughing, she typed out the passcodes for both the Shen family home and her current residence, sending them to Xiao Mubai. Xiao Mubai quickly sent another voice message in reply. "Don''t worry about that. I''ve already inquired beforehand. The buyer isn''t nning to move in; he''s purchasing both properties as an investment." The two houses boasted excellent locations and neighborhood environments, especially given that they were in the capital. The conditions were impable. It was expected that the property values would increase by tens of thousands per square meter in the next two years. Such houses were like treasures, and only Shen Nian would put them up for sale. "The buyer is very amodating. He said that as long as he''s satisfied with the properties, he can pay in full on the spot." Shen Nian coughed a few more times before replying with a voice message: "Thank you." After exchanging a few more words with Xiao Mubai, Shen Nian was about to put down her phone. Just as she was about to turn it off, "Ding dong, ding dong" ¡ª several more WeChat messages came through. Thinking it was Xiao Mubai again, she opened them, only to find they were from Liang Jinghe. Liang Jinghe had sent her an electronic wedding invitation, apanied by a message ¡ª [Assistant Shen, I had intended to hand-deliver my wedding invitation to you, but when I went to thepany today, I learned you were on leave. Since I don''t know your home address, I couldn''t send it by courier. After some thought, I decided to send you an electronic version. We sincerely invite you to attend my wedding with Lingchuan. We also want to express our gratitude for your assistance to Lingchuan over the years.] "Cough, cough, cough, cough..." Shen Nian''s coughing made her lungs ache terribly, but she still opened the electronic wedding invitation. It was a rather nice little animation, starting with two cartoon characters ¡ª a girl with long hair and a boy with short hair. They meet, fall in love, then enter the hall of marriage, and grow old together, their hair turning from ck to gray. Set to beautiful background music, the animation concluded with the appearance of an invitation. Shen Nian coughed as she read the text on the screen. "Two families unite, a covenant made in one hall. May this good matchst forever, a perfect pair in name and deed." "Cough, cough, cough..." Her coughing was particrly severe, yet she persisted in reading. "On this day, as peach blossoms bloom brilliantly, may your home be filled with harmony. In the years toe, may your descendants multiply and prosper... cough, cough... We hereby pledge ourmitment to grow old together, inscribing it on this auspicious paper, recording our autumn leaf vow in the book of love." "We cordially invite you to attend our wedding on December 24th..." Her breathing becamebored, her chest heaving noticeably. "To witness our happiness firsthand... To witness us embarking on a new life... We hope to receive your blessings." "Groom, Lu Lingchuan." "Bride, Liang Jinghe..." Shen Nian stared at the date, December 24th. December 24th, Christmas Eve, followed by Christmas Day on the 25th... It truly was a wonderful date, both easy to remember and meaningful. How nice. She tried to force a smile on her pale face, only to be interrupted by another coughing fit. The bedside table was already stacked with numerous medicine boxes, all the ones she had been taking over the past few days, religiously and on schedule, yet with no effect. Covering her mouth, she coughed while reaching for the medicines, throwing them one by one into the trash can. There was no need to keep ineffective medicines. ............... The following days returned to a state of calm, with the wedding date drawing ever closer. For both the bride and groom, the night before the wedding was theirst night of singlehood. They would partyte into the night, bidding farewell to their single selves, knowing that after entering marriage, they could no longer be as carefree and uninhibited as before. They would have to nurture their own little family. Everyone knew Lu Lingchuan was getting married, and a group of his business partners mored to throw him a bachelor party. Lu Lingchen searched everywhere but couldn''t find Lu Lingchuan. Only after inquiring with several waiters did he learn of his whereabouts. When he stepped onto the rooftop, Lu Lingchuan was sitting there, smoking. He blended into the darkness, silent and eerily quiet. Lu Lingchen didn''t speak, just quietly walked over and sat down beside him. After Lu Lingchuan finished his third cigarette and was about to light his fourth, Lu Lingchen finally couldn''t help but interrupt. "Stop smoking. You''re going to turn into a chimney at this rate." No matter how strong your cigarette addiction is, you can''t just chain-smoke one after another without pause. "..." Upon hearing Lu Lingchen''s words, Lu Lingchuan''s hand froze as he was about to reach for a cigarette. Seeing his excessive silence, Lu Lingchen deliberately reminded him, "Tomorrow is your big day, groom-to-be." These words struck a chord with Lu Lingchuan. His hand trembled violently, causing the cigarette pack to fall to the ground. He didn''t immediately pick it up, just hanging his head instead. After a long silence, he spoke in a hoarse voice. "Have you been in contact with her recently?" Chapter 147 "Her?" Lu Lingchen feigned confusion. "Who''s ''her''?" Lu Lingchuan shot him a re. Unfazed, Lu Lingchen had brought two cans of beer when he came up. He kept one for himself and tossed the other to Lu Lingchuan. Lu Lingchuan caught it, popped the tab, and took a big swig. Lu Lingchen clinked his can against his brother''s and took a sip before asking, "Having regrets?" The man didn''t answer, just staring silently ahead. It was pitch ck in front of them. Who knew what he was looking at. Lu Lingchen hadn''t expected a reply. He continued, "Since you''ve made that decision, there''s no point in me appearing before her anymore. I''m a Lu ¨C seeing me would just remind her of you and Ling Rui. That would negate your choice." Lu Lingchuan remained silent as the cold wind whipped his face. December nights were already quite chilly. "Will shee tomorrow?" Lu Lingchuan finally found his voice, low and soft. Lu Lingchen paused, not answering directly. Instead, he asked, "What if shees? What if she doesn''t?" "If shees... I''ll definitely leave with her." Lu Lingchuan took another big gulp of beer after speaking. Lu Lingchen raised an eyebrow, immediately grasping the situation. "You want her to crash the wedding? As long as she makes the first move to fight for you, you''d be willing to abandon everything without hesitation, just for her?" Silence. "Does it have to be her crashing the wedding? Why won''t you run away yourself?" Lu Lingchen countered. More silence. "Brother, I know when ites to intellect, I''m no match for you ¨C not even if there were three of me. But when ites to emotions, you have to admit, you''re really terrible." Lu Lingchen''s words were blunt, showing no mercy to Lu Lingchuan. He took another big swig of beer, looking at Lu Lingchuan as he continued. "But I''m in no position to lecture you. Because from your perspective, your decision isn''t wrong. In this tangled web of emotions, your choice is indeed the best conclusion for now. But thinking it through carefully, there are still many regrets." "Many things in life can''t be debated in terms of right or wrong. This path is wrong, that path is also wrong. Which decision you make depends on what you''re willing to give up." Some decisions have no correct answer; any choice could be marked as right. But in making that choice, you also lose something. Lu Lingchuan had been avoiding it all along, but now, he had made his choice. Lu Lingchuan remained speechless from start to finish. Since making that decision, he had be much more silent. Often, like now, others could speak dozens of sentences without hearing a single word from him in response. Lu Lingchen clinked beer cans with him again and said, "Brother, I''ve always been an outsider to your situation. I''m not you; I can''t put myself in your shoes or fully understand your torment. But there''s one thing I think I should say." "Now that you''ve made your choice, I hope you''ll never regret it. Just keep walking down this path." Finishing thest of his beer, Lu Lingchen stood up. "Lastly, congrattions on your marriage." With that, he left the rooftop, leaving Lu Lingchuan sitting there alone, once again enveloped in solitude. ... The next day, December 24th. The day of Lu Lingchuan and Liang Jinghe''s wedding. The Lu and Liang families had booked the most luxurious five-star hotel in the city. Wealthy guests from all circles, having received invitations, attended the wedding. All employees of Lingrui Group were given the day off and invited to witness the event. Everyone''s faces were beaming with bright smiles, happy for the groom, happy for the bride, happy for this beautiful day ¨C everyone except the groom himself, Lu Lingchuan. He had been off since early morning, seemingly preupied. He remained distracted throughout the day, making frequent mistakes during the bride pickup ceremony and canceling many nned procedures at thest minute. The wedding was set for the evening, and now darkness had fallen outside. Standing on the stage, Liang Jinghe walked towards him step by step, a smile on her face as she held her father''s arm. But Lu Lingchuan wasn''t looking at Liang Jinghe. Instead, he stared, lost in thought, at the empty seat next to Jiang Lingling in the corner for a very long time. She didn''te... ... In the apartment, the bedroom was pitch ck, curtains drawn tightly shut. Lying on therge bed, Shen Nian was trapped in a nightmare. Her sleep was restless, her head tossing from side to side, her usually gentle features now contorted. She was in great difort, her body burning hot with a high fever. The phone on the bedside table kept ringing, its shrill tone piercing the air... Shen Nian''s eyes snapped open, and she gasped for air, staring nkly into the darkness before her. Her breathing was rapid andbored, one hand pressing hard against her chest. Today was the 24th, Christmas Eve, yet she felt anything but peaceful. Her hand clutched the edge of the bedside table, feeling for the drawer underneath and pulling it open. It was stuffed full, making it difficult to open, and it got stuck. She yanked it forcefully, causing medicine blister packs to fly out and fall onto the carpet. The drawer was crammed with medicine packs and bottles, far more than before. Many of the blister packs were empty, with only the aluminum backing remaining. Shen Nian''s mind was foggy, her eyes barely able to open due to the high fever. She didn''t even know what medicine she was taking, just grabbing whatever she could reach and shoving handful after handful into her mouth, swallowing mechanically and numbly. The phone''s ringtone became background music, continuously ringing without pause. It felt as if someone was repeatedly crushing her stomach. The reaction to the pills she had just swallowed set in. Her body loved herself more than her mind did, as gastric juices mixed with various half-digested substances surged up her injured throat. Shen Nian, with barely any consciousness left, her chest heaving dramatically. She needed to vomit. She reached for the trash can, turning slightly, but her body, out of control, rolled onto the floor, scattering pills everywhere. Retching involuntarily, her vision grew increasingly blurred. In thest few seconds, Shen Nian thought she heard Xiao Mubai''s near-hysterical shouts, but before she could listen closely, she lost consciousnesspletely. ... When Shen Nian opened her eyes again, she unsurprisingly saw Xiao Mubai. Staring at his haggard face, she could tell he hadn''t slept all night. She shook her head, no longer feeling dizzy. The fever must have broken. She wanted to sit up, but felt a sharp pain on the back of her hand. Turning her head to look, she realized she was still hooked up to an IV drip. "Don''t move!" Afraid that she might dislodge the needle, Xiao Mubai immediately stepped forward, carefully supporting her. Shen Niany on the hospital bed and gave Xiao Mubai a wry smile. "It seems like I''ve been frequenting hospitals far too often this past year. Should I go pray at a temple to rid myself of this bad luck?" Even in this situation, she managed to crack a joke. Chapter 148 This was the first time he saw her smile so gently, but Xiao Mubai didn''t smile back. He had never shown such a fearful expression before; even his hands were trembling slightly. "Why didn''t you tell me..." His eyes were rimmed with red, his voice hoarse. Filled with self-reproach. Even now, when he closed his eyes, all he could see was the scene fromst night: Shen Nian falling to the ground in a wretched state, surrounded by scattered pills, a heart-wrenching sight. He had always thought he was protecting Shen Nian well, but in the end, he didn''t even know she was this severely ill. "..." Shen Nian paused for a moment, then smiled faintly at him. "It''s not a big deal." "Not a big deal?" Xiao Mubai interrupted her. "If I hadn''t brought a doctor in time to pump your stomach, you wouldn''t be here right now." It was truly fortunate that she had woken up after having such a high fever and swallowing so many pills. He had originally been on a business trip out of town. On the 24th, while chatting with a business partner, they mentioned that it was Lu Lingchuan''s wedding day. He immediately called Shen Nian, but there was no answer. He booked the next avable flight back and rushed to Shen Nian''s apartment as soon as hended. Bursting into the bedroom, he found Shen Nian unconscious on the floor. At that moment, he felt as if the sky was falling. "I really didn''t mean tomit suicide," Shen Nian exined helplessly, though she knew her words weren''t believable. "Yesterday I was delirious with fever. I meant to take some fever reducers, but I grabbed the wrong pills..." "And you just kept popping them into your mouth without limit?" Xiao Mubai asked. "..." Shen Nian pressed her lips together, knowing she couldn''t defend herself. "Nian Nian." Xiao Mubai grasped her hand that wasn''t attached to an IV, holding it tightly. He didn''t dare to loosen his grip, fearing that if he let go, he would lose her forever. He said, "Don''t give up. You still have me." Shen Nian looked up, meeting his bloodshot eyes. For once, she didn''t force a smile tofort him. She lowered her gaze and remained quiet for a long time before saying, "It''s all in the past..." Lu Lingchuan was married now. There was no possibility for them anymore. "Yes," Xiao Mubai nodded. "It''s all in the past." Even if today is unfortunate, the sun will still rise tomorrow, a new day will begin, and all the bad things will be memories. ... Shen Nian wanted to be discharged, feeling she was fine now. But her health was poor, so Xiao Mubai insisted she stay a few more days. The doctor also rmended a week-long hospital stay to monitor her condition. Since waking up, Shen Nian had been unusually quiet, barely speaking each day. When not resting, she would stare out the window, lost in thought. It was nowte December. Usually, by this time, Beijing would be covered in snow, but for some reason, it hadn''t snowed at all this year. "Her depression has be very severe. It would be best to find her a psychologist for proper treatment, otherwise..." In the office, Xiao Mubai sat across from the doctor, listening to him exin Shen Nian''s condition. The doctor paused, his expression grave. "She might take extreme measures..." "..." Upon hearing this, Xiao Mubai''s hand on his knee trembled, and he nearly lost his bnce in his chair. "What... did you say?" His face was pale, his thin lips quivering slightly. "Don''t be rmed," the doctor quickly reassured him. "I''m only describing the worst-case scenario. Depression isn''t just about treating the person, but healing the mind. Those antidepressants can help stabilize her emotions and calm her down to the greatest extent possible, but taking too much medication isn''t good in the long run." "So..." It took Xiao Mubai a long time to find his voice. He moved his dry lips. Since rescuing Shen Nian on the 24th until now, he had been averaging only four hours of sleep per day, sometimes even less. The rest of the time he spent watching over Shen Nian, barely having the energy to drink water. "What should I do..." His voice wasced with exhaustion. "Heal her mind," the doctor could only tell him this. "Perhaps her current living environment isn''t suitable for her. Maybe a change of scenery, or traveling to broaden her horizons and improve her mindset would help. After all, people shouldn''t be confined to a limited space. Moving around, seeing more of the world¡ªeven if it doesn''t cure the root cause, it can at least cultivate the mind." Xiao Mubai nodded with difficulty. "I understand." Leaving the doctor''s office, Xiao Mubai returned to the hospital room. He paused at the door. He pped his own face, closed his eyes, and made an effort to regte his breathing. When he opened his eyes again, a gentle smile appeared on his face. In the days since learning of her illness, except for the first day, no matter how upset he felt inside, he always wore a smile when facing Shen Nian. She was already suffering so much; he couldn''t show her a gloomy face. He pushed open the door and entered. Shen Nian was staring out the window again. "Finished with the IV?" Xiao Mubai noticed the empty IV bottle on the stand by the bed. Hearing Xiao Mubai''s voice, Shen Nian snapped out of her reverie. She looked down at the medical tape on the back of her hand and softly replied, "Mm." Xiao Mubai walked over, eyeing the strawberries he had just bought on the table. He tried to make conversation: "Strawberries are perfect this season. I only realized it was strawberry season yesterday when I overheard the nurses talking about it. So I asked them to buy some for me. They''re big and sweet. Shall I wash a few for you?" "Mm." This had been her most frequent response to Xiao Mubai these past few days. Xiao Mubai didn''t mind. He smiled at her and took the strawberries to wash. A few minutester, he returned with the washed strawberries. He had removed the leaves, making them ready to eat. He set the bowl of strawberries on the side table, then took some wet wipes from nearby. Opening the lid, he pulled out a few sheets and carefully wiped her hands. After cleaning them, he picked out arge, red strawberry and offered it to her. "Strawberries are cold, and your health is delicate, so you''re only allowed three," he said. Then, after a pause, he added with a smile, "I''ll buy you more when you''re feeling better." Shen Nian held the strawberry and silently bit off its tip. Shen Nian had been bedridden for several days without a shower. Knowing she liked to be clean, Xiao Mubai first turned on the air conditioning in the room, then prepared a basin of hot water and soaked a clean towel in it. He let her hold the strawberry with one hand while freeing her other arm. First, he rolled up the sleeve of her hospital gown, revealing her thin, pale arm. She was so thin that her sleeves could be effortlessly rolled up to her armpits. As she exposed her hands, he took the towel from the basin, wringing out the excess water before gently wiping her hands. "It''ll be three more days before you can be discharged. The hospital''s bathing facilities aren''t great, and there''s no heating. You might catch a cold if you bathe now. Let''s just wipe you down for now, and we''ll have a proper bath when we get home, okay?" Shen Nian remained silent, quietly eating her strawberries. Chapter 149 "Oh, right." Xiao Mubai suddenly remembered something and shed a big smile at Shen Nian. "I have some news to share with you. You''ll definitely be happy to hear it." "..." "Lu Lingrui''s case has been closed," Xiao Mubai said as he tossed the towel back into the basin and rolled down his sleeves, continuing to speak while he busied himself. "The trial was held yesterday. Those two were sentenced to death, and the rich kids involved were given prison sentences ranging from five to twenty years. Their backers were also prosecuted one by one." Lu Lingchuan had put in so much effort to finally get those two beasts sentenced to death. He had thought Shen Nian would be happy to hear this result, considering how fixated she had been on Lu Lingrui''s case for so many years. But contrary to expectations, her facial expression didn''t change much. Sensing Xiao Mubai watching her, Shen Nian merely tugged at her lips and nodded, "Mm, that''s good." And that was it. She was unusually calm. Xiao Mubai looked at her in surprise. "I thought you''d be very happy," he said. What she needed most right now was happiness. "I am happy," Shen Nian looked at him earnestly. "Today is indeed a good day. I want to go out for a walk." She paused, then asked tentatively, "Is that okay?" "..." Xiao Mubai initially wanted to say it was too cold outside and it would be better to stay indoors, but then he thought about her depression. The doctor had said that for depression, treating the mind was more important than treating the body. Getting out and about might make her feel better mentally. "Alright," he gently agreed to her request. "Your IV drip is finished anyway. How about I take you for a walk?" "Mm." Xiao Mubai took Shen Nian out of the hospital. Since she was still a patient, they couldn''t go too far, so he just took her for a stroll around the hospital grounds. They had no specific destination, just wandering aimlessly, going wherever their feet took them. Xiao Mubai supported her, his movements gentle. "There''s a photo studio over there," Shen Nian spotted the shop''s sign from afar. Xiao Mubai followed her gaze and nodded, "Yes, there is." "It''s been so long since I''ve had my photo taken," Shen Nian murmured, suddenly struck by a new idea. She turned to look at Xiao Mubai. "I want to go in and have a photo taken." "A photo?" Xiao Mubai was surprised. "Mm." "Okay." He could never bring himself to refuse her requests. Let alone taking a photo, if she had asked him to buy the entire photo studio right then and there, he wouldn''t have hesitated. They pushed open the door and entered. The shop assistant at the entrance immediately came over to greet them. "Wee! Are you two here for wedding photos?" Xiao Mubai and Shen Nian looked so well-matched¡ªa sunny, gentle, handsome man and a delicate, gentle beauty¡ªthat it was no wonder the assistant mistook them for a couple. "No," Xiao Mubai smiled and denied it, then looked at Shen Nian. Shen Nian asked the assistant, "Do you take ID photos here?" The assistant was taken aback for a moment, then nodded, "Of course we do. Red, blue, or white background¡ªwhich would you like?" Shen Nian thought for a moment, then said, "White background, please." "Certainly," the employee nodded. "Please follow me to choose your outfit first." "Okay." Shen Nian followed the employee. Feeling Xiao Mubai''s gaze on her constantly, Shen Nian knew what he was thinking, so she exined without waiting for him to ask. "I''m changing jobs," she said. "So I need to take new ID photos for my resume." Xiao Mubai was stunned for a moment. Changing jobs, leaving Lu Lingchuan. So, had she really let go? The assistant led Shen Nian to choose clothes. For white background ID photos, dark-colored clothes were needed to avoid shing with the background and maintain contrast. "These are all suitable for white background ID photos. Just choose one you like." Shen Nian selected very carefully, pausing when she touched a dark checkered shirt. She picked up the shirt and held it against herself, then turned to look at Xiao Mubai, asking, "Does this look good?" "It looks good," Xiao Mubai praised without hesitation. "You look good in anything." Shen Nian smiled happily. "Then I''ll go with this one." Wearing just a shirt would certainly be cold inte December. While Shen Nian was changing, Xiao Mubai asked for the remote control for the air conditioning in the makeup room and photo studio, turning it on in advance. Scanning the shop''s payment code, Xiao Mubai generously entered 500 yuan. As he input the payment password, he exined, "She''s still ill, I''m afraid she might catch a chill." After the payment was sessful, Xiao Mubai showed the page to the shop assistant. "This is for the electricity. Thank you for your trouble." This "thank you for your trouble" touched the female assistant''s heart. She looked at him with starry eyes, full of admiration. "Young man, your girlfriend is so lucky." She had seen many boyfriends being considerate to their girlfriends, warming their hands, buying them snacks, but never had she seen someone so attentive to this degree. Hearing this, Xiao Mubai smiled gently. "I hope your words bring good fortune." When they returned, Shen Nian had already changed clothes. She was sitting in front of the makeup mirror, with the makeup artist doing her makeup. Shen Nian was already very fair-skinned, so she didn''t need foundation. However, her face looked haggard, so the makeup artist helped her conceal a bit, then applied some blush and lipstick to improve herplexion. Every time the makeup artist looked up, she noticed through the mirror that Xiao Mubai was staring at Shen Nian. He was watching very intently, so the makeup artist naturally assumed they were a couple and joked, "Does she look good?" "She looks good," Xiao Mubai replied with the same two words. ID photos couldn''t have heavy makeup, light was enough. Shen Nian''s features were very soft, perfectly suited for this kind of natural, light makeup¡ªthe epitome of the unattainable dream girl for many men. After the makeup was done, the staff set up a white background. Shen Nian sat in front of the white backdrop. Her hair was loose, with the sides tucked behind her ears, revealing her eyebrows and ears. "One, two, three, look at the camera." She looked straight ahead, with a faint smile on her lips. The camera focused on Shen Nian''s face, then froze the image. After the photo was taken, it was time for editing. Shen Nian was naturally beautiful, which saved a lot of time in this aspect, but the photo editor still diligently worked on the details. Shen Nian stood beside him, watching attentively. "Nian Nian," Xiao Mubai called her. "Hm?" Shen Nian was still focused on theputer screen. "What kind of work do you want to do in your new job?" Xiao Mubai asked her. Hearing this question, Shen Nian finally looked up at him. After giving it serious thought, she shook her head and said, "I haven''t really considered it yet, but I''ll probably have to change careers." She pointed to herself and added, "The business world has no ce for a useless person like me who can''t even drink." Many times, coborations betweenpanies are sealed after several rounds of drinks. Her alcohol allergy meant she was destined to struggle in this industry. Chapter 150 "Changing careers is good," Xiao Mubai thought for a moment, then nodded. The scheming and infighting was too exhausting. If possible, he hoped she could live more easily and happily in the future. "Whatever you want to do, I''ll support you," he said earnestly, looking at her. He no longer asked for anything now, only hoping she could be happy and content for the rest of her life. The moment he decided to silently protect her, he had already given up hoping for any reciprocation. "..." Shen Nian met his serious gaze, paused for a moment, then smiled gently and asked, "Really?" "Really," Xiao Mubai replied. "Hmm... then I''ll have to think about it carefully." Shen Nian began to seriously consider this question. After about ten seconds, she looked at Xiao Mubai again and asked, "What do you think about me going back to my original profession as an artist?" Original profession... Shen Nian''s university major was art. "Because thinking carefully, I don''t think I''ve ever gone traveling. I''ve always confined myself here." Every day was the same routine: wake up, wash up, put on makeup, then go to work at thepany, like an emotionless working machine. "If possible... I''d like to take a proper trip, appreciate the beautifulndscapes of our country." The more Shen Nian spoke, the brighter the expectation in her eyes grew. Just thinking about it was a wonderful thing. "I really love the ocean..." She had always loved the sea, standing on the beach, basking in the sea breeze ¨C probably nothing could be more blissful than that. As they were talking, the photo editor had finished retouching Shen Nian''s photos and printed them out. He used a paper cutter to separate the photos into individual pieces, then put them in a small paper bag before handing it to Shen Nian. "Thank you." Shen Nian opened the small paper bag, looked at her ID photos inside, and was very satisfied. Looking up, she saw Xiao Mubai staring at her. She thought for a second, then picked out one photo and handed it to him: "Here." Xiao Mubai didn''t react immediately: "What?" "It''s for you," Shen Nian smiled. "Last time when we went back to my ce, didn''t you want my photo? I really didn''t have any then, so this time I''m making it up to you." She finished speaking, then asked: "You don''t want it?" She started to withdraw her hand. Xiao Mubai immediately took the ID photo: "I do." How could he not want it? Shen Nian was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and asked: "Does it look good?" He had already heard these three words for the third time today, but Xiao Mubai still nodded without hesitation, giving the same answer: "It looks good." "Then shall I ask them to send the original image to your phone?" Shen Nian said. "Okay." The photo editor transferred the base image of Shen Nian''s ID photo to Xiao Mubai. When he offered to do the same for Shen Nian, she declined, holding up the small stack of ID photos in her hand: "These are enough for me." If she were to be a free and easy artist in the future, there would be very few asions to use such ID photos. While the photo was being transferred, Xiao Mubai took out his phone, peeled off his transparent phone case, and ced Shen Nian''s ID photo on the back of his phone. Some say that what''s ced on the back of a phone is very meaningful to its owner. Xiao Mubai''s phone back was empty before, but from now on, it would have Shen Nian''s photo. ... After returning, despite Xiao Mubai''s advice, Shen Nian insisted on using theputer to write her resignation letter. Every word on it was typed out by her, one by one, filling an entire page. After finishing, she carefully read it from beginning to end. Once she was sure there were no problems, she typed her name at the bottom and sent it to Lu Lingchuan''s email. The screen disyed "Email Sent". Looking at these words, she had never felt so relieved. Everything was over. She was still hospitalized at the moment and didn''t have the time or energy to go to thepany to handle the resignation procedures and pack up her things. That would have to wait until after she was discharged. Two more days passed in the blink of an eye, and it got much colder. Once evening came, the wind howled fiercely. Xiao Mubai sat in the chair next to her, took out his phone to check the time, then smiled at Shen Nian and said, "It''s the 31st today. Time has passed so quickly." After today, it would be New Year''s Day, the beginning of a new year. Shen Nian leaned back on the hospital bed, staring nkly out the window: "Is it snowing?" She asked. Xiao Mubai followed her gaze and saw snowkes floating outside the window. Because it was so cold, the window had fogged up. "Yes," Xiao Mubai nodded, then said: "It''s snowing." He smiled again: "The first snow of the year came a bitte this time. Usually, ites in early December." This year had just been cold, but it hadn''t snowed. Today, on thest day of the year, the first snow finally fell. Shen Nian seemed to really like snowy days. She kept staring outside, unable to move her gaze away. A nurse came to inform them that they could process the discharge procedures. Xiao Mubai went to handle it, letting Shen Nian stay in the hospital room. When he returned, Shen Nian was still looking outside. "The nurse said it''s quite cold outside," Xiao Mubai walked over, helping her pack up the things on the table. "..." Shen Nian was still looking outside, not saying a word. Over these days, Xiao Mubai had already gotten used to her silence. She spoke less, spending most of her time sleeping and staring into space. Sometimes she wouldn''t say a single word all day. But he didn''t need to hear her answer. Xiao Mubai continued talking to himself. "It''s the 31st today. There''s a New Year''s Eve celebration tonight. I heard that some mall owners applied for fireworks permission, and it''s been approved. There will be a fireworks show at exactly 0:00. Shall we go home to rest for a while, and I''ll take you out early in the evening to get a good spot?" "After today, it''ll be a new year. When the new year begins, even if there were sad things, they''ll all best year''s sorrows. Forget the bad memories and wee the new year." "I''ve pushed back all my work for next year, nning to take you on a good trip. Didn''t you say earlier that you wanted to travel? These past few days, I''ve specifically looked up many travel guides and found that there are indeed many beautiful scenic spots in our country." "The most beautiful snow mountain in China is Meili Snow Mountain. They say when golden light descends from the sky and shines on the snow-capped peak, it looks like a golden ''Pot Pce''. It''s incredibly beautiful." "There''s also Swan Lake, known as the ''most beautifulke''. A thin mist floats on the water surface, elegant swans sing their songs ¨C it feels like being in another world." "The West Lake - the epitome of poetic beauty and picturesque charm. ''To liken West Lake to Xi Zi, light makeup or heavy, she is always beautiful.'' For centuries, countless poets and schrs have attempted yet struggled to fully capture theke''s beauty in words." It wasn''t until she did her research that she realized there were far too many breathtakingndscapes in China to visit them all. Shen Nian''s attention finally returned from the scenery outside. She didn''t offer anyments, simply listening quietly as Xiao Mubai spoke, a faint smile curving her lips. It was rare to see her smile so purely, so gently. For a moment, Xiao Mubai thought he glimpsed the sixteen-year-old Shen Nian from years past. Chapter 151 He had seen a photo of Shen Nian at 16 years old in a family portrait. Her smile then was incredibly pure, just like it was now. She seemed like a flower fairy in the human world, or like the little mermaid who willingly gave up her voice for a pair of legs to meet her prince. Even without saying a word, her breathtaking beauty was undiminished. Her smile infected Xiao Mubai, softening his heart. His tone became increasingly gentle. "After today, it''ll be a new year. Next year is your zodiac year." Indeed, Shen Nian would be 24 next year. "People say your zodiac year is the luckiest, since it onlyes once every twelve years. Such a wonderful year is bound to be full of good fortune," Xiao Mubai said, as if coaxing a child. "Next year will be our little Shen Nian''s second zodiac year. Last time, uncle and auntie were with you. This time, will you let your brother apany you?" He asked gently. Shen Nian continued to smile at him. "In the new year, brother hopes you''ll forget the past, start anew, and be healthy and happy." After speaking, Xiao Mubai took Shen Nian''s own clothes from nearby. During her hospital stay, she had been wearing hospital gowns. Now that she was being discharged, it was time to change into her own clothes. As he busied himself, he didn''t forget to talk to Shen Nian. "After New Year''s, it''ll be Spring Festival. Many people travel during this time, so it might get crowded. Brother knows you don''t like crowds, so how about we go abroad this year for a holiday trip?" As Xiao Mubai spoke, he took out his phone to show Shen Nian the travel ns he had made. These past few nights, when Shen Nian was asleep and he couldn''t sleep, he would browse travel guides, noting down good ces to take herter. "I''ve looked into it, and there are many great ces to visit abroad. Bali, the Great Barrier Reef, Phuket, Provence, and the Maldives are all world-renowned beach destinations. The Taj Mahal, a world cultural heritage site, seems nice too." Thinking of something else, Xiao Mubai added, "I heard Florence is Europe''s most famous art center. Didn''t you say you wanted to return to your artistic roots? It would be perfect for you. How about we make Florence our first stop?" Shen Nian pursed her lips, not agreeing, but only said, "Let me think about it." "Of course," Xiao Mubai said indulgently. "There''s no rush. Take your time to think, and tell me where you want to go. I''ll make the arrangements." "Mm," Shen Nian nodded. Shen Nian only had a thin sweater, not even a coat. That night had been an emergency, and he hadn''t had time to pack clothes for her. Xiao Mubai frowned after touching the fabric. He checked the temperature on his phone. It had gotten much colder these past few days, dropping at least ten degrees. It was still snowing outside. Wearing something so thin would surely lead to a cold. Since there was no rush to leave, Xiao Mubai put down the thin clothes and said to Shen Nian, "You change into these clothes first, and I''ll go buy you a thicker coat and pants." Even though the distance from the hospital to the parking lot was short, and they could turn on the heat once in the car, Xiao Mubai still didn''t want her to get cold. "Mm," Shen Nian obediently agreed, then added, "I''m hungry." "Hungry?" Xiao Mubai immediately became concerned. "What do you want to eat? Shall I bring it back for you?" "Hmm..." Shen Nian thought carefully. "I want the century egg and lean pork congee you bought me a few days ago." Century egg and lean pork congee... Xiao Mubai furrowed his brow. That shop was quite far from the hospital. But since Shen Nian had rarely expressed a desire to eat something, Xiao Mubai naturally couldn''t refuse. He nodded, "Alright, I''ll go buy it for you." His voice was incredibly gentle. Shen Nian immediately broke into a big smile. "Okay." "Then wait here for me." Xiao Mubai stroked her soft hair, picked up his coat from the chair, and was about to leave to buy clothes and congee. "Brother." Shen Nian''s voice came from behind. Xiao Mubai''s body froze. Although he had expressed many times that he was Shen Nian''s brother, she had never actively used this term. This was the first time she had called him that. Xiao Mubai turned around and looked at her. "Mm?" Shen Nian pursed her lips, looking at him silently. After a few seconds, she lowered her head, took off the sunflower ne she had always worn, and handed it to Xiao Mubai. She said, "I don''t like sunflowers anymore." Sunflowers were once Lu Lingrui''s favorite. By giving up sunflowers, Shen Nian was also giving up her obsession with Lu Lingrui. Staring at the sunflower ne in her hand, Xiao Mubai smiled, happy that she was letting go of herself. "Okay," he nodded, then walked over and took the ne from her hand, gently coaxing, "We don''t like sunflowers anymore." Shen Nian nodded firmly. "Mm." Casually stuffing the ne into his pocket, Xiao Mubai stroked her head again, his voice soft, "Wait for me toe back, and brother will take you home." Shen Nian nodded again. "Mm." Thinking of something, she added, "It''s snowing outside, and the roads are slippery. Be careful when you walk, and don''t rush back." The smile in Xiao Mubai''s eyes deepened. "Alright." With that, he reluctantly left the hospital room. Shen Nian leaned back on the hospital bed, looking in the direction Xiao Mubai had left for a long time. Finally, she murmured, "Thank you." ... There were several clothing stores near the hospital. Xiao Mubai entered one and picked out a thick coat, as well as thick socks and fleece-lined shoes for Shen Nian, worried about her feet getting cold. He was so preupied with thinking about Shen Nian that he forgot he was still wearing a thin coat and didn''t remember to buy a thicker one for himself. After buying the clothes, he carried the bags, big and small, to buy the century egg and lean pork congee that Shen Nian liked. This shop''s congee was famously delicious in the area. Especially on such a cold day with snow falling, a sip of hot congee would be incredibly warming. Snowkes fell on Xiao Mubai''s shoulders as he rubbed his hands together, his breath visible in the cold air. He looked at the queue of more than a dozen people in front of him. Although Shen Nian had told him to take his time, he still felt a bit anxious. After thinking for a moment, he took out his phone, tapped the person in front of him, and said, "Excuse me, my sister is sick and really wants to drink this shop''s congee. I want to buy it quickly and take it back to her. I''ll send you a 50 yuan red packet if you''d allow me to cut in line. Would that be alright?" Fortunately, the people queuing in front were all very amodating. Upon hearing Xiao Mubai''s request, they willingly gave up their spots. Even when encountering a few who had been waiting for a long time and were reluctant to give up their positions, Xiao Mubai sent them red envelopes, making them happily yield their ces. The value of a bowl of porridge was less than ten yuan, yet Xiao Mubai was sending red envelopes of one or two hundred yuan just for a spot in line. In truth, the money was secondary. What Xiao Mubai wanted was simply that bowl of porridge. Because Shen Nian desired it, he was determined to do whatever it took to obtain it. Chapter 152 After buying the porridge that Shen Nian liked, Xiao Mubai looked up at the sky. The snowkes were getting bigger. Although the porridge was in an insted bag, he still tucked it inside his coat, using his own body heat to keep Shen Nian''s preserved egg and lean pork porridge warm. He walked briskly, eager to return and see Shen Nian. If he walked too slowly, the porridge would get cold. ... Shen Nian had evaded the nurse''s supervision and gone alone to the hospital''s rooftop. As she pushed open the door to the roof, she was greeted by a nket of white snow. Wearing slippers, she walked step by step, leaving her footprints in the snow. A long trail, marking her path on the seemingly endless snowy expanse. ... On his way back, Xiao Mubai passed by a flower shop. The shopkeeper was standing at the door, enthusiastically greeting customers. Seeing Xiao Mubai, the shopkeeper immediately said with a smile, "Sir, it''s thest day of the year. Why not buy a bouquet for your loved one? Let her carry that smile into the new year." Hearing this, Xiao Mubai paused. After a moment''s hesitation, he walked in. The interior was very warm. He stamped his feet to shake off the snow as the shopkeeper brought over a selection of their best-selling flowers. "Our red roses always sell exceptionally well. Look at the quality, it''s absolutely top-notch." "No, thank you," Xiao Mubai reflexively declined, then asked, "Do you have any sunflowers?" For years, whenever he bought flowers for Shen Nian, Xiao Mubai always chose sunflowers. "..." The shopkeeper''s smile froze for a moment, then turned awkward. "Sir, it''s December. It''s not the season for sunflowers. Not just our shop, you won''t find them anywhere else either." Hearing this, Xiao Mubai looked disappointed and was about to leave with his things. "Wait, sir!" With the snowfall, there weren''t many customers out today, and the shopkeeper was reluctant to let a potential sale slip away. "Sir, our red roses are truly exceptional. You look young and handsome; I assume you''re choosing flowers for your sweetheart?" "Red roses might seemmon, but many youngdies nowadays prefer more unique flowers. Even so, every girl should receive red roses at least once in her life. That way, she won''t have any regrets." Red roses express passionate love. It proves that someone once loved you passionately, their existence showing everyone that you are worthy of such love. These words touched Xiao Mubai. He thought of something and reached into his pocket, where he kept the sunflower ne. She had said she no longer liked sunflowers. After a few seconds of contemtion, Xiao Mubai nodded, "Please wrap a bouquet for me, thank you." Hearing this, the shopkeeper''s face lit up with a big smile. "Certainly!" She immediately started selecting flowers, all the while praising him, "Sir, your girlfriend is truly lucky to have a boyfriend like you." Xiao Mubai smiled gently, "You''ve misunderstood." "Oh?" "They''re for my sister," he said. The shopkeeper was taken aback for a moment, then continued smiling, "To have such a wonderful brother, your sister is very fortunate. I envy her." Xiao Mubai''s smile deepened. Leaving the flower shop, Xiao Mubai held the red roses in his arms. His pace quickened, and the smile on his face was hard to hide. ... Snowkes fell on her shoulders. She was still wearing her hospital gown. Standing at the edge of the rooftop, she looked from left to right, taking in the view. Then she looked up at the sky, seeing only the falling snowkes. She smiled, a hint of regret in her expression. She had hoped to see the sun onest time. What a pity. Her hand pressed against the railing. She climbed over, standing on the narrow ledge on the other side. At this moment, Shen Nian seemed to ovep with Lu Lingrui, who hadmitted suicide five years ago. Standing here, looking down. In this moment, she felt no fear, only a sense of release. Shen Nian took out her phone. Like Lu Lingrui years ago, she opened the contact of the person she cared about most. Lu Lingrui had chosen her; she chose Lu Lingchuan. ... The snow wasn''t heavy, but it was bitterly cold. The ground had already iced over. Xiao Mubai, aware of how treacherous snowy roads could be, had chosen to walk rather than drive. His foot slipped, and he nearly fell. But he managed to steady himself just in time. He checked the red roses in his arms, then the lean pork porridge, sighing in relief when he confirmed nothing had spilled. Thinking about how he would soon see Shen Nian, his smile deepened, and he quickened his pace. ... Shen Nian stared at the text message screen on her phone, her fingertip hovering above it. She wanted to type something but didn''t know what to say. She and Lu Lingchuan had nothing left to say to each other. Just like the two words she had written on the note paper. No regrets. Looking at the three characters that spelled "Lu Lingchuan," Shen Nian suddenly smiled with eptance. Her hand loosened, and the phone fell vertically from the rooftop. She closed her eyes, a smile on her face, and took that final step. ... Xiao Mubai quickened his pace, getting closer to the hospital ward. Thinking about how he would soon see Shen Nian, his steps became lighter, a smile curling his lips. Suddenly, a violent "thud" made him freeze. A figure fell rapidly before his eyes, hitting the ground with a heavy impact. Immediately after, he heard screams from passersby. "Ah! Someone jumped from the building!" People nearby who heard the sound rushed over to look, and many windows in the hospital ward opened as heads poked out. The smile froze on Xiao Mubai''s face. It was as if he had been drenched with a bucket of ice water, chilling him to the bone. In that moment, his heart stopped beating. He stiffly looked at the crowd in front of him, moving like a centenarian, stumbling with each step. Staggering forward, he suddenly broke down as he pushed through the onlookers. "Move aside! Everyone, move!" Clearing a path, he frozepletely when he saw the person lying in a pool of blood. He tried to rush forward but his legs gave way, and he fell onto the snowy ground. The clothes he had bought for her were scattered on the ground. The still-warm preserved egg and lean pork porridge had spilled everywhere. The roses hade apart, their petals strewn all around. The sunflower ne had fallen out of his pocket when he stumbled, a rose petal covering it. Xiao Mubaiy sprawled on the ground, that ssh of blood redder than the vibrant red roses, staining his eyes. Like a mute unable to speak, he opened his mouth, trying desperately to make a sound, but his throat only produced a silent scream. Amidst the pointing and murmuring of passersby and the hurried instructions of the arriving doctors, Xiao Mubai seemed deaf to it all. He knelt on the ground, inching his way towards her. Nian Nian, it''s cold. Let brother warm your hands... The sun must inevitably set, and the moon is destined to sink in the west. Even though today''s snow is so cold, and the night so long. After the snowy day passes, the sun will still rise, and a new day will begin as always. Shen Nian died on thest day of the year, in this first snow. She was destined never to see her second zodiac year. She was 23 years old this year, and her life would forever be frozen at 23. Chapter 153 Xiao Mubai first met Shen Nian at the beginning of his junior year, when she was a freshman who had just started college.0 Even when recalling that dayter, Xiao Mubai still remembered it vividly.0 In truth, it was a very ordinary day, with sunshine as bright as ever, perhaps even a bit hotter than usual.0 But it was on this day that he saw Shen Nian.0 A University had a monument for outstanding students, where the names of students who had participated in majorpetitions or achieved significant aplishments were recorded by the school.3 The September sun was still fierce, its strong rays making skin sting, and female students heading to ss all carried parasols.0 Shen Nian stood under the zing sunlight, gazing at the monument before her.3 The monument wasrge, and she tilted her head slightly upward. From Xiao Mubai''s perspective, he could clearly see her slightly raised chin.0 She was very thin, her jawline prominently defined.0 The dazzling sunlight shone on her face, entuating her distinct features.0 Though she stood in the scorching sun, surrounded by the bustling crowd, she exuded an otherworldly, cool aura that effortlessly made her the most eye-catching figure, drawing sideways nces from passersby.0 Including Xiao Mubai.0 When Xiao Mubai noticed her, she was staring at the monument. For some reason, at first nce, Xiao Mubai sensed a sadness about her, but he didn''t know what she was looking at or why she seemed sorrowful.1 It wasn''t untilter that Xiao Mubai learned that on that day, she had been looking at Lu Lingchuan''s name on the outstanding student monument.1 After that encounter, Xiao Mubai saw Shen Nian a few more times, in the library and the cafeteria.2 She was unique. While others were always in groups of three or five, she was always alone, without friends, not talking to anyone.0 Whether studying or eating, even when walking along the winding paths of the campus, one could only see her solitary figure.0 She looked very lonely, immersed only in her own world.1 It didn''t seem like the world had abandoned her, but rather that she had abandoned the world.1 Xiao Mubai had never been one to meddle in others'' affairs, but Shen Nian''s uniqueness caught his attention.1 The chancellor of A University was an older brother of Xiao Mubai''s mother, which made him Xiao Mubai''s uncle.0 The university hadndscaped an area of the campus with a small river, an arched bridge, a pavilion, and cobblestone paths. These were essential features, but therge expanse ofwn made it look too empty. After consulting with Xiao Mubai, the chancellor decided to nt a few trees a bit farther from the path.0 All the other saplings had sessfully taken root, except for one that looked wilted and on the verge of dying.0 The chancellor thought it wouldn''t survive and wanted to dig it up and rece it, but Xiao Mubai believed the tree wasn''t dead yet and disagreed with removing it.0 Because of this, the two found themselves arguing by the small tree.0 Xiao Mubai firmly believed the tree could be saved and debated with his uncle, wasting no small amount of breath. Feeling parched and wanting to leave, he looked up and saw a graceful figure standing on the cobblestone path not far away, holding something in her arms, watching them intently.2 She seemed to find their argument interesting, her beautiful lips curled into a smile, gentle and shy.0 With just one nce, Xiao Mubai was stunned. He took the initiative to speak, "Hello, student..."0 Although he had seen her before, he didn''t know her name.1 When Shen Nian heard his voice, her smile froze. She immediately withdrew her smile and turned to leave hurriedly.0 In her haste, she didn''t even notice that she had dropped something.0 Xiao Mubai walked over, crouched down, and picked up the item.3 It was a folded A4 paper, but when he opened it, he found a pressed sunflower specimen inside.2 He looked up, but the graceful figure had already disappeared.0 For the next few days, Xiao Mubai didn''t see her. To prove to his uncle that the tree could be saved, he woulde every day during his lunch break to water and fertilize it, observing its condition.3 One day, due to some matters, he arrived half an hourte. As he hurried over with the watering can, he saw that familiar figure crouching beside the small tree, carefully tending to the soil.0 She seemed unfamiliar with tree nting, so she kept her phone in hand, frequently tapping and swiping the screen, asionally looking up to carefully check the tree observation information Xiao Mubai had recorded on a tag hanging from a small branch.0 Xiao Mubai smiled, not approaching, but quietly watching her busy work from a distance.0 When she seemed to be nearly finished, he walked over and initiated conversation.0 "Hello, student. My name is Xiao Mubai. What''s your name?"0 Shen Nian, absorbed in her task, was startled. When she looked up and saw Xiao Mubai, her eyes shed with nervousness and avoidance. She gathered her things, ready to leave, but Xiao Mubai called out to her.0 "You dropped somethingst time," he said.1 Shen Nian ignored him.0 "It was a sunflower specimen. It must be something very important to you."2 If it weren''t important, she wouldn''t have been carrying it with her.0 Sure enough, Shen Nian stopped in her tracks, turned around, and reached out her hand: "Please return it to me."0 Xiao Mubai smiled slightly and took a white floating box from his pocket, handing it to her. "It was just pressed between paper, which could easily damage it. So I took the liberty of putting it in a floating box. This will protect it as much as possible, and you can open it anytime."0 Shen Nian took the floating box Xiao Mubai handed her, pursed her lips, and still said, "Thank you."1 Seeing that she was finally not avoiding him, Xiao Mubai tried to make conversation: "This sunflower specimen must be very precious to you."2 Shen Nian held the floating box close to her heart without speaking. Just as Xiao Mubai thought she wouldn''t answer him, she spoke.0 "This was made by hand by my best friend."3 That''s why she cherished it so much.0 At that time, Xiao Mubai didn''t know Lu Lingrui, so when he heard her say this, he was momentarily taken aback, then his smile deepened.2 Cherishing a friend''s gift so much showed she must be a very gentle girl.0 He asked again, "My name is Xiao Mubai. Can you tell me your name?"2 She pursed her lips: "Shen Nian."0 "Ni¨¤n?" There weren''t many characters with this pronunciation, so Xiao Mubai immediately knew which character it was.0 But he still asked, "Is it the ''nian'' from ''missing'' or ''remembering''?"0 "..." Shen Nian didn''t answer, only looking at him with an unreadable expression. Then she shook her head and corrected him.0 "It''s the ''nian'' from memorating''."0 "Commemorate..." he murmured these words.0 The ''nian'' from ''missing'' and the ''nian'' from memorating'' were actually the same character.3 "Most people rarely use this word to describe it."0 They would usually say it''s the ''nian'' from ''missing'', ''longing'', or ''never forgetting''.0 Because the character "dian" is usually used in the phrase "jidian" (meaning "to offer sacrifices to the dead"), which is considered inauspicious, it''s only used in funeral ceremonies.0 "..." Shen Nian remained silent, still looking at him with that inscrutable gaze.0 Then, she quietly turned and left.0 For a while after that, Xiao Mubai didn''t see her again. However, whenever he went to check on the little tree a bitter than usual, he would find signs of her presence.3 She must have beening every day. When she saw him approach, she would leave without a word. On days when he was too busy to tend to the tree, she would appear and take over his tasks.1 He took the initiative to invite her to care for the little tree together.0 At first, Shen Nian was ufortable, but she agreed nheless.0 She didn''t talk much and appeared shy. When silent, she seemed aloof, but while tending to the little tree, she was incredibly gentle and attentive. asionally, she would even smile.0 She had no friends and was all alone.2 After a period of care, the little tree, meeting their expectations, survived and began to thrive. Their rtionship also grew closer, and she would asionally initiate conversations with him.0 One day, as they were tending to the little tree as usual, he spoke up.0 "Nian Nian," he said.0 "Hmm?" she responded.0 Holding a small shovel in his hand, he watched her watering the tree and said, "In my eyes, you''re a wonderful girl. If it''s possible, would you consider dating me?"3 "tter..." The watering can slipped from Shen Nian''s hands, spilling water onto her shoes.0 Shen Nian seemed not to notice. She just quietly looked at him for a few seconds, then wordlessly got up and left.0 Xiao Mubai thought his rudeness had offended Shen Nian and was about to apologize when she sent him a message, inviting him to meet on the arched bridge next to the little tree.0 When he hurried over, she was already there.0 Standing on the arched bridge, she was quietly gazing at the water below.3 He approached her, and when he was about three meters away and about to speak, she beat him to it.0 "Someone died here," she said.0 Xiao Mubai was stunned, not immediately grasping her meaning. He reflexively asked, "What?"0 Shen Nian turned to face him, pointing at her own belly: "Here."3 He immediately understood her meaning.0 Shen Nian saw the surprise in his eyes and gave a softugh. "So, I''m not as good as you imagine. I''m not a good person at all. Anyone who gets close to me bes extremely unfortunate. Do you understand now?"0 The surprise in his eyessted only two seconds before disappearing. Most guys would have been scared off by now, but apart from his initial shock, Xiao Mubai quickly regained hisposure.1 He asked her, "Was it voluntary or forced?"0 Although he didn''t specify, she knew what he was asking. She nodded, "Voluntary."0 Xiao Mubai nodded, then asked, "And here?" He pointed at her belly with his index finger. "You said someone died. Was that voluntary or forced?"0 "..." This time, Shen Nian fell silent, her eyes filled with darkness.0 Her silence was the best answer. Xiao Mubai suddenly broke into a big smile: "So, I wasn''t wrong about you."0 "..." She looked up at him, confused.1 "I don''t know what you''ve been through in the past, and you don''t have to tell me because that''s your life. Everyone has a different life journey, experiencing things others won''t. That''s what makes our memories unique."0 "When I judge someone, I don''t deliberately try to understand what they''ve been through or use that to evaluate whether they''re good or bad. I trust my own eyes."0 "From the time we''ve spent together, I can see that you''re a good person. You''re not showy or calcting. Even if you repeatedly tell me how unworthy you are, I think I''d justugh it off and not take it to heart."0 Shen Nian asked, puzzled, "Why?"3 Xiao Mubai smiled gently, "Because I simply can''t believe that a girl who willingly spends so much time and patience caring for an abandoned little tree could be so terrible and unworthy."0 "..." Shen Nian was taken aback, then gave a wry smile. "I never realized you were such a persistent person."0 Persistent... In the past, when Shen Nian described Xiao Mubai this way, he had just smiled it off, not taking it to heart. It wasn''t untilter, upon careful reflection, that he realized how apt Shen Nian''s description was.0 He was indeed too persistent. Once he set his mind on something, he would keep at it. Just like protecting Shen Nian - it was a firm belief from the very beginning. Even knowing she didn''t love him, even knowing she couldn''t let go of Lu Lingrui and Lu Lingchuan, he was unwilling to give up on her until he was certain of her happiness.0 Because her life had been too bitter - devoid of familial love, romantic love, and friendship.0 His presence might not give her much, but it could tell her one thing.0 Don''t be afraid. No matter how difficult the road ahead is, I''m behind you. I''ll be here to protect you.0 It was also after that conversation that they became very good friends.1 ...0 Xiao Mubai stood at the entrance of the operating room, never before realizing how time could stretch so long, each minute and second seeming to slow down by thousands of times.0 He leaned dejectedly against the wall by the operating room door, lowering his gaze to look at the blood on his hands, so vivid, so ring.2 ncing at the time on his watch, he realized only ten minutes had passed, even though he had already meticulously recalled his entire history with Shen Nian.0 Finally, the light above the operating room went out, and the door opened. The doctor removed his mask but didn''t speak, just shaking his head gravely at Xiao Mubai.0 Then, Shen Nian was wheeled out by a nurse, a white sheet covering her face.2 Upon seeing that white sheet, Xiao Mubai finally broke down, stumbling over to her.0 He bent down and grasped her hand that had fallen outside the sheet.0 It was so cold, so chilling.0 He couldn''t see her face, only feel the iciness of her hand. The doctors and nurses quietly stepped back, not wanting to intrude on their moment.0 There was no heart-wrenching cry. He just knelt on one knee, holding her hand, and suddenly smiled.0 With reddened eyes, he looked at her and said, "I''ve been constantly thinking about how to keep you alive, but on careful reflection, I realize I''ve been too selfish. I never considered your feelings."0 Large teardrops fell onto the back of her hand as Xiao Mubai lowered his head to blow warm air on it, continuously rubbing her hand, hoping to warm it up even just a little...1 He remembered her saying that she liked to see him smile because his smile was so warm.0 If she liked it, he would smile. So he smiled, a big, broad smile.0 Scalding tears kept falling onto the back of her hand. Xiao Mubai quickly wiped them away. His eyes were rmingly red, yet he was still smiling.0 "If living bes too exhausting, then we''ll stop living."0 "We''ll stop living..."0 There''s a saying that a man''s knees are worth their weight in gold.0 But at this moment, in the hospital, outside the operating room, a man nearly six feet tall was kneeling beside the surgical trolley, holding a hand that would never grow warm again, repeating those five words over and over.0 Everyone present was moved; even the doctors and nurses'' eyes reddened.0 ...0 An elderly professor at A University was about to retire. For his final lecture before retirement, he invited all the students he had taught over his many years.0 This included Xiao Mubai, as well as Shen Nian.0 Originally, Xiao Mubai hadn''t nned to attend, but considering how much Shen Nian respected this professor, he decided to go after all.3 Chapter 154 The old professor had taught many students throughout his life. Upon learning that this would be the professor''sst lecture, all avable graduates came to attend. A University''srgest multimedia ssroom was packed, with chairs even set up in the corridors. Although the professor was advanced in age, his memory was exceptionally sharp. Just by hearing a student''s name, he could clearly recall which year they had graduated. When he saw Xiao Mubai, the professor''s face lit up with joy. "My good boy, you''vee too." "Yes," Xiao Mubai responded, grasping the old professor''s hand. "I''m honored that you still remember me." "Of course I remember," the professor said with a broad smile. "You were an excellent student ¨C good grades, good character, good looks. Even if this old man''s memory was failing, I couldn''t forget you." Xiao Mubai smiled modestly. "I''m not as good as you say." "By the way, where''s that girl Shen Nian?" the old professor suddenly asked, remembering something. "I still remember that girl. She was the quietest student I ever taught. During my lectures, other students would secretly y with their phones or chat, but that girl always listened attentively, taking meticulous notes. I need to be reminded about other students, but I remember Shen Nian very clearly." As he spoke about Shen Nian, the old professor became increasingly animated. After all, what teacher doesn''t like an attentive and diligent student? "I recall that girl didn''t like talking to others, but she would speak more with you." "How are things? Are you two still in touch? How is she doing recently? Why didn''t shee today?" "..." Xiao Mubai''s smile became increasingly strained, his body trembling slightly. Meeting the old professor''s gaze, he forced a smile. When he first tried to speak, no sound came out. He had to clear his throat before he could respond. "She''s... doing well recently. She was working at apany, but a while ago she told me that kind of life was a bit dull, so she quit to be a frence artist. She''s currently enjoying life in Florence and couldn''t make it back in time." "I see," the old professor nodded in understanding, then said with a smile, "That''s great, that''s great. That girl is clever; her mind works quickly no matter what she does. She''s bound to be a famous great artist in the future." Xiao Mubai''s smile became increasingly forced. After the lecture ended, Xiao Mubai prepared to leave. Just before leaving the campus, he suddenly remembered something. Standing on the cobblestone path, he gazed at therge tree with red leaves covering its branches. This tree was where he and Shen Nian first met. Years ago, it had been a small tree on the verge of death, nearly uprooted. Now it had grown sorge, even more robust than the trees nted around the same time. He recalled that during the centennial celebration, both he and Shen Nian had written wishes and hung them on the tree. At that time, his wish was for Shen Nian to be happy and content. As for Shen Nian... what had she written? Xiao Mubai took off his coat and ced it on a nearby stone table. He rolled up his sleeves, stepped back a few paces, then ran forward and nimbly climbed the tree. He made his way up, stepping on branches one by one. Back then, to ensure that heaven would see their wishes first, he had hung the wishes at the very top of the tree. He had put them up himself, and now he was taking them down himself. At the top, there were still only their two wishes, somewhat dirty from months of exposure to wind and sun. He found Shen Nian''s wish, took it down, and then descended. When he was still about two meters from the ground, he jumped down directly. The moment his feet touched the grass, he felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. He remembered thatst time he had jumped down like this, she had thrown his suit jacket at him, chiding him for not being careful about the danger. Now... He looked up at the spot where Shen Nian had stoodst time. There was no one there anymore... A shadow passed over his eyes as Xiao Mubai walked towards the stone table. He opened the red velvet pouch. The pouch was specially made by the school, lined with waterproof coating, so the paper inside wouldn''t get wet from rain. He took out the paper inside. It read: [If there''s a next life, I want to be a jellyfish. With no heart, just drifting aimlessly in the ocean. After death, I''ll turn into water, leaving no trace, as if I never existed.] "..." Xiao Mubai''s hand trembled violently as he held the note. Suddenly, he recalled Shen Nian''s phone call about her hundred-day agreement with Lu Lingchuan. At that time, he had told her: [That''s good. Forget the unpleasant memories of the past and enjoy these 100 days. Nian Nian, if after these 100 days of being together, you still can''t let go of him, then you should stay together. Give up your obsession with Lu Lingrui and n for the future.] Having known Shen Nian for so many years, he understood her very well. Neither Lu Lingchuan nor Shen Nian had ever truly let go of each other. Lu Lingchuancked the courage to take that step, while Shen Nian was burdened by too much guilt. Neither could let go of Lu Lingrui, so they could only torment each other. At that time, Shen Nian had remained silent for a long while before saying: [If I told you that I never imagined a future with him, would you believe me?] Xiao Mubai had been stunned then, not understanding Shen Nian''s meaning. But now, seeing these words, he finally understood. In fact... even if Lu Lingchuan hadn''t suggested breaking up, Shen Nian wouldn''t have stayed with him. Because she had long since lost the will to live. Why did she continue to persevere? Only because Lu Lingrui''s matter hadn''t been resolved. Clinging to this belief, she struggled on, barely hanging on. So when she learned that the two people responsible for harming Lu Lingrui had been sentenced to death, she chose to follow suit and find release. The reason she had agreed to Lu Lingchuan''s hundred-day proposal was only to have fewer regrets and more beautiful memories before she died. He knew now. He understood it all... Xiao Mubai returned home in a daze. He hadn''t been back since Shen Nian''s passing. As soon as he arrived, the housekeeper brought him a package. "What''s this?" Xiao Mubai was puzzled when he saw the package. The housekeeper looked confused, "It''s a package for you." But he had never ordered anything. Perplexed, Xiao Mubai looked at the shippingbel. It was a specially redirected package, meaning the original delivery address wasn''t here; it had been changed. The recipient was indeed him, and the sender... Lu Lingchuan. Suddenly understanding something, he found a knife and opened the package. It was a veryrge and heavy package. When he opened it, inside was a thick stack of property deeds, an astonishing number of them. He flipped through the pages, seeing houses from famous beach resorts around the world, from various locations and countries... The name on all the property deeds was Shen Nian. Underneath was a paper, which when opened, revealed a voluntary gift contract. It clearly stated that these properties, including the 100 million yuan assets transferred to Shen Nian''s name, were all unconditional gifts from Mr. Lu Lingchuan. They were Shen Nian''s private property, pre-marital assets, and would not be reimed. At the bottom was Lu Lingchuan''s signature, along with the date. Seeing that date, Xiao Mubai paused. Lu Lingchuan had signed this nearly two months ago, at the end of October. Counting the days, it was around the time he and Shen Nian had broken up. There was another shippingbel folded beneath the original one. Xiao Mubai carefully peeled it off, revealing that the original delivery address wasn''t his ce, but Shen Nian''s apartment. It had been redirected to his addresster. As expected, this was a scheduled delivery. Lu Lingchuan had specified the delivery time two months ago, but suddenly changed the address midway, redirecting it from Shen Nian''s ce to his. As he was lost in thought, a slip of paper fluttered to his feet. He picked it up and was stunned by the words. [Congrattions on your wedding.] It was in Lu Lingchuan''s handwriting. ... Shen Nian had already resigned, but hadn''t collected her belongings. Xiao Mubai specifically took a day off to help pack her things. It was already the new year, and everyone had resumed normal work after the New Year''s Day holiday. Xiao Mubai''s appearance at Lingrui Group quickly attracted attention, not only because of his striking good looks but also because... many people had seen him before. He often waited outside thepany for Shen Nian''s assistant to finish work. Ignoring everyone''s scrutiny, Xiao Mubai walked straight to Shen Nian''s workstation, found the box for packing items, and put in her frequently used mug and notebook. When he touched the sunflower, a sh of disgust crossed his eyes, and he threw it on the ground without a second thought. "It''s you?" Jiang Lingling, who was passing by carrying the notebook Shen Nian had given her, was surprised to see Xiao Mubai. "I know you, you''re Sister Nian''s friend." Xiao Mubai recognized Jiang Lingling too and was rtively friendly towards her. "Mm-hmm." Jiang Lingling looked delighted. "Are you here to help Sister Nian pack her things? I heard she resigned, but I''ve called her many times and she hasn''t answered. Where is she now? I want to..." "She''s dead," Xiao Mubai said tly, not waiting for Jiang Lingling to finish. "..." Jiang Lingling froze. "What?" "On December 31stst year, shemitted suicide. Resuscitation efforts failed, and she has passed away," Xiao Mubai said. "Thud." The notebook in her hand fell to the ground, apanied by an even louder sound from behind. Everyone witnessed Lu Lingchuan stumble badly, falling to the ground in the most ungraceful manner. "You''re lying to me." Jiang Lingling kept shaking her head, unable to believe it. "What reason would I have to lie to you?" Xiao Mubai replied to Jiang Lingling, but his gaze was fixed on Lu Lingchuan. "Mr. Lu, on the seventh day of your new marriage, which was also thest day of your hundred-day agreement, she left. How does that feel? Are you happy?" "..." Lu Lingchuan seemed stunned, as if he''d been hit. Seeing Lu Lingchuan''s expression, Xiao Mubai smiled. "Yes, Lu Lingrui was indeed the first ray of light in her once dark life, but she was also Shen Nian''s lifelong obsession, her eternal bond." "Now, she doesn''t owe your Lu family anything, she doesn''t owe you, Lu Lingchuan, and she doesn''t owe Lu Lingrui anymore. Now she''s just herself." Xiao Mubai''s eyes grew redder. It was rare for the usually gentle man to speak with such sarcasm. Jiang Lingling copsed to her knees, sobbing uncontrobly. Li Nan, tears streaming down her face, supported her. All the employees who heard this news came forward, shocked and grieving, their eyes reddening. Because they had all received help, big and small, from Shen Nian. The air was filled with Jiang Lingling''s sobs and someone else''s sniffles. Lu Lingchuan, sprawled awkwardly on the ground, remained silent throughout. He tried to stand up, leaning against the wall, but his hand kept slipping. When he finally managed to stand straight, he turned silently, intending to return to his office. Like a person with permanently crippled legs insisting on walking without a wheelchair, he took one step and immediately fell hard to the ground again. Lu Lingchuan seemed immune to the pain. He would stand up, take a step, fall hard, then stand up again... over and over. He had never been so disheveled before, like a lonely old man. Jiang Lingling cried to the point of near fainting. Xiao Mubai left with the packed belongings. Jiang Lingling pushed away Li Nan who was supporting her. "Let me see her, please. Where is Sister Nian''s grave? Please take me there..." Xiao Mubai, holding the box, nced at that disheveled figure upon hearing this, then looked away. "Alone and unencumbered, what need is there for a tombstone?" With that, he strode away. Xiao Mubai hadn''t lied to Jiang Lingling about this. The various procedures were still being processed, and Shen Nian''s body was currently in the funeral home. Although she hadn''t been cremated yet, Xiao Mubai had already decided on her final journey. Originally, he had thought of burying her next to Mr. and Mrs. Shen. She had suffered so much these past few years; let her return to her parents'' embrace and be a cherished child again. But in the end, he chose a sea burial. She had once said that if there was a next life, she wanted to be a jellyfish. She had also said that she loved the sea. Xiao Mubai deliberately chose a day with particrly good weather to go out to sea, holding her ashes. Everyone thought he would break down, but he was actually very calm. Because he never believed that Shen Nian had left him. Death isn''t the loss of life, it''s stepping out of time. Forgetting is the ultimate death. Xiao Mubai was certain he would never forget, so in his heart, she was always alive, just living more freely now. Yes... he would never forget, never ever forget. It takes only an hour to meet someone, but a lifetime to forget them. Although it was still bitterly cold in January, Xiao Mubai wore only a thin jacket. It was one Shen Nian had bought for him before, and he had always treasured it. Today he was sending her off, so he specifically wore this jacket. The ashes scattered with the sea breeze, then fell into the ocean, drifting with the waves. While some celebrate new marriages, others sleep eternally in the sea. After scattering the ashes, Xiao Mubai took out his phone, removed the case, and retrieved the ID photo he had always kept behind it. In the photo, her smile was so pure, so beautiful. Gazing into her beautiful eyes, Xiao Mubai suddenly smiled. "Only now do I understand why you''ve always said you like the sea and want to travel." Before, he had misunderstood her meaning and had searched for many tourist destinations around the world for her. She did indeed want to travel, but not in the way he had imagined. Her ashes would merge with the seawater, and these waters would flow to various parts of the world, experiencing the customs and scenery of different ces. The sea breeze struck his face, and the relentless sound of waves crashing filled his ears. He looked out at the vast, boundless ocean. Xiao Mubai had now experienced the unbearable pain of watching someone he cared about die before his eyes, powerless to help. He had once resented Lu Lingchuan for stubbornly clinging to the past and hurting Shen Nian. But now, Xiao Mubai thought he finally understood why Lu Lingchuan had been unable to let go; it truly was so difficult toe to terms with. Unsurprisingly, he also guessed the reasons behind Lu Lingchuan''s decision to break up and marry Liang Jinghe. Having understood this, Xiao Mubai no longer wanted to me him, but only felt that he was pitiable. He gazed at the sea and murmured. "If there is a next life, if reincarnation truly exists. Nian Nian, you must remember... to be a jellyfish." The sea breeze was his only response. Chapter 155 Five years ago, Lu Lingchuan was actually the first person to discover Shen Nian copsed at the entrance of the morgue. Lu Lingchen would never forget Lu Lingchuan''s expression at that moment. As he emerged from inside in a daze, he saw Shen Nian lying at the doorway, her blood staining her beautiful white dress red. The despair that he had barely managed to suppress was once again pushed to the brink of copse by this cruel twist of fate. He ran like a madman, carrying Shen Nian in his arms. Some say that in a family with two children, if they''re brother and sister, the brother will cherish his sister to death. If they''re sister and brother, the sister will beat her brother to death, due to the dominance of blood ties. Both of these situations existed in the Lu family. When Lu Lingchen was young and mischievous, he often broke Lu Lingrui''s things, so he got beaten quite a lot. In contrast, Lu Lingrui was closest to Lu Lingchuan. As the only daughter in the family, Lu Lingchuan also doted on this sister exceptionally. As for Shen Nian, she was like an epiphyllum suddenly blooming in Lu Lingchuan''s already perfect life. She didn''t need to be dazzlingly beautiful; her cold fragrance and ethereal demeanor were enough to be stunning. On that day, the three women Lu Lingchuan cherished most in his life all met with misfortune. His mother, Li Mingshi, cried herself to death in the morgue after losing her daughter; his sister, Lu Lingrui, jumped to her death; his girlfriend, Shen Nian, fell into aa and miscarried. Multiple blows came in quick session on that single day, crushing Lu Lingchuan, who was only 20 years old at the time, leaving him lying on the ground, barely breathing. Lu Lingchen stood at the doorway, looking at the two people in the hospital room. Shen Nian had just undergone a D&C procedure and was sleeping, while Lu Lingchuan sat by the bed, holding her hand, his head bowed, in a silence so profound it felt suffocating. He was still covered in blood ¨C his sister''s blood, his lover''s blood, his child''s blood. Feeling the gaze from the doorway, Lu Lingchuan''s body swayed slightly. He raised his head, his bloodshot eyes meeting Lu Lingchen''s. He didn''t speak, just silently tucked Shen Nian''s hand back under the covers, then stood up, walked out of the hospital room, and closed the door. Ignoring Lu Lingchen, he just kept walking forward, with Lu Lingchen following behind him. His usually tall figure now appeared utterly alone, his once-straight back now bent. "Brother," the 16-year-old Lu Lingchen called out, his eyes red as he demanded, "Why didn''t Shen Nian take sister with her when it happened?" "Why did she abandon sister?" "If she had taken sister with her at that time, sister wouldn''t have..." Thinking of Lu Lingrui still in the morgue, Lu Lingchen felt a dull, intense pain in his chest. Yes, he wasn''t wrong to have such thoughts. Because from Lu Lingchen''s perspective, Shen Nian was just his brother''s girlfriend, while Lu Lingrui had been his sister for 16 years. Even though she had bullied him many times, Lu Lingrui was still the sister Lu Lingchen loved most. His sister was still so young. His sister was so sunny and lively. His sister had such a bright future ahead of her... But now, her life had been forcibly paused, her future mercilessly deleted. How could he not resent? If Shen Nian had taken Lingrui and run together at that time, would Lingrui have survived? If they hadn''t gone down that alley, would they have encountered those two beasts? If they hadn''t met those two beasts, would the lives of the Lu family, including Shen Nian''s, not have been forcibly rewritten? If only, if only... For the victims, "if only" was just an excuse to escape reality, a fantasy born from the unbearable pain of losing their loved ones. They couldn''t control themselves, couldn''t help but think, if it had been like this, if it had been like that, their most beloved person wouldn''t have left. But in the end, "if only" was just a hypothesis, and reality was reality. "..." Lu Lingchuan didn''t respond to Lu Lingchen''s usation. There was a convenience store in the hospital. Lu Lingchuan bought a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He walked to thendscaped area outside the hospital and sat on arge rock. Lu Lingchuan had never touched cigarettes or alcohol before. This was his first time holding a cigarette. He lit it and took a deep drag. Therge amount of nicotine and carbon monoxide inhaled made him cough incessantly, but after coughing, he continued to smoke, then cough again, repeatedly torturing himself. Smoking is indeed harmful to health, but it''s undeniable that when emotions are on the verge of copse, having a cigarette can soothe the nearly broken spirit. It hurt... it hurt so much, the pain was unbearable. He could only rely on smoking tofort his aching heart. Seeing that he remained silent from beginning to end, Lu Lingchen became angry. "We absolutely won''t allow her to enter our house!" Even though Shen Nian was also a victim, she was involved in the incident with Lu Lingrui. Now that Lu Lingrui was dead, every time the Lu family saw Shen Nian, they couldn''t help but think of Lu Lingrui''s death. It was mental torture. "..." Hearing these words, Lu Lingchuan''s hand holding the cigarette paused. Just as Lu Lingchen was about to rush over and grab his cor, demanding to know if he would choose family or Shen Nian, the cigarette in Lu Lingchuan''s hand fell to the ground. This was the first time Lu Lingchen saw his excellent brother so disheveled and wretched. He sat on thatrge rock, curling himself into a ball in the most vulnerable posture, burying his head and sobbing. "I''m going to lose her..." "But I don''t want to lose her..." Lu Lingchen froze, his earlier angerpletely dissipating. It was at this moment that Lu Lingchen realized, after all that had happened, the most suffering person wasn''t their parents who had lost a daughter, it wasn''t him, it wasn''t Shen Nian. It was Lu Lingchuan. For the rest of them, they had only lost one thing, but Lu Lingchuan had lost everything. His sister, his lover, his child. Left with nothing. Some things simply can''t be judged as right or wrong. Like Mr. and Mrs. Lu, were they wrong? They were just a middle-aged couple who had lost their daughter. Was Shen Nian wrong? If she hadn''t left at that time, there might have been one more person lying eternally asleep in the morgue now. Was Lu Lingchuan wrong? Apart from Shen Nian and Lu Lingrui, he was the one hurt most deeply in this tragedy. No, none of them were wrong. The ones who were wrong were those two beasts. They relied on their privileged backgrounds and connections to bully and hurt others with impunity. The Lu family, Lu Lingchuan, Lu Lingrui, Shen Nian ¨C they were all pitiful victims of their cruelty. Lu Lingchen had thought that Lu Lingchuan and Shen Nian would end their rtionship there, never to interact again. But after Lu Lingrui''s burial, Lu Lingchuan seemed to be a different person. Before, he had been a very gentle person, to his parents, to his siblings, to his lover. Now, he was expressionless, numb and indifferent. Lu Lingchuan began his entrepreneurial journey, bringing Shen Nian along with him. Together, they climbed up thedder relentlessly. He was extremely demanding of Shen Nian. Even for tasks where 80 points would suffice, he insisted that Shen Nian achieve 100 points. His near-obsessive high standards for Shen Nian often made Lu Lingchen wonder if what Lu Lingchuan felt for her was love or hatred. One night, after drinking, Lu Lingchen asked him, "Do you love Shen Nian?" Lu Lingchuan held his wine ss, silent. Lu Lingchen pressed on, "Do you hate Shen Nian?" "..." He remained speechless. Back then, Lu Lingchen couldn''t understand why he couldn''t answer such simple questions. It wasn''t until many yearster that he finally grasped the reason. It wasn''t that Lu Lingchuan couldn''t answer; it was that... there was no answer. For either question, if forced to respond, he would only nod, shake his head, nod again, and shake his head once more. He loved Shen Nian. He didn''t love Shen Nian. He hated Shen Nian. He didn''t hate Shen Nian. Love and hate were separated by a hair''s breadth. The depth of his former love equaled the intensity of his current hate. The root of hatred was love. If there wasn''t even hatred left, that would be truly frightening, for it would mean love had ceased to exist. The more he loved her, the more he hated her. He would rather be entangled in this conflict than walk away entirely. Lu Lingchen once asked Lu Lingchuan what kind of person Shen Nian was. Lu Lingchuan replied, "She''s deeply sentimental, but also stubborn." In truth, Lu Lingchen didn''t have much interaction with Shen Nian. Before, he only knew her as his brother''s girlfriend. After Lu Lingrui''s incident, Shen Nian started working with Lu Lingchuan to build the business, and they rarely met. It wasn''t until thepany took off and Lu Lingchen started an internship there after graduating high school that he had more opportunities tomunicate with her. It was then that Lu Lingchen realized how urate his brother''s description was. She was indeed stubborn, stubbornly believing that Lu Lingrui''s death was her fault, gradually crushing herself under this immense pressure. Lu Lingchen vaguely understood why his brother had kept her by his side all these years. Perhaps it wasn''t just out of hatred and unwillingness to let her go, but also out of a restrained love. If Shen Nian had been left to continue ming herself and spiraling downward, the consequences would have been unpredictable. By involving her in starting the business, expanding thepany, meeting more people, and building more connections, they were able to step by step, personally send those two beasts to face the death penalty. Lu Lingrui would forever be an unforgettable presence in Lu Lingchuan and Shen Nian''s lives. Only by investigating and finding evidence themselves, ensuring that those who hurt Lu Lingrui faced the death penalty, could they alleviate their guilt and provide closure for Mr. and Mrs. Lu, who had lost their daughter. In April, Lu Lingchen received a phone call. Lu Lingchuan''s voice on the other end sounded very off. When he rushed over, he found him slumped on the carpet of a private room in a bar, surrounded by empty bottles. He was leaning against the sofa, a piece of paper pressed to his heart. Unlike before, he now knew clearly that being drunk could lead to mistakes, so no matter when or where he drank, he would only allow himself to get slightly tipsy. But this time, he was drinking recklessly, trying to get as drunk as possible. This was the second time since Lu Lingrui''s death that Lu Lingchen had seen Lu Lingchuan cry. He clutched a "Miscarriage Surgery Form" in his arms, the paper crumpled from his grip. That night, the words he repeated most were: "My child... My child is gone..." As if adding the pain of losing his and Shen Nian''s first child, he cried with restraint, choked with sobs. It was then that Lu Lingchen learned that Shen Nian had been pregnant again, but she had terminated the pregnancy. All those nutritional supplements had been bought by Lu Lingchuan. He had specifically consulted obstetrics and gynecology experts about post-miscarriage care, then had Lu Lingchen deliver the supplements to Shen Nian and arrange time off for her to rest and recover at home. Lu Lingchuan loved her but didn''t dare express it openly. When he first heard about their hundred-day agreement, Lu Lingchen was utterly confused. "What''s the point of this hundred-day agreement? After 100 days, then what? How will you handle your rtionship?" After a long silence on the other end of the phone, Lu Lingchuan said, "This hundred-day agreement is a test for her... and for me. I no longer have the courage to believe she still loves me." "During these 100 days, we''ll set aside the past and get along well... If after 100 days, she''s still willing to love me, I''ll ask for nothing else, just her. ... If she doesn''t want to love me anymore, I''ll set her free, let her live a new life. What she''s learned from me over these years is enough for her to stand on her own feet anywhere. And these 100 days will be the final memories she leaves me." Although Lu Lingchen still didn''t fully understand, once the agreement was made, it was visibly clear that both of them became more rxed. Free from the constraints of external pressures, they dated and loved each other like an ordinary couple. He had thought they could finally put the past behind them and start anew, but Lu Lingchuan told him, "Shen Nian is hiding something from me." Lu Lingchen was surprised: "Have you discovered something?" "No," Lu Lingchuan shook his head. It was precisely because he hadn''t discovered anything that he felt uneasy. Lu Lingchen tried to reassure him: "Maybe you''re overthinking it. I think Shen Nian seems quite normal." Lu Lingchen couldn''t be med for thinking this way, because Shen Nian appeared perfectly normal in front of everyone. There were no visible signs of any issues. When someone is desperately trying to conceal something, they will do everything to prevent the truth froming to light. Lu Lingchuan said no more, only silently taking out a diamond ring from his pocket and fingering it gently. Seeing the ring, Lu Lingchen understood everything. "You''ve decided to propose?" "Yes." He replied in a low voice, his fingertip tracing the pinyin of her name engraved inside the ring. ni¨¤n He said, "I''ve contacted a mall owner and coborated with him to apply for a fireworks disy." On thest day of their hundred-day agreement, he would propose to her. He had nned everything. By the end of the year, those two beasts would undoubtedly face the death penalty. Once Lu Lingrui''s matter was resolved, they could be together properly. He had thought their days would continue peacefully like this, but on the 50th day of their hundred-day agreement, Lu Lingchuan received a phone call. It was from Lu Lingchen. Li Mingshi''s condition had suddenly deteriorated. When Lu Lingchuan rushed to the hospital, Li Mingshi had just been pulled back from the brink of death by the doctors. Shey in bed, with a venttor attached. Her previously clouded eyes cleared slightly when she saw Lu Lingchuan. She reached out her hand to Lu Lingchuan. Lu Lingchuan immediately understood, walked over, took her hand, and lowered his head to bring his ear close. Li Mingshi''s face was pale as she breathed with difficulty, tears sliding down from the corners of her eyes. She leaned close to Lu Lingchuan''s ear and spoke. "Nian Nian and Rui Rui were both good children. Our family just wasn''t fortunate enough to keep them..." "Let''s not hurt her anymore... Let her go live her own life." Li Mingshi spoke with great difficulty, tears falling uncontrobly. "All these years... Mom has been ming her for the pain of losing Rui Rui. Mom has wronged her, and Rui Rui has wronged her too..." "It''s not that she owes us, but that we, the Lu family, owe her... If she stays with our family, she''ll never be able to move past Rui Rui''s death." "Let her go. Our Lu family isn''t worthy of her. Without us... she''ll have a better life." "..." Chapter 156 Li Mingshi''s words hit Lu Lingchuan like a sledgehammer, catching himpletely off guard. After confirming that Li Mingshi had been sessfully resuscitated, he stumbled out of the hospital room, staggering with each step. It was as if someone had poisoned him, rendering him mute, unable to utter a single word. Yes... Shen Nian didn''t owe the Lu family anything; it was the Lu family that owed Shen Nian. This included Lu Lingrui as well. Shen Nian had long since repaid her debt, yet because of Lu Lingrui''s death, Shen Nian had been tormented for so many years. Lu Lingchuanughed, augh filled with bitterness, pain, reluctance, and... determination. He was letting Shen Nian go. There was truth in the saying that keeping Shen Nian in the Lu family would mean she could never escape the shadow of Lu Lingrui''s death. But away from the Lu family, Shen Nian could live her own life, a new life. He chose to break up with her, to let her leave. To ensure he wouldn''t have a chance to regret his decision, he even chose to marry Liang Jinghe. Now that he was married, he no longer had any right to be with her. ... Lu Lingchen knew the reason behind Lu Lingchuan''s decision to break up with Shen Nian and found it regrettable. They had been slowly returning to how they were before, finally moving past their previous issues. Breaking up now seemed such a waste. But he couldn''t refute a single word of what his mother had said. Indeed, for Shen Nian, Lu Lingrui had been her salvation once, but she had also be the shackles binding her future. "Have you really let go?" he asked. Lu Lingchuan remained silent, then said, "She loves the sea. I never took her there." After a pause, he added, "I suppose Xiao Mubai will take her in the future." He had stepped aside, giving way to Xiao Mubai. Lu Lingchen grew anxious: "If Shen Nian truly liked Xiao Mubai, she would have been with him long ago." Then all this entanglement of love and grudges wouldn''t have happened. Lu Lingchuan fell into another endless silence before finally saying, "At least she''ll be at ease with him." Between Lu Lingchuan and Xiao Mubai, it was hard to say who was better. Xiao Mubai''s only advantage over Lu Lingchuan was that he didn''t have a sister, and his sister wouldn''t die or be connected to Shen Nian in any way. So he didn''t have to consider anything else and could wholeheartedly be good to Shen Nian. As for Lu Lingchuan, his only advantage over Xiao Mubai was that Shen Nian loved him. Lu Lingchuan researched famous beach resorts around the world and bought properties in each location. He specially sent a timed package, including numerous property deeds with a "Happy Wedding" note underneath, every word handwritten by Lu Lingchuan. Since he couldn''t give her ease and happiness himself, he would let someone else do it. ... No one had ever imagined that Shen Nian wouldmit suicide. The day Xiao Mubai came to thepany, he broke the news to everyone. Upon hearing this, Lu Lingchen immediately went to find Lu Lingchuan. As he passed by the employees'' workstations, he could hear crying. The atmosphere was heavy with grief. Li Nan, with reddened eyes, wasforting Jiang Lingling, who was sobbing at her desk, clutching the notebook Shen Nian had left her. As he passed by Shen Nian''s workstation, Lu Lingchen paused and looked over. There were still quite a few things on the desk, but all of Shen Nian''s personal items had been taken away by Xiao Mubai. Shen Nian loved sunflowers. To see them every day, she had bought fake sunflowers online to put in a vase, along with some cute sunflower decorations. Now, Xiao Mubai had thrown them all on the floor. He didn''t linger and entered Lu Lingchuan''s office. Inside, it was eerily quiet. Lu Lingchuan sat in his chair, behind his desk which faced arge floor-to-ceiling window. He had turned the chair to quietly look outside. His suit was dirty and disheveled from when he had fallen earlier. He was holding something in his hand ¨C a handmade doll. The doll wore a white dress with a single character written at the bottom. Nian. This was the doll he had made that time. They had bumped into each other at the mall, and she had smashed the original "Little Shen Nian" and thrown it in the trash. He had found that handmade doll shop and made an identical one. Since then, it had been kept in a drawer in his office. Lu Lingchuan gripped "Little Shen Nian," saying nothing, eerily calm. Lu Lingchen was worried and couldn''t help but speak: "Brother..." Lu Lingchuan''s body just swayed slightly. "Has the house been transferred?" When he spoke, his voice was extremely hoarse. Lu Lingchen nodded: "Shen Nian had Xiao Mubai find professionals to handle it earlier. The contract has beenpleted now." Those two houses of Shen Nian''s... were and weren''t bought by Lu Lingchuan. When those two houses were first listed, Lu Lingchuan knew about it. He didn''t buy them himself but asked a friend of Lu Lingchen to handle it. This way, it couldn''t be traced back to him. Both Lu Lingchuan and Lu Lingchen had originally thought Shen Nian was selling the houses because she was leaving Beijing to develop her career elsewhere. That''s what the real estate agent had said at the time. Lu Lingchuan remained silent for a long time before saying, "Let''s go take a look." Lu Lingchen drove. This was his first time visiting the home where Lu Lingchuan and Shen Nian had lived together. The door had a keypad lock. Lu Lingchuan personally entered the password and opened it. The house still looked the same as when Shen Nian had left. Lu Lingchuan walked to the living room, looking at the sofa where he and Shen Nian had sat for many years. He didn''t sit down but lifted the cushion and took something from underneath. It was a photo ¨C Lu Lingrui and Shen Nian''s high school graduation picture. Shen Nian had always thought she had hidden it well, that Lu Lingchuan didn''t know she had hidden the photo there. In fact, Lu Lingchuan knew. He knew everything. Holding that photo, Lu Lingchuan said nothing, just turned and walked towards the TV cab, looking at the "Little Lingrui" ced on top. He took out "Little Shen Nian" and ced it next to "Little Lingrui." He crouched there, quietly looking. Lu Lingchen was extremely uneasy. Since learning of Shen Nian''s death, his brother hadn''t broken down, hadn''t cried, had been too calm. After who knows how long, Lu Lingchuan finally stood up, pressing on his numb legs, and entered the bedroom. Lu Lingchen immediately followed. Aluminum blister packs and medicine bottles were scattered all over the carpet, with pills and capsules strewn everywhere. There were also traces of vomit on the carpet from when Shen Nian had been unconscious during the incident. Lu Lingchen picked up a blister pack. All the capsules had been pushed out. He slowly deciphered the drug name from the text on the back and looked it up on his phone. It was an antidepressant. Shocked, he picked up another bottle and checked. It was also an antidepressant. Lu Lingchen was stunned, looking at the blister packs and bottles strewn across the floor. There were even more in the drawer. His brother had said that Shen Nian was hiding something from him, but he could never figure out what it was. So... this was what Shen Nian had been concealing all along, wasn''t it? Suddenly, he recalled what Shen Nian had once said to him. "Little brother." "Big sister... might not be able to hold on much longer." He didn''t understand at the time, but now, seeing the pills scattered everywhere, it all became clear. So that''s what she meant, that''s what she meant... ... They went to the funeral home where Shen Nian had been ced. There were no financial disputes regarding Shen Nian''s death. Xiao Mubai had her ced in the funeral home, awaiting arrangements for cremation. Out of humanitarian concerns and custom, cremation would typically ur 2-3 days after death. They had made arrangements in advance, and when they arrived, the funeral home director personally received and guided them. Stopping in front of a door, the director took out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Lu Lingchuan. "Mr. Lu." Lu Lingchuan looked down at the paper. It was Shen Nian''s death certificate. He took it with trembling hands, though he already held another piece of paper. It was the abortion surgery form from when Shen Nian had given up their child. Pushing the door open, only Shen Nian was inside. Shey on a gurney,pletely covered by a white sheet. Lu Lingchen''s heart felt as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer as he stood at the doorway, staring nkly inside. In his memory, when he first saw Shen Nian, she wore a white dress, hiding shyly behind Lingchuan with a timid smile. For some reason, he never saw her wear white again after that. And now, once more in white, it looked so painfully ring. Lu Lingchuan held the abortion form of his child in one hand and Shen Nian''s death notice in the other. He stumbled into the room, copsing to his knees when he reached the gurney. Clutching those two pieces of paper tightly, theposure he had maintained for so long crumbled the moment he saw Shen Nian. He bent over the stretcher, sobbing quietly, his voice choked with grief. On the eve of the wedding, Lu Lingchen had said he hoped his brother would never regret his decision. He thought that after letting her go, she would live afortable and carefree life. He thought she would be happier without him... If he had known it would end like this, he would never have let go, not even if it killed him. He regretted it. He regretted it. He regretted it... ... Lu Lingchuan stayed inside all night, and Lu Lingchen kept vigil outside for the entire night as well. That night, Lu Lingchen couldn''t sleep at all, his mind shing through many events, the grudges and grievances of these past years. Now... it had alle to a definitive end. "Click." The door opened from inside, and Lu Lingchen immediately sat up from the ground when he heard the sound. Turning his head, he was stunned when he saw Lu Lingchuan. "Brother, you... you..." He was too shocked to speak. In just one night, Lu Lingchuan''s hair had turned mostly white. Though some ck strands remained, they were barely noticeable. His hair had gone white overnight. Lu Lingchuan said nothing, still clutching those two pieces of paper in his hand as he silently left. ... Li Mingshi''s health had improved significantly, and she had returned home to recuperate. Her birthday was in early January. Lu Yanhua wanted to personally prepare a table of dishes for her, so she went out with Auntie Xu to buy groceries. Lu Lingchen returned home to take care of her. "Ding dong." The doorbell rang, and Lu Lingchen opened the door to find a delivery man holding arge bouquet of sunflowers. "Hello, these flowers are for Mrs. Lu. Please sign for them." Lu Lingchen couldn''t remember how he managed to sign his name on the delivery slip. He brought the flowers inside in a daze. "Who was it?" Li Mingshi heard the noise and came out, only to see Lu Lingchen holding a bouquet of sunflowers. Without asking or guessing, she knew. They were birthday flowers from Shen Nian, as she sent them every year. "Bring them here," she gestured. Lu Lingchen handed over the flowers, and Li Mingshi quickly found an envelope among them containing a card. The content was exactly the same as before. "Mom, happy birthday to you." Previously, she would write Lu Lingrui''s name at the bottom every year, fulfilling filial duties on Lu Lingrui''s behalf. This year, it was clear that she had initially intended to write Lu Lingrui''s name again. She had even started to write the character for "ear," but for some reason, she had crossed it out and written her own name instead. "Mom, happy birthday to you. ¡ªShen Nian." Li Mingshi felt there was something else in the envelope. She tipped it out to find a bank card with six digits written on the back. It was Lu Lingchuan''s birthday. Lu Lingchen recognized the card. When Li Mingshi was first diagnosed with cancer, she had hastily given him this very card after her initial shock. The ount number for transferring funds for the two houses they bought was also from this card. "Why would this child... send me a bank card?" Li Mingshi still didn''t know that Shen Nian was gone. cing the card aside, she took the vase from the dining table, removed the flowers inside and tossed them on the table. She then carefully unwrapped the sunflowers Shen Nian had sent her, about to ce them in the vase. "Shen Nian is no longer with us," Lu Lingchen suddenly spoke. "..." Li Mingshi paused for a moment. "On thest day ofst year, shemitted suicide by jumping from a building." "..." Li Mingshi stared nkly at the sunflowers in her hand, then gently set them down. She turned her head and picked up the greeting card again. "Mom, happy birthday to you. ¡ªShen Nian." She just looked at it, staring intently. Suddenly, shey her head on the table, her shoulders shaking more and more violently. ... Lu Lingchuan received a call from Liang Jinghe asking him toe home. He hung up without saying a word. Lu Lingchen, worried, went along with him. Liang Jinghe hadn''t seen Lu Lingchuan for a long time, or rather... he had left right after the wedding ceremony without even toasting the guests. Knowing Lu Lingchuan was busy with Lu Lingrui''s case, she didn''t throw a tantrum. Instead, she patiently exined the situation to her parents and their rtives and friends on Lu Lingchuan''s behalf. But now, even though Lu Lingrui''s case had been closed for many days, Lu Lingchuan still hadn''te home. Liang Jinghe, who was cooking, heard the doorbell and immediately smiled, hurrying to the door with a spat in hand. "Lingchuan!" When she opened the door and saw Lu Lingchuan with his now white hair, she waspletely stunned. "Lingchuan, your hair..." They hadn''t seen each other for just over ten days, yet his hair had be like this, and he looked so much more haggard. "Jinghe," Lu Lingchuan looked at her, his voice frighteningly hoarse. He said, "Let''s get a divorce." After all, they had never truly been husband and wife. Initially, to cut off any thoughts of seeking out Shen Nian, Lu Lingchuan and Liang Jinghe only held a wedding ceremony without officially registering their marriage. After saying this, without waiting for Liang Jinghe to speak, Lu Lingchuan turned and left. Just then, Lu Lingchen hurriedly followed, passing by Lu Lingchuan. He stopped in his tracks, ncing at Liang Jinghe at the doorway, then turned to look at the departing Lu Lingchuan. Taking a deep breath, he still walked towards Liang Jinghe. "Why..." Liang Jinghe stood in ce, mumbling, unable to ept it. She turned her head, looking at Lu Lingchen, "Is it because the person in his heart has returned, so he wants me to give up my position?" "..." Faced with this question, Lu Lingchen didn''t know how to answer. After a few seconds of silence, he said, "She can nevere back." "What?" "Shen Nianmitted suicide," he said. "..." Liang Jinghe''s figure swayed, and she asked uncertainly, "Shen Nian?" "Yes." Lu Lingchen nodded, "You should know that Shen Nian was the one who apanied my brother from nothing to something." Liang Jinghe''s throat felt dry as she nodded stiffly, "I know." "Actually, besides that role, she was also Lingrui''s best friend when she was alive, and my brother''s first love¡ªa first love he never forgot." "..." "Back then, it was her and Lingrui who went to find my brother. When they took a shortcut, they were cornered by those two beasts. Lingrui pushed Shen Nian to run, holding off those two beasts alone, and that''s when the incident happened." Seeing Liang Jinghe''s shocked gaze, Lu Lingchen said, "I thought you knew this long ago." Hearing this, a bitter smile shed in Liang Jinghe''s eyes, "I had my suspicions before..." "..." "So, I deliberately tried to get information from your brother. I asked him what the woman in his heart was like, and he said she was a gentle person. That''s why I thought my suspicions were wrong." Because every time Liang Jinghe saw Shen Nian, she was always aloof. She was an excellent employee, a meticulous assistant, and Lu Lingchuan was very strict with her. That Shen Nian showed no trace of gentleness. Their interaction pattern gave no indication that they were once a loving couple. "I understand now." She gripped the spat, her smile growing more bitter: "Tomorrow, I''ll announce to everyone that I''ve changed my mind and I''m unterally ending the marriage." Lu Lingchen was surprised: "It''s our Lu family that has wronged you. We should be the ones to announce it." Although it hadn''t been made public yet, the oue was already known. If Liang Jinghe spoke up, all the rumors and public opinion would be dumped on her. "It''s alright," she forced a smile. "It''s my fault. I took something that belonged to someone else, something that wasn''t mine to take." When Lu Lingchuan had proposed marriage, he had clearly stated that he didn''t love her. Whether to ept the marriage or refuse, Lu Lingchuan would respect her decision and wouldn''t force her. And she... knowing full well that Lu Lingchuan didn''t love her, knowing he had someone else in his heart, she still plunged headfirst into it. "This is my retribution... I''m paying the price for my thoughtless choice back then..." She mumbled, turning around and staggering step by step into the house, her silhouette deste. Price... Hearing these words, Lu Lingchen was momentarily dazed. Yes, everyone has to pay the price for their past actions. Those two beasts who ruined Lingrui back then paid their price; they were sentenced to death. His mother, who transferred the pain of losing her daughter onto Shen Nian, also paid her price; she got cancer. Liang Jinghe, who took something that didn''t belong to her, also received her retribution. Shen Nian, who had abandoned Lingrui back then, couldn''t escape karmic retribution either; she left this world in the same way Lingrui had years ago. Now only Lu Lingchuan was left, and his retribution hade too. The Lu family couldn''t bear the pain of losing another child. Even if life ahead was unbearable, he had to endure it. Destined to be alone for life. The End The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!